WARNING: May trigger. Please be careful if you read.

Disclaimer: I don't own South Park, or Craig, Ruby, or . They belong to Matt Stone and Trey Parker. I only own Zoe, her dad, and...um, that's pretty much it. ^ ^'

Save me.

I had only just begun, but fat tears slid down my face as the thin blade crisscrossed my wrist. I hated myself! I was so weak...So very, very weak. As I slashed away, I could only think of their faces- they mocked me, laughed at me for being the shy little mute girl. I had no friends. Nobody wanted to be seen with me. Then they would become outcasts, and their friends would cut them off. Not even that little British boy, Pip, would be friends with me, and he had nothing to lose.

I flinched and bit my tongue as I went just a little too deep. I took the blade away for a second before placing it back. The once white tiles that were beneath me were stained a slight reddish pink color, and I started to feel slightly dizzy as I continued to scissor the blade against me milky skin. I leaned over on the bath tub, trusting the slippery porcelain to keep me upright.

Save me.

I couldn't even trust those who I thought were close to me.

I gripped the edge of the tub, my bloody fingers making it difficult to keep a good grip. My wrists weren't helping, either. I coughed a little, feeling horrible. The cut that I had made a little too deep was on fire, and it felt itchy and irritated and amazing and wonderful at the same time.

My vision was blurry and slanted, and the sound of loud, screechy static filled my ears as my head pounded from the tears. I dropped the razor in the tub, trying to get a good grip on reality. I didn't want this! I didn't want any of this! I didn't want to live my life as it was, I didn't want to die, I didn't want a step family, I didn't want to be too shy to talk, I didn't want to be in love with someone, and I didn't want to be looked at with disgust because I loved that person. I didn't want to feel like this, sick and tired and wide awake all at the same time. I didn't want to die, I didn't want to live anymore, and I definently didn't want to deal with the kids at school, in this stupid neighborhood, in this whole hick town.

I didn't want to be here anymore. I just wanted my mom.

Suddenly, I couldn't breath as the lump in my throat clogged my breath, preventing it from coming out. I heard a loud bang, as though someone had just been shot.

Save me.

Had it been me? Had I just been shot?

I looked down at my chest, down my stomach, past my hips and down my legs. No blood seemed to be spewing from a bullet hole in my body. I heard large thumps, and I could almost see a body in a rug being dragged down the steps, could hear the grunting from the other person who dragged it down the steps. I placed my head on my knees and sobbed, mourning the loss of the soul that had been lost.

I heard the thumps getting closer as I tried to silence my sobs, staying completely still.

Save me.

"Zoe?" I heard someone call out, and I stiffened.

Was Craig home?

I heard him running through the house, and I muffled my shrieks and sobs. Suddenly, I felt nothing. My tears left, and I sat there, stoic. I couldn't let him see my tears. Nobody could share my tears with me. I couldn't make them endure that. I couldn't make them carry that weight on their shoulders.

I heard muffled thumps as Craig shifted through my room, searching for me. I heard my blankets hit the floor, heard him fall to his knees, looking under the bed. I heard him throw my closet door open, heard the hangers clink together and screech against the metal pole they were on. I heard him digging through the things that covered the floor, heard him crawling around.

I heard him fling himself out of my room and into the bedroom that my dad and his mom slept in together. I heard him hunt through their rather large room, again searching under the bed, under the covers, hunting through the closet. Again, I heard the metallic cry as the hangers scraped the metal pole they rested on. I heard him running through the walk-in closet as he searched, and heard his socked feet as he padded into their bathroom. I heard him then go in to Ruby's room. The same events followed, and I heard him continue his search in our rather large small house.

In his room, I heard something different. He completely tore his room apart, not holding back. I heard him throw his clothes in the closet on to the ground, and I heard him push things over. When he was finished with his room, he ran out, panting.

I heard the panic that laced his voice as he yelled "Zoe, please! Where are you?!"

I quietly called out

"I'm in here. Save me."

I heard him run to the bathroom I was sitting in, and I heard him choke back something as he took in the scene before him. Most of the white tiles had been turned pink, and things from the medicine cabinet had been flung about in my desperate attempt to find the razors, which Craig had hidden from me. Both the tub and the sink had blood on them, and most of my skin had been smeared with blood. My clothes also had my blood on them, and my legs had blood running down them.

I heard him come up to me gently, and he hugged me from behind. I could hear the pain and hurt in his voice as he asked me, again and again, "Why?"

He was gently rocking me back and forth, just asking me why. Over and over again. Why? Why? Why?

"I hate myself," I said, keeping my voice emotionless. "I'm so weak. Everybody hates me, even my dad. He's hated me since my mom died. He's always acting like I'm in his way of his happiness. I feel that if I was gone, everybody would be happier."

I felt him gently take my arm and kiss my scars. "Oh, Zoe. You're not weak. You're one of the strongest people I know. The kids at school are idiots. They don't understand, and they don't know. They're completely insensitive jack asses." he paused and then hesitantly said, "Especially me. I shouldn't act like I do, and there's no excuse for how I act. I knew how badly you were struggling, but I never reached out to you, or attempted to help you. I'm sorry."

I just sat there as he rocked me, staring at a streak of blood on the wall.

"You're so strong, and I can't believe you felt this bad," Craig said, gently kissing my scars again. "Why didn't you just tell me how you were feeling?"

"They...they were starting to get to me through the computer, and I...I just couldn't take it anymore. They called me so many awful names, and they made me feel bad about myself. They said I was a fat pig that would never amount to anything. They said I should just die. They said i was a mute freak. They...they said that dad hated me, and that I was gross scum."

