a/n: i forgot to say a few chapters ago, i am going to link my spotify. i make playlists with every song that Harry puts on the cassette tapes for Maggie. you can listen to the cassettes yourself then. also, there is a Satellite reference in this chapter, can you find it?

Harry had been at work the following day, and there had been absolutely no mention of why he was out the previous day when he came to drop off a stack of mail to me. I knew it wasn't his job to do in the slightest–usually Grenadine would stop by or one of the younger employees would as well. Then again, I wondered if he had done it to try and get me to spark a conversation with him—which would definitely not happen. I was still irritated with him, even if he had attempted to start my morning off with flowers in my office, they had just ended up in the trash and I hoped that he saw them sitting there as he walked out of the room.

I wondered if he had been the one calling me yesterday when I got home, but of course I hadn't answered him when he called—if it was him anyway. I didn't want to speak to him. I still didn't. He must have gotten the point too, because he didn't try to really speak to me when he had visited me in my office, simply telling me that it was my mail before he left. The same thing happened on Wednesday as well. It was the first of the month, and I knew the big packet of mail in his hands had to deal with the grant that Mr. Watson had told me about. And, thankfully all Harry had to say to me was that he had my mail before he shuffled out of the room, passing yet another bouquet of flowers that I had thrown in the trash.

Later that evening, I found myself walking up to my house about twenty minutes after five in the evening. I expected for it to be no different than any other day, but I saw flowers lying on the porch, my eyebrows pulling in. Glancing around the area, I found myself looking for anyone that could have been lingering around my house. However, the road was almost completely empty, or if it wasn't, it was people walking their dogs who I definitely didn't think had anything to do with the flowers on my porch. Taking a deep breath, I crouched down, picking up the bouquet. They were really pretty, and I found myself glancing at the card, seeing that they were, of course, from Harry.

I hope you're having a good day. I'm still so sorry. Please call me.

Kindest wishes,

Harry

Rolling my eyes, I unlocked my front door. It didn't take me long to get inside, leaving me to drop my keys in the clay bowl the way that I normally did. Locking the door behind me, I went into the kitchen, dropping the flowers onto the counter. Of course, I probably should have given him the benefit of the doubt. He was trying here. He had been with the flowers for three days. He was going out of his way for me. However, it didn't excuse his behavior in the slightest bit. I didn't like that he thought he could win me over with flowers. I was so distraught by his behavior that the idea he had gotten me flowers didn't even bring tears to my eyes the way that it usually did. Instead, I found myself tossing them in the trash like the others, wanting to feel guilty but being unable to do so.

Heading into my bedroom, I took my shoes off, placing them in their regular spot in the closet. It was followed by pulling my blazer off, dropping it into my hamper. I was trying to decide what I wanted to do with the rest of my evening. I could have called Donna, I could watch a movie, or I could spend my time reading some smutty novel. Deciding that I was so stressed with my current life, I chose the latter, wanting to get lost in someone else's problems instead of my own. Changing into a big T-shirt, I climbed into my bed, beginning to read the book that I had only partially started last week. But, with being so busy recently I hadn't exactly had that much time to get through any reading, so I was glad to finally have a moment to myself.

It was when I was about halfway through the book that my phone started ringing, but I didn't exactly want to get out of bed. It was very lazy of me, but I was at a good part in the story, and I also felt like I probably already knew who it was. So, I decided against it, continuing to read my book. The phone stopped ringing not much later as well, and I found myself enjoying my book, focusing on someone else's problems instead of my own. It was the only real escape from the world, and I hoped that the girl in the book was having a much better time with her man than I was with mine. Or, by the filthy words that I was reading I was sure she was having a very good time.

Around eight, my phone started ringing again. I didn't know why, but I still decided to ignore it. I was nearly finished with my book, and I knew if it was Donna, Jackie, or Debbie they would have left a message for me and I would hear my voicemail machine go off eventually. Sighing when my phone finally stopped ringing, I was left with a few more chapters until the book was finished. The couple in the book got married and I smiled at the idea that someone could have a happy ending. But, then I started thinking about my own problematic life where my fiancé had broken up with me, was now married, and had a kid on the way. It was not how I wanted to be left thinking, so I quickly got up out of bed, dropped the finished book off in my office before I went out onto the sofa to watch a movie.

