The Hasting's household was empty apart from Spencer. She was sat in the living room, huddled and shaking inside of a duvet on the sofa. Upstairs in her room was the reason for her shivering – a mostly empty pill bottle, with only two left nestled in the bottom. Two pills. Andrew had made it very clear that he would not be providing her with any more. Two pills. How long ago did she take the last one? Two pills. She was staring at nothing. Two pills. Only two pills.

Maybe Wren would be a potential new source. She'd been avoiding him like the plague since he'd left her room earlier. Untold relief had washed through her when she heard of his and her sisters plans to go away for a few days. Even so, she couldn't stop thinking about the kiss. How desperate she was for it to happen again.

The sound of Aria knocking on the window made Spencer jump out of her skin. She forced a tired smile and waved for her to let herself in. The tiny human looked as bad as Spencer felt. Actually, that probably wasn't true – Spencer was sure she looked pretty bad herself.

"Hey," she said weakly.

Aria smiled back. The scent of familiarity and warm memories flooded her system. She didn't realise just how much she had missed this, being here, with friends. Her friend appeared like a ghost, pale, with dark circles rimming her eyes.

"Hey," she said back.

The silence became awkward. Aria hadn't even moved from the door.

Spencer made her way to her feet. The sight of such a frail looking Aria had kicked some small forgotten protective feeling in her chest. For the moment, the shaking in her hands stopped and before she even realised she was doing it she had wrapped herself and the duvet around them both.

They stood like this for several minutes. Breathing in the smell of each other. Absorbing the warmth and allowing themselves to both just accept the affection they had been so starved off. Being so close Spencer could feel the beginnings of bones through Aria's clothes, and Aria became aware of every shiver convulsing through Spencer.

"What's going on Spence?" she said, quietly.

"Show me yours and I'll show you mine," Spencer said lowly.

Aria pulled away slightly and glanced upwards at the taller girl. Now that she was so close she could see every line carved into her face. She could see the sharp edges and the hollowness in her eyes. Her mouth pursed into a flat line.

I dare you to tell her how crazy you are. After all, totally-together Spencer will understand.

She swallowed heavily. Spencer was watching her carefully, studying her in the same manner that she was studying her.

Instead of speaking, she began to cry. The tears were hot and huge and rolled down her cheeks like rivers. Aria had no idea where the sudden rain had come from but all of a sudden she couldn't stop herself. In the next moment hey were huddled together on the sofa. She assumed afterwards that Spencer must have directed them there, but she didn't remember.

"Iceland wasn't just a family trip," she forced through the sobs. "After…"

"Allison," Spencer offered.

"Yeah," she whispered. "My parents took me away – and put me into… therapy."

For a while neither of them said anything. Aria buried her head into her friends shoulder like there had never been a break between them at all.

"Did it work?" Spencer deadpanned. She wasn't sure if she was asking Aria or enquiringly for herself.

"I had thought so, but being back here… still seeing her face all over town… it's so…"

"I know."

Neither girl was willing to let go of the other. As long as Spencer's arms were wrapped around the fragile body of her friend then her body stopped shaking. She could concentrate on counting the strands of hair on Arias head and not the nausea bubbling in her stomach. In another moment, Spencer used the toe of her foot to turn on the tv.

Aria told her about Ezra. About how she had run away instead of going to the one place she knew would help. After all, Iceland had made everything better for a time – it wasn't the fear of therapy that had driven her to that bar. Spencer sat quietly, letting her friend vent every thought that she'd had had pent up in her mind.

Thoughts of Wren and her dwindling numbers of pills swirled like a hurricane in Spencer's mind. Against her chest she could feel every breath that Aria took. She welcomed the warmth. It had seemed like an age since she'd felt any sort of heat.

Lazily her finger traced patterns along Aria's spine. Time passes them slowly. She could feel the pressure of her whole life pressing down on her. Everything that her parents expected from her. Falling for not one, but two of her sisters boyfriends. The pills. It's always about the pills.

