I laid on the soft mattress, unable to sleep with the storm outside. I was afraid that, if I go to sleep, Michael Detroit might come after me, and I would be back where I started.

Seven years. I was gone for seven years. My family has been missing me for seven years and counting, and I don't even know who they are.

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. In my memories, I had slept in a doghouse for a night of the worst pain. I must've stayed there for a while. I slipped out of bed and threw open the window, rain pouring down on my face. This seems right. I rested my head on the floor, feeling more at home in these brutal conditions. But, it's not even close to drown out a dam of memories. I knew that they were there, but they just don't come to mind.

You need to sleep.

"You're not my mom"

Stop thinking and go to sleep

"Easier said than done"

I looked at the ceiling, counting the plaster dots. Slowly, my mind drifted away.

"Hey, wake up. What were you doing? Wake up!"

I got up with a start, reaching for a weapon to protect myself. Nothing.

"Hey, it's okay. You'll be okay."Oliver was kneeling over me.

A flash of fear courses through my body, and I hit my head on the wall scrambling away from him.

"Where did you go last night?"

Hunting

The voice was awake, and sounded like it was in a lot of pain.

I avoided looking at Oliver.

"I couldn't sleep-"

"And you somehow climbed down ten stories, and then climbed back up with an awful head wound in a raging storm."

I opened my mouth, but he cut me off.

"And how are you still conscious? This is nasty." He reached out to touch my temple, but I ducked under his hand.

"I'll be fine. Don't touch me." I stood up, noticing how I was dripping wet.

"At least get that stitched up."

"I can do my own stitches, thank you." And I stalked out of the room.

"Wow. You looked like you died." Oliver's sister Thea was reading on a couch.

"Doesn't feel like it." I shrugged. Then, she noticed the head wound.

"Oh my God, what happened to you?" She bolted up and was checking my head.

"I don't know." I choked.

"We're taking you to the hospital. Right now."

"Please don't." I pulled back.

"I don't have health insurance and I need a birth certificate, which I don't have or know." I tried to give a good excuse.

"What? I'll pay for it. But, you need a doctor-"

"What is with your family and doctors? They don't do anything." I fought back.

"Just… just give me a needle and string and I'll be fine." I compromised.

"No. Come on."

"Thea!" Oliver half yelled, making me flinch.

"I've got a- a friend who could help."

Thea let go of me.

"I'll go to the hospital with you." I tried to get out of the situation that involved Oliver.

"I'll take her. I need to see Laurel anyway." Oliver volunteered.

To my horror, Thea cracked.

"Fine."

I stood in fear as Olliver gripped my arm and led me down and to a black van.

I moved as far away from him once I was in the passenger seat.

"Why are you so scared? I'm not going to hurt you."

I just crossed my arms and cupped my elbows in a way that wards him off.

"Fine. Don't talk. Easier for me."

I looked at him, and he had his jaw set, not even glancing at me. I felt the fear return, threatening to choke me.

I thought back to last night.

I was a little hungry. I promise I won't eat for the rest of the month.

"You hurt someone?!"

No I killed them

I felt sick to my stomach

"How? I didn't give you permission?"

You were sleeping

So I couldn't sleep anymore. That's gonna be rough.

"Come on. Let's go." We were there, and I was determined to not walk in there with him.

"Come on." He opened the door, and I curled away from him.

"The sooner we're done, the sooner you get away from me." I thought about this, and got out, shutting the door behind me.

"Hello, how may-" the nurse choked after seeing my wound. Or Oliver. I hope it was Oliver.

"Yes. Um, how fast can I see a doctor?" He asked, leaning on the desk.

She reached for her phone, never taking her eyes off me.

"Doctor, you'll want to come up here. Now." She hung up and fakes a smile.

"Sit down. The doctor will be here soon." Oliver sat, but I just leaned against the wall.

"Not to be impolite, but are you not in pain?" Oliver asked.

"I feel fine." I snipped, watching the door intently.

"Right." he pursed his lips, staring at the door with me.

The doctor ran through the door, flanked by three nurses.

"Patient?" He asked urgently, scanning the room, completely missing me. Oh boy, I'm in for a ride.

"Here." Oliver stood up. He smiled in a devilish way that chilled my blood.

