Before I call anyone, I freak out.

I have a major mental breakdown with flashbacks, cold sweats, and even a moment where I think throwing myself out the window would solve all the problems in my little world but when I realized I was in a one story house and when I see the red ink in the shape of a heart around Saturday I chill out. I grab the house phone Emillia insisted I have after having let my cell die on multiple occasions. I call Emi first, she was so worried she didn't rub the fact that she had told me the house phone would come in handy one day. I called my siblings they freaked out, not as bad as I did but they insisted I stay with them. I told them I would be fine. My parents were more rational towards the situation telling me to stay calm and breathe. My friends in the Police department who said they would be patrolling the area more frequently, then I call Sam, just to hear his voice. Why? honestly I don't know...

"Hello?" he answers. "Hi assistant boy." I say quietly. "Hi dream cookie girl." he says happily. "I wasn't expecting a call so soon." he tells me sounding surprised but pleased, I can hear the smile in his voice. "I needed to hear your voice. Make sure you were okay." I say trying not to cry. "Are you alright? You don't sound so good." He says worriedly. "I'm scared." I tell him quietly. "I'd come find you and hug you but I don't know where you are." He says. "Meet me at our place." I tell him my cynicism and reasoning having left me being replaced by my fear. "I'll see you in a few minutes." he says hanging up the phone. I slip into the shower and then into some fresh clothes before slipping on shoes and heading out the door.

The world seems colder, smaller, more distant now as I'm passing everything by on my way to our spot. It's been about a week since we met for cookies and I see Sam standing there craning his neck trying to find me I somehow feel safer. These weird feelings are driving me up a wall. When Sam does see me he rushes towards me our bodies colliding and our arms wrapping around each other in a hug. "I'm here." he tells me holding me close as I start to cry into his shoulder.

Sam takes me to his office, he has me sit down next to his desk and he holds my hand for a while before getting back to work. "Feeling better now?" he asks. "Yeah, thank you Sam." I tell him. before he can say anything else his boss, the man who bumped into me comes walking in a little melon collie. "What's up Jack?" Sam asks him. His boss Jack looks up and then towards me. "My dog died." he says scratching his neck as he yawns. His black hair and tall dark figure have me picturing him in one of my books. "Who is this?" Jack asks. "August, the girl I was telling you about." Sam says smiling. "Oh, right, sorry about your...what was it, dream cookie? My name is Jack Martin." he says shaking my hand with his giant one before laughing a little. "Thanks. Augustine Allen." I say before sighing and wrapping my arms around myself trying to feel safer.

"Are you okay?" Jack asks.

"Not really." I tell him and Sam both.

"Are you in some kind of trouble?" Sam asks his hand going to mine calming me down. all but on of the fibers holding me together tell me not to talk about my past with Rex but the warmth radiating from Sam and the feeling I get from being near these two makes my walls crumble just enough to get it out. "I had been dating this guy, actually he was my first boyfriend ever, when he found out who I was and what I had written he became my stalker...I broke up with him...I...I got so scared, I moved, changed my phone number even got a restraining order. I thought he was finally leaving me alone..." I tell them I can feel the tears streaming down my face, the goose bumps rising on my arms and the constant burn behind my eyes and in the back of my throat. "But he didn't did he?" Jack asks now kneeling beside my chair. I start rubbing my arms then the cold starting to get to me. Sam grabs his jacket from the back of his chair and wraps me in it before grabbing a tissue and wiping my eyes.

"This isn't the first time he has found me though...he actually kidnapped me one time..." I tell them. Sam seems worried and Jack looks angry. "He held me in his basement and tortured me for a few days then a neighbor found me. He ran, the cops got him but could never find anything on him after he escaped custody...I'm scared Sam..." I tell him. Sam's arms wrap around me and he holds me close and I just let him. "I have an apartment, a secondary one for when I want to hide away from the world, you are more than welcome to stay there." Jack tells me. I look at Sam then Jack and I swallow. "I don't want anyone to get hurt." I tell them. "We can take care of ourselves." Jack tells me standing up. "If you don't mind sticking around, both of you, I can take you in my private car, I was working security in my younger years." He says smiling. "I know how to get rid of a tail." I just smile not showing the fear I'm feeling. Sam's arms loosen and he takes my hand helping me stand and he walks into Jack's office. I look around the large office besides his desk Jack has three plush chairs a couch and a large library. Sam sits on the couch pulling me with him. His arms wrap around me and he holds me in his arms tightly not wanting to let me go. Soon after I calm down and my guarded side comes out and I think Sam picks up on it.

"Sam..." I start to ask him to let me go but he speaks first.

"I don't want him to hurt you...I don't want you to ever hurt again..." he says. Sam looks up at me and my heart melts. Tears are falling down his face...I always thought taller was better but in this moment Sam being shorter just seemed to make it more intimate.

"I...I thought you were beautiful when I first saw you...I...I couldn't help what happened next..."

"What are you talking about?" I ask.

"I like you, more than just...like. I didn't want to tell you because I thought you might think I was crazy...or too guarded to be okay with it." he says sadly. "I don't think your crazy." I tell him. "I've just...had problems in my past when it came to men." I tell him. "You mean Rex?" he asks but it seems almost like a statement.

"Not just Rex..."

I can trust him.

"My parents haven't always been my parents. They adopted me after my real mother went to jail." His eyes widen. "My mother killed my father after he...raped me." I tell him. "The murder was so horrific she got the death penalty and I was awarded to the state having no other family. spent years trying to get passed that and I finally opened my heart to someone...who raped me again...I...I have a fear of men, for a good reason." I tell him. "Are you afraid of me?" he asks. "No." I tell him leaning down and touching my forehead to his. "You should get back to work Sam." I tell him. "What about you?" he asks. "I'll be fine, I think I'm going to sleep actually." I tell him. he stands then helps me lie down. He kisses my forehead before squeezing my hand. "If you need me I'm right outside the door." He tells me. "Okay." I tell him closing my eyes. the last few days, this whole unspoken thing between Sam and I, it all finally catches up to me.