Ananya's POV

I woke up with a slight headache. I was late for work, and so I took a quick shower and went downstairs. Maa was baking. She packed me my lunch and gave me a glass of banana smoothie.

I had a lot of questions about the previous night. But I was too embarrassed. I had been nothing but trouble for Mrs. Donavan till date. She has done so much for me. Surprisingly today she was also quieter than usual.

"I am sorry about last night. But blood makes me remember those things. I ruined ..."

Before I could finish my sentence, Maa hugged me. She had tears in her eyes. "You don't have to be sorry about anything. I understand what you go through, and so I was angry on Alex. He got hurt and he just left without a word. Nathan helped me take care of you. You have nothing to apologize for my dear."

This brought tears in my eyes too. And I silently hugged her back feeling the warmth of her love.

"Alex got hurt. Did he not come today? How is he? I should call him."

"He dropped by today to check on you. He was unusually silent and just left without even speaking to me again, which is so unlike him. Hope you guys will sort it out."

"I will talk to him in office. Hope he is alright."

I checked my phone, but there was no message from either Alex or Nathan.

Was Nathan angry on me? I bet he hates me now for my outburst. I could have explained my condition to him only if I could gather courage to speak about my past. Alex on the other hand never questioned me about anything. He was my best friend and just accepted the blacked out part of my past. But if Nathan and I have any future, I will have to speak up.

Maa I should leave for work. Surprisingly Mr.Mason had not even checked on me to see whether I am coming to work or not, considering it was almost 11.30 and I was still not at work. I took a cab and left.

I couldn't dare to look at that neighboring house. May be it was my fear to face it or the guilt of trying to move on with Nathan in my life.

I was getting a bad feeling. Something didn't feel quite right today. In my entire journey to office I was lost, lost thinking about the past and how I was not ready to face it again. How thinking about it sends chills down my spine...

I entered the office and people were gathered in groups deep in discussions. I was late for work so I thought I may have missed on some office action. But as soon as everyone saw me, I could feel their sharp gaze in my direction. I wondered if they knew what happened with me last night.

Alex will never tell anyone. But Nathan was there last night. Did he mention that to everyone? Do they now take me as a freak? I turned to look at Nathan's desk, but it was empty. My heart was now racing fast. What is happening around me?! I needed answers. I looked for Alex but even he was nowhere to be seen.

I just kept my head low and walked towards my seat. I started my desktop and began to check my emails. I could see, the groups were now disbursing but still those gazes never left me. Traces of my past were ready to ruin my future. What if people stopped talking to me altogether after my breakdown last night? Why would Nathan tell this to everybody? He must hate me now.

I tried calling Alex, but he never answered. Why was Alex ignoring me? He has been my strength all these years. I terribly missed him.

I took my phone and waked towards the break out area to get some water. I suddenly felt dizzy and lost my balance. I tried to find something to grab on.
On finding nothing I could feel my body finally giving up and embracing a fall on one side. The last thing I remembered was the touch of the cold floor against my cheek before I closed my eyes in complete oblivion.

-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A scream inside my head woke me up. I couldn't make out where I was. With great difficulty I tried to open my eyes, but the string of lights passing from over my head made it difficult for me to see. Suddenly the thought of my last memories before I lost consciousness left me shaken. There was blood spread all over. I wanted to go to him, he needed me. I tried to get up from the moving bed on which some people were dragging me.. Who were they? Where was I? Where was he? What have they done to him? That memory agitated me and I started to scream. I tried to pull the needles out of my hand.

Some masked men came forward to calm me down, but I was fighting hard to leave. Even when I had no strength to fight I didn't want to give up. I could see blood on my hands. I was losing consciousness again when I heard someone's voice crying out some words, "Will she be alright? Doctor we need to save her. Please help her, she is in so much pain."

"Ma'am, it's a miracle she is alive with these stab wounds. She has lost a lot of blood. We will do our best to help her. Please wait here, we will need to operate on her immediately."

When I almost lost consciousness, I felt a soft hand caress my forehead, I opened my eyes a little and there I saw Mrs. Donavan's blood stained face now covered in tears and still trying to smile at me.

"I am here for you princess. I will keep you safe with me. Always!"
But I had already given up and closed my eyes.

-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Ananya, Ananya, are you ok?"

Someone sprinkled some water on me. I opened my eyes. Where was I?

Seeing Grace's face in front of me, brought me back to 'today'.
"You poor thing, you are shivering. Come here. You will be fine." I was terrified with the flashback of my past. I hugged her tightly when I heard Alex's name.

"It's going to be ok. I am sure Alex is fine, and all this is for nothing."

"Alex!? Where is he? What happened to him?" I let go off Grace.

I realized I was lying on the Breakout couch, and my other team mates were standing around me, surprised to see me shocked. I got up from the couch and so did Grace. I held her by her shoulders and shook her for answers when she was still staring at other members in disbelief.

"You don't know?"

"What don't I know? Where is Alex? Is he alright? Grace I need an answer right now."

She tried to make me sit, while others were still standing around us, with their mouths shut. "Sit down first Ananya. You are not in a state to.."

I interrupted, "Where is Alex Grace?" I was angry on her for not telling me. I felt week inside, but I was not ready to give up this time.

"OK! OK! Listen. This morning, Alex came to office as usual. But Mr. Mason and Nathan were here with the Security in charge Mr. Nickson. They waited for Alex to take his seat. Mr. Mason then approached Alex and asked him if he had come to office on the night of our party. It seems he was missing all throughout the party. Then I don't understand why but they asked Alex his name. His real name. He didn't say anything and kept quiet. That is when Nathan and Mr.Nickson joined Mr. Mason. Some discussion happened between them, and then Mr.Nickson punched Alex and dragged him."

I was stunned. No!! It couldn't happen. I think they got to know who Alex really was, but that was no reason for them to treat him like this. I looked at the floor, still thinking about what Grace just told me. Why was Mr. Mason asking about the party?

"And you know who Nathan is and why he was here?"

I held Grace's hand and interrupted her, "Where have they taken Alex? Where is Alex, do you know?" I was breathing heavily now, I knew I had to be with Alex at this time. I could vouch for him. He has not done anything.

"I think they took him to the Operations floor."

Without giving much thought I grabbed my phone and leaving my weakness behind, I ran towards the lift. 

Alex needed me. And I needed to be with him.