"Jude," Tommy's voice called as he opened her door and saw what she was holding.

"Jude give those to me," he said firmly.

"No," she said as her grip on the bottle tightened.

"Jude you can't do this to yourself. Not now," Tommy said as he slowly walked towards her.

"Why not Tommy? None of this will ever get better," she cried. "I'll always feel like this."

"Feel like what?" Tommy pleaded as he sat down beside her.

"Like this. I feel nothing Tommy. When you touch me I should feel fireworks and tension, but I feel nothing. I feel empty, hollow. I should be happy."

Tommy's hand clenched and pain shot through his heart. His Jude wasn't happy. He didn't know how to help. He grabbed the bottle and put his strong arms around her.

"Why am I like this? What's wrong with me?" Jude cried as tears spilled from her eyes.

"I don't know Jude but you will get better," Tommy reassured her as he stroked her hair.

"I've got everything I ever wanted and I'm not happy. I want to be though Tommy, so bad."

"Shh. Jude everything will get better. I promise," he said as he held her tighter. She felt so good in his arms.

"Don't let go," she said teresly.

"Never."

The next few days were a blur for both Tommy and Jude. One minute she would be fine and the next he'd catch her with a razor blade or pills in her hand. Tommy promised himself that no matter how much Jude yelled, screamed, and told him she hated him when he'd take the pills and razors away, he would not stand by and watch her self destruct.

"Tommy," he said answering his cell phone one day.

"Hey. How's things going?" Kwest asked.

"They're pretty rough to be honest," he said as he watched a sleeping Jude laying on the couch.

"What's goin' on?"

"She keeps trying to cut and take more pills," Tommy said with an exasperated sigh.

"Maybe, maybe you should bring her back and," Tommy cut him off.

"I will not put her in some psych ward! She's not crazy!" Tommy yelled.

"Okay, okay. You know we all care about Jude and we're all worried about her. We just want what's best for her."

"She'll get better Kwest. I know it," his voice said gently.

"Okay, how about you?"

"What about me?"

"How are you with all this?" Kwest asked.

"It's hard," he said as he sat down at the table and ran his fingers through his hair. "One minute she'll be fine and we'll be talking and the next she gets quiet and says she has to go get something. Then I usually find her with the pills and razors that I had gotten rid of earlier that day. She screams at me and tells me she hates me when I take them away. I know she doesn't mean it but it's not fun to hear."

"Wow," Kwest said quietly.

"How's the damage control coming?" Tommy asked quickly to change the subject.

"Not as good as EJ had hoped. People know you two are in some secluded place...alone and together. The press is running wild with it."

"Shit! What are they saying?"

"Oh no way am I telling you. You'll just get pissed."

"Kwest just tell me!"

"No. But, Georgia had a press conference yesterday because of it."

"Great," Tommy said quietly. "Have you heard from Jude's parents?"

"Yeah unfortunately. Her Dad is pissed at you but still refuses to talk to Jude and her Mom, her Mom is gallavanting around with her new 20-something boyfriend and doesn't really care what happens to Jude at this point."

"That's really going to help Jude," Tommy said sarcastically.

""If she's having a rough time, don't tell her," Kwest said. "It'll just make things worse."

"I know," he said as he stood up and paced the floor.

"What's going on," she asked meekly as she walked into the kitchen.

"Jude. Oh nothing, just talking to Kwest."

"Oh, I'll go into my room then."

"Tommy don't let her," Kwest said.

"Here Jude why don't you talk to Kwest for awhile," he said as he handed the phone to her.

"Jude looked at Tommy with a confused look on her face as she grabbed the phone. "Hello."

"Hey Jude."

"You did not just say that," Jude said.

"Oh sorry. Hi Jude."

"Much better."

Tommy walked into her bedroom and searched for pills and razors. It had been his ritual every day after the day at the lake. They'd been at the cabin for over a week and Tommy wasn't sure if Jude was getting any btter. He heard her laugh in the kitchen and it brough a smile to his face.

"I can't believe you and Sadie are dating Kwest! That's awesome. Tell her I miss her okay? Bye Kwest."

"Tommy," Jude called.

"What's up girl?" Tommy asked as he walked into the kitchen.

"Guess what?" she said with a huge smile on her face.

"Kwest and Sadie are dating?" he said with a mischevious grin.

"Quincy you're no fun," she said as she smiled.

"Well I couldn't help over hearing. Besides it's about time Kwest got himself a girlfriend."

"Yeah," Jude said with an expresionless look on her face.

"Hey I don't like that look," Tommy said as he pulled a chair up and sat backwards on it.

"What look?"

"That look that tells me your going to lose it any minute."

"Don't worry so much Tommy."

"How can I not?"