About halfway through, there was yet another phone call, and I really could not even begin to believe that my phone was ringing so much. I knew who it had to be–there was no doubt in my mind–but I absolutely was not going to pick up the phone. Not when I had every right to be irritated with him right now. He could try and buy me flowers, he could try and apologize through them, but it wasn't enough. Not after he had terrified me, called me a bitch, and been blatantly rude to me on Sunday. It just wasn't okay with me. Not in the slightest.

As I began to finish up the movie, I heard a knock on my door. My eyebrows pulled in, and it was not something that I liked to hear when it was nearly ten in the evening. Sure, it was probably Harry–not that I liked the thought–but I also was worried that maybe it wasn't for some weird reason. I just had a gut feeling. Shutting my television off, I stood up carefully, thankful that all of my curtains were shut in the living room. The thought of someone glancing into my home and seeing me was a bit frightening. However, when I glanced out the peephole, no one was there, and I was certain that scared me more than anything. I mean, what if I opened my door and someone was there? Deciding that it was just time to go to bed, I was walking through the kitchen to get some water when I heard a knock on the back door, my eyes widening.

Walking over through the laundry room, I stayed by the kitchen door, trying my best to see out the window that was covered with a sheer white curtain. The glass wasn't see through, but I covered my mouth when I saw someone knock their hand against the glass before pressing their palm against the window. I had never been so scared in my life, knowing that I was literally shaking with fear. Practically sprinting to the phone, I was calling Donna, my breathing coming out in fast pants when she answered.

"Hello?"

"Uh, hey, Donna, I-I know that this is like ... I know this is s-super short notice but someone definitely just knocked on my front door and my b-back door. L-Like I saw their hands on the glass so I'm really scared."

"Oh shit, Maggie," Donna said. "Hold on, I'll have Billy come get you. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, it's fine. I feel horrible to even have you do that. I'm so sorry."

"Please don't apologize right now, give me one second, stay on the line."

I heard her calling for Billy and him yelling for her to hold on, but when Donna said it was urgent he asked what was wrong. They had a short conversation on the other line, and I listened to every word, Billy saying he would see me soon and to not worry. Everything would be fine. I hoped he was right, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared out of my mind right now.

"Stay on the phone with me," Donna said.

"I need to put a bag together."

"Okay, fine," she agreed. "But do it and then come to the phone again, I'm going to be on the line."

"Y-Yeah, okay."

It wasn't long until I was basically running to my room. I knew I had been scared like this before. I recalled when I had been running for my life at eighteen. It was one of the worst days of my life because I thought I was genuinely going to die. Grabbing a bag from my closet, I packed clothes for the following day, covering my mouth again when I heard a knock on what had to be my window. Glancing out of my closet, I knew my curtains were open–it was a deep mistake on my end for not shutting them. And, when I saw a white mask, I felt all my blood slip from my body. It wasn't exactly the same, it was white with black around the eyes and mouth, but it was eerily close to what I had seen in the past. There was no way. The guy that had chased me was in jail–the police said so. And if that was the case, who was this?

I had never hid like this before. I knew they were looking into my room, waiting patiently for me to come out. I was so scared. What if they had already seen me? What if they tried to break the glass? Squeezing my eyes shut, I heard them knock on the window again, my body freezing up entirely. I just saw the mask, I couldn't even recall what the hair looked like, what their eyes might have looked like behind the mask. But, when I opened my eyes again they weren't there. The masked face was gone, and I felt my breathing increase, followed by a car honking. I hoped it was Billy, and I quickly crawled out of my closet, tugging my curtains shut as quickly as possible before I stood up, slipped on some pajama pants and picked up the phone.

"Donna? Donna, I think it was him."

"It was who?"

"Th-The guy from three years ago."

"Maggie, they locked that guy up."

"No, I just saw him. Or someone like him. I-I don't know."

I heard a car honk again. Billy was outside. I would be safe. I would be secure. I was so close to safety. The odds of someone stalking me when there were other people around was probably far less. I could do this. I would make it through this. If I did before, I certainly could now.

"I think Billy's here," I continued.

"Okay. Talk to me when you get here. It will all be fine."

"Y-Yeah."

