Nora gasped when she felt the cold metal piercing through her clothes on her back. She could feel the person gripped her upper arms tight pulling her away from her car into the dark alley next to her bakery shop.

"Please take whatever you want, take the bag and let me go." She pleads as the guy pushed her into the dark path pricking her back further with the knife. "Shut up!" The guy half yelled behind her and kept pushing her on her back.

They reached the end of the alley when Nora was pressed against the wall harshly. The guy snatched the bag away from her shoulder before rummaging inside. Nora tried to peek at the guy busied him with her bag to find her escape but the guy noticed before she could slipped away.

"Stay there! Don't fucking move!" The guy pressed the knife against her back forcing Nora to keep facing the wall. "Look, you have my bag, just let me go." She pleads knowing the guy is still rummaging through her stuff when he finally stood from the ground.

"You're pretty." The guy whispered behind her and Nora could feel chills running down her spine when the guy began tracing his dirty fingers over her neck.

"Stop." Nora pleads trying to push his fingers away when he trails below her waist that made her flinched. She wanted to scream to gain attention but at this hour, no one is roaming around the area and she figures the guy would stabbed her with his knife if she screamed for help.

But Nora felt his hand trailed somewhere forward and in her mind, she remembered the time when she read articles about women getting raped by men and how silly it sounds for not being able to defend theirselves. But here she is being pinned against the wall by the stranger on a knife point on her neck and hot breaths fanning against her back.

She felt disgusted, nauseous and moreover she wanted to fight back but her strength compared to this guy is practically variant. He was a lot stronger despite able to hold Nora with one hand and she suspects he was on drug given how many times he stopped and rubs his arms.

Nora was pulled back against the guy's chest with his hand cupped around her chin covering her mouth. "Shhh, you're gonna regret it if I cut your pretty neck." He whispered against her ear before pressing his lips over Nora's cheek and she whimpered under his palm. She could feel the knife digging deeper into her neck causing her to scream in his palm from the pain of cutting her skin.

Tears began to cascade down on her temple before she felt him being yanked away from her and she fell on the ground from losing her grip. She witnessed the guy was tossed away to the side before she looked up to see a giving hand supporting her to stand.

"Henry?" She asks in tears when Henry offered to help her rises from the cold icy ground and he smiled painfully at her. "I'm sorry Nora. I shouldn't have left you." He whispered letting Nora take a sit on the curb and before he could comfort her, the guy came back pulling Henry by his collar and pulled him away from her.

"Henry!" Nora yelled and tried to help him but the guy pointed the knife at her stopping her from her intention. Henry charged the guy in his stomach with his shoulder and they both stumbled on the ground fighting for the knife in his grip.

Eventually the guy managed to release his grip over the knife and Henry managed to toss it further away from him but the guy fought back punching Henry square on his jaw causing him to fell on the ground beside him.

He didn't hesitate for a second when he stood and kicked Henry on his side of the ribs causing him to cough violently by his action. Nora was fumbling with her phone from her rummaged bag to call 9-1-1 when she heard Henry coughs behind her and the guy won't stop kicking his sides.

Her hand shakes terribly trying to get a grip of herself when she finally able to dial the number and spoke to the operator about her situation before she witnessed the guy kicked Henry again on his chest and another kick to his face.

"Please hurry!" She screamed in her phone before she ran towards the guy and climbed over the guy's back to stop him from hurting Henry.

The guy whipped around trying to get Nora away from his back and eventually swing her away and her small body hits the ground next to Henry.

"Nora! Are you okay?" He asks checking up on her as soon as she fell next to him. She grunted feeling pain over her sides but Henry was already up and ready to fight this guy again. He grabbed him by the collar and Henry pushed him against the wall behind him punching him repeatedly before the guy managed to grab a loose beer bottle from the trash can next to him and hits Henry in his head causing the bottle to shatter in pieces.

Henry felt ringing in his ear when the bottle hits before he lose his grip over the guy's neck and the guy took that liberty in punching Henry one more time on his face causing Henry to fell on the cold hard ground next to him. He fled the scene immediately after when he heard the sound of the siren and Nora watched as he smiled at her before he disappeared at the other end of the alley away from them.

