"Ow!"

"I told you not to move."

I continue to gently pat the wet rag on the bloody cuts, and each time i touch them Drew hisses softly.

After cleaning most of the blood, I apply some healing cream. "This is going to sting a little..."

As the cream sets into the cuts, Drew takes a sharp intake of breath and clenches his free hand into a fist.

I tear my eyes away from him. "Sorry..."

"So how long do you want to stay here?" he asks, trying to ignore the pain.

I press gauze onto the wounds. "Trying to get rid of me already?" I give a small smirk without looking up.

He manages a small smile in return. "No. Just wondering when you'll want to go back to your jerk of a boyfriend."

The smile fades from both our lips. I shift my jaw. "It won't take long for Danielle to track me down and drag me

back home. She'll probably be here in an hour, more or less." And it will only take a second for Madara.

I suddenly realize how much danger i put Drew in, and i mentally curse myself for it.

With angry hands, i snatch the bandage tape and tear some off of the roll. I start wrapping it around the dressed

wound carefully, scowling as i did so.

Despair and grief wraps its claws around my heart and squeezes, taking my breath away. What if Drew did this

because of me? I fasten the wrap securely, but my hands stay on his wrist.

"It's not your fault, Ash," Drew says softly, trying to snag my eyes with his own.

I look up and glare at him. "Then why? Why would you want to do this?"

"Same reason as you."

I pause. "What do you mean?"

"I know why you do it too." He draws his wrist away, and a small part of me wants to take it back and cradle it. He

feels the bandage with his undamaged hand. "I'm not as strong as i was when we were together. I felt the urges

too back then, but you always kept me from grabbing the razor. But this time, i couldn't fight it. I didn't want to, i

tried to stop..."

His voice was choked off, and i could almost feel the lump in his throat make one grow in mine.

"I'm so-" I begin, wanting to apologize.

"No!" Drew interrupts, looking up abruptly and fixing me with a hard stare. His eyes were blazing. "Don't apologize,

you have nothing to be sorry for."

I swallowed the lump. "But i-"

His hands take both sides of my face gently, silencing me. "I loved every minute that we were together. I never

regretted anything except having to leave you...and you don't know how sorry i am for that. I wish it never

happened. I love you, i always have..."

Part of me swells with old feelings of joy and compassion, while another crumples and cries in agony and pain.

"What are you thinking about?" Drew asks softly, studying my eyes. "Something's going on in your head."

"What do you mean?" I ask, faking a confused look. I knew what he had seen.

His thumb rubs my cheek gently. "Whenever i say i love you, you look happy for a moment, then like you're in pain.

Why?"

I sigh and reach up to take his hands away. I couldn't think straight with my heart being jerked around like this, let

alone the contact that makes my skin tingle down to my core. I try to collect myself while staring into his deep

brown eyes.

"If you really thought about it, you'd understand," I finally answer. After seeing his confused expression, I explain

for him while looking down at my lap. "It's really complicated, Drew. Part of me is happy that you still care, but the

other is hurting because...well because you're not mine anymore. And i'm not yours."

There is a pause. "It doesn't have to be that way, Ash..."

When i glance up at him again, his eyes are glowing warmly.

Pain sears through me all at once, tearing up my soul once more. I wince. "Don't say that. I can't...I'm not..." The

words choke in my throat, and the lump returns. I bite my lip as it trembles.

I feel strong arms wind around me and pull me into him. He breathes in deeply, as if to calm himself down as well.

"Sshh, it's okay, Ash. It's alright."

I let out the breath i'd been holding, and realize i had forgotten to breath when he hugged me. I mentally roll my

eyes at myself.

Drew just holds onto me moment after another, so i decide to make this a little less awkward. My hands free

themselves from my lap and wrap around his waist, pulling him closer to me. A small sigh of relief escapes my lips as

the inner me floats on a cloud contently.

I then realize just what he means to me. He was always the one that understood me, helped me, held me...took all

the pain away. Even now, with the hole still burning in my soul, i felt completely perfect again. Whole. Like nothing

else mattered.