She said a goodbye, and I found myself grabbing my keys out of the clay bowl before glancing out the peep hole to make sure that it was clear. Billy was looking around as he stepped out of his car, leaving me to quickly open my front door. I had never locked up so fast in my entire life, practically running to the car and opening the door. Billy blinked several times as he slowly sat in the car, locking the vehicle before glancing at me.

"Didn't a guy with a mask almost kill you one time?" Billy asked.

"Yeah."

"Great," he nodded. "I definitely just saw him. That's so great. I'm not scared or anything."

"You saw him?"

"Yeah," he nodded, squeezing the steering wheel as he backed out of the driveway. "Maggie, I really don't know how safe it is for you to stay there by yourself anymore."

"Great. Great. This is so great, oh my goodness, I'm literally going to die."

"Now, I wouldn't say that," he told me, squeezing my shoulder. "We'll get it all sorted. You can call Harry at the house."

"I'm mad at him."

"Oh," Billy said.

"I'll probably still call him. I'm still mad but I want to call him, I think. I don't know."

"Yeah, for sure. What did he do?"

"Called me a bitch."

"No," he gasped.

"Yes."

"That dick!" Billy scoffed. "Donna is going to rip him a new one, no doubt."

I laughed, feeling a little better that I was with someone and wasn't home alone anymore. But, that scary mask just kept replaying in my mind over and over and over again. How could this be happening? I tried to focus on the radio as much as I could to get everything out of my mind, however, it was difficult. I was still shaking in my seat, and by the time we got to Donna's I felt scared that I was bringing bad people around Donna and her family. Crossing my fingers that everything would work out okay, Billy took my bag inside the house, leaving me to follow in after him and lock the door behind me.

"Maggie!" Donna said quickly, wrapping her arms around me tightly. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Maggie's not safe by herself at home," Billy stated.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean some freak was outside with a mask on, and they probably would have tried to get inside if I didn't start honking."

"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph," Donna sighed. "I'm so sorry, Maggie, you don't deserve to go through this again, honey. Should we call the police? I feel like we need to call the police."

I shook my head no. I didn't want to be under watch twenty-four-seven. The thought was scarier than simply trying to ignore what had happened. Taking a deep breath, I pulled away from her, asking if I could go to their guest room and use the phone. She nodded, saying I could go to the kitchen if I wanted, but I told her I wanted to call Harry. It was clear that she understood then, and I heard Billy telling Donna about what Harry had said to me as I started to make my way to the guest room.

"You're letting me talk to him when you're done! That's no way to treat my best friend! Absolutely not!"

Thanking her, I assured Donna that she could speak to him when I was off the phone, however, I found myself shutting the curtains in the bedroom, shutting the door before flicking on the light. It didn't take me long to sit down on the bed. I grabbed the phone, picking it up and dialing Harry's number. It rang a few times, but by the fourth ring he picked up, my breathing catching in my throat.

"Hello?" I heard him answer quietly.

"Hi," I murmured.

"Mags?" he said quickly. "I-I've been calling you the past few days. Where have you been?"

"Busy," I fibbed. "I-I'm not at my house right now, though. Someone with a mask was knocking on my doors and standing outside, so I'm pretty freaked out, but–"

"What?" he asked, and I could tell he was worried about me by his tone. "What do you mean? Where are you? Are you okay? I'll come see–"

"No," I said softly. "I-I'm still mad at you. What you did was wrong, but I just ... I just wanted to tell you what was going on."

"Let me come see you and make sure you're okay."

It was a mistake to call him. I definitely knew that now. I wanted to see him. I missed him. He was someone who I had trusted, and while that trust had been broken, it didn't change how I felt about him. Sure, I knew he was still in the wrong—of course he was—but I was scared out of my mind and I wanted to see him. But, I knew I needed to ignore those feelings as of right now.

"Harry, I'm fine," I told him softly. "I don't want to see you."

"Oh," he murmured. "Yeah. Okay."

"I just wanted to hear your voice."

"Yeah," he said quietly. "I-I'm ... I'm not having a very good day myself."

"What are you–?"

"I'm glad you're okay," he told me.

