The Fault in Her Scars [DISCONTINUED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE]

[8]

"Hey, baby, wakey wakey."

Dani sighed at my touch, rolling away from me. "But I'm tired."

I was already dressed; ready to leave, but Dani refused to get out of bed. "Come on, Dani, I know you've been awake for hours. It's eleven; I have to go to the studio."

"Then go without me," Dani groaned, burying herself under the covers.

"I can't go without you, darling. You know that."

Dani had her eyes screwed shut as I tried to pull her out of the bed. "Dani, I'm going to be late."

Dani held her arms out towards me, and I lifted her up without a word, loving the way she leaned against me heavily, trusting me not to drop her as her eyes shut again.

I carried Dani into her walk-in closet "You need to find your own clothes, honey."

An irritated noise left Dani's lips as she made no attempt to move.

Well, I guess I was going to have to dress her.

I tried to make Dani stand, but her knees went weak each time I lowered her to the ground, so, in the end, she slept on the ground while I picked out clothes for her.

I first took a simple red dress off the rack and held it to Dani, who had her eyes open, watching me. "How about this one?"

Dani shrugged.

I gave her a look. "Come on, baby, we gotta get going. What do I have to do to make you move?"

Contrary to my expectations, Dani spoke. "Let me go to my haven."

My heart skipped a beat when that word triggered the conversation I had with Dani before, where she'd said that death was her haven, and I simultaneously remembered about Dani's schizophrenia.

I couldn't push too hard or she'd break. Possibly. And I definitely wasn't going to take that chance.

I knelt before Dani, her emotionless eyes following my every move. "Listen, sweetheart." I smiled, ignoring the fact that she didn't smile back. "How about you just get dressed, and I won't even push you to eat, and then you can sleep in the car on the way, and you don't have to do anything at the studio."

Dani looked like she was about to tear up, and I found myself suddenly anxious to make her smile.

"Then why do I have to go?" Dani whispered brokenly.

"I can't leave you alone at home!" I picked Dani up, not wanting her to lie on the dusty floor. "You might get hurt."

And, most probably, she'd be the one hurting herself.

Dani shifted in my arms so that her face was pressing into the clothing covering my stomach.

This time, I was expecting her to answer, but she never did.

"Dani?" I asked.

Dani just shook her head, and I caught a glimpse of tears glistening in her eyes when she moved.

I sighed. "Come on, baby. Are you all right?"

"I wanna go back to bed," Dani mumbled.

"Let's just go to the recording studio, okay?" I suggested. "I'll carry you to the car, and you can just wear this. It's all right. Come on."

I did manage to make Dani come with me in the end. She moodily laid and stared at nothing during the entire ride, sometimes saying a few words to Buttons, but sulking the entire time besides.