Amy was laying in a hall bed in the emergency room. She was in a hospital gown, and felt that everyone who passed her saw her as weak, broken, and helpless. The noise of the hospital dulled around her and she couldn't seem to focus on a single thought. Suddenly, she was ripped from herself as she registered someone calling her name.

"Ms. Santiago? Would you come with me?" A nurse was beside her bed and gestured for her to go towards a corner covered with a curtain. Amy entered the little makeshift room and found a nurse and doctor waiting for her there.

"Hello Ms. Santiago," the doctor began, "I just need to look at your legs and make sure none of your cuts need further care. Also, I need you to tell me if there are cuts anywhere else on your body." After he said what was needed, he waited for me to raise my gown.

"It's okay, sweetie. You can do it. We just need to make sure everything is okay." The nurse gave Amy an encouraging smile. She took a deep breath, and with shaking hands raised her gown so all her cuts were exposed. The doctor and nurse started discussing certain cuts, but it all just sounded like white noise. Before she realized any time had passed at all, the nurse pulled her gown back down and gave her a pat on the back.

"Okay, so it looks like none of your cuts need stitches, and there is no sign of infection. In many situations like this, we would admit the patient into a mental hospital. However, since you said you had no intentions or plans for suicide, and because someone has assured us they will be staying with you for as long as needed, we're going to do an outpatient option." The doctor began noting some things and getting her discharge papers ready. Amy was confused as to who the doctor was referring to, but she wasn't about to argue when she earlier thought there was no way she was getting out of here without at least a few days in the hospital.

About an hour and a half later, after finally getting all of her things back, she was finally walking into the Emergency Room waiting room. It was just dawning on her that she didn't have a way back to her apartment when she was bombarded by a hurricane of questions and concerns.

"Amy! I didn't think you would ever get out of there! I was about to start trying to charge the hospital with kidnapping. Let me take your bag! I have my car here and a bag with some of my things so we can go straight to your place." Jake rattled on about different things but Amy just stared in disbelief.

"I…I thought you had run off." Amy stuttered out. She didn't know what to think. She thought when Jake had seen her leg it was all over. She thought he was running straight to Captain Holt and that her whole career would be over in that instant.

"Of course not!" Jake looked at her in indignation. "I ran off to grab some things you might need at the hospital and grab some stuff from my place so I could stay with you for as long as you need."

Amy felt tears welling in her eyes again. "Thank you," she said. Jake nodded her head at her and they walked out to his car together. There wasn't much talking for the car ride back to her place, but she felt warm and comforted by the fact that Jake seemed to really care for her.

Amy turned the key and entered her apartment. She was met with the familiarity and comfort that she was met with every day after work. Her apartment was neat but not in a way that made it seem like a museum. After the day she had, it was a welcome sight.

"So… we kind of have to do some things that might be a bit awkward," Jake said. "I know you just got home from a hard day and you probably just want to rest, but the doctor told me for this arrangement to work I have to immediately take away anything you could, um, hurt yourself with."

Amy just stood there feeling numb again. She felt like a little kid who had to have the cookie jar kept on top of the fridge so she wouldn't ruin her dinner. Although she logically understood why this had to be done, she felt humiliated and small.

"Earth to Amy!" Jake snapped his fingers in front of her face. Amy snapped back to reality and took a few quick shallow breaths. "Hey, hey, I didn't mean to upset you. We don't have to do it right now. How about you go sit down on the couch and I'll grab you some water.

Amy slowly made her way to the couch and tried to slow her breathing. This was going to be a hard week. She had always had self harm to fall back on. She had lost friends, endured isolation and loneliness, and gone through major changes, but with self harm she was always able to stay afloat. It wasn't just the distraction of pain and the catharsis of watching the blood, but having a secret just to herself made her feel in control. If she could keep this from everyone else, then she knew she was still capable of making it through, of putting on a strong facade. But all of that is gone now.

Jake entered the living room with a glass of water and a bowl of popcorn. "I thought some snacks might be in order." Jake handed Amy the glass of water and plopped down beside her. "Look, I know what the doctor said, but tonight I think we should just camp out on the couch, watch one of your beloved documentaries, and then we can revisit everything in the morning."

Amy gave a soft smile and grabbed the remote off the coffee table. At that moment, she had never felt so grateful for Jake. She snuggled up under her favorite blanket and pulled up her favorite documentary about the production of stationary. She knew tomorrow was going to be a difficult day, possibly one of the most difficult days she had ever faced, but she was going to get through it.