Nobody was home at Ellie's house.

"My parents are out of town for the weekend, so we can sit and talk in the kitchen. Come on, I'll clean up your arms," Ellie said, monotone. She didn't really know what she'd say to Ashley. How to even begin to describe how scared she was.

She pulled the antiseptic and gauze out of a first aid kit. After rinsing Ashley's arm in the sink, she put on the antiseptic.

"Ouch!" Ashley cried, surprised at how much it hurt. She thought Ellie would say something, but Ellie just kept cleaning her arms. For a while, Ashley couldn't bring herself to look at Ellie, for fear of catching her eye, but she couldn't help herself. She brought her head up quickly, to look at Ellie. What she saw startled her.

Tears were falling from Ellie's eyes. Not nearly as many as when Ashley had been crying before, no. They were slow tears.

"Ellie…" Ashley said, trying to figure out what she could say. She had hurt Ellie, hurt her badly. But Ellie said nothing. She finished cleaning out the cuts, and put the gauze on it, taping it in place with medical tape. Without speaking a word, Ellie headed sat on a chair at the kitchen table. Not knowing what else to do, Ashley just stood there, and helplessly watched Ellie cry.

"Ellie…" Ashley tried again. "Ellie…please…stop crying." Ashley asked, practically begging. "Yell at me, or scream, please. But don't cry. I can't handle watching you cry." But Ellie just kept crying. Ashley started to panic; this was all her fault. She was such a horrible friend. How could she do something so stupid? She's hurt Ellie, her only real and true friend.

And just like that, Ashley had to cut. She looked around frantically. She knew Ellie was right there, but…

Her eyes fell on a knife in the sink. It was drying after being washed. She took it, and brought it to her wrist. Ellie's eyes met Ashley's. A look of hurt and confusion came across them. Ashley pressed harder, and Ellie just looked at her. Ashley knew with just a bit more pressure, the knife would cut. The release would come, and she'd be able to deal. Just one cut…

Ashley dropped the knife on the counter, and sank to the ground, sobbing again. She just couldn't do it, not with Ellie there. She couldn't hurt her friend like that. She put her head in her arms. She didn't want to see Ellie; she didn't want Ellie to see the look on her face.

Ashley was in pain. So much emotional pain; the pain she had been covering with cutting. And now, when she was hurting the most, she couldn't cut. Well, she could, but she couldn't. Not with Ellie there.

Ellie came over to Ashley and sat on the ground next to her. Ellie had stopped crying. She put her arms around Ashley. This time, she didn't tell Ashley to stop crying, she just held her.

"Come on, lets go sit," Ellie said to Ashley softly. Ellie sat on the couch in the living room, and Ashley sat in Ellie's arms, still crying. Here, Ellie was helpless. She didn't know what to say. She had an idea of what to do, but she didn't know if Ashley would think it was a good idea.

"I'm sorry Ellie, I'm so sorry. I just, I don't know. I had to. I needed to. I'm so so sorry. What do I do Ellie? I can't stop, I know I can't."

"I don't know what to do, Ash," Ellie said honestly. "But I know someone who does."

"What?"

"Marco. His brother, he cut himself. Marco hasn't told anyone."

"I didn't know Marco had a brother," Ashley said, through her tears.

"He doesn't; not anymore. He bled to death, one night, when he was alone. Marco's only told me. I…I could call him. I mean, if its okay with you. Maybe he'll know what to do, because I don't."

"I don't know…I…" Ashley saw the horrible look in Ellie's eyes. She looked like she was in physical pain. Ashley couldn't stand to see her that way. "Ok," she whispered.

Ellie grabbed the phone from the receiver on the end table. She called Marco, and asked him to come over. Ashley couldn't hear his side of the conversation but she did here what Ellie said.

"I know its late"

"…"

"Please, I really need you. Ash's here. It's… its kind of an emergency. You can sleep over, if it's okay with your parents. I…we…need you. Please?"

"…"

"Ok, thanks." Ellie hung up the phone. "He's coming over."