Craig was still gently rocking me back and forth, and he whispered "None of that is true. Believe me, it's not. They're just pushing their insecurities on to you."

I turned around and latched myself on to him, hugging him tightly and letting my tears just flow. The dizzy feeling returned, and I heard that static sound again. I felt my arms loosen, and my tears slow.

That was when I was plunged in to darkness.

Save me.

I woke up to a steady beeping, flourescent lights buzzing above me. I felt blinded by their harsh light, and I turned over, still not fully awake.

That was when I saw Craig.

He was in a chair, his long legs splayed out in front of him as he slept. His head was resting at a slightly awkward and uncomfortable position on his shoulder. I shifted and pulled myself up from the lumpy and uncomfortable bed, and I flinched as he jolted awake, looking as though he had had a nightmare.

"Zoe...Oh thank god. You're awake." he said, and he got up and walked over to me.

"Craig...What happened?" I asked.

"Well, you almost died from blood loss...The doctors say it was lucky I got home when I did..." he said, and he gestured towards my wrist.

That's when I noticed the tight gauze that bound my wrists, and it all came back to me. "Oh." I said simply, and I laid back down.

"Your dad is on his way back...and my mom is, too. They're so worried about you. Ruby is with the McCormicks, with Karen." he said, just chatting away.

"Thanks, Craig." I said, smiling weakly at him.

"And, um..." he started, shifting uncomfortably. "I-I..."

"You saved me. You're a great stepbrother." I said, my heart aching at the words.

I watched as his face fell, and I felt my heart being squeezed again. "Yeah...a wonderful stepbrother..." he mumbled. Suddenly, he got an odd look on his face. "No! Not ok!" he said, almost more to himself than to me.

"Craig..?" I asked.

"I really like you. As more than a stepsister. I've liked you since shortly after we met, but I've never said anything because of our parents..."

That was when I reached up and kissed him, cutting him off.

He grinned when i pulled away, and I smiled back. He held my hand tightly, and he stuttered "W-will you be my, uh, girlfriend?" he asked.

"Of course," I replied, as eagerly met his lips as he leaned down to kiss me again.

"What the hell?!" I heard my dad sputter. I blushed and we pulled apart.

"Hey, dad." I said, my cheeks a bright red.

"We're going to talk about this later..." me dad started, running his hand through his thinning hair. "But for now, I'm glad you're ok, sweetie."

Craig's mom winked at us, hiding behind my dad. We exchanged glances before he left. His mom followed him, and my dad came in. He sat next to me, and looked at me. "So, do you mind telling me what happened?" he asked, raising one of his eyebrows.

"Well, honestly, I don't." I said gruffly, staring down at my lap. You think I'd be kinder to my dad after all we'd been through together, but I couldn't do it. Not after everything.

"Craig told his mother some interesting things over the phone." my dad said, and I felt my mouth twist, unsure how to feel about this.

I sat there, refusing to talk. I heard my dad sigh and he got up and gave me a hug. I sat there, stiff and surprised. I struggled to think back to the last time he had hugged me. "I love you, Zoe." he said, his voice gruff from tears.

"Dad..?"

"I love you. Don't ever let anyone let you otherwise."

He let go of me, and started walking away. I was still frozen from shock, but I quickly snapped out of it. "Dad?" I asked, and he stopped, turning around. "Can-can I have another hug?" I asked. He smiled and hugged me again. It wasn't exactly an 'I Love You', but we were getting there.

-A Few Months Later-

I smiled as Tweek, Token, and Clyde greeted me eagerly, climbing into the booth. "What's up, guys?" I asked.

"She spoke!" Clyde joked.

I heard the door opened again, the little bell jingling. I peered around the booth and saw Craig stroll in. He slid in to the booth next to me, breathlessly saying "Sorry for being late. We couldn't find Flora's house."

The waitress came and went, and she came back with our order shortly after we placed it. Clyde had decided to bring a taco, as diner was not his favorite place. Token had decided to get some expensive sweets thing, and Tweek had gotten coffee. Craig had decided to get coffee and something sweet too. I got hot chocolate. When we finished, we went to the playground.

Clyde was shrieking with laughter as Token pushed him on the swing and Tweek was twitching on his swing, pulling out a flask that was no doubt filled with coffee. Craig and I were standing and watching them, and I flinched a little when Craig leaned down and kissed my cheek.

Smirking at me, he said "You had some whipped cream on your cheek."

"Oh." I said simply, blushing.

He laughed and I slipped my hand into his, smiling.

Yeah, we were together. My dad had had a fit and nearly put a lock on the outside of my door, but he finally figured out they we were going to be together whether he wanted us to or not. Once I had gotten out of the hospital, Craig had introduced me to his gang, and we had all gotten along really well. Tweek and I had become besties almost instantly.

"Hey..." Craig said, trailing off.

"Yeah?" I asked, looking up at him.

He kissed me, and my face flamed. I still wasn't used to public displays of affection.

My dad and I were getting better, too. We still weren't perfect, but hey.

This was my fucking happily ever after.

I was doing better, too. I no longer cut, and although I was on suicide watch for a while, I got off with a glowing report. Life was so much better now.

I looked at Craig again, our hands still tightly clamped together. I loved him. He was pretty much my everything. I reached up and pecked his lips, teasingly smiling at him.

You saved me.

~ Hope you guys liked it! Leave a review, please! Thanks! ~