The knot of it all twisted its way into her chest, up through her throats and almost choked her as in forced its way to her lips. As she opened her mouth to tell her friend she became aware of how deep her breathing had gotten.

Aria was asleep, and by the expression on her face it was as though it was the first time in a long time that the girl had actually relaxed. Spencer ground her teeth together, jaws muscles tense, ready to burst forth all of the pain regardless of whether or not she would be heard. In the end she just exhaled, pulled the duvet closer around them and closed her eyes. Sleep beckoned her and for once, she let it.

The warmth of the morning sun served as the girls alarm clock. The TV was still on, playing the morning news at a muted volume. Spencer stirred first. Groggy and still half asleep she carefully unfolded Arias arms from around her waist and slid out from under the still sleeping girl. She instantly missed the warmth but there was a huge more pressing issue taking control.

There was a ball of pain exploding at the base of her skull. Her eyes burned with unrelenting heat. Nausea held her stomach hostage against everything else until it was all she could do to not vomit right there in the floor. She scurried upstairs, arms wrapped tightly around herself. Before she even knew what she was doing she had swallowed the last two pills from beneath her pillow and collapsed to the floor.

She hugged her knees to her chest and began sobbing, even as the symptoms of withdrawal receded back to their cave. It seemed like an age but was probably only a few minutes before she could get her breathing back under control. Through blurry eyes she glanced at the clock on her dresser. Shit. They were going to be late.

Can't be late Spencer. What would Mommy think?

Every time she heard that voice whispering in her mind they took more of a form. If she was willing to admit how crazy she was becoming she would also say that the voice belonged to a blonde.

…..

At school Hanna couldn't concentrate. Even the small amount of focus she usually drummed up was gone. Every single thought she had was consumed by the slip of paper burning a hole in her pocket. The time that was printed in bold, black handwriting at the top was only a half hour after school ended. Her mother wouldn't be home from work for another three hours after that.

She felt sick.

None of Hanna's inner turmoil registered at all with Mona, who was completely content to continue chirping with no input whatsoever in return. The hours just blurred together.

He's hot Han. I thought this was what you wanted. You can't just be a virgin forever.

The bell for the end of the day cut through her like a knife. She stayed glued to her seat, staring at her hands. An icy sweat broke out all over her skin. The room suddenly felt extremely claustrophobic.

"Hello? Earth to Hanna? Jeez girl have you listened to a word I said ?"

Hanna jolted and glanced up to the owner of the voice. Mona stood, towering over her with her arms crossed over her chest.

"What?"

Mona rolled her eyes. "How did it go with Sean?"

In all honesty Hanna had completely forgotten all about her boyfriend. She hadn't spoken to him since skipping out on the dinner. Offering just an 'I'm sorry' text messages and ignoring his calls. Through the haze of her panic she'd managed to avoid him all day.

"It was great." She forced a smile.

Mona's features broke out into a huge grin. She snatched Hanna's hand from the desk and dragged them both out of the classroom. They headed quickly to the front doors. "Oh my God. Did it happen?" She wiggled her eyebrows. "Welcome to the club babe."

"I have to go," she coughed, overwhelmed. "Dinner… with my mom. Sorry. Got to go."

She yanked her hand free and scurried away before Mona could protest. She heard her friend calling after her but not the tell tale signs of being followed.

The address was burned into her brain so she didn't need to look at the note. Her feet took her automatically through the streets of Rosewood until, twenty five minutes later, she arrived at the end of his road.

The world closed in around her. Every part of her body screamed at her not go go further. But the encroaching thoughts of what might happen if she didn't were all she could think about. Could he really go through with his threats? And even if he didn't go after her mom, wouldn't she get in serious trouble? Maybe she should tell someone, anyone.

Who are you gonna tell? The police? That'd be pretty funny.

She was close enough that she could see him watching her through the window. That same steely gaze captivated her. She felt very much like a rabbit caught in a pair of headlights – the car barrelling toward her, mighty and unstoppable.

The door opened for her as she got closer and then she was inside. The sound of the door closing behind her sounded like a gunshot. Air caught in her throat like she'd completely forgotten how to breathe.