Sorry this one took so long; I'd written it but forgotten to save it and my computer did some stupid update and I lost EVERYTHING! I hate technology . . . except I love it so much . . . ugh. So the point is, if this chapter isn't as good as the others, it's because I had to rewrite it. Anyway, done with my rant. On to the story!

By Wednesday, when Alex left with her family for Chicago, Olivia still hadn't returned to school. Abbie was a nervous wreck. She spent lunchtime with Elliot; Trevor was out with a few of his guy friends.

They talked about everything under the sun except the one thing that they both wanted to talk about, which was Olivia. Elliot told her about his brothers and sisters, about his father the police officer, about the subjects he was taking, about his basketball team, and so on. Abbie told him about her brothers, about Texas, about how she liked New York, and so on. Finally, she just blurted out the question that was on both of their lips, the question that she knew was rhetorical, the question that she knew Elliot couldn't answer. "Is Olivia going to be okay?"

Elliot shrugged helplessly. His eyes were suddenly lifeless, empty, and Abbie could see the pain written all over his face. "I don't know," he admitted. "I hope so."

Abbie sighed. "Me, too."

Abbie couldn't sleep at all that night, or the night after, or all weekend. Not that she ever really slept, but on Sunday night, she tossed and turned until two in the morning. She was finally drifting off when her cell phone started to vibrate and she shot straight up in bed, wondering who on Earth would be calling her at this ungodly hour. "What?" she barked into the phone.

"Abbie?" came an uncertain voice that made Abbie's heart skip a beat.

"Olivia?"

"Yeah."

"Why are you calling?"

"Because I know you don't sleep at night and I need – I need a favor."

"Okay. What's wrong?"

"I can't tell you over the phone. Please, just please come and get me! I'm scared, Abbie, and Alex is gone and I couldn't call Elliot and I didn't know what else to do and – oh, please, just come. Please!" She was crying now, and Abbie was downright terrified, not only by the panic in Olivia's tone but also the fact that she was calling at all. Abbie didn't know what she could do for her, but she knew she had to try.

"Okay, Liv, okay. Calm down. Take a deep breath." Abbie did the same, trying to calm herself. She couldn't be any help to Olivia if she was hysterical too. "I'll get my mom and we'll be there in a few minutes, okay?"

"No, Abbie, please, please don't tell your mom! She won't – she won't – she'll –"

"It's okay, Liv," said Abbie, using the nickname that she knew would calm her friend. Alex and Trevor were the only one who ever called her that, but it always helped. "My mom will help you, I promise. She won't hurt you. She won't let anyone else hurt you, I promise."

She could hear Olivia start to calm down. "Okay," she whispered, her voice still hoarse with tears. "Okay. Thank you, Abbie."

"See you in ten."

Abbie was trembling herself as she hung up the phone and padded into her parents' room, praying that her mother would understand the importance of what she was asking her to do.

"Mom," she said, shaking her mother awake. "Mom!"

Mrs. Carmichael rolled over and opened her eyes. "Abbie? What's wrong?"

Abbie fought the tears of panic that were rushing to her eyes. "My friend – Olivia – she called me. She needs help. She needs us to come get her."

"Abbie, I know you care about your friend, but I'm not comfortable getting involved in other people's lives," replied her mother.

Abbie stamped her foot in frustration. "Her parents are beating her, Mom! She needs our help. God forbid she dies tonight, do you want that on your conscience?"

"Abbie –"

"What if it was me, Mom? When everything happened two months ago, no one listened to me. I tried to tell, but no one listened – and no one helped – and that was what happened. Do you want the same thing to happen to my best friend?" And as soon as she said the words, she realized they were true. Olivia was her best friend, and Abbie didn't know what she'd do if something happened because she hadn't been there to help.

Abbie knew she'd won this one. Her mother jumped out of bed. "Give me two minutes, sweetie. Two minutes."

Abbie ran back to her room and threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. She followed her mother out to the car and gave her directions to Olivia's small apartment.

"Do you want me to come with?" asked Mrs. Carmichael.

Abbie nodded gratefully. Although she hated admitting that she needed help, she realized that reinforcements might be necessary at this point. Besides, this wasn't about her. It was about Olivia.

They located Olivia's apartment and Abbie banged on the door. No one answered, and she tried the doorknob, surprisingly finding it unlocked. She went inside, her mother at her heels.

She heard her mother's quiet gasp as they walked through the living room, where a woman whom Abbie assumed was Mrs. Benson was passed out on the floor, wearing nothing but a bra and panties.

Abbie could hear quiet whimpers and followed the sound, assuming they would lead to Olivia. She was led to a bedroom and gingerly opened the door, stifling her gasp when she saw what awaited her. Olivia was crouched in a corner, trembling as she clutched her knees to her chest, wearing just a long t-shirt that did little hide the rainbow of bruises, welts, and cuts that marred her body, rocking back and forth as she sobbed.

Abbie ran to her. "Olivia, what happened?"

Olivia just cried harder. "I'm sorry," she whimpered. "You didn't have to come."

"Don't be sorry," murmured Abbie, giving her friend a hug. "You can always call me." She took Olivia's hand. "Let's get you cleaned up and then we'll bring you back to my house, okay?"

She nodded shakily and let Abbie help her to her feet. This time, Abbie couldn't suppress her sharp intake of breath when she saw the dried blood caked on Olivia's thighs. Suddenly, all the pieces fell into place. She knew exactly how Olivia was feeling because the same thing had happened to her, and she knew instinctively that Olivia wasn't going to want to talk about it. So she shepherded her friend to the washroom and rummaged around in a drawer for a washcloth. She wet it and cleaned up the blood as best she could.

