"We should get out now." Hero's voice eventually breaks the silence, the water that's falling on the tiles blocking the sound slightly. His voice is rough and low, and his nose is pressed in my wet hair, where he nudges once to give his words a little more power. And even though I know that we've been in here for a good fifteen minutes at least and his friends will be here soon, I don't want to leave. I want to stay in this bubble a little longer. This bubble in which I feel safe in his arms and like other women of my age. Normal.

Daisy is sleeping against my chest, and I've never felt more at ease than at this moment. Right now, everything seems as it should be; my daughter is safe and content, and I feel just like her. It's doing wonders already, I can tell.

This is one of those moments that I've been wanting to have with her for so long. To do something that I couldn't do the moment after she was born; holding her close, skin to skin. And I feel she loves it too.

She's never been as slack and relaxed as she is now, not even when she's drinking from me. Right now, she has crawled against me as far as she could, and her breathing is matching mine completely. We are completely in tune and sync with each other, and for the first time, it feels as if me and her are going to make it. As long as we have each other, it feels as if we're going to be okay.

Of course, a part of why I feel that is because Hero's here too. His arms fit perfectly around both of us; his chest is pressed against my back and his hands are resting on Daisy's back and my hand. And even though I'm clothed in just my underwear, I don't feel uncomfortable. I don't feel the fear that I usually connect with being naked and vulnerable. I don't even feel the need to cover up which is something I normally do even when I'm alone.

For some reason, I can't even look at myself in the mirror without being covered. When I do look in the mirror because I'm forcing myself to pull open that horrible jar, I see what they did to me. I don't see my body, I see theirs. I see the invisible marks they left on me, and I hate it. I hate my body, solely because it's not mine. It's theirs; they claimed it. And yet standing in front of Hero without wearing anything but panties doesn't make me want to throw up and hide.

I was so nervous about doing this; I almost chickened out when I was taking off Daisy's clothes. But I gathered all the courage because I didn't want him to control me like this. The fear for the pain that he and his five men inflicted is stopping me from having beautiful, meaningful moments with my daughter and I can't let that happen any longer. My daughter is craving them just as much as I do and she deserves a mother that can give them to her.

So, I walked into that bathroom, not thinking about the how's and who's. I had stripped in just my panties so Daisy and I could have that skin-to-skin contact that she also has with Hero, but I figured that if I wanted to wear something to be covered, I could just give Daisy to Hero and throw on a top. But when I walked in and saw him shirtless and with his back to me, I felt all the nerves disappear. He oozes calmness, and he somehow rubs it off on me as well. I felt all the struggles fade to the background. All the thoughts and worries disappeared and made room for only one thing; Daisy.

My sweet Daisy.

I don't ever want her to feel what I feel. I don't ever want to rub those negative, horrible feelings off on her. I never want her to feel fear because of what I went through. I want to give her what Hero gives me; calmness. I want Daisy to lay in my arms and feel calm and safe.

And right now, while we are standing underneath the warm water in our perfect little bubble, I know she's feeling that. She's calm, and she's trusting me with everything she has without caring about anything in the world. And for the first time, I feel like I'm solely responsible for that.

Not the people in the hospital or Mercy, and not even Hero. I'm giving her this. Me. And it's the most beautiful and pure thing that I've ever experienced.

"I'll go out first, yeah?" Hero pipes up again, his hands now moving up my arms. "You and Dais can enjoy the water for a bit still and when you're ready, just call for me. I'll help you get out."

I don't want him to leave. His arms around us felt too good, but I know we don't have all day, so I nod my head. "Okay."

His hands linger on my shoulders, and I feel how he leans down to press his nose in my hair again. "I'm so proud of you, Jo," he praises once again, and I can't ignore the shiver that trails over my spine as I feel his warm breath tickle my ear. Not a second later, I know why I feel him that close; he presses a kiss on my bare shoulder, and by that, he leaves goosebumps over my entire skin even though I'm warmed up to the bone.

"Thank you," I whisper, my lips still pressed against Daisy's head. I feel how my eyes tear up, or maybe the tears never even left. This whole experience has been so emotional, I only now realize how my eyes burn slightly.