"Henry!" Nora rushed to his side where Henry tried to stand but failed because of the pain that starts to swell in his head. "I'm fine. Are you okay?" He asks turning her face to the side to see her neck is dripping with blood and he winced at her.

"I'm so sorry Nora. I shouldn't have left you all alone. I'm so sorry." Henry apologized repeatedly at her but she shook her head at him. "Its not your fault Henry. Please stop saying sorry, you're making me feel bad for being so stupid." She replies and Henry cupped her cheek softly to wipe the tears that runs down her face.

"You're not." He reassured her and she helped him up when they both saw the car with red and blue lights edging in towards the alley. Finally.

"Are you alright miss?" The cop got out and rushed towards them when he saw Henry being helped by Nora while both of them looked like a mess.

"He needs help." She says and Henry turned his head towards her, "Me? You need help. Can you check on her please." He says and Nora sighed back at him. "I need an RA unit at my location. Two victims male and female late twenties, both alive and breathing." The guy spoke over the device strapped on his shoulder before he start canvassing the area.

.

The paramedics and the statement took forever and Henry noticed Nora wanted to end the night as soon as possible but they need description from her and Nora was a really good describer when Henry saw the sketch artist drew the guy exactly as he remembered. They took her description while they checked on Henry back in the ambulance.

But little did Nora knew is that Henry send a text to Alex through Nora's phone while they were checking on her in the ambulance. Henry knew Alex would be furious if he finds out what happened tonight. He send a brief text to Alex saying Nora was attacked at her store trying to be discreet about her finding out about it.

It took him minutes later when he saw Cash drove Alex's black SUV and parked next to the ambulance and saw Alex rushed out of the car to find her. "NORA!" He screamed her name to find her in the midst of the chaos when he spotted her sitting behind the ambulance talking to one of the officers.

"Oh Christ! Thank God you're alright." He pulled her towards his chest and Henry was worried if she would pushed him away but somehow Henry felt relieved he did the right thing when Nora immediately sobs and running towards his chest.

"Are you okay?" Alex asks pushing her back with his hands traced over her face and saw the wound over her neck. Henry could see Alex's face dropped at her injury and she reassured him after. "I'm fine. It's superficial and I don't want to go to the hospital. But I was lucky Henry saved me." She pointed at Henry standing in the corner when Alex turned his head and almost gasped at Henry bruised, bleeding face.

He didn't say anything except stares at Henry's face and noticed how he got his arms wrapped around his sides trying to hide his face from revealing how much he's in pain.

He had blood dripping down on his temple and his neck but Nora told him that the paramedics told her the wound isn't deep enough to stitch but because of the head area has lots of vessels and capillaries sometimes the smallest wound has the hardest time to stop bleeding. More over in Henry's case, Nora had mentioned to the paramedics right in front of Alex that Henry had some blood issues that made his bleeding last a little longer than anyone else. Alex was surprised by her knowledge and puts that question on hold for now seeing how uncomfortable Henry look when she talked about him.

Alex's gaze fixated on Henry's posture and grimace waiting at the side of the ambulance when Henry finally looked up and meet his gaze. Alex wanted to feel the anger he felt because he knew Nora was staying this late because she must be waiting for him but all of that anguished disappeared when he saw how badly he was beaten by the other guy and he digressed his aggression in finding the guy who responsible for all of this.

"Are we done here? I'm taking her home." Alex told the officers and one of them approached Alex with a clipboard in his hand. "Mr Claremont-Diaz. I didn't know you are related to her." The officer says and Alex rolled his eyes at him. "She is and she's done." Alex says and the officers nodded. "As you wish sir. We will follow up the case with you tomorrow if you'd like." The officer asks and Alex nodded simply at his request.

"Come on. Let's get you home." Alex pulled Nora still clutching on his side before she looked up to meet his gaze. "What about Henry?" She asks and Henry was no longer there in sight with them. Alex looked around but couldn't see him anywhere and his eyes darted back at Cash standing besides him. He shrugged unaware of him disappeared considered he was just standing there a while ago.

"I think he went home." Cash told them but Nora pulled back from Alex's embrace. "He can't be that far, come on." She says headed towards Alex's car. "Nora it's fine, he's alright, they checked him and he was cleared. Let me take you home." Alex told her but Nora flipped herself around to face him.

