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Midnight, the doorbell rang and I answered the intercom. "Yes?"

A shaky voice replied "TJ, it's me!" It was Joey's voice and I immediately pushed the door opener. I was standing in the doorway when the elevator doors opened and this fragile little creature walked towards me. She was completely slumped, her head bowed and her shoulders slack. She wiped her cheek with a sleeve. she howls? Crap!!!

I immediately took her in my arms and hugged her tightly to me. It seemed to me that everything would break out of her completely because of this hug and she looked even more exhausted than she had just seen in the hallway. I gently pulled her onto the sofa, but didn't let go.

I comforted her, but I didn't realize what was going on. I didn't know what she had, why she was crying. When she came up for air again and drank something, I also came down a bit. "What happened?" I eyed her cautiously, her eyes avoiding mine and falling to the ground. She started crying again and only managed to say "..