"Don't thank me, I didn't do anything. This was all you, and I'm just thankful you allowed me to be a small part of it." With another kiss, this time on top of my head, I feel him move away. I miss the warmth of his skin that was pressed against me immediately,

Behind me, I hear him fumble, and a moment later his soaked pants fall onto the floor with a splash. I know it is his pants because he has thrown them next to the shower wall. My gaze travels to where he comes into view -wearing just his wet boxers that's sticking to his body- and grabs a towel from the shelf before wrapping it around his waist.

My heart suddenly goes faster; it's beating against my chest while the rest of my body feels mushy from the warm water and pure bliss I was in moments ago. It's a sharp contrast; my heart is drumming as if I've just run a marathon while I don't think I've ever been as at ease as I am now. And it's new while I have felt this once before when I walked into Hero's bedroom after he had a shower.

I remember how it overwhelmed me, just like it does now; how I was afraid that there was something wrong with my heart. How confused I was when it dawned on me that what I felt was a reaction to what I saw. Hero. Without any clothes.

It should repulse me. The sight of a naked man should disgust me and above all scare me. It should not, in any circumstance, make me feel how the sight of Hero makes me feel at this moment. I know what men do when they are naked; I've witnessed and felt it too many times to count.

Why does the sight of Hero without clothes not make me want to run away? Why do I feel anything but a need to flee when he's not wearing anything? Why do I want him -now more than ever- to wrap me in his arms and just pretend nothing else exists?

"Jo?" I blink my eyes twice, suddenly realizing I'm staring at him with big eyes which makes him frown. "You okay?" He looks worried too, and I quickly nod my head as I avert my eyes from his torso. He has wrapped the towel around his waist now, but I still feel my cheeks heat up.

"Yeah... I am. Good." I try to hide my hot blush by bending my head a little more and lying my cheek on Daisy's head.

I hear Hero chuckle but I still keep my gaze on the tiles. "I'll be here when you need me," Hero lets me know again before leaving the bathroom. The moment the door closes, I let out the breath I was holding without intending to.

"I'm so confused, Daisy," I mumble against the warm head of my daughter, and as if she understands, she sighs. Her tiny body moves with the air she blows out constantly, and my heart swells with love for her even more. "But it'll be okay. We're strong, aren't we?"

I blink my eyes to make sure that what my reflection shows me is real. That who I am looking at in the mirror is me and not someone else, although it's hard to believe. I look so different.

I'd briefly looked in the mirror at the clothing store, but seeing myself now, in the mirror that I've been looking at for the past days since I'm living here with Hero, it only dawns on me how much of a difference it is.

Gone are the baggy, comfortable clothes that Mercy lend me when I left the hospital. They are replaced by this black dress -my black dress- and black thighs that fit me. They aren't too big, and they show parts of my body that I've never dared to look at in any other way than with disgust.

I have a waist. The dress hugs it perfectly without it being uncomfortable for me to wear. My stomach is almost back to flat after giving birth to Daisy, and in this dress, it's not even noticeable that there still is a very slight bump. The dress flares, and therefore it looks very subtle and graceful. I've never worn something this feminine. I can actually look at myself while wearing this dress, and not feel the need to close my eyes as soon as they hit my reflection.

I take a deep breath and take a step closer to the mirror, studying my face. The dark circles underneath my eyes are still there, but I do think they are fading. Ever since I've been sleeping next to Hero, my nights are not as haunted; I still have nightmares, but when I wake from them, I fall back to sleep much easier because Hero's laying next to me. Of course, the broken nights because of Daisy don't help either, but that's something that every parent goes through.

My cheeks aren't as sunken as they were when I first looked into the mirror in the hospital. I've gained weight; I've noticed it by my body too. It doesn't surprise me since I've been eating so much more than before.

My skin is better too. Being outside clearly has done wonders to my pores. The grayish glow that my skin permanently had is gone, and although I'm still pale, I do look much healthier. My hair is long, and it's clear that the ends need to be trimmed. The thin ends are falling mid-back and I hardly ever wear it loose because I have no idea what to do with it. It's honestly the thing that concerns me now, too.

