WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS ADULT LANGUAGE AND ADULT CONTENT.

Keeping myself busy with work is easy. Not seeing Alec for the first couple of days is hard. Not realizing how much I would miss him takes a toll on me. Waking up without him is the worst. He texted me as soon as he landed. He was saying that he still hadn't seen his father, which was normal apparently. He figured his father would show up for the merger, and that would be about it. I hate that I can't be there for him. I'm miserable. I can't wait for him to be home.

Walking around the office, there are a lot of hushed whispers, which is normal, but there is a lot more of it this week. Chalking it up to Alec being out of the building, I ignore it and go about my day as usual. Lunches are lonely without him, so I eat alone in my office or skip it altogether, which I know he would be pissed off about.

I am working on finalizing the Halloween Party, which is coming together. I still need a costume and plan to go out and get it tonight. It's going to be a masquerade. I'm excited about the masks. I need to get one and will grab one for Alec as well. Hoping he will make it back this weekend, I sigh missing him. I put my chin in my hands, looking at our picture on my desk.

Trying to distract myself, I text Alec that I ate lunch—smiling and shaking my head, laughing at his emoji reply. On a whim, I decided to call my dad. Call it loneliness or boredom, feeling the need to call him.

Much like Alec, he answers on the second ring. "Kels, you, okay?" Hearing my dad's deep voice on the other end of the line, my heart soars.

"Hey, Dad." I say, "I'm fine. I was just uh," I stammer, sitting on the edge of my desk chair. He makes me nervous. Picking a piece of paper under my computer monitor, I nervously rub it between my fingers. "I just wanted to see how you were doing."

Hearing my dad exhale, I look up at the brick ceiling. Fuck, why did I call him?

"How is the big city?" he asks, and I can hear the smile on his face. Hearing the screen door close, I know he is out on the front porch now, probably going out for privacy away from my mother- don't blame him.

"It's good," I say. "I'm loving my job. I'm the Director here." I glance around my office as if he can see where I am sitting. He probably would be impressed. He always had high hopes and big dreams for me.

"That's you, honey," he says quietly. "You were always so smart".

My heart aches in my chest. I had always been daddy's girl. My mom could never understand the connection that I had with my dad. My fondest childhood memories are of my dad, and there aren't many fond childhood memories. My mother made sure of that. But my dad played the guitar, and I would sit with him for hours as a little girl and just listen to him play.

"Thanks, Dad," I say. "How's Mom?" I ask as I rub my forehead, although I'm not sure I want to know or care.

"She's fine. You know. The usual." he laughs.

He coughs, pulling the phone away from his face for a long minute. It doesn't sound good. When he comes back on the line, "You okay?" I ask concern in my voice.

"Yeah, you know, just a cold." he jokes. "Can't seem to kick it".

"You should probably go see the doctor" I press him. It's what I do, and it is usually how we argue. It is never my intention. I wish that he would take me seriously.

"Honey, I have an appointment coming up. I'm fine," he says, sincerity in his voice. "Your mother is yelling for me. You know how she gets. It was great hearing from you. Don't wait so long to call next time. Hope you can make it to see us soon." he says then goes quiet, his voice full of emotion.

Nodding, as if he can see me. I rub my hands across my eyes. "Okay, Dad. Tell mom I say hi and I love her. Please see the doctor." I don't even want to think about going home. The thought hasn't even crossed my mind.

"I will," he says. I can hear the creaking of the rocking chair against the old floorboards.

"Love you Dad," I say quietly. I know he doesn't say it often, but I have the overwhelming urge to say it now.

"Love you too, honey," he says, and I hear the phone click as he hangs up.

Scooting back in my chair, I wish that Alec were here.

I text him.

"Miss you."

I get one right back.

"I miss you more. Everything okay?"-Alec

Seriously. How does he always know? The entire way across the country and he knows.

"I called my dad."

"And"-Alec

"Everything is good. He sounds sick."

"Are you okay? Where are you?"-Alec

"I will be. Work. I wish you were here."

"Me too. Soon."-Alec

"How soon? LOL."

I wait for a text, but nothing. I think about calling him but figuring he is in a meeting I decide to head home. I shut down my PCs and head out. Stepping out of the taxi I notice that it's starting to get dark earlier each day.

Looking up at my apartment, I notice that the light is on. That's odd. I don't remember leaving it on this morning. Heading upstairs, I make a mental note to set a reminder on my phone to turn off the lights before I leave so that I don't have an astronomical electric bill next month.

At the top of the steps, I can see one of my plants shattered onto the floor. My heart is slamming against my chest.  Fear sending tingling sensations along my scalp. I'm struggling to remember if I unlocked my door or if it was locked. Quickly glancing around my apartment, I reach for my phone, wanting to call Alec. What do I say to him though? Who else do I call? 

I don't want to involve him in any of this stuff with Derek; if that is who this is. Shit! What do I do? 

I choose to call Alec anyhow.

Shaking, I hurry down the stairs, dialing Alec.

Fortunately, he answers. I can't speak.

I lean against the outside of the building trying to breathe.

"Kelsey. "I hear him saying on the phone. "Hey, are you okay? Kelsey."

"I...I...I'm here, "I stammer out. My words are merely a whisper.

"Jesus. What's wrong." worry clear in his words.

"There's a light on in my apartment and a plant broken. I don't know. Derek. I don't know, Alec." I'm sobbing, and I know I don't make sense. I don't know what to do and have nowhere to go.

"Fuck Kelsey. Are you there right now?"

"Yeah, outside," I lean my head against the brick building. "I don't think anyone is here now." Tears are streaming down my face. I'm so tired of this. I thought this was done.

"Go to my apartment," he says.

"No, Alec," I say shaking my head as if he can see me. I won't take this shit to him.

"It wasn't a suggestion, Kelsey." He's pissed.

"I'm not involving you in this, Alec. You don't know him," I'm crying hard again. "He won't stop. He's never going to fucking stop."

"Damnit, Kelsey. I'm getting a driver now. Get in and go to my apartment. I'll text you the info to get in. Stay there until I get back."

"I have work to do Alec. I can't stay there. If he is here, he will find me anyhow. Work, your apartment, wherever. It doesn't matter, Alec." Realization is setting in. None of this matters if Derek is here. If he finds me, he will find a way to ruin everything that I've worked so hard to build.

"Kelsey, stop. Listen. I'll be there soon. I was already on my way back earlier. I am getting ready to board now. I have to go. Please go to my apartment. You'll be safe there. I love you."

"I love you too, Alec. I'm sorry," My voice trailing off as I hang up, I hear Alec swearing and saying my name. There is no point. If this is Derek, there is no point. He will ruin it all.

Taking a deep breath, I walk back up the stairs. I've been through worse, why be scared now, right? I walk through the apartment, checking each room. Mentally, I knew that if he were here, he would have already come out. He wasn't here. This was his way of letting me know he was here. He was around and he wasn't going anywhere.

Cleaning up the mess, I decided to skip dinner and open a bottle of wine instead. I need to figure out what to do about Alec. I cannot put him in any danger. I will talk to him when he gets home. Getting in the shower, I cry for what seems like hours. I cry for the girl who was deprived of a childhood, the young woman who was abused, and the woman who was now going to have to give up the love of her life. Climbing into bed, my heart feels utterly broken and shattered.

Around 11 pm, I send Alec a text telling him to call me when he gets home and that I'm home and heading to bed. Making a mental note to send my dad a text Monday to make sure that he called the doctor, I drift off to sleep anxiously thinking about everything that happened today. 

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