They got to his apartment and she stripped her clothes off before he even shut the door. For some reason, the warmth of the cab had made the champagne hit her harder and she was really buzzed.

“Ugh sweats or nothing from now on,” she said. She was wearing a strapless bra and she took it off and threw it in her bag.

“Are you drunk?” he laughed.

“No!... well a little,” she giggled, “but you just don’t understand the pain of girl clothes.”

“Well as far as I’m concerned you can wear anything… or nothing,” he grinned at her.

“You’re so sexy Elliot,” she said kissing him and pulling him over to his bed.

“Wait, I gotta take flipper out,” he tried to say as she bit his lower lip.

“I’ll be so quick,” she pouted, setting on the edge of his bed.

“You can wait five minutes,” he laughed.

“Okay, but I might pass out, so you have my permission to do me in my sleep,” she said.

“I don’t think I’ll be doing that,” he laughed kissing her nose, “make some coffee, sober up a little I don’t want to take advantage of you when you’re drunk.”

She scoffed, “I’m serious, you could do what you want to me, even when I’m asleep, it’s fine, I love you.”

“I love you too, but we’ll see what you say about that when you’re sober okay?” he said getting flipper ready.

“Fine but I’ll write it down and I will say the same thing then,” she said crawling back into his bed.

“Please stay inside, please,” he said leaving and locking the door behind him like she couldn’t unlock it from the inside.

She lay on the bed waiting, the room started to spin so she got up and walked around. She started to make some coffee but then someone knocked.

“I’m naked, who is it?” she yelled.

“I forgot my key,” Elliot said.

She looked through the peephole, it was indeed Elliot, so she opened the door and he walked in and said, “you always answer the door like that?”

She stood there holding the door open and he took it and shut it quickly.

“Sometimes I answer in a hot pink bra remember?” she asked.

“Yea I remember,” he said and took flipper's collar off. Then he took her by the shoulders and sat her at the table, “why didn’t you get dressed?”

“I didn’t want to,” she said standing up.

He sighed and unbuttoned his shirt and untucked it, she giggled, “you’re so hot.”

He grinned and brought the shirt over and put it around her and she put her arms in it then he pulled the front closed around her. She looked down at herself, “I like it.”

He nodded, “sexy, now sit and I’ll make some coffee,” he said.

“I started to, but you came back,” she said sitting at the table. He started making coffee then changed into sweatpants. She laid her head in her arms on the table, “Elliot?” she called to him. He came over and said, “what’s wrong?”

“I don’t like this,” she whined into her arms.

“Being drunk?” he asked.

“I’m not drunk but almost, I don’t like it,” she said.

“I know, I’ll get you some coffee and maybe you’ll feel better okay?” he rubbed the back of her head. He fixed her a cup and she started to drink it as he straightened up his apartment and got on his computer. She sobered up a lot after a couple of cups and walked over to him. He looked over at her and she opened her shirt and closed it quickly, flashing her breasts at him. He laughed and slid his chair back turning to face her. She pointed at his computer and said, “what are you doing?”

“Nothing,” he said quickly exiting out of a bunch of screens. She saw some newspaper articles about Luke’s trial, and she sighed frowning at him.

“Don’t lie, Elliot, what are you doing?”

“I was just checking the news about what’s going on, I know you don’t want to so I’m keeping up with it,” he said.

“Dom will let me know what I need to know when I need to,” she said and walked over and laid down on his bed. He jumped up and came over, so she turned over facing away from him.

“Now you're mad?” he asked.

“I don’t know… I’m processing,” she said.

“I won’t look at anymore, of it,” he said.

“I didn’t say that you couldn’t, I’m processing, I’m thinking about what I would do in your position,” she said.

“Oh,” he said softly.

“I would probably do the same thing, I would be super curious, I’m not gonna act like I didn’t look at stuff about Angela and Shayla, I looked at Olivia’s Facebook,” she said.

“Why?” he asked.

“Curiosity? Jealousy? I don’t know, but none of them were like Luke, but I didn’t tell you, so I guess we’re even,” she said.

“I just didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t want you to think about it,” he said.

“I know,” she said, “you’re not hacking him and stuff, are you?”

“No, there’s no reason, he’s in jail, if I could make things worse for him I would, jail isn’t going to be easy for him, Leon will see to that,” he said.

“Elliot,” she scolded.

“It can’t be traced back to me, do you really think they are going to investigate a douchebag like him getting beaten every day in jail? They don’t care about why fights happen, they happen all the time, especially to rich entitled assholes like him.”

She tried to find some sort of sympathy for Luke, at the very least to let Elliot know it was wrong, but she could find none, so she just shrugged. He was right, Luke would’ve gotten himself in fights daily anyway.

“Don’t have him killed,” she said.

“I won’t, I want him to suffer every day,” he said with a darkness in his eyes.

“When I have to testify, I think you should stay home,” she said.

“I want to be there for you,” he said.

“I know but I don’t want you to be in the same room as him, I don’t know what will happen,” she said.

“I will be fine, if I lose my temper Mr. Robot will be there to stop me from reacting,” he said.

“Does he know this?” she asked.

“Yea we already talked about it, one of us will be there for you the whole time,” he said.

“Luke will probably have a whole cheerleading section,” she scoffed. Elliot just looked down like he knew something.

“What is it?” she asked.

“There is umm…” he started.

“Just tell me,” she said.

“There are petitions and protesters, idiots from his frat and people like that,” he said.