My clothes are good, but what am I going to do with my face and hair?

"Jo?" Hero's voice comes before he opens the door, and when he comes into view, his expression changes slightly when he sees I'm dressed. He has bought me this dress and seen me in it before, but somehow he scans me as if he's seeing it for the first time. "Still looks gorgeous on you. Is it still comfortable?" His hopeful eyes meet mine, his cheeks colored slightly which is no doubt because we were in a bit of a hurry after I came out of the shower.

He isn't wearing a shirt yet, but he is wearing light blue, faded jeans. He's holding Daisy, who is already in her outfit because I'd dressed her first since I didn't want her to get cold. Hero's got her a beige sweater dress with Mini Mouse drawn on the front, and black leggings. She looks very cute, but most of all warm and soft. Her blue eyes are looking at me while her cheek is pressed against Hero's chest, and she's sucking on her fingers furiously. Given the last time she's eaten, I think she's starting to feel hungry again.

"It is." I smile reassuringly, answering his question. I swallow the need to tell him my insecurities about my hair and face because I already know what he's going to say to that. He'll tell me I look beautiful because that's what he does. I don't think he will ever tell me the opposite, even though he might think it. That's just how he is.

He eyes me for a moment, sensing that I'm not telling him everything, but another voice that comes from the hallway prevents him from speaking his thoughts. It's Mercy's, and by the tone of her voice, I can tell she is her bubbly excited self. "Mum, relax, I can just ask her."

Hero rolls his eyes, and when I raise my eyebrow, he sighs. "So, my sister and mum are here. And Mercy asked if-"

"Hi, Jo!" Mercy cuts him off, her tone still happy but her voice tuned down slightly. She bumps against Hero to make room for her to enter, and when she's standing across from me, her gaze softens. "You look so cute."

"Umm, thanks," I stutter, feeling my cheeks warm up. I might look cute, but she looks beautiful. Her blonde hair is falling down her shoulders in a shiny halo, and her face is covered in make-up. I'm not sure what she has on, but it makes her eyes pop and her skin glow. She's wearing a purple dress that hugs her body, the fabric covered with glitter too. Her legs seem to go on for ages, and she's wearing heels. Normally she's already a good few inches taller than me, but while wearing heels she's almost just as tall as Hero. And I'm suddenly feeling way underdressed. "You look very beautiful."

Mercy waves it away and then folds her hands together in front of her. "Oh stop," she murmurs. She knows she looks beautiful and it makes me smile. I wish I could be that confident. "Listen, I was thinking, and please if you don't like it just say so, but I thought I could help you with your hair? And maybe we can see if you'd like some make-up too? If you don't then it's totally fine, I just wanted to offer," she rushes out, and it's as if a huge weight is lifted from my shoulders. Did she hear my mental struggle?

Behind her, Hero is eying me curiously, almost in a nervous way as he bops Daisy up and down. She isn't squirming or anything, so I'm almost sure he isn't doing it for her.

"You have no idea how happy I am that you offer this," I chuckle, and on cue, both Mercy's and Hero's face light up. Mercy even claps her hands because she is so excited. "I was just thinking about what to do with my hair."

"Oh, I have a few ideas. Be right back," Mercy says before she leaves the room. As I wait for her return, Hero gives me a sheepish, almost apologetic smile. "Merc can be quite excited when it comes to hair and make-up. And fashion."

"I'm happy about it. I was slightly panicking before you came in because I don't know what to do with my hair." I take a step towards him and move my hand to Daisy's head, stroking her soft hair. I just have to; she was looking at me with her curious blue eyes, and it made me melt.

While I focus on Daisy, I feel Hero's hand on my cheek which pulls my attention away from my daughter and onto him. His thumb follows my cheekbone before it slides over my skin into my hair until his whole hand is laced in between the strands. "I like your hair like this. Not in a ponytail or bun, I mean. You don't wear it like this often."

