Dita: Last Rites (Co-starring Juice, Tig, Corrie, and the Nomad)

Dita rolled onto her side, away from Juice, "Please....Tig is right. Please go."

He gently put a hand on her back, "He's not right. I get it. I wished everyday you were gone that I hadn't left that damn house. I should have known. He did search for you, we all did. I get why you feel how you do, but I'm not leaving ever again."

Dita started sobbing, burying her face into her pillow. "...Please..."

"No, I won't leave you. You just get used to it. I'll be here. "

He slid into the bed and held her tight.

Dita she laid there crying, too tired to fight back anymore.

He held her tight, knowing she didn't really accept his being there. He didn't give a damn, he was so happy she was alive. He shushed her and stroked her hair. Relishing just touching her. She'd heal and he would be here whether she liked it or not.

"I'm not going anywhere."

Dita tried squirmiming away, not feeling okay being held. She felt diseased and tainted. Danny's cruel words still filled her head. He basically brainwashed her when she was with him those four weeks. In her mind, she didn't belong anywhere. She was nobody.

Juice held her tight despite the squirming.

"I love you and I will nevef let you down again."

Juice held her tight despite the squirming.

"I love you and I will nevef let you down again."

Dita's tears stung the fresh cuts on her hollow cheeks. She murmured, "You and Lettie will be better off without me."

Just trembled slightly as he remembered the last few weeks without her, "We've done that already and no we weren't better off."

Dita whimpered a little as the meds wore off; Danny's crude tattoo burning with a vengeance.

As she squirmed her lower back against him he parted the gown and hissed seeing his name there.
"I will pay to have that removed," he kissed her head ,"it looks like it hurts."
hereached over and hit the call button to let the nurses know she needed meds.

Dita started nodded, finally bringing her wall down, "...it hurts..." Just then, her RN came inside and gave her a little more morphine, making Dita tired. She looked like a sad child, she started feeling guilty about her father, "...my dad...he must really...hate me." Before she could say more she drifted off to sleep.

For the first time.in nearly a month Juice slept straight theough the night. He woke, once, early and then forced himself back to sleep.

Dita's trazadone had started to wear off and it wasn't too long before the night terrors started. She was still in the dark basement and everyone that had hurt her in the past were there ready to attack. In her dream, Dita raised her arms, trying to fight everyone off, in reality, she was hitting herself. Punching herself hard in the stomach and her face.

Tig had slipped in the room and let Juice have a break with Lettie. He sat in the chair next to the bed holding Dita's hand. He woke with a start when she yanked away and started punchinh herself. He.grabbed her arms and started calling her name.to wake her.

Dita fought back until she heard her Dad's voice. Her eyes flew open and saw Tig. "Daddy?"

He gently pulled her to him, tears streaming down his face in a rare show of emotion.

"Jesus, baby, what did he do to you...."

She sobbed into his shoulder, "I can't live this way, Daddy...please...finish me off...please..."

For the second time in a month one of his daughter's was asking him to let her die. He was seriously beginning to doubt his roe as a parent.

"Baby, no. You will get through this," he gently ran a hand over her short hair.

Dita closed her eyes, a look of hopelessness on her face, "That's what everyone told me the last time."

"And you made it theough then. You went on to get married and have Lettie. She is worth you sticking around.