"I’m sorry." Ashley sat up, sitting stiffly on the couch, staring blankly ahead. "You think I’m crazy, don’t you?" She spared a glance at Spencer from the corner of her eye, "because I would do something like that to myself…God…I need a drink."

     "No," Spencer ran her fingers through Ashley’s hair, "I don’t think you’re crazy, and you don’t need a drink…I think you need a friend, someone you could talk to."

     Ashley wiped her nose roughly on the back of her uninjured hand. "No, I don’t need to talk about anything. I’m fine. Thanks for fixing my hand and–" she made a move to stand, but was restrained by Spencer’s grip.

     "Ashley, no." Spencer held Ashley captive through her eyes. "Tell me…why are you hurting yourself? And I don’t just mean the cuts on your leg, you do it in other ways too. You drink like you’ve got a back-up liver, you try to act tough like you don’t need anyone, and push people away, even now, when you clearly do. Just tell me why."

     "Because I feel disgusting," Ashley whispered the words, pulling her legs back up once again, burying her face in her arms. "I feel disgusting all the time…because of what he did…I swear Spencer, I told him no, I tried so hard…" her hands balled into fist and she began pounding them against the sides of her thighs, her voice choked and muffled as she continued speaking. "He wouldn’t listen to me…he just wouldn’t listen. I told him it hurt. I screamed and yelled, but he just wouldn’t stop…he just kept on going." She lifted her head, turning to face Spencer with a look of such pain the blonde felt her heart shatter and wondered if she would ever find a way to mend the broken pieces. "Spencer I promise I fought him…I fought as hard as I could…" her words were quickly becoming unintelligible as she began to break down. "…but I-I just wasn’t s-strong enough…"

     "Ashley…" Spencer had no words. Nothing would come to mind. How do you repair something that had been torn asunder in such a brutally violent way. Ashley sat on the couch, balled up, as though she were trying to hold herself together, to keep from flying apart. "…it’s not your fault. What happened to you…it wasn’t your fault." Spencer, not knowing what to do, edged closer to Ashley’s form, putting an arm around the shuddering body, placing her head on the brunette’s shoulder, at a loss about how to comfort her. It’s all making so much sense now…why she was so indifferent, angry all of the time…everything…her train of thought broke off as Ashley spun and threw her arms around her neck, burying her face in Spencer’s shoulder. Her hand rotated in soothing circles around Ashley’s back, "You’re strong, Ash. A lot stronger than you’re giving yourself credit for right now." She hugged Ashley closer, needing the physical contact just as much as the other girl at that moment.

     "Spencer?" Ashley didn’t lift her head as she talked, but she lowered her arms to the blonde’s waist, holding her tighter.

     "Yeah, Ash?"

     "I-I’m going to need a friend…for awhile, if you’ll just bear with me while–"

     "Done." Spencer cut her off, not needing to hear whatever it was the other girl needed, just knowing that she would give whatever she could for her. For her friend.

     Ashley pulled back, searching Spencer’s face as she brought up her good had to rest against her face, cupping it gently. A small, hesitant smile pulled at the corners of her mouth, she moved to lay her head back down, whispering in Spencer’s ear before she did so, "Be patient with me…I’m not ready for…" she stopped, then began again, "thank you."

     Spencer was confused by the first two statements, but thought nothing else of it. Ashley must be emotionally drained. "You’re welcome…"