"We'll fix you up later," she said finally. "Put on a pair of jeans and let's go."

Olivia mutely obeyed and followed Abbie and her mother out to the car. Abbie climbed into the backseat with her friend and clutched her hand for the entire ride, silent save for a few quiet whimpers.

By the time they'd reached Abbie's apartment, Olivia's sobs had mostly subsided. She mutely followed Abbie upstairs.

Mrs. Carmichael offered to make the girls some hot chocolate and Abbie told Olivia to lie down on her bed. "We're going to clean up your back so it doesn't get infected," she explained gently. Olivia silently obeyed.

Abbie turned to her mother. "We need some antiseptic."

Her mother was just staring at something Abbie couldn't see. "That poor child," she murmured.

Inexplicably, Abbie felt a pang of anger at her mother. They dealt with conflicts so differently; Abbie processed them physically, but Mrs. Carmichael dealt with them emotionally. Which was fine, except pity wouldn't help Olivia now. Antiseptic would help her. A hot meal and a warm bed would help her. A good friend would help her. "Yeah, well, we need some antiseptic," she snapped.

Her mother sighed and rummaged around in the cupboard before she came up with some and handed it to Abbie.

Abbie went back to her bedroom and knelt down beside Olivia, gently applying the cream to the marks on her body. Olivia didn't even whimper as the cold cream came into contact with her battered body. She was actually surprised that Olivia was letting her touch her in such an intimate way. Olivia found it difficult to let people in and now here she was, lying across Abbie's bed, letting her fix up her welts and bruises. Abbie tried to be as gentle as she could, but Olivia didn't seem to mind the touch. She was too far gone to notice anything right now.

Abbie finished with the antiseptic and bandaged up Olivia's injuries. She handed Olivia a pair of her pajamas and she silently changed.

"You can have the bed, Liv," offered Abbie gently, using the nickname that she knew would calm her friend down. Alex and Elliot were the only ones who ever called her that, but it helped.

Olivia let out a shuddering breath, but she was clearly too exhausted to argue. She crawled into the bed, wincing as her back came into contact with the mattress, then sighed as she rested her head on the soft pillow.

Abbie's mother knocked softly on the door a moment later. She handed Abbie a sleeping bag and gave each girl a cup of hot chocolate. Her gaze lingered on the marks that covered Olivia's body for a second too long before she said quietly, "Goodnight, girls."

"'Night, Mom," said Abbie dismissively, taking the hot chocolate.

Olivia took a sip of the warm drink as Abbie rolled out her sleeping bag and lay down. "Abbie?" Olivia said suddenly.

"Yeah?" murmured Abbie.

"Why don't you sleep at night?"

Abbie sighed and took a deep breath. She wasn't sure if she wanted to answer, but she knew that she should. Olivia had shared a very vulnerable, secret part of her with Abbie tonight, a part that she'd never wanted to share with anyone before. Abbie owed her the same. "I have nightmares," she answered.

"Me, too," said Olivia softly. She hesitated. "What do you have nightmares about?"

Abbie sighed again. "My boyfriend." She took a deep breath. "Eight months ago, I met this boy. He was a jock and he became my boyfriend. He was good to me and I was popular. But then he started to hit me. When I did something wrong, when I said something he didn't like. And then for no reason at all." Then I was the school slut. And two months ago, he raped me. I was ashamed." She hesitated, then admitted, "Maybe I still am."

Olivia didn't say anything for what seemed like an eternity. Then she said softly, "I understand."

"Your turn," Abbie prompted her.

"My mother's boyfriend was over tonight. She was drunk and she was hitting me. And then she passed out. He came into my room. He said he couldn't have her, so he would have me. He took advantage." She said this all clinically, as if she was separating mind from her body, as if this was some far off story that she was telling, something that had happened to somebody else. Not to her. Abbie knew exactly how she felt.

Abbie didn't offer her any words of comfort because she knew they would be false. She didn't tell Olivia everything would be okay because she wasn't sure they would be. she didn't tell Olivia how brave she was because she knew that would do nothing for her. She just said, "'Night, Olivia."

Olivia flipped off the beside light. "'Night," she murmured.

Abbie didn't sleep. She tossed and turned on her sleeping bag, and she could tell by Olivia's labored breathing that she wasn't asleep either. And at four in the morning, when Olivia woke up crying again, thrashing at invisible demons, Abbie climbed up on the bed and sat beside her, wrapping her arms around her friend and giving her the comfort she knew Olivia needed now. "It's okay," she whispered soothingly. "It's just me. I'm here. You're okay."

Olivia nodded and took a deep breath. "I know." She managed a small smile. "I would say that I'm sorry I woke you, but I know you weren't asleep."

Abbie smiled in spite of herself. "I never sleep."

"That's bad for you," commented Olivia.

Abbie rolled her eyes. "Yes, doctor, I know."

Olivia shuddered. "I hate doctors."

"Me, too," agreed Abbie.

"Your mom's nice," remarked Olivia, changing the subject.

Abbie shrugged. "She's okay."

"You're lucky," said Olivia ruefully.

"I guess."

"Thank you, Abbie."

Abbie sighed. She had to do for Olivia now what she wished someone would have done for her. If she'd just had one friend, one person to support her when that awful thing happened, she might have been okay. "You're welcome," she said sincerely.

Soon, Olivia fell asleep, and Abbie went back to her sleeping bag. This time, she fell asleep, and she stayed that way until morning.

I hope this one wasn't too bad. Review for chapter ten!