I was confused. He was having a bad day? Even if I was still irritated with him, it didn't mean I wasn't concerned with him. After all, I had been worried when he didn't show up to work on Monday even though I was pissed at him for what he had done. It must have been a good amount of time with me not talking though, because Harry's voice was filling the space on the line quickly.

"Are you sure that you're safe?" he asked quietly.

"I am."

"Can I come see you?"

"Harry."

"You can be mad, but I'm worried about you, okay?"

I sighed loudly. Why was he like this? Why did he have to so easily pull at my heart strings? What was maybe two days felt like an eternity without him. It was awful to think I was this interested in him, but I also knew that it was sweet in a way. After all, it meant that I found someone I really did like. That had to mean something.

"Fine," I murmured. "Donna's going to kick your ass, though."

"Lovely. So you're at her place then?"

"Yeah."

"Perfect, I'll be there in fifteen," he told me.

"I'll see you."

"You will," he said softly.

"Bye, Harry."

"Bye, doll."

We hung up, and I found myself getting off the bed. As I headed to the living room, Donna raised her eyebrows, asking if it was her turn to talk to him. My face burned almost immediately, and I knew she was going to be absolutely pissed that I had hung up on him. After all, she wanted to yell at him for sure, but maybe she would be excited to yell at him in person.

"H-He's going to stop by. I should have asked, I'm just now thinking that, Donna, I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" she laughed. "You're having a rough evening, I don't care, Maggie. Plus, now I can yell at the guy in person. Win-win for us both."

It made me laugh. I sat on the sofa with her, Billy sitting in the armchair while he flipped through different television stations. Around eleven there was a knock on the door and I could tell Donna wasn't sure about this in the slightest now. Sure, I had been pissed with him, and I still was, but I felt incredibly unsafe right now and I felt like maybe he would make it not so horrible. Glancing out the peep hole, I saw him standing there with his arms behind his back. It had been a little longer than the fifteen minutes he had talked about, but when I opened the door I realized why. Not only had he gotten me more flowers, but he was holding a paper bag that had tissue paper coming out of it. I stared up at him, very confused, but he was setting the stuff down and wrapping his arms around me before I could get a word out. I was very confused, especially since he hated hugging so much but he was squeezing me in his hold, a frown on my face when I heard him shudder softly.

"Hey."

"Don't," he murmured.

"I'm okay. I'm here. Right here."

"Mhm."

He was very upset. I didn't know if it was because of what happened to me or because of whatever made him take a personal day from work the other day, but Donna told us to shut the door. He let go of me for a brief moment to shut the door and lock it before he wiped his face, my eyes focusing on him. I could tell he was very anxious, his breathing inconsistent and I found myself glancing down trying not to look at him.

"Harry, you're lucky you look upset or I would be ripping into you right now," Donna told him.

"I know, I know," he nodded, his right hand tilting my chin up gently. "I can call Steven's dad. Do you want me to do that?"

I shrugged. "What's the point?"

"What's the point?" he asked. "Someone is targeting you. That isn't okay with me."

"Harry."

"I was a piece of shit. I suck. I am the worst ever. I know. I get it. You can be so upset with me but my day just keeps getting worse and if something happens to you I don't know what I'll do."

He was tugging at his curls when he pulled his hand away from his face, green eyes very focused on me. I watched as he asked Donna to borrow the phone, Donna directing him to the kitchen before I picked up the flowers off the floor. It was followed by Donna getting off of the couch, handing them to Billy to put in the kitchen while I picked up the paper bag that looked like a gift. Donna and I walked over to the sofa, leaving me to pull the tissue paper out and see a smaller gift inside along with what looked like a few vanilla sprinkle frosted donuts. Blushing at the fact that he knew me so well, I pulled the smaller gift out of the bag, unwrapping it to see he had made another cassette for me.

1. I Apologize
2. Can't Get Used To Losing You
3. Stop, Stop, Stop
4. Wondering Where The Lions Are
5. What Am I Gonna Do With You
6. Your Song
7. Heart In Hand
8. In The Middle Of A Heartache
9. My Heart Is Empty Without You
10. Hand Clapping Song
11. (Maggie) May
12. Feel So Fine
13. Like To Get To Know You

"I'm sorry, but this is cute," Donna told me. "I think he maybe really didn't like how long you two were apart."