She blinked, “I’m not surprised, all those people harassed me for him whenever he asked, I’ll just have to make sure the charges stick.”

“The evidence against him is undeniable but they are going to use character witnesses to try and make him sympathetic,” he said.

“That’s exactly what he is to those people, a character, a role he plays to make people like him, the real him is a monster,” she said.

He rubbed her shoulder and she turned over to him, “can you hold me for a while?”

He pulled her to him, and she started kissing him softly. She grabbed him unexpectedly and he groaned loudly.

“Right now?” he breathed. She nodded and attacked him, letting out all her frustration on his body. He didn’t mind, he let her do what she wanted to him and she rode him and started to cry into his hair.

“You want to stop?” he asked.

“No, I need this please,” she sobbed. He looked up at her concerned and she said, “I feel like I’m just letting everything out.”

“Okay baby,” he said kissing her neck and letting her continue. The bed banged against the wall so hard she was sure they were going to break it. Elliot lay there helpless, trying to cry out but unable to do anything but whimper with pleasure. She liked having this power over him, the ability to make him like this. When she was done, she fell over on her side of the bed gasping for air. Elliot lay there still moaning and started finishing himself on his stomach.

“I didn’t know you weren’t done,” she said.

“Second time,” he gasped, “damn baby, you were like a fucking animal.”

She giggled, “you okay?”

He just groaned in response, so she leaned over him and finished him off completely with her mouth. He yelled some cuss words and twitched as she took him all the way in.

Afterward, she cuddled up to him and fell asleep fast, probably due to a combination of her overexerting herself physically and emotionally, and the alcohol.

The next morning, they slept in and then Elliot made her coffee before she woke up. She declared it ‘sexy Saturday’ and told him they couldn’t get dressed, they had to stay in their undergarments unless someone came over. They stayed in bed until it was around three and Darlene came over to smoke. Elliot threw on sweatpants and Raine just put his work shirt back on since it was just Darlene. They smoked and Darlene gathered Elliot’s laundry and said she was gonna do all their laundry. Raine protested but Elliot just let her do it because he knew Darlene better and if Darlene wanted to do something, there was no stopping her.

“So Dom says they are pushing for a quick trial, public opinion has a lot to do with his conviction and the FBI wants the facts to be presented and then bam, life in prison,” Darlene said.

“So he might get off?” Raine asked.

“A ‘not guilty’ is almost impossible at this point, the FBI pretty much won’t even allow it, they were watching him because of you and that’s how they have so much evidence, they all but watched him do it,” Darlene said.

“So he’s caught because of you,” Elliot said, “you should feel good about that.”

“I do, so if they’re so convinced he’s guilty what is the trial for?” Raine asked.

“Well he has a great lawyer, the FBI is sure they are going to argue that he was a good man pushed to his breaking point,” Darlene said.

“By what?” Raine asked.

“Not what, who,” Darlene corrected.

“Me?” Raine shouted.

“Baby, calm down,” Elliot put his arm around her and gave Darlene a look.

“She should know before they spring it on her in court,” Darlene said.

“She’s right,” Raine said to Elliot, “you can’t protect me from everything, I’d rather be prepared, I’m pissed but at least I can prepare myself.”

“The prosecutor will probably call Krista in to prove you have PTSD and are… I hate to call it this but ‘damaged’ by Luke, that you’re the victim and not him,” Darlene said.

“Well obviously I am, he took my internal organs and killed someone, what illegal things have I done? Smoked some pot?” Raine said.

“Of course, we all know that sweetie but it’s just the angle his lawyer is going to take,” Darlene said.

“When does the trial start?” Raine asked.

“They are pushing for this week, but if they do start this week you won’t be called to testify until next week probably, they want to present all the evidence, and this is if the FBI gets the speedy trial they want,” Darlene said, “the entire FBI is on your side, so don’t worry, I just wanted you to know ahead of time so you’re ready.”

“Do you think Dom or the prosecutor would set down and talk to me about what they might ask me?” Raine asked.

“Oh yes Dom will as a favor but the prosecutor will anyway because it’s his job,” Darlene said.

“I am so glad for you and Dom both doing all this,” Raine said.

“I’m glad you asked someone for help before it got worse, if they hadn’t caught him who knows what he would’ve done next,” Elliot said.

“I wish I would have sooner, Sarah would be alive,” Raine said.

“But if you hadn’t done anything who knows how many girls he’d have gone after,” Elliot said.

“And you tried a long time ago,” Darlene reminded her.

“Yea it’s just because the FBI actually wanted to do something about him finally, the police could have stopped him a long time ago if they’d have listened to me,” Raine said.

“I hope you keep reminding yourself of that, you did try as much as you knew how to, only him and the police that ignored you are to blame for this,” Elliot said. Elliot didn’t like to say his name and even when he said ‘him’ he spat it out like it was disgusting.

“Well he’s not the only one, the police and the entire justice system are bad about ignoring domestic violence… like it’s a lover’s spat,” Raine said, “it’s not, it’s violence and those men end up doing unspeakable things.”

“You should say that when you testify,” Darlene said.

“I don’t know, you think the court would side with me if I badmouth them?” Raine asked.

“Someone needs to say it,” Darlene said.

“Do what feels right to you,” Elliot said, “we’ll all be there for you no matter what.”

She smiled at them, “I don’t know what I would do without you guys, I’d be alone aside from Papi… and my employees, who are great, but we aren’t close like this.”

