Hmmm… angry, angry reviewers it would appear. Two death threats in 10 minutes; I must be doing something right. Or wrong. Hmmm…I think I'll put on body armour, just in case.

Okay, so this one is a little bit longer, but its not happy yet. Next chapter, I promise, will be longer and happier.

Ginny looked at herself in the mirror. She looked at her gaunt face. She had been allowed home a week but the skin was still covered in the yellow of faded bruises. The deep cuts on her face still hadn't healed and she ran her fingers over the stitches in her forehead, the dark red line running down through her left eyebrow. Her eyes seemed so dead, so empty, that it scared her. If she had seen anger or sadness or even pain in her eyes it might have been easier, but all she saw was darkness and emptiness.

She walked back into her room and pulled on some jeans and a tank top, careful to avoid any of her injuries. She walked slowly down the stairs and out of her house, grabbing one of her brothers' beater's bats from the porch.

She slung the bat onto her shoulder and walked towards the wood ahead of her. She came to a group of trees with smashed branches and she stopped, dropping the arm with the bat to her side. She moved a little, flexing her muscles and warming herself in the chilling January air. She pulled her arm back and then swung loosely at the nearest tree. The bat connected with the tree and sent vibrations through Ginny's arm. She gritted her teeth and swung again; harder, more violently than before. She felt pain in her elbow this time but it just made her swing even harder, trying to feel something, anything but this.

If she had only been stronger, or smarter. If only she had stopped Sam before it had gotten this bad. If only she had been so DAMN WEAK. Ginny lunged at the tree, smashing off a large branch in the process. She could feel the tears starting again. Feel the pain and the weakness again, the overpowering guilt. But this wasn't the same as feeling. She felt so distant from the emotions running through her. Detached, as if she were on the outside looking in on her own life, but not really being a part of it.

Kit was leaning against a tree watching Ginny. She was worried about her but there wasn't much she could do. And it wasn't exactly her place, she barely knew the girl. However, she still felt she should do something.

'Don't you feel cold?' Kit ventured.

'That's kinda the point…' Ginny sighed, turning to acknowledge Kit's presence. '…to feel'

Ginny dropped the bat to her side and looked away.

'Its not the way to deal with it, Gin.' She ran a hand through her hair. 'there are better ways.'

'Yeah, like what?'

Ginny swung the bat angrily, her jaw tensing as the pain shot through her arm. Kit walked towards her and placed a hand on her bare shoulder.

'It's not your fault Gin, there was nothing you could do.'

Ginny turned round to face Kit.

'But it was my fault, don't you understand. I let her do that to me because I was weak. If I had been stronger, if I had stopped her…'

She trailed off as tears flowed down her face. Kit pulled her into a hug.

'It wasn't your fault Gin.'

'It was.' She said quietly.

'How could it be Gin? There was nothing you could do.'

'She was there, looking after me, and Sam got angry. A-and she reached out, to stop her from hurting me. Then Sam hit her, hard. And I couldn't-I couldn't stop her. I was so scared, and she grabbed me again. And she tried t-to stop her again, but Sam kicked her. I wanted to help but I was so scared and I couldn't… I couldn't…. I…'

Ginny trailed off again, unable to speak through her sobs. Kit held onto her, trying to comfort her.

'That doesn't make it your fault. She was trying to protect you. She knew what she was doing and it was her decision. She cares about you and she didn't want you to get hurt, despite the risks.'

'I still should have been able to do something. I should have helped her, saved her like she saved me.'

Kit pulled away from Ginny and looked into her eyes, willing her to understand what she would say.

'You did save her Ginny. You made sure that they fund her in time. If had been longer Gin, she would be dead, both of you would.'

Ginny turned her face away from Kit.

'It wasn't enough though, was it?'

She pulled away and dropped so that she was sitting against a tree. She buried her face in her hands.

'You didn't have to see her there, Kit. You didn't see her lying on that floor. She was so pale, and so broken.' She paused, her voice wavering, 'I-It hurt so much to see her like that. I would've given anything to help her. But I couldn't, I was too weak, too stupid to save her.'

Ginny looked up, tears streaming down her face.

'I couldn't put it right, and it wont stop hurting.'

Kit sighed and dropped so that she was sitting next to Ginny. She wrapped an arm around Ginny's shoulders and the girl leaned against her, weeping.

'She'll get better Gin, she has to…she has to.'