<em>Hearing James offer Anna a safe haven once she left the hospital, and Ethan took it as a sign.  He did love Anna, and he would have loved taking care of her until she was healed, and then shown her how much better off she would have been with him, instead of a shithead like Jace.  But James beat him to the punch, and Ethan realized it would be to everyone's best interests if he bowed out.  If he couldn't give Anna what she really needed, maybe James could.  Ethan could think of no one else, other than himself, he felt would be best for Anna.</em><br/><br/>"Anna, we're both just fucking scared!  Pardon my French.  We've never seen you as messed up before, as you are now...we don't want to lose you!"<br/><br/><em>He tried to make his words sound frantic, but noticed they had taken on a bit of an edge.  The last thing Ethan wanted to do was to act like Jace, but hell's bells, nothing he nor James had said to her in the past had worked.  Maybe it was time they got tough!</em><br/><br/>"I think you should reconsider James' invitation, even if its just for a couple days.  Or, if you're so totally set on sleeping in your own bed...maybe James could stay at your place.  At least you'd have someone handy to help out...and be there if that slimebag Jace tries to return."<br/><br/><em>The second part of his sentence came out barely above a whisper, but Ethan was sure James had heard him.</em>