Can't fight this anymore....

(well whatever happened to his cousin? I don't think you ever brought her home.)

Alice got out of the shower and dressed into her old clothes and walked out of the bathroom, her hair still dripping because she couldn't find the towels. "Blake? Do you have anything that I could wear that's...clean?"

(bonnie? it's the next morning, but okay)

"Oh, right. My cousin might have something," Blake mumbled, running a hand through his hair and running up the stairs to Bonnie's room. He didn't knock, just barged inside.

Bonnie stirred and muttered something, half-awake.

"Just getting some clothes."

"What?"

"Not for me," Blake said with an eye roll.

"For who then?"

"My friend."

"Your.../friend/?"

"Yeah, just a friend."

Alice stood there, rubbing her arm again as she stared at the floor. She felt so out of place. She looked at the door. She could leave now, and not be in to much trouble...if her parents weren't home. She bit her lip as she debated.

Tucker came in from the fields for breakfast. "Gran? Where to you take a girl on a date?"
"A date? Do you have another one?"
"Ya, I do."
"with the same girl?"
"Yes..."
Gran squealed with delight. "Take her to the drive in!"
"Do we have one of those?"
Gran thought for a moment and then nodded. "Yes, I'm sure we do."

(that little snatch of dialogue made me laugh xD)

Blake grabbed a t-shirt and shorts of Bonnie's, not sure if they matched or not since he was a guy, and left the room. He handed them to Alice. "Here."

Alice jumped when Blake seemed to appear out of no where. She looked at the shorts and bit her lip, but took them anyway, not going to complain. She went into the bathroom and changed. When she came back out, she felt a little uncomfortable, allmost all her bruises and cuts and scars exposed. She felt ugly.

"Is there anything good playing?" Tucker asked as she set a plate of pancakes infront of him.
"I don't know, I haven't been there since me and paps were about your age. But that's where the guys always took the girls. Great place to get some loving." She winked at him.
"Gran!"
"It's true! How do you think your father was concieved?"
"Oh Gran. Gross. I do not need to hear this. I'm trying to eat."
"Shoot yourself. But definately the drive in."
"It's 'suit yourself' Gran."
"Oh..."

Blake saw the scars and cuts, but didn't comment. "What are your plans for today?" If she was staying home then he was staying to keep an eye on her.

"Plans?" Alice looked at him curiously. She never really had plans. She just got out of the house as soon as she could and went wherever she could. "I...don't have any."

"So you're staying here then?" Blake asked.

Alice looked around and then at him. "I think I'll go for a walk." She murmered, heading for the door. She didn't want to stay in the house longer than she had to. It was a great house and everything, but she couldn't stay inside.

"Mind if I come with you?" Blake asked. He wasn't sure he trusted her to come back if she left.

Alice glanced at him. "Sure." She said a little unsure. Why was he doing this? She opened the door, going outside, figuring he'd follow.

Tucker finished his food and put the plate in the sink. "I've got to run to town for some parts for the bailer. I'll be back in a few hours." He kissed Gran's cheek, as always, and left.

Blake did, indeed, follow, locking the door behind them as they left. "Where do you want to walk to?"

Bonnie yawned and stretched, getting up. She was supposed to meet some friends in a little bit.

Alice glanced at him and shrugged. "I never really pick a place. I just walk." She said as her eyes stared at her scuffed up converse shoes. "Can we....can we play a game?" She looked up at him.

Tucker whistled as he pulled into town.

"A game?" Blake questioned. "Like what?"

Alice looked back at the sidewalk and gave a small shrug. "It's a listening game." She glanced at him again. "You tell me about you, and then I have to recite it all back."

"Uh, okay," Blake said. "I'm Blake. My favorite colors blue. I like lacrosse."

Alice stared at him. "wow..." she shook her head. He totally failed at that game. "You like blue and lacross." She muttered. She sighed and ran a hand through her golden looks and stared at her shadow on the sidewalk. "I was born August 3rd," she paused and took a deep breath and looked at him hesitantly, but decided it was the only way he'd learn how to play the game. "I was taken by social services when I was three for child abuse of all kinds, moved from foster home to foster home since I was six. When I was fourteen my dad found me and fought for custody over me. And I'm deathly afraid of needles."

"Oh...guess I didn't do very well then," Blake said, chuckling slightly. He thought for a moment. "I was born January 22nd, was adopted by my Aunt and her girlfriend when I was 16 --" He glanced at Alice then, wondering if she minded lesbians. "And, uh, hmm...someone important to me died last year. Did I do better now?"

Alice winced at the word 'girlfriend' but didn't say anything about it."Yes, much better." She stared at her toes and sighed. "My dad got custody over me January 4th and I've been with him ever since with his wife and their....friends..." She sighed and couldn't help herself as she turned into him, tears rolling down her cheeks as she hid in his chest. She needed comfort, and at the moment with him watching her, this was the only way she could find it. Even if it did scare her crapless.

Blake was surprised by that gesture, but hesitantly wrapped his arms around her, not saying anything. Last time he had, she'd shied away again. So he just let her cry into his chest for a little bit. He found that it felt good to hold her, that he sorta-kinda liked it...how weird.

Alice continued to cry, all the escapes she had found before were now gone leaving her to deal with the pain on her own. It almost felt crippling, the amout of pain that ran through her. "W-why can't I just die?" She asked through her tears, her voice a strangled whisper.

Blake tensed up slightly. "Is that what you've been trying to do? With the razors? Kill yourself?" he asked worriedly.

Alice shook her head slightly, still crying. "It-it makes everything feel better. Makes it feel like I'm not dirty anymore, like they are getting out of me." She clung to his shirt, a large wet spot now on his chest.

Blake rubbed her back slightly. "Alice...hurting yourself only proves them right. They don't treat you well, but if you don't treat yourself well, either...."

"No, I have to make myself clean." Alice said shaking her head, her voice still strangled with tears. "I have to, I can't stand it. I can't." Her body was shaking with her sobs, her grip on his shirt tightening.