“We’re overjoyed to be a part of your life too babe,” Darlene said.

After they talked some more and smoked and ate some snacks, Darlene left with Elliot’s dirty clothes. Elliot was still hungry so they ordered dinner early and Raine just shoved hers in the fridge for later because she was full from the munchies she’d eaten.

“Oh were you coming over to Papi’s tomorrow?” she asked him.

“Yea if you still want me to,” he said.

“Yes I do, I was just going to say I’m cooking again,” she said.

“Oh man, now I can’t wait, what are you cooking?” he asked.

“I don’t know yet, Papi just buys what he wants me to cook on Sundays when he goes shopping,” she said.

“Oh, he goes shopping?” Elliot asked.

“Yea, he can walk with a walker, it just takes a lot longer than most people, his nurse takes him to the farmers market and the store, he likes fresh ingredients, sometimes I bring stuff with me if I have extra time,” she said, “I wanted to go over last night too but you know, had therapy homework.”

“We can show him you singing,” Elliot said.

“What? How?”

“I recorded it, with my phone,” he said.

“Elliot, you asshole,” she laughed.

“I just wanted it for myself, but I’m sure he’d love to see it,” he said.

“Okay, but just this once I’m gonna let that slide, don’t record us doing it or something without my permission,” she said.

“Okay what if I have permission?” he teased.

“If anyone could keep it private it would be you, you’d destroy the internet if it got out,” she laughed.

“I wouldn’t record that to begin with, and don’t ever send me things like that, it’s too risky,” he said seriously.

“I won’t but I did just remember something,” she said.

“What’s that?” he asked.

“Last night you thought I was just drunk when I said you can do whatever you want to me, even when I’m asleep or drunk or whatever,” she said.

“It couldn’t be anything, I mean nothing dangerous,” he said.

“Would you want to do something dangerous to my body?” she laughed.

“Well no,” he said.

“That’s why I said whatever you want to do, I know you wouldn’t do anything bad, I trust you,” she said.

“I wouldn’t want to have sex with you if you’re not awake,” he said.

“Well I know, I don’t mean with me sleeping the whole time, but like if you wanted to wake me up by doing whatever, you know, or if I’m a little drunk, which I never am anyway, just for future reference because last night I was barely even drunk and you were like ‘oh no I can’t even touch you, I’m perfect',” she said.

“You were drunker than you thought,” he said.

“Regardless, I really wanted to have sex, so next time, if there is one, just do it,” she said.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he grinned, “what about now?”

“I haven’t drunk anything today,” she said, pretending she didn’t know what he was talking about. She got off the couch and walked over and threw herself on his bed. He abandoned his food and followed her. They spent the rest of the day just hanging out in his apartment, he played a couple of movies but they couldn’t watch much of either of them because they couldn’t stop making out and kept ending up in bed, or on the floor or the couch having sex.

As the last movie ended she said, “I’m pretty sure we’ve had sex on every inch of your apartment.”

“Is that a challenge?” he laughed lighting a cigarette.

“Maybe, but I need a little break,” she said, “I’m hungry.” She got the Ramen she had ordered and heated it up. She sat on the opposite end of the couch from him and crossed her legs facing him. She was stoned and enjoying her food when she noticed him looking at her, “stop staring at me.”

“I’m just watching you eat,” he said.

“Why? It’s gross,” she said.

“Nah, it’s cute,” he said.

“How is me slurping Ramen, cute?”

“It just is,” he laughed.

“Is it cute or do you just want some?” she asked.

“It is cute but yea I want some,” he said.

She got some on her fork and held it up, “you have to come and get it.”

He leaned over and took a bite and ate it, then grinned at her.

“Stop it,” she said.

“Stop what?”

“Being so… so.”

“Annoying?” he offered.

“Adorable,” she said, “you want more?”

He nodded and she fed him a little more. It was the stupidest thing in the world for her to find appealing, but she did. He must’ve felt the same because he kissed her quickly and said, “okay I have to stop so you can finish it before we end up fucking, covered in Ramen.”

She laughed and pushed him away playfully. They spent the rest of the evening talking and having sex. She let Elliot show her the videos of her singing from the night before. It was odd and she didn’t know how she felt about it, but he seemed pleased. They went to sleep at different times because Elliot wanted to check out what he could online about her upcoming case. She fell asleep waiting for him to be done. Sometime in the night, he woke her up by cuddling up behind her and kissing the back of her neck and he almost had his hand down the front of her panties.

He hesitated, and she whispered, “it’s okay.”

“I thought you might want this because you kept talking about it,” he said.

“I do,” she said. He continued then undress her, and they started having sex in that position. They fell asleep when they were done, and they didn’t even bother putting anything back on. The morning came and she groaned as Elliot woke her up, “how is it Sunday already?”

“Want me to make weekends longer?” he asked.

“If someone could do it, it would be you,” she said.

“I would, for you,” he said kissing her. She giggled and they made out a little and started another sex session but then there was a knock on the door.

“Who the fu-?” Elliot said as they pounded loudly the second time.

“Ignored it,” Raine said. Elliot hung his head and sighed. He jumped up grabbing the shirt she had worn all day the day before and covered his front with it.

He opened the door and said, “what are you doing here?”

A female voice said, “well hello.” She was clearly pleased with what she saw so Raine got up and wrapped the blanket around her and hobbled over.

“Is something wrong at work?” Elliot asked.

