She whimpers in her sleep, I’ve never heard anything like it, the sounds that are coming from her sleeping form are heart breaking.

The sun is up now I’m tempted to wake her but I know that she needs to sleep. My left arm is asleep and I really need to move it but Dana has an iron grip on it.

I study her face, she’s scared I can sense it. Should I wake her? She turns over suddenly freeing my arm. A million tiny needles bite me as the feeling returns.

Dana whimpers again, a small scream escapes her lips. I pull her back to me, my arms wrap around her but she screams again.

This time her eyes fly open and she tries to sit up “Please stop…please.”

She looks confused until her eyes find mine.”Shane….Oh god.”

She hides her face in her hands “I hoped it was just a horrible nightmare. I’d wake up and everything would be fine….But it….this is real isn’t it?”

I place a hand on her back “Yeah..” I don’t know what to tell her. I look over at Alice who’s lingering in the door way. She’s trying so hard to keep it together but it’s a battle she can’t win.

She walks over takes Dana from my arms Honey is there anything we can do for you, anyone you want us to call Bette, Tina maybe Lara.

Dana pulls away ,she looks at me, Alice, then her gaze falls away from us as she whispers “She’ll blame me.”

Did I just hear her right? Does she really think that anyone would blame her?

“No one will blame you for what happened…… they love you, We all do.” Alice tells her but I dont think shes listening.

“But it is my fault…I should have fought harder…it’s all.”

“Stop it right now.” I say cutting her off “You are not to blame. You did all you could Dana…I won’t let you do this to yourself.”

Shanes right this is not your fault

“I went to that stupid party with him …I wanted to take Lara…I should have taken her.” She pauses “What will she think of me when she knows…what he did to me…When she finds out that I’m damaged goods.”

She begins to sob and I hug her close “Listen to me Dana..You are not damaged goods…This is not your fault and Lara will tell you the exact same thing. Do you want me to call her?”

“No…I can’t tell her…I can’t tell anyone…”

“Dana…You need the people you love right now..”

“I have you and Alice…I don’t need anyone else.” she whispers as she lays back on the bed.

She pulls her knees up to her chin “Will you just…Hold me?”

I wrap myself around her, wishing that I could take away this pain that he left behind.

“Dana…can we please call them….You have us but you need the support of all the people that love you. I tell her as Alice shakes her head in agreement.

She lets out a breath “I can’t…theyll look at me different…they all will….the way you two do.”

I don’t know what to say, It’s like words have abandoned me. “I don’t know what you mean.” I whisper but it falls on ears that have returned to sleep.

What is she talking about Shane we dont look at her different do we? Alice asks.

I shake my head, thinking of what Dana meant. Do I look at her differently? If I do I don’t mean to.

I love her she knows that..If I am looking at her differently it’s only because I see how strong she is.

Shane what do we do now?

I dont Alice…I just dont know.