"I know," I nodded, swallowing hard. "I'm still mad, though."

"Of course you are. I would be also."

"I just hate that I have no one, so of course I wanted to call him. It isn't fair."

Donna sighed, moving over so that she could pull me into a hug. It was then that I finally broke down, knowing that I had tried my best to stay calm but I had finally lost it. I was scared, I was hurt, I was overthinking. Everything was so terrifying at this point, and I wondered what would happen to me. What if this person with a mask wouldn't stop until I was dead? What if I finally had met the person who was killing all of these poor girls? It hurt to think that I was in so much distress, and there was no way to know if I was even safe anymore.

"Steven's dad is going to look into it for us," I heard Harry say, pulling away from Donna to look at him. "C'mere."

He was sitting on the sofa beside me, and almost instantly I was moving to hold onto him, Harry letting me cry into his shoulder. He pulled me to sit on his lap, his lips pressing to the top of my head several times. I didn't want to give into him so quickly, but he was so comforting, and secure, and even if he had scared me on Sunday I knew that he was safe. I knew that he could defend me if he needed to, and it was one of the reasons that I had wanted to call him in the first place. Not to mention that Steven's dad knowing what had happened made this feel a lot better. It wasn't the entire police station, but it was enough for me to feel better.

"C-Can you stay?" I asked him suddenly. "Donna, i-is that okay?"

"After I have a nice chat with him, absolutely," Donna nodded.

"Good luck, man," Billy said to him. "She's scary when she's mad."

"Thanks," Harry murmured.

I looked up at Harry. He wiped my cheeks, pouting his lower lip. I didn't want to die. It was terrifying to me. The thought of something terrible happening was not what I wanted to think about. And I certainly didn't even want to imagine what would have happened to me if Billy hadn't showed up when he did.

"What?" Harry asked softly.

I shook my head.

"Let's get you to bed, hmm? I'll talk to Donna and then come lay with you."

"I-I think I'm going to shower."

"For sure, darling."

He stood up with me in his arms, my body clinging to him tightly. It didn't take him long to take me to the bathroom, Harry laughing softly when he tried to set me down but I didn't let go. I was still holding onto to him, my breathing slowly increasing to a much faster speed. He must have noticed I was freaking out because he shut the door, setting me on the vanity as he continued to hold me, one of his arms around me while the other brushed through my hair.

"You're safe."

"Don't leave," I said.

"I'm just going to—"

"Please," I begged quietly, not understanding why I was so needy for his protection. "H-Harry, I'm so scared."

He sighed softly. "Look. There are absolutely no windows in this bathroom. I'll start the shower for you, I'll get a towel set up, and I'll go get you some clothes. I'll come back before you've even washed your hair."

"You swear?"

"I swear," he agreed softly. "I'll even pinky promise you."

I nodded. He sent me a small smile when we pulled back some, Harry wrapping his pinky around mine quickly now. It was sweet. I liked that he took them seriously. The two of us stamped our thumbs before pulling away, leaving me to let go of him. I still sat on the vanity, but now I was watching him start the shower. He grabbed a towel out of the linen closet, but I caught him before he could set the towel on the toilet seat, Harry tensing up but allowing me to hug him tightly.

"I'm so sorry," he murmured.

"Shh."

"Magdalina."

"We can deal with it later."

"We shouldn't. I messed up."

"I-I want to deal with it when I'm not scared, o-okay?"

"For sure," he agreed softly. "Whatever you need."

I swallowed hard, hiding my face in his chest. He was my favorite scent. Lavender, mint, and something cozy. I felt at home when I was with him, even if I had wanted to play it tough, I couldn't stand to be angry with him much longer now. Not when I was so scared. I knew we could figure this out, and he understood that I was having a moment of weakness.

"I'm sure it's warmed up. I'll leave you to it," he said.

Harry pulled me off the vanity, setting me on the tile flooring. He pressed one last kiss to the top of my head before pulling away, shutting the door behind him. I put the towel from the toilet seat on the counter, quickly using the bathroom and realizing that I really wasn't winning now that my period was here. Cursing softly to myself, I knew it had been coming because of my birth control, but I wasn't certain exactly which day this week it would decide to show up since my body was still adjusting to it.

