"Henry."

"Bea?" Henry whispered watching as she slipped away from his fingers and he tried to catch her but she kept slipping away from him.

"Help me, Hen."

"How?" Henry asks and he could see Bea turned to face him again. Her red hair that she inherited from their grandmother let free and it brushes over her face.

"He needs to die Hen."

"Who?" Henry asks.

"Alex."

Henry jolted from his sleep when he heard Bea mentioned Alex's name. He could still feel her soft fingers lingering over his palm and it scares him when he remembered what Bea told him.

"He needs to die." Bea words echoed in his mind as he wrapped his arms around his knees pulling it closer to his chest. He sat up confused as to why he's on a floor of unfamiliar yet recognizable place before he was shot with pain all over his body that made him gasped.

He took few deep breaths trying to lean against the wall slowly before he pulled the blanket higher above his chest. He sat there, staring at the view outside of gloomy dark skies that seemed to rain thinking how bad it is for the icy road later.

He heard a soft knock on the door pulling his daze back into the room to see Nora peeked her curly head in and smiled when he saw Henry already up.

"Morning Hen." Nora greeted him and she wasn't even surprised to found him on the floor before handed him the mug and he thanked her. He held the warm mug in between his palm embracing the scent of Earl Grey before him. Nora smiled staring at Henry as she took her seat right by his folded legs on the window steps with her back leaned against the glass window.

"How do you feel?" Nora asks as Henry winced at each movement trying to get himself comfortable.

"Sore. Do you have some painkillers?" Henry asks but Nora shook her head at him. "No meds on empty stomach Henry, it will made you worst, get some breakfast first and I'll give you some ibuprofen." Henry smiles nodding his head at her, "Yes nurse Nora." Henry bowed at her causing Nora to chuckle by his words.

"Thank you again for last night. I can't imagined what would happened to me if you weren't there last night." Nora says with her voice cracked and Henry smiled holding out his palm for her and she took it right above his knees. But Henry pulls back when the stretched arms causing pain over his side.

"Sorry. Let me see." Nora scoot closer and tried to push Henry's shirt up which he reluctantly pulls it back down but failed when Nora clicked her tongue at him. Henry finally gave in but soon regretted when he saw Nora's eyes widen at the sight of his red and blue bruised sides that hides his scars that used to be visible on his skin.

"I'm fine." Henry reassured her pulling his shirt back down before leaning himself back against the wall. "Can I ask you something?" Nora whispered staring at Henry covered hands when she remembers the marks on his wrists.

"You're gonna ask about my scars and my wrist?" Henry asks and Nora nodded softly at him. Henry sniffed placing the mug down on the floor next to him before he pulled the sleeves exposing his marks on the wrist. He extended his arms out for Nora to inspect letting her fingers traced over the faints scar formed on his pale skin.

"Being cuffed and tied up for years would do that to you." Henry starts causing Nora to looked up meeting his gaze. "I can't remember how many times I broke my wrist trying to escape." Henry pulls his sleeves back down trying to hide his insecurities away but Nora knows now and there is no hiding anymore.

"I can't imagined being locked away for years for something you have no control of." Nora held Henry's hand in her palm over his lap when she noticed Henry's gaze lingered over the view outside.

"I tried to kill myself so many times at that place. Then it got worst. They put me in a straight jacket preventing me from hurting myself. Had me in gagged so I won't bite my tongue and bleeding to death. Kept me in a dark room for days as a punishment for wanting to die. Fed me through tube stuffed down my nose so I won't die of starvation for not wanting to eat."

Henry lowered his gaze down on their tangled hand over his lap before he heard Nora asks him again. "What made you hold on?" She asks and Henry took a deep breath before he looked up to meet her eyes again.

"Believe it or not, I have been asking myself the same question for a decade." Henry adds.

"Each time I opened my eyes, I wouldn't know whether it's day or night. Rain or shines or snow outside. All I know is that I am not alone." Henry stares deeply into Nora's eyes when she noticed how he was looking through her instead at her. She noticed that cold stare before when Henry saw a presence but this time, it seems like Henry regretted his words when he said that to her.

"You can trust me Hen." Nora gripped his hand tighter on his lap and Henry softly nodded with his eyes glistened.

