A/N: Okay so I couldn't gt this up before I went on holiday, so here it is now. I'm hoping I get get the next chap to you for Sunday. So fingers crossed. Thanks to Beth for beta-ing, love you hin.

Enjoy

"Don't worry, it'll be fine." Derek smiled at Addison and pulled her close. "I'll keep you safe, and you're in all of my classes, so you won't get lost."

"I'll only know you though."

"Doesn't matter, I'll introduce you to Mark and some of my other friends, you'll make friends in no time."

"Okay." She looked around her at the school nervously.

"It'll be fine." He bent his head and kissed her lightly on the lips. "And being my girlfriend is a bonus." He smirked.

"Why?"

He shrugged. "No one seems to mess with me or Mark, I don't know why."

"Oh okay." She smiled slightly and they walked into the school. Addison took a deep breath; she hoped Derek was right when he said it'd be okay.

---

Derek kept a hand on the small of Addison's back as he lead her into their tutor room. They were the first ones there and Miss Lambert smiled at them. "You must be Addison?" Addison nodded at her. "I'm Miss Lambert, I'll be your tutor until you leave, how are you finding BEC then?" Miss Lambert leant back against the desk in the room.

"It's okay."

"Haven't got lost yet then?"

"No, Derek's been showing me around."

"Good." She smiled. "I never had anyone showing me round when I first came here, I got lost." Addison smiled. "So, I have a timetable here for you, you'll need a planner as well." She handed them to Addison. "Write up your timetable in the back of your planner, and record any homework you get in there." She smiled. "If you have any problems you can come and see me okay?"

"Thank you." Addison smiled up at her. Miss Lambert had a kind smile that reached her eyes, and Addison felt relaxed around her. "Take a seat while we wait for the rest." Derek lead Addison to a table and they sat down, watching as the rest of the tutor group began to filter in.

----

"So how have you found it so far?" Derek looked at Addison as they walked into the canteen for lunch.

"It's been okay." She shrugged and sat down at a nearby table. He let out a small sigh and sat down as well, watching as she began eating. After a while he began eating as well.

"So you up for PE last?" He titled his head to the side and looked at her.

"I suppose." Addison shrugged again.

"Well, you have Miss Lambert, so you'll be alright. And most of the girls are alright." She nodded. "I have basketball practice after school today, you can stay and watch if you like, or you can go straight home."

"Oh…"

"It's up to you."

"Hey man." Mark slapped Derek on the back as he joined their table. "Ready for the match tonight?"

"What match?" Derek looked at him confused.

"The basketball one."

"I thought it was next week."

"Nope, it's today man." Mark leant back. "Ready for it?"

"I guess so then."

"Who's this?" Mark turned to look at Addison.

"Mark, this is Addison. Addison, meet Mark."."

"Ah." Mark smiled. "So this is the famous Addison then."

"It is." Derek smiled at her and she just looked at Mark.

"Hey there." Mark smiled at her.

"Hi."

"Mark." Derek warned, knowing his friend would try and hit on her.

"What? I haven't done anything." Mark defended himself.

"No, but you're going to."

"And why shouldn't I then?"

"Because she's my girlfriend." Derek smiled at calling Addison his girlfriend. It sounded nice to him.

Mark's jaw dropped slightly, looking from Derek to Addison. "How did you find a catch like that?"

"Our parents are old friends." He shrugged.

"Wish our parent's were," Mark mumbled, looking put out. Derek just smiled and took hold of Addison's hand across the table. Mark shook his head. "Well, I'm glad you've found someone... both of you."

"Thanks, you got a girlfriend yet?"

Mark laughed, running a hand through his hair. "Not exactly."

"Really?"

Mark nodded. "She's great and everything, but uh, she wants a serious relationship... so I'm trying to prove I can do it, and then we'll officially be dating."

"Should have known, I give you a few days before you split, you're just a manwhore." Derek smirked.

Mark looked offended, crossing his arms. "She's different, I think I really like her."

"You think or you know?"

"Hey, early days yet! But I do know she's different to the other girls... and I feel differently toward her than what I did with the others."

"Okay then." Derek smiled and ran his thumb over Addison's knuckles, making her smile at him.

Mark smiled at the sight. "I have to go, meeting Sarah for lunch."

"See ya." Derek smiled as Mark walked off. "So." He turned to Addison. "That was Mark, my best friend."

"He seems…okay."

"He's alright once you get to know him, bit of a manwhore, but he's Mark." Derek smiled.

----

Addison stood in the changing room with the other girls and looked down at her kit; there was no way she was going to be able to cover her cuts. Slowly she peeled her top off, keeping her arms hidden, before reaching for her PE top.

Miss Lambert walked in the changing room and looked around. She motioned to the others to hurry up, before glancing at Addison. "Is everything okay with school so far?"

