I wake up to the sound of loud snoring, and I see that Bruno's mouth is near my ear. I smile at him, and I see that Rian is still asleep. I can't stop thinking about last night, what was said and done. I find myself battling the two sides in my head, and I can't choose.

Rian loves you, and he needed some comforting after the news that he got yesterday.

Rian also didn't seem to mind sticking his tongue down your throat after he told you.

The two sides go back and forth, and it's got me thinking.

Was Rian trying to feel better by... possibly sleeping with me?

I understand how hurt he is, but I won't let him use that pain to get whatever he wants from me. Or to use me. There's no way I'd be stupid enough to let that happen to me again. No matter how genuine Rian is, or how much we care about each other. I've built up a wall, and Rian's going to have to be willing to climb over it.

His eyes flutter open, and those stormy blue eyes stare right at me. Rian smiles, and he leans in for a kiss, but I sit up and get off of the bed.

"Is everything okay?" He asks, and his morning voice makes me weak in the knees.

"Rian, can we talk?" I ask nervously.

"About...?"

"Last night, when you got back from visiting your parents in Sacramento." I say before crossing my arms.

"What about last night?" He asks, and his cluelessness makes me want to slap him.

"You're in pain about your dad, but were you going to use that pain as an advantage so that I'd soften up? So that your vulnerability would lead you into bed with me?" I ask bluntly.

"What? Alex, no! Where would you get that from?" He asks, and horror covers his face.

"That look of disappointment on your face when we stopped making out. I wasn't born yesterday, Rian." I say.

"Alex, I wasn't disappointed. In fact, I was kind of glad because you want to slow down. Alex, look at me." He begs, and I stubbornly shake my head and keep my eyes on the floor.

Rian gets out of the bed, and stands right in front of me. He holds my face in his hands, and his thumb slowly strokes my earlobe. I look down at my knee wrap, but he lifts my chin with his index finger effortlessly, forcing me to look up at him.

"I'm not Austin," he says in a gentle voice. "It's normal that you're slightly reluctant, especially since this is your first relationship in a couple of years."

"Rian, I think it's time that I told you about that whole story. Austin and I, I mean."

"You don't have to if you're not ready to open up to me about it."

"No, I think you should know. I've been needing to get this off of my chest."

"I just remember what Savannah said in the hospital the day that you injured your knee." Rian admits.

"What... when she asked why I needed a pregnancy test because I hadn't been banged since sophomore year?" I say, becoming irritated by those words ringing in my ears.

"Y-yeah, that." Rian says awkwardly, and his cheeks quickly turn into a shade of red.

"Well," I sigh. "I was a sophomore, and Austin was a senior. We started dating after he asked me to the homecoming dance, I was totally blinded by what seemed like perfection. I was so naïve, and just dumb. Fast forward to May, and it's almost time for graduation. We went to prom together, and I didn't know he had a hotel room for us to-,"

"Copulate?" Rian asks.

"Well, yeah. Anyways, we got there and he kept telling me how much I mean to him and how much he loves me." I scoff and shake my head.

"And then what?"

"I should've left that damn room when he said something that was pretty red flag." I say, and I grit my teeth.

"What'd he say to you?" Rian asks.

"If you love me, you should trust me enough to do this." I cringe in disgust.

"He pulled that card on you? What an asshole." Rian says angrily, and clenches his jaw.

"Exactly! He pulled the card, and I stupidly stayed there! I loved him, Rian, and he just wanted me for sex and nothing else. After he left for college, I kept thinking that it was all my fault! I was desperately calling him so that we could get together again, and work things out. Austin got what he wanted, and he was gone. He said that he didn't want me, and that he was bored with our relationship. Do you know how I felt?" I explain, and my tears begin to blur my vision.

I can't swallow the lump that's forming in my throat, and I cry weakly while he holds me in his arms.

"Austin is scum, and he didn't deserve someone like you. It's not your fault at all, Alex. It's his, and only his fault for any of the affliction that's been inflicted on you. I shouldn't have brought this up, I can see how upset it makes you." Rian says into my ear before kissing my forehead gently.

"No, no! It's okay, I'm the one who wanted to tell you, because you deserved the right to know."

"Alex, as a doctor, I know that it isn't healthy to put all of this extra stress on yourself. I'm glad that you told me, but I just hate seeing you like this." He says and he strokes my hair.

"It's fine, I'm fine." I say, and try to compose myself.

"I knew that you were hurt, but I didn't know how much. Alex, what he did was... unthinkable. I totally understand and comprehend your emotions. You're still unsure of how you feel, and that's okay. That's why I always ask if you're okay with us being intimate." Rian says understandingly.

"Yes, that's exactly how I feel. Thank you, Rian." I say gratefully, and I kiss his cheek.

I was actually kind of worried about what he'd say after I told him about Austin, and how upset I was. Rian yet again stunned me with his kind words, and how he listened to me.

The perfect gentleman.

"You're welcome. I think we should start getting ready, I have to be at the hospital and you have school."

I blast my music loudly while I shower, and Rian is cooking breakfast because I can smell it. I sing along passionately, not caring if Rian hears me throughout the house.

Once I get out of the shower, I wrap myself in one of the towels and wipe the steam off of the mirror with my hand. I don't bother drying my hair, so I just put it in a bun. I don't put make up on either, which is a first because I always have it on. I rush downstairs after I get dressed and I eat my breakfast while texting Xiu and Savannah. Bruno sits near me, and he watches me while I eat, and I offer him a piece of my sausage. He gets eager, and starts barking like crazy.

"Sit!" I demand, and he automatically does what I say.