"I know. It's just-" Henry lowered his gaze on their hands again before he continued.

"My life is hanging on your ability to keep this a secret Nora. Know that. As soon as the word gots out, I'm as good as dead." Henry told her and Nora noticed the fallen tear on his cheek before Henry wiped it out immediately. His head tilted to the side trying to hide those tears staring at the untouched bed.

"Still can't sleep in bed huh?" She asks when she noticed the silent stare and Henry exhaled a long breath before turning his gaze back at her. "Been sleeping on the ground for ten years. No bed would ever made me comfortable enough. Plus it's not like I can get decent sleep anyway." Nora can hear the tiredness in Henry's voice for lack of sleep and imagining herself sleeping on the cold hard ground for years. She wanted to say something else but she knows nothing would make any difference right now.

Henry noticed how Nora kept herself quiet for a while before Henry noticed that no one came through that door since she got here. more obviously the someone being is the tall Mexican-American hot looking guy that get on Henry's nerve.

"Where's Alex?" Henry finally asks the obvious question. He sat up hunching forward with his hand clasped together in between his folded legs. "Don't know. He was gone when I woke up." Nora claimed before she stood up from the floor and grabbed her mug along with her.

"What you want for breakfast?" Nora asks as she stepped closer to the door.

Henry shrugged his shoulders at her with a smile, "Anything is good." Henry says and Nora smiled back at him, "Egg and toast it is." She says knowing Henry is a man of routine and never once he broke it.

.

Henry didn't even realized when he fell back asleep after Nora left and by the time he woke up, he could feel his head is heavier than earlier. He sighed digging his fingers into his throbbing temple when he felt the lump formed under his blonde hair.

He sat up taking a few deep breaths to ease the headache growing before he stood from the floor. Henry was losing his balanced when he tried to stand but he held on to the wall before he finds his footing again.

He gasped at the sight of him in front of the mirror in the bathroom. The sight of him in bruised darker than yesterday. The cut on his lip had dried up but there was stray dry blood still marks on his lower lips. The fresh pink bruised on the side of his cheek and jaw had turned shaded bluish purple and Henry hated how he looked.

He sighed running his fingers over the wound formed on his lips that was closed before running traced over to his cheek bone. He almost teared up at the sight of him standing in the mirror feeling certain memories came back and haunt his mind.

He remembers looking at his own reflection on the metal bars in his room when he was secluded back in Broadmoor. The sight of the bruised eyes or busted lips from all the punishment he had received either intentionally or just for the sake of curiosity.

After he finished his business and done brush his teeth, he flipped the switch of the bathroom off before he left when he heard commotion coming from the living room and he recognized the voice belongs to Nora and Alex - arguing with each other.

Henry opened the door slightly to listen to the conversation when he heard the reason for them fighting.

"What did you do Alex?!" Nora yelled.

"I did what I had to do and you don't have to worry about it anymore!" Alex yelled back.

"There is a reason why this world has rules and regulations Alex! Why we had laws and justice! You don't go around and killed people at your own convenience!" Nora yells back at his face but Alex groaned into frustration trying his best to keep himself sane from arguing with her.

"Need I remind you Nora that I am not the same man you knew back in Texas? That guy is dead along with his sister and his parents. So if you want to stand there being high and mighty, be my guest but I don't need you to keep reminding me what is right and what's wrong!" Alex yelled at her face towering over her with his height.

"So that's it then. You just go around and kill people at your own convenience? That when someone got in your way, you just gonna kill them all. What if one day that someone is me Alex? Are you going to kill me too?" Nora screamed at him causing Alex to press his lips together before he slumped on the high chair. He still wearing his long coats on and Henry assumed he just got back from wherever he went before.

Henry can't resumed hearing their arguments anymore when he need to interfere or they would start hurting each other with their words.

He let the door opened harshly to let them know he heard them. They both shot their head up when they heard a loud banging sound and saw Henry stood in the doorway holding the frame for balance.

Henry came forth with his hair bundled up in a mess and his bruised face causing Alex to stares at him with his jaw clenched.

"What about at his convenience then Nora? Justice is fucked in our system. You knew that after what happened to June!" Alex yelled again and this time Henry need to say something to stop them both from fighting.

