Serena POV

"Steven, I- you- she- what did I do?" Alain babbled, looking down at his skinned knuckles then straight at me, his eyes suddenly widened and give a horrified look. Was it all an act or had he just been taken over by so much rage that he hadn't been himself? I don't know. And I didn't care, either. All I wanted was to get as far away from Alain as possible.

Ignoring him, Steven Stone knelt down beside me, slowly raising me up to a sitting position. My tears stung my cheeks, but I couldn't stop crying. I started shaking as the delayed shock hit me and Steven Stone wrapped his jacket around my shoulders, taking care not to touch me with too much force.

"You need to press charges against him," he said softly, bringing out a spotless handkerchief and dabs at my lip, clearing out the stained blood which wasn't a lot to take.

I shook my head. No time for that. "I need to get to hospital," I said, wincing with pain. My words sounded slurred. I hated myself for letting Alain do this to me.

I tried to get to my feet putting every strengthto my body, but Steven Stone put a hand on my shoulder. "Wait a second. Get your breath back." He looked up at Alain, who had a very bewildered look on his face. "You," Steven points his finger at him. "I've seen many things in my life, but never have I seen an act of such uncalled for violence. Do you want to explain yourself?" He exclaimed in command.

"I-," Alain started, sounding defiant. His eyes met Steven Stone' calm ones and he bowed his head, ashamed. "I don't know what happened. It just came over me. I just wanted to- to hurt her."

Disgusted, Steven turned to me again. "I'll take you to the hospital, but you need to press charges, Serena. He can't get away with doing this to you again. Next time-." He paused, cleared his throat and resumed. "Next time, you might not be as lucky."

Did he think I didn't know that? If Steven hadn't come along when he had, I might have been seriously injured. I'm talking broken bones, concussions- I was lucky.

"I know that. And I will press charges, Steven, I promise. But I have to get to the hospital. My friend- he's in the ICU. Please, Steven." The tears flowed freely and I couldn't stop them. This was the most miserable day ever. Ash and now this. I laid my head in the crook of my arm, sobbing in despair.

Patting my arm, Steven stood up. "Okay, I'll take you to the hospital. Come." His voice sounded weary, like he knew this was a bad idea but he was powerless to stop me. He practically lifted me to my feet. I surreptitiously leaned against him on wobbly legs, knowing that if I so much as stumbled, the offer to take me to the hospital would be voided. It's all for Ash, it's all for Ash. A vision of his face swam in front of my eyes, his spiked dark hair and gorgeous brown eyes grinning at me. Suddenly I was seized by a sudden notion that things were getting worse for Ash. I had to get to him asap.

"Please, Steven," I pleaded, forcing the words out of my swelling lip. "I don't think we have much time."

Steven glanced at me, then shot a subdued Alain a quelling look. "Alain, I want you to go back into your apartment. If you flee the scene it will only make matters worse. I want to help you, but I can only help you if you do as I say."

I've never seen Alain so docile and obedient. He looked at me, his face drawn and scared. "Serena," he rasped, stretching an arm out in my direction. I jerked back, terrified despite the fact that I knew he couldn't hurt me with Steven here. Alain dropped his arm, looking abashed. "I'm so sorry, Serena. So, so sorry."

His apology didn't move me. I was all devoid of emotion for him. The only thing that kept me going was the thought of Ash. I needed to see him.

Steven made me wait till Alain slowly trudged back into the apartment and closed the door before hustling me downstairs. I thought we were going to go straight out of the building but he made a detour to the first floor, where he knocked on a door on the landing. Still shaking, I drew his jacket closer around my shoulders, staring at the floor. The door opened and I recognized Officer Jenny, our very own security. She was wearing a navy jacket and her police uniform. I guessed that she'd just come off duty.

"Steven! What a surprise," She boomed cheerfully. "What can I do for- oh, my."

Steven had taken a step back and Officer Jenny caught full view of my face. I guessed I was pretty messed up. Thank goodness we don't have mirrors here.

"I don't have much time to explain. I need you to do me a favor. Alain is upstairs in their apartment. Please put him under arrest immediately. I'll call Ruby and tell her what's going on," Steven said succinctly.

Officer Jenny nodded, still gaping at me. "Alain did this to you?" She asked me, every trace of good humor gone from her voice.

I nodded, brushing away a small tear. My hand came away bloody and I swallowed back bile.

"I'll go up and get that bast- pardon my language, Steven," Officer Jenny said, unclipping her taser from her belt and joining us in the hall.

"Thank you," Steven said as I looked at the two of them with gratitude filling my heart. Officer Jenny apparently saw the emotion on my face, because she enfolded me in a bear hug.

"You'll be alright, Serena. You're a strong girl. You'll be just fine." I hoped she was right, because right now, I didn't feel strong at all. I felt frail, unsteady and worthless.

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The drive to the hospital was undertaken in almost complete silence. All Steven asked me was how often Alain hit me. When I told him the honest truth, he sighed, sounding exasperated, but not with me. With himself. "I knew something was going on, but I just blinded myself to the facts."

The receptionist on duty stared at us as we walked in. I was pretty sure she was about to say 'emergency room is that-a-way' but luckily Hope was standing in the lobby, her face as white as a sheet. I pointed Steven in her direction, suddenly ashamed of what hope would say when she saw me. Your 'I fell down the stairs' lie won't work this time.

"Mrs?" Steven said, coming up to her.

Hope appeared shaken out of a daydream as she turned to him. "Yes?" she asked, her voice sounding distracted.

"Apparently my charge desperately needs to visit your son. Since it was so important to her that she had to go through a beating to get here, I must ask you to get her medical attention as soon as possible." Steven sounded irritated and I knew why. He was concerned about me and wanted to get me checked out by a doctor. But Ash was more important than the pain that was flaring through my body.