I drop the sausage on the floor, and Bruno scarfs it down. I hear Rian's footsteps approaching, and I stand up and kiss him before he walks out of the door. I stand with my back pressed against the door, and I smile to myself before I go upstairs to get my bag. The doorbell rings as soon as I'm at the top of the stairs, and I groan before running back down to answer it. As soon as I open the door, I turn around and vomit on the floor.

My breathing hitches before my throat goes dry, and I can already feel the sweat forming on my brow. Fear courses through my veins, and I go completely immobilized.

"Little girl, how've you been?" My mother says, and she has an evil grin on her face.

"Mom, h-how did you find out where I was?" I stutter.

"I have my ways, Alex. You should know that by now." She says, and I see the devil in her eyes.

"Why are you here?" I shout, trying to show her that she doesn't scare me.

"To teach you a lesson for leaving me."

My mother walks towards me, and I walk backwards before turning around and running. She catches me before I reach the stairs, and she throws me onto the floor. My back hits the ground, hard, and I groan when I feel the pain shooting through me. She kicks me in the stomach, and I wheeze uncontrollably. Bruno runs over to me, and starts sniffing me and inspecting me. My mother kicks Bruno, and he wails before running away in fear.

"Get up." She says menacingly, and I rise to my feet in silent acquiescence.

Her deep seated rage in her core is coming out, and I look her straight in the eyes. At first glance she would probably appear to be normal, that is, until you look into her eyes and then feel a chill go down your spine as you sense the evil within her.

Her fist connects with my jaw, and blood spurts from my mouth. I cry out in pain, and I wipe my mouth off before standing up again. Bravery washes over me, and I growl before pushing her into the wall. She yells an expletive before she punches my eye, and I feel a stinging pain. Bruno comes back, and he starts barking at my mother while biting her leg. She picks him up by one of his hind legs, and throws him against the wall.

"Stop!" I yell desperately.

She walks over to me, and continues to hits me repetitively before my body is shaking.

She won't stop.

This is it.

My nightmares are transforming into reality.

~~~

"With this patients condition, he'll have to get a surgery since he's in critical condition. I'll have to talk to an endocrinologist right away." I say to our Chief of Staff, Dr. Russell Raymond.

I've been having a meeting with him, in fact, he's been having meetings with all of the doctors all week.

Dr. Russell Raymond is quite an intellectual man, and very wise. He was one of the first people I met when I first started working at the hospital, and he wasn't the Chief of Staff yet. He inspires me to be a better doctor, and hopefully I'll be like him one day. At the top of the hospital, and in charge.

"Now, onto orthopedics." He says before taking his glasses off and cleaning them with his shirt.

"What about orthopedics, Dr. Raymond?" I ask before chewing on my pen.

He narrows his eyes at me. "Have you performed any reductions recently, scheduled orthopedics and or physical therapy appointments for any patients?"

"Yes, a young woman had dislocated her knee about a month ago, and I performed a reduction on her." I inform him, trying to resist the urge to smile.

"Ah, I see her file right here. Alexandrianna Hawkins, eighteen, knee dislocation. Has she came for an appointment recently?" He asks, going through her medical records.

"Yes, she's seeing both orthopedics and physical therapy, sir." I say.

While Dr. Raymond continues to roam through Alex's file, I stare up at the polystyrene tile ceiling and the awards and degrees and awards on the stale gray walls.

"Once you get your degree, it'll be going there. Just be patient, Rian." Dr. Raymond says before standing up.

"I know, I know." I say, and I take the file from his hand.

"Rian, you're twenty four. You've got your whole career ahead of you. Learn from me, because I was eager to get my degree and make my way up to the top just like you do. It'll take some time, and a lot of hard effort but it'll be well worth it. Weekdays, weekends, night shifts, some holidays, but trust me Rian, you'll be very proud of yourself." Dr. Raymond says and pats me on the back.

"Thank you."

We shake hands, and I continue on throughout my day. Passing through the halls, past my fellow peers who're working calmly with unhurried efficiency. Hours pass by as I work, and I'm drained of my energy due to the countless amount of patients I've had today. It was an exceptionally busy day today, and it may make me want to rip my hair out, but it'll be worth it. I arrive back home, and I throw my keys on the kitchen island.

Bruno runs up to me, and by the way he's whining, I can tell that he's panicked about something.

"What? What is it boy?" I ask, and I follow Bruno up the stairs.

I open the door to my bedroom, and it's completely empty.

"Ah, shit." I hear Alex mutter, and I walk over to my bathroom.

Alex immediately stops what she's doing to give me a kiss. I raise my eyebrows at her, and she walks out of the bathroom to my bed. I notice that she's limping, and that she has her hand pressed to her side.

"Alex, are you okay?" I ask, becoming more and more aware of her peculiarity.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why do you ask?" She responds incredulously.

"You're limping. Sit down and let me take care of you." I say, and she just shakes her head.

"I'm fine! God, why are you so worried?" Alex asks, and I furrow my eyebrows.

"You're limping, and that might be because of your knee. Sit, please." I say worriedly.

She huffs before sitting down on the bed, and I examine her knee. It looks fine, so why was she limping? I place my hand on her side, and she winces while grinding her teeth.

"Alex, that hurts?" I ask, and I see her shake her head. "I'm a doctor, Alex. I think I can tell if it's hurting you or not."

She sits up, and I notice her eye is red, and the skin looks swollen and bruising is beginning to form.

What the hell happened to my girl?

My girl.

Alex is hurt, and I know that Bruno wouldn't do this. Someone caused Alex more pain, and I need to find out who it was.