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Realistic or Modern When the Past Bites (Kex x Lost Echo)

Lynn blushed in shared embarrassment but merely said, “I probably shouldn’t have as much junk as I do. I barely even read the books.” Once more she wondered why his apartment was so…empty. Was it money problems? Was he a bad architect? Since surely architects were paid well. He’d gotten good grades when she knew him. Her mind flashed to how her grades fell after the Breakup. He wouldn’t have had that problem, since he had her. Maybe they were saving for kids? IVF? That was likely the cause of the weird reaction he had when she’d mentioned children.

Forcing herself to stop thinking about it---god, she was being so rude--she turned to look back at him. And nearly stumbled. Fuck, that smile. Her dreams had kept that smile for special nights. The nights when everything was going wrong. That smile brought relief while she was asleep. She steadied the box she fell into and quickly reached her bedroom, hoping he didn’t notice.

It was easy to work together. She was surprised at how normal it felt to work with him. There was little chatter, to which she merely responded, “I wouldn’t want to take up your time too much.” and hummed in agreement to his second comment, but the atmosphere was calm, despite how awkward everything was between them. Probably because she had yet to meet the Wife.

With the frame together, she stood, grateful for his help with the mattress. “They’re just so awkward,” she helped, sliding it in place, but knew most of the weight was taken by Aiden.

She smirked a bit, laughing softly as his stomach made itself known. Her face scrunched in confusion; was he by himself tonight? “Aren’t I supposed to provide the bribe?” She questioned, leading him through the maze of her apartment and into the hall. “I was gonna try and order my own, but if you’re sure…” She bit her lip hesitating. It almost hurt how much she wanted to go. But she needed to remain unattached. She had to keep it together. This wasn’t college where she could spend days crying in her dorm, refusing to leave. She couldn’t break like before. But didn't she deserve something good?
 
Aiden took one final look at the bed before laughing and following Lynn back through the apartment. "I suppose that's true. But I already have a pizza, and if you eat more of it, then I won't have pizza for dinner for the next three days." He stepped over to his own door and unlocked it, pushing the door open without stepping inside. "I am 100% sure. I really can bring it over to your place if you're more comfortable with that."

He flashed her that smile again just as his phone rang from the counter. "Oh, I better get that. You're welcome to come in if you want to." The last thing Aiden wanted was to pressure Lynn, so he left the door open and hopped over to the kitchen to pick up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hello, is this Mr. Aiden Montague?"

"Yes, to whom am I speaking?"

"This is Doctor Mondark at Beaumont Hospital. I'm calling to notify you that your wife Natalie was on the train that crashed this morning and is currently undergoing surgery at our facility. I apologize it took us so long to contact you; she arrived unconscious without ID, so we weren't able to get her name until she woke up."

Aiden's apartment began spinning around him. His vision began to go black as the information processed and dropped his blood pressure, leaving him ghostly pale. "I...she..." he stumbled, while the doctor waited patiently for Aiden to get himself together. Aiden leaned on the kitchen counter for support and took a deep breath. "I am on my way. Is she stable?"

"Yes, she does show some signs of concussion and will possibly require rehabilitation after the surgery, but she is stable and we can discuss that more when you arrive."

After little more than a grunt of affirmation, Aiden hung up the phone and collapsed into one of the dining room chairs. "I-" He looked at Lynn, taking deep breaths to keep himself from giving in to the darkness at the edges of his vision. "You can have the pizza. I've got to go to the hospital. Natalie was in an accident." Despite the fact she very much was not still his wife in any sense other than the legal, ten years of loyalty held a firm sway over Aiden. Obviously he was going to her side. If nothing else, he needed to know why she was back in his city and he needed to remove himself from her emergency contact list. But those things could wait until she was okay. He stood unsteadily and began shoving his feet into his shoes, his eyes scanning the apartment for his wallet.
 
Still, somehow Lynn found herself back in Aiden’s apartment laughing, “So pizza only for 2 days instead?” She wondered where she was. It was likely she was out of town and Aiden didn’t want to mention it. Since that would be even more awkward. The only thing worse would be if she brought it up herself.

As he answered the phone, she went to the pizza, unwilling to be a barbarian with him in the room and eat the pizza without a plate. She went to sit down, but then Aiden made a sound. She rushed to his side, scared he was going to pass out: he was so pale. There was a second of her flailing her arms behind him, wondering if she was allowed to touch him. The counter could probably support him better than she could. He was always so tall.

Aiden said:
"Is she stable?"
Click to expand...

Oh. Oh no. His wife. Lynn might hate her. But even she didn’t want her hurt. She moved out of the way as Aiden collapsed in the dining chair she’d left out. She squatted in front of him and took his hands as she waited for him to catch his breath enough to speak. As he confirmed her suspicions, Lynn nodded, “Of course. I’ll take you.” When he stood, obviously getting ready though it was like his body was fighting every movement. “You’re in no condition to drive.” Worrying he might protest because of their past, she added, “I can stay in the car or something if you want me to.”

Striding over to him, she grabbed his arm, and when his eyes were on her she commanded, “Eat a slice of pizza. I know you’re likely no longer hungry, but you won’t have a chance to eat for the rest of the night.” Her voice was steady, sure, giving him something to hold onto. She could be his support right now. She just had to focus on the here and now, and let any other worry come later.

Stepping away, she went to the door. “I’ll grab my purse and be right back.” She left his door open, reentering her apartment. When her door shut behind her, she collapsed against the door breathing out heavily. Holy shit. She squeezed her eyes shut, then opening them with a series of blinks, she pulled herself together. She could do this. For Aiden, she could do anything.

Her purse was just on the table, so she grabbed it quickly before returning to Aiden’s, locking her door behind her. She looked him over, then checked, “You have your wallet, keys and phone?” When he confirmed, she nodded, grabbing his hand, “Then let’s go.”

Leading him to her car, she pulled out her phone with her free hand, setting the location of Beaumont Hospital into her GPS. She didn’t think Aiden was together enough to remember the directions, and she hadn’t learned where it was yet.

Her car was a Toyota Corolla, though this year, a coincidence she only just noticed. She unlocked it, letting Aiden get in on his own, while she slid into the driver’s seat. She wondered if he only held the door open for Natalie (knowing her name hurt) now or if he’d just set the act aside. Starting the car, she buckled, waiting just long enough for him to do the same before she pulled out. The trip there was tense. She wanted to ask, was she stable? What happened? Did they say? But she kept the questions locked behind her teeth as she drove as quickly, though safely as she could.
 
In his shock, Aiden didn't even notice Lynn flailing behind him. He did, however, feel her warm and soft hands taking his own. It was such a tender move that it knocked his brain back to the room around him if only for a moment. He took a deep breath and his eyes met hers. The decline was already dancing on his lips when his body performed a manual override and his head nodded. Driving would be much, much faster than the bus or train. "I don't have a car anyway. Natalie took it." Meaning, of course, in the separation. "I can just take the train to work, so I didn't need it. Until now..."

He glanced at her hands which had moved up to his arm and sighed. "You don't have to come in if you don't want to. I get it. I wouldn't want to meet whatever guy came after me, either." Those blue eyes strayed from her face to the pizza box and, despite having zero desire to eat any of it, Aiden reached for a slice and carried it with him as he continued searching for his wallet. It really couldn't have gotten that far. Something about Lynn's calm demeanor seemed to give his legs strength and, by the time she returned with her purse, he was standing steadily with his keys in one hand and a half-eaten slice of pizza in the other. The situation was slowly beginning to sink in and the shock was turning to anger. Why was she here? Why was he still expected to run to her side after everything she'd put him through?! Because he was the stable one who always was there to return to, that's why. Even after agreeing to the divorce, she was still finding ways to show back up in his life with a new load of baggage for him to carry.

But Aiden did his best to hide that anger when Lynn stepped back into the room. "Yeah, I'm ready to go. Thank you, Lynn. I really don't deserve this." He followed her out into the hallway and locked the door behind them, fighting down the guilt which threatened to consume him. Lynn had needed his strength that night when he'd left her in the rain...and here she was, being his support in his time of need. Perhaps it was good he was feeling guilty, though, because it helped push the rest of his situation out of his mind just a little bit.

And then she took his hand. Aiden didn't even realize that his fingers had naturally slipped between Lynn's until they were standing in the elevator. He blanched slightly, but made no move to pull his hand back. There were no signs of Lynn having a boyfriend, and he was (for all intents and purposes) single, so there wasn't anything wrong with this, right? And it certainly didn't mean anything. For sure. And she mustn't have minded or she wouldn't have initiated.

