Will had never asked Karen what had been in the needle that he found in her purse. She probably wouldn't have told him if he did ask. It would have led to another argument, and he was so sick of yelling at her. He hated treating her like a child. He knew that she hated it too.

She stayed with them for another month. Grace continued to ask questions, mostly to Will. She didn't understand why Karen was still there, and why she tended to fall asleep in his arms. She finally took the opportunity to address the issue when Jack took Karen out shopping.

"Will, why is she still here?" He stopped dusting the furniture and turned to face her.

"What do you mean? They still haven't caught the guy who broke into her house. I told her she could stay until she's ready to leave."

"I understand that, but isn't there a time in everyone's life when they need to grow up and stop depending on their gay lawyer?"

"You don't understand anything, Grace! She's scared to death, and I'm the only one that she trusts enough to help her!" His voice was loud and full of anger. How could Grace suggest that she was taking advantage of them? Silence engulfed the room and the two friends were left staring at each other.

"Calm down. I was only saying that, it's really hard for all three of us to live here."

"It is not. She hardly takes up any room."

"She's driving me crazy! She eats all the time, she drinks all of our alcohol, and she's always passed out in front of the television! You mean you actually like her being here?"

"Yes. I love the fact that I can be here to help her. I love the fact that she lets me see her cry. And, Grace, I love the fact that she trusts me enough to hold her when she can't get to sleep by herself."

Grace stared at him in disbelief. She couldn't believe what he had just said to her, the things that he had willingly admitted. She stepped forward and took his hand in hers. Once their eyes met, she began to whisper.

"Did someone hurt her, Will?"

----------

She felt the powder go through her nose, and she smiled at the feeling. She couldn't wait until it overtook her body, mind, and soul. Jack had taken her to Barney's to pick out new clothes for his audition for an off-Broadway show. She had excused herself and rushed to the bathroom, finding the cocaine that she had scored earlier in the day.

"Where have you been, Karebear? I found this shirt that would look really good on you." He held up a dark blue shirt and she smiled.

"It's cute, honey."

"It's better than cute. It's fabulous." She pulled a bottle of pills from her purse and took a few. He cocked his head and grabbed the bottle from her hands.

"I thought Will took your pills away." She furrowed her eyebrows and snatched the bottle back from his hands.

"He missed some." She winked, but felt dizzy. She smiled a little bit before taking his hand and leading him to the cashier. They bought his armful of clothes and left for Will and Grace's apartment.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Karen, don't come home right now. Grace is asking a lot of questions and I want you to be clear on what I told her before she asks you the same things. Meet me at my office, okay?"

Karen listened to the voice mail once again as Jack tried to lead her into the building. He pulled on her hand, but she didn't go in. Instead, she told him that she had to go to the bank. She waved down a cab and made her way to Will's office.

"Honey, you sounded really freaked out in your message. What did you tell Grace?" She leaned over his desk and looked into his dark brown eyes. He had been working on a case, but suddenly forgot about it when she walked through the door.

"She started asking questions and we yelled, and she asked if you were…you know." She nodded her head, neither one of them had ever said the words aloud. "I told her that some guy broke into your house and threatened you with a gun. Then I said that he roughed you around a little bit, but left when Rosario called the police."

"You called me down here so you could tell me that?"

"Well, I didn't want her to make you uncomfortable." She smiled at him, high as a kite, but still aware of what was going on.

"You really care about me don't you honey?"

"Did you ever have any doubt?" Their smiles connected and she felt warmth envelope her. She shook her head of thought before sitting down in a chair across from him. "Do you want to go to dinner tonight?"

"Why, Wilma, are you asking me out on a date?" She smirked and pulled a bottle out of her purse.

"If that's the way you want to look at it." She slid the bottle across the desk and closed her purse. "What's this?"

"It's the pills that you missed when you went through my stuff." His look was cross, but he was glad that she was being honest. "I just figured you should have all of it if you're going to help me."

"And…"

"And what, honey?"

"How about the needle in your purse?" Her eyes widened and her mouth fell agape. She felt betrayed.

"You went through my purse?"

"I know that it was wrong, but you passed out so fast that I didn't have a chance to figure out what you were on."

"You had no right to do that."

"I felt like I had no choice. You don't tell me anything, and I get worried."

"You know what, Will, I'll tell you everything." She stood from her seat and looked straight into his eyes. "This whole thing is unbearable right now, okay. The needle was for some heroine that I got from a guy I met at that bar we went to. And this…" she pulled a short tube out of her pocket and tossed it at him. "It's from the cocaine that I scored today, outside Barney's. Oh and here's another one; I haven't had an orgasm in months, not even by myself. My life is a complete wreck. I can't go to sleep at night without seeing his face. I've gained ten pounds in the past two months. And I get stoned in the elevator when I come home from work. Is there anything else that you think you need to know?" Her hands were on her hips in defiance, and her head was held high.

"Tell me what happened that night."

"Go fuck yourself." He was taken aback by her choice of words, but was quick to stop her when she reached for the door. His hand was tight around her wrist and she tried her hardest to get away.

"I'm not letting you go." He pulled her into a hug, feeling her tensed body suddenly melt against him. He meant the words in more ways than one, and he knew that she understood. She wrapped her arms around his neck and tried to stop the tears that seemed to constantly flow. Her lips reached his ear.

"Please help me." He held her tighter as the rain began to pour outside the window, matching the mood of the two confidants in the office.

"It's going to be okay, Kare. I promise, we'll make it okay." And for some reason, she knew that she could believe him.