“No, I was just in the neighborhood…” she stopped talking when Raine got over to the door, Elliot opened it a little wider to show Cindy she was there.

“Hi Cindy,” Raine said politely and coolly.

“Oh, I didn’t know you had company,” Cindy said.

“He doesn’t, I live here,” Raine said, she saw Elliot raise his eyebrows and bite back a grin out of the corner of her eye. Then he put his free arm around Raine and inched a little behind her to cover his body more.

“How did you know where I lived?” Elliot asked.

“Oh, it’s in the… files,” Cindy stammered, embarrassed. Raine felt a little bad for her but she knew Elliot wasn’t interested and this was a little much.

“Well, we were kind of in the middle of something,” Raine said.

“I know it’s against the rules to look at someone’s file, but I just looked at the address, that’s all,” Cindy said to Elliot, ignoring Raine. This added another layer that Raine hadn’t thought of, she could be fired for this, what was she expecting to happen? Raine looked at her skimpy outfit and realized what she had planned. Elliot sighed and looked at Raine for help.

“Cindy, can you wait here while we get dressed?” Raine asked her. She nodded and looked like she was about to cry.

Elliot shut the door, “what are you doing? Shouldn’t we just tell her to leave?”

“Something is wrong, you don’t do all this over a little crush,” Raine said, taking the shirt from him and putting it on. He started to put on his sweatpants.

“I swear I didn’t even know that woman’s name…” he started.

“No, I know, I don’t think you’ve led her on, I think there’s something wrong with her, like she’s lonely or something, I feel kind of bad.”

“She went through my file, she could be fired,” he said.

“I know, that’s why I think she was desperate, she’s fixated on you to avoid some other thing wrong in her life, I don’t think you should tell on her.”

He tilted his head confused and frustrated.

Raine sighed, “just give her one more chance to stop this, tell her if she does anything like this again she’ll be fired, but just give her a chance.”

“I figured you’d be more pissed than me,” he said.

“I am a little, but I don’t know what led her to this point,” she said.

Elliot opened the door and motioned for Cindy to come in, she looked around the apartment curiously. Flipper ran over and greeted her by licking her leg and she started to cry. Raine sighed and looked at Elliot, he held his hands up and shook his head so Raine went over and hugged her.

“I’m sorry,” Cindy said, backing away and wiping her eyes.

“It’s okay, so Elliot has agreed to let this slide, just this once, right?” Raine looked at him, he nodded.

“Thank you,” Cindy said, unable to look at either of them.

“Seriously, you can’t do anything like this ever again and you have to leave Elliot alone, we are engaged, and he’s committed to me completely, so not only will you have trouble at work, I will take it personally,” Raine said. Cindy looked up at her a little frightened. Raine felt a little bad for saying it, this is why she couldn’t be mean to people, she always felt bad afterward.

“That being said, I think you should talk to someone, we have a great therapist but you seeing her would be a conflict of interest, so I’ll see if she can give you a recommendation,” Raine said.

“You think I’m crazy?” Cindy asked a little offended.

Raine winced at the word, “no, I think you’re lonely, this is a big city with a lot of people but it’s so hard to find people to actually connect with, talking to someone helps, but Elliot is off-limits.”

“I’m so embarrassed, everyone at work will look at me like a freak,” Cindy said.

“I’m not gonna tell anyone about this,” Elliot said.

“Why are you guys being nice to me?” Cindy asked.

Raine shrugged, “maybe someone has to be, I know how tough it is to be lonely, maybe eventually we can be friends.”

Cindy nodded and Raine got her cell number so she could connect her with a therapist, Elliot stayed far from both of them and let Raine lead her out the door. Raine shut the door and fell against it and huffed, “my gosh.”

“I’m so sorry about that,” he said.

“Not your fault, I’m just glad I was here,” Raine said.

“Me too, I would have freaked out and slammed the door in her face,” he said.

“Even if you were single?” Raine asked. He nodded, she looked at him skeptically then realized he was telling the truth. He probably would’ve gone for it if it was someone else, someone younger and that he didn’t work with. But only if he were single and really that wasn’t her business.

“You’re really different than most people,” Elliot said.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“Not many people would be that nice about it.”

She shrugged, “if she doesn’t stop, I’ll claw her eyes out but I think she just needs someone to talk to.”

Elliot laughed and sat on the couch, “come here.” They finished what they had started earlier and Elliot had breakfast while Raine showered. He took one as she got ready and when he was dressed and ready they went to the shop to get her car.

She drove them to Papi’s and reminded him to not be nervous. He didn’t seem as nervous as the first time. Papi was feeling better than usual and they went through the last of the pictures. “I guess this means you won’t have to come over this week?” Papi said.

“I can still do that Papi, I am taking Wednesdays and Fridays off now for therapy, so I can come on one of those days,” she said.

“Therapy? You okay?” he asked.

“Yea I’m just dealing with a lot, about Luke and the trial,” she said.

“What does his trial have to do with you?” Papi asked.

She was so distracted cooking she couldn’t stop letting things slip out.

“She’s gonna be a character witness to help put him away longer, that’s all,” Elliot said, saving her the trouble of telling him everything. It wasn’t exactly a lie, but Elliot made it sound like it wasn’t mandatory. Papi looked at them both suspiciously, he knew better, he knew a lot about the law but he let it go.

“Just be safe, is this therapy helping you?” he asked.