Some part of him found it amusing that Lynn still drove a Corolla. Years and trends and even names may have passed, but apparently she still had good taste in cars. Aiden made a move to head for the driver's door, but Lynn slipped inside before he could. So he simply got into the passenger seat, buckled the belt, and took another bite of his pizza. His stomach had settled enough to begin growling again, so Aiden was glad Lynn had insisted he eat. The food disappeared quickly and he settled back into the seat with a frown on his face. He could practically feel the questions radiating from the seat next to him. However, Lynn made no move to ask them and Aiden definitely wasn't a mind reader.

So he closed his eyes and let out a sigh, focusing on getting the tension out of his muscles as best he could. By the time they pulled up to the large front doors of the hospital, Aiden felt that most of his emotions had dulled to a manageable level. "Thank you again, Lynn. If you want to go home, that's fine. I can take a taxi or something back. I'd hate to take up any more of your time on the day you moved."

No matter what Lynn chose to do, Aiden slipped out of the car and approached the hospital. A soft shiver ran down his spine as he flashed back to the many other times he had walked through these doors. At least this time he wasn't in pain...No broken bones, no stitches needed from catching the blade of a knife with his hand rather than his face. The nurse looked up and waved him over, to which he immediately responded. "I'm Aiden Montague. I received a call that Natalie is here?"

The nurse ran her finger down the list on her clipboard and nodded. "Ah, yes. Your wife is currently in surgery, but I will alert the doctor that you are here. He will give you more information when they are finished. For now, go ahead and have a seat over there." She gestured to the far corner of the room where stacks of old magazines filled the coffee table and wall rack. Aiden nodded and sat himself in one of the seats, hoping that he and Lynn wouldn't be stuck here too long. He just wanted to make sure she was going to live, get himself off her list, and get his butt home.
 
Aiden said:
“I don’t have a car anyway, Natalie took it.”
Click to expand...
Ah. So it was a car accident. She likely was going somewhere, since he seemed to not be expecting her back. She was about to reassure him: she would come if he needed her. No one deserved to wait for news like that alone. But then he reminded her of the guy--guys that came directly after him. Only Lynn’s experience of keeping a blank face kept her from grimacing. Yeah. She didn’t even introduce them to her friends at the time. Aiden would lose any respect he had for her. She certainly didn’t have any at the time. She left him to get her purse and a moment to herself.

Aiden said:
”I really don’t deserve this.”
Click to expand...
“Shut up. What happened 10 years ago doesn’t matter now. Your wife’s in the hospital. Of course I’m gonna help you get to her.” Lynn wasn’t that bad of a person. But she didn’t say that part aloud, knowing Aiden was being self deprecating, not offensive.

The drive was tense and silent. She kept glancing over at Aiden, trying to make sure he was okay. Pulling up to the front doors, she stopped, putting the car into park and watching him get out. She shook her head at his offer. No, he looked like he’d just shut down. “I can stay. Just let me park.” She waited until he crossed through the doors, before going to park. It took her a moment, circling through the aisles until she found a spot. Sliding the gearshift into park, she rested her head against the steering wheel.

This wasn’t how she expected to meet The Wife. Maybe it would be better: if the woman was drugged up, would she even notice her? Maybe she should just stay in the waiting room. Maybe she should go home. But no. Aiden didn’t deserve to be left alone right now. She’ll let him decide whether she goes into the room.

Unbuckling, she climbed out of her car and made her way back through the lot to the front of the hospital. Walking through the sliding doors, she shivered at the gust that greeted her, running her hands up and down her arms. She glanced around, spotting Aiden in the distance. She went to go to him, but slowed at the approaching nurse. “I’m here with Aiden.” Realizing how awkward that sounded for a married man visiting his injured wife, she clarified, “I’m his new neighbor. I just drove him here.” The woman nodded, not seeming to care, then gestured toward the far off corner, letting her go to his side once more.

“Hey there. Any news?” She sat down carefully in the uncomfortable seat. Tucking her legs underneath as she leaned over. She was careful not to touch, though she’d accept any of his.

Before he could answer, the double doors beside them opened up, revealing a man in scrubs. Pulling his mask down with one hand, he called, “Mr. Montague?” Already walking toward Aiden, as he was the only man in the waiting room. After getting confirmation, he nodded, bent down in half, so that he was eye level with Aiden, before glancing at Lynn.

“I’m his ride.” Lynn explained her presence without being prompted. Then she turned to Aiden, “If you’d prefer me not to hear…” Staying put if he agreed, though would move if he asked.

Deciding to continue, the doctor cleared his throat. “Your wife came in unconscious. She was hit by one of the bullets,” Lynn gasped, but remained quiet so he continued, “on her left forearm: which shattered her ulna and damaged her radius.” He paused here, then explained, using his bare arm for reference. Running a finger from his pinky to his elbow, “This is your ulna. A nerve runs along this bone, into your hand. We have fixed the bone, putting in a plate to keep it together. But she might still have damage to that nerve. We will have to wait and see.”

Pausing to shift, he went on, “With her concussion, it was risky to put her under anesthesia, but waiting would have endangered her keeping the arm. The surgery was long, but went well. She’s coming out of it now. With the concussion, she may be confused easily. She may misremember things. Don’t be alarmed if that’s the case. It will likely pass. It would be best to keep her calm.”

Standing, he stepped back and swung his arm out toward the door. “I’ll take you to her.”
 
Aiden looked over at Lynn miserably and shook his head. "No, they-" He was cut off by the voice of the doctor calling out his name as he strode across the room. "Yes, that's me," he confirmed, trying to keep the annoyance he felt out of his face and voice. "You can stay, I don't mind." He listened carefully to the doctor's explanation, eyes a bit haunted. While he wanted to feel nothing for this woman who had caused him so much pain, he couldn't help feeling a little guilty that she was injured and he barely cared. What had their eight years of marriage really meant?

"She would manage to get herself shot..." Aiden sighed, shaking his head. "But at least it was just an arm. It could have been much worse." He stood to follow the doctor, subconsciously reaching out to grab Lynn by the hand. What kind of insanity was she going to spout this time, he wondered? "Her recollection of how things really are wasn't great in the first place. Maybe a reset will actually make things better." The doctor raised an eyebrow at Aiden, though he did his best not to bring attention to the hand-holding or strange comments. People did odd things when they were in shock, after all. This was by far not the oddest encounter he'd had with a spouse who just found out about a major injury.

They passed through the swinging doors into the long, white hallway of exam rooms. Door after door went by before they stopped in front of the one containing Natalie. "She will probably be pretty groggy. The anesthesia is still wearing off. Don't panic about anything odd she says." The doctor smiled and opened the door, gesturing for Aiden and Lynn to go inside.

The room was darkened, emphasizing the lights on the various beeping machines. Natalie lay on the hospital bed with her eyes mostly lidded and bandages on her head and arm. "What were you doing on that train?" Aiden grumbled as he stepped over to her, a deep frown on his face. "You aren't even supposed to be in this city! Why were you here instead of Brighton?"

"I just had to make sure you weren't cheating on me," Natalie slurred, skipping past the greetings just like Aiden had. Even now she was breathtakingly beautiful and her ex-husband found himself fighting back feelings he'd only begun to lock away properly. Given too long, it wasn't out of the question that he'd take her back. Again. Which was why he'd made it a point to avoid her since she left for the last time.

Aiden sighed and sat down on the chair next to the bed with his wrist resting on the bed railing. "Tally, never one time in our ten years of marriage did I cheat on you. Somewhere in that brain of yours, you know that. It's impossible for me to 'cheat' on you, anyway. And I came, didn't I?" His voice softened just a little and, out of reflex, he reached out and stroked her pale cheek. "Are you in a lot of pain?"

"Not yet." Natalie attempted to sit up slightly, stopping when her eyes fell on Lynn. Her eyes narrowed and jaw clenched. She glared at Aiden and pointed with her good arm. "Not cheating? Then who is that?! Why are you here with another woman?" It was a tone of voice which Aiden was far too familiar with. Even with the sleep still wearing off and her inability to actually hurt him, he found himself pulling away a little out of fear reflex.

"She's the new neighbor, that's all. She drove me here to the hospital so I wouldn't have to fight public transportation. So I could get to you faster." The softness went right back out of his voice and his arms stiffened. "Her name is Lynn and you should be grateful to her."

