Song used is "Nobody home" by Avril Lavigne.

Don't own anything. )

Chapter 2 - Trent

"Okay, all of you isomniacs out there, if you're still with us the time is three thirty A.M. and you're listening to WKYD. Pulling an all-nighter with you is Trent Lane. We're about to wrap the third hour up, and then I'll be passing the baton to your favorite and mine, Lynn. She's drinking her coffee at the moment right here in the studio and is looking better than ever. On behalf of all our listeners, Lynn, you're the most beautiful girl in Seattle. And if you get me a cup from the machine I'll pronounce you the most beautiful girl in the whole state."

Lynn flashed me a smile from behind the glass devider, got up from her armchair and exited the room. I reached out for the CD.

"And as I enjoy my hot steaming cup of coffee I'll leave you meanwhile to sympathize with Avril Lavigne who finds nobody's home."

As the song hit I pulled the headset off and threw myself back in the chair, waiting for Lynn to bring the coffee.

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I couldn't tell you why she felt that way

She felt it everyday

I couldn't help her

I just watched her make the same mistakes again

What's wrong, what's wrong now?

Too many, too many problems

Don't know where she belongs, where she belongs

She wants to go home, but nobody's home

That's where she lies, broken inside

With no place to go, no place to go

To dry her eyes

Broken inside

----------------------

I frowned. The memories were flowing back, kind of memories that can only haunt you in the dead of night. Shawn. Mickie. The open... Ah, damn it. I shook my head, trying to take my mind off it. What takes Lynn so long?

I reached into the pants' pocket for а cell phone, feeling a sudden urge to call Janey, just to check out on her. We haven't talked in a while; actually, my cell was off for about four days or so. My charger have died and until I bought a new one I had to save the battery.

"You have 5 new voice messages", the screen flashed. All were from Janey. One from two days ago, three from yesterday and one she left today. Weird.

"Trent, it's me. Call me back as soon as you can."

"Trent, how many times do I have to tell you to get yourself an answering machine at home? I've tried to call a million times but you were probably asleep. Call me back, please, it's urgent."

"God damn it, Trent! Turn your damn cell on!"

Fourth one - silence for a few seconds, and a quiet "damn it!". And finally...

"Trent. If you do not get back to me today, tomorrow I'll fly myself to Seattle and bust your fucking balls. If you wonder how serious I am, try me."

She spoke in a calm, quiet, cold voice; a voice my little sister only used when really, really mad. Wondering what was so urgent, I dailed her number.

"Hey Janey,"

About twenty seconds later I stuffed the cell back into the pocket and got up from the chair, just in time to bump into Lynn who came in with a white paper cup of steaming coffee in her hand.

"For God's sake, Trent! Look out!"

"Sorry. Lynn, get on air now. I'm going to Lawndale."

She stared at me, perplexed.

"Now? Trent, are you okay? Something happened?"

"Yes. Listen, I can't explain now, I really have to go. Will you cover up for me? You know, with the boss?"

"Sure," Lynn nodded, a worried look on her face. "When will you be back?"

"A couple of days probably, I'm not sure. And thanks. I'll see you later."

Giving Lynn a quick hug I hurried for the door, the song still sounding in my ears.

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Open your eyes and look outside

Find a reasons why

You've been rejected

And now you can't find what you left behind

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Janey met me in the airport. It's been about а year and a half since we last met - she visited, since I was too lazy to drag myself all the way to Boston - but she haven't changed much, except that she now had her hair done up in a ponytail.

"And I thought I knew you," she said with a weary smile as we hugged. "I've only wanted to let you know what happened, but to think that you'd actually come down here..."

I shrugged.

"It's a special case, I guess. How is she?"

Janey sighed and shook her head sadly.

"Not good. Sits in her room, doesn't come out, doesn't even turn the lights on. Barely eats anything. It's been three days since they released her from the hospital and her folks took her back to Lawndale. She flat out refuses to see or talk to Tom. I went to Lawndale yesterday, skipped work to check on Daria, and I'm telling you, I freaked out. She just sits in the dark room, stares into space, but it's not what scared me. She is... you know... she is all like, I don't know, frozen. Very calm, very quiet. No emotions at all. If such thing happened to me, I'd be crying rivers and crawling up the walls, but Daria, she haven't shed a single tear. And she won't talk. Only "yes" and "no", but other than that you can't get anything out of her."

There was fear in Janey's eyes.

"I'm scared bro. I'm not a shrink but I can see there's something wrong with Daria."

---------------------------

What's wrong, what's wrong now?

Too many, too many problems

Don't know where she belongs, where she belongs

She wants to go home, but nobody's home

That's where she lies, broken inside

With no place to go, no place to go

To dry her eyes

Broken inside

---------------------------

The worst thing was, I knew she was right.

We stopped at Tom's. Poor guy was a wreck; as in, he was trying to put a brave face on, but rather unsuccessfuly. Overwhelmed with guilt and greif, Tom was pale and disoriented; he volountered to get us a drink, but managed to smash both glasses... After about an hour we continued to Lawndale.

"Hello, I'm..." I started when Daria's kid sister answered the door, but she nodded and gestured me to come in.

"You're Jane's brother... Tyler, right? I remember you. Hi."

"Uh... yeah." I said. "Sorry about what happened to Daria. It kinda took me a while, but I've only found out about it yesterday..."

"Thank you," she said seriously as she excorted me into the living room. "She's upstairs, if you want to see her. She'd appreciate it." the girl paused for a second, then added quietly, "I mean I hope she will. Daria's taking this thing very hard, she's kind of like in shock or something like that..."

"Yeah, I know. Janey told me."

"Oh, yes. She spent an entire day here, comforting Daria. It was very nice of her. When you see her please tell her how much we all appreciated it," she asked. I didn't remember Daria's sister like that. She was, from what I heard and saw, one spoiled brat. But then again, I haven't seen her for a good few years.

"I will, thanks... Er, is it yours?" I nodded at the guitar I've just noticed was leaning against the sofa.

"Dad's. He's retired now so he's picking up new hobbies to kill time." she said and tried to smile."You better be gone before him and Mom are back from the walk or he'll force you to listen to him play. And you don't want to go through that."

The door was not locked. I knocked and waited a couple of seconds before entering Daria's gloomy room. She was sitting on the bed, hugging her knees and looking right in front of her without blinking; her glasses lying beside her. She didn't even turn her head as I stepped in.

My heart ached. It was like a deja-vu. I've seen it before. A girl alone in the dark room, silent, distant, slowly slipping away.

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Her feelings she hides

Her dreams she can't find

She's losing her mind

She's falling behind

She can't find her place

She's losing her faith

She's falling from grace

She's all over the place

She wants to go home, but nobody's home

That's where she lies, broken inside

With no place to go, no place to go

To dry her eyes

Broken inside

-------------------------------

"Hey Daria."

She slowly turned her head to my direction, showing no signs of surprise. And kept silent.

"It's kinda dark in here", I said. "You wanna go outside?"