Thank you for the reviews - they are very much appreciated. Hope you like the chapter.

Chapter 13

"Rita," Connie called softly as she made her way through the hallway and into the sitting room. She'd abandoned her heels at the front door so padded softly across the laminate flooring of the hallway and through the open doorway. The sight that met her as she came through the door was one to send a rush of panic and fear straight to her heart. Instantly she snapped back into clinical lead mode as she looked around and began to assess the situation. Judging by the wine bottles that littered the sitting room floor, Rita had got fed up of recuperating at home from her last ordeal and had taken matters into her own hands once again.

"Don't come near me," Rita struggled to say through the sobs which shook her whole body. She sat on the floor in the corner of the sitting room with her knees drawn up to her chin. She was wearing nothing more than a rather short nightdress that didn't leave a lot to the imagination. Connie cringed as she saw her; Rita always came across as someone who valued their modesty and seeing her on the floor before her made her want to take her into her arms and make everything okay once more.

"Rita, please," Connie began, "I just want to help you." Connie watched as Rita began to shake her head violently from side to side.

"NO, I don't need any help, I'm fine." Connie wasn't sure if Rita was trying to tell herself that she was ok rather than Connie. Rita took another hefty swing from the bottle of wine that she had by her side. As she brought it down from her lips she began to sob once more. As the wine bottle hit the floor, the sobs came thick and fast; louder and more pronounced than before. Connie took the opportunity to remove the wine bottle from Rita's side and placed it out of reach. Gently, she sidled up to Rita and placed her arms around her shoulders before pulling her in close towards her. Rita burrowed her face into Connie's shoulder as Connie ran her hand gently and comfortingly up and down Rita's back. Gradually, Rita's sobs began to lessen and her body began to relax into Connie's. Connie held her as close as she could, silently willing all of Rita's troubles away, all the while knowing that it could never be that simple.

"You shouldn't've," Rita began though her sobs.

"Sshhhhhhh," Connie replied as she placed a delicate kiss upon the top of Rita's head, pulling her even closer still.

"I don't deserve you," Rita began once more, her sobs beginning to subside a little. Connie just continued to hold her close and provide with the comfort that she craved and needed so much.

"How about we get you into bed?" Connie suggested softly. Rita nodded weakly as she curled into Connie as they remained sat on the floor. They sat there, together, on the floor for a few minutes until Connie began to take Rita in her arms and encouraged her to her feet in order to make her way up to bed. "Are you ok?" she asked as they neared the top of the stairs. Rita had paused before retching slightly in her arms.

"Um, I feel a bit sick," Rita began.

"Ok, no worries," Connie replied as she swiftly moved Rita to the bathroom as quickly as she could. As she lifted the toilet seat, Rita leaned forward and was violently sick once more. Connie held her steady as she continued to retch into the toilet bowl, feeling weaker and weaker as the minutes passed. As the vomiting began to subside, Connie reached out for the flannel on the side of the bath and ran it under the tap with using one hand. Supporting Rita firmly with the other hand, she took the damp flannel and gently wiped Rita's face and brow with it. She placed the flannel on the floor before using her now spare hand to tug down at Rita's nightdress which had ridden up beyond her waist.

"Right, let's get you into bed," Connie said as she began to pull Rita into a standing position. Rita swayed against Connie as she regained her balance and began walking slowly and steadily to the bedroom.

"Um," Rita paused and Connie turned to look at her. "I think I need to wear something else," Rita finished as she glanced down to the vomit stains that littered the front of her nightdress.

"It's ok, we'll get you some clean pyjamas," Connie said as she sat Rita down on the side of the bed. Rita watched as Connie looked through a couple of drawers until she found the right one. She selected a matching set of pyjamas, feeling a strange feeling of comfort that the ones she'd selected would offer Rita more modesty than the nightdress that she currently wore. Connie crossed the room back to the bed where Rita remained seated, staring straight ahead.

"Ok, arms up." Connie held out the clean pyjama top as she instructed Rita to raise her arms. As Rita lifted her arms, Connie swiftly removed the soiled nightdress over her head before promptly replacing it with a clean top. She picked up the pyjama bottoms and encouraged Rita's legs into them, before supporting Rita in a standing position and pulling them up to her waist. If either Rita or Connie felt at all embarrassed by this swift procedure, neither of them let on to the other. Connie pulled back the duvet and encouraged Rita to get in before she covered up the small blonde and began to tuck the duvet around her.

"I'll pop down and get you a glass of water, do you want anything else?" Connie asked as she stood up to her full height after bending down alongside Rita as she'd tucked her in.

Rita shook her head slightly before stopping as it obviously caused her discomfort.

"Uh, will you come back?" Rita asked, hiding as much of her face under the duvet as she could for fear of Connie rejecting her as she asked. She suddenly felt exposed and vulnerable; not only because Connie was seeing her at her lowest point, but also because she had finally come to realise that she wanted Connie. She wanted her to stay with her, to comfort her and be there for her – to some extent she needed Connie.

"Of course," Connie replied, smiling gently whilst reaching out and squeezing Rita's arm through the padding of the duvet. "I won't be long." She hurriedly made her way downstairs, finding glasses in the kitchen cupboards and running the tap to allow the water to run cold before filling the glasses. As she glanced around the room before switching off the light, she noticed the washing up bowl in the sink and grabbed that as well, in case Rita should feel ill again during the night. After checking that the front door was securely locked, she switched off the remaining lights before making her way back up the stairs to where Rita lay waiting for her.

"Thank you," Rita began as Connie placed the water on her bedside table. Her eyelids fluttered as she struggled to keep her eyes open. Connie placed the bowl down the side of the bed before crouching down so that her face was level with Rita's.

"Would you like me to stay with you tonight?" she asked softly, hoping and praying that Rita said yes.

Rita nodded almost imperceptibly. She closed her eyes tightly; what on earth was Connie going to make of her? She felt Connie take her hand and give it a comforting squeeze before she heard her move around to the other side of the bed. Connie undressed quickly until she was left wearing a plain white vest top and white lace knickers. She slipped between the sheets before taking Rita gently into her arms and holding her close. Her fingers gently caressed her skin until she felt Rita beginning to relax and slowly fall into a fitful slumber.

The next chapter might be a while as I'm a bit behind on writing this story x x