"Both of you stop." His voice croaked as he stepped closer towards them before Henry stopped in the middle of the kitchen island with Alex and Nora on his each sides. "What is going on with you both?" Henry asks as they both stood there in silence.

"Nothing. Just disagreement." Alex says in annoyance before taking off his coat and disappeared into his bedroom. "Care to explain to me why you both screaming at each other's face?" Henry asks as he took a seat on the high chair carefully with his lips pressed at the pain growing all over his body.

"Nothing. Just something he did that pisses me off!" Nora says banging on the pan behind her before she held out a plate of meal for Henry. "Eat!" She says angrily surprising Henry that sat right across from her.

Henry didn't say anything in return except pulling the plate closer to see a spaghetti and meatball in his plate. "I'm not stupid Nora. I can hear what you guys arguing about." Henry says pulling the plate closer but before Nora could say anything in return, Alex beat her to it.

"You know my business Nora and it never bothers you before. Why changed now?" Alex argued coming back with his normal clothes on and somehow Henry felt his entire facade that Alex tries to hide behind his clothes changes when he walked in with simple short sleeves shirts and sweatpants on.

"It changed when it involves me!" Nora yelled throwing him the piece of apple she grabbed from the fruit basket at the end corner but Alex managed to catch it in time.

"Look the guy is a scumbag. No one is going to realize he was gone anyway." Alex says with no remorse before taking a bite on the apple she threw at him and took his seat next to Henry. Henry swallowed his throat dryly feeling their shoulder brushes against each other. The food before him isn't appealing as the conversation.

"What are you guys on about?" Henry asks taking a sip of the water Nora handed him before twirling the fork into the spaghetti. Nora sighed leaning her arms spread over the counter staring at both Alex and Henry across from her.

"Alex told me that the guy is no longer an issue which he refused to elaborate more which means he did something to him." Nora told Henry without glancing over at Alex like he wasn't even there.

"For the last time Nora it needs to be done! Can you please put some sense into her!" Alex argued again and Nora glanced over at Henry seeking his help to defend her in this.

"Good. Thank you for that." Henry says abruptly turning their heads over to him in shock, "Henry that is not something for you to be thankful about." Nora told him sharply.

Henry sighed placing the fork down on his plate noticed the burning stares coming on his side from Alex. "Nora the guy attacked you out of nowhere. He hurt me in the process and worst of it all, he got away." Henry explained which irks Nora most when Alex fisted his hand up in the air before tapping Henry on his back causing Henry groaned in pain.

"Sorry." He apologized forgetting that Henry was still hurt.

"That doesn't mean he gets to do whatever he wants to all the threats that comes." Nora protest.

"Nora it needs to be done. The guy might comes back and I can't-" Henry paused.

"We can't protect you all the time." Henry stated before turning his gaze at Alex next to him. He had this soft smile on his face showing his dimpled cheek that Henry barely seen it before.

"You both are unbelievable." Nora slammed her palm on the counter before she left the kitchen headed into Alex's bedroom. Henry can hear Alex sighing desperately next to him without turning his head at him. He wanted to say something but couldn't help feeling the headache brewing inside his head stronger than earlier.

"Thanks for that." Alex nudged his elbow noticed Henry had his hands cupping his temple. He had pushed the plate off after taking two bites when Alex noticed he's in pain.

He stood up circling around the island before he pulled out the drawer. Henry noticed he shook the pill bottles that rattles in his hand before he slides it to Henry. "Here. Take this."

Henry thanked him popping couple of tablets into his mouth before he swallowed it down with the glass of water. He sighed before glancing back at Alex who now leaning against the counter with his arms crossed on his chest.

"Thanks for agreeing earlier." Alex finally spoke but noticed Henry took a sharp inhaled before he looked up meeting Alex's burning gaze.

"I also agree with her." Henry says causing Alex to frown.

"You just said-"

"I know what I said. I never said I agree to kill someone just for the sake of it. I'm just thanking you for getting rid of a problem in hand." Henry defend causing Alex clenching his jaw tight. He was annoyed by Henry's word and for a little while, he thought Henry would actually agree with him.

"Then why didn't you say anything earlier?" He asks and Henry sighed.

