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I slowly pullfroh my skull

"Jules? Talk to me, are you OK?" Eot a bloody nose froot in a punch, and his eyes are still fevered with the fight, his breath co my head from side to side to check for cuts

"Don’t touch her!" Daniel struggles up fro red-faced and disheveled

"It’s OK," I e, "I’uish "I wasn’t thinking I would never… Jules, you knoould never hurt you!"

I nod, and squeeze his hand "I know"

The irony rings in ly lay a hand on me, but hurt me?

It’s way too late for that

The two of them take ain, embarrassed by the fuss "Really, it was just a fall"

Daniel turns on Emerson, furious "Is this what you want?" He yells, voice rising I look at hiry "What the hell are you even doing here?" He de her nothing but pain?"

"It’s OK, Daniel" I interrupt hi between them before someone can throw another punch "Go inside ayou alone with hiain, but he drops my arm, and paces back and forth by the truck I turn back to Daniel

"Trusthiain, fierce enough to peel his skin back, but eventually, he nods "I’ll be right inside," he says loudly "And if he so much as raises his voice…"

"Thank you" I exhale, relieved

Daniel goes inside again, and I wait until the door closes before turning back to E, his dark head lowered, fists flexing and clenching at his sides

My e in a ind of fear, and doubt, and hope, and insecurity--everything bound up in this one e sense of strength I can do this, I need to knohat the hell’s going on

"Well?"