Nope, they're still not mine...

A/N: Thanks for the reviews everybody! I do very much appreciate them. As some of you noted, yes the chapters are rather short...they seemed longer in Word when I was writing the story...but that's also why I'm posting several at a time!
And this chapter is where the potentially controversial stuff becomes more explict/obvious...

I.9. Don't Go

"Neela? Neela, c'mon, talk to me" his voice cracked. "Please Neela." He pulled at her side gently trying to make her turn back over. Her body gave in, but she kept her arms wrapped around herself and her head turned away from him. She shook her head, refusing to look at him, but he could see tears had begun silently streaming down her face.

This is not how I wanted him to find out. I didn't want him to find out, period! How could I forget about the brand new cuts? Sure, I remember the almost healed ones and scars on my thighs…that was motivation enough to move…took his attention away…How stupid could I be?

How did it take me this long to notice? The rest of her skin, so perfect, then these self made scars— a blatant disruption…What the hell do I do? I've never been on this side of it...

"At least let me put the sweatshirt on you" his voice shook much more than he wanted it to. Well, I'm scared shitless, how do I think I am going to sound? "Please?"

Slowly turning her face toward him she gave another almost imperceptible nod, which made him again wonder if he was just seeing what he wanted. Pushing doubt from his mind, he grasped her upper arms and slowly pulled her up to a sitting position. Once again, like dressing an infant, he slid the shirt over her head first, and then guided each of her arms through the sleeves. He pulled the bottom down to cover her torso, and gently lay her back down. Looking directly into her eyes, he saw she had lost that little bit of happiness that had returned and it was replaced by fear, disappointment, anger and sadness.

"Listen to me Neela" he brushed away another invisible hair from her face, "people care about you. I care about you. Please don't do this. Please talk to me." After a slight pause, he continued, "I'm not saying now, but please don't do this again without at least trying to talk to me. Okay?" With each word she could see and hear he was closer and closer to letting go of the tears he was so valiantly holding back. She nodded. Enough that he knew she nodded.

He noticed that he hadn't pulled the blankets back over her, and he hastily did so. He sat there looking at her for a few minutes.

You of all people, Ray! How could you not have seen this was happening? Think back, she probably did all the same things you did, didn't she? He had dropped his gaze to his hands in his lap, and closed his eyes. You let this happen Ray.

After a few more minutes, he looked back up at her. She had not stopped looking at his face. He swallowed the lump in his throat, and stood up. After a moment he managed to get out, hoarsely, "Good night Neela." He leaned over and kissed her forehead. Standing back up, he turned to leave.

"Don't go." It was the first time she had spoken in hours. The sound surprised him and he turned, at first not even comprehending what she had said. "Stay…please?" He nodded and started walking back over to the bed.

I know this will only make it harder…

She touched the covers behind her. He nodded again and took a step forward, then stopped. "You know, I'm kind of cold too…"

Normally he would have said that in a joking tone, never missing an opportunity to make a joke with a sexual innuendo, but I guess he's probably serious.

Her hand that was on the covers grabbed the edge and she twisted her arm to fold them down a little bit. He smiled, which made her smile. "Okay. Alright. I'll stay. You just can't get enough of me, huh?" Her smile grew a little.

There's the Ray I know.

He got into the bed and started to wrap his arm around her waist. She turned around to face him, and pulled on the bottom of his sweatshirt like she had done in the shower. He raised his eyebrows at her, and she just stared back at him. He shrugged and pulled the sweatshirt over his head. She smiled, and turned to put her head on his chest, as he wrapped his arms around her. She lay there listening to his heartbeat.

Reviews are my antidrug...you've gotten me hooked :) Feed my addiction. It's healthier than many other things, like crack :)

-/- I'd especially like to know if I am being too abstract...in other words, do you get where I am going, or is it totally unclear except in my own mind? -/-