When the darkness hit, she'd never felt more alone. She was in this dark room, all alone. She wanted to be in his arms, though she knew that right that second, he was on a plane to God knows where.

She slapped herself again for what she'd done. She'd never meant to let him know how she felt about him. That was the stupidest thing she'd ever done.

Though she thought she'd got part of what she deserved. He'd pushed her off, gently enough to not hurt her in any way, but firmly enough to tell her that he just wasn't interested.

She'd tried not to talk again, at least not to him. They didn't mention their kiss to anyone, not even each other. That stung her in ways nobody even has a name for.

Jasper was still in shock. He couldn't believe that just four hours before, his coworker had finally shown her true feelings for him and he'd pushed her away. He hated himself for it, but he would have hated himself much more if she'd been hurt.

He was imagining her now, lying in her bed, sleeping. He shoved the pillow over his face in annoyance at himself. He knew his fears were irrational. She'd never be hurt while he was there to protect her.

And here he was, sleeping in Mr and Mrs Rutter's guest room, next door to Fabian's. Or so they thought.

As a matter of fact, he was thinking of the woman he'd left and how much he himself could have hurt her. He wanted to go back, scoop her up and shower her in kisses.

He pressed the number 1 on his speed dial and called her mobile.

Trudy saw her mobile vibrate. She checked the caller ID and sighed. She totally ignored it, not wanting him to talk to her. It left her a voice mail.

When she saw it, she deleted it before listening to it.

He tried again in the morning, but she faked being asleep. She left it in her room all day, but when Victor heard it ringing, he told her.

"Trudy, your mobile is ringing." He said bluntly.

"I know, I just don't care. It keeps doing it. I'm going to have to turn the thing off." She replied, as if it was no big deal.

She went and turned off her mobile.

Jasper stared at his mobile, stunned. Unavailable. She was avoiding him. He cursed himself again for doing that to her.

A knock on the door and he hid his mobile under the pillow and lay on it, holding a book. His godson walked in and looked at him.

"Jasper? Hey, what are you doing?" He asked, knowing perfectly well he hadn't been reading, he'd heard the voice mails he'd been leaving.

"Not much. What are you doing?" Jasper asked.

"I know something's up with you and I wanted to know if there was any way I could help." Fabian said, seeing Jasper's irritation and sadness in his eyes.

"Nah, don't trouble yourself, kid. There's nothing you can really do." Jasper said, keeping his tone light.

"I heard you leaving voice mails to Trudy last night. I know you liked her. Not in the sense that I like, say, Amber. As a friend. More in the way my dad likes my mum or the way I like Nina."

After he considered it, he said "Scratch that, just the way Dad likes Mum. Even Amber saw that."

"That's very unsurprising, that girl could spot tension that doesn't exist. And as to that same subject, it didn't exist. Nothing really happened between Trudy and I. She was funny, yes. Quiet. Kind. Helpful. And unexpectedly persuasive."

Fabian smiled at his godfather.

"Nothing happened? Sounds to me like you two did a little more than just flirting." He said.

"We didn't flirt, we talked. Is it flirting if you talk to Amber or Mara or Patricia?" Jasper asked.

"No, but when I talk to them, I don't have that soppy look in my eyes." Fabian said, grinning widely.

Jasper grabbed him and wrestled him to the floor. He wasn't going to hurt him, but he wanted his point across.

"Listen to me. If you dare to mention this to Trudy, I'll make sure you don't go back there, ever. And that'll be the last time anything happens between you and Nina."

"How will you stop me from seeing Nina?" Fabian asked, under Jasper's glare.

"I do have the means of telling your parents how far you two go when you're alone." Jasper said.

"We just hug or kiss, nothing else." Fabian said.

"I know that. But there's truth to be stretched in that." He threatened. Jasper wouldn't really do that, but he just wanted him to keep the secret.

"Fine. I won't tell Trudy. You didn't need to threaten me, I would keep it from her anyway." Fabian said.

"I know, but I'm not backing down." Jasper said, hating himself more and more. He'd already hurt the woman he wanted, now he was upsetting his godson as well.

"OK, don't. I get it." Fabian said, totally forgiving him.

"Kid, I'm sorry." Jasper said, sitting on the floor next to Fabian.

"What for? You've not done anything." The confused teenager said. "Though I'd appreciate knowing what went on between you and Trudy that's made you so tense about talking to anyone about her."

"Well, it wasn't much. Just very shocking." Jasper said.

"What did she do? Did she jump off the mezzanine onto a table and start break dancing?" Fabian asked, grinning madly at the mental video he got of that.

"No, but that would have been hilarious in hindsight. At the time, it would have scared the heck out of me." Jasper was grinning at the same mental video.

"So what did happen?" Fabian asked. "Did she try to pack you up with the exhibits and have you shipped off?"

Jasper smiled at the simple idea. "No, though the possibility of dragging her along for the joyride would have been hilarious too."

That made the teenager grin. "Did she start cradling the exhibits like babies and singing to them?"