Quickly finishing up, I flushed the toilet before undressing completely and then climbing into the shower. My body was tense under the water, and I wanted to start crying again. The masked face just kept playing throughout my thoughts, and anytime I shut my eyes they were there. The face was playing over and over and I wanted it to leave my mind. Swallowing hard, I tried my best to wash up, hearing the door of the bathroom open. Glancing out of the shower curtain, I saw Harry, his eyes meeting mine quickly before he set my clothes on the vanity.

"C-Can you ask Donna for a pad?"

"Damn, can't catch a break, can you, doll?" he asked.

"No."

"Yeah, I'll go ask. Anything else?"

"Just that."

He nodded. I watched as he left the bathroom again, leaving me to continue my shower. When the door opened again, I wasn't worried, knowing that it was just Harry. He even made it clear when he said he had gotten what I needed, leaving me to finish up my shower and shut the water off. Harry held the towel out to me through the curtain, which I quickly took. Drying off, I wrapped the plushy material around my body before I pulled the curtain open, Harry helping me step out onto the bath mat.

"C-Can I hug you?" I asked timidly.

"Yeah. Don't ask tonight, it's okay."

I hugged him tightly, Harry resting his head on top of mine easily. He was being sweet, and I wished I was stronger. I wanted to be better, but I felt safe with him. He eased all my nerves, and I found myself trying to calm down before I worked myself up. Though, knowing that my period was probably playing with my emotions as well, I knew that this was totally fine. I could give in to him today and figure out my feelings on a different day when I wasn't dealing with life and death.

"I'll let you change, yeah?" he tried.

I nodded.

"Call me if you need anything at all. I'll be right outside the door."

It didn't take long for him to leave the bathroom. I quickly got situated before I fully dressed. It didn't take long to hang my towel, and before long I was pulling the door open, Harry looking a little surprised but then he smiled at me. I took one of his hands in both of mine, Harry leading me out to the living room. Donna and Billy were still up, my friend and her husband glancing at us.

"Harry, if you so much as hurt her feelings once, it's over for you. I know we talked but I am so serious. Do you understand?" Donna asked.

"Absolutely," he nodded.

"Perfect," she nodded. "Maggie, don't hesitate to tell me if he's mean, okay?"

"Okay," I nodded. "Thank you for letting me stay here. I really appreciate it."

"We're best friends. I'd be a bad friend to not allow it."

"Thank you," Harry stated.

"For sure," Donna said. "Now go get her to bed, Harry."

He nodded. Before we went to the guest room, Harry and I got water from the kitchen. We then said goodnight to Billy and Donna, the two of us going into the guest bedroom. Harry set his water down before he placed mine down as well. However, I was surprised when he sat on the edge of the bed, pulling me to stand between his legs. I could tell he was tense, his body very obviously uncomfortable. However, he wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me into him before he rested his cheek against my chest. I played with his hair, feeling as though he was upset but I was scared to ask what was wrong.

He could be sweet when he wanted to be with me. Even if Sunday had terrified me, it was this man that I missed. The one who was cuddly, and sweet, and timid when he wasn't in front of others. I knew that he cared about me at moments like this, especially since he was so quiet. It reminded me of when he had fallen asleep in front of his friends with me, knowing that I must have been someone that not only did he trust, but that he felt extremely comfortable around.

"Fuck," he muttered.

"What?"

"I really messed up," he whispered. "Really. Like so bad. I should have been with you. I should have been spending time with you. Magdalina, I am so sorry."

He looked up at me, a softness in his eyes. I could see the tears brimming, and I knew that he was upset. He really did feel bad, and I found myself leaning down, pressing a kiss to his forehead. Even if I was terrified, I didn't want him to be upset. I hated it. He had been mean, that was a given, but it was so blatantly obvious that he was dealing with something and for some weird reason he had taken it out on me. It still wasn't okay, but I wondered what his issue had been for him to be like this.

"I don't want to talk about it right now," I said softly, one of my hands holding his face.

He squeezed his eyes shut, his jaw clenching in my hand. I felt him swallow hard, and I wondered what was going through his mind. I always did, but I especially did now. He was so soft with me, and it really made no sense as to why he had acted the way he had toward me over the weekend. Pulling his head to rest against my chest again, Harry sighed loudly, his arms tightening around me.

