Another tough chapter to write so please review, feedback is always appreciated. Ideas and suggestions are welcome as well. As always THANK YOU for the wonderful reviews.

::Trigger warning::

That Night

Alison is awoken to Emily thrashing and screaming, "No-no-no!"

"Em…" Alison says gently reaching for her.

"D-don't touch me! Don't y-you fucking touch me!" She says her eyes wild and not really seeing Alison. She backs off the bed and slides till her back is in the corner where the walls meet.

Alison carefully walks around the bed and sits on the floor a few feet away from Emily. "Em you're safe, I'm here." She says in a calming tone. "Do you know where you are?"

Emily panics and shakes her head fearful. "Please…" She says shaking.

"Em, you are with me, Alison.. and we are at the house I rented." She says reassuringly.

"A-Alison!" Emily says still shaking.

"Yeah Em, it's me." She says inching closer. "C-Can I touch you?" She asks stopping about a foot from her.

Emily shakes her head yes and Alison pulls her close to her and wraps her arms tightly around Em. "I got ya, you're safe." Alison keeps telling her as Emily starts to relax in her arms. "I love you so much Em." She says gently kissing her forehead and then her nose.

Emily gives her a watery smile, "I love you Ali." She leans in Alison's body and hides her face in the crook of her neck.

Alison just holds her tightly to her trying not to cry. After sitting on the floor for about 15 minutes Alison asks, "What do you need babe?"

Emily looks at her with sad eyes, "Will you sit with me while I take a bath? Pl-please." She says looking away.

Alison pulls Emily's face up to look at her, "Whatever you need mermaid." She says gently kissing her cheek before standing up. She offers her hand to Emily and she takes it with a small smile. Alison takes her into the bathroom and has her sit down on the stool. She starts the water and adds some bath salts and kisses Em's forehead, "I'm going to grab you some clothes, I'll be right back." Alison heads back into her room and grabs a pair of her shorts and a tank top. She returns to the bathroom "I need to run downstairs to get some underwear for you, will you be ok?" She asks looking into Emily's lost brown eyes.

"Pl-please don't leave!" She answers desperation rising in her voice.

Alison squats in front of Emily and puts her hand lightly on Em's leg. "Look at me Em, I'm not going anywhere unless you tell me to." She tells her lovingly. "I'm just going to turn off the water." She tells her standing up and heading to the tub.

Emily stands and tries to get undressed to get in the tub but her hands won't stop shaking. Alison comes over and gently grabs her hands, "Can I help you?" She says when Emily looks at her like a lost puppy.

"O-okay" She says turning a bit red.

"I'm just going to help you slid off your shorts can you sit on the side of the tub?" Emily sits down and Alison helps her wiggle out of her pants and underwear. She keeps her eyes on Emily to make sure to not frighten her. "Can you lift your arms, so I can take your shirt off?" Emily does so and she gently takes it off and tosses it in the hamper with her shorts.

Emily slowly slides into the water and sighs as the warm water feels good. Emily uses the loofah to scrub at her skin and she pushes it harder and harder. Alison grabs her hand to stop her, "Em, stop please."

Emily looks up at her tears falling from her eyes as her body shakes. "I f-feel dirty."

"Em, you're gonna hurt yourself, let me help you, please." Alison says compassion in her deep cerulean eyes.

Emily hands her the loofah and Alison takes it and washes her back tenderly. After washing Emily's body gently she helped her out of the tub. She dries her off and helps her put on her shorts and tank top.

"Do you want to lie down?" Alison asks.

Emily nods her head in agreement and Alison leads her back to bed and crawls in and wraps her arms around Emily. "Em?" She asks slightly anxiously.

Emily looks up at her and waits for her to continue.

"D-do you want to talk about it?" She asks her not wanting to force her to relive it again.

"I-I remember…that night." She says looking small. "Everything!" She says a fresh wave of tears falling. "I should…should've never left with her that night. I j-just… I was so drunk and stupid.." Alison shakes her head no but doesn't interrupt. "Wh-When we got to her place she kept giving me shot after shot. I just wanted to…to numb the pain. Then she…she carried me to a room and left me on the bed and I p-passed out. When I woke up…she was on top of me a-and I couldn't get her off of me." Alison grabs her hand gently to let her know she's there. "She was…kissing my neck r-roughly and as I came to I ask her t-to stop..but she w-wouldn't. She restrained my hands above my head and…and she s-said she kn-knew I wanted it…I just wanted her to stop. I asked her pl-please but she pushed my shirt up and used it to bind my…hands. She was s-so rough and she ripped off m-my pants and underwear and she was unrelenting, I remember the way her fingers h-hurt. Tears obscured my eyes; I tried not to make a sound. The p-pain was too much and I screamed out and sh-she started hitting me over and over, and kicking me in the stomach I tried to fight back but...then bl-black."

Alison sits speechless just holding Em as she sobs and shakes. She knew about the sexual assault but to hear it in grizzly detail was a whole other story, tears are streaming done her face as well. She rubs her back and keeps telling her that she's safe. After Emily's breathing starts to even out a bit Alison pulls back a little, "Emily, I'm so, so sorry."

"C-can we pl-please sleep?" Emily asks her voice ragged.

"Of course Em." Alison says lying down.

Emily lies down on her chest and listens to what is becoming her favorite sound in the world, Ali's strong heartbeat. Sleep soon over takes Emily and Alison sits and watches her sleep, running her hand through her thick dark hair. "I won't let anyone hurt you." She murmurs to Emily, "I love you more then you'll ever know." She whispers as she can't keep her eyes open anymore.

The next morning Alison wakes up before Emily and slinks down the stairs quietly. She sat down on the couch and called Dr. Stevens to see if she could move up Emily's appointment to today. After explaining what had happened the previous night she agreed to an early afternoon appointment.

Alison made her way back upstairs and crawls back into bed as Emily rolls over and searches for her while still asleep. Her hands find their way around Alison and she murmurs in her sleep. "My Ali." Alison kisses her gently and squeezes her tight.