Chapter four:

"Paul? I need help."

"Beth? What's going on?"

"Oh Christ." Beth let out a sob louder than she would've ever wanted when she realized she had made a mistake. "Shit. Shit. Shit. I'm so sorry."

"What's wrong?" Panic flooded into her ear and that wasn't what she meant to happen. All Beth wanted was to go home. Once again Beth screwed up another thing. How could she misdial?

"Sweetie? Talk to me."

"Ali?"

"Yes, baby? I'm here. Tell me what happened." Alison was quiet, pacing in her basement. Beth sounded far from okay, and judging by her first few words spoken into the phone, Alison knew to worry.

"I'm so stupid. A fucking fuck up." Beth paused to breathe, finding it difficult while crying. "Shit happened so fast.. I just want this over."

Alison had been biting her lip nervously, when she dressed silently so not to wake up her boyfriend. Grabbing the keys to her car, she went to the garage and sat in her car. Beth needed her, it was obvious. Knowing that the girl was in some sort of emotional breakdown wouldn't sit right with her if she were to ignore it. Alison cared for Beth, a lot more than she cared to admit.

"Where are you at?" The engine started, and she slowly backed out, heading towards the city.

"On the ground."

Alison rolled her eyes. Finding Beth would be hard, especially at this rate.

"What's around you? Sweetie I need you to look around so I know where to go."

Blood rushed to Beth's head when she stood up, dizzier than before. Looking around she found it impossible as hell to see or read anything. Thankfully being a detective kicked in.

"No damn idea. Wait.. I see a train station."

"Okay. Good. Good. Beth, I want you to go there. I'll be there as fast as I can."

"You're not leaving me are you? Shit, I know I'm a mess but Christ."

"Nooo..." Alison nearly whined. The last thing she needed was drunk-Beth to hang up.

Alison managed to get Beth talking while she drove, trying her best to ease the situation Beth was going through. Alison didn't know too many details, because Beth wasn't being coherent, mainly using profanity like her life depended on it. Thankfully there weren't too many train stations, and Alison found Beth at her second stop. The detective was laying on a bench crying.

Rushing over to the girl, Alison motherly instincts kicked in and she began comforting her. They sat in silence (as silent as cry could be) for a long period before Alison worked up the nerve to ask Beth into her car. Stumbling to walk straight, Beth followed under the support of Alison's hands. Clearing her throat, Alison spoke timidly, trying her best not to agitate the drunk woman.

"I'm going to take you to my mothers townhouse. It's vacant right now, and you can spend the night." Beth still had yet to tell her why she was so pissed at Paul, but Alison cringed at the thought. From all of the stories she had heard about him she knew Paul wasn't the best. Hell, he was abusive emotionally and mentally, keeping Beth tethered under him. Paul always held her back and Alison never understood why Beth wouldn't leave him.

Like Alison had said, the house was indeed empty. Stumbling some more, Alison had Beth laying in bed, ready to pass out. Because of the unearthly hour of the night it had been, she also fell asleep.

Beth woke in a strange bed, alone. If the room had been hers she would've thought it all a bad hallucination, but the puffiness and dried feeling in her eyes, the pounding in her head, and the drawn out ache in her chest told her it was real. Alison was gone. She must've only dropped Beth off, she thought. Punching the mattress, Beth stared blankly before throwing multiple punches again, trying to get some form of a release from it. Nothing. Not only did she feel like shit before, her hand felt like shit as well. Pulling the phone from her pocket she sent an apology text to Alison, saying she would make it up to her. Once the phone was back in her pocket, a phone dinged from behind her. Turning to look at the nightstand, Alison's phone was set neatly on top. Feeling even more of an ass about herself, Beth got out of bed and started searching for Alison. As she was looking through the house she occasionally called out Alison's name, only to have the sound of her own voice hurting her head. She needed water as soon as possible.

"Fucking hell." She muttered quietly as she grabbed her head, making her way to the kitchen.

"Beth. You're awake!"

Alison was standing in front of her, and although their voices were nearly identical, Alison's gave her head no pain, rather peace.

"Hey.."

"I made you some coffee, if you'd like dear."

"Thanks." Beth forced a smile, barely managing one at all. Although she was unable to show it, Beth was grateful for the coffee. Alison was still sipping her first cup as Beth was nearing the end of her third, which left her laughing softly in amusement.

"You're such a cop, Beth."

"It's in my damn blood." She smiled shyly, uncharacteristically. Beth was feeling embarrassed about her situation, and being around Alison was giving her a guilty weight. Alison had sighed, and Beth knew what was coming, whether or not she was ready.

"I.. We can't avoid the elephant in the room any longer, Beth.. What happened yesterday? I'm worried about you."

Christ. Beth could feel all of her anger towards Paul filling in her chest as she thought back to what happened. Although mad at Paul, Beth couldn't bring herself to tell Alison every detail. Lying to protect her would be better than having Alison in a chaotic panic.

"Paul and I had another fight.. We were both drinking cause of it, he hit me." Before Alison could ask, Beth shook her head no. He hadn't hurt her physically, just emotionally as usual. "We kept arguing, eventually we passed out. I'd been avoiding him all day."

"When you called me, you asked for him. If you were avoiding him.. Why?" Beth shrugged uncomfortably, Alison reached forwards and touched her arm.

"I-I made a mistake.." Beth covered her face with her palms, trying to hide the shame she knew that would follow. Alison would soon think so poorly of her, she would know her insecurities, that she was a whore. It would destroy her integrity, as if all of the self pitying and crying hadn't already. "I wanted to get back at him, so I was going to sleep with someone from work. He'd gotten me drunk, like shit wasted. We went back to his apartment and I was going to do it but I couldn't. I just couldn't."

Alison moved and wrapped her arms around Beth, stroking and rubbing her back. She felt the pain that radiated off of Beth.

"What did Paul do that made you both start fighting?"

"He found out I was high a couple days ago.. It wasn't anything big, but he started being a dick about everything.. It escalated hella fast, and he hit me so I had a drink or two. He started drinking too.." Beth was tired of every time she was around Paul this would happen. Something in him changed, an recently too. They used to be close, almost inseparable. But now all they ever did was fight, usually with him winning. "When I woke up the next thing I know I was called into work.. You know the rest."

All Alison could bring herself to do was keep rubbing Beth's back. The cop had left her without any words, even though Alison was going through something similar.

"I've lost myself, Ali.." Tears painted Beth's cheeks.

"No you haven't. You're just hurting. We'll get through this, Beth, together. You'll be so much stronger in the end."

Somehow Beth smiled while shaking her head. Hell, she thought it was miraculous. Who could possibly smile at a time like this, yet alone make her smile? Alison always had that effect, wanted or not. The words ringing into her head felt far from true, but with the help and support she knew she would get from Alison, it felt real. Of course, Alison was never wrong in moments like this. Perfect god damn Alison. Not entirely keen on touching, Beth pulled Alison closer and sunk into her arms. It felt so right to know she was actually cared for, for once in her life. A pure caring too, not someone who liked her for their own benefit. Beth kissed the top of Alison's head after pulling away, trying to wipe away the mess of tears. She believed Alison, but that didn't make her feel any less embarrassed.

"Oh god. Is it alright if I clean myself up?"

"Yeah. The bathroom is the first door on the left in the hall."

"Thank you, Ali. For everything." Alison kissed her cheek before she walked down the hallway.