Severus' point of view:

"I assure you, Mr. Snape, your wife will get better. She's a lot better, and making great progress," Dr. Snow said as I sat in her office.

"You don't understand," I said tensely. "She won't talk to me. We do everything we've done before the attack like you suggested, but she won't respond to anything or anyone. I've tried to reach out to her in so many ways. She won't even talk to her friends."

Dr. Snow sighed. "I'm not allowed to tell you what we've talked about, but based on our past few meetings, she's almost at a tipping point."

"I don't see that," I said bitterly.

"I know you don't, Mr. Snape, but I do," Dr. Snow said firmly. "She's close to breaking through. Please keep doing what you're doing. I promise you'll see fruit of your hard work soon."

I nodded toward her, stood, and left, praying she was right. I needed Alice back. I used floo powder to go back to work, where I immersed myself in my working on several potions at the same time to take my mind off of everything. Good potions always needed my full attention, and I prided myself on keeping things up to a standard I set high for myself.

Is she okay? I thought. Sighing, I placed powdered unicorn horn into the caldron. It seemed that even making potions couldn't distract me from my constant worry.

A knock on the door made me pause. I wasn't open today since I gave myself two days a week to brew potions and three days selling them behind the counter or sending off owls for delivery. I quickly opened the door just in case it had something to do with Alice. Her concern and welfare were always on my mind, even when I put myself into my work. I opened the door to Potter, looking tired but happy.

"You got the sentence?" I asked.

"Yes, sir," he replied. "Can I come in?"

I nodded and moved aside.

"How was it done so quickly?" I asked.

"Hermione and I had some pull, and Hermione was very admit about going after her father." Potter gave me a grim smile. "Seeing her friend hurt so badly made her work even harder than she normally would have, which helped a lot."

"What did they decide?" I asked.

"She got him life," he said. "And if he does get out, they placed a curse on him that won't allow him to go near her, you, or any children you may have."

I took a deep breath and looked down, feeling relieved. Good news at last.

Potter sighed, making me look up. "How is she?" I shrugged. "So, the same. I'll let Ginny and Hermione know. I'll leave you to work, sir?"

I nodded toward him as Potter turned to leave.

"Thank you, Potter," I whispered as his hand was on the doorknob.

Potter turned to me and gave me a grin. "I guess our debt is repaid, sir"

I rolled my eyes at him as he chuckled as he left. Hours later, I finished my potions, bottled them, and flooed home. As soon as I stepped into the kitchen, I looked for my wife. Looking outside, she and Pomona were in the garden working. The sight made my heart leap. She was working today. The other days Pomona came to spend the day with Alice, Pomona would be found working while Alice just sat at the small table.

Placing my hands on the counter, I watched my wife, feeling hope that she really was getting better. She and Pomona stood, and Alice banished the weeds they'd pulled. As they walked toward the house, a small smile plaid across Alice's face, but it soon fell and she looked down at her feet.

I guess it's too soon for her be whole again, I said, but what to do to fix it?

What could I say or do that I hadn't already tried with my young wife? That was eating me alive. Pomona opened the door with Alice coming in after her.

"Thank you for working with me today, Alice." Pomona kissed Alice's cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Alice gave her a shy nod as she looked at her feet.

"It's lovely to see you, Severus," Pomona said, and I glanced at her direction.

"Thank you for everything, Pomona," I said to her.

"If you two should ever need anything," Pomona said, and I nodded. "I'll be on my way. There is a lovely store I'd like to run to."

With a flash of green from the fireplace, Pomona was gone.

"Are you hungry?" I asked. Alice shrugged while barely looking up at me. "I'm thinking of heating up the stew we made yesterday. We'll have to make more of this when it gets colder."

Alice sat at the table, not commenting or acknowledging anything I was saying. I sighed mentally. It was taxing to keep up conversation like this. I pulled out two bowls and tapped them, causing them to fill with stew. Another tap caused them to warm up; steam rose from both bowls. I place the bowls in front of Alice and at my spot.

"Next time we'll have to make bread with this, too," I said. "I haven't made bread since we got married."

Alice slowly dragged her spoon through the stew before lifting it to her lips, barely eating less than a spoon full.

