This is a Chapter I took out from the middle the not make the story drag. I am working on another story to go along with this one but it may be from different POV

Aubrey

I woke up to the bed moving but I couldn't see anything. I got up and stumbled to his side of the bed to turn on the lamp. I looked down to see Xavier' face and chest covered in sweat. His forehead was creased and every now and then his body would jump and twitch. I grabbed his shoulders gently and started to shake him.

"Xavier," He jerked again but still wasn't awake. "Xavier, wake up. Xavier you're dreaming." I shook him harder. His eyes shot open seeing me I went to sigh relived but was suddenly grabbed by the neck and throw down on the bed. I grabbed his hand trying to pull him off. I saw his arm raise and his hand went into a fist. He was panting like he just ran twenty miles. I froze terrified looking into his eyes. Those eyes were not Xavier's, those eyes were murderous and black. "Xavier, stop!" I struggled to get out loud enough for him to hear. I couldn't hear myself say anything. My eyes started seeing stars immediately. I felt like he was crushing my windpipe. Suddenly his hand released me and he threw him self back into the wall. I started coughing trying to catch my breath and calm down. My heart was beating so loud I swear it was going to explode.

He was breathing hard too and now pouring sweat. I slowly leaned up looking over at him worried. His eyes met mine and all I saw was pain. Suddenly, he dashed across the room and out the door.

I didn't follow him right away. I went to wipe my face and realized I was crying. The way he looked at me... I thought that night I saw him was the worst I was ever going to see him. I was wrong. That person had scared me enough to be cautious, but this Xavier...part of me wanted to pack and run away from the house. The other part of me was too scared to leave the room because I was afraid of running into him. I pulled my self off the bed and walked to the bathroom. I looked in the mirror and saw black bruises around my neck. I don't know why but I started crying, like hysterically can't breathe, crying. I closed my eyes and saw his fist hanging above my face. I wrapped my arms around my body trying to calm down. What do I do? Do I try to find him? See what had happened. Did I want to find him?

Xavier

I all but ran out of that room. I went to the basement slamming the door hiding from everyone. This hadn't happened in so long and no one had ever been there when it had in the past. I closed my eyes and visions of a man pulling me away from my mother and her screams echoed in my head. My eyes snapped open to make it go away. I ran my hands over my face. I hurt her. I looked down at my hands. I raised my fist at her. I hadn't realized... I couldn't think about that. There was a punching bag that hung down here from when I was younger and this happened. I would beat the hell out of it till the pain in my knuckles was distracting enough to make me forget. I flipped on the light and saw it hanging there.

Aubrey

I didn't try to find him. I locked myself in his room and sat in the bed alone. The very small part of me that knew that wasn't normal was being ignored by basic survival instincts. I never went back to sleep. I just stayed awake staring and thinking. The sun was now up but couldn't bring myself to go down stairs. I heard a knock at the door and jumped.

"W-who is it?"

"Its Chase." I moved to the door before slowly opening it. He was alone. "Y'all okay?" He asked. "It's twelve."

"Um," He looked worried then his eyes widened and he moved to me. I stepped back and he hesitated.

"Your neck...what happened?" He sounded angry.

"I'm not really sure." I whispered.

"Where is he?" He demanded looking pissed.

"I don't know he ran out of here after it happened." He looked at me weird.

"What exactly happened?" I tried to explain the best I could. When I explained Chases face started to relax. "Are you okay?"

"I-I..." Chase stepped towards me.

"He wasn't in his right mind, Aubrey. He..."

Chase took a deep breath. "I know where he is. I'll take care of it." He went to leave.

"Wait, what happened?"

"It was a nightmare. If I'm right, it was about his parents."

"Why did he react like that? His face...I thought he was seriously going to..." I swallowed remembering and it made my throat hurt.

"He was scared, Aubrey. I know he still hasn't opened up to you but he has PTSD. I thought he was over it. Its been so long."

"What happened to him?" He shook his head.

"It's not my place to tell you. I have to go see him." He looked really worried.

"Can I do it?" I asked swallowing my fear. He looked at me confused.

"Are you sure you want to?" I nodded not trusting my voice. "Come on." I followed him to Xavier's office and Chase went to his desk. He opened one of the drawers and grabbed a key ring with a single key on it. Then I followed him downstairs and around the corner to another flight of stairs that lead to a single door. He held out the key to me. "I'll stay in the kitchen if you need anything."

"Thanks." I took it with a shaky hand. I took a deep breath and unlocked the door before going inside. I heard grunting and panting and looked to see Xavier hitting a punching bag. He was pouring sweat just like last time I saw him and I fought the urge to turn and run. I didn't get close but I walked up beside him were he could see me. He stopped and turned his head towards me but never fully looked at me. I looked over him, he no longer looked like a monster. He looked tired. He looked both mentally and physically tired. I stepped closer to him. He still refused to look at me.

"Xavier," I said gently. He squeezed his eyes shut. I reached out a hand and put it to his cheek. He stiffened and I almost jerked away but didn't. His eyes opened and I moved to where he had to look at me. His forehead creased like it hurt him to see me.

"How can you even stand to be near me?" He whispered. His voice was full of emotion and my heart broke for him. I took his face in both of my hands and looked into his eyes. I wasn't expecting it but suddenly he fell to his knees.

