Surprisingly, the first session with Dr. Bethany went really good and Sofia had to agree that she looked forward to talking to the woman again in the next one. She never felt at unease telling the genuinely benevolent woman about all that happened in that hotel room and also about all that didn't happen but was materialized brutally in her nightmares.

Sofia even went ahead to give a summary of what her childhood was like, but that was only after getting assured from Bethany that the matters they talked about were going to be confidential—it wasn't going to be mentioned again, to anyone, or anywhere. Or Sofia could just sue Bethany if the otherwise ever happened. That got Sofia to grin along with her.

During the whole time as Sofia spoke, Bethany never once stopped her or asked any question disrupting the pace. The woman only queried her and stated her two bits when Sofia was done and that too in a way which could gladly be declared as a friendly chat to the next-door childhood friend.

If Bethany caught the unspoken hint of Sofia and Max's turbulent marriage she refrained herself from commenting on it and Sofia was only thankful for that.

"That's it? You're not going to do something," Sofia frowned. "Like—hypnotize me, or prescribe some kind of a therapy or meditation to chase away the nightmares."

Dr. Bethany only laughed, her eyes crinkling at the sides. "No, I'm not going to do any such thing. Sorry to burst your bubble Mrs. Wilder but you're yourself going to chase away those nightmares. A mind itself has all the solution of problems that it suffers through, medication in psychology comes mostly from within and not from the outside. We, psychiatrists, are here just to encourage—to give that much needed push that is required to coax a being start the healing process."

"Don't take offence, doc, but looks like you earn a hell lot of money just from hearing people out and saying just two sentences at max in the end."

The next laugh Bethany let out almost shook the walls of the hospital room.

The sound of laughter had to definitely have a splendidly positive vibe in it because Sofia could feel it deep in her bones, it was oddly relaxing, and made her wonder, if that was too a part of psychiatric treatment as well.

"Although you need to do a task, Sofia, to get well in true sense," Bethany said after taking a moment to calm down, it was when silence settled again in Sofia's otherwise bland hospital room.

Sofia looked at her questioningly.

Bethany replied with a smile, tilting her head, "Find things that comfort your mind the most. Things that will keep your mind too busy with gathering pleasure that it won't have the time to worry about anything else. It doesn't mean your problems will disappear, hell no, to battle the roots of your problem is a completely different thing and it's, sessions with me and your places of comfort are there to distract in the meanwhile and provide the strength you would need for the purpose."

"It all feels too complicated," Sofia commented.

"It is now," the doctor replied. "But won't be for long."

Sofia felt a kind of internal peace by the time Bethany got out of her room.

Though she hated the fact that Max was right, she figured she actually needed this counseling. The instant positivity she felt inside proved just that.

But would she ever concede it aloud? No. No need to further increase that tall monster's already preposterous height.

Sofia felt really uncomfortable having to crane up her neck in order to meet his eyes.

She slapped her forehead twice in exasperation.

Why the hell was she thinking about him and making her mood sour?!

Soon after the counseling session with Bethany, Sofia found herself discharged from the hospital.

Max had worked well upon his end of the deal. Just like Sofia had—borrowing Dr. Bethany's phone, making a phone call to Simmy, and had her fetch her some cash from the diner.

Her bills were cleared while under the watch of an unhappy looking Max. It was just so hard to understand the intentions of this guy.

Sofia would have jumped in joy the moment she stood up from the wheel chair if not for the elbow crutch limiting her movements and Max's hand lightly resting on her lower back. She walked in silence to the awaiting car, feeling a little uncanny. It would have been better to blame it upon the lingering effects of drugs, reminding smell of the hospital and even the slight pain of her injuries, but too bad her mind's eyes were wide open discarding all those vain assumptions.

Why was it so hard to remember that this everything he was doing for her, to her was a probable and perilous trap in real!

The short car ride to home was as quiet except when Max asked her after getting in if she was comfortable, she had just nodded then and settled back into being mum.