“Yes, it helps a lot, I think I’ve needed it for a long time,” she said. She changed the subject and cooked for them. She made chicken and mashed potatoes with homemade rolls.

Elliot moaned as he tasted it, then said, “this is fucking delicious… oh I’m sorry.”

Papi laughed, “son if the worst habit you have is cursing, you’re doing a lot better than most.”

Raine could tell Papi liked him a lot, she smiled at them and watched them enjoy the dinner she’d made them. She kind of wished Darlene could be with them, maybe she’d take her some leftovers if Elliot left any. He ate it like he had been starving for weeks and got a second helping of everything. Elliot showed Papi the video he’d taken of Raine singing and Papi let a few tears fall from his eyes. Papi told her she should sing more often and she just shrugged, embarrassed. They took Papi to church and Elliot sat quietly listening and taking it all in, Raine wondered if he’d ever gone before. She got to take Darlene some food and Darlene spent the night with her. Elliot was so busy with work the next couple of days that Raine barely talked to him. Not that she minded that much, she needed the two days to prepare the shop for her not being there as much in the upcoming weeks. She didn’t see Elliot until their therapy appointment on Wednesday. He wasn’t there when she got there but he came in a half-hour after her session started. Raine stood to greet him and he hugged her and lifted her off the ground and swung her a bit.

“I missed you so much, I’m sorry I’ve been so busy,” he said.

“It’s fine, I have been too,” she said, then she said to Krista, “sorry about that, we haven’t seen each other since Sunday night.”

“That’s alright, how are you guys doing, relationship-wise?” Krista asked.

“Perfect,” they said at the same time as they sat on the couch.

She smiled, “was that rehearsed?”

Raine laughed, “no actually, I didn’t know he was going to answer.”

Elliot took her hand and kissed the back of it and said, “I have no complaints, except the past two days have been excruciating.”

“We’ve both been busy with work,” Raine explained.

“Well, I wanted to try something and see how it affects you… Elliot, I want you to yell at her,” Krista said.

“What? No, I can’t do that,” Elliot said.

“Why do you want him to yell?” Raine asked.

“I want you to get over your fear of loud noises, men yelling and since you trust him so much, I figured it would be the best way, we talked about this last week.”

“I can’t do it,” Elliot said shaking his head.

“You’ll be helping her,” Krista said.

Elliot finally agreed if he could look away and stand on the other side of the room. They went through the exercise a few times and Raine only jumped a little when Elliot yelled each time.

“You’re not being triggered,” Krista said.

“Well, I know it’s coming and why,” Raine said, “he’s not even actually mad.”

“It’s still a good sign,” Krista said.

They went through some more things and then Raine left a half-hour before Elliot. She waited for his session to be over in the living room. Elliot walked out and smiled when he saw her, “I was hoping you would stay.”

“Of course, I haven’t seen you in a couple of days,” she said putting her arms around his neck.

“Come to work with me?” he asked.

“Is that allowed?” she asked.

“It should be fine,” he said.

She went with him and they walked in and she waved at Cindy who waved a little but looked down like she was embarrassed. Elliot didn’t acknowledge this at all and walked past the desk like no one was sitting there. When they got in the elevator Raine asked him why he didn’t say anything to Cindy.

“I don’t want to encourage anything,” he said. She smiled to herself and took his hand, he looked at her and grinned a little.

When they got to his floor she started toward his office but he pulled her the other direction around to a small hallway. No one was around and there was a door to a janitor closet. Elliot knelt down and picked the lock. He pulled her in and shut the door and locked it.

“What are you doing?” she giggled.

“We have to be quiet,” he whispered.

He picked her up and held her against the door, they had sex as quietly as possible. When they were done and getting dressed she said, “this is kind of risky for you.”

“It was worth it, I couldn’t wait any longer,” he said.

She tilted her head and started fixing his hair for him where she had messed it all up. He kissed her again and then went out the door, “wait a minute or two then come to my office.”

She shut the door behind him and counted to sixty and then went out. She rounded the corner and ran directly into the back of someone. It was Jake, he turned and smiled at her.

“Well, hello Raine, or is it Mrs. Alderson yet?” he asked

“Not yet, but I like the sound of that,” she said honestly.

“What are you doing back there? There’s nothing but a janitor’s closet in that hall,” he said. There was another man standing there holding a clipboard that she’d never seen before. She thought quickly and held up her cell phone, “I had to make a phone call, wanted some privacy.”

“Oh, Mr. Martin, this is Raine Valarian, Elliot’s fiancé,” Jake said to the man, raising his eyebrows in amusement.

Mr. Martin shook Raine’s hand and said, “it’s nice to meet you, I have to say I’m a little surprised Elliot got himself a woman like you.”

She smiled and bore holes in him with her eyes, “Elliot is a wonderful person, I’m lucky to have him.”

“Oh I didn’t mean anything by that, we are lucky to have him too, I just meant he’s a little on the shy side,” Mr. Martin said.

“Well he’s not shy where it counts,” she fired back but giggled a little. They both laughed and Jake patted her on the back making her flinch, she continued, “it was nice to meet you but if you’ll excuse me.” She tried to angle around Jake but he turned to face her and get in her way. She looked up at him seething, “Excuse me.”

“I just want to ask you when he’s not around, what do you see in that guy?” Jake said.

She gaped at him for a second shocked that he would have the nerve, “Elliot is the best person I’ve ever met, he’s a genius, he’s beautiful inside and out,” she paused and got closer and whispered so only Jake could hear her, “and he’s got the biggest… well you know, that I’ve ever seen.”