"Did you have a nice time with Pomona today?" I asked, receiving a slight nod in return. "Are you growing anything new?" She shook her head.

"The pumpkins look almost ready," I remarked. "I'm sure I can use those for a pumpkin pie."

Alice gave me a slow nod as if she were thinking about something.

"I hope I can get it right," I said.

Alice ate another spoonful and swallowed, thinking of anything more to say to her, but my mind became blank. We ate the remainder of dinner and cleaned up the dishes in silence.

"I'm going to bed now," Alice whispered.

"I'll see you in the morning. I'll be in the library if you need me," I said to her.

She gave me a nod and went upstairs. I slowly walked up to the library, where I sat for hours, feeling lonelier than I did before I got married. I stared into the fireplace as I sat while exhaustion ran through me, but I could force myself to go to bed yet. How to help her kept running through my mind, and I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep.

"Severus?" Alice's voice startled me. I looked up to find her standing in the doorway; tears ran down her face.

"What is it, Alice?" I stood quickly and walked swiftly over to her.

"I ... I miss you," she chocked out.

"Alice," I whispered, taking her in my arms. "I've missed you so much, too."

Sobs ran through her slender figure as I held my wife like I wanted to for so long. Eventually, her sobs slowed. Please let this be the change, I thought. Please open up to me again, Alice.

"What are you thinking?" I whispered desperately. Her hand tightened my shirt and she remained silent. "Please, Alice. I can't stand not talking to you anymore."

She looked up at me with fear, anger, and hurt, but there was also hope in her eyes. My fingers traced her jaw line.

"I … I talked with Dr. Snow, and … and," she trailed off. "She made me see that I wasn't living anymore."

Tears ran down her cheeks again, and I brushed them away.

"I realized that …" her voice cracked as she trailed off.

"You realized …?" I prompted.

"That I was hurting myself and you. I wasn't living like I was before the attack, and that was the reason why I got away from Father." She nodded as her face crumpled and she looked down. "I feel so guilty for not talking to you, Severus."

"Alice," I tilted my head up toward her. "I am not angry at you."

"Why?"

"Because you need to heal emotionally with this," I said. "My father hit my mother, and she always seemed to needing time to heal, so don't feel guilty about that."

"But I pulled away from you," she argued. "I feel like you haven't been happy with me."

"I … I have missed you, Alice," I admitted. "But I realize that I can't make you or push you into something because you'd come to resent me."

She was silent as she processed my words. Joy ran through me when she put her head on my chest. I held her closer to me.

"Will you stay with me tonight?" she whispered and lifted her head off of my chest. "I don't want to be alone anymore."

"Yes," I replied.

I led her by the hand to my room, intertwining our finger together. I led her to the side of the bed and pulled the covers down. I gestured toward the bed, and she sat. I quickly changed into flannel pants and a T-shirt, feeling a little self-conscious. I hadn't let anyone see my dressed like this, but the thought of holding my wife in my arms made me rush out to her. She was curled up on her side, looking tiny and fragile. I sat on the other side of the bed, waved my wand to extinguish the lights, and laid down. Moving over, I put my arm around Alice as she turned her body toward me.

A sigh escaped her lips as we moved toward each other at the same time. Within a matter of moments, I fell asleep. When I woke up in the morning, light filtered into the room. I lay on my back, and Alice's head rested on my chest. Closing my eyes, I wound my arms around her thin form. Peace ran through me as we lay there, our bodies close together. After an hour of holding her close to me, she started to stir. Eventually looked up at me with her large blue eyes.

"Good morning," I whispered.

"Good morning," she replied.

Lifting my hand, I traced her cheek. "Would you like some breakfast?"

"Yes. I was thinking we could make pancakes," she whispered.

I sat up, pulling her up with me.

"How about we change and meet downstairs?" I asked.

Alice nodded and stood. I watched her carefully to see if there was any sign of her withdrawing back into her shell of depression. I was surprised when she stopped at the door and said, "Thank you, Severus for helping me."

"I'll be here, always," I replied to her.

Alice gave me a timid smile that reached her eyes. My girl was back.

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