Started: Sept. 2013

Finished: Sept. 2013

"That was the first day we met," she said showing him some pictures she had taken of him looking out of his store window. She stopped suddenly and began to cry, her mind suddenly consumed by the current tragedy. "I didn't take care of her. I was too busy talking to other people and she left by herself."

"Don't blame yourself. It's really not your fault. Just try to let go." He started to rub her shoulder. "I know what you need," he whispered. He started to massage her back. "You know, hair is the only part of the body that lasts forever." He pulled her sweater down her shoulders. She rubbed her cheek against his hand. He tentatively slid one of her bra straps down.

"I'm sorry I can't." She said suddenly and started to cry. "I should've took her home,"

"Anna, she knew what she was doing. She lived three blocks away. What were the chances of her getting attacked? Other girls were killed and you had nothing to do with them believe me, its not your fault." Anna looked to him in realization. Seeing the questions in her eyes he followed up with; "I asked if Rita needed a ride on my way out and she told me."

"Told you what?"

"Where she lived. isn't that what you were wondering, how I knew?" She paused for a moment and thought. That wasn't what she was wondering. She was wondering how he could know there had been other girls murdered. There wasn't any mention of other girls on the news broadcasts.

…

"Uh, yes, I hadn't known you two had talked. I-I'm glad you asked her. How- how was she to you?"

"She was," he hesitated remembering it as a displeasing to say the least encounter. "She was like she was to everyone else I guess."

"Hey listen," she began as smoothly as possible. "I'm not feeling good. I'm going to lie down." She stood. "You should probably go for tonight." His eye brows rose.

"I can make you feel better," he offered. She put a hand on his shoulder and told him gently;

"Not tonight, another night ok?" He got to his feet in front of her.

"Let me lie with you. I just to be with you, ok?" he practically begged.

"No it's too soon for that. Can you go now please?" He put his hands on her arms.

"I told you, I want to make you feel better, he insisted, not begging anymore but sounding a little annoyed. I'm asking just to hold you in your time of need."

"Yes I know and thank you for that," Her voice shook slightly. "But I'd like to be alone now." She pulled away and tried to walk past him. He took her by her arm and turned her to face him.

"Nonsense, you don't want to be alone."

"I said I-" He took her by her shoulders from behind and started pushing her.

"Shhh, I'll massage you again, ok?" He spoke into her neck smiling. "We'll go in your bedroom, ok?" She hissed in a deep breath.

"Ok, I'd like that," she lied. They sat down and he continued his ministrations. It was frightening how her request was lost on him. It didn't seem like he was suspicious just pushy with a big helping of insane. Realizing that she couldn't get rid of him so easily, she had to play it cool for a longer length of time. That proved difficult with her heart racing, shaking, and the tightness in her throat.

"You're shivering. Are you cold?" he asked.

"Yes, maybe a little." He wrapped a blanket around her.

"Here, come here," he said and pulled her to lie down with him. She tried to turn onto her back but his arm flattened her back against him. She felt his warmth though it did nothing for her. Tears fell on the pillow and she was glad he didn't see them. "You're still shivering," he said quietly.

"Am I? Well I said I wasn't feeling good. It started yesterday. I had a headache. I think I might be coming down with something." she lied. Her heart pounding, thankful he couldn't feel that.

"You didn't say anything about a headache yesterday."

"I wanted to be a trooper you know, strong?"

"Yes, but you don't have to be strong all the time. During the times where you feel weak I'll be strong for you."

"Frank…" she started to cry freely. Such beautiful words. She had wanted to be told something like that by a man. It was a pity the first man to tell her was a psycho killer.

"Shh, it's ok, it's ok, I'll take care of you." He hugged her close and she squeezed him back. As distressed as she was, she closed her eyes for a time and relaxed, elongating the silence between them and slowing her racing heart. It gave her time to think rationally to a time when she was sure to get rid of him, unfortunately it was the following morning. She wasn't sure if she'd survive till then, she didn't know his ritual. She figured it was something he could only do in a certain place under certain circumstances. However Rita had been killed in her own home during the attack. She was in her own place now as well. But she didn't know the circumstances and would not risk a physical confrontation. She had to remain strong, strong for herself. She pulled away from him to lie on her back, in return, he pulled her legs up and draped them over his and put an arm around her waist. He began to stare at her making her uncomfortable. "Why are you staring at me?" she asked.

"I like looking at you. You're so beautiful."

"You're looking a little too much."

"I'm sorry, I'll try not to," he apologized and smiled some but didn't stop. She slowly started to look back at him. She thought of a question to ask that would maybe, just maybe give her a hint of what his intents were towards her.

"Have there been others like me?" she asked.

"What do you mean?"

"A girl friend or a girl you like?"

"Not many really. My work keeps me indoors a lot. Why do you ask?"

"Because you're nice and you have beautiful eyes." He looked sad at her complement. "What's wrong?" She asked. He propped himself up on his elbow to look down at her.

"Well actually, there have been none."

"Really?"

"No one that I've went out with or no one that looks at the mannequins the way you do and no one that looks at me the way you do." He looked into her eyes then to her lips and he bent down. She tried not to turn away. He noticed her apprehension and kissed her forehead instead. "You want to do it the right way and break up with him first?" he assumed.

"Yes," she said caught off guard by how much of a proper gentleman he seemed to be.

"That's honorable. That's why I like you." She blinked some tears away. It became harder to hold them back. His admittance and praise of her made her slightly more comfortable with what she was doing with him, if only one percent more comfortable. She was a little more sure she'd make it through the night. That relief came to the surface as a few more tears as well.

"I still can't believe the fight we got into after the show," she said letting her tears fall freely conveniently masking the real reason why she was crying. "I don't know what I was thinking."

"Shh, it's ok. I'm here now. It's ok." He held her closer. "You never have to see him again. You don't even have to talk to him, just leave him a message."

"Ok, I think I will do that. He can stay in New York for all I care." She successfully calmed herself. "You can stay here tonight but in the morning you have to leave ok? I have a photography thing, she lied. "I can't miss it."

"Ok," he said. They fell asleep, her with her legs draped over his and his face buried in the side of her neck.

She successfully sent Frank home in the morning with promises of seeing him that evening, all empty of course. In a busy public place, she called the police and told them everything. It hadn't been all that difficult for her to pretend the night before. One reason being she didn't want either of them to be dead. If she had confronted him and used force she knew that would've ended terribly. She had to be strong, strong for herself. Another reason being she had been genuinely interested in him before finding out who he really was. All of the emotions that came with the finding out the other happenings in her life like the death of her assistant, her insensitive arrogant boyfriend and the desire of wanting a good man say those pretty words Frank had said to her the night before.

She eventually heard on the news that he was being sent to a hospital for the criminally insane. The report said that he was sentenced to live out the rest of his days there. She thought for a moment about visiting him. She felt bad for him but decided against it, however she was glad that he had not been sent to a real prison.

AN: I understand that this is a completely anti climatic ending and would not make for a very exciting movie ending. I suppose I was disappointed with the real ending so I wrote my own. I obviously wanted Anna to live. The title has a bit of a double meaning. It's meant to mean Anna is strong for herself in order to survive but fought psychologically, not physically like she did in the movie. However, Frank mentions at one time that he can be strong for her, a gesture that is touching but unwelcome for Anna. I love Lijah in this role however I think we're missing some things due to the POV style of shooting. Things such as body language, facial expressions and assorted nuances.