Jake’s mouth dropped open and she pushed past him without another word, she sauntered to Elliot’s office grinning to herself. She went in without knocking and Elliot saw the look on her face.

“What’s going on?” he asked.

“Nothing,” she said sitting across from him.

“The truth,” he said sternly.

“Jake caught me coming out of that hallway,” she said.

Elliot started to get up and she said, “sit down, I handled it.”

“What did you do?” he asked apprehensively.

“I told him I was making a call and needed privacy,” she said, Elliot nodded approvingly, then she continued, “then he introduced me to some Mr. Martin guy and…” she stopped not wanting to tell him what Jake had asked.

“What?” he asked.

“He wouldn’t let me through and asked me why… why I was with you,” she said wincing.

“Oh,” Elliot said, looking down at his hands.

“So I told him why, I said you’re wonderful, smart, hot, and have the biggest dick I’ve ever seen,” she said.

Elliot’s head jerked up, “What?! No, you didn’t, in front of Mr. Martin?”

“Well I whispered the last part so only Jake could hear,” she said.

His expression was unreadable, he looked shocked and then confused, then he relaxed a little and shook his head.

“Are you mad?” she asked.

“No, I just wish you hadn’t done that,” he said.

“Why? He needed to be knocked down a peg,” she said.

“By saying that?” he asked.

“That’s a big deal to guys like him, I can tell it matters to him a lot, everything in his life is nothing but compensation, I don’t really even care that much about it, most girls don’t but he does, and knowing that, about you, will eat him alive, everything he thought about you has changed now, now it makes sense, why you don’t seem to care what people think, why you don’t try to impress anyone, his worst fear was just confirmed, that all the guys he’s bullied didn’t kiss his ass because they knew deep down that they were better than him, because they are, maybe not all of them in that way but still that’s the only thing he needed to hear.”

He watched her for a moment and sighed, “I know your right… maybe it will help, I don’t know, what if he tells other people?”

“Is that really the worst thing? You know they talk shit about stuff they make up in their idiot heads anyway, I just hope he doesn’t tell Cindy,” she said.

Elliot laughed, “Oh man, what am I going to do with you?”

She shrugged, “I’m sorry but I just wanted to hit him where it hurts.”

“So it’s not true? The stuff you told him?” he asked.

“Yea it is, that’s the best part,” she laughed, “I just said the truth, I mean he asked why I like you, so I told him.”

“You like me for my…?” he grinned and shook his head like he was embarrassed to say it.

“I meant all the things I said before that mostly, but that’s a bonus, I never cared much about that but it is what it is,” she shrugged, “I love every part of you.”

“I love you too, come here,” he said. She leaned over his desk and kissed him and quickly sat back down.

Someone knocked on his door and Elliot said, “come in.”

Mr. Martin came in looking nervous, “sorry to bother you Mr. Alderson but I wanted to see if I could talk to you for a moment, alone.”

Elliot looked at Raine, “can you give us a minute?”

“Sure,” she said standing up, she smiled at Mr. Martin as she walked past him and out the door. Elliot told him to have a seat as she closed the door behind her. She didn’t know who Mr. Martin was but she hoped Elliot wasn’t in trouble because of her. She looked around and people working took turns eyeing her suspiciously. She wasn’t dressed for work at all so they had to know she was just a visitor. She had on a white skirt and a Soundgarden teeshirt with tall socks and converse shoes. A short stocky man walked up to her and stuck out his hand, “you must be Raine,” he said.

She shook his hand and said, “y-yes, I am, how did you know?”

“Elliot talks about you a lot, I’m Lloyd, I used to work with him at Allsafe, he got me a job here, good guy.”

“Yes he is, it’s nice to meet you, Lloyd,” she said, Elliot had mentioned him once or twice as one of the very few people he’d worked with that he could tolerate.

“You look kind of lost so I thought I’d come to say hi and keep you company while he’s busy,” Lloyd said.

“Oh thank you so much,” she said inching away from Elliot’s door and out of everyone’s way.

“We have a break room if you want to go get a coffee with me,” he said.

“I’d like that,” she smiled, she waved at Elliot as she walked past his window with Lloyd and he looked surprised but smiled at them. She followed Lloyd to the breakroom and they had coffee and made small talk until Elliot walked in.

“I’ve been looking for you,” he said, sitting beside her.

“Did you get in trouble?” she asked.

“For what?” he asked.

“What I said to Jake,” she said.

Elliot laughed, “no, Mr. Martin just started here today, he had a lot of questions.”

“What did you say to Jake?” Lloyd asked.

“Don’t ask,” Elliot said.

“Oh, now I have to know,” Lloyd said.

Raine smiled at him, “I just let him know that he didn’t have a chance in stealing me from Elliot because Elliot’s a bigger man than him.”

“Yea, Jake’s a douchebag,” Lloyd said, missing the innuendo. Raine smiled at Elliot who just shook his head.

“Thanks for looking out,” Elliot said to Lloyd and nodded toward her.

“Oh yea no problem, you’ve talked about her so much I knew she had to be special,” Lloyd said. Elliot blushed and wouldn’t look at Raine.

“What does he say?” Raine asked.

“Well he made me listen to you sing and he showed me your picture,” Lloyd started.

“Hey man,” Elliot interrupted and gave Lloyd a look.

“Yea and that’s it, that’s all,” Lloyd said.

