"Can't you do this for me?" I heard the front door open. Cameron was back. "Go home, Dylan." "I sort of walked here." We both turned at the knock. Cameron stood at the kitchen entrance. I could feel my shoulders sagging. Already my body recognized that Cameron would be my shield. I nodded. "I'll drive him home," Cameron offered. "Will you, Cam?" Dylan turned to me. "You're not going home with me, Kar?" "Not right now. I need some time to think," I said. "Okay." Dylan looked like he was going to cry again. "I'm...sorry. About everything." "I need a moment with your sister. Meet you in the car. Here." Cameron threw the keys to Dylan. Dylan caught them, threw me another apologetic and hopeful look then left. Cameron placed a couple of paper bags on the island top, walked to me, then stopped. His blue gaze studied me for a moment, before his hands lifted, palms cupping the sides of my neck, thumbs lifting my jaw so that our eyes met. "You all right?" he asked softly. I bit my lip, trying not to whimper, and wrapped my arms around his hips, burying my face in his chest. His arms readily embraced me. "I feel like a punching bag today." He stroked my hair. Trying to soothe, to protect. "Thanks for offering to drive that idiot home," I said. "You can thank me by eating something." He was tenacious. I let out a sigh. "Okay." "Hm. No argument?" "I'm all out of arguments for the next millennium." "I somehow doubt that, but nice try," he said. "You're right. My motor will be up and running in a few hours. Full steam ahead. Just need to shut down and refuel." He laughed quietly. "There she is," he whispered in my hair. "There's my woman." Cameron drove Dylan home. I felt like a coward not going with them. I didn't know how to face my dad. What do I tell him? Where do I even start? Did he want that woman back in our lives? He'd always been on my side, but why did he defend that woman? And Tala. She'd covered for me, like she always had. I knew I had to talk to her too. She won't be around soon. I was too tired to think of a solution, too heartsick to do anything but lie down on the sofa, but no matter what I did, sleep evaded me. No matter how tired my brain was, it didn't stop the anxious thoughts whirling inside my head. There was a dread inside me that made me feel sick to my stomach at the thought of her back in our lives. I had no idea how long I was lost in my painful thoughts. Suddenly I heard the garage door open, the smooth sound of Cameron's vehicle's engine as he parked it inside. The front door opening, his light footsteps as he made his way over to me. I buried deeper in the covers. I felt his touch on my cheek. His palm was so warm. "Kara." "He got back okay?" I mumbled in the covers. "Yeah, he's home. I didn't see your dad. Lights were off. He must be sleeping." I nodded. "Won't you let me take you to bed?" he asked softly. I finally looked at him. "I don't know what to do, Cam." "Shh. Come on." I sat up. He knelt in front of me, then fixed my hair by pulling the scrunchie holding my lopsided ponytail, running his fingers through it. "I can't sleep," I murmured. "Stay in bed with me then." He grabbed my hips, pulling me to him. I wrapped my arms and legs around him as he carried me to bed. The feel of his strong arms around me and his long legs tangled with mine relaxed me and made me realize how stiff my body had been. "You've been through a lot today," he murmured against my hair. "It's not over yet. It just started." "You're always welcome here." I closed my eyes, wiggled so that his arms released me, and I could look up at his face. He'd turned off the lights but didn't close the curtains completely so that a little slash of light came through the windows to the floor. I could see the silhouette of his features, traced them with my finger. "Thank you, Cameron." He seemed like he was holding his breath. I could feel his eyes on me even when I couldn't see them clearly. "No one has done anything like this for me." "There's no one like you, Kara." What did it all mean? My heart felt like it would burst. Something to think about later, I thought. When everything was saner, when the world didn't feel like it was working hard to bring me to my knees. "This is exactly where I want to be," I whispered. I thought I wouldn't be able to, but when he pulled me into his arms, into his warmth, I closed my eyes and finally gave in to sleep.