A/n hey guys. This has been rolling around in my head for the longest time and I just had to write it. I just couldn't have carly and nelle hating one another. I mean I love their feud but I always wished they could somehow get close and put that aside. This is a story of them going from enemies to friends and the lengths Carly will go to to protect her and keep her safe when tragity strikes. I was just gonna do one-shots but this took on a life of its own.

Carly Corinthos entered the corinthos kitchen and came to an abrupt hault. There, on the floor, rocking back and forth in front of the cabinets, tears pouring from her eyes and bruises covering her face was Nelle Benson. "Nelle. Hey what happened?" Carly whispered, immediately putting whatever feelings she had for her aside. She could Nelle was injured and at that moment, something broke in Carly. The anger and rage slowly began to melt away and left in its place was compassion, empathy and something else she couldn't explain. She carefully dropped to her knees, eyes widening as Nelle whimpered and shifted closer, crawling into her lap. "Ca...Ca...Carlyyyy." She sobbed, a hand gripping Carly's shirt and violent shivers beginning to overtake her small form.

"Shhh. You're ok. What happened, baby?" Carly questioned again, gently placing her arms around Nelle's shaking form, stunned she was hugging the woman who had tried to disstroy her but being gentle none the less, unsure of where else she was injured. "Bad man." "Bad man?" Carly repeated, now more concerned than ever, especially with Avery In the house. "H-he hurt me. I d-didn't know where to go." She choked out, curling up in Carly's lap as best as she could with her injuries, her face coming to rest in the crook of Carly's neck. "Ok. I need to ask you something. Did he rape you, Nelle?" She questioned gently, Nelle clinging more tightly to her and her breatheing picking up speed in response telling her all she needed to know. "Shhh. Easy. Y're ok. I've got you." Carly said in just above a whisper, running her fingers softly through the tangled blonde hair, frowning when they came away with blood.

"We need to get you checked out and call the PCPD." She explained, still holding Nelle close. "Please. Stay with me."

"I'm not going anywhere." She assured her, once again shocked by the words coming out of her mouth. Beginning to pull away she was stopped by Nelle whimpering in protest. "Shhh. I'm not leaving, but we need to get off the floor and to gh." She said before she just decided to carry her, knowing that would keep her more calm.

Entering gh, Carly immediately spotted her mother, who nearly dropped the charts she was working on upon seeing Nelle Benson with her arms wrapped securely around her daughter's neck and Carly gently rocking her back and forth, talking quietly to her.

"What happened?" Bobby questioned, quickly approaching them and guiding them into an exam room, surprised for a second time as Carly sat down on the bed, still continuing to hold the girl in her arms. "I entered my kitchen and found her on the floor. She was raped." She answered softly, glancing down to see Nelle had fallen into a light sleep, one hand clutching the material of her t-shirt. "Did you call the pcpd?" Bobby asked and Carly shook her head. "Not yet.

She only stays calm if I hold her." Carly said, a tear falling from her eye. "You care about her." Her mother said rather than asked and Carly nodded, seeing no reason to deny it. "I've always hated her for everything she's done, but seeing her in my kitchen-" She started. We can talk about it later. I need to examine her, and you need to wait outside." Bobby explained and Carly frowned in concern.

"You may have to sedate her in order for me to leave." She said and her mother raised her eyebrows.

"she's gonna panic." "Maybe you should stay then." Bobby decided as Nelle shifted in Carly's arms. "Carly?"

"I'm here, baby." She whispered, pressing a kiss to Nelle's head, the girl immediately cuddling closer in response.

"Listen. My mom needs to check you out and make sure you're ok, so I'm gonna have to let you go for a minute." She gently explained and the girl immediately became frightened at being separated from Carly. "No. Please stay." She pleated.

"I'm not leaving the room, but I can't hold you while she examines you." She said but that only made Nelle panic even more. "I'm gonna sedate her." Bobby whispered before quietly leaving the room.

"Nelle, I need you to look at me. Mom is gonna give you a shot to help you calm down and then she's gonna examine you." Carly whispered as Bobby reentered the room with a Syringe. "Hold me?" "I've got you. I'll be here when you wake up." She vowed, thumbs stroking soothingly over Nelle's cheeks as her eyes drifted shut as the medicine did its job.

Carly was awakened by an ear splitting scream. Sitting up in bed she glanced over to see Nelle beside her, eyes franticly moving around the room before coming to rest on her. "Hey, shh. It's Carly. You're safe." She said, opening her arms and Nelle immediately fell into them, her face finding its way into the crook of Carlys neck, a content sigh slipping from her lips as her body began to relax. "Everything ok?" Bobby said as she entered the hospital room. "She had a bad dream, but everything is fine now right, Nelle?" Carly asked and she nodded but otherwise didn't speak.

"I called dante and told him what happened. I also gave him what evidence we had." She revealed. "What did he say? Did he-" "Do you wanna go back to sleep?" Carly whispered, turning her attention to the girl in her arms when she saw her eyes beginning to droop. "Uh-huh." She whispered and Carly laid down under the covers with Nelle lying on top of her, head tucked against her neck and softly began rubbing her back.

"Did he say what else he needed? Carly questioned in a low voice and Bobby nodded. "He will need a statement." She said and Carly closed her eyes, not ready to hear the details but prepared to be there for her in any way she could.