"Don't you think I would have videoed that and put it on YouTube? Because I would." Jasper laughed. The image of her cradling exhibits like babies made him laugh.

"OK, so did she hang from the mezzanine like a bat screaming that she's a flower pot child?" Fabian said, thinking of the wackiest things possible.

"Ha ha, no. Though she came close to having a similar mental breakdown." Jasper sighed as he remembered the wounded look on her face that she tried hard to mask.

"What about running about like a demented hamster and singing Feels Like I'm In Love by Kelly Marie?" Fabian asked, imagining that too.

"No. She's not gonna wanna do that, she's not that insane." Jasper said, though that song choice definitely applied to him. He wanted her to hear that and think of their time together.

After Trudy's date with Victor, Fabian video-chatted Jasper.

"Hey, sport. How's it going over in Spookyville?" Jasper asked cheerily.

"Weird. Trudy went to Victor's office on a date. And he really upset her. Apparently, it wasn't a date, he just wanted some package. And she doesn't have the thing. He threatened her for it."

Jasper looked horrified. "Oh, God, that poor little thing. Is she OK?"

"No, she's crying her eyes out in her room. She's heartbroken. I've never seen her that upset." Fabian was sad for her.

Jasper had no way to describe how he felt about Victor hurting Trudy. He knew that he'd done the exact same thing by leaving her.

"Right. This weekend, I'm coming over." Jasper said.

Fabian said "If you heard her sobbing now, she's talking to a teddy and she's telling it that she thinks that the only reason people even talk to her is because she's so stupid, it makes them laugh. Then she's told it that nobody likes her because she's useless and ugly and mindless."

Jasper hated the simple idea of her saying that. To him, Trudy was special and wonderful.

"Right. Well, it's time we set her on the right path. God, that poor thing." Jasper said.

Trudy herself was wearing black tracksuit pants and a thick jumper that made her look like she didn't have a body at all, just like her head was balanced on the gigantic clothes.

She held a black teddy bear dressed in a mini version of her outfit, pressing it to her and cuddling it.

"There's no other explanation for it. Now, it's clear that nobody will ever look twice at me. Oh, gosh. Listen to this! I sound so self absorbed. No wonder I'm single. I should care more about everyone else."

And she did. She went around, spoiling everyone rotten. She even found out that Jasper was coming over. So she did what she could.

She put on a pair of black jeans and a long sleeved, loose black shirt. She made sure she didn't look anything like what she used to, so it made her look odd. Trudy didn't want a fuss to be made over her, so she used the black to blend in with the shadows she wanted to lurk in.

When Jasper went over, he saw her instantly. She looked smaller and a lot weaker. He made a head for her, before anyone else cornered him.

He gently reached out and touched her hair.

"Hey, beautiful." He whispered, knowing those curls anywhere.

She didn't reply, just whimpered. Jasper looked at her, thinking something might be wrong.

"What is it, beautiful? Has someone hurt you?" Jasper asked her softly.

She whimpered again, pulling out of his reach.

"Have I hurt you?" He asked, hating himself more.

She shook her head, writing on a pad.

No. I'm just unhappy. I know what happened last term was wrong.
 I won't do that to you again. I know I was bad.

Jasper gave her a hug.

"You weren't bad. There was a reason for what I did. An invalid, stupid reason. Totally ridiculous and unfounded. And right now, you need the action mirroring." He told her, though he wouldn't dare to try to kiss her when she whimpered in terror.

"Don't be afraid of me, Trudy. I won't hurt you. Not again. I would never hurt you." He said, soothingly, though he hated himself for making her feel like this.

I know that. I just don't want you to do something you'll regret.

He looked at the woman he loved. She was biting her lip to stop it trembling and he saw the red spots of blood.

"Trudy, stop that. You're hurting yourself." Jasper said, gently making her let go of her lip, then dabbing it with some tissue. "There. All clean."

She whimpered again, scared half to death.

Thanks, Jasper. I truly didn't deserve that kindness.

"Trudy, my beautiful, beautiful Trudy, don't say that. You give so much, it's high time someone gave you something. I may not have much, but I have love for you." He whispered, softly kissing her ear.

She sighed, her breath sounding like a sob.

I love you, too, Jasper. I've been really bad with showing it,

but I truly do love you.

Jasper smiled at the small woman, reading as she wrote. Then he kissed her earlobe, making her smile a little.

"You're a gorgeous, beautiful, sweet, gentle, maternal woman and you will never be considered as anything less than angel." He said, softly, so only Trudy could hear him.

With that, she turned. Jasper looked at her, their eyes locking. He noticed the happy glitter in her eyes as they leaned together for a kiss.

"Trudy! You're supposed to be cooking!" Victor yelled, totally ruining the moment.

Trudy sighed.

Read this to him, sweetheart.
Victor, get lost! We are trying to have a
personal moment here! We can't do that
if you're here, telling me to cook!

Jasper read it and laughed, then told Victor.