Raine looked at Elliot and pouted because she wanted to know what all he’d said but he still wouldn’t look at her directly. She took his hand and asked if he was ready to go back to his office. They said goodbye to Lloyd and she let go of his hand as they walked past some other employees. Elliot put his hand on the small of her back as they walked, she wondered if he wanted to be sure people knew she was his girlfriend or if he just did it without thinking. They went into his office and she followed him to his side of the desk and leaned back on it.

“Why didn’t you want him to tell me what you said about me?” she asked.

“He exaggerates a lot, I don’t talk about you all the time,” he said.

“Oh,” she said getting up and going to the other side of the desk to sit down. She stared down at her lap as Elliot typed into his computer.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Nothing,” she said.

“Don’t lie,” he scolded.

She sighed, “I just thought it was cute that you talked about me to your friend all the time, but you don’t so I don’t know…”

“I didn’t say I don’t, just not all the time, I talk about other things too,” he said.

“Okay,” she said.

He sighed, “I didn’t want you to think I go around talking about you all the time like a love-sick puppy.”

“You’re not a love-sick puppy?” she asked.

“Do you think I am?” he asked.

“I hope you are,” she said.

He stared at his computer screen and fought a grin, “I just get embarrassed when people call me out like that.”

She tilted her head sympathetically at him, “I know, I shouldn’t have pushed him to say more but I really wanted to know, I love that you talk about me, as long as it’s good stuff.”

“It is, I’d never say anything bad about you to anyone besides you or Krista,” he said honestly.

She laughed, “Wow, thanks.”

He smiled, “you know what I mean, if I had a problem I’d tell you directly.”

She nodded, “I’m just not used to someone being proud to be with me, it makes me feel good.”

“Why wouldn’t anyone be proud to be with you?” he asked, still looking at his screen. She sighed and he realized what he’d said and looked at her, “nothing he said to or about you was real, you know that right?”

“Yeah kind of, it’s just if you hear something over and over with no one to tell you different you start to believe it, even if you know it’s not true it still gets in your head,” she said. Elliot pushed the button to close his curtains and slid his chair back a little and patted his knee. She got up and went over and sat on his lap.

“Are we going to get in trouble for this?” she asked.

“I don’t care,” he said, “but probably not.”

She put her arms around his shoulders and he continued working as she sat there watching his screen. Soon it was lunchtime and they went to the break room to have lunch with Lloyd. Most of the rest of the floor went out for lunch or ate alone at their desks at various times. She left after lunch so she could get ready to go to Papi’s. Elliot was coming with her because she still didn’t feel like driving all that away alone. Luke was in jail but his followers were getting more agitated according to Elliot. She knew she would have Elliot and Krista with her but she felt apprehensive about all those people who were protesting at his trial daily. According to Dom, it had started Tuesday, thanks to the FBI pushing for a speedy trial. It could be this week or early next week that she’d have to testify. Elliot came over when he got off work and brought something to wear to work the next day because he planned to spend the night with Raine and Darlene and Dom were staying at his place with flipper. Elliot wanted to drive to Papi’s so he would know how to get there better. They spent the day cooking, Raine let Elliot help because she thought it would be fun. Papi watched them as he sat at the table going through the very last of his pictures. He told Elliot old stories about Raine’s childhood, starting with her birth. Elliot loved it and Raine scolded him repeatedly for embarrassing her, but he paid her no attention. It got her mind almost completely off the trial and Luke, except for when Papi asked her updates and she just left the room as Elliot filled him in. She went into the living room and heard Papi whisper, “how is she doing, really? She puts up a front with me.”

“She’s doing better, I think we’ll all feel better when he’s in prison, she doesn’t talk to me as much about it either, just Darlene and Krista, I think she’s afraid I’ll have him killed or something,” Elliot said.

“Would that be so bad? I’d like to see him six feet under myself,” Papi chuckled.

“I wouldn’t do that, I’ve thought about it, but I don’t know if I could live with myself if I intentionally took a life, even someone as bad as him,” Elliot said.

Raine relaxed and smiled to herself, not only because of what he’d said but also because of who he’d opened up to about it. Papi didn’t respond but she could imagine his proud expression. She went back to the kitchen and continued cooking beside Elliot, he kissed her forehead lightly and kept stirring the sauce they’d created. They fixed dinner of spaghetti and Raine’s special meat sauce that Elliot had altered slightly with his own ideas. It turned out really good and Papi seemed to approve of it. After they were done they helped him into the living room so he could smoke a cigar. Elliot smoked a cigarette and Raine sat there trying to breathe with all the smoke in the room. As they left Papi held her tighter than usual, “anything you need let me know.”

She asked Elliot to drive because she could feel a crying fit coming on, and as soon as they pulled out, it started. She laid her head down in his lap and cried almost all the way home, but she fell asleep before they got there. He woke her up so she could help him navigate into the alley. She rubbed her eyes and tried to get woke up to go upstairs, he asked Britney for a couple of lattes for them. They went up and she laid on the bed without even taking her shoes off. Elliot got undressed and crawled in beside her.

“I’m so tired,” she said.

“Go to sleep,” he said.

“No, I want to spend time with you,” she said trying to get her shoes off. He got up and helped her get undressed then they both got under her blanket and cuddled together. Then Elliot turned over on his back and patted his stomach, “when we get married I’m going to get fat.”

She giggled, “why do you think that?”

“Well if you cook often I will,” he said.