Xavier

She took my face and looked into my eyes. I felt like she could see into my soul. Her eyes weren't scared anymore. But I saw something different there, something stronger then that, something kinder. I felt emotions, that had been dormant for years, flow over me. Hurt, lost, betrayal, guilt, lonely, anger, fear. The last of my strength was lost and I fell to my knees. It was to much I couldn't handle it all the memories pushed in the back of my brain. I could still hear them, the cussing, the screaming, the hitting. It wasn't stopping, this time I wasn't dreaming and I couldn't make it stop. I saw the man pull me away from my mother, I heard her scream for me and I saw the man backhand her. I remember her being thrown on the floor beside my dad as the men laughed.

Aubrey

He was starting to shake and I was scared for him. I wanted to help him, I had to help him. I sat down on my knees in front of him.

"Xavier," He flinched when I said his name. "Xavier, look at me." He wasn't calming down. I remembered what Chase said and wondered if he was remembering whatever it was that happened. "Xavier, look at me. I am right here!" I said firmer. I took his face forcing him to look at me. "You are with me now, I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere." I said searching his eyes and making sure he understood me. Suddenly, his eyes changed, like he was slowly coming back to reality. He moved fast taking my face in his hands like it was proof he was here. "I'm right here." I said more gently. I moved closer to him. I went to hug him but before I had the chance he slammed into me wrapping his arms around me. It took me a moment to realize what he was doing. I put my arms around his bear back and hugged him back. He didn't let me hug him long.

He pulled away and sighed before standing up. I looked up at him. He reached down a hand to me and I took it. He looked over my face then his eyes suddenly darkened. He moved my hair and I realized he was just seeing my neck.

"Fuck!" He turned from me punching the bag hanging from the ceiling.

"Xavier, its..."

"Don't!" He turned back to me. "Don't you dare say its fucking okay!" I stayed quiet. We stood there quiet for a few seconds that felt like minutes. "Are you okay?" He asked, his voice was rough. I nodded. He ran his hands over his face and I saw his knuckles were bleeding. I stepped to him taking his hands. It looked like the skin had just been rubbed off.

"You have to put medicine on this!"

"It's fine." He went to pull away but I wouldn't let him.

"No, come on." I pulled him towards the door, he didn't fight me. I wouldn't let go of him and I held onto him until we were in his bathroom. I let go of him to find some kind of medicine. He leaned against the counter as I ran his hands under cold water and wrapped them. I saw him staring at my neck the whole time. "All done." He still wouldn't stop staring. "Xavier,"

"I'm so sorry." He whispered. "I didn't mean to. It was just when you woke me..."

"It's okay, I know." He pushed off the counter and stood over me running his fingers over my neck gently.

"I scared you." He sounded ashamed. I didn't deny it.

"I didn't understand what was happening."

"I would never hurt you on purpose. You know that, right?" He took my face gently. "I know I haven't been very good at controlling my temper around you but I promise I will never hurt you...again." I turned my head in his hands and kissed his palm.

"I know. Come on let's go eat." He nodded. I walked down stairs and saw Chase, Clutch, and Blade at the table. When we walked in they went quite. Chase looked at Xavier and Clutch and Blade looked at me. Chase looked worried and Clutch and Blade looked confused. Chase was the first to talk.

"Can I have a second?" He asked Xavier. He nodded and they walked out of the room.

"Have y'all ate?" I asked Blade and Clutch.

"No not yet. What's going on?" Clutch asked.

"Nothing, we were just talking." I lied. He nodded and then froze. He stomped across the kitchen and looked at me closer.

"What the fuck? Did he hurt you?" He demanded.

"It's not what you think."

"Your neck is black, Aubrey!" He yelled. I flinched. "What happened?"

"Leave it alone." I said calmly.

"No!"

"Listen to her, Clutch." We both looked to see Chase and Xavier. Chase was the one who spoke up, Xavier looked guilty. Xavier stomped passed Chase towards us. I wasn't sure what he was going to do. He glared at Clutch when he passed him but came to me and wrapped his arms around me. I hugged him back laying my head on his chest.

"What the fuck did you do?" He asked Xavier. Xavier's forehead creased. Xavier didn't say anything. It was the first time I saw him let one of the guys talk to him like that. "If you can't control yourself, she is no safer with you than she would be with them." That snapped Xavier out of it. His back stiffened and I felt anger rolling off of him. He pulled away from me.

"Wait, don't fight." I moved pushing myself between the two of them. Both of their chest were pushed against my arms.

"Aubrey, go up stairs."

"No, please don't fight. It was an accident and Clutch is just being a good friend." Clutch wasn't backing down to Xavier for the first time and I knew Xavier wouldn't have that. "Xavier, please." He looked down at me his eyes still furious. But the longer he looked at me I saw him slowly calming down.

"Fine," His jaw flexed but he backed up slightly. I sighed.

"Thank you." I looked at Clutch. He looked between me and Xavier before taking a deep breath and backing off. "Good, now food."

"You aren't cooking for everyone today. We can call something in."

"I don't mind." He gave me a look. "Okay fine." Clutch sat back down and so did Chase. I decided to go back upstairs and Xavier followed. I looked back at him. He was looking at the floor.

"He is right you know?" Xavier said. I knew what he meant. He moved and sat on the corner of the bed. "Its no safer for you to be here."

"Xavier don't do that. You didn't mean to."

"It doesn't matter if I meant to. I still hurt you." I moved to him.

"It does matter."

💕First chapter of sequel is posted in the next "chapter" and the sequel is up now 💕