Victor glared at Trudy. "Shut up, you stupid, ugly, brainless girl. You are here for one purpose only."

"To be your housemaid. I know. Now, I'll do the cooking." She said softly.

Jasper said "No, you won't. You'll order the children a takeout, but I refuse to let you be ordered about. Just turn that hob off and you come with me." He turned the hob off, much to Victor's annoyance and Trudy's pleasure and he carried her to the living room.

He took everyone's orders and ordered the food. Then he went back to Trudy, who was being brutally beaten by Victor.

"You worthless, ignorant, pathetic piece of nothing! How dare you go against my orders! One man shows up and starts giving you the time of day and you act like you have self-worth! You don't have any worth at all! The dirt on people's shoes is superior to you!" He punctuated every word with a blow.

She winced with every smack. Jasper charged at Victor and tackled him to the floor. He had him pinned down in no time.

"Nobody ever insults or hits my Trudy or they get hurt. Badly hurt." And with that, Jasper attacked Victor, while Trudy recovered a little, enough to see straight after a few hard smacks on her head.

When Victor was unconscious, which truly didn't take long, Jasper went to Trudy. She was bleeding a bit.

"It's all OK again, now, beautiful. Come here, I'm going to make all those nasty sores better." Jasper said as soothingly as he could, picking her up.

He carried her to her bedroom, where he lay her on the bed.

"Don't move. I'm going to go and run a bath for you." Jasper told her. He did just that, also getting three bowls of water and cotton pads, plasters and antiseptic cream. He started wiping her up, cleaning off every bit of blood. He checked her for broken bones, but the worst he found was a broken finger.

He sighed and got out some fabric plaster tape. He tenderly straightened her finger out, murmuring to her that it'd only hurt her for a few seconds. As soon as he'd straightened it, he started taping it up.

Once that was done, he turned off the bathroom taps and helped her to the bathroom. Once she was in the bath, surrounded by bubbles, Jasper gave her something to drink.

She was getting a healthier look to her again, despite being beaten up. Jasper looked at her, seeing the purple and black marks on her face and neck.

"You're beautiful, Trudy. So very beautiful." He said, stroking her hair.

She smiled up at him, then he noticed that she had a hot chocolate moustache. He laughed and wiped it off, just in time to kiss her.

"You beautiful little thing." Jasper said. Then Trudy grinned at him, just to splash him.

"Ha ha, I wet you!" She giggled. Jasper shook his head at her fondly, though she thought he was telling her not to do that. She tried not to cry.

"I'm sorry, Jasper." She said, her voice breaking. "I didn't want to upset you, I was just playing a game." Tears filled her eyes and she looked away to avoid showing him that she was sad.

"I know that, you silly, beautiful girl. Don't cry." He said, gently holding her hand.

"I was so stupid." She said, a sob breaking her voice on the last word, not turning her head to him.

"You're not stupid, babe. You're smart, you're lovely." He tried to soothe her.

"How can you say that when I was so awful to you? I don't deserve that. Right now, you should have shoved my head under the water and held me there until I drown." She said, preparing to drown herself.

"No! And if you dare try, I'll have you out of that bath, in a towel and robe before you can blink." He held her up.

"OK, I won't." Trudy said, her tone soft. Jasper noticed the softness of her tone and how she looked sad and innocent.

"Hey, don't feel bad about yourself, you're perfect." He said. "Come on, my beautiful little angel, or maybe I'll have to turn into a kiss monster."

She blushed and covered her face. "No. I can't be kissed, I'm not worth that. You can't make me think I'm something I'm just not."

He looked at the woman hiding her face. He was purely stunned.

"Why do you think that you aren't worth anything that you like?" He asked her tenderly.

"I don't think that. I know that. You heard what Victor said. Vera's said things along the same line. So did Rufus, and Mr Winkler. You should know, I was always a pain in the neck when we worked together."

"A pain in the- Trudy, babe, you've never been a pain. You're a beautiful, intelligent, angelic woman. You're a delight to have around. So what if a few people say the opposite? People say the same about me." Jasper said.

Trudy looked at him, and he saw the tears on her face, feeling a pang of guilt.

"But you're not a pain. You're amazing, lovely, sweet and kind. Why would anyone call you a pain?" She asked, hurt on his behalf.

"The same reason they'd call you a pain. Some people just don't like us. So don't hate yourself just because some people do. I love you, you're stunning." He said, stroking her eyelids.

"Oh, Jasper. I don't know what to say." She said.

"Well, how about you say that you're a lovely little thing?" He suggested.

"To you, I most definitely am." She said, smiling.

"You just told me that you're lovely." He said, beaming, feeling proud of her.

"Well, in your eyes, I must be, you're putting up with me." She beamed.

He gave her a kiss and she smiled. He made her feel like she had rights to be there, like she was worth something, like she was special.

And it felt good.

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OK, I own absolutely nothing. Except the plot. And that was totally random. Anyway, I'd really appreciate knowing what you thought of this. Until net time, Random Dizzy. :)