30

Grey had called James and asked him to start whatever proceedings were necessary to convict the man. That was the least of his concern though.

Azure had gone back into her shell, it pained her to come to the realization that all the people who had badly hurt her were all living life sweetly while she had to go through all the pain.

She was angry, not sad.

Angry.

When they got home, she took a beeline to the room she shared with Grey without thinking at all. She got rid of her little dress and made her way to the bathroom. She got a scrub and Grey's body wash and began scrubbing her body so hard. Her fair skin was red with the amount of pressure being forced on her and the hot steamy water she used.

Grey was the one to drag her out of there before she got her skin peeled. "Are you out of your mind!"

His eyes watered seeing the state she was in.

"I'm out of my mind Grey! This is wrong in every way. Every single one of them, every God damned one of them, I can recall their faces! How else should I react knowing that the men who turned me into a lifeless bitch are all out there with their families, going about their activities forgetting the evil they did to me! I want them all dead! I want to kill them all!"

Furious tears fell off her eyes to her cheeks as she struggled to get out of his hold. Grey didn't fail in holding her close to his body. He held her as she weeped again. Of recent it seemed like all she did was cry. After changing the gear of the shower to warm, he pulled himself as well as her back into the shower and rinsed off.

That night she fell asleep very quickly in his arms. Grey stayed awake for a while looking at her, he hadn't seen her up-close in a while. A frown marred her face even as she slept and the surrounding of her eyes were red and swollen.

It had to have been at least 2am when Azure began trashing and screaming. Grey woke up immediately and saw the was she was sweating profusely. He knew that she was having a nightmare but he was confused as to whether he should wake her up or allow her to remain trapped in her dream.

After a few seconds, he didn't care if it was right or not, he just couldn't see her suffering so much an do nothing about it. He gently shook her until she woke up with a strong gasp.

He noticed the way she looked around the room trying to get used to it but the moment her eyes caught his, he saw the panic in her.

She quickly scrambled out of the bed while continuously saying 'no' as a plea.

When she was caught by a corner and realized that the man in the room was still coming closer to her, she began screaming again. The fat bald man coming to her was only going to cause her pain and she wanted no more of it. "Please, I'll do anything. Just please don't touch me!" She screamed and went on her knees to beg.

Grey paused. This was all to familiar to him. He remembered that day in his office, the day he beat James up. He knew what was going on, he knew that she wasn't seeing him right now and nothing he did could bring her out of that state.

Azure was starting to feel dizzy. The fat bald man had changed to a muscular man with excessive tattoos, she could perceive the smell of engine oil on him. Again and again and again, the figure kept on changing until she could take it no more and succumbed to the darkness that engulfed her.

Grey ran to the body on the floor. He knew he was beginning to panic and he never thought straight when he panicked so he did the only thing his mind allowed him to think of.

He grabbed his cellphone and dialed Madame Rose's number.

The woman had always been a light sleeper and so the first ring of her phone woke her up and seeing the name of the caller, she knew something was wrong.

She picked the phone and listened to Grey panic and spit out whatever he could. She placed the call on speaker and started dressing up. She threw on one of her large gowns that required no stress, grabbed her keys and made her way to his house. While she drove, she called the hospital and asked for an ambulance to be brought to the house as well. As much as she was a doctor herself, she was certain that she wasn't in the right frame of mind as well and it would be best to let the professionals do their job.

It wasn't too long until the ambulance arrived and she was carried out of Grey's hands and taken to the hospital. Madame Rose used her own car to get there while Grey made sure to follow he ambulance, wanting to be close to her.

"She's dangerous. To you, to herself and to everyone around her. She needs to stay in the hospital and get better. This is the last time you'll see her until we're satisfied that she is of no more harm. We're sorry that the both of you are going through so much."

Grey strolled into the ward she was in, once again he saw her in chains. Those damned chains he promised to never let her find herself again. She was fast asleep, probably the drugs or something. He couldn't cry, he was done trying to fight whatever it was that life wanted. He wouldn't wake her and make her act like everything was alright just so he could take her away again.

If this was the only way to help her, he'd let them do just whatever it was.

There was a strong possibility she'd hate him once she was in her right senses but he didn't care. He was done being selfish with her.

As he stood there looking at her sleeping form, Madame Rose came beside him.

"Child, I know you don't want this but...." she didn't even have to finish the statement. Grey knew the rest of it.

"It's the only way" He completed it for her.

"I spoke to the doctors, I'll be allowed to see her whenever I want. I could give you updates as to her wellbeing whenever you want."

"No aunt, I don't want to. For my own sake I'd prefer to not know how she's doing. I fear I've lost myself in the trial to fight nature, I've abandoned my work, the people who's livelihood depend on me, I've abandoned my family. I haven't even visited Talia since the incident. Until she's ready to be mine, until she's okay to be with me no matter how long it takes, I can't be with her."

Finally he turned and looked at her eyes, "She's a strong woman. She'll fight through this and I have no doubt about that. The man who assaulted her is currently being apprehended and questioned. I'm certain he'd be found guilty and if we're lucky, he'd throw up the names of the other men that were with him that night. I'll make earth a bearable place for her and she won't have to fear anyone anymore. She wouldn't have to fear anything. She is my woman after all. My Azure." His eyes watered.

"My child..."

"I love her. I know that the chances that she'd be angry that I let them take her without her permission is high but because I love her, I don't care. I'll take her to an ice cream shop, I'll take her to visit all the countries she wants, study all the books she wants, I'll do whatever it takes for her to get over her anger and love me again but for now, she has to get better. For her sake, for my sake. For all our sake. Please take care of her Aunt. Tell her I love her when she wakes. I'm going to be at my parent's house for a while." He wiped his eyes and using the same sluggish defeated pace, he walked out of the hospital, took a cab and went directly to his parent's place.

*******

"My son, what are you...?" Grey's father's words got stuck in his throat when his grown up little boy fell in his arms, crying like a child.

Grey was somewhat glad it was his father who opened the door, his mother was probably still sleeping. He didn't feel like talking at all and his mother would surely make him talk till she was satisfied.

Right now he needed this.

His father.

The homily atmosphere.

The warmth that suddenly filled his heart.

He knew it was temporary and soon he would have to face the fact that Azure was gone until she wanted to be found but he would enjoy this moment right here.

Right now.

Question from the author: WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE AND WORST PART OF THIS STORY IN GENERAL?