A/N: The name for this story comes from Tegan and Sara's album The Con. The concept for the album is supposed to be this idea of trying to create and project a certain image of yourself during tough times. That's what the characters are doing here. Also, that's what I'm doing. There are a lot of things in my life and in my head that are preventing me from writing and this story is my hope that conning myself into being productive will relive my writer's block.

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Thirteen walked quickly from the glass doors of House's office. As she rushed to the elevator, her eyes were becoming glassy, threatening to spill over with tears for the second time that night. The elevator seemed to be taking its time ascending to the floor and Thirteen hoped desperately that Taub had not decided to follow her. She pressed the down button impatiently and repeatedly before the elevator finally stopped. When the doors opened she hurled herself into the corner as burning tears streamed down her cheeks. Her body heaved with the effort of the violent sobs. Her breath drew in raggedly as she began to hyperventilate.

When the force of her breakdown had eased some, Thirteen looked up to find a young woman staring at her with concern. Startled, she quickly jumped to her feet and attempted to wipe the tears from her face, but they continued to fall. She hated for anyone to see her so vulnerable and something in the woman's face made Thirteen uneasy. For a moment all she could do was look back at the woman. Thirteen began to memorize the way her long, curly hair fell in her face, framing the patient, caring look etched upon her tawny features.

The woman held out a hand to Thirteen who latched onto it as if it were her lifeline. Their fingers laced and the woman pulled Thirteen into a tight embrace. "Are you okay?" the woman asked.

Thirteen nodded uncertainly into her shoulder. She clung to the woman a few moments longer before she pulled back. "I just want to get home," she said shakily.

Thirteen sighed as the woman took her hand and gently led her to her car. She slipped into the passenger's seat and let her head fall back heavily as she closed her eyes. Tears still stung in her eyes as the light from passing streetlamps seared through her eyelids. She stole a glance at the woman next to her before her gaze fell to the center console. Their hands were tightly clasped together on the armrest. "Rachel?" Thirteen cleared her throat, trying fruitlessly to make her voice sound less strained. "Could you- would you mind…" Thirteen trailed off. Uncertain of how to broach the question she wanted to ask, she simply stared out the windshield.

"Can I stay at your place tonight?" Rachel asked for her. "It's getting late, I don't really feel up to driving home."

Thirteen nodded thankfully, "I'd like that."

The rest of the drive was silent except for the pattering raindrops of a burgeoning storm. Rachel parked the car and quickly reached to the back seat for an umbrella. By the time she had retrieved it and gotten it open, Thirteen was halfway to the front door of her building. She made no attempt to shield herself from the rain or to allow Rachel to move her under the umbrella.

They walked down the hall to Thirteen's door. As Thirteen sorted through her bag for her keys Rachel shook the umbrella out, making sure the majority of the water soaked Thirteen. "Hey!"

"Sorry," Rachel shrugged. "You didn't seem to mind getting wet."

Thirteen rolled her eyes as she pushed into her apartment and huffed off to her bedroom with Rachel behind her. "You're being stubborn," Rachel said, grabbing Thirteen by the arms. "Look at you you're soaked."

"You didn't help the matter," Thirteen grumbled as she pulled free of Rachel's grasp.

Rachel tenderly pushed a few damp locks of hair from Thirteen's face. "Stop pulling away from me." She pulled Thirteen into her arms and placed a kiss against her temple.

For a moment Thirteen relaxed into the embrace, allowing herself to melt into Rachel's touch. The moment quickly passed, as she felt the walls around her heart begin to lower. Thirteen quickly wriggled from the hug before she began to feel too vulnerable. She rushed to the bathroom, staring back at Rachel through the mirror. At once Thirteen regretted living in a loft. There was no door slam shut, nothing to serve as a boundary between her and Rachel's frustrated but patient glare.

Thirteen quickly washed up and removed her drenched clothing, shivering slightly as the cool air hit her naked chest. She walked to her dresser and quickly pulled a t-shirt over her body. Thirteen glanced at Rachel, who was draped across her bed. "Would you like a shirt to sleep in?" When Rachel nodded Thirteen tossed her a shirt and watched as she changed. "Can I get you anything? A drink? Are you hungry? I could cook."

Rachel shook her head as she took Thirteen's hands in her own. "I'm fine. You should just relax."

Thirteen wrenched her hands free again before taking hold of Rachel's face and pulling her into a kiss. Rachel leaned in and deepened the kiss before pulling closer. Thirteen's hands roamed up Rachel's shirt, inching toward her breasts before Rachel jerked away. "Remy, that's not what I meant."

Thirteen pulled Rachel back desperately. "Can't you just kiss me? Just be with me. I need something to do. I need something to distract me."

"Talk to me," Rachel said pulling Thirteen closer.

"I don't want to talk," Thirteen said, instantly twisting away. She walked to the other side of the bed, putting distance between herself and Rachel.

"Remy! Stop running from me," Rachel pleaded. "Talk to me."

"I don't want to talk. I just want to do something, anything. If I don't find something to keep me busy I'll just start crying again."

"You're already crying." Rachel watched as Thirteen wiped away tears she hadn't felt fall. "It's okay for you to let me see you vulnerable. You don't have to pull away from me."

"You do the same thing when you're upset," Thirteen sniped. "You storm off and push people away."

"I know," Rachel shot back. She moved to the other side of the bed and stood in front of Thirteen. "That's how I know that the only thing you want right now is for me to hold you in my arms and make you feel safe."

Rachel pulled Thirteen into her arms again, crisscrossing them tightly around her back. For the first time that night, Thirteen truly allowed herself to be held. Her walls began to crumble and the tears came easily then.

The sobs wracked Thirteen's body. She began to tremble so fiercely that Rachel had to ease them onto the bed. There Thirteen crawled into Rachel's lap like a child. She cried for what might have been hours, until her tears ran dry and her lids became heavy.