Natalie's head dropped back against the pillow and she stared up at the ceiling. "Just the neighbor...that's what they all say. But I do appreciate that you actually came." Exhaustion seemed to overcome her and one of the monitors began to beep louder. Soon the doctor entered the room with an apologetic look on his face. He checked Natalie over once and gestured toward the door.

"It would probably be best if we give your wife some time to rest, Mr. Montague and friend. Why don't you follow me and we'll talk a little more?" The doctor smiled and ushered Aiden and Lynn out of the room, led them down the hallway, and gestured them inside a small, empty waiting room. He closed the door as Aiden sat down and put his face in his hands. The doctor mistook his frustration as grief and made a comforting sound. "Everything will be alright, Mr. Montague. Your wife will need a few days of supervision and healing so it would be best if you can take a few days off work or have family come in and keep an eye on her. After the concussion symptoms go away, she should be alright to spend time on her own. And she should be okay to go home in a couple of hours, once the anesthetic has worn off completely."

Feeling this was all good news, the doctor was a little confused to see only a look of defeat on Aiden's face. "If you want us to call you when she's ready to leave, we can do that. Or you can feel free to wait here." Aiden fought back all of his arguments about not wanting to take her to his apartment and removing his contact information, knowing she literally had no one else on the west coast to take care of her. It would only be a few days, he reasoned. A few days and then he could put her on the next bus back to her home town.
 
Lynn followed in silence, taking the seat beside Aiden. When he put his head in his hands, her face crumpled: there was the grief she was expecting. At least alone he made sense. She shared a look with the doctor, almost asking what she could do, but he just gave a nod. Gingerly laying a hand on his shoulder, as if she was afraid to touch him, she then patted him twice, feeling more than awkward as the doctor talked. She returned her hand to her lap as Aiden raised his head, and she wished she could see his face properly.

Instead, she focused on the physician’s words. Geez, you get shot, and they still kick you out before 24 hours. Welcome to America. She kept her face PR-friendly, even when thinking about that. Glancing at Aiden, when the doctor’s face seemed a little confused, she figured he must be in shock and unwilling to speak. Taking over the task, she asked him to review the concussion symptoms to look out for, then about physical therapy. She knew this recovery would take a while.

After the doctor left them alone, Lynn turned to look at Aiden. Biting her lip in hesitation, she finally shifted to squat in front of him, putting her hands on his knees to steady herself. “What’s wrong? I mean, other than the obvious; something else is up, tell me?” She still cared. Before, in her apartment alone, she’d decided to try to keep her distance, but that didn’t change that she still cared. “You don’t have to…” she added softly. He had enough on his plate as it was; she wasn’t going to push him. “Just tell me…how can I help?”
 
Aiden stared through Lynn for a long moment, the gears in his brain seemingly unable to turn. They only twitched uselessly until he shook his head and broke them loose. "I just wasn't expecting to have to deal with this kind of thing anymore. I thought this chapter of my life was over." He sighed and leaned back in his chair, allowing his head to flop back limply. "She's not going to treat you well, Lynn. I appreciate your help tonight and your offer, but if you spend too much time around me...you'll come to regret it. Just like everyone else."

Because yes, Aiden had attempted to date before. Nothing serious; honestly, he'd only gone along with it after the separation because his coworkers insisted he couldn't spend all of his time holed up alone in his empty apartment. But after two different women had accused him of being a cheater and showing him the 'random' texts they'd received, he knew exactly what was happening. Natalie wouldn't let him go that easily; not even if she didn't actually want him herself. Honestly it might have been easier for him if the shooter hadn't only hit her elbow...

The very thought was so foreign to him that Aiden immediately felt guilty. Small tears began to well up in the corners of his eyes. This person? This was not Aiden. Aiden would never wish harm on someone, not even Natalie! "I guess I'm going to have to use the vacation days I'd saved up to play nurse. Not exactly what I'd expected, but that's life..." He looked up at Lynn and blinked hard to clear the small amount of blurriness on her face. "If you want to go home, it's fine. I can take Natalie home on the bus. Or, if she'll tell me where the car is, I can drive that." He certainly couldn't ask her to take them back to the apartment. Natalie would definitely be rude the entire time and Aiden didn't want Lynn to have to deal with that.

"Either way, I need to go down to the front desk and update a few things. If you do decide to stay, I'll be back in just a few minutes." Aiden stood and exited the room, making a bee-line for the desk where a sleepy nurse stared vacantly into space. He cleared his throat a couple of times to get her attention, smiling when she startled and apologized. "No worries, ma'am. I just need to take my name off my ex's emergency contact list. We've been separated for a year now and I didn't realize I was still on there."

The nurse's eyes looked a little guilty as her hands went to the keyboard. "Oh, I'm so sorry for the inconvenience, sir! What is your ex-wife's name? I'll take care of that right now." She listened intently as Aiden gave the information she needed and waited as she removed him from the system. "There we go. You do know this means you are revoking your ability to receive information on her status if she ever ends up here again, yes?"

Aiden nodded. "Yes, that's exactly what I want. Thank you." With that done, he slowly made his way back to the waiting room where the doctor was just entering the door. "Oh, hey doctor. I'm guessing Natalie is awake now?"

"Yes, Mr. Montague. Your wife is all set to go, so long as you're comfortable with the concussion protocols. We can go over them again if you wish." The doctor looked mildly at Aiden, who shook his head. "Very good. I will have her meet you here, then. If she has any difficulty with the healing process, feel free to give us or 911 a call."
 
Lynn waited for Aiden to come out of his thoughts, worry flooding hers. Even after his gaze locked with hers and he began speaking, the concern remained. It almost sounded like they’d separated. That would make sense for Aiden’s surprise, though not her accusation of cheating. It’s impossible for me to ‘cheat’ on you, anyway. His voice echoed in her mind.

As he fell limply in the chair, Lynn couldn’t contain her frown as he continued. Something was definitely wrong. “Would she treat you well though?” because it sounded like she wouldn’t. And being injured didn’t excuse bad behavior. She pursed her lips. Everyone else? Did Aiden lose contact with his family? Or did he mean his friends? Or, a quiet voice asked, women?

Her heart broke at the sight of tears in Aiden’s eyes. “No. I’ll help.” She took his hands, “You shouldn’t have to do this alone.” She squeezed them, trying to offer her strength through the connection. “I’m working remotely at the moment, cleaning some things up before the company shuts down.” The details didn’t matter. “I can help you. Let me.”

She wrinkled her nose at the idea of managing such an injured person on a bus. There were too many chances for her to get hurt. (And have a reason to complain.) Lynn wasn’t really a public transport person anyway, but all the germs probably weren’t best for the bitch. Witch. Fuck if she had a term for her. But if she upset Aiden so much…

She let him go to the front desk, staying in a squat for a moment. Rubbing her face, she took a few deep breaths. Okay. She could do this. So the woman was likely to insult her. Lynn trusted she could keep a neutral face. She’d been screamed at by unpleasant clients before. She just had to treat Natalie like the same. Ironically, even if she’d been a nice person, Lynn knew she’d be doing the same.

Returning to a seat, she fished out her keys from her purse. Reminding herself she had nothing to be ashamed of, regardless of what the woman said, she took deep breaths, preparing for the encounter. Glancing up, she realized the doctor was at the doorway. She stood, heading to him when he turned away. She blinked in surprise, not hearing Aiden’s voice at first. At the doctor’s reply, she nodded. It was time.

Letting her voice carry to Aiden, she offered, “I’ll get the car.” Then looked at the doctor, “Up front?” At his nod, she stepped around the man, able to see Aiden at last. Reaching up to squeeze his forearm, she promised, “You won’t be alone for this. Don’t worry so much.” Then she left for the parking lot.

Her stride was different, more confident. Each step was crisp, even if she lacked the click of heels, and her ponytail bounced in time with her steps. It was as if she was aware of the eyes she attracted, but they slid off. She was untouchable. She was in work mode now.

“Nice neighbor,” the doctor commented sardonically before clearing his throat. “Excuse me.” He did not get involved in the drama of patients. He did not want to know. Looking at the man, he refused to wonder what was going on, instead he just said, “Come, this way.” And lead the way to Natalie’s room once more.

Natalie was still in a hospital gown, though it appeared longer than most, and was clearly unhappy about it. A nurse, seeming to repeat herself, was speaking, “Your shirt was not salvageable. But your pants are here.” She held up a plastic bag.

“Then let me wear them!” snapped the woman.

“Ma'am, your pants might be—”

The woman, now fully awake, lifted herself up with her good arm and seemed to snarl, “Listen here. I’m not walking out like some hussy. Give me the pants.”