His touch is giving me that feeling again, that one that makes me feel nervous in a weird but in a pleasant way. It's getting worse too, and every time he pulls away, I wish he would've taken longer. "I umm... It's because I'm not sure what to do with it."

He hums, his eyes flickering from my eyes to my mouth. "You don't have to do anything with it if you ask me. It looks beautiful."

Exactly what I thought he would say.

I smile, not sure what to say. Also, his eyes linger on my lips longer, and the last two times he looked at me like this, he kissed me. I want him to kiss me now.

I lay my other hand on his upper arm and then lift on my toes slightly to give him the go. I'm not sure if he was waiting for it, but when he notices it, the left corner of his lip lifts, and one dimple is appearing before he leans down. But just when I feel just a skim of his lips against mine, Mercy barges back in, bumping against Hero once again which makes us both jolt back.

"Okay, let's do this thing," she excitedly says while holding up a big shopping bag. She seems completely oblivious to what she just interrupted, and behind her, Hero rolls his eyes which makes me giggle. "How much time until the others are here?"

"Probably about thirty minutes," Hero pipes up. "They never show up on time."

Mercy nods, seemingly happy. "Perfect. That's all the time I need."

"There," Mercy says while finishing the wipe of a small brush across my lips. "All done. Want to see?"

Her excited tone and expression make me curious. She insisted that I didn't look in the mirror until she was done with me. She first did my hair with some very hot device, and then proceeded to put make-up on my face. It didn't take as long as I expected but I have no idea what she did to me. "Okay."

Mercy smiles and then takes a step aside so I can stand from the chair I was sitting in. I make my way to the mirror and my breath gets stuck in my throat as I see a completely different reflection than what I'm used to.

My skin is glowing just like Mercy's, a soft, healthy blush creeping on my cheeks that makes me look healthy. My lashes are darker than they normally are, but overall the make-up she put on me is very light and natural. My lips are a shade of soft pink and they shine, and she did something with my eyebrows too since they are a bit darker and more shaped.

My hair is parted and falls in loose curls, one side she's put behind my ear. I lift my hand and slide it through; it feels soft and it shines as if I've been to a hair salon. "Mercy, I don't know what to say."

"Do you like it?" She asks, her hopeful green eyes -the same shade as those of her brother- scanning my reflection as she stands behind me. "I made sure to keep it natural. I know this is your first time wearing make-up and all."

I smile and nod, leaning forward again to have a closer look at myself. I look so different than a half-hour ago, I didn't know I could look like this. "It's so different," I mumble.

"It is," Mercy says as she lays her hand on my shoulder. "But I think it's you. The new you. Do you think it's too much?"

I shake my head, still scanning every angle of my face while my hand slides through my shiny locks. "I don't think so? I mean, I like it."

"Good, me too. I think it's perfect for tonight!" She claps her hands again. "Are you going to wear any shoes?"

I follow her gaze with my eyes until I'm looking at my feet. "I wasn't planning on wearing shoes. Should I?"

Mercy frowns slightly and panic starts to rise in my chest again. Of course, I should wear shoes. Everybody will wear shoes. But I only have the ones that Mercy lend me and they don't go with this dress, not to mention that they are slightly big for me as well which will only stand out because I'm not wearing track pants that hide it.

As if Mercy senses my inner panic attack, she squeezes my shoulder. "Don't worry. I brought my black boots. I was going to wear them when I leave here, but you can wear them. They'll complete your outfit."

I turn around so I'm facing her. "Are you sure? What are you going to wear?"

She shrugs, a smile appearing that reveals dimples. I hadn't noticed how much she and Hero look alike. "These babies." He gestures to her feet, holding up one leg to show her black, glittery heel. "I just have to make sure I've had enough alcohol so my feet are numb."

My eyes widen and I'm about to protest, but Mercy laughs and shakes her head. "Kidding. I'll be fine, I promise." She grabs the shopping bag, which contained make-up and hair essentials, and takes out the boots she was talking about. "They're probably a little too big, but it won't show if you lace them up all the way." She smiles encouragingly.