Disclaimer: I do not own anything but the plot and suspects, everything else I am merely borrowing.

"Trixie! Trixie! Are you okay? Honey! Trixie!"

Trixie blinked groggily, confused by her surroundings; her head felt heavy, the world seemed to be slurring in and out of focus.

She heard a dull groan, "What happened? I remember driving and then we were..."

"We crashed into the ditch," Ben's voice was relatively clear beside her ear, "that no good - Trixie!"

Ben tapped her shoulder sharply, and she snapped back to attention. Her head throbbed.

"Honey we need to get out of the car. Do you think you could do that? Does it feel like you broke anything?"

Ben was taking control of the situation.

Honey nodded her head, "I can do that."

"What about," the words started out of Trixie's mouth but everyone was already moving. No one was listening.

Still confused, Trixie looked around, trying to get her fumbling hands to grip on to something to get out of the car. Why was she so out of it? What was wrong with her, and why was it affecting no one else?
Trixie squinted at the light that came from the door that had been wedged open about halfway. Her senses were slowly coming back to her.

"Ben, what are you-?"

"Does it feel like you broke anything?" he repeated what he had said to Honey, "Does anything hurt?"

"Just my head. I think I-"

"How many fingers am I holding up?"

Trixie glared at him, suddenly fed up with the whole charade.

"Three," she replied grumpily, "Now can someone please get me out of this stupid contraption!"

Ben apologized and together they managed to get her squeezed out through the small opening created by the broken door. Once out of the car, Trixie wobbled slightly and Ben had to reach out an arm to keep her from falling.

"Easy there Tiger," he quipped gripping firmly on both her arms to keep her steady, "You okay? I think you bonked your head pretty hard. That's why I didn't want to take you out of the car too soon."

Trixie looked at his hands on her arms for a long moment, feeling her cheeks grow warm with a blush. What was wrong with her? She couldn't be... no, she wasn't falling for Ben. It was impossible. She really must have 'bonked her head pretty hard'.

"Trixie?" Ben's grip tightened and he leaned in closer, concern on his face, making sure she was okay and alert; obviously he was still concerned about the head injury.

"I'm fine," she flinched back away, causing herself to wobble even more and needing Ben to be closer to, once again, keep her steady.

As soon as she was fine, she got her hands from Ben and put as much distance between them as she felt sure he wouldn't think odd.

She groaned when she saw the car, "Dan's going to kill me."

The front end was squashed beyond recognition, for that was the end that had plummeted into the ditch. It was what had stopped her car door from opening. Smoke was fuming out of the destroyed hood, and the back wheels were hanging uselessly in the air.

"No he won't," Ben responded, "It wasn't your fault; that green car knocked you off the road. It was-"

"Dylan Marks."

"Pardon?"

Trixie and Ben turned to Honey in surprise, who looked back at them with solemn wide eyes.

"When that car passed I could have sworn I saw Dylan in the car. I think that other girl, Angela was there too, but I - I couldn't see that clearly."

The three were silent then, taking in what they had heard. If Dylan had been in the car that had run them off the road than that would mean that...

An older woman came rushing down the street then concern written all over her pale face, "Are you three alright? I saw the whole thing out of my window. Help should be on its way."

The three looked at each other, all talk of Dylan Marks would have to wait.

After being informed that she had hit her head, the paramedics insisted that Trixie be taken to the hospital for some tests.

While the doctors inspected Trixie's head, Ben used the pay phone to call over to the school and tell them what had happened. He also got someone to come to pick them up, since the car they took out there, was obviously not going to take them back.

Trixie was surprised then to find only Honey in the waiting room when she came out, with no concussion and only a prescription for pain medicine and a suggestion that she have someone what her up every so often this evening just to be on the safe side.

Honey threw her arms around Trixie as soon as she appeared, "I am so glad you're okay. I know everyone else will be too."

"Speaking of everyone else, where are they?"

"Oh, Ben went to the parking lot to meet whoever was coming out to pick us up," Honey paused a moment, a confused look appearing on her face, "though he should be here back up by now."