The nurse sighed but handed her the bag. Then she looked up, and nodded at the men, “Oh hello!” Her voice was cheerful, even if her eyes seemed to be screaming. “We aren’t quite ready yet.”

“You always had the worst timing Aiden.” Natalie didn’t even bother looking at him, instead struggled to pull the pants free from the bag. You could see the blood on the fabric as it was revealed.
 
"Treat me well?" Aiden asked, his voice more full of defeat than anything. "No, she hasn't done that in nearly a decade. Natalie is..." He paused, looking around and deciding that this was far too public of a forum for his real thoughts. "Natalie isn't who I thought she was. And she probably never was, either. That's something you can only learn in hindsight though, you know?"

He blinked rapidly in an attempt to rid his eyes of the tears he swore he'd never cry again. Natalie wasn't worth his tears. She wasn't even worth the time it took to think her name. But Lynn? Aiden allowed her to take his hands like she had so many times in their youth, feeling many of those old emotions coming rushing back as she squeezed them. "You'll come to regret offering, Lynn. But I...I would appreciate your help. I can't deal with her alone anymore."

"Thanks. I'll meet you at the front door. I really owe you one, Lynn." Aiden watched her walk away and took a deep breath, attempting to steel himself for what he knew was coming. He followed the doctor into the hallway, frowning at what he felt was accusation in the man's words.

He could hear that familiar voice echoing down the hallway before the doctor had even shown Aiden which room Natalie was in. For a moment he closed his eyes and offered up a prayer to anyone who might be listening that she might slip back into that public persona which had convinced everyone he was the problem. At least that would be less difficult than the Natalie he heard screaming about pants.

"And you always had the worst attitude, Natalie," Aiden snipped back. These people didn't know his past, and he had no reason to perform for them. But she didn't reply; her eyes were entirely focused on the blood which stained the fabric. A screech slipped from her lips and she threw the pants across the room, the bloody part landing on the chair. Of course. "Looks like you're walking out of here like 'some hussy.' Or you could get yourself a bus ticket, because I'm not waiting around for you to have a fit."

The nurse watched their interaction with tightened lips, hoping that she wouldn't have to break up a fight. Thankfully, as she seemed to see no other way, Natalie exchanged her snarls for a sweet smile. "Aiden, darling, could you nip down and buy me something to wear so I don't have to walk out of here looking like I've escaped the asylum?" She fluttered her eyelids and gave him that face which had always melted his heart.

Only this time, it didn't work. Aiden stood in the doorway with his arms crossed firmly over his chest, staring Natalie down until she dropped the facade and her face fell. "Fine. But you better not have thrown out all of my clothing, because if you don't have anything for me to wear at the house, you're taking me shopping."

"You can wear my gym shorts and a t-shirt, or you can figure out how to get back to your hometown. Because I'm not taking care of a spoiled brat." Aiden and Natalie stared at each other in a test of wills, until finally she caved and stood up from the bed.

"Just take me home," she whined.

And so as soon as the discharge paperwork was done, Aiden led Natalie out to the car where Lynn was waiting. "Don't you dare say anything rude to Lynn while she's driving us home," he threatened before opening the door. "She's doing us both a big favor, and you better be grateful."

Natalie, completely over this whole thing, simply pretended Aiden wasn't speaking at all. She slid silently into the passenger seat and he closed the door behind her before getting into the back himself. "Lynn, this is Natalie. Natalie, this is my neighbor, Lynn. She has offered to help out until your concussion is gone and you can take care of yourself again." Aiden leaned back in his seat and let out a sigh, hoping that maybe the answer to his earlier prayer was just held up in postage or something.

"Neighbor, huh? Well, that better be all she is. You better not be making moves on my husband." Natalie pulled her phone from the small bag of belongings the hospital had returned and powered it on, immediately opening her texting app.

Ex-husband, Aiden wanted to growl, but knowing that would only cause a fight, he instead buried his fingers in his hair and closed his eyes, praying that they'd get back to the apartment building with little to no emotional damage.
 
She made it to her car without thinking. Starting it, she pulled up to the front, into the first pick-up spot as it was late to be leaving. Putting it into park however, with the knowledge she could only wait, caused her thoughts to overspill.
Aiden said:
”That’s something you can only learn in hindsight though, you know?
Click to expand...
No. She did not know. While she had compared every boyfriend to Aiden, with each coming up short, this…this sounded like abuse. She wanted to deny it, but the memory of the tears threatening to spill from Aiden’s eyes made it impossible. He’d sounded so hopeless.

Her mind raced with the advice she’d picked up over the years. Every girl knew the basics of what to do if a friend was in an abusive relationship. The main points were to support her and respect the boundaries she set. You couldn’t force her to leave. But it was hard to quiet the voice that questioned, you left me for this?

That old pain started to writhe deep inside of her, bringing up the past memories. She’d been sober for 5 years, but after Aiden she’d used the bottle to hide in. She’d been a wreck, partying to try and find something to fill the hole. Looking back, she hated herself for being so weak. But she was strong now. She could support Aiden. She could help him until he wanted to escape.

She jumped as Aiden opened the door, turning to greet him with a poster smile. “Hello Natalie.” Her voice was even. As if she were just meeting her neighbor.

Waiting until everyone was buckled, Lynn laughed at the idea of getting back together with Aiden. “I just moved in: I haven’t even finished unpacking. Don’t worry so much. As gorgeous as your husband is, I can control myself.” The words felt like poison. This pretending that everything was okay. When it was so wrong.

She let silence fall, glancing back at Aiden in the rearview mirror. He seemed so stressed. Why had he stayed with her? She tried not to blame the victim, but that question kept coming back. Why leave me for her?

The drive was quiet, thankfully. Natalie was glued to her phone like a teenager, and Lynn didn’t want to break the fragile peace that created.

Arriving at the apartment complex, she took the spot she’d paid for, putting the car in park. Lynn immediately got out, not used to Aiden’s special treatment, but Natalie clearly waited for the man to open her door, snidely commenting, “Took you long enough,” when he did.

It made Lynn angry, but she bit her tongue. What was she going to say? Stop being a brat? She didn’t know how bad things got, but she didn’t want to escalate anything. Already she was worried what would happen when the two are alone. Would Aiden be safe? Would he leave if he wasn’t? Surely with a bullet wound he could win in a fight with her…but Lynn knew Aiden would never fight back.
 
Natalie seemingly didn't even hear Lynn's answers as she buried herself in texting someone; probably her latest boyfriend, if he had to guess. Her nose never came down from its position parallel to the ceiling, and the cloud she carried filled the car with a heaviness that settled in Aiden's chest uncomfortably. A flush colored his freckles at Lynn's casual compliment, despite his best efforts to appear like he hadn't heard it.

The car had barely come to a complete stop when Aiden removed his seat belt and headed for Natalie's door. For the longest moment he considered just walking away and letting her open her own dang door, but his manners won out and he pulled it open despite her snide remark. She threw her bag at him and he caught it at the last moment, knowing the hell she'd bring down on him if he dropped it. "You know, you used to at least have manners outside the house," he grumbled, extending his hand to help her out of the car.

"And you used to be able to keep it up. My, my, how things change as we get older," Natalie retorted, ignoring his hand and stepping out onto the pavement. He winced slightly at the low (and entirely untrue) blow. While he knew she was commenting on the last few action-less years of their marriage and that it was her fault, he still felt the obvious insult.

Natalie swayed slightly on her feet as she walked the familiar hallway that led to the apartment she and Aiden used to share. There was no fondness or longing in her heart; all she felt was disgust at the sights. Low-income neighbors, greying paint, peeling wallpaper...everything reminded her that the man she'd pegged as an up-and-coming rich husband had never managed to break out of the pack. It was a fact of life that often boiled inside of her like a volcano until she lashed out.

The trio stopped in front of Aiden's front door and he quickly unlocked it, staying as far out of reach as possible while Natalie pushed her way in and immediately made her way to his bed. She snapped orders all the way, "You will obviously be sleeping on the couch for the foreseeable future. And I see you've been leaving food out, again. Throw away that ancient pizza box! I cannot abide living in filth."

With a sigh, Aiden lingered in the doorway. In a low voice, he almost whispered, "You can still back out, Lynn. Ever since the divorce, I guess she's decided she has no more reason to pretend we're a happy family. But that doesn't stop her from thinking she still controls my life. She-" He was cut off by a particularly loud screech of his name, indicating Natalie had probably been trying to get his attention during their entire short discussion. "I'm going to go give her some of those pills the doctor gave her and hope that it knocks her out for a few hours..."
 