"I love you," a whisper breaks the silence. It takes me a moment to realize that the words came from my mouth. I

freeze, suddenly cautious and worried about his reaction.

His grip tightens around me. "Oh, Ashley..."

I smile wearily and feel a small chuckle in my throat. "Drew Curtis, are you crying?"

He lets out a small laugh and squeezes me even more, sniffling as he did so.

I smile again and relax in his arms. "Just three little words from me and you break so easily...what am i going to do

with you?"

I pull back slowly, allowing him to collect himself. He starts wiping the tearstreaks off of one cheek, grinning

sheepishly. My heart melts a little more at this angel crying before me.

I reach up and take his face in my hands, my thumb wiping the rest of his tears away before he can. Our gazes lock

together, and for once i don't feel the need to look away from him. I want to stare at him forever and never leave

his side.

The air shifts. A dark figure suddenly looms over Drew, a single red eye glowering down at me.

Then Drew was gone.

"Ashley," Madara growles.

The breath was knocked from my lungs as if someone had hit me. I couldn't breathe, i couldn't move.

"Ashley, look at me," Madara continues, angrier.

A monster inside me breaks free. I stand up so fast my head spins, but that was the last thing i was thinking about.

Rage and inner turmoil find their way to my eyes, intensifying my glare like never before. "What. Did. You. Do?" I

pronounce every word like they are a sentence.

For once, surprise flashes in his Sharingan. He cannot seem to compose himself.

"Where is he?!" I demand, fists balling at my sides and shaking with anger.

"Ashley?" Danielle's voice calls from somewhere else in the house.

I ignore her. "Madara, where is Drew? Tell me now!"

He finally regains himself and tries to return my look, but it is nowhere near as intense as mine. "He's gone."

I charge at him and grab onto his shirt, trying to yank him to my face. "TELL ME WHERE HE IS!"

He grabs my wrists not too gently and forces me off. "You won't see him again, Ashley. I teleported him into my

secret dimension. I'm sure you know about that, am i correct?"

The beast that was in control of me suddenly faded away, defeated. The rage was quickly evaporating, and my

eyelids fall half closed.

"No," I mumble, barely coherent.

I hear Madara's voice ringing in my ears, and his hands shaking me.

Gone...

Forever.

My walls crumble down, leaving a mass of ruin and vulnerability. My reserves of strength quickly vanish. My heart

collapses in on itself, sending a burning pain through my entire body.

"No...no..." I kept repeating over and over, vainly hoping that somehow this reality would reverse.

I didn't notice when i ended up on the floor, on my side, with Madara talking in my ear. My mind couldn't comprehend

any words, and the world was quickly fading around me.

My eyes closed as Danielle came to the doorway.

...

"What happened? Is she alright?"

"I don't know, Pain. We'll have to see when she wakes up."

"How long has she been sleeping, Danielle?"

"A few hours. She passed out at Drew's place when...you know..."

"Ah...I see..."

I curl my fingers into a fist slowly, and the movement helps clear the rest of the numbness from my body. My eyes

are closed, and i'm laying on my side. I silently inhale deeply, attempting to wake myself up further. The pleasant

scent in my nose tells me that i am on my couch at home.

I recollect my scattered memories and place them together, bit by bit.

And i relive the pain, bit by bit.

My body slowly curls in on itself, a newfound hole in my chest aching intensely. I cover my eyes with my hands, to

block out any light.

I feel wetness spill out of my eyelids, and i make myself even smaller as despair throws its heavy cloak over me.

"Ashley? You awake?" Danielle asks in a soft, gentle voice.

Am i?

A hand lays on my shoulder, lightly as a feather.

But to me, it made the pain blossom even more. I knew whos hand it was. I felt the monsters presence beside me,

warm and coaxing.

Instantly, i jump to a sitting position and shrink to the far corner of the couch, pulling my knees up to my chest.