"Maybe they were delayed, let's go see."

The two girls left the waiting room and broke into the cool evening air. It had grown dark since they had gone inside, and Trixie shivered, pulling her arms closer around herself wishing she had thought to bring a coat.

Both girls looked around the front doors, surprised to see no sign of Ben. Honey opened her mouth to ask the obvious question when they heard the voices.

Loud, familiar voices.

Trixie put her finger to her lips, and together the two girls crept forward until the words became clear.

"What exactly do you think you are doing, Riker?" Jim's voice was raised and easily identifiable.

"I think I'm helping her," Ben's voice wasn't nearly as loud, but just as clear, and contained just as much venom, "She's going to do it on her own anyways, I figure I might as well join in. Maybe that way something bad may not happen."

Jim's voice dropped and Trixie and Honey had to shuffle forward to be able to hear what he would say, "I use to do that; she use to let me do that."

"I'm sorry," Ben's voice was sympathetic, companionable, "She's... Trixie's a special girl - to lose her favour, I don't think I could imagine how awful that must be."

"You have no idea," Jim's voice sounded broken. Trixie bit her lip, guilt twinkling in the pit of her stomach at the knowledge that she had done that to him.

But then her heart twisted painfully reminding her that she hadn't been alone in that relationship. Jim was as much to blame for how it ended as she was. More so in fact, since she hadn't been found locking lips with someone else.

Twice.

"Trix," Honey's voice was right in her ear, "I really don't think we should be listening to this."

Trixie nodded her head but didn't move. Her feet wouldn't let her. She knew that Honey was right but it appeared that she wasn't able to listen to morals at the moment. For all her righteous thoughts, Honey herself didn't seem in that much of a hurry to go rush off.

"It was so much easier to hate you when you were acting like a child," Jim was speaking again, "I was so jealous of you back then, for that one fall. It just took me a while to realize it."

"You were jealous of me?" Ben sounded shocked.

"Of course. That fall you came for thanksgiving after that whole hurricane fiasco. Trixie needed her ring out of the bank so she could get Lytell to keep Brian's car. Honey convinced her that the only way to keep everyone from keeling over with shock when she asked for it was to say that she had fallen in love - with you."

"She was pretending to be in love with me?"

"Yes, but you were too busy with Di to notice - as Honey and Trixie wanted."

Ben was silent for a long moment.

"I was a fool."

"I certainly thought so," Jim said with bitter humor, "I didn't realize why I suddenly disliked you so, how much I cared for her until..."

They were silent for a very long time. Trixie, cheeks blushing scarlet and head confused thought that maybe she should show herself when Jim spoke again.

"Now that you aren't acting like a child or a fool I can't honestly pretend that I dislike you for any other reason than the truth. I put myself in this situation; I lost her all on my own. You have more right to her than I do now, and I'm sure you will be smart enough to not screw it up."

There was a pause and a shuffling sound, "If it will make you feel any better, I don't think she wants me."

Jim snorted, "I would be so sure of that."

Silence descended once more.

Trixie hidden in the darkness was full of confusion. There was the usual mingle of pain, ecstasy and fear that she always got now a days when she was around Jim and his feelings. But this time it was joined with a new confusion, the same confusion she had begun to feel at the wreck.

She didn't like Ben - not like that - she couldn't. He was nothing like Jim. Ben went about with his roguish grin and plethora of jokes. He let lies fall off his tongue with ease and certainly didn't go for girls like her.

And yet... there was that moment by the car, and others, now that she was looking back at them she could see it. From the moment he had appeared. What had he whispered to her then? It had made her blush at the time. She had thought that he was just fooling around, like he always did, but now...

"Don't worry Belden," Ben whispered hugging her again, "You look good."

This was crazy. It was all crazy. Ben Riker did not like her, and she certainly did not like him.

Did she?