“Aww that’s cute,” she said.

“How is it cute?”

“Just you with a pudgy belly,” she said trying to pinch his belly, but there wasn’t enough to pinch.

He laughed and squirmed away a little, “don’t tickle me.”

“Oh you’re ticklish?” she asked.

“Little bit,” he grinned, “are you?”

“No,” she lied.

“Oh okay,” he said and waited a second before attacking her tickling her on her sides. She squealed and giggled. She tried to fight him off, but he got her by the wrists and held her hands above her head with one hand, and tickled her with the other.

“Stop, please Elliot,” she cried out between fits of laughter. He stopped and smiled at her then kissed her. He let go of her hands and she put them on his face as they kissed. He stopped and put his hand under her back to unlatch her bra and bit his lip. He waited for her to nod before he took it off her and threw it behind him. They made love slowly like they didn’t even want it to end. After they were done they drank their lattes in bed completely naked.

“Elliot?” she said as he put his arm around her and played with her hair.

“Yea?”

“Is this what it would be like?” she asked.

“What, what would be like?” he asked.

“If we were to ever get married?”

He grinned but then looked like he was trying to think of the right thing to say, then looked at her and nodded, “mostly yea, I mean I don’t know if we’d want to live here or my apartment or get a house, but I don’t care about that, I just want to be with you,” he paused then said, “why do you ask?”

“I’ve just had this picture in my head for so long of what a relationship is and marriage, even my parents made me scared of it, they loved each other but they fought all the time, mostly about money… then you know my first relationship was a literal nightmare, it was like living in hell.”

“I know, but this isn’t that one,” he said.

“I know, this is like a dream, I can’t believe how happy you make me and it just makes me realize that I was wrong about all of it, I wanted to be single for the rest of my life until I met you, I never told anyone that, not even Darlene, I thought we would have a fling or something, you and I, but then as soon as you came out there that night with a light for my joint I knew…” she said.

“Knew what?” he asked.

“I had wanted to keep walls up and be tough and aloof, but I opened my eyes and saw you standing there, and I knew it was hopeless. You say you’re wrapped around my finger, but I am just as wrapped around yours.”

“Cause I lit your joint?” he teased.

“No,” she giggled, “because you came to check on me, you didn’t even know me.”

He laid his head back on her wall and closed his eyes, he looked like he was trying to soak up what she’d just told him. She stared at him until he opened one eye a little and peeked down at her.

“I’m glad you told me that,” he said.

“Me too,” she kissed his cheek softly.

“I want to tell you something too,” he said, and then he swallowed hard and got a pained look on his face.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“I told you how there was something, really only one thing you don’t know about me, about my past,” he said, she nodded and he continued, “this was a long time ago, I haven’t told anyone but Krista, so please don’t say anything to Darlene, it would hurt her too much.”

“Baby I promise I won’t,” she said.

“I know Darlene has told you that our dad died and that he and I were close,” his voice cracked and a tear fell to her mattress. He looked away from her and continued. He cried hard as he told her everything. She cried with him and when he was done she didn’t hold him because she knew he might not want to be touched.

He finally looked at her, “now you know everything about me, more than anyone.”

“Oh Elliot, I’m so sorry,” she sobbed.

“It’s a lot huh?” he said. Her heart was breaking into pieces for him and she couldn’t stop crying.

“I just wish I could take that pain away for you,” she said.

“Well that’s why Mr. Robot exists,” he said. She just nodded and then he said, “you still want to be with me? Knowing I have this much baggage?”

She let out a sob then said, “Elliot, of course I do, of course, I love you so much.”

He dropped his head and sighed in relief, then started crying softly.

She put her hand on his shoulder to see if he’d be okay with it, he leaned into her touch and she rubbed the back of his neck gently, “none of that changes how I feel about you, you’re the best person I know, and as much as I can I want to make you happy.”

“You do,” he said softly. She sat her latte in the floor and laid down, letting Elliot curl up in her arms. She ran her fingers through his hair until he fell asleep. She started to drift off to sleep but Elliot woke up and started kissing her neck, “you awake?” he whispered.

“A little,” she giggled.

He moved his hand down her body until it was between her legs and he started touching her softly. She gasped his name and he continued to kiss and nibble her neck. She hadn’t expected him to want to do this tonight but she knew healing came about in different ways so she let him do what he wanted. He explored her body with his mouth, he kissed her arm all the way down and her shoulders. Then he moved down her body, all the way down her leg, he kissed the top of her foot softly and then made his way back up. By the time he reached her center, she was already about to come apart. He put one of her legs over his shoulder and kissed her gently and she started to tremble. He kissed her there again and she grabbed his hair with one hand and twisted her sheets with the other, finishing right then.

“Damn baby,” Elliot chuckled.

She started to catch her breath as he crawled up to kiss her nose, then she felt him enter her and she felt another wave catch her. She tightened around him and he groaned loudly, “fuck, already?”

“You feel so good,” she moaned. It didn’t take him long to finish after that, and he rolled over and got a cigarette.

He laughed to himself as he took a hit.

“What’s funny?” she asked.

“You,” he said.

“You did it, it was that kissing,” she said turning over and laying on his chest.

“You like that?” he asked, blowing smoke away from her.

“A lot,” she nodded and cuddled up tight against him, he put his hand on her head and ran his fingers through her hair, “this is perfect,” she whispered.

“You are,” he said.

“So are you,” she said. He kissed her head but didn’t say anything.