"Do you want to talk about it?" Gina asked softly, her voice laced with care. It had been just short of an hour since Gina had arrived at Rosa's front door, arms outstretched. Now, she found herself sat on the bathroom floor, cool tiles against her flush skin, holding Rosa's hand as the woman sat in the bath, knees tightly up to her bare chest. Since Gina had arrived, Rosa hadn't uttered a word to her. She gave the occasional nod here and there, but nothing more. Gina knew it wasn't her fault but still, guilt pooled in the pit of her stomach. The ache of knowing she couldn't strip Rosa of every painful, awful, horrible thing she'd been through, erase every memory that caused her pain. All she wanted right now was to make Rosa feel better, and it hurt more than anything that she couldn't.

"I dropped a glass," Rosa whispered, her voice sounded drained and dulled. Gina cocked her head and brought Rosa's hand to her lips, placing a soft kiss to her knuckles. "When it smashed, I was just taken back to a night with Jocelyn, and it scared me."

__

"What did i say?" Rosa stayed silent:

"WHAT THE FUCK DID SAY!" Jocelyn yelled in Rosa's face, not even two inches away. She flinched and turned away.

"Back by ten," Rosa whispered.

"Look at me when I'm speaking to you. You pathetic brat!" She said, grabbing Rosa's chin and forcing their eye contact.

"Back by ten," Rosa repeated.

"And what time is it Rosa?" Jocelyn said, her tone condescending.

"Ten- thirty." And smack. Rosa's eyes snapped shut, the familiar sting of Jocelyn's palm against her cheek.

"One day you'll learn not to be so selfish and you'll listen to me," Jocelyn snarled as she turned back to the kitchen counter.

"I'm sorry Jo. It was only thirty minutes, It won't happen ag-" Rosa's plea was interrupted as Jocelyn picked up her wine glass and threw it at Rosa. Shards of glass flying everywhere, one even sliced straight through her eyebrow.

"DON'T YOU DARE!" She yelled. "I love YOU! You don't get to choose what you do and when you do it, leaving me at home. That's selfish Rosa and if you loved me you'd respect that."

"I do love you I promise," Rosa sobbed, tears rolling down her cheeks and blood dripping from her forehead.

"Then start fucking acting like it." Jocelyn spat. "And clean this shit up."

__

A tear ran down Gina's cheek as she listened to Rosa recall that night. The pain in her voice, fear in her eyes, it hit Gina like a tonne of bricks. As Rosa broke down into a sobbing mess once again, Gina knealed and pulled Rosa into her embrace. Her fingers laced back into the mess of dark curls and she placed soft kisses to her head. She wanted, needed, to give Rosa more, she wanted to give this woman her all. She'd never felt like she so deeply cared about someone before. All Gina wanted was to protect Rosa, to love her the way she'd never experienced.

"I love you, Rosa." It just slipped out. Those four words that had been bubbling in her throat for atleast a week now. It felt right. But Rosa pulled away.

"Please don't."

"Don't want?"

"I don't want the pity train. I've already been there multiple times," She sniffed and wiped her eyes. Rosa climbed out of the bath and wrapped herself in a towel.

"That's not what this is." Rosa hummed and walked out of the bathroom. "Rosa." Gina grabbed Rosa's arm and spun her round.

"What?" She snapped, making Gina jump slightly.

"It's not pity. I do love you, i promise."

Those words rung throught Rosa's ears loud and clear. The last words she'd said to Jocelyn that night. Everything Jocelyn had ever made her feel rushed through her all at once. Happiness, heartbreak, pleasure, pain, regret, self-hatred, guilt, everything. She saw the look in Gina's eyes and all that guilt flooded back. It was like looking in a mirror. She was slowly inflicting her own pain on Gina, just like she did with everyone. This is why she'd been alone since Jocelyn, she pushed everyone away. She made them suffer the way she did. Rosa sighed and ran her hands through her own hair.

"I'm sorry. She loved me , you know? She told me everyday no one would ever love me like she did. I'm so beyond terrified of being loved," Gina neared and cupped Rosa's cheek in her palm.

"She didn't love you, Ro. You can't hurt someone you love that badly. Love is hard and it hurts but it is not purposley inflicted pain on someone just because you have your own issues. Jocelyn hurt you and manipulated you but she did not love you. I love you. Everytime I see you I feel like i'm home. I feel so deeply tied to you in a way i can't describe. I've never felt so strongly for someone before. All i want to do is hold you, kiss you, rip you clothes off, laugh with you, rid you of every horrific thing in your life. I wish I could take all your pain, make you forget. If i could switch with you, I would in an instant. I want to protect you and I want to do it forever. I. Love. You." Hot streams poured down Gina's cheeks as she poured her heart out to Rosa.

"I love you too." Rosa wiped Gina's tears, unable to control her own. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me." Gina offered her a watery smile before standing on her tip toes and pressing her lips to Rosa's own. A kiss that was slow, gentle and full of fucking love.