"I have to." Stephanie replied. "So do you. We have to find a way to make it work, or we're going to be crushed by all this." She took a deep, slightly shuddering breath. "We're also probably going to both become raging alcoholics." She laughed, but there was no real mirth in it. "Fuck, I've downed nearly three-quarters of this bottle already." She punctuated the sentiment by downing the rest and then looking at him again, setting down the bottle.

"We have to. Or one of us is going to get killed or ..." Stephanie stopped and looked down for a moment. "We're going to go crazy. We're not going to be good to anyone like this. We need to step outside of this."