Like a bunch of other people who have responded, I also don't know what I'd do or where I'd be without my favorite fictional characters. Works of fiction, including fanfic, are a good distraction from the bad things in the world and my own problems. A lot of the specific characters I like are also really inspirational to me--like I can't just give up, because the character wouldn't, or wouldn't want me to. They've been through so much more serious stuff than I have and they care so much about other people and about setting things right--maybe I can't reset the timeline like they do and make all of this go away, but I can do little things in the real world and maybe those matter too.

(And I may also have a super self indulgent AU where I'm a member of the Discovery crew and I'm friends with most of the major characters and I imagine that they care about me and I can be there for them (and vice versa) and they can have the down time and quieter moments canon doesn't always give them. I don't usually share the stuff I make for it with the general public, but I have it)