I'm going to do all that I can to help you. I promise.
- Sawyer

Her bedroom was softly lit with morning light seeping through her opened curtains as she adjusted her ponytail in her mirror. Satisfied with how it looked, she absentmindedly tilted her head to see her neck, softly smiling to herself at how extremely well she'd hidden the bruises before her eyesight landed on the reflection of her journal on her bed, having left it where he first picked it up to read.

Glancing over her shoulder to gaze at it, she drew in a hopeful breath he'd come back to read the message before she reached for her converse which were sitting on the floor at the bottom of her bed. Unlacing them, she sat on the edge of her bed before sliding them on, her eyebrows suddenly furrowing at the sound of snores from her living room.

Pausing for a second to listen, she listened intently as a man snored heavily on her sofa, the gap in her bedroom door showing a man asleep on her sofa as the Alsatian continuously licked his dangling hand. She shook her head, laughing to herself as she laced her shoes up, his snores continuing as she climbed to her feet.

As she silently pulled her bedroom door open, the Alsatian grew ecstatic as she waved to it, a wide smile on her face as the dog darted to her, desperate to give her love and slobber as she detained her laughter not to wake Sam, crouching down to the dogs level as she fussed him.

"Where do you think you're going?" Sam startled her, groggily pulling himself to sit up on the chair as she glanced up to him, slightly confused as the dog continued to devote all of his attention to her through licks and slobber.

"To work?" she needlessly replied, her voice still thick with a distant rasp whilst she continued ruffling the dogs fur before she smiled at Sam's fatigued face whilst it contorted, his eyes averted to her neck as she smiled at the eager dog.

"Where's the marks?" He questioned as she climbed to her feet, the dog following loyally as she traipsed to the kitchen, Sam climbing to his feet to follow as she made into the kitchen.

"Makeup," she softly replied, taking two mugs from her cupboard before twisting around to Sam, "do you like tea?" she laughed softly as Sam rolled his eyes.

He shook his head, "no, thank you," leaning against her kitchen counter as she placed the mug back, the dog crossing its front legs on her left foot as she giggled, Sam's face suddenly sadly lighting with realisation at the invisibility of the marks, "do you have experience hiding bruises?"

She paused, restraining from looking at him as she took a biscuit from the packet on the counter, gently giving it to the dog as she fumbled with a convincing lie, "not exactly," she mustered out, not at all convincing Sam as he nodded slowly.

"You know," she mumbled, turning around to face him before leaning against the sink, aiming to change the subject, "it was extremely kind for you to crash here last night despite me not knowing, but I don't want to burden you out anymore, I would have been fine with just me and this little gift," she murmured as she ruffled the dogs forehead fur, his tail waggling ferociously as Sam burst into a smile.

"Oh, so that's how it is? I'm not as good as the dog?" He mocked as Sawyer playfully grimaced, shrugging as she failed to detain her laughter, loving the ache on her cheeks from not laughing in a while as he shook his head.

"And you're not going to work today," Sam blurted as her laughter fell quiet, contorting her expression as he stared defiantly at her, "and don't defy me, they're Steve's orders."

"No, I uh-" she tucked a strand of hair behind her hair as she stammered for words, nervous at his determined demand, "I need to go to work, I can't just put my job on pause, I just I can't, I uh-" her desperate panic suddenly fell silent as he stared boringly at her.

She sighed, nodding as she glanced to her feet, wiggling her toes before Sam's stern but benign voice urged her on, "call in sick." She reluctantly nodded, the dog following her as she wandered into her living room, in search for her mobile phone.

Noticing it on her piano lid, she grabbed it before chuckling as the dog traipsed closely to her feet, almost tripping her up as she made her way into her bedroom. Flopping on to the edge of her bed, the dog instantly jumped up and sat beside her as she began to dial Tamila's number.