Danielle takes a step towards me, hand out. "Ashley, it's okay..."

My eyes lock on the creature of darkness that scoots closer to me. As his hand reaches out, I cringe away even

further with wide, terrified eyes.

"Madara, i don't think you should..." Danielle continues gently.

Madara glances at Danielle, then at me. His gaze changes as he reads my eyes. He sighs in defeat and leans back

to his corner.

I can feel the relief washing over Danielle. When i look up at her, her eyes are filled with concern and grief. She

gazes at Madara for a moment, almost as if deciding what to do next.

Someone walks into the livingroom, followed by about eight more people. I turn my head slightly towards them as

they file in and take seats all over the room. Everyone's eyes are locked on me, waiting for something.

Pain steps forward. "Ashley-san?"

I blink at him.

After realizing he won't get a response, he breaks the silence. "Are you alright?"

Anger and hatred leak into my eyes. Does it look like I'm alright?

But since they can't hear my thoughts, i shake my head slowly with a tight jaw.

Danielle suddenly sighs and buries her face in her hands. "I'm going to bed. Someone needs to be watching her at

all times, okay? We'll talk more in the morning."

And with that she goes upstairs. I glance at the clock on the wall. It is almost eleven at night. My eyelids fall

half-closed, and weariness creeps over me. I lay back down gradually on my side, with my back to the rest of the

room.

"ASHLEY!"

I wince. Bambi.

"Deidara, what's going on? Is Ashley okay?" she half-shrieks worriedly.

Pain answers for him. "She'll be fine tomorrow. She's sleepy is all. You should be asleep too, little one."

"I know, but i wanted to make sure she was okay. Deidara, what's wrong?"

The sorrow and despair leaking from Deidara is the same as mine, but not as strong. He is masking it. "Nothing,

Bambi. Go to bed, un."

She pauses uncertainly.

"Let's go," Pain says. And there are footsteps towards the stairs. He is taking her to her room.

I let out a small breath. The rest of the Akatsuki start to filter out, leaving me and Madara on the couch.

"Do you want to go to your room?" he asks after a few moments of silence.

In response, i move around and get to my feet. I keep my eyes on the floor and walk around the couch to the stairs.

"I can teleport, you know," Madara states as he gets up.

My feet trot up the stairs quickly. I make my way down the hall, then realize that the tears are drying on my cheeks.

I make a small effort to rub them off and open my bedroom door and close it.

I change into my pajamas and fix my bed. When everything is prepared, I collapse onto the bed. A sharp pain stabs

my chest, the only feeling in my hollow soul. I reach up with both hands and cross them over my heart, as if to

muffle the pain and hold myself together.

It doesn't work.

A breeze rolls into the room, but i know what the movement really was. I keep my eyes closed and thank my hair for

covering my face. Someone sits on the bed next to me, then lays down and pulls the blankets over me and gets

under them himself.

A hand gently pulls my hair out of my face. I open my eyes and look up at him for a brief second. Then i flip onto my

other side and scoot as far away from him as i can.

"Ashley, please," Madara sighs. "Don't be like this."

I don't respond.

He takes a long, deep breath. The space between us is closed as he puts his arms around me and pulls me into him.

Once again the searing pain slices across my heart, making me grimace.

"Goodnight, my angel," Madara whispers in my ear.

My fists clench as i feel the wetness spill from my eyes. After a few minutes, i start to sob uncontrollably. My body

starts trembling.

This of course earns Madara's attention. "Shh, it's okay. I'm here, i won't leave you."

Anger wells up inside me, threatening to break loose any moment. Not only did he take my life away from me, he

still thinks that i belong to him.

For the entire night, i cried in pain and anger. And the monster that took everything away from me...held me. For the

entire night.

...

Okay...for some reason i have followers and favorites. i would like to ask a favor of my silent readers. I want at least one review on this chapter, telling me if it was good or not, improvements i could make, etc. i needs advice!

If you review i will give you all cookies...:3