During the whole car ride Sofia caught him glancing discreetly towards her through the rear-view mirror, but to her utter irritation that also proved she was looking at him as much too. The realization wasn't pleasing from any angle.

"I'm capable of climbing the stairs myself," she protested when Max reached for her to carry her up the stairs. Bloody again!

She dreaded the warmth she knew his body would provide if he carried her, the last thing she wanted was to get familiar with it more than she already was. Besides, the ever increasing number of the times he was carrying her, from here to there and almost everywhere, needed to be put a stop to.

"But that would take a hell lot of time," Max indulged, going ahead and pulling her up into his arms anyway. She didn't even find a chance to deliver a proper shot back, his movements were that fast.

"It is better this way," he mumbled while literally galloping up the stairs.

The hell it was. Not!

Sofia bit her lip to contain the shriek and grabbed at the impossible man's already crinkled collar, her crutch dangling from her arm uselessly.

"One would think you have to urgently go to the loo," she reproached. "Slow the fuck down!"

Max only chuckled.

When, in record time, Sofia was put back onto her feet in the corridor between their rooms, she pursed her lips adjusting the crutch on her elbow.

"Ah...," Max spoke a little carefully. "You didn't get hurt, did you?"

No, she actually didn't.

Despite Max's galloping all the way carrying her, he wasn't callous in any way. It was amusing how his arms at the same time held her strongly but not that much to stress her injuries.

However, he didn't need to know that bit.

So she said instead, "It is funny how you always seem to ask that after already doing the deed. Nothing's going to change anyway, and that makes your effort completely pointless."

A frown appeared on his face, his eyes searching hers. "But what if those deeds were meant to be?"

Sofia had a feeling this had reached a completely different topic now, the problem was she couldn't fathom what the topic was actually about. It was not a good feeling being ignorant, especially during a conversation with a crackpot enemy.

"Meant to be?" she chose the route of sarcasm. "I never knew you believe in fate."

"Recently...," Max replied. "I believe in karma too."

She hoped it would bite him in the ass someday. Just like her own karma did to her.

Hurting Max all those years ago, Sofia believed now, would never cease to become the reason of her burning in this never ending inferno, which had surely begun as a karma infestation but soon turned into a tragic life sentence that no more had anything to do with that said karma.

Debbie interrupted them then, putting a stop to their sarcastic war of words which Sofia didn't know where would have actually headed if continued.

Max went to his room after instructing Debbie to precisely become her shadow, much to Sofia's irritation. She forced herself to keep quiet though, figuring that it would only give birth to another argument if she straightaway verbally opposed his idea. And the argument would yet again make her later think about more of his cryptic words. And thinking she didn't want to do anymore, for it made her leg throb. It was weird and freaked her out a bit, because she was certain her brain was in no way situated in her leg.

It took Sofia to brainstorm some mere tricks out, to get Debbie busy elsewhere. She asked Debbie to bring some tea and cookies and vice versa, and fortunately she left. Otherwise the virtuous maid was about to follow her inside the bedroom as instructed, to help her with—pretty much everything!

Sofia took her time in freshening up in the bathroom, being extremely careful not to put too much pressure on her strapped foot. Basking in the loneliness after so long afterwards, she changed into a pair of light pajamas and a cotton top before finally collapsing into the plush bed.

She felt exhausted.

Shifting slightly, she looked with droopy eyes at her elbow crutch that she had kept upright against the bedside table. It was undoubtedly going to be her best friend for a while, she thought with a sigh.

Something peeking out from a corner of the carpet, right beside the bed, caught her eye then. With a huff she fought off the fatigue and lifted herself up on her elbows. Craning her neck, she figured it was her phone.

Her phone!

It must have fallen from her hands when she fainted that night. Sofia mentally patted herself on the back for locating it, for it was covert by the plush carpet in such a manner that could not be spotted easily. Debbie couldn't, despite it being quite certain that the room had been cleaned while they were away.