“Wait, divorce?” Lynn couldn’t stop herself. “But why…?” She trailed off. Of course Aiden would take in his ex-wife, even if she was an abusive bitch. His manners wouldn’t have let him do otherwise. She studied him, then offered, “I can fight for you.” At the very least she could make her sleep on the couch. But you had to respect his boundaries. He’d know if it was worth it.

“Can we talk once she’s asleep?” Lynn asked. She wanted him to know he had options. He wasn’t trapped with her. Especially if they’d already divorced. They could just send her…wherever she was before this. Right?

“AIDEN” The name came out as a reprimand as Natalie. “What are you doing flirting like a fucking whore. I’m hurt, the least you could do is help me.” She came forward sneering at Lynn before shutting the door in her face, nearly hitting Aiden until he had to move.

“Now that whore is out of the way. Tell me. Where are my clothes?”
 
Aiden was about to say something snarky when he realized the "but why" wasn't 'why did you divorce this bitch,' but more likely 'why did you bring her home when you aren't even married anymore?' which was a totally fair question. He didn't really have a chance to answer either of Lynn's questions, though, before his ex again screamed his name. Aiden shot Lynn an apologetic look as the door slammed in her face and he turned to face the full brunt of Natalie's wrath.

"If you think what I was doing was flirting, then there's no wonder we never could seem to find common ground," Aiden grumbled in a voice that the neighbors wouldn't hear. He'd carefully learned what volume would keep his business his business, and having Natalie back in those walls brought it right back out. "Why do you think I'd still have your stupid clothes? I threw out everything you left behind the day after we signed the divorce papers. I didn't expect I'd ever have to see your face in my apartment ever again."

If one were to measure looks in temperature, the one Natalie shot Aiden would have rivaled the surface of the sun. He could see the muscles in her shoulder tensing to slap him, but the pain of her gunshot wound and her arm being in the sling quickly stopped her. "You threw them away?!" she hissed, the words slipping through her teeth like toxic gases. "That was MY property! I should have you arrested for theft! For destruction of property!"

Aiden rolled his eyes and sat down on the couch. "The agreement said you had 24 hours to remove any of your property, after which everything left inside the apartment became my property. So really, I threw away my clothes that I no longer wanted." Her lack of ability to injure him (today) seemed to give the previously-timid man a boost of confidence, which only served to infuriate Natalie further. She'd also never really liked when facts got in the way of her 'righteous indignation.'

However, the head wound stepped in to stop further argument. The rise in blood pressure caused her head to throb and lights to begin flashing in her eyes and she shot Aiden one more glare before turning toward the bedroom. "Well, I'll be consulting my lawyer in the morning. Until then, get your lazy ass off the couch and get my pain pills! I don't know how I was ever stupid enough to give a useless piece of trash like you a moment of my time."

"Likewise," Aiden replied, fishing out the bottle of pills and breaking the seal. "Just take these and go pass out, already."

Natalie snatched the open bottle and disappeared into his bedroom, slamming the door behind her. For a moment Aiden opened his mouth to tell her not to damage his door, but knew that would only start another round of fighting that he didn't have the energy for. Instead he picked up a very cold slice of pizza and took a large bite as he dropped into the couch. After twenty minutes of silence, he figured it was safe enough to slip out the door and knock on Lynn's.
 
For the first ten minutes, Lynn was finding things. Two coffee cups, a pot then her store of spices. Her living room now was full of half opened boxes, but she was successful.

Lynn was making hot chocolate, on the stove carefully heating up the milk before adding the cocoa powder, cinnamon and other spices, creating a gingerbread hot chocolate. Like all of her secret comforts, this one reminded her of Aiden. His mom used to bring it to them on study nights, where they’d talk as much as study. As an adult, she’d sometimes doctor it with some alcohol, but she figured that wasn’t an ingredient she should share tonight. Aiden was upset enough.

The knock came as she was dropping marshmallows into her cup. Leaving them on her counter, she went to open the door. “Hey.” She said stupidly, before just moving out of the way to invite him in. Shutting the door behind him, she went to her kitchen, picking up the cups, then returning to offer him one. “I’m missing the cloves, so it’s a bit different…still good though.”

She moved the boxes to sit on her couch. Once he sat beside her, she turned to face him, leaning against the arm. “So…wanna tell me about it?” She covered her nerves with a sip. The hot chocolate reminded her when her life was simpler as Rebecca. But Rebecca shattered and Lynn had to be strong in her place. She could do that for Aiden. “If not, then we can just plan how we’re getting her out of here.”
 
The moment Lynn opened the door, Aiden was transported back a decade. He drew in a deep breath and felt the smallest hint of a smile tug at the corner of his lip, though it did nothing to soften the exhaustion in his eyes. The warm cup felt good in his hands as he squeezed himself into the corner of the couch and stared out across the steam it emitted. If he hadn't known better, Aiden would have thought they were settling in to talk about one of their minor scuffles and come out of the discussion laughing like they always did. Well, always had. Until he screwed everything up.

Lynn's voice broke him out of his stupor and some cognition returned to his eyes. "Hm?" he asked while his brain caught up, only to lower his eyes slightly when it did. "I..." Where to begin? 'Talk about it' was a wide ocean which contained any number of dangerous islands. And where would he start? Honestly, he knew where he wanted to start, but wasn't sure if this was the time. The time had been ten years ago, five minutes after Lynn climbed into her car and drove away. He should have chased her down through the rain and told her what a mistake he'd made.

But this rainstorm would have to do, he supposed. "Bec-Lynn, I...I've imagined a thousand times how the conversation would go when I finally saw you again. If I ever saw you again. I wrote a thousand scripts and thought of a million excuses. But when it comes down to it, only three words could sum up my feelings: I screwed up. You were the love of my life, and I gave that up for a shallow, two-faced floozy who was there to flutter her eyelashes while you were so far away. And boy did I pay for that, Lynn. Physically, mentally, verbally, literally I paid for that. So many times I wanted to call you and beg you to forgive me, but Natalie was my wife. I refused, even through a decade of literal abuse, to be the cheater she accused me of being." Once he started, making the words stop was like putting gum in the dam wall. "I actually started looking for you the day my divorce went through. But nobody knew where you'd gone, and I decided you probably didn't want to be found."

Aiden took a sip of the familiar cocoa and sighed as the warmth rolled down his chest and into his belly. He peeked out of the corner of his eye to see Lynn's reaction to his admission, though he didn't quite have the courage to look her in the eye. It was too little too late, he was sure of it. But finally getting the elephant off his chest in real life rather than a dream was a relief of its own. "I convinced myself you'd married someone who would make me look like a pathetic loser and started the family we always talked about having and didn't want to ruin it for you by coming back from the dead." He finally turned to face Lynn, surprising himself by managing to keep a straight face and a dry eye. "I screwed up, Becks. I would give anything for you to forgive me and even more to have you back as a friend."
 
Were the love of my life. Were. Fuck that hurt almost as much as Bec did. But Lynn kept her face patient and listening, even as her eyes wanted to widen. What would she have done if he’d done that, even 5 years ago? But he was quick to note how much pain he’d been through, and all selfish thoughts vanished to focus back on him. She took a sip of her cocoa, glad she made it for the strength it gave her too. The thought of anyone being hurt made her hurt, but for it to be Aiden? The ache made any vengeful thoughts she’d had over the years feel sour, like she'd caused his pain.

Hearing that he’d looked, after the divorce, was a surprise. She wondered if her mom knew. Was she keeping it from her? No one else knew where she’d gone, even before this move. She remembered those years, after the break up. Where all the locals saw her dissolve into chaos. She wondered what stories they told him. Of her drinking, drugs, if they’d fucked her, since most of that town did. She’d tried the good route, she’d felt she deserved the bad one. The surprise was quick to leave her face, returning to an understanding one as he spoke of imaging her with a family.

She’d done the same, hadn’t she? Wondered if his kids would have his eyes, like she’d always hoped, or hers? At least she didn’t have to take back any hateful thought she’d had of her over the years. She thought ruefully, reaching out to take his free hand.

“You didn’t deserve any of that.” She held up a hand to stop protests, “Yes, you broke my heart, but that doesn’t mean you deserved any of that. You’re a good man, Aiden Montague, and I’ll always be happy to be your friend.” She didn’t mention dating or that she still loved him. A fact made especially clear now that she’d seen him again. It would be cruel. Besides, he had a lot of trauma to get through, if he would still let his wife come back with him, even after everything he said she’d done: not that she didn’t believe him. If anything, she assumed he was under-selling it. It must have been a lot of therapy for him to be using abuse at all, most likely. Or it was really awful. She really hoped it was the therapy.

