Hey, this chapter focuses on Dani and Christina, so to give you a little back story. Unrelated, I'd just like to apologize that fix has kinda been on hold, I will start that one again and try and update more regularly. . Now onto the story: (oh and yea, I don't own Degrassi, so don't sue my ass I can't afford it :'D )


Dani's POV

I walked past the lady down to room 219 and knocked on the door.

"Come in," I heard my sister say quietly. It was barely a whisper, but in a place where you can hear a pin drop, I heard it loud and clear. Her voice was raspy and chilling. It made me shiver. This wasn't the way she used to sound.

I tip-toed in. She was under the covers, eyes closed, mouth slightly opened. Her skin was paler than usual, not the beautiful porcelain it used to be, but a pasty splotchy color instead. Her normal soft, bouncy brown curls were now tangled like a bird's nest, as if hey haven't been combed in years. I struggled not to cry. This wasn't my sister. This was some sick…monster taking her place. I guess a suicide attempt will do that to you.

"Christina?" I stammered. As soon as I spoke, her green eyes snapped open, her mind recognizing my voice.

"Dani!" she squealed, leaping out of bed and running over to me. She seemed so full of energy, but it didn't take a detective to see how frail she was. I was half expecting her legs to collapse under her, except she was so light and skinny there was barely any pressure on them. She hugged me tight and I felt like I was going to cry.

"I-I'm sorry I haven't visited in a while."

"Don't worry about it. At least you still come."

"What's it like in here?"

"It's horrible! It feels like a prison."

(A/N: Flashback time! =D btw Christina is 16 at this time and Danigore [pronounced Danny-goar for the person who asked] is 14.)

I walked into the door and heard screaming. Out of instinct, I hid behind the staircase.

"You useless wretch!"

"Mom PLEASE! Don't!" I heard a slap, followed by a scream from my sister, making me flinch.

"HELP!" My sister was crying, but no one came. Then there was a thunk. I peered through the slits in the banister and saw that my mom had grabbed Christina by the hair and threw her into the wall.

"PLEASE!" My mom grabbed her by the shoulders and flung her into the little storage space under the stairs and locked the door.

"LET ME OUT!" My sister was banging on the door and screaming for help. Why wasn't anyone coming? My mom banged back and started shouting insults at her.

"IT'S DARK! PLEASE!" I felt like I was going to cry every time Christina screamed. Finally my mom left her there and went into another room. I scurried downstairs and unlocked the under-the-stairs cellar door. I yanked it open and my sister toppled out and struggled to her feet. She was in tears and breathing heavily.

"Th-th-th" she choked, but I shushed her and pulled her into a hug.

"It's okay, Christina. C'mon let's go." She nodded and walked with me, sobbing.

"I hate that place. It feels like a prison."

I held my older sister close. She was 17 now, but even two years younger I had always been the stronger one. I helped her back into her bed and pulled out the sandwich I had made. I tried to hand it to her but she smacked it out of my hand and crossed her arms.

"Ulterior motive, much?" She glared. I sighed.

"You know that's not why I came. You still need to eat! No wonder you look like a skeleton!" She exhaled and uncrossed her arms.

"I hate the food here. It's all PROCESSED SHIT!" She yelled the last part loud enough for the nurse outside to hear.

"Christina!"

"What?"

"You need to get better! I can't stand not having you around."

"Well how do you think I feel?"

"Christina…"

"No one comes to see me… it's lonely here."

"Like it's that much of a change."

"True…" Christina sighed and looked down before she decided to change the subject. "So how are you?"

"I'm fine." She glared at me.

"You're lying."

"Am not!"

"I am the QUEEN of 'I'm fine.'"

"You were." She snorted.

"Guess a suicide attempt blows that to smithereens." She laughed.

"How can you joke about that?"

"Because… it's easier to deal with it that way."

"Deal with it?"

"New subject."

"Hold on Christina, how can you deal with it? I found you there! You were there with the knife in your hands-"

"Don't remind yourself, Dani! It's easier to forget."

"Easier to forget?" I scoffed. "I-I can't believe this."

"Come on, Dani! Let's talk about something else. Anything. Degrassi! School! What happened? Make any new friends?"

"Three, actually. Adam, Clare, and Eli." Christina smirked and came over all obnoxious-older-sister.

"Adam and Eli, eh? They cute?" I snorted and rolled my eyes.

"Eli's dating Clare, but Adam's really cool."

"Oh? What's he like?"

"He's an FTM-"

"As in transgender?"

"Yeah…"

"Awesome!"

"You really think so?" I smiled.

"Yea, it's really badass! It's like, fuck you I am who I am. Total non conformist! He doesn't care what people say, he sticks to who he is. That's awesome!" I laughed at how into this she was getting. I guess you should take whatever distraction you can get. In fact, she had reached into my bag and taken out a bag of chips and was eating them. I smiled and continued.

"Yea, and there's this bitch named Bianca who gives him a rough time and I totally stood up to her!"

"NO way!"

"Way!" I continued filling her in on everything since I had last visited, and it felt like normal times. I brushed her hair and gave her some of my makeup before I checked my phone. It had gotten late.

"I-I have to go."

"What?"

"It's late…"

"Can't you stay here?"

"I don't know if that's allowed."

"I wouldn't know either. No one comes."

"I'm sorry it's been a while."

"Don't be! It's okay I don't mind. You still come."

"Well, I'll ask, okay?"

"Thanks!" I walked up to the receptionist and she actually okay-ed me staying here! I walked back into the room. Christina nearly pissed herself she was so happy.

"Don't get too excited," I smirked.

"I could say the same to you!"

"What's that supposed to mean…?"

"Do you actually have a place to stay tonight?"

"Home."

"You haven't left yet?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I can't just leave her by herself!"

"Yes you can. She deserves it."

"I can't do that to her! I'm the only person she has left."

"What. She doesn't hit you too?"

"Not yet. More biting words than painful smacks." I came over to her. "I don't get it. You were always her favorite."

"If I was her favorite she would visit me."

"Don't do that to yourself, Christina."

"Do what?"

"Say things like that. You're degrading yourself again."

"All I'm saying is that maybe she'll start doing bad things to you too. Dad's gone, I'm gone, you're next."

"I can't leave her."
"So you're gonna wait around and wait for her to beat you too?"

"Look at you Christina! You're all alone, you've stopped eating except when they force it down your throat, you tried to kill yourself, and I bet you still have the scars!" I stormed over to her and grabbed her arm. Sure enough, the cuts were gone, but I could see small etchings in her skin from where they were. Up and down both arms, scratched crisscross. I winced.

"You think that's gonna happen to mom?"

"As mean as she is to me, she still needs me. She went crazy when dad left, so she took it out by beating you. You got out, so it turned to me. If I leave, there's no one to turn it on but herself. She's still my mom, and I can't do that to her."

"Weight of the world." I smirked.

"Sounds right."

"You know, maybe mom's nicer to you because you look like dad.

"Wouldn't that make her want to hit me more?"

"No, it reminds her of him before he left. Probably doesn't want it happening again. So I guess you're right. She really doesn't want you to leave."


Lemme know! :D

xoxo,

Logan