"Well, there was this man who came into the hospital with his arm just hanging there by muscle tissue and skin." I watch her face, and I see her face contorted, "It was a crazy sight for New York. I only have seen that during the war." I take a bite of my food watching her.

We are sitting across from each other, eating dinner as she listens to me talk about my day. I can't tell her any names due to HIPAA laws. But I feel less stressed about being able to talk about my work. After a few minutes, she is just sitting across from me, just looking at me and not eating.

"Are you okay?" I ask her, finishing off my Garlic Bread. Did I say too much? I hope I didn't make her sick at the thought of me removing his arm... She doesn't answer my question, but instead, she stands up groaning slightly and goes into her room. Her blue silk robe flows as she walks. I stand up quickly, walking after her, "Phoebe?" I call out her name, walking into her room.

She grabs her pill bottles, putting the pills she needs into her hand. When she looks up at me, she nods her head. "I- I'm fine." She nervously walks around me. "I just need to take these." She walks back to the table, grabbing her glass of water.

"Are you sure? You-"

"I-" She swallows the water and the pills. "My ribs hurt- that's all." She puts her hand on her side, and that's when I notice she isn't wearing her wrist brace. Also, I told her I would examine her ribs.

"Let me see." I take a small step forward, but I don't know if she is completely naked underneath the robe. It's not like I haven't seen women naked, but when it comes to Phoebe, I need to be wary around her. She has been through so much, for many years. I don't want her to feel like that ever again.

"I only have panties under this." She is barely audible, her cheeks turning red as she grabs the string wrapped around her waist.

"Do you want to put on some shorts, or-" I look around the apartment, "Or you can cover them with a blanket." I point at the throw blanket on the sofa. She walks slowly to the couch and grabs the sheet. Wrapping it around her waist, she sits down on the armrest. Slowly, she pulls it under her silk robe and exposes the fading bruises on her right

I take a massive step towards her, getting down on one knee and examining her ribs. The bruises haven't gotten darker, but there are some signs of swelling- Which means she needs to take it easier.

I look up at her, staring down at me, and I move my hands slowly to her. She doesn't flinch away, but instead, she takes in a sharp breath as my hand touches her skin. I give her a small smile, pushing my hands slightly against her ribs. Phoebe hisses, squeezing the blanket and closing her eyes. I look up suddenly, seeing her skin covered with goosebumps.

"Let me just check your surgical sight while I'm here." I give her a small smile, and she moves the other side of the robe up. I look up and see the red scar that I created when I removed her spline. The scar is on the left side of the belly just below her nonbroken ribs. I'm glad I didn't have to open her up completely, or she would have a scar going from the middle of her belly.

Phoebe lets out a deep breath, as I remove my hands from her side. I stand up as she drops the robe allowing it to cover her thighs and move the blanket off her legs. Phoebe tosses the blanket behind her and stands up. We are inches apart from each other as she stares at my necklace, refusing to look at me.

Noah, back up and give her space.

I listen to my subconscious, taking a few steps back walking to the dining room table. I start picking up what's left of our dinner, and Phoebe stands there at the end of the sofa. I pick up the plates, scrape the leftovers into the trash and place them into the sink as well as the silverware and the glass cups.

I look up and notice Phoebe's laptop on the kitchen island, as well as her phone. Is she working already? I am about to ask her, but I look over and see she's not in the living room anymore.

Phoebe need's space. Give her space, Noah Plus, I am too exhausted from work, and I have to be up early to do it all over again. I look at the clock on the microwave; it's almost midnight.

I leave the dishes in the sink and head to my room. It's a dull room with only a large bed in the middle, a bedside table with an alarm clock and lamp on top of it. I lay down on the bed, looking at the laundry basket that is piling up. Oddly enough, this reminds me that I am not by myself anymore. Phoebe is in the next room over, and she has needs as well. Plus, I saw the neatly handwritten note she placed on the fridge that we need food.

I make a mental note to go shopping as soon as possible as I pull the covers over my body. I look up at the ceiling falling asleep thinking about the green-eyed woman sleeping in the next room over.

Within what felt like seconds, my eyes pop open to the sound of my alarm going off. I let out a deep breath waking up on my stomach again reaching for the alarm clock shutting it off. 4:30 AM. I turn on the lamp, letting my eyes adjust, practically rolling myself out of bed. When I stand up, I head to the bathroom doing my business and starting the shower.

Once I'm finished, I wrap a towel around my waist, hearing feet moving around in Phoebe's room.

What is she doing awake?

I walk to her door, which is cracked open, seeing Phoebe pacing around the room in a panic. "You're okay. Yeah, You're fine. It's okay. Just breathe." She keeps repeating, her hands moving when she talks then biting her nails and now pulling her hair.

I open up the door and walk towards her. She doesn't notice me until I step in front of her. This makes her stop dead in her tracks. She keeps repeating those words over and over.

"Phoebe." I grab her upper arms, making her tense up. She is shaking uncontrollably, breathing heavy.

"Phoeb's, look at me." I am calm, not wanting to scare her. I hate seeing her like this. But I control all my emotions. Right now I need to stop this-

"Look at me. Watch me." My hands move up her arms until I'm cupping her cheeks. I make her look at me- Her eyes filled with fear. What started this? I lean down- faces now inches apart.

"Just breathe with me." My voice is as gentle as I could make it. Phoebe nods her head, following my breathing. I let my hand fall to her carotid artery so I could feel her pulse.

"You're okay," I whisper as my thumb ran over a small yellow bruise under her bottom lip. She is going back into sinus rhythm. I tell myself, as her body relaxes. I pull her into a hug, holding her to me. She doesn't hug me back at first, standing there with her arms at her side. I close my eyes, petting her long brown hair.

I feel her arms go up slowly, putting her hands on my lower back. I move my hands, grabbing onto her face. I need to make sure she is okay-

"You okay?" I whisper, and she nods her head. "How about we get you back into bed?" I give her a small smile. My hands leave her face, and I place one of them on her lower back. I guide her back to her bed, pulling the covers away so she can get under them. Once she is laying down, I pull the covers over her and catch myself tucking her in slightly.

"I have to go to work, but if you need me, please don't hesitate to call me, okay?" I smile at her, walking to the door. "Get some sleep." I turn off the lights once she nods her head and closes her eyes. I close the door gently and head into the kitchen to cook myself breakfast before I go to work. I also need to find out what caused her to have an anxiety attack-

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