"The guy didn't just attacked her out of nowhere. He went through her pursed but didn't take anything. He might be a scum but he's a scum with reasons. Someone hired him." Henry explained and he could see his words triggered something in Alex.

He stood straight uncrossing his arm before taking a step closer towards the island to face Henry.

"And how do you know that exactly Henry? Are you the one who sent him to get on her gracious place again?" Alex asks bitterly and Henry could feel the coldness in his tone.

"And risk my life in the process?" Henry replied.

"Then explained to me how on earth you know he was sent to hurt her?" Alex asks clenching his jaw tight as he stared at Henry in front of him.

"Because I spent the rest of my life trying to run away from the people that tried to hurt me. So I know when I'm being hunted." Henry says watching as Alex pulled back with a smirk on his face.

"So you're a fugitive then? Are you even here legally?" Alex asks and Henry took another sharp breath.

"In a way." Henry adds.

Alex stares at him before his arms crossed over his chest again finally some truth about Henry that he tried so hard to gain.

"Alex you can torture me all you want for information but I am not going to share it to you until it's time. Abandoned all your thoughts and starts fixing what you had broke instead with her." Henry says before he stood up from the chair. He winced at the sudden movement clutching on his side when he noticed a hand gripping on his arm.

He looked up to see Alex standing by his side holding him up from hunching in pain when Henry noticed the concerned gaze on his face.

"I'm fine." Henry said dismissively before pulling his arms away from Alex's grip. "I need to go home." Henry says trying to walk past Alex but he pulled him back with his palm pressed on Henry's chest.

"I'll take you home." Alex says with his tone low and before Henry could protest, he was already by the door with his coat on holding out for Henry to follow.

.

Henry was surprised to see Alex was the one who drive his own car but this time, it wasn't his usual SUV, it was his Audi and Cash was not there like always.

Henry remained quiet until he sees his home street after Alex pulled into the side and push in the breaks before he turned off the car in silence. 

"Is the person hunting you down somewhere near?" Alex asks abruptly causing Henry to turn to his side. He shook his head softly even know he wasn't sure Phillip knew if Henry was out. He prayed to God every day for him not to know.

"I don't think so." Henry says and Alex exhaled longly gripping his steering wheel until his knuckles turned white.

"I'll protect you." He softly said and Henry wasn't sure if he heard it right.

"What?" Henry asks since he couldn't hear him well enough to believe him.

Alex glanced over to his side staring at Henry's pale bruised face before he repeated himself. "I'll protect you." He says and Henry's lip curved up to a smile. His eyes glistened and he could feel a sense of warmth flooding through his chest before his gaze falls on Alex's lips.

"Thank-" Henry couldn't finished his sentence when Alex pulled him by his neck and collapsed their lips together in one heated kiss.

Henry pulled back in shocked when he realized what Alex just did. "Wait a minute- why did you just-" Henry was clueless but he could see Alex smirked grew wider showing his pearly teeth.

"I have been thinking about that kiss since New Year. You are not letting me on again." Alex says before pulling Henry for another kiss.

Henry could feel Alex's calloused hand brushing against his cheek before he trails it lower to his neck. Henry winced in pain from Alex lips pressing his cuts on the lower lips causing him to pull away. "Sorry. Did I hurt you?" Alex asks trying to see if he was injured further but Henry shook his head at him and pulled him for another kiss.

Henry could feel Alex's hand roamed around his lap before he raised closer to Henry's hip but before he could go further, Henry stopped him. "Alex." Henry pushed him by his chest pressing his lips together still could feel Alex's taste in his mouth.

"Sorry. I never done this before." Alex says shakily running his hand through his hair. Henry smiled pulling Alex by his chin before pressing his lips one last time. "We both know its not true at all." Henry says before he pressed another kiss on Alex's lips and smiled. "Thank you." He says opening the car door to let himself out before Alex pulled him by his wrist.

Henry felt self conscious in Alex finding out about his marks but when he turned around, Alex's eyes are staring right at him and before Henry could asks, Alex pressed his lips over Henry's knuckles with a smile curved on his face.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Alex asks and Henry nod before he let Alex kissed his knuckles again. "See you then." Henry whispered back before Alex let go of his hand and Henry left the car with his heart still pounding in his chest.