The inward tone rang for a few moments before an initial answer of, "Sawyer, where are you?" caused Sawyer to jolt to her feet out of nerves as she slowly began to pace her room with an excuse.

"Tamila, I'm so sorry-" she gulped as she heard an exasperated huff from Tamila, "I've got a bad neck, I slept awkwardly last night and it's screwed me up, you know I wouldn't intentionally put you out like this," she fumbled with her words as Tamila grumbled down the line.

"It can't be that bad," she retorted as Sawyer stopped pacing for a second, her face contorting in slight disagreement.

"Well..." Sawyer trailed off before Tamila huffed again, "Sawyer you've really put me out today, I'll be on my own? This is a mess now," she scowled as Sawyer felt an overwhelming surge of guilt flood through her, conflicted between the two options that had been forced on to her.

"Okay I'm sorry, I'll come in, I'll find a way," Tamila hung up immediately after her quiet reply as Sawyer timidly brought the phone away from her ear, lost on how she was suppose to ask Sam to let her go as she glanced to the dog on her bed, peering up at her.

Drawing in a shaky breath, she mustered up all her confidence and called out to him in the kitchen, "Sam could I-"

"-No." She instantly jumped, his voice startling her from behind her, her hands clutching to her heart as she turned to face with a startled expression as he dead pang stared at her. "And that's my final answer, Steve's orders are for me to watch you."

"Then watch me in work, please-" she pleaded before he interrupted, "the last time I listened to a recommendation from you, you were severely hurt- no." She glanced down to her feet in defeat, fumbling with her fingers.

"You can look genuinely upset all you like, I'm not twisting."

⌁

The cafe bell chimed as Sawyer peeled her leather jacket off her arms, Sam following her in with a grumble as Tamila waved, her expression relieved as Sawyer waved back with a small smile before Tamila's eyes landed on Sam, her cheeks suddenly flushing scarlet red as he nonchalantly nodded to her.

Sam sat down, choosing the closest table to the entrance as Sawyer was greeted by a few locals before Tamila hauled her behind the counter excitedly, confusing Sawyer as she dragged her like a rag doll behind it.

"Tam, what's wrong-"

"-Who," she grabbed Sawyer's jaw, Sawyer slightly wincing at the ignited pain as Tamila abruptly twisted it to turn at Sam who stared back in confusion, "is that? Please tell me you're not dating," she rushed before Sawyer laughed, gently retracting Tamila's hand from her jaw as she looked at her.

"Nope he's all yours, Tam, go get him," she laughed as Tamila squirmed in her stance, swooning incredulously as she adjusted her uniform.

"He's just gorgeous," she breathed in disbelief, casting a quick glance to him as he stared at the two in genuine bewilderment. Sawyer laughed before helplessly shrugging to him as Tamila made her way to him, eager to take his order as Sam braced himself for impact.

The day blurred by thanks to Tamila's entertaining antics of trying to flirt with Sam, consisting of tipping 'accidental' mugs of coffee over the two of them three times, tripping in front of him and asking him if he'd like a refill endlessly. Unfortunately, Sam being the genuinely good hearted man he was felt obliged to help her every time she embarrassed herself and it was pure entertainment for Sawyer.

It was also due to Sam being so stressed in ensuring Tamila did not physically harm herself beyond no repair just to clasp his attention, that Sawyer managed to whisk herself out of the cafe without being detected and quietly return home; knowing full well the man wouldn't be there if Sam was consistently watching over her like a hawk.

Running home, Sawyer wasted no time in unlocking her door and flipping her shoes off, the dog instantly flourishing her with love and adoration as she laughed, cuddling him for a moment before darting to her bedroom. Her footsteps fell instantaneously silent at the sight of her open journal, with words not in her handwriting written on a page.

Rushing for the journal, her eyes landed on the remnants of a torn out page, her heart leaping as he'd torn out and kept her note before she diverted her attention to his.

dog's name is gunner. he has & will keep you safe from me if I can't.