"Do you still want to come with me this weekend?" he asked softly.

"With your friends?" I asked.

"Yeah," he murmured. "We don't have to. I know you said we'd talk it over at a different time, but—"

"Maybe getting away wouldn't be so bad," I said quietly, playing with his hair. "We could de-stress."

"Right," he agreed.

"Thank you for coming," I murmured, tilting his chin up to look at me. "You ..."

"I what?"

He was looking at me intently. I hated that at times he would be like this with me. Almost always he was guarded, stoic, and modest when it came to emotions. I knew he didn't let people in very often. Even if he had been honest with me at times, there were still things I didn't know or understand about him because he was so reserved when it came to emotions. But, there were also times like now when I could tell he would have dropped any and everything for me in a heartbeat. If I needed him, he would be there. He didn't care about what he needed, he just wanted to be there for me, and it was something that I wasn't used to in my past relationship.

"Sweet girl," he said softly. "Tell me anything."

I was the one clenching my jaw now. He knew how to get to me. He knew what I needed. He knew that I was vulnerable, and he wanted to be there for me. It was tearing at my heart because while I wanted to be angry with him, I couldn't. Not when he was looking at me like I meant the entire world to him. I would have dropped anything for him, and I knew it at that moment. I knew it because he was willing to try and fix our issues before I let him in again. He was willing to mend what had happened. He was willing to take accountability for his actions and how he had treated me on Sunday, and that was something that I appreciated more than he would ever really understand.

"You're all I have, Harry."

I didn't want to tell him that. I didn't want him to take advantage of the words. I didn't want them to be true. It was terrifying to know that they were real. The words held true in their meaning. Yes, I had Donna and Billy. I had Debbie. I had Jackie. They were good to me, they were like my family, but at the end of the day they had their own families to deal with and at times I didn't feel like I fit in with them exactly. Harry made me feel whole again, and I think that was why him being so blatantly horrible to me on Sunday had hurt so bad. It was because the only thing I had in my silly little life was hurting me.

"That can't be true," he murmured.

"It is. My life sucks. My family abandoned me, I have really good friends but I feel bad bothering them. You were all I had left and then you were so mean to me, and I just hate myself sometimes, you know? It hurts to think I'm never good enough. Everyone always leaves. I am never good enough, and it sucks so bad. I just want to be good enough for once. Just once."

He sighed loudly. His eyes were searching mine quickly, and he frowned when I felt the tears start to fall down my cheeks. He let go of me, but his hands were quickly cupping my cheeks, Harry shaking his head as he wiped my face. I sniffled softly, feeling scared still, but most importantly I was sad. I didn't want him to abandon me, and I realized that now. I had feelings for this man, and it was terrible to think that he already had such a hold over my emotions, but I knew that I had a hold over his as well. I just felt defeated.

"You're good enough," he said to me quietly, nodding. "So good. More than enough for me, Magdalina. I know I was mean on–"

"Please don't," I cried. "I can't think about it. It hurts so much that you were so mean."

He was swallowing hard, shaking his head. "I'm so sorry."

"I-I just ... I feel so terrible, and I'm so scared, and ... Harry."

I cried. I cried really hard, and he was quickly standing up so that I could cry into his chest. I was more upset than I thought I had been previously. Even if I had cried earlier, this was different. These were tears that I didn't even know I had inside of me, and I felt so horrible at this point. I wanted to be happy. I wanted everything to be okay. I wanted to feel normal. But somehow my life was always playing tricks on me and I didn't even understand what I could have done for all of this to be happening. Sure, maybe I didn't go to church the way that I should have, but that didn't mean I deserved any of this.

"I want to help," he said softly. "Hey, hey, hey. What can I do? Hey."

I was shaking, hyperventilating, and crying. It was bad. I knew that I had worked myself up to this point, but after knowing that I could have maybe died tonight, I was incredibly stressed out to the point of a possible panic attack. He was picking me up, opening the door and then locking us in the bathroom. I didn't know what he was doing until I heard the tub, my body shaking in his arms as he emptied his pockets on the counter before he moved the shower curtain and climbed into the tub, the water freezing cold but he didn't seem to care.

"I know," he said quietly. "I know. You–hey, Mags, Mags, my sweet girl, I need–hey."

