AN: Monday was my highest amount ever for hits! I am very excited about this.I also can't beleive how awesome all you people are. Very nice reviews :)

Now, I would have had this chapter up a few days earlier, but I'm actually following a plot in my head and I had to adjust the chapter several times to get it to work... and I'm hoping that I haven't jumped the gun in posting this. But, please enjoy!


"So do you think tomorrow is too early for our date?" Vee had her car in neutral, waiting for me to unbuckle. She was playing with the stick shift, a habit she had picked up when she first learned standard.

I fiddled with my purse, trying to decide. There really was nothing wrong with going on a double date, and I did want to see Vee more—she was my best friend. So I hesitantly nodded my head. "Tomorrow will be good. Where do you want to go?"

Vee cupped her chin in her hand while she thought it over. "I was thinking somewhere romantic. Maybe sea food. How about that mermaid place, what's-it-called."

"Tritons?" I didn't think it was very romantic.

"Yes, that one." Vee's face had lit up with her excitement. I couldn't help but feel a little excited too. It would be fun. "I'll call you in the morning."

I nodded in agreement and opened the door to leave. I was exhausted, stepping out of Vee's car. As much as I enjoyed girl time with her, the afternoon had been very long. The sun had set and some evening fog had returned to the property, along with an evening chill. It was odd, even for my house, to have fog this early in the year. But I couldn't come up with an excuse as to why there couldn't be fog—we weren't that far from the coast so it could easily have had something to do with the complete change in temperature this evening. I had to hold my arms around myself to reserve some of my warmth.

I could see that the porch light was on, letting me know that my mom was finally home, but something caught my eye off to the side of the house. Movement. My breath hitched as I looked back to see that Vee had already left. I had to rule out her headlights messing with my vision. I looked again, scrutinizing the area for any more movement, but there was none. I tried to shake it off as paranoia and continued to my house.

Walking up the porch to the door, my mom opened it to greet me. She was frowning and had her hands on her hips. "Nora," she said, "where have you been? I just got home and the alarm hadn't been set and there was no note from you. I was in a panic."

I mentally kicked myself for forgetting the alarm. And a note. "Mom, I'm so sorry. Vee sort of ambushed me with a shopping trip and I had to rush out the door. I totally forgot." I gave her an apologetic look.

It must have worked because she shook her head and pulled me into a hug. "It's alright honey. Just remember next time, okay?"

One we got into the house, my mom wanted to see my purchases (since she was the once paying for them, technically). In all, I ended up buying a new floral printed dress, pink ballet flats, a navy blue cardigan, and, of course, my "sexy lingerie"—as Vee put it. But I didn't show her the bras, they were kind of personal.

"Why the need for the shopping trip?" she asked when I was finished putting the clothes in my room.

"Vee has a new boyfriend," I explained. "And I needed something new to wear on our upcoming double date, according to her." I shrugged my shoulders, hoping it would be enough to explain why.

My mom looked at her watch. "Speaking of dates, I'm having some friends from yoga over soon, martini night."

That piqued my interest. My mother never had martini nights. But it was fine with me; all those women in the house would surely keep my mother busy until late in the evening. She deserved to have some fun after all the hard work she did to keep the house. "Have you seen your bedroom? Patch and I finished painting it today."

She sniffed the air, just noticing the faint smell. "I haven't made it upstairs yet. Let's go see."

I followed quickly in her wake, know how happy she would be to see everything in her bedroom finally back in place. Sure enough, she let out a small squeal of delight.

The room had been painted in a light lilac colour, complimenting the new dark wood furniture and crisp white linens. All of her old furniture had to be thrown away—the fire from Dabria had ruined everything. I remember sitting with my mom in the living room as some hired help hauled out all her old furniture. She had cried silently, seeing things from her past with my father slowly disappear. It was hard for me too, I had almost as many memories attached to their things, but I didn't let myself cry, for my mother's sake.

Now, she cried again, but I knew they were happy tears. I hugged her and she let out a sigh. Wiping her eyes she said "This was really nice of you, Nora. I don't know how to thank you."

I squeezed her tightly. "You don't have to. I wanted to do this... Patch too."

...

Had I not been warned by the text message Patch sent me, then I most likely would have jumped at the light knocking at my door.

I'm coming over, he had simply said. I waited anxiously in my room, reading the same page of a book I had long lost interest in.

When I heard the noise on my door, my stomach was filled with butterflies. I opened by bedroom door and Patch was standing there. His hat was low over his face, making it impossible to see him. His jacket was also zipped up, giving away none of his skin. I looked down at his knuckles to see them red and bloody. I tried, but I couldn't stifle a gasp. "Patch! Your hands," I said reaching for them.

He stepped sideways into the room, avoiding my touch. I closed my door quickly, cutting off the laughter that floated upstairs from the living room. Patch must have let himself in; otherwise my mother would have said something.

I wanted to see his face. "Take off your hat," I instructed him.

Patch hesitated, standing off to my right.

"Now," I said a little more sternly.

I watched as he brought up his bloodied hand and removed his cap. Nothing could have prepared me for the sight I was looking at. His face, which was normally so composed, was twisted into a look somewhere in between desperation and anger. His eyes, normally glinting with humour, held nothing but darkness, and his mouth was set in a deep frown. He had his shoulders slumped, almost as if he were reeling in pain, and was holding onto his stomach with his free hand.

But it wasn't his overall posture that bothered me the most—it was the cuts and bruises he was now wearing on his face and neck. One of his eyes was dark purple and slightly swollen. His bottom lip was split on one side, still spilling blood. And if he were to take off his jacket, I was certain that the extent of the damage would most likely be imprinted over the majority of his body.

"What happened?" I whispered, too afraid to go near him now.

"I got into a fight," he said quietly.

"Were you at Bo's?"

Patch looked at me with an odd expression. "Yes," he said.

"What did you do?"

"Who said I did anything?"

I gave him a stern look. It didn't break his stare. "Can you tell me what happened?"

Patch looked like he was going to decline my request. He surprised me by saying "I got into an argument with someone that humans can't see. Some of the guys there thought I was crazy and beat me up. End of story."

"Why didn't you just leave?" I was not following his explanation. He was a Guardian Angel now; he didn't have to be visible if he didn't want to be.

Instead of answering, Patch closed the distance between us. I let my arms wrap around his body. At least he couldn't feel the damage done to his body.

His body shifted as my weight pressed into him. That's not so true anymore, he spoke to my mind.

I pulled back, confused by his words.


AN: Heh, I'm not giving it all away at once! Thoughts? Love it? Hate it? Update soon?