Dan jumped into the back of the car, and watched as Henry drove most of the way in silence. Dan's mind was reliving the horror of this day, and how much he'd learned about his daughter, the girl he thought he knew so well. He realized he knew nothing at all. And this kid, this Henry, knew pretty much everything, and was doing a better job of keeping her on track than her own father.

Well, he thanked God for this chance. As soon as everything went back to normal, he vowed to become the father he should have been all along. This Natalie, this lost, broken girl, was just a product of his parenting.

"I don't know if you can remember," Henry said, breaking the silence. "But did anything happen tonight? At the club, I mean, before you passed out?"

Natalie looked concentrated for a minute. "I remember going in... and then I remember this guy- or maybe it was more than one- talking to me and dancing with me. I'm not sure what happened after that. I think I tried to run away-"

"What do you mean you tried to run away?" Henry asked, anger and fear once again in his voice. "Did he come after you?"

"I can't remember..." she shook her head, looking like it took all of her energy to remember this. "No. No, he didn't. I got away, and then I can't remember anything... and then you were there."

Henry was quiet again, thoughtful.

"You can't keep doing this, Nat," Henry said as they entered their hometown. "I can't keep... rescuing you like this."

She looked over at him, angry and upset. "What d'you mean? Are you just going to leave me there or something? Well, then, fine-"

"No. I meant... one of these days, if you keep this up... I'm going to be too late. At first it all seemed fun- this kind of wild thing you were doing- but it's gone too far. You're doing dangerous stuff, Nat. You're at these crazy places... it's just insane. It's messed up. Nat, when I came tonight, you didn't wake up for like fifteen minutes. I seriously thought you were gone. Dead." His voice was cold and cutting with truth.

Natalie shuddered, perhaps finally realizing how close she'd come.

Dan, who knew it the whole time, was still struck with fear by Henry's words.

"I don't know why you're doing this to yourself," Henry said, echoing Dan's thoughts. "You were... perfect-"

"No, I wasn't!" she cried, tears in her eyes and in her voice. "I was always just a fuck-up of a daughter. I tried being perfect, but nothing I ever did was right. Everything my stupid dead brother did was, though. I'm not perfect, and I never was. And now," she said, more tears falling from her eyes, "I never will be. Not when I'm like this."

Nothing she ever did was right? Dan couldn't believe she'd even think that. He was angry with her now- how could she not see how special she was? How could she throw this all away? How... selfish of her to ignore how much her family loved her, and believe that no one cared.

"Well, maybe that's ok," Henry said gently. "Not what you're like now, I mean. But it's ok not being perfect. When I met you, I seriously couldn't get over how cool you were. How smart and funny you were. When I found out about your family, I just admired you more for making it through every day. But this... this is nuts. More nuts than anything you tell me about your mom. And you say it's because you can't be perfect? Seriously, Natalie... you don't have to be perfect. No one expects you to be. I don't want you to be."

They'd reached Dan and Natalie's home. Henry pulled the car into the driveway.

"Henry, how can you say that? My mom loves my brother because he's perfect. My dad loves my mom because she's so fucked up- more fucked up than I can ever be, even now, even when I'm trying to mess up! And dad knows that he gets to take care of her every day, and that's why he loves her so much. He likes being needed or something. And he's ignoring the fact that I need him! I don't know what to do. I'm always stuck in the middle..."

That's not why I love your mother, he retorted in his mind. It's something I have to deal with because I love her... and you... you don't see yourself right at all.

Henry cut the engine and put his arm around her, pulling her close. Natalie leaned into him, and pressed her tearful face against him. Dan looked away, on principal.

"I know your parents love you," he said, and Dan was glad one of his opinions was finally being represented. "I can tell when your dad talks to you, especially. And don't blame your mom-"

"Henry, you don't know-"

"I don't have to!" Henry looked down at her, but she didn't meet his eyes. Frustration crossed his face. "Fine. Your parents don't love you, and you're a failure. Is that better?"

"Stop it-"

"Only if you'll get it through your head that you don't need to do this! And you need to realize it fast, because if you don't, you're going to kill yourself, and nobody, not even you, wants that. But... even if you can't believe your parents love you right now, can you believe that I do?"

She looked away. He sighed.

"Fine. I really wish you could see that."

"Maybe you just shouldn't help me anymore. I'm just hopeless-"

What she was saying sounded so much like Diana, on days Diana felt like giving up. But she never had... was Natalie really ready to give up, already? You're stronger than that! he wanted to yell.

"Do you think I'd help you if I thought you were hopeless?" Henry asked her, sounding hurt.

"Yes. Because you always have to be the good guy, don't you?" she retorted.

"No! I'm not doing this to be nice, or good, or whatever the fuck you think. I'm doing it because I know who you used to be, and I want her back. And I think you do, too."

Dan couldn't say anything to help, but he hoped with all his might that Natalie was listening. He couldn't believe he'd never said these things to her when he had the chance.

Natalie didn't answer, but Dan knew from experience that this was a good thing. It meant she was listening, otherwise she'd offer a nasty retort.

"So, will I see you tomorrow at school?" Henry asked.

She nodded.

"Ok then." He cut the engine and got out of the car, helping Natalie out. Sitting for almost an hour had given her some of her strength back, but he still tried to help her as she walked. She pulled away.

"Hey, I'm like way less fucked-up than before, ok? I don't need your help."

"Fine... whatever you say. Um, Nat?" Henry asked as they neared the doorstep.

"What?"

"I know that's your car, but can I use it to get home... I kind of didn't think about that. I don't have a ride home... I'll drive you to school tomorrow and everything..."

Natalie looked thoughtful for a moment, and then spoke. "Sure. I mean, you can't exactly walk home."

Thanks. I know you leave early and everything, so I'll be on time. Oh! Do you want to practice before school-"

"No."

"Oh," Henry said, taken aback. "OK then."

Dan felt hurt again- if she still wasn't playing, then she wasn't exactly better. But he couldn't expect her to recover in one night.

"So I'll see you tomorrow then," he said. Dan watched as Henry took a step closer and looked like he was going to kiss her, as Natalie turned away and slipped a key into the lock.

"Right. See you," she said.

"Bye," Henry said, hurt on his face and in his voice.

Dan followed Natalie inside, relieved as she went straight up to her bedroom. It was four in the morning. There was no more noise coming from her room, and the light was off within five minutes.

He looked out the window, and saw that Henry was still parked in the driveway. Curious, Dan went back outside and looked through the car windows.

Henry was sitting in the car, resting his head against the steering wheel, looking defeated. His shoulders were shaking.

Dan wanted to reach out to the boy- he knew all too well what it was like to be in his position. Trying to help and feeling like you were trying to talk to a brick wall. Knowing that you loved someone more than they ever would in return. And, most importantly, knowing you loved someone more than they loved themselves.

Dan's opinions of him had changed abruptly in just this one night. He was now looking at someone who he respected and identified with. He knew that, amidst all this craziness, or (to say it like they had) "fucked-up crap" he was trying his best to make it all ok. For Natalie. And Dan couldn't be angry with him for that.

As Dan watched, Henry looked up, wiped the tears from his face, and started the car. With one last look at the dark house, Henry drove away.

Dan went back inside, still mulling everything from the night over, as he got into bed next to his other self, trying to ignore how weird the whole affair was. But, in the end, it didn't matter how he'd come to get this experience; he had, and he knew this knowledge meant all the difference. Not in his future, but in Natalie's.

Maybe now, she'd have a fighting chance.