Could she hug him? She wanted to give him a hug, but was that like leading him on? Or taking advantage? Or maybe he didn't like to be touched anymore after a decade of abuse? She glanced down at their hands for a moment. She'd been touching him all evening.
 
Aiden recoiled instinctively as Lynn held up her hand, placing his arm in front of him for a split second before his conscious caught up. His cheeks flushed and he did his best to hide it behind another sip of cocoa while lowering his arm and hiding it behind him. Though she didn't physically slap him, the word friend hit his frontal lobe like an open palm, despite it being exactly what he had asked for. "I don't know if you'd think me a good man if you knew the man I've been the last decade. Or if you'd want to be friends with him. But maybe...I can find where the old Aiden has been hiding and see if I can coax him back out. Maybe for you, he'd be able to piece himself back together."

If he even knew the old Aiden anymore. He honestly wasn't sure the happy, fun-loving and motivated young man who attended a prestigious college and graduated top of his class even existed anymore. That Aiden had been warped, torn, burned, and trampled. But if there was any chance of his recovery, well. Lynn was the most likely person to serve as the catalyst. "Maybe...we can start over. From the beginning. I know I am not the same person you knew, and I can only imagine you have changed over the last ten years as well. So, uh. Hi, I'm Aiden Montague, your new neighbor. I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of each other, and it's good to meet you." He extended his hand with a completely solemn face, rather hoping that Lynn would play along. Or at least humor him slightly.

"I really do appreciate that you're willing to help me with the hellhound next door. I really, really never thought I'd be seeing her again when we finally signed the papers and I was able to send her on her way. But I'm a little worried, too. She was always jealous of other women and I am concerned that that might not have changed. There was absolutely no reason why she should have been on the train that I take to my office. The one that I would have been on if my morning hadn't gone awry. I want you to be careful. Natalie is conniving and vindictive, and I wouldn't put it past her to make you a target. Especially if she finds out that you are the one that got away."

He really didn't want to think about that. Natalie was unlikely to resort to physical attacks like she had with him (he hoped,) but she had driven away multiple female friends and colleagues over the course of their marriage with nasty rumors and thinly-veiled threats. No part of him wanted any of that for Lynn now that she had returned to his life. As your neighbor, Aiden. Your platonic, across the hall, 'can I borrow a cup of sugar?' level friendship neighbor. Don't get yourself all worked up to a situation which doesn't actually exist, he reminded himself.

His eyes followed Lynn's as they flickered down to her hands and he wondered what she was thinking. Once upon a time, he probably would have been able to tell at a glance. But now...he wasn't sure if he was just seeing what he wanted to see. "I...I hope you really can forgive me. I should have chased you down as you drove away, but I was stupid. I'm still stupid. But I only want you to be happy and safe. So best if we keep our past in your apartment and away from Natalie."
 
Lynn’s stomach plummeted and she froze, flinching in return. Swallowing, she forced herself to keep talking, keep saying what she’d planned as if nothing had happened. It had been years since words were hard to force out, but she kept her tone even…even as she wanted to cry. She listened to him, keeping the tears locked. Just the thought of her Aiden being gone hit her unexpectedly. Taking a swallow of her cocoa, to steady her nerves (she should have put alcohol in hers at least), she tried to fight the stabbing pain Maybe for you... as if he still loved her.

She paused before speaking. “It’s been 10 years. We would have been different no matter what.” She hesitated, staring into her mug, but this was Aiden, she could be honest with him, even if it hurt. “I hope you never find out how I was a few years ago.”

Looking back into his eyes, she continued, “I still want to be your friend. You’re healing. Let me get to know the new you. I’ll help you find him however you can.”

At his idea to start over, she couldn’t suppress a smile. Then, licking her lips, she reflected his solemn face, grateful for the levity. “Hello, I’m Lynn Jackson. It’s good to have a friendly face in this new place.” For all she was pretending, she was honest. Taking his hand, she shook it slowly, with the gravitas of an important meeting.

And then they were back on topic. Lynn let her mind shift into problem solving, but it shattered, when she realized what Aiden said. For she had not yet seen the news, having spent her afternoon unpacking and focused on a company 100 miles away. “Wait a second. She got shot on the train you take to the office? You mean, if you were on it, you could have been shot?” Lynn had to put her mug down on a box, her hands shaking. Oh god. She could have lost him before she'd even seen him again. Her stomach was turning, as she repeated, “you could have been shot.”

Squeezing her eyes shut for a moment, she took a couple of noticeably deep breaths. Then she forcefully made herself compartmentalize. She had to imagine actually putting the horror into a box, which shut like a gunshot, before she could open her eyes and focus on the topic at hand. Exhaling shakily, she murmured, “Sorry. Unexpected. I’m good now.” God she needed a drink. Focus. “So she was stalking you? Where did you say she lived?” Her voice evened up as she spoke, forcing herself past the terrifying possibility.

When he broached the chances of Natalie insulting her, Lynn waved a hand, “I’d be impressed if she came up with something that wasn’t true. You may consider yourself no longer a good man, but I was no angel. As I’m sure you heard back home.” She’d been a slut, she’d practically been a whore, whatever insult the woman came up with wouldn’t hurt as much as the truth. And she’d settled with that. Just like you settled over your heartbreak. An insidious voice asked, but she ignored it, like she always did. Though usually it was with alcohol.

She raised her gaze, as she wondered whether or not she could hug him, to see his own still on their hands. She was about to ask, but then he was speaking, drawing her attention back to her heart. God she wished he had chased after her. How different would her life have been if that was the case? How many years of the past ten could they have spent happy? Was she ever really happy since him? She was pathetic. She wanted to forgive him, but what did that entail? Picking up where they left off? That hope was ridiculous. “And I only want you to be happy and safe. I agree, I’ll just be new neighbor Lynn at your apartment. But we gotta get her out of there. Surely we can just send her back home tomorrow?” She asked, though it was obvious she didn’t believe it was that easy.
 
"I suppose you're right," Aiden replied, managing a chuckle that almost didn't sound forced. "A decade is a very long time. Especially at this stage of our lives." He watched Lynn stare into her mug and felt a profound sense of sadness fill places that had previously been filled with guilt. "Don't worry. I didn't turn into a private investigator or anything since you left. What happened in your life between the rain and now is only my business if you want it to be." And he meant it. If Lynn didn't want him to know about those pain-filled years, he wasn't going to snoop. After all, he didn't really want her to hear how pathetic he'd been, either.

He hadn't realized that Lynn didn't exactly know the circumstances of Natalie's injury, despite it making sense when he took some time to actually think about it. "Yeah, but my schedule was thrown off this morning so I had to take a different train." Without thinking, Aiden reached out and wrapped his large, warm hands around Lynn's shaking ones to steady them like he had a million times before. "I suppose I could have been, but I wasn't. I'm just fine, see?" He released her hands still without realizing what he'd done in the first place and patted down his body with a smile. "100% not shot."

Patiently he allowed Lynn to calm herself, sipping his cocoa in the meantime, until he realized (finally) that he'd grabbed her hands and flushed slightly. He was grateful she continued, though the topic wasn't exactly a basket of roses. "I...wouldn't be surprised. That would definitely be something I could see her doing, honestly. And it might explain a few strange things that have happened in the last year that I just kind of wrote off as weirdness of life." The fact that Lynn had brought up stalking without him having to voice it himself made the kernel in his stomach that he'd been ignoring for months begin to sprout. "I...don't know for sure where she actually lives now. Last I heard she'd moved in with her new boyfriend, some 22 year old kid barely out of college. I think they were living in Beaumont like 2 hours away. But that was almost a full year ago, now." He sighed and finished the last of his drink before placing the cup on the coffee table. Honestly he'd hoped when she started shacking up with the new guy that he would be free to go, but now it appeared that he wasn't nearly so lucky.

"Honestly, Lynn...I didn't hear anything about you. Most people that I asked just told me they had no idea or that they didn't care to keep up on your moves. And I...I figured they were just protecting you from me so they weren't willing to tell me where you'd gone, even if they did know. It only seemed fair. But whatever you did, it doesn't matter to me. What matters to me is making sure that Natalie doesn't create any new wounds...or open any old ones."

