Raven woke early and sat up, rubbing her eyes. She peeked out the frost-covered window and shivered at the bleak, gray and white world outside. She flopped over back in the bed and pulled the quilt over her again. I feel a little better, but fuck that shit. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep. She heard the door creak slightly and the floor shift, then the latch click. One footstep. A second, and a muffled slide. A faint noise of hanger on iron bar. She slowly rolled over to look. Alyson was gently searching through the clothes hanging in the closet, clutching the towel wrapped around herself. Raven watched her. So pretty. Raven tried not to laugh as she clutched the towel around herself, ineffective thanks to it being too small to begin with. She reached the shirt she wanted and gently lifted it off the bar, obviously trying not to make any sound. She turned, but not toward the door like Raven expected. She looked down and saw Raven looking up at her from the mattress on the floor and blushed. "I thought you were asleep!" "Going to work?" "No, just starting my day. Dan cut my hours this week. Again. I think he's still punishing me for not staying past the end of my shift last Saturday." "Bastard. Got plans?" "No. Hang around. Read. Make soup." Raven smiled. "Hang out with me?" "Sure. You still feeling under the weather." "... Yeah." I hate admitting that. "Aw, sweetie. That's no fun! You've been sick almost a week." "I know. I think the world misses me." "I'm sure it does." Alyson smiled down at Raven. "I wish Jennifer were here to curl up with. I'm cold, and I'm lonely." "I'd warm you up." I'd like that. "Be my guest" Alyson smiled and shrugged. She put the shirt she was holding on the wooden chair beside the bed, and then followed it with the towel after a moment's hesitation. Gorgeous. Oh. Man. She felt Alyson slide into the cold bed next to her, damp skin from the shower sliding against her mostly-naked body. She shivered once as the covers moved, and then relaxed, body heat between them. "Thank you." "No, thank you. I think I've been touch-deprived lately. Living alone has its faults." "I bet. Try being homeless." "I've been trying really hard to avoid doing that." Raven nodded as she fell asleep. * * * "Just come on in." Jennifer took a deep breath and turned the knob without knocking. Habits are hard to break, she thought. Oh, well. The kitchen was cold, and the apartment was silent. She looked around, peeking into the living room. Nobody there. Alyson must be out. She turned the knob and opened the door quietly. She saw a graceful curve of shoulder and as the door opened wider, she saw Alyson's still form, curling around Raven's, softly asleep. Damnit. She felt tears welling up in her eyes and looked away. She closed the door again, and it made a sound louder than she expected, though still muffled. She stalked to the door and walked out into the winter wind and stomped down the steps. * * * Raven woke again with the sunlight streaming through the window onto her face. She moved a little and Alyson moved behind her. "Was someone here earlier?" "I'm not sure. I don't think so." * * * "I saw you and Alyson together. What happened between you?" she looked like she was trying not to scream. . . . Raven kicked a stone and it bounced off the building and into the street. Damnit. She turned around and walked back the way she came. So much for a day just getting out. I just want to curl up and die a little. She climbed back up the hill, seeking every stone, twig or leaf on the sidewalk to kick. She got to the house and fished under the mat for a key, then checked the flower-pots sitting on the ledge. Nothing. Damnit. She went to the side of the house, and saw the drain-pipe and the fence both possibly close enough to get her inside the bedroom window. Here goes nothing, she thought. She climbed up the fence, holding the drain pipe and lifted on the window. She tried to remember the trick to opening the old and sticky window, and then mentally reverse it. She pushed again and it moved slightly. Once more and it slid upward. Alright! She pulled herself in the window and jumped over the bed, trying not to track mud onto it. She sighed and took her shoes off. * * * "Raven? Raven? How did you get in?" She woke slowly and blinked at Alyson standing over her. "Window. Hey. Um." "Yeah, what's up. I thought you were headed out today. I didn't expect to see you. Especially not in here. There's only one key. What happened?" "Figures. I looked under the mat and in the flower pots." Raven paused. "Jennifer broke up with me." "Wow. Um. Shit. Why?" "Because of us." "'Us?'" Alyson sounded incredulous. "You remember how you started crashing in here with me, rather than one of us on the couch?" "Yeah. It's warmer. It's kind of nice to have another body in here. Especially during the winter." "She ... she got pretty jealous. I kinda blew it off." "And she just broke up with you?" "Yeah. This morning, on the corner at the main road." "Wow. Shit. Sweetie, I'm sorry." "Thanks." "Mostly." "Mostly?" What was that, Raven asked herself. "I really like you." Raven shook her head. "No, I really like you." Alyson sounded insistent. "I mean, it sounds so silly, but I wanted you to move in, or stay more. I really liked having you living here. And I was sad you were gone today." Raven smiled weakly. "Thanks. This just really hurts." "I bet, sweetie. Stay as long as you like. You want a hug?" Raven nodded. Alyson hugged her, and they curled up next to each other and fell asleep.