Chapter 7

Amber and Damon wasted no time in stepping up to Rowan and hugging him.

"Are you getting enough sleep?" Damon asked. "You look like shit," he stated.

"I'm fine," Rowan said.

"You don't need to lie to us," Amber said.

"I don't want to talk about it," Rowan said. "Let's talk about something else," he said.

"Okay, how was your trip here?" Damon asked.

"Boring," Rowan stated. There was a hint of irritation in his voice.

Sensing tension in the room, Honey faced Damon and Amber. "Go ahead and get settled in your new home," "Here's the address and the key," she said.

"Thank you," Damon said. They felt Rowan's eyes on them as they left. They stopped right at the exit.

"Why did she send us away like that?" Amber asked. Footsteps approached them from behind.

"Mother does that to calm her patients who come here," a young male voice said. Damon and Amber turned around and faced a young brunette man in casual clothes and a medical jacket.

"And you are?" Damon asked.

"Raymond Walters," the brunette said. "I'll be your brother's physical therapist," he said.

Damon shook his hand and said, "Be gentle with our brother." "He's been through a lot,"

"That's what I'm here for," Raymond said. "His wall that he's built will come down," he said.

"Our brother can be hard headed, so good luck," Amber said.

"I like challenges," Raymond said with a grin. While they headed to their cars, Amber said, "I like him." "I think he can help our brother," she said.

"He does need somebody who can make him happy again," Damon said. "I miss his smile," he said.

Rowan leaned back against his pillow and stared at nothing. He was bored, frustrated, and lonely.

***knock knock***

"You can come in," Rowan stated. The door opened, and a brunette young man wearing a white uniform coat walked inside.

"Hello, my name is Raymond Walters," he said.

"Great, another doctor," Rowan grumbled. Raymond chuckled.

"I'm actually a physical therapist," he said. "And you are?" he asked.

"If you're here, you should already know my name," Rowan said coldly.

Raymond stepped over to the table and laid his clipboard down on it. He took off his coat and draped it over the chair. He turned around and faced Rowan. "It sounds like you hate doctors," he stated. "May I inquire as to why?" Raymond asked.

"No," Rowan said, rolling onto his side and facing the wall.

"What can I do to make you feel more comfortable?" Raymond asked.

"Stop trying to pick my brain," Rowan answered.

Raymon let out a frustrated sigh and sat down in the chair. "Do you hate me too?" he asked. Rowan rolled onto his back and stared at him.

"No," Rowan said, shaking his head. "I just don't trust you," he said. Raymond rose from his chair and gathered his things. He turned and faced Rowan, who was on his side once more.

"I don't know what happened to make you not trust people, but you can trust me," he said before leaving the room. Rowan turned his head and stared at the closed door.

"Why should I trust him?" Rowan scoffed.

Rowan wanted to push their conversation from his mind, so he turned on the TV. Star Trek: The Next Generation was being shown. Rowan yawned and browsed through the stations. He stopped at the Animal Planet Channel. The show "Tanked" was on. Rowan vigorously shook his head when his eyelids felt heavy. He got up, went over to the sink, and turned on the faucet. He cupped his hands and splashed cold water on his face. He turned off the faucet and dried his face.

Rowan leaned back against the pillows, and little by little, his eyelids felt heavy. As much as he fought, Rowan couldn't keep his eyes open. To Rowan, sleep meant dreams, and dreams meant nightmares, which unnerved him.

***Beginning of a dream***

Rowan found himself back at their family's house. It was completely dark and empty. The silence chilled him to the bone. The smell of alcohol filled his nose. He opened his mouth to scream, but a large hand covered it. His heart raced because only one person drank, and that person was in jail. The moment Rowan felt the metal of a knife scrape his neck, he woke up gasping for air. Salty tears streamed down his cheeks. Rowan moved his hand to his neck to check for injuries. There were none, much to his relief.

"Fucking dream," he grumbled.

Rowan felt his heart race and his chest tighten. He stripped off his clothes and hurried into the bathroom. With his vision blurring, he fumbled for the shower knob. When his shaky hand found it, he turned on the water and stepped inside. Trying to calm himself down, he stepped under the water and slumped down on the tiled floor. As hard as he tried, Rowan couldn't get the air he needed. Suddenly, everything went dark.

Unaware of how long he had been there, Rowan felt the water stop and felt himself being lifted. There was a muffled voice saying something to him. His brain was fuzzy, and he was too tired to open his eyes. Rowan felt his body being lowered onto something soft, but was unsure what happened next. He woke up hours later and found himself back in his bed. Rowan noticed that he was dressed in dry clothes and was covered up. That's when he saw Raymond in a chair reading a book.

Raymond lifted his head and noticed Rowan's stare. "Well, look who's awake," he said.

"What are you doing here?" Rowan asked.

"I'm making sure you don't have hypothermia," the brunette explained. "Next time you decide to take a shower, don't fall asleep under the water," he suggested.

"I was doing just fine," Rowan grumbled.

"No, you weren't," Raymond stated. "You were passed out, and your pulse was racing," he said. "If something is bothering you, I'll listen," Raymond said.

Rowan lowered his head and sighed softly. "Why do you care so much?" he asked. "I'm just a cripple," he said.

"Please stop putting yourself down," Raymond said. "You're obviously someone who's haunted and needs a friend," he stated.

"I'm nobody special," Rowan said. "I don't deserve to have friends," he said. Raymond sat on the edge of the bed. "I don't believe that," he said. "I'd be honored to be your friend," he said.

Raymond had a serious look in his brown eyes. "You don't have to tell me, but who is Drago?" Ray asked. A lump formed in Rowan's throat at the mention of the name. His face paled.

"How do you know about him?" Rowan asked, his voice shaking.

"You were talking in your sleep," Raymond said.

"Someone I'd like to forget," Rowan said. "Can we drop the topic?" he asked.

"Sure, it's time to eat anyway," Raymond said.