"He was hit in his head and he might have a concussion Alex I can't let him be alone right now!" Nora yelled and Alex could feel the tugged in his heart returned at the thought of Henry was hurt for saving her.

He didn't say much except sighed tiredly at her relentlessness in helping him but deep down, he was curious to why Henry left without saying a word. He wonders if he still felt terrorize by Alex's threat yesterday that made him avoid confronting him.

.

Henry was walking away from the chaos when he felt his head is ringing terribly and his vision had doubled since before. He knew he was close enough towards his home but somehow the path seems longer and each steps that he takes made his whole body felt like it was shackled by a big block of concrete preventing him to move faster.

He could feel bile rising up in his stomach and the more he swallowed, the more he felt coming behind his throat. His sides are painful and his body is terribly tired at walking in this cold when he jumped by a car suddenly halted next to him.

The car door opened to reveal Alex stepping out of the car buttoning his long coat on his front. Henry refused to look up to meet his gaze trying to attempt another escape. But Alex was always quicker on his feet and caught Henry by his arm causing him to flinch back trembling in fear in his touch.

"Hey, hey. I'm not gonna hurt you. Henry, I'm sorry. I'm sorry!" Alex yelled gripping Henry by his shoulder when Henry tries to shake his hand off of him. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He repeated over and over causing Henry to stop and finally looked up to meet his eyes.

"I'm so sorry Henry. What I did to you. You didn't deserved that. I'm so sorry." His words are genuine to Henry but Henry could see how his eyes are reddened trying to apologize to him. "Please forgive me." Alex begs still holding on to Henry's shoulder when finally Henry stop squirming and nods softly at him.

"I can't imagined if you weren't there tonight. I already lost June and I can't lose her too. Thank you, so much for saving her." Alex's voice breaks and Henry couldn't believe he sees this side of Alex he never seen before. Henry didn't say anything else except trying to sneak himself away from him again but Alex extended his arm out grabbing Henry by his waist stopping him from running.

"Come home with us. You need someone to take care of you." Alex whispered next to him and Henry still keeping his head low focusing on the icy ground beneath his and Alex's shoe. He shook his head at him trying to pull Alex's arms away from his waist.

"I'm fine. I can take care of myself. Don't have to worry about me." He says pushing Alex's arms off but he gripped Henry's waist tighter pulling him closer to his side. Henry could feel his hot breaths fanning over his cheek causing his heart to thump faster in his chest.

"It wasn't a request. It's an order. From Nora's." He says causing Henry to shift his gaze towards the car parked behind Alex's shoulder knowing Nora is watching from inside.

"I-" Henry couldn't finished his sentence when he felt his throat tightened and before he could tell Alex, he hunched forward and spilled his stomach all over the sidewalks right next to Alex. He could see Alex's expensive shoes jumped, drawing himself away from him when he heaved his vomit all over the sidewalks.

Henry could feel an awkward taps on his back but he couldn't stop himself from spilling further. "Like I said, you both need to come home with me so I can look after you guys." Alex says next to him and later offered his handkerchief he had in his pocket for Henry to wipe his mouth.

"Now I'm not so sure whether I should take you to the hospital first. I know Nora said you hated hospital but still, one has to succumb to the need of one self before others." Alex quoted and Henry groaned into the handkerchief. "Please don't refer yourself to the third person. I hate that." Henry says which turned Alex's face into a frown.

"Well, your choice then." He says putting his cold hands into his coat pocket waiting for Henry to decide. Henry turned around the sidewalks noticed there were no one in sight at this hour and he didn't exactly want to go home alone at this moment so he sighed nodding at Alex letting him lead the way instead.

Alex opened the door of the car for Henry to get in and he thanked him greatly. Henry could see Nora is smiling back at him on the end side of the seat when he climbed in. He tried to smile back but when he climbed up the seat, he grunted in pain shooting on his side. "You okay?" Alex held Henry by his waist from behind before Henry nods climbing further into his seat with Alex's help.

Alex closed the door with Henry still had his painful grimace on his face but couldn't help noticed Nora's side smile at him which made him shook his head at her and shut the car door close before he climbed on the front seat and instructed Cash to drive.