Aiden raised his glance from Lynn's hands and let out a sigh. "Just the neighbor Lynn doesn't feel right, if I'm being honest, but it's the best course of action for now." He wanted more than anything to say I'd prefer my dear friend Lynn or someone incredibly special to me, but wondered if that was just the adrenaline of the night speaking. Trauma bonding and all that. "Let's hope so. Maybe tomorrow I can find out if she's still with Kyle or whatever his name is, and if I can call him to come get her. Or whoever she's inevitably seeing now. I don't care who it is. If I have to call my ex-inlaws to come get her, I will." Which...didn't sound fun in the least. He hadn't spoken to them since before the divorce, but he doubted they would be too happy to hear from him. Especially if he was calling to say 'Hey, your daughter got shot. Come get her out of my apartment, thanks.'

Yeah, that would go over really well.

With a belly full of warm drink and the stress of the day starting to wear off just a little, Aiden found himself growing increasingly weary. His shoulders began to slump and his eyes felt heavy, and he glanced at his watch. 11pm. "Ugh. I really should try to get some sleep. Even though I plan to call out of work in the morning, the she-witch will probably up at the crack of dawn demanding that I cater to her." A look of disgust withered his face, and he didn't even bother trying to hide it. He hauled himself up from the couch, put his mug in the sink, and stood awkwardly by the door, not entirely sure how this type of goodbye should go. He was entirely open to a hug, but just like Lynn, he wasn't sure if he should initiate one. So he simply stood with his arms slightly raised from his sides while running one hand through his hair. "I'll, uh. See you later then, I guess?"
 
Lynn’s heart clenched. Fuck Aiden was still so kind. How did one go through whatever he’d survived and remain as good as he was before?

And there he was, lending his strength to her as she realized she might have lost him before ever seeing him again. She noticed his large hand covering hers, bringing back that safe feeling she hadn’t had in…years. She managed a smile, as he patted himself down, pushing the thought into a box to cry over later.

Instead she let her anger at this woman who not only ruined her life, but Aiden’s too grow within. Why couldn’t she let him go? Lynn knew the answer to that. “There have been other instances? Like what?” She knew not to let her anger out; Aiden was sensitive before, now he’d likely think she was angry at him. The thought of him being hurt ever made her want to fight the woman; she who’d never even punched a bag before.

But instead he was reassuring her from her past hangups. If he did learn, it would be what she deserved. She’d certainly done it hoping he’d heard. Hoping he knew she’d moved on and was having fun. God she was an idiot. Giving him a small smile, she breathed in deeply and said, “If you find out, it’s no big deal. I’m just not like that anymore. The past few years I haven’t talked to anyone except my mother from home.” She reached over, taking his hands. “I’ll be careful. If you want me to play nice…I can try. As long as you remember: even if she does hurt my feelings, it wouldn’t be your fault.”

Just the neighbor Lynn. It was probably the safest. What she would have tried for if Natalie had been out of the picture completely or a decent human being. But he was right, how can it feel right when he was the one who knew all her secrets when she was young?

She wondered what sort of terrible people raised an abuser like Natalie. “If you need help figuring out what to say to them, I can help.” She often made calls to strangers: she could do it here. “Maybe you can try your divorce lawyer if need be? You’ve done a good deed, but this is only temporary. They should be able to help you navigate it.” Then she remembered the state of his apartment. And the likely money problems he was having. Had she taken everything in the divorce? He wasn’t paying her alimony, right?

Before she could ask, Aiden spoke of needing to sleep. They could plan more in the morning. She stood as he did, following him to the kitchenette. “Hold on. Let me give you my number before you go. If you need me, just call?” She grabbed a pad from her purse, scribbling down the digits before ripping off the sheet. Turning to look at him, she couldn’t help it. She hugged him, wrapping her arms around him without thinking. She was quick to let go murmuring, “Sorry, I should have asked.” She remembered wondering if he had an aversion to touch before. She really shouldn’t have pushed it. And what did she say? You looked so sad, I wanted to make you feel better?

Stepping back, she let him go. Taking a deep breath, she admitted to herself she wasn’t going to sleep without some help. It took a little unpacking for her to find that small bottle of vodka. Not bothering to mix it with anything, she drank it straight. She knew she should save some--she was sure to need it after dealing with Natalie directly. But buying small bottles was her only way of coping with her addiction, so she drank it all and went to bed.
 
When Lynn asked about other instances, Aiden's mind drifted back, trying to decide what could have been a stalker. "Nothing major, really. Calls I passed off as telemarketers. Pamphlets shoved in the door jam. Missing mail. Random things on the floor outside my apartment door. I know we're too many floors up to really see in the windows from the street, but I'll definitely be closing my curtains from now on. And double checking over my shoulder."

His face screwed up in disgust, not liking the thought of having to watch his back on top of everything else he'd had to deal with over the previous months. Just as he thought he was finally settling into his new life! But perhaps with Lynn nearby, things could be slightly less bleak? The thought brought a little warmth to his belly where a chunk of ice had taken up residence. "It's not like people from home are that great, honestly. I haven't spoken to anyone since I left, either. Nothing there but bad memories. I have no idea what you were put through or how you coped with it, but I'm glad you don't feel like you have to be that way anymore. You deserve every happiness."

Aiden gave Lynn a smile. A genuine one that wrinkled the corners of his eyes and revealed the dimples in his cheeks. "I appreciate your offer, but I think you're right about talking to my lawyer. I would rather make her his problem than yours. I've done enough of that already." He accepted the piece of paper she offered him and slipped it into his pocket, intent on adding the number to his phone under something inconspicuous like 'Bob's Plumbing' and then tossing the slip into the shredder at work.

Not that he should have to go to such lengths. He was a divorced man, after all. Free to talk to whoever he wanted. It was none of Natalie's business! But ten years of trauma was a hell of a drug. And he didn't need to make his own life any harder while he figured out what to do about the parasite in his apartment.

The warmth of Lynn's arms around his middle pulled Aiden out of the reverie and tossed him back to the days when he was happy. Before he could even respond she had let go, though, and his bottom lip stuck out just a little. "Since when did you have to ask for permission for a hug?" he asked, barely restraining himself from picking her up in a bear-hug and spinning around in a circle like he used to do. "I'll see you later, Bec...er, Lynn."

He silently crossed the hall and slipped back into his apartment without so much as a creak from the door. Unlike Lynn's apartment which had felt warm, welcoming, and safe, the moment the door to his own apartment closed behind him, Aiden felt nothing but cold anxiety in the air. His blood pressure spiked and he lowered himself to the couch, not daring risk the bedroom to find pajamas. The day's stress knocked him out like a truck to the face, overcoming his insomnia and dropping him straight into dreamless black sleep.

As he suspected would happen, Aiden was pulled from his sleep at the crack of dawn by his name being screeched from the bedroom. He did his best not to allow a trauma response to rear its ugly head and walked to the room with a straight spine and impassible face. "Do you need something?" he asked in a deadpan voice. "The apartment is still small. I could still hear you if you used an indoor-acceptable volume."

"Quit being such a patronizing asshole and get my pain medication already!" Natalie screeched, practically gnashing her teeth. "I had almost forgotten how useless you are!"

"I certainly hadn't forgotten how bitchy you are," Aiden replied. He opened the bottle of pills and dumped two into his palm, doing his best to push back the intrusive thought of downing the entire bottle himself. He then grabbed a glass of water from the kitchen and gave both to Natalie without making eye contact. "I am setting the expectation now that you are not welcome to stay here one minute longer than absolutely necessary. Give me the name and number of your newest man-hooker and I will call him to come fetch you."

Natalie decided to take the pills before voicing her retort, which gave Aiden enough time to exit the bedroom and close the door behind him. He knew his attitude was like throwing Mentos in a bottle of Coke, but he just couldn't help it.

She again screeched through the door, "I don't have to tell you ANYTHING! You owe me for staying with you for an entire decade of my life, so I'll stay as long as I want!"

Well, so much for doing this the easy way. Lawyer first it was. And if that didn't work? Well, he wasn't above calling the police to escort her out of the building. With a sigh he pulled out his phone and the slip of paper with Natalie's number on it. "Hey, it's Aiden. How busy are you today? I was wondering...if maybe you'd give me a ride to my lawyer's office? It takes three bus transfers to get there just because of how terrible the layout of the public transportation around here is. Driving would only take like ten minutes. I can pay you for gas or lunch or something?"
 
