“Please don’t go” the six year old boy whimpered as he clung onto his mother’s leg.

“Let go of me you bastard” The mother whispered yelled as she tried to shove him off her leg. She looked around panicked.

“Please…he will beat me” the boy cried again.

“Shut up, if he wakes up both of us will be dead now let me go”

“Take me with you momma”

The woman chuckled lowly and snarled at the kid.

“You are a piece of crap and bad luck. Stay here with that asshole. This is where you deserve to be.” With a final push and kick to the stomach of the kid, the woman walked out of the door, without a backward glance.

Aaron woke up with a startle. Another damn nightmare. They were getting worse ever since Olivia walked out on him.

Aaron steadied his breath and ran shaky hands through his hair which were now damp with prespiration. His t shirt was also clinging to his body. He pulled the t shirt over his head and discarded it to the side.

He looked around the dark living room and closed his eyes.

“I am not that six year old anymore. I am stronger than that now” Aaron whispered to himself but he couldn’t bring himself to calm down enough to go back to sleep. He got up from the couch and walked towards the bedroom door. He paused outside, he didn’t want to disturb her but he needed to see her.

He opened the door quietly and stepped inside. She was fast asleep, her hair spread on the pillow like a halo and the moon light falling on her face, giving her an ethereal look. Her eyelashes swept her sculpted cheekbones. She looked so peaceful.

Aaron immediately felt calm. He crossed the room and sat on the couch, though much smaller than the outside one but he needed to be here.

He lay down and looked at the ceiling. He wasn’t going to pull an Edward Cullen on her and stare at her while she was sleeping. Just being in the same room as her was enough for him. But why? He decided not to ponder on that question and instead focused on her even breathing which soon lulled him back to sleep.

Elaine felt the warm sun hitting her face before she opened her eyes. She rolled over and reached for her phone. It was 7.30 a.m. She needed to be at the hospital in an hour and after that she had to meet up with Sam, who had called her yesterday and had asked her to meet her up for a late lunch. She had something important to discuss.

She pushed away the comforter and sat up. After they had dinner in silence, Aaron had arranged nightwear for her and had wished her good night. He hadn’t said another word to her after their near kiss when Sam had called and interrupted it.

Elaine sighed and got up. She didn’t have time for such thoughts. She got up and turned around to head to the bathroom to shower. She would face him after she was clean and ready.

She almost screamed when she saw him sprawled on the couch in the bedroom.

“Jesus, when did he come in here?” Elaine thought and it sure didn’t look comfortable. His six foot three inch frame barely fitted on the couch. His feet were hanging over the arm rest and he was going to have neck and back muscle spasm. Elaine cringed at that thought. She stepped closer and gasped, not at the perfectly sculpted chest and ripped abs, those were no surprise though the custom made suits did little justice to what was underneath, but at the scars which marred his perfect body.

There was a long jagged scar which extended from his left lower ribs and disappeared towards his back. She knew enough from her rotations in the trauma department that it was a blunt object. Besides from this one which she knew was definitely extended on his back, he had three other small ones, one was on his right chest and two were on his right upper abdomen. She didn’t want to know how he got those. She stepped back and gulped.

As if on cue, Aaron groaned, possibly from his sore body, and flipped on his side. He was still fast asleep. Elaine sighed in relief when she saw that there weren’t any on his back, except for the extension of the one from the front.

She walked to the couch and stood on his foot side. His expressions were calm and stubble covered his angular jaw. He looked much younger as compared to when he was awake with his somber expressions. His hair fell on his forehead and Elaine had the urge to run her hands through it.

She couldn’t control herself as she re traced her steps and reached towards his head. She leaned down and ran her fingers with a feather light touch along his jaw. She traced it up towards his temple and then brushed back his hair.

She pulled her hand back and smiled. Why was she enjoying being around him so much? Before she could muster up an answer and give herself a logical explanation and move the hell on, she felt his hand on waist.

She looked down and saw him staring up at her with his lips pulled up in a crooked smile.

“Will you stay for breakfast?” he asked.

Of course she would.