I was making it worse on myself. I wasn't breathing right. I was working myself up even more as I thought about what could have happened to me. It was all happening again. I remembered what life was like when I was eighteen. I remembered seeing the man with a mask countless times. He had stalked me before he tried to kill me and now that I saw someone like that again was it going to be the same? Was he going to stalk my every movement before he made a plan of attack.

"Breathe. Please. Mags, I need you to breathe. Can you breathe with me?"

He was holding me against him, the water up to my waist now in the tub. I was trying to listen to him, breathe with him, but I was so caught up in my panic attack that I could barely hear him. It hurt my chest, and I was doing my best, hearing him guide me in the breathing behind me. A soft voice coaxing me through every single breath in and every single breath out. Even if it took a while, I was beginning to get some control of myself, Harry continuing to guide my breathing even after I was matched with him, my body overwhelmed. My head rested against his shoulder, Harry's right hand on top of my forehead while his left arm was wrapped around my waist.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

I shrugged.

"I care about you so much," he said softly. "I'd do anything for you in a heartbeat."

I nodded.

"You mean everything to me."

I groaned softly, turning so that I could cuddle into him. He was a little shaky, and I felt bad, but was exhausted. Taking a deep breath, I whimpered softly, my chest burning now. Harry pulled me into him more, my eyes shutting as I tried my best to relax against him. We stayed there, Harry leaning forward with me to shut the water off. It was warm now, but we stayed until it turned cold. And eventually I said I wanted to go to bed. He got up, allowing me to stay in the tub. I wasn't all that surprised when he undressed down to his boxers, Harry grabbing a towel from the closet. I looked away when he took his boxers off, Harry wrapping a towel around his waist and leaving the bathroom. I probably would have complained if I wasn't so exhausted, but eventually he came back to the room with a change of clothes for me.

"Har."

"Yeah, sweet girl?"

"I'm too sleepy."

"I don't want to dress you and be disrespectful. You're also on your period, and I don't know how you want to deal with–"

"Har," I whined.

He sighed. I watched as he shut the door, my eyes shut as he changed. I felt his arms pull me out of the tub, the sound of the water dripping off my body very prominent. He wrapped me up in a towel, and I pressed my forehead into his chest. I felt like I had been hit by a bus, and I hated that he had to take care of me now because I had worked myself up so much.

"I'm going to get Donna," he told me.

"Okay. You'll be in bed for me?"

"Mhm," he hummed softly, sitting me on the toilet seat. "Can you just open your eyes for a minute? I don't want you to fall."

I looked up at him.

"Good girl," he murmured. "I'm sorry that you're so tired. We'll get you to sleep soon."

I nodded. He left the room again, Donna walking into the room with him. I could tell he looked overly stressed now, Donna glancing at him and then at me and then back at him. She sighed, telling him to shoo before she shut the door. I was thankful for Donna when she helped me change, my friend assisting me in ways that had to classify as more than my best friend but more like a sister to me. And, eventually I was ready for bed, Donna leaving me to stay on the toilet seat before she left and then came back with Harry.

"Maggie, get some rest, okay?" Donna said.

"Mhm."

"Thank you, Harry," my friend said to him softly.

"Of course."

He picked me up, carrying me through the hall and into the guest room. I was freezing cold, my body shaky as he laid me in bed. I shut my eyes almost immediately, hearing a few items get placed onto a surface before the door was shut. It wasn't long until the bed dipped, Harry wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me against him.

"Get some rest, doll."

"Mhm."

"Do you want me to wake you up when I leave for work?"

"Please," I whispered.

"You've got it. Sweet dreams, Magdalina."

"Thank you."

"I'd do anything for you."

He kissed my forehead as I faced him. I wanted to avoid the opportunity to look out into the darkness of the bedroom, so facing him was the better option. He still held onto me, pressing several to my forehead. It made my face burn, but I was just glad to get any affection from him, knowing it made me feel one thousand times better even if I was exhausted. And, while I started to feel better, I began to fall asleep. It was a miracle, in my opinion. I had been so scared that I didn't think I'd be able to fall asleep, but he managed to help, my breathing slowing as I finally drifted off to what I hoped would be a peaceful slumber.