Coincidences that added up. Aiden probably was probably too relieved to be free of her to think anything of it. Lynn’s lips pursed, frustrated that she couldn’t disagree with his new caution. “If you kept any of those, we should make a list.” Not sure how sensitive of a mindset Aiden was in, she quickly added, “It’s okay if you didn’t: we’ll just start one.” How often had he been told he was at fault for meaningless things. She’d had boyfriends like that. Probably not as bad. But she’d had Aiden to compare to. She’d known there was better (even if better didn’t want her) so she left. Was she such a terrible girlfriend back then that Aiden didn’t have that? Regardless, that mindset occasionally tried to come back. She’d cultivated her work life fighting that instinct. She was on top of everything because she had to be. Until the foundation of the company went out from under her.

God that man was beautiful when he smiled. Becca was not prepared for that. Hell, even Lynn was caught off guard. She nodded, absently, letting herself stare inside her purse to remember what she was doing with it. Right a pen. Her number.

She hugged him far too quick. His warmth felt like a figment in her mind: more ephemeral than her dreams. She went to bed knowing he’d be there while she slept. It was the only time she could ever truly have him.
~​
Lynn wasn’t even sure what woke her. A shriek? A bird? Fuck whatever it was. She rolled over, burying her face in the pillow and tried to think or sleep or god she needed a drink. Thoughts like that made her worry she was still an alcoholic, so she told herself to shut the fuck up and sleep. Wait, no wake up. She peered out one eye to see the wall, not the window she was expecting. She stared at the unfamiliar white. Was that a problem? Whatever, it was still dark: she was fairly sure her alarm didn’t go off: she could sleep. She let her body relax into her bed--and she was still fairly sure it was her bed, even if it may have been bedknobs and broomsticked into a white room. There was something about that she was forgetting, but her mind was dry and slow.

There were more noises. Did her neighbors have kids over? The grandparents were lucky to be deaf and not hear those mongrels shrieking. She rolled over and found a window. There were no curtains covering its panes, but it let in more streetlight than anything to do with the sun. Still sleep time. She pulled the covers up.
~​
Unfortunately for her, that was about the time her alarm went off. 6:30. The worst time of the day. Sighing she groped for her phone, scowling as she met air instead of her bedside table. Then she realized the phone was behind her. Why wouldn’t she have left it charging? Where was her night stand? It was to these questions Lynn sat up with a big yawn. Smacking her lips a few times she took a second to open her eyes.

Fuck. She did not recognize this room. This wasn’t the first time she’d woken up to a strange room, but damn she’d thought she was over with one night stands. Still more asleep than awake, she reached for her phone, grabbing the side button to snooze the alarm. There was a message, not a friend, probably some scam. Still, she thumbed open the notification and read it.

Hey, it’s Aiden

She looked back up to the room. Shit she needed to wake up. Her dreams were mixing with reality. Rubbing her eyes again, she tried to read the text.

Hey, it’s Aiden.

It still read.

It was then that she woke up. Fuck. The move. Aiden. The shooting. Natalie. The abuse. Like a switch went off in her head, sleepy Becca disappeared and Lynn was back in charge. Grabbing her phone, she got out of bed, opening the text to read the full message. Immediately she wrote out a reply, then paused and rewrote it.

Sure man, just head on over.
Click to expand...

Knowing Aiden he probably put her number under Bob’s Plumbing or something. Better to sound like a guy than herself. Just in case. She gripped her phone too tightly, breathing out. Aiden was going to go to his lawyer and get rid of her. Anger would not help him. But boy did anger work to keep her awake. Tossing her phone on the bed, she reached for the small bag she’d kept separate from everything else. She should have hung up her clothes, the shirt wrinkled and the pants with creases, but Lynn didn’t feel like searching for different clothes. It was certainly more formal than yesterday’s outfit, but it was what she wore most.

The pale green shirt and black slacks were on in moments. Her hair was a mess, and something probably died in her mouth (and was embalmed by the taste of it) so she lugged the bag into the bathroom. Cleaning up took under 5 minutes, and she figured she’d wait for makeup until after coffee. Wouldn’t Aiden be surprised she was drinking the nasty stuff now. She’d definitely replaced one addiction with another, but coffee was more acceptable than alcohol.

She walked into the kitchen and groaned. Where did she put the Keurig? She knew she’d have to go without creamer, but she had a box of those donut shop cups. She could survive with a couple of those. Taking a moment to unlock the door, she went box hunting. She knew she’d labeled it Kitchen so why wasn’t it there?
 
No sooner did Lynn's reply arrive than Aiden pulled on a fresh shirt from the small pile of clean laundry in the corner. A quick brush of his teeth, some socks, and his shoes, and within five minutes he was grabbing his keys.

"Where do you think you are going?!" Natalie yelled from the bedroom when she heard the jingling of the keys. "You are going to stay right here and take care of me, you useless lump of fat! How am I supposed to get breakfast with this stupid cast on my arm? Or even get dressed and comb my hair properly?!" She did not seem willing to even attempt getting out of his bed, though, so Aiden simply slipped his keys into his pocket and unlocked the front door.

"I don't know, but you're a grown adult. You'll figure it out," he replied and stepped out into the hallway. The atmosphere there was lighter than his darkened apartment, both because of its lack of Natalie and its fully-functional light bulbs. I probably should replace a few of the burnt out ones in my apartment at some point, Aiden thought while taking the two steps over to Lynn's door.

There he paused, hand raised to knock and stomach suddenly in knots. Yesterday had been an entire whirlwind of his past coming back to smack him in the face and the butt simultaneously. He wanted to take comfort in Lynn's familiar presence, but was that acceptable? He had been the problem, not her. Was it fair to dump his issues on her? No, it wasn't. But who else did he have?

And besides, she'd already said yes. So he knocked, somewhat timidly, and waited for the door to open. When it did, Aiden put on his best smile and opened his arms out of habit to allow a hug, should she want one.

"Your moving here was nothing short of a miracle, Lynn," Aiden said. "I didn't think it was possible for Natalie to be any worse than she was when we were married, but I think now that I have had some space, it's easier to see. So she feels ten times as annoying as before. At least with her injury she seems to be unwilling to attempt anything physical. For now." He shuffled his feet slightly and avoided eye contact, only furtively looking at Lynn's face as if he was afraid looking her fully in the face would make her aggressive. "I don't think the lawyer's office is open quite yet, but if you want we could get some breakfast first? Anywhere you like. I can pay for it."
 
Lynn had given up. Oh, she’d found the little Keurig cups: they were in the same box as the hot chocolate, but she was clueless where the machine was. Tossing the box onto her blank counter, she turned as she heard Aiden knock. Or well, someone. It was pretty quiet.

For a moment, the inane reminder that she hadn’t put on makeup made her pause. She knew she didn’t look as good as she had at 19. And he’d dumped her then. Natalie definitely didn’t come off as that much of a bombshell in her hospital gown.

Then she pulled herself together. Aiden had bigger problems than her vanity. It’s not like she wanted him to look anyway. That might have been a lie, but those thoughts had to stop regardless as she opened the door. It was Aiden. Her heart raced, but she kept her face calm with a smile as she looked him over. Was he hurt? His smile looked forced, but with his arms open, she could tell he was asking for a hug. But did he want one, or was he also forcing himself to offer?

Did she want one? Yes. But was it a good idea? She was supposed to be new neighbor Lynn outside of her apartment. With the door separating them, what did that mean? In the end her hesitation decided it for her. Aiden had already started talking. She tensed as he confirmed the physical abuse. “We’ll get rid of her.” She promised. As he struggled to look at her, she decided avoiding the hug was the right choice.

She stepped back to let him in, even knowing she wouldn’t have let a random new neighbor come in. “Sure, no problem. Just give me a second to get my face on,” she gestured upward and smiled. “I’d offer something to drink, but I didn’t find my keurig. So…there’s room on the sofa?” God, she was an awful host.

She darted to the bathroom, rushing to pull out a neutral pallet. She was methodical about applying the makeup neatly, but it went quickly as it was her usual routine. Less than five minutes after she was back in the living room. Grabbing her purse from the counter, she watched Aiden rise from the sofa. A part of her wanted to tell him he didn’t have to force himself around her. That if he didn’t want her to touch him, she wouldn’t. But actions were more effective than words, so she held open the door for him as she pulled her keys from her purse.

“I have no preference where to eat. Just any place with coffee.” Her caffeine withdrawal was already giving her a headache. (It had to be that; she hadn’t drunk enough to be hungover.)

She laughed, remembering Becca couldn’t stand the stuff, “I have to put a whole candy factory in it to make it palatable, but I’ve been converted by necessity.”

She led the way down the stairs, reminding herself it was better to have a higher apartment, even if it felt inconvenient. Reaching her Toyota, she unlocked it, then headed to the driver’s side. “Just tell me where to go.”
 
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