If I lay here

If I just lay here

Would you lie with me

And just forget the world?

Snow Patrol-Chasing Cars


Sophie woke up the the sound of knocking on her bedroom window. She was still half asleep, but she could see the person perched on her roof, waiting for her to open the window. Sophie sat up and squinted.

"Alex?" she asked herself and walked to the window. She unlocked the latch, and saw the wet, cold, and sad figure of Alex Dunkelman sitting on her roof.

"Hey Soph.." he said with a half-hearted smile. Sophie half smiled back and let him in. He had a hard time climbing in, so she knew what was up. She rushed to her bathroom, turned on the light, and grabbed a towel. She also locked the bedroom door. He slowly stalked over to her and she carefully wrapped the towel around him.

"What did Quinn do this time...?" she asked him. He painstakingly took off his long sleeve and showed Sophie his bruises and cuts along his chest and lower stomach. Sophie sniffed and hugged him softly, and he wrapped his arms around her. His soaked pants made her feel cold and damp in nothing but shorts and a tank, but she didn't care.

She kissed him on the cheek and let go of the hug. She proceeded to take out the peroxide, a bandage, and some toilet paper from the bottom shelf under the sink. Alex walked into the bathroom and sat on the floor next to her, his back leaning up against the porcelain toilet. Sophie grabbed a handful of toilet paper with the peroxide, and gently dabbed it on Alex's cuts. He winced and inhaled in pain as the stinging alcohol seemed to "bubble" in the slashes. Cut by cut, Sophie tended to them tenderly and carefully, ridding them of any bacteria.

"How did these happen?" she asked, puzzled.

"Quinn was wearing his class ring tonight. He just kept punching..." he replied. Sophie sighed as she reached for the gauze and tape. She unrolled the bandage, placed it ever so lightly on his injuries, and taped them. Alex had a total of seven bruises and four slashes on his abdomen. Once she finished, Sophie got up and went to her dresser drawers, and pulled out one of his shirts that he kept there. She helped him get it on, and sat on the floor with him again. She was sitting across from him.

"I don't know why you haven't left Riverton yet. If I were you, I would've left years ago.." she stated.

"I'd have too much to lose if I left." he replied.

"Like what? Well, you'd miss Bug, I guess."

"And you. I couldn't leave you here in this piece of shit town.." he added. She chuckled.

"Me? I'm not that important, Alex." she looked down at the floor.

"To me, you are. Forgive me for sounding so corny, but you're everything to me, Soph." he cupped her face and she lifted her head up.

"I guess I'd miss you too much if you left..." Alex chuckled. "Anyways, your birthday is in two days. Excited?" she asked, though she knew the answer.

"Oh, of course I am!" he replied sarcastically. She giggled lightly.

"You don't actually think Rippers' gonna kill you guys, right?"

"I don't know, Soph. Every year, it gets worse. Everyone thinks we're cursed. They're too afraid to even look at us, let alone talk to us. They treat us like fucking lepers..."

"You aren't a leper. People just have over active imaginations. Even you do sometimes."

"This is the year. I can feel it." Alex said, staring off into space. Sophie chuckled.

"Penelope's got into your head. Ripper died sixteen years ago. There's no way in hell he's going to kill you. Even if he did come back, he'd have to go through me." Alex smiled.

"I wouldn't let that happen." Sophie just looked up and smiled at him.

"I remember a time more simpler than this mess. Where me and you would stay up late watching "The Crow" and chug chocolate shakes till we got sick. Now everything's just fucked up."

"Why don't we just leave? We can go anywhere. Anywhere but here, you name it. No more Quinn or Riverton Seven bullshit. Just me and you." Alex smiled and took Sophie's hand in his.

"What about Bug? You can't just leave him with Brandon and Fang. You are all he has. You know that, Alex." Sophie rubbed her thumb against the back of his hand. Alex sighed.

"You're right." he said, leaning back against the toilet. "I should get back to Quinn." he started to get up.

"No. Alex, don't. Just stay." she fought.

"He'll kill me if I'm not in bed when he checks."

"I don't want him to hurt you anymore. You know Quinn, he's probably passed out by now. My mom is away for work and its only saturday. Please stay." she pleaded with him. Alex sighed, and nodded. Sophie helped him up. Alex winced and gasped with pain as he started the slow rise up. She held his hand as they walked to her bed.

Alex slowly crawled in with Sophie following suit. They tucked in under the covers, and Sophie rested her head lightly in the crook of his neck. Alex ran his fingers through her soft, long, brown hair.

"I love you, Sophie." Alex stated.

"I love you, Alex." Sophie replied, and Alex placed a kiss on her forehead.

Sophie seemed to fall asleep in an instant. But Alex stayed up a little while longer. For one, he thanked God( if there even was one) for meeting Sophie, he honestly didn't know what he'd do without her. She takes care of him when no one else would. She probably saved his life tonight, Alex knew.

Hell, she's saved his life so many times, Alex lost count.