"Just one thing you should know, Riker," Jim spoke, "No matter how much you think you will be able to save her from it all, from herself, no matter how close you stick to her, she will find a way to get away, or get you into some other situation you don't think you will be able to get her out of. And no matter how that ends, you will forever hold it against yourself. Don't worry, she never fails to do it. That's Trixie."

Trixie shook her head. Does she really do that to people? She couldn't listen to this any longer. It wasn't right, and she didn't want to hear it anymore. She couldn't handle it.

With a common nod, both girls seemed to know their eavesdropping was done. They circled back the way they came, and then approached again, this time, making sure to make noise.

"Ben," Trixie called, just barely remember she wasn't supposed to know Jim was there before she added his name, "Ben are you over here?"

"Trixie!" Immediately both boys jumped to alertness, coming towards her with concern on their faces.

As if by an unspoken agreement - something that probably had to do with the conversation she shouldn't have heard - Jim stumbled to an awkward stop after only a few steps, while Ben got much closer before he hesitated.

As much out of sympathy for her friend, as for real relief at seeing a familiar face after a traumatic experience Honey called out her brother's name and threw her arms around him.

While Jim was distracted by Honey - who he had been just as concerned for - Trixie, thankfully, only had to deal with Ben.

With a quick glance to Jim, Ben stepped closer to Trixie, concern written on his handsome face.

Ben was good looking. Trixie couldn't deny that. He had that classic actor, ancient Greek or Roman look about him with his fair blond hair, sharp chiseled features, and athletic build.

But she didn't care about that, did she? She never used to. It hadn't ever registered in her brain.

Or had it, but she had never noticed.

His eyes roamed her face, as if they could spot the problem right there.

"What did they say? Any permanent damage?"

Trixie seemed to have trouble meeting his eyes. The words she shouldn't have heard and all the feelings she wasn't sure she should be feeling were bouncing around in her head, making it impossible to feel normal.

Impossible to meet his gaze.

"Fine, perfect bill of health," she tried to laugh but it sounded hollow even to her own ears, " takes a lot to break me."

"So there is nothing to worry about? No head injury?" Trixie jumped at Jim's voice. She hadn't noticed that he had come that close.

Suddenly cornered by them both Trixie didn't know where to put her eyes. She was sure they could see right through her. They knew she knew. That she had heard.

"Just a bruise," Trixie shrugged trying to be blasé.

Honey put a sympathetic hand on her friends arm.

"Why don't we just get back; I'm exhausted. I can only imagine what Trixie must be feeling. I didn't have to bother with the doctors," Honey smiled at the boys, "We can talk in the morning."

The boys promptly agreed, and they all climbed into Jim's car, Trixie more thankful than the rest.

With all that happened, Trixie, in the back with Honey, quietly stared out the window as everything she learned spun through her head.

Was Dylan the one she was looking for? If Honey was right about him running them off the road than it certainly looked so, but it didn't quite fit. What motive did he have?

It didn't make sense.

The lights flashed into the vehicle as they pulled into the school's parking lot, and highlighted the two boy's silhouette's against the dark night.

She couldn't deal with what she had heard. Her head began to throb.

She slid out of the car, slamming the door shut, and then sagging against it.

This trip was supposed to make everything better. She was supposed to get over her problems and things were supposed to be like they were before, before she ever started dating Jim, when everything was simple.

But now everything seemed to be getting worse, not better.

How could she still like Jim, still hate him for everything, and love him at the same time?

How could she love Jim, and yet have this thing with...

"Hey are you alright?" Ben slipped out of the car in front of her, and squinted in the dark, "You were really quiet back there, and now..."

Trixie wanted to scream, she wanted to throw something.

She wanted, for a moment, to kiss Ben, and that scared her.

Nothing was alright.

Instead she smiled thinly at him, "Never better."

A/N: Thank you so much for reading this chapter; I am so sorry it took me so long to update, I got a little distracted by a few things. Anyways please, as always, feel free to leave a review, tell me what you liked or didn't like, favourite parts, things you think I need to imporve on. Just tell me what you think. I always love to hear it.