"Dixie?" Jeff gasped, his eyes scanning over the woman who was standing in the doorway. Her skin was pale, and thinner, he could see dark circles under her eyes where she hadn't been sleeping and her eyes were red a piece of evidence that she had been crying. He looked on, waiting for an answer hoping he wasn't going mental and wasn't imagining things. Either way if it was memory or really Dixie, it was a sight he didn't think he would be seeing anytime soon. He blinked expecting to wake up from a dream when he opened his eyes, this didn't happen.

"Yes Jeffrey" She replied, looking at the wreck of what her husband had turned into.

"I thought… I thought you were dead…" He shook his head, expecting her to fade away but she didn't.

"And I thought you were my friend" Her words stung him, but he just couldn't believe what he was seeing, she could scream and shout blue murder as long as she was really standing there.

"Dixie I am so sorry… is that really you?" He got up moving closer to her, hoping it wasn't a figment of his imagination.

"I'm not a bloody hallucination if that's what you mean" She moved her hand into his, he felt her skin knowing this was real. He felt her warm touch, extremely comforting hoping this wouldn't be a dream which he would wake up from, as this would tear him even more apart, it would be like having her ripped away from him twice. Jeff spent the next few moments, tracing her features running his hand through her hair feeling it's softness. Feeling more tears rolling, too shocked to speak, if this was true Dixie still didn't look well she was thinner than before, and a pale complexion he was gasping for air.

Dixie looked at him sympathetically, then moved herself into his arms where without hesitation he wrapped his arms around her holding her tight. Stroking her hair, continuing to hold her he never wanted to let go. He could feel himself shaking as his arms stayed holding her, kissing the top of her head lightly.

"I thought I lost you" Jeff managed in between tears,

"You betrayed me. Jeff when you hit me…" Her voice trailed off, never thinking she would be saying those words, never thinking Jeff would have laid a finger on her. She remembered waking up in hospital without Jeff, Tamzin told her that he left. She could remember breaking down, feeling useless and rejected, but still wanting Jeff. She knew this would be cruel, but she didn't think Jeff cared and she wanted to test this, see how Jeff would react to being without her.

"Princess I am so sorry, I never…I never…" He went back to holding her, unable to speak he now knew why his home had the scent of Dixie again, and tracing his mind back to the fridge which was fuller than before with the contents in a more organised order.

"You made me feel worthless Jeff" She looked to the ground, she had never felt so low in her life.

"Dixie please believe me, you are far from worthless, you are the most precious thing in my life" He put his hands either side of her face, looking directly into the eyes he never thought he would see again, rubbing her tears that were falling away.

"You didn't feel that way before" As she pulled herself away Jeff was hurt deeply, but he was just glad she was alive.

"Don't say that Dixie, of course I felt that way before you are the most important thing to me" He had really hurt Dixie, he pushed her over the edge leading to her trying to end her own life in which he thought he had succeeded.

"I didn't feel like it, that's why I played dead" Dixie felt bad about what she decided to do, but she wanted to see how Jeff would be effected if he did care for her still, after seeing him suffer she couldn't do it for much longer.

"Dixie you know I couldn't live without you" Jeff knew it wouldn't be long before he did something what Dixie would call stupid and reckless, but he couldn't live without her, he didn't want to.

"You don't have to" She replied, seeing how much of a state Jeff had got himself into.

"Where were you?" Jeff questioned wondering where Dixie had been all this time, keeping herself at such low key,

"Been staying with Tamzin," Jeff looked back to Tamzin, having forgotten she was in the room, happy that Dixie hadn't been living of the streets and she had a roof over her head.

"I've missed you so much" Jeff pulled her in for another hug, he couldn't hold her tight enough and managing to move them both to the sofa, he held her close not letting go and cherishing every time she felt her breath.

"Tamzin can you drop of my things please sweetheart?" Dixie moved her head from Jeff's chest so she was looking at Tamzin, who was still trying to figure out what had happened.

"Dixie you sure about this?" Tamzin looked back to Dixie, not wanting her to rush into things.

"Yeah, I need to be with Jeff" This made Jeff feel worse after hearing Dixie's words, after the way he treated her she still wanted to be with him, even after he hurt her. Tamzin smiled at her friends kindness and forgiving, but she knew Dixie needed support most importantly the support from Jeff, she had been a wreck since not seeing Jeff, trying to hide it but Dixie couldn't hide her hurt for not being with Jeff for long. Jeff and Dixie remained silent as Tamzin left the house, leaving the couple in peace.

"Dixie I didn't know what I was going to do without you. Please promise me you won't do something like that again" He didn't want Dixie taken away from him, she meant too much he had experienced what life would be like without her and he never wanted to experience that again. He was worried as he had to wait a while for a reply, and it wasn't the one he wanted.

"Jeff you don't understand, I needed to end everything, I couldn't deal with it any longer. I know you don't believe me, but please trust me in when I say you will understand why I did what I did" This was the best way Dixie could explain.

"I don't think I will Dix, I'm not sure if I want to understand" He continued stroking her hair, if he couldn't feel a part of her he became worried that she disappeared.

"You will Jeffrey, just give it time" Jeff sighed, continuing to play with her hair, not taking his eyes of her as her head laid peacefully on his chest.

"You cannot believe how sorry I am Dixie, I'm just glad your with me" He admitted returning the weak smile Dixie gave him, she was still pale and he could see where she was wasting away the image made him upset and happy at the same time, on one hand she was ill, on the other she was alive and still with him, he was just going to have to look after her, he had been given a second chance and he was going to cling onto this.

"You still don't believe me do you though Jeff?" She asked with a hint of sadness in her voice. Jeff lifted her chin seeing her sadness, he was torn in two not sure who to believe.