Hope's eyes widened in shock and horror as she stared at me. "Serena? Wha- what happened?" she asked, aghast.

I wiped my eyes. "I'm okay," I lied. "How is he?"

"Do you mind if I talk to you in private for a second, ma'am?" Steven asked Hope politely, drawing her aside. Hope went willingly, but her eyes were still on me throughout their hurried conversation. I only caught several words- 'doctor, months, police' as I stood in the middle of the floor, feeling self-conscious as people walking through the lobby gazed at the poor broken girl who was bleeding on the floor.

Their little talk was over as Steven and Hope came back to me. Hope slung an arm around my shoulder, drawing me closer to her.

"I'll call your mom and tell her what happened. If you need me for anything, just call me. I've given Mrs. Ketchum my phone number."

I nodded, reaching my arms out to hug the man who had saved my life.

"Thank you, Steven," I whispered against his chest, tears leaking onto his shirt.

Hope took me up to the ICU in the elevator, still hugging me close.

"He's been induced into a coma," she said in response to my questioning look. "His blood pressure was too high so they're monitoring it. Dr. Brock says he might be able to operate very soon. Don't worry. It's gonna be okay. Ash's strong. He is." She spoke like she was trying to reassure herself.

"I know he's strong. He'll make it through," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. What did my aneurysm research say? 'It's important to operate as soon as possible'. How long had it been since Hope had called me? 30 minutes, an hour?

The ICU was silent. "Ash took Leaf home as soon as she fell asleep," Hope explained, ushering me along the empty hallway. "She went into hysterics, poor thing. She's so close to her big brother..." She dabbed her eyes with a hanky, opening a door to one of those private rooms I had once dreamed about entering. "I have someone I want you to meet, though. She might be able to help get you cleaned up as well."

There was only one person in the big, sterile room, a lady with short, light brown hair, bent over a suitcase. I stood there awkwardly, wondering who she was and feeling embarrassed for meeting anybody looking like this. At the sound of Hope's voice, the lady turned around. I couldn't stop my mouth from falling open in surprise. She's got Ash's eyes! Before I could wrap my mind around the fact that Ash's mom, the woman he hadn't seen since he was five, was in the same room as me, she had taken several steps towards me, her hand at her gaped mouth.

"Oh, my-," she exclaimed softly, her eyes scanning my face. You're not the first person to use those words to remind me that I probably look like road kill. "What happened to you, dear?"

"Her cousin beat the hell out of her," Hope said fiercely. "Please, Delia, can you get her cleaned up?"

Delia nodded briskly, whipping a pair of latex gloves on. "Of course. Sit on the bed. And Relax." She ushered me to the bed and I sat down comfortably, suddenly realizing how sore I was.

"I'll be right back," Hope said diplomatically, excusing herself.

"So you must be Serena." Delia extended her hand out to me, her serious coffee orb eyes on my face. "I'm Delia, Ash's mother. I would say 'nice to meet you' but I don't think I should. Not under these circumstances." She smiled, showcasing her dimples.

"You look so much like Ash," I blurted out as she rummaged in her little doctor's box and drew out some antiseptic and cotton gauze.

Her smile widened. "Thank you. I wouldn't know, since I haven't seen him in years." She started dabbing at my face with delicate and I winced at the pain souring through me. "Sorry, it stings. Anyway, when Ketchum's jet landed on the roof of the hospital I volunteer at, I was shocked. And when I heard that my only child had just collapsed due to an exploded aneurysm- how do you deal with news like that?"

"It must have been overwhelming," I murmured.

"To say the least. But it shows great growth of character that Ketchum actually sent for me. I was beginning to think I was never going to see Ash again." She took a deep, bracing breath, her voice trailing off as she worked efficiently on my face. "What a jackass," she muttered to herself suddenly.

"What?" I said, startled.

"The person who did this to you. Unbelievable what people think they can get away with." She muttered under her breath as she carefully put bandages on my face. Then she stepped back and looked at her handiwork.

"There. I can see the beauty in you now. I don't even know you, but I'm proud of you. You have more power than you know."

Delia sat down next to me.

"Thank you," I said, hoping I wasn't going to cry again.

"It's the least I could do for my son's girlfriend." She beamed. "It feels so overwhelming, thinking about Ash having a girlfriend. In my mind, he's still a kid, playing with his building blocks. But I'm glad he's more open minded than his father is."

"He is," I agreed.

Biting her lip, Delia stood up and reached into her handbag. "When I first got here, Ketchum gave me this." She drew out a notebook that I recognized straight away.

"Ash's list," I whispered. My eyes filled with tears. We were supposed to finish it, Ash. Together!

Delia nodded, her face solemn. "Yes. He told me that the two of you worked on this. I'm really impressed." She sat down next to me again, holding the book out to me. "I think you should hang on to it, until he wakes up. He would want you to, I can tell."

A mixture of emotions ran through me as I took the proffered book, running a finger up and down the spine. Oh, Ash. Would we ever finish the list?

"Go to the last page. I think he left you a special message," Delia prompted.

Curiously, I flipped to the last page, where Ash's 'unattainable goals' were scrawled across the page in his neat writing.

'Have a wish come true.' Say 'I love you' and really mean it. 'Accept myself for who I am.'

I smiled to myself, tracing the words with my finger. He had been so earnest when he had talked about how he would never be able to reach those milestones.

As my eyes fell on the last goal, my breath hitched in my throat. Could this really be?

'Fall deeply and madly in love- helplessly and unconditionally.'

I heard Delia chuckle next to me, but all I could see was the tiny words written next to that goal. There was Ash's trademark happy face, the symbol he put for every completed goal and the word 'done' but that wasn't what had caught my eye. Next to that, Ash had written 'with Serena Yvonne.'