Author's Notes: Please review!!!! Pretty please! Criticisms are welcome just as much as an "i love it!". Once again, huge shout out to the wonderful, the amazing, the spectacular: Batsu Simisu-Chan, aka Ashe!

Review Reply: To Ashe: no problem, girlie. Yes, Obie... I think I figured out that you have fangirl problems when it comes to him. Ah yes, Quinton and Nyssa – we both know how that one ends.

Fragilis

Chapter 3: Comfort

Lyrra lay in bed. Waiting. Five years. It had been five years since the first time Ken had come into her bed, and it wasn't even close to stopping. She focused on Nyssa's steady breathing. Nyssa had begged to take Lyrra's place, but Lyrra had steadfastly refused. She had long since come to terms with the fact that she was the one meant to suffer. Besides, Nyssa had a future – she was smarter and prettier (since she didn't have all the ugly freckles Lyrra had) and she was in love. Lyrra sighed in frustration at the thought of her twin in love just as Nyssa sighed in contentment in her sleep. She was probably dreaming of Quinton.

In the two years they had known Quinton, he'd managed to become a part of their group, but every once and a while, the two would become too wrapped up in each other to notice anything or anyone else.

The sound of heavy footsteps she knew all too well reached her ears. The door opened, the covers were drawn back, and it began again.

For years, she had been telling Nyssa that she had gotten used to Ken; for years, she had been lying to Nyssa. Now, though, she could honestly say that it didn't hurt as bad as when he first started. It still hurt though, especially since every time, it seemed, he found a new way to hurt her. He grunted and panted until finally he was done. Lyrra wrapped her arms around herself as Ken left her room. She was always cold afterwards. The bedroom was silent save for Nyssa's heavy breathing. Lyrra thought of waking her up and having Nyssa comfort her, but she couldn't – she couldn't destroy Nyssa's night of peace.

Steven would probably still be up though; Lyrra knew Steven never went to sleep very fast after his dad's beatings. She bit her lip. Steven knew what she went through every night because he went through pain every night too, and there was no one to take his place… Lyrra slid out of bed and redressed. Quietly, she went to the door, opened it, and peered out. Ken was gone from the hallway, probably in his and their mother's room.

Lyrra crept quietly down the hall to Steven's room and went inside.

"Lyrra, what're ya doing in here?" Steven croaked out, almost immediately after her entry. That was how Lyrra had always been able to know Steven was nothing like his father – he always knew who was Lyrra and who was Nyssa, even in the dark; Lyrra doubted Ken even knew their names.

"Couldn't sleep," she whispered as she approached her bed. "Can I stay in here with you for a little while?"

"Yeah, o'course." he scooted over to the side of the bed and let her get in with him. They lay there, not even touching, arms at their sides.

"Saw ya talkin' ta Penelope Killingsworth taday," Lyrra said, unable to stand the silence. She wasn't sure why that bothered her, but it did.

"Yeah, we was talkin' 'bout surfing."

"That all? She's not like your girlfriend, or nuthin'?"

"Nah, I just like talkin' to her 'bout surfing that's all. Her folks are real nice, 'specially Senora."

"Yeah, I guess so." It was true Mr. and Mrs. Killingsworth were nice to all the kids who went to the beach where they surfed, and everyone loved them, especially Mrs. Killingsworth. Steven was the only one to call her "Senora" though; he liked to show everyone that he knew Spanish, which was laughable – the only Spanish he knew was Senora, if the only word he knew was the word for window, that's probably what he would call her.

Silence reigned again. Lyrra rolled her head over to look at Steven, though mostly all she could see was his tousled brown curls. She propped herself up on her elbow and studied him.

"What?" he asked.

She just knit her brow and continued to look. His hair reminded her of the guy's hair in the movie they had watched at Jared's the other day, just after he and the girl had had sex. Mona had told them they weren't supposed to watch that part, but when she caught Lyrra peeking out from behind her hands, she didn't say anything.

In all those romance movies, they said sex was supposed to be fun and nice; Lyrra certainly didn't agree. But those romance movies also said it was supposed to be with someone you liked and that all the pain went away when you were with them. She bit her lip. Well… she certainly liked Steven, he was one of her best friends. She leaned down and kissed him. It wasn't all that special, but it didn't hurt, and it even felt kind of nice. She kissed him again, and he kissed back.

"Do ya think all the pain'd go away if we had sex, like in the movies?" Lyrra finally voiced her question.

"I dunno, we could try, but I don't really know…"

"'Sokay, I can teachya."

It didn't last very long, but it didn't hurt, and Lyrra really did feel a little bit of numbness while it was happening.

"Was that right?" Steven asked.

"I think so."

"Good, 'cause I kinda liked it."

"Me too," Lyrra agreed, thinking of the relief from their life.

"So, what now?"

"Um… well, in all the movies they hold each other."

"Okay." And they held each other in an awkward, preteen age way, trying to stave off the pain for a little while longer.