The night before I was told that I would not be involved with our next case. I was too emotionally and mentally 'fragile' and I needed to heal before I plunged into any more stress. I was okay with that, truthfully. It was hard enough getting out of bed in the morning to use the bathroom, let alone getting up to go work. I needed time to heal from my encounter with Paton. Bonnie was told by Annalise to stay off this case as well, at least for now, that I needed someone with me at all times. She obliged.

The entire next two days, I didn't even get dressed in real clothes. It had been two days since I'd seen Paton. Two days since I'd heard from Josie. Two hours since I had my last panic attack, and two minutes since Bonnie last asked me if I was okay.

My black shorts hugged my legs tightly, and my over sized sweater hung off of me rather much. Although I couldn't complain, it gave my cuts a break from constant tugging and pulling. The cuts and bruises were beginning to heal, considering every night Bonnie cleaned them and dressed them with Neosporin. She was taking great care of me, and it touched me. I had never been taken care of before. Not since I was very little. Not since my mom died when I was five years old.

Bonnie walked toward the couch I was sitting on apprehensively. "You alright?"

"If you ask me that question one more time, I may kill you." I said, looking up at her. She looked back at me with concern. "I'm sorry. I know you're just...trying to help. It's not helping."

"It's going to be hard for the next few days." She said softly, sitting next to me. "You need to be prepared for that."

"I know." I nodded, pulling my knees tightly to my chest. "Josie was always able to pull me out of this...whatever this is. She always made things better. Easier. I miss her...and I don't even know if she's okay."

"Have you tried calling her?"

"A thousand times." I exaggerated. "She isn't answering. I'm worried about her. Paton went to her, that much I know, and she wouldn't be able to fight him off...she's not strong enough. She could be dead."

"I doubt he killed her, Leo." Bonnie tried to console me.

I chuckled. "Clearly you don't know Paton, or what he's capable of...I could be dead right now if it weren't for Annalise forcing me to stay here. And you want to know what's funny? I'm okay with that."

"You're not worthless...whatever he's telling you to make you feel like you only mean something when you're with him? It's bullshit. You mean something. You need to know that."

I shrugged. "Do I though?"

Bonnie sighed deeply before sitting up, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. "Tell me how to make this better. Tell me how Josie would take care of you. I hate seeing you this way. The first and last time I saw you giggle was with Josie, so tell me how to be her, just for now. Just for awhile."

I pursed my lips. "She knows me. Inside and out. She knows the music I like. She knows how I dance when no one is looking...she knows what I sound like when I sing. She knows every spot where I'm ticklish. She knows where not to touch me because she knows that I get flashbacks very easily. She knows that when I get a panic attack in the shower, that she needs to get in, turn the water to freezing, and hold me while I shake and cry. She knows when I have bad thoughts that I need a good book to get my mind off of them. She's one of a kind. You can't be her, not even for awhile."

"So tell me." She got on her knees and grabbed my hands in her own. "Tell me your favorite music. Show me what you look like when you dance, or how you sound when you sing. Tell me how to help you, right now."

I allowed a few moments to pass before I responded with, "Do you have my phone?"

She walked toward the fireplace, grabbed my phone from the mantle, and handed it to me. I grabbed it from her.

"The first thing you need to know about my music taste is that I don't like all the shit music that the rest of this population loves. Taylor Swift can go to hell." I stated, with a very small smile. I pulled up Spotify, and pressed on the play button of my favorite playlist.

"Indie music, now that's where it's at. I hate when people aren't noticed for their talents, and this guy? He's talented beyond belief." I sat the phone back on the mantle, and turned the volume to high. 'Don't Take The Money' by The Bleachers blared loudly.

"Well. I suppose that's one thing we have in common." Stated Bonnie.

I smiled as the song rang on. "Another thing you may not have known about me, is that I used to dance for quite a few years. Josie's mom is a dance teacher...it was one of the many ways her family helped me." I began dancing the way me and Josie usually did when I was depressed. Many times, this was the only way I could keep myself from drowning any deeper.

Bonnie smiled as she sat down on the couch and watched.

I scoffed. "I'm really struggling to keep myself dancing here. I'm not doing this alone, so come here and dance with me."

"Me? You want me to dance with you?" She raised her eyebrows.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean? I thought you were supposed to be Josie, hm?" I walked over to her, showed her my hand, and straightened it out toward her. "Well?"

She eyed me for a bit before she grabbed it in her own. I pulled her up and giggled when she twirled me around.

Feeling better, I began to sing along, " You steal the air out of my lungs, you make me feel it
I pray for everything we lost, buy back the secrets
Your hand forever's all I want
Don't take the money
Don't take the money "

This went on for awhile until the next song played. Budapest by George Ezra.

There was a knock on the door, and I slid over to it on my socks, and pulled it open. Connor was on the other side, a look of confusion plastered on his face. "You're...feeling better?"

I giggled, pulling him in and slamming the door behind him. "Come dance."

"We're dancing now?" He asked, a smile creeping to his face.

"Yes! We're always dancing!" I responded, bringing him to the carpeted area.

He shrugged, and joined in.

Ten songs later, and the sun going down caused all of us to collapse in various places. Mine was on the floor, sprawled out like a star-fish. I breathed out deeply. "Wew. Haven't done that in weeks."

"No wonder you stay so skinny." Bonnie stated. "That's a work out."

"Like you wouldn't believe." I crossed my legs. "Best work out ever though, it means no gyms."

"Ew. Gyms." Connor groaned. "I hate the gym."

"Well, maybe if you danced with me very so often, you wouldn't need to go." I rolled onto his back, and allowed myself to lay there.

'Or he could cut out all the extra junk food he ingests." Bonnie joked.

I smirked. "There is that."

He rolled over, making me squeal and fall to the other side. "Ow, you jerk face. I didn't call you fat."

"It was a reflex from being shocked by the fact that Bonnie can joke." Connor said sarcastically.

Bonnie raised her eyebrows at him. "I am human, you know."

"Coulda fooled me." Was his response.

"She jokes with me cause I'm nice and she likes me. Maybe if you were nice she'd like you too." I stood up, nudging him with my foot. "I'm getting a drink. What do you want?"

"I'm not thirsty." He stated.

"Coulda fooled me." Bonnie muttered under her breath.

I laughed. "That was funny."

"Maybe a little." Connor agreed.

"It was definitely funny." I rolled my eyes, pouring a glass of chocolate milk into the glass. "That entire sentence was false. You just don't like to hear that people know you're thirsty." I winked.

"You're gross." Said he.

I giggled, walking over to him and sitting down on him. "I know."

"You know...this is the first time I've heard you laugh." He said.

"See. It's not just me." Bonnie said.

I nodded. "Consider yourself lucky...Bonnie was Josie for a day." I smiled at her.

"Josie?"

"No one." I shook my head. "So. I'm going to work tomorrow. What have I missed?"

"Well, for starters-" Connor began to tell me of all the events that had gone on since I'd been gone.