Getting reunited to the device was much like getting a limb back. Although, when Sofia picked the phone in her hand her jovial mood upon finding it dampened considerably. The screen was cracked. Yet the device could be switched on—which was the only thing she chose to concentrate upon, thinking it was better to focus on the bright side rather than the gloomier ones. However, it turned off immediately. She guessed it was because of the drained battery.

It took Sofia some time to charge the phone decently. And then, when it finally and properly was switched on, she mentally stumbled back at the abnormal amount of missed calls, texts and voicemails—mostly from Max, Skyler and Neil.

Sofia recalled that night before she fainted. It seemed like her aimless walk around the city after the rejection and humiliation in the hospital had some people really worried. Her phone just proved that. However, Skyler and Neil's worry she could understand, but Max's—she could not. Not anymore.

Was Max worried that night just to save his own face, his own reputation? Was his fussing over her till this day since then on just attempts of not acquiring the title of an abusive husband? Questions were recurring and baleful.

Sofia's leg throbbed again and she groaned. Pushing all thoughts and questions aside she dialed Skyler's number grabbing her phone. As Skyler picked up after a couple rings, she sat back on the bed wincing a little.

"How's grampa, Skyler?" Sofia asked it straightaway.

"He's good now," Skyler said. Sofia heard the hint of a smile in her voice. "Put into bedrest according to the doctor's strict order. I came over yesterday to see you during visiting hours, to let you know just that but you were kind of snoring the whole time I was there. So, I talked to Max and left."

"That was the drugs making me sleep all the time like a rhino," Sofia explained. "By the way, Skyler, were you really crying while I was knocked out then? I thought I was dreaming."

"You heard me cry? I was actually worried sick about you, we all were. Ah," Skyler cleared her throat. "What else did you hear?"

Sofia's brows creased in confusion. Skyler sounded somewhat nervous. But then again, why? "I thought I heard Neil and even Max's father as well. Skyler, were they truly there too?"

"Yes," Skyler's tone seemed calculated. "Sofi, listen, I need to go now. Have classes."

And then she hung up. Just like that!

Moving the phone away from her ear Sofia stared down at it, frowning in confusion. It was weekend.

Since when did Skyler start having classes on weekends?

All other concerns left her mind when Debbie came back with a tray. Instead of tea and cookies Sofia saw there was her dinner on it.

"Thought you would like to retire for the night early," Debbie explained even before Sofia voiced her query.

Now that Sofia saw the food, she did not want to send it back, for her stomach spoke for itself—letting out a low growl. She was hungry and so she simply gobbled down what was presented before her.

She had meds before and after meal, which Debbie helped her sorting, and while doing so, Sofia noticed the girl sneaking glances towards the slightly ajar door. But Sofia didn't have the energy to investigate what was the matter. She just chose to presume it was a rat or something.

Sofia collapsed on the bed before Debbie could even gather the cutlery back on the tray. She did offer to help clean up, but Debbie furiously denied looking a little hurt, so Sofia left it at that.

Sleep came to Sofia before she had finished sliding inside the covers.

She felt the glare of light dimming on her closed eyelids, slow creak of the door. A pliant touch along her hairline until it left her alone in the cold.

Visitors came in her dreams almost immediately, or it might be after long. Her childhood was in shattering pieces; another evil a fresh memory; and then there was the one she did not know was hurting her or healing—it could be both or it could be forever unknown.

And Sofia knew it was just a series of nightmares, her subconscious brain forming possibilities weaving threads from processed memories.

But when has knowledge ever helped in the world of unconsciousness.

Time was stuck, and no matter how fast she ran she could not escalate her excruciatingly slow pace. Faceless evil—one in all and all in one—was at her tail. She could feel its heated breath at the back of her neck, a claw grazing her shoulder.

Sofia groaned in alarm, in fear. And she cried, and cried, and cried.

Until the soothing voice came, so close to her ear, caressing her skin, "Shh..., Sof, helldog, come out of it. It's just a nightmare."

And she followed the voice out, drifting out of sleep to feel arms snake around her slowly. She dizzily remained in consciousness for enough time to blink away her horrors. Then she dove in and away, freely this time, knowing she was held somewhere in safety.