.

"Right, shower, rest. You need bath bombs?" Alex ask Nora and she grunt longing for the long bath for her aching body. "YESSSS." She followed Alex towards his bedroom and Henry watched as they both disappeared while he waited and stood in the middle of the living room trying to keep himself occupied while Alex entertained Nora.

"Are you sure you're alright? That looks pretty nasty." Cash spoke beside him placing Nora's bag on the side when he noticed Henry still clutching on his side. "I-I'm fine." Henry stutters trying to keep himself steadied, bobbing his throat before he hurled another on Alex's beautiful wooden tiles.

But Cash noticed the way Henry stand and swayed trying to keep himself steady before he gestured for him to sit on the couch. "I'll wait for Alex." He declined standing awkwardly waiting for Alex to return.

"It's fine, you can have a sit. Looks like you're going to collapse." Cash wasn't wrong when he saw Henry swayed almost stumbled on his own feet but he caught him and held him straight again.

"I don't want to get anything dirtied." Henry says seeing how his clothes was torn and soaked from fighting the guy tonight but Cash shook his head at him. But before he can say anything further, Alex came back and noticed Henry still standing in his living room in those dirtied clothes. "Why are you still standing there?" He asks and both Henry and Cash turned to face each other in silence.

"Do you want a bath bombs too?" Henry frowned at his request unsure what he meant by that and Cash noticed the confusion, "It's not real bomb, it's soap they mold it like a bomb that dispersed in the bath water. It's scented." He explained which Henry nods still had his eyebrow crooked of the sight of these two scary looking men explaining to him about a bath bomb.

"J-Just a shower." Henry simply said and Alex just finished putting Nora's stuff in his room when he came out.

"You can go to your room and shower then." Alex orders him tilting his chin towards the bedroom and Henry nodded before he left them both staring at him.

"Soo, it's his bedroom now?" Cash joked causing Alex glared back at him. "You got something else to say Cassius? I know my fist is hungry tonight." Alex says gripping his closed fist on his side. "Joking! Jeez no one can joke around here anymore?" Cash says throwing his hands up in defeat.

Alex sighed still keeping his gaze at the closed bedroom door when Cash stepped closer to his side.

"Be nice. He literally save Nora tonight Alex. If it wasn't for him, who knows what would happened to her." Cash told him and Alex sighed longly with his hand cupped behind his neck.

"I am. I need our men to find that bastard and I want to be the one that killed him, understood?" Alex told him and he nodded. "Already on it." He left Alex's loft immediately after Alex's instruction and Alex darted his gaze back to the guest bedroom door.

He pushed the door slowly only to find the bedroom is empty and the bathroom light is turned on with the door slightly ajar.

Alex pushed the bathroom door slowly wanting only to peek his head in but later gasped in shocked to see Henry is sprawled on the floor of the bathroom with his head leaning against the tub with his eyes closed.

"Henry!" He rushed to his side tapping on his cheek to wake and it took him a while finally managed to open his eyes and relief flooded into his chest when those hazel eyes meet his own. "Are you okay?" He asks and Henry nods weakly.

"Dizzy." Henry mentioned and before Alex could say anything, Henry gagged pushing himself towards the toilet bowl in front of him and spilled the rest of his stomach inside the white porcelain. Alex let Henry finished dry heaving practically hugging the bowl before he sat back crunching on his stomach in pain.

"Alright that's it. You're practically concussed. I shouldn't have listen to Nora or you!" Alex says before he stood and grabbed the glass on the counter filling it water and gave it to Henry to take a sip. "Thanks. But I'm fine, honestly." Henry gave him back the glass and Alex set it over the counter before he noticed Henry shuddering in coldness from his wet clothes.

"Let me help you." He offered Henry his palm helping him to stand on his feet which Alex glad that he took it. Henry almost falls back but Alex caught him with his arm wrapped around Henry's whole body. Henry mutters sorry when his hand clutched on Alex's expensive dress shirt noticed the blood stained on the white satin fabric. "I'm so sorry."

