We walked in silence and approached Lucas' black Audi parked on the side of the street. He opened the back door and lifted Daniel in his arms easily before placing him inside the vehicle and closing the door. He folded up his wheelchair and stuffed it in the trunk.

He raised an eyebrow at me, "What are you looking for? An engraved invitation?"

"I'm just going to catch the bus from here." I stated motioning to the bus stop a few feet away.

"I'll just drop you off." He grumbled.

Daniel rolled down his window, "Emily, please! For the love of all that is holy, get in the car!"

I sighed, nodding my head and walking around the car to climb in next to Daniel.

"Hey, partner," he grinned at me.

I think Daniel might be certifiably insane. That's my opinion as a qualified nurse. I gave him an odd look. Lucas jogged around to the driver's side of the car.

"Lucas, might I begin by expressing my deepest sorrow at the calamity we seem to find ourselves in." Daniel began formally and I could hear Lucas sigh heavily from the front. "The good and honorable Emily had nothing to do with today. I told her I was going to see a friend-"

"-She believed that?" Lucas interrupted sarcastically.

"I'm a very sociable person." Daniel defended, "anyway, my point is, she had no idea that we were going to watch your fight and no idea that you banned me from attending, unjustly so if I might add. Though that's a discussion for another day."

"It's fine, Daniel," I whispered to him. I was grateful for the attempt, but I'd be fine. I didn't want him to worry about one job.

"It's not! This is stupid. You're being stupid," he pouted at Lucas and crossed his arms.

"Enough," Lucas reprimanded.

I gave quiet directions to my apartment until he pulled up to the shoddy location. I unbuckled my seatbelt and opened my door.

"This is where you live?" Daniel asked eyeing my apartment building as though it was haunted.

"Yes," I defended frowning at him.

"Lucas, you can't deprive her of a job after seeing where she lives."

"Oh lord," I sighed getting out of the car, "Bye, Daniel," I smiled at him, shutting the door quickly and making my way into my building without a glance back.

"You're coming back very late," Ms. Smith ambushed me at the entrance. Did this woman ever sleep?

I groaned loudly, "Why are you even awake at eleven o'clock at night?"

She narrowed her eyes at me, which strangely were poorly smudged with eyeshadow, "I had to check my mail." Her outfit was fancier than normal too, especially for so late at night. A long black dress draped over her petite figure.

"Sure, and I'm the princess of a Genovia!" I shouted as I stomped up the stairs.

I walked into my apartment to see some mail from my ex. I opened it and my eyes glanced over the lettering, "I miss you, I love you, I made a mistake, I want you back."

It was all getting a little redundant at this point. If you cared about someone, you wouldn't cheat on them with your fitness instructor. I'm sure she could lift more weights than I could or walk to her gym without gasping for air, but physical fitness didn't account for loyalty. Though, I should work out more I reasoned.

I changed into my cozy pajamas and pulled out a pint of ice cream, flipping the tv on. I was the very picture of pathetic and I didn't even care.

I began to imagine what my dad would say when I told him I was moving home when a knock sounded at my door.

I walked up to it assuming it was Mr. Greggs needing to borrow milk again when a gorgeous brown haired man appeared in my vision. His hair looked tousled, like he had run his hand through it repeatedly, but his eyes were solemn.

"Lucas?" I asked in surprise, opening the door for him to enter before I realized I was in my cozy pajamas. Why did I decide to wallow when an Adonis decided to visit? Why couldn't I have been in my sexy pajamas with my makeup on? "What are you doing here?"

His eyes took in my apartment, no doubt completely unfamiliar with places like this. Places that didn't have a concierge. Places that didn't have proper heating. His gaze dropped to me and then to my fuzzy bunny slippers before settling on my face. I made a silent prayer of gratitude that I hadn't put on the face mask I was considering.

His face still looked battered from the fight. He had a cut underneath his eye and should have likely had bruising or even broken ribs from the hit he took.

"You can come back to the job if you still want it," he mumbled.

"Sorry?" I asked in confusion.

"The job," he spoke slowly, "It's yours if you want it."

I narrowed my eyes at his tone, "What happened? I thought I was fired?" Maybe I was pushing it, but I knew he wouldn't have endured this awkward encounter if it wasn't his last resort.

"Daniel won't talk to me. He said he wouldn't until I hired you back. I know him well enough to know he means that," Lucas explained running a hand through his hair. "But, that means that there are no more slip ups. No more coming to those fights either."

I nodded gratefully, "I promise." I walked to a cupboard beside my kitchen, pulling out my first aid box. "Sit." I gestured to the island stool.

He gave me a confused look, which I had to admit looked cute on his usually serious face, before sitting down. I brought the first aid box over. "How are your ribs?" I handed him a pad with rubbing alcohol to clean the wound under his eye.

"I'm fine," he responded accepting the pad and rubbing it on his cut without wincing.

I pulled out a bandage and opened it, "May I? I gestured to the cut on his face and he nodded wordlessly, his eyes trained on my face, watching my every movement as I gently pressed the bandaid to his face and used a finger to lightly smooth it down.

I stepped back, "Can I take a look?" I asked staring at his black hoodie.

"Don't worry about it, Emily," he responded patting the bandaid with his own hand and avoiding eye contact.

"Humor me then," I said as I stared at him determinedly.

He sighed before lifting his hoodie up to reveal several purple markings visible on his side. I placed my fingers gently against his warm torso and I felt the muscles contract as I did so. I prodded the firm area softly with my fingers, trying to ignore the fact that I was currently touching his perfect abs. He was so warm to the touch

I pulled my hand back and looked up at Lucas' face to see him already staring at me with an unreadable expression, his bright blue eyes felt like they were staring into my soul.

I cleared my throat, "They're pretty bruised, but not broken," I confirmed, "you should ice the area unless you want the swelling to worsen."

He tugged his hoodie back down, stood up from the chair, and began to walk to the door without a word. His hand lingered on the handle for a moment before he turned around quickly.

"Do you take the bus from here?" He asked, his eyebrows furrowing as though he couldn't imagine someone taking the bus.

I nodded in return, "It's not as bad of an area as it looks."

He nodded before opening the door, "At least get a new can of pepper spray."

He shut it behind him and I looked at my small apartment in doubt that Lucas' large body was even here to begin with.