Addison tensed, not wanting her to see her cuts. "Yeah, it's fine." She gave a smile.

"Good." Miss Lambert smiled encouragingly. "The girls are doing netball, do you know how to play?"

"Erm…I've never really played before."

"That's okay, it's easily taught." Miss Lambert scanned Addison's physique. "I think you'd be a great shooter, or even defence, you have the height for it." She stopped when her eyes rested on Addison's arm. Addison quickly tried to cover her arm, with little success.

"What's this?" Concern laced her voice as she gently took hold of Addison's arm, careful not to touch any scars.

"It's nothing." She looked down ashamed.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"It was stupid of me."

"Maybe, but something must have triggered it?" Miss Lambert sat down, waiting for Addison to follow.

Addison slowly sat down next to her and looked at the floor. "My parents divorced and neither wanted me…" She started.

"That must have been really tough, that's never easy for someone, especially teenagers."

"I ended up living with my mom, and I kind of fell into a bad crowd, they made me smoke and drink…" She felt the tears sting her eyes at the memories.

Miss Lambert leant forward, looking at Addison whilst resting her elbows on her knees. "You're safe from all that now." She smiled encouragingly.

"He found me a while ago, he wanted me to…" Tears spilled out from her eyes.

"To what?" Miss Lambert put her hand on Addison's shoulder comfortingly, willing her to go on, no matter how painful it was for Addison to relive it.

"Have sex with him again." Her voice was quiet and she looked down in shame.

"He made you do this before?" Miss Lambert uttered no judgment in her voice, as if she'd heard this before. She felt for the girl, and wanted to castrate whoever did this to her.

Addison just numbly nodded her head. "And other things. He'd hit me if I said no."

"Did you start self harming when this started?" Miss Lambert wanted to chop every limb off his body, not just his penis.

"It made me feel better."

"Did it make you feel any better when you stopped, when you woke up the next morning?" She spoke gently.

Addison shook her head. "It made me feel sick."

"So why did you carry on doing it?"

She shrugged. "I wish I hadn't."

Miss Lambert nodded. "How long since you last did it?"

"When I ended up in hospital for it."

"How long ago was that?"

"A few weeks ago

"That's good. Not that hurting yourself is good, but it's good you haven't cut since."

She nodded. "I need a reason to stop."

"You don't have to end up in hospital just to have a reason to stop."

Addison nodded again. "I have nothing special in my life at the moment, really."

"What about Derek?" Miss Lambert spoke carefully. "You seem to get on really well with him."

She smiled. "He's my first real friend I suppose."

"He's a great guy, I know he wouldn't purposely hurt you."

Addison nodded. "I'm just scared that he'll want what I can't give and get fed up with me."

"Derek's not that kind of guy, he isn't like who you were with before."

"What if he finds me?" She looked at Miss Lambert, a frightened look in her eyes.

Miss Lambert felt her heart break for the girl; so young and already she had been through so much. "If he does, his life wouldn't be worth living."

"No one knows about him though."

"Does Derek know about him?"

"Yeah, he saw my cuts and wanted to know."

"It's good you told someone. Great, even. How did he take it?"

"I think he wants to kill him."

"He's not the only one." Addison looked up at Miss Lambert. She smiled slightly at Addison, shrugging. "Hey, guys like that should be locked away forever."

"I just feel so violated by him."

"I know, I'd be shocked if you didn't feel that way. But as hard as it may be, you have to let go, start a new. Learn to love, without the fear of what's been done to you before. Learn to trust, not every person is like him. I know it's going to be hard, it's going to take time, but you have Derek, you have me, we'll be with you every step of the way."

She nodded with tears in her eyes. "Thank you."

Miss Lambert squeezed her shoulder, smiling softly. "You know, when you hit rock bottom, the only way you can go, is back up."

"Yeah…" Addison smiled. Miss Lambert smiled back encouragingly, sitting a moment in silence. "Don't tell my dad, please," Addison whispered.

Miss Lambert bit her lip, but nodded. "It's safe with me, but if it gets any worse, I will have to say something."

"I want to stop, I do."

"I know, but you can't do it on your own. Maybe your dad could help?"

"No," She replied quickly and shook her head. "I don't want him knowing about Steve, I don't want anyone knowing about Steve."

"You don't have to tell him about Steve, just the cutting?"

"He'll want to know why I did it though."

"Well, you don't necessarily have to tell him it was because of Steve."

She shook her head. "I just can't talk to him about it."

"Okay." Miss Lambert nodded.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Letting me talk to you."

"You can talk to me anytime you want."

"Thank you, it means a lot." Addison smiled.

Miss Lambert stood up. "I'll be looking out for you, to make sure you're okay. If you feel like cutting, talk to me, okay?"

"Okay, I will." Addison stood up as well.

"So, you feel like playing netball or do you want to watch?"

"Can I watch? I've never played before."