Alex dismissed his apology briefly letting Henry leaned on him before their gaze finally met and Henry noticed the sudden closeness between them. Alex's face practically inches away from him and Henry couldn't help staring at Alex's gaped lips and Henry felt self conscious about his vomit breath being so close to him. Alex eyes' lingers over Henry's wound before it falls on Henry's lips wetting his tongue over his own.

Alex didn't even realized when he raised his thumb brushing over Henry's split lower lips before his gaze lifted on the bruised that starts to form on Henry's cheek and jaw. Alex could feel Henry is panting in his breath trying to avoid his gaze but the moment he closed his grip on Henry's waist tightly, Henry's breath hitched, looking back into Alex's brown eyes.

"Let me help." Alex whispered brushing his fingers over Henry's temple and he could see Henry shut his eyes tight with a soft shakes. "I can do it." Henry whispered back pushing himself straight and face Alex again.

"You barely can stand, you're saying you can shower by yourself." Alex told him with that smirked formed on his lips.

"I promise I won't look." Alex told him and Henry's eyebrow crooked at him. "Don't be ridiculous Alexander. I'm not a child." Henry protest which made Alex pressed his lips together. He never expects it but he somehow yearned to hear Henry called him 'Alexander' again. "I know you're not cause if you are I wouldn't be having this conversation right now." He says trying to hide his smirk from Henry.

It took him a while to convince Henry but eventually he gave in and starts to undo his hoodie zipper.

"Turn around." Henry told him and Alex sighed before he finally did. He turned facing the door listening to Henry undo his clothes behind him before he hopped in the shower and close the sliding door behind Alex.

Alex turned around when he hears the shower turned on staring at Henry's naked silhouette from behind the glass door. His breath hitched as he hear Henry winced in pain probably due to the wound being hit by the shower drops.

He couldn't stop staring at Henry's naked figure although he barely could see anything due to the fog covering the glass but the thought of Henry's naked self bring his heart fluttering and the New Year's kiss flashes back in his mind.

He never get the closure on that kiss or why Henry kissed him in the first place. They never had a chance to talk it out even after one thing led to the other. His mind wanders at the softness of Henry's lips and the way his fingers brushes into his curly hair tugging on his root as the fireworks exploded above their heads. He can't deny it but it was the best kiss he'd ever received his entire life and the person whom responsible stood only few feet way from him.

He was interrupted when Henry's close the shower and slides the door slightly opened to find Alex still sitting against the bath tub waiting for him. He had his sleeves rolled up to his elbow with his top buttons undone. "You need something?" Alex asks when Henry peaked from behind the sliding door, "Towel, uhm- clothes." He says and Alex couldn't hide his smile at his shyness before he grabbed the towel on the metal rack above the cabinet.

He handed Henry the towel and as Henry grabbed it from his grip, his fingers brushes against Alex's causing Henry to flinch back. "I'll get some clothes for you." He says before he exited the bathroom while Henry finished cleaning himself off.

.

Alex gave Henry his long black sleeves that was too long for Henry but funny enough that it suits him. But then the thought hits him when he remembers Nora told him how Henry had rationed his food and he could see Henry's skinny figures from wearing his clothes. He was wearing Alex's sweatpants that he gave him and thankfully enough the sweatpants had tie string on the waistband. He could see the difference now seeing Henry wearing his clothes now rather than before. He could practically see the bone sticking out of his collar and when he bent, Alex can count the bone that sticking from his spine.

He remembers the first time he had seen Henry, he was a lot skinnier but not that skinny like now standing right in front of him and his heart broke at the sight of him.

Henry didn't come out to join them in the living room like Alex had hoped but instead, when Alex peeked into the bedroom only to find him sleeping on the floor next to the window with the blanket covers his whole body and he was sleeping on his side facing the glass beside him.

Alex couldn't help feeling odd at his behavior particularly at the constant floor sleeping while he was provided with such comfortable bed. Alex knew Henry is different from the day they met but he never meet anyone like him before. He came out of blue one day, appeared in his life and he can't shake him or even his own feeling to get rid of Henry and the truth was, Alex doesn't know if he can let Henry disappear from his life again.

He couldn't bare the thought of him not being there for him to see each day anymore now. Each day he woke up, his mind wanders to Henry and what trouble would he cause today.