"Baby?" Opie called as he entered my house.

Des smiled at me and moved aside allowing Opie to see me. It's been a month since what happened at the motel. Opie has been so patient and hasn't dared push me. But, he ended up having to go on a run a week and a half ago. When he left, my face was still healing from the damage and I still couldn't walk properly. He didn't want to leave but I promised him I would be safe. He was so worried I would need him while he was gone. He called me everyday that he was gone.

Opie's face brightened when he saw me. I took careful steps toward him and he smiled happily. "You're doing so great baby." He told me with pride.

"Lyss, I gotta go meet Happy you two gonna be okay?" Des asked me.

"Yeah, I'll be okay." I told her.

I moved from Opie's arms and gave my best friend a hug. "Love ya Lyssa. Be careful." She told me playfully.

I laughed but nodded. "I will. Scout's honor."

She laughed and left Opie and I alone. Things between Opie and I were tense at first, he blamed himself for what happened. For not waking up and hearing me, for not finding Jeremy sooner. Finally I had a counseling session three days after and I had Opie stay with me during it. He stayed quiet the entire time I told the woman EVERYTHING from me waking up and going outside down to the very second I was in Opie's arms and safe again.

I had him in tears while he listened shaking his head. Ellen, my therapist even told him based on what I explained there was nothing he could have done. It was not his fault and he finally believed us. Ever since then he's been stuck to my side except for this run.

I stayed with him for the first little bit after everything happened and he was so nervous to even change in front of me let alone touch me. He even asked my permission to kiss me for the first week before I got angry. I told him to stop pussyfooting around me, if he did something to upset me, I'd tell him. He looked taken aback when I said that to him, then he just nodded and boy did he kiss me after that. Wow.

He knows I'm still not ready for sex, beside the doctor told us not to for at least six weeks anyways due to the trauma needing time to heal. Things have been great between us and I was thankful. He wasn't turning his back on me when it got to tough, he stayed by my side. It gave me faith this this time it would last forever...

"I missed you Opie." I told him with a smile hugging his huge frame.

"I missed you too Lyss." He hugged me tight lifting me off the ground.

I giggled happily but clung to him. "Opie, I want to talk to you..." I trailed off.

Opie looked nervous but nodded. I took his hand and led him outside to the porch swing we sat on during one of my first weeks back in Charming.

"Are you leaving again?" Opie asked, fear in his voice.

I gasped in shock, "God no Opie. No." I rushed out wrapping my arms around him tightly.

Let let out a heavy sigh of relief and wrapped his arms around me tightly. "Thank god." He whispered.

"Opie, I'm not leaving. Never again. I love you Opie, I love you far too much to do that." I told him moving back gripping his bearded face in my palms.

He nodded and kissed me softly. "So what did you need to talk about then?" He asked me carefully.

"More so, I need you to sit and listen. Please just don't say anything until I'm finished. Is that okay?" I asked.

He nodded with a quizzical look on his face but stayed silent allowing me to continue. I took a deep breath, exhaling carefully as I steadied myself. "Opie, when we first got together again, I knew I still loved you. I still loved you just as much as I did the day I left Charming. When, Jeremy took me all I could think about was how much it would hurt you. About what you would be going through when you found me missing. When you came through that motel door, I just knew. I knew it would be okay... Everything would be okay. When I finally was able to crawl into your arms, god even in all the pain I was in I just needed to be with you. I needed to hold onto you. Holding onto you I felt like I could breathe again. Like I knew even after everything I had gone through, it would all be okay as long as I had you beside me. Harry, I don't know how else to say this besides thank you. And thank you doesn't even seem like enough but those are the only words that fit. Thank you Opie. For everything you have done, everything you do and everything you will do. Just thank you for not giving up on me for being this way..."

By this point I was standing in front of him fiddling with the hem of my black and white sundress. I met his eyes and I could see the wheels turning in his brain as he processed every word I spoke. "Alyssa..." He said my name quietly.

"You don't have to say anything Harry. I just needed you to know how thankful I am for you and that I get another chance to love you."

"It's me who should be thanking you, Alyssa for letting me have another chance to love you. I never realized what I had in you until it was too late, and I promise now." He got up and wrapped his arms around me, I laid my head on his chest and he laid his head on mine. "I promise I'll never take you for granted again." He whispered. "I love you. More than I could ever show or tell you."

"I love you too Opie." I snuggled into him and took a deep breath.

After everything I've gone through, everything that has happened I know. I just know I'll get past it as long as I have him by my side.