Author note: I am really really sorry that this chapter took so long to write. My muse seemed to go on an extended vacation and has just recently returned. I have another chapter almost finished (which is also a lot longer than this). This chapter is based on episode 10 of season 1. I hope to have the next chapter up tomorrow.

I pride myself in having been there in some of her darkest hours as she was for mine. What made our hours dark was often very different and from my more mature stance now I'm amazed she didn't laugh at me. One of her darkest times was having her trust broken by a victim she had befriended.

I remember walking into her bedroom, holding the ice cream I'd had been fetching, to see her curled over, shaking. "Kate?"

She looked up at me with tears pouring down her face, pain written over her face.

I put the ice cream down and gently sat down next to her. When I laid my arm across her shoulders I was shaken by how small and fragile she seemed.

I thought for a while of what I should say to her, I held her tightly as she shook with tears. How could I comfort her when this woman had been betrayed and taken in by what she thought was a suffering victim and was actually scheming woman who almost took Kate out with her?

My silence grew longer as I debated with myself with what would be best to say to my tormented girlfriend. I wanted to comfort and reassure her but I couldn't figure out a way to do that without patronising her or making her seem at fault.

After a while she seemed to stop crying but remained very still her breathing evening out to the point where I thought she'd fallen asleep. Apparently she thought I was the one who had fallen asleep. "Abby?"

I squeezed her hand and answered, "I thought you were asleep."

"You're very quiet."

"Mm, yeah I've been thinking."

Another silence followed, but a warmer silence.

"The ice cream is melting." She raised this concern in such a detached voice it actually made me shiver a little.

"Well we could eat it or…"

Kate let out the slightest giggle.

"Hey! I wasn't gonna suggest that! I only got it out of the fridge because I thought you might like some." I scooped up a small amount of the melting ice cream and ran it around my mouth. I pulled Kate towards me and kissed her just as I swallowed the ice cream. She lent into me and gave the slightest happy moan then I pulled away. She looked confused and upset when I crawled out of bed.

She still had a questioning look on her face when I returned from the kitchen. "What? I don't want the ice cream to melt all over your nightstand!" I crawled back under the blanket and curled myself around her.

"I was trying to think of the perfect thing to say to comfort you but I should've known better. Words are just sounds, it's the meaning behind them that counts."

I remember the rush of emotion I felt when she responded saying, "And you being here with me means everything."

So I was there for her then and it gives me hope. Still to this day it gives me hope, I'm not sure what my heart is hoping for, but this memory always makes me hopeful.