"Mr. Queen. I didn't know-"

"Yes. Now, my friend needs some help. Extensive bleeding head wound. I was hoping that you could fix it."

The doctor gaped at me like I was Death himself. I pushed off the wall, stumbling over Oliver's outstretched foot.

"I can stand." I reminded Oliver when he grabbed my waist to keep me from falling.

"I don't trust you." He whispered in my ear, guiding me down the bleach scented hallways.

"And I don't trust you" I thought to myself

Gah! Stop talking! Is there any scotch?

I sat down in a room, the springs barely moving with the added weight.

"Now, what is your name?" The doctor shined a light in my eyes as a nurse was hiding some monsterous torture device.

"I-" I looked at Oliver, who just stared at me. I shuddered. So creepy.

"Ma'am? Are you okay? Are you cold?" The other nurse notices my movement.

Ignoring her, I answered the question.

"Aeron." I suddenly felt a whole lot of weight rest on my shoulders.

"Aeron, you're going to be okay. Do you have a last name?"

"King." My voice broke, more weight falling in my stomach now.

The watching nurse sensed something was wrong.

"Aeron? Aeron, can you hear me?"

Everything was fading out now. Aeron. I actually said it. But, my name isn't Aeron. It's Shadow.

So. Do you believe we're the same person?

"Copycat."

A nurse rubbed at my temple, bringing me back to reality.

"Stop it." I flinched away. "You're doing it wrong."

"Miss. King, these are trained professionals. They can clean a wound."

I stared at them doubtfully. It just feels wrong.

Someone slapped the wood with a metal object. I looked out, shaking from the leftover jolts of pain.

"You wanna fix that stomach wound? Still bleedin' "

I looked up at my tormentor.

"Fine. Bleed to death. Thought you would last longer than tha' "

Rocky dropped a metal plate with gauze, syringe, and a needle and thread.

"Knock yourself out. But, be ready for tomorrow night. You're gonna fight big dogs now."

I looked at the gauze, then at my stomach. He was right. Lifting up my shirt, I took the gauze and patted at the wound, soaking up the blood. Then, patting away from it, I took the syringe filled with a clear liquid.

"Please be something to numb the pain" I begged.

The nurse finally revealed her instrument: a needle filled with blue liquid. I tended as she took a step toward me.

"Medicine to numb the pain." She explained.

"I don't need it." I retorted, flexing my hands.

"Ma'am," She sounded tired. "Please."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "I'll be fine, I promise. This isn't my first time."

She put down the needle, and grabbed the thread.

"This is going to sting." She warned.

"Just do it." I rolled my eyes.

"Wow. So that was impressive." Oliver tried to make small talk, but I cringed away. He persisted.

"And they ran a physical. Eating disorder, reflexes off the chart, 90% of your body is scar tissue, 75 pounds," He was reading off a paper now.

"Oh, and excellent hearing and eyes, and- my personal favorite- able to lift 6280 pounds if desired."

"Luckily, they didn't make me throw anything. Might've killed someone." I muttered to myself.

"Do you have any intentions of telling anyone what happened the last seven years?" He prodded, making the hairs in my neck rise.

"No." I snipped, wrapping my arms around myself.

"We're not leaving yet. You're going to meet my friend Laurel."

So it was him that Laurel was calling. Guilt rested in my stomach.

He opened the door, and I followed in his wake, not wanting to get to close. The frail woman I attacked was in bed, surrounded by beeping machines. They all seem to be saying, "There. There is the monster that attacked her!"

I didn't want to meet her face, afraid that she'd open her eyes and recognize me.

"Ollie?" She groaned softly, and he grabbed her hand. "Hey, I'm here. I'm here." He whispered.

"Ollie!" She jumped, her eyes flew open, making me flinch.

"Hey, it's okay. You're safe. Nothing's going to get you."

Her eyes traveled to me, and they grew wide.

"Ollie, I was attacked. This- this thing attacked me and it- it drank my blood. Ollie-"

Oliver's phone began to ring. He apologized to Laurel, and took the call. His lips pressed into a thin line.

"I'll be there." He said flatly, hanging up.

"Laurel, something's come up. I'll be back, I promise."

"Stay here." He ordered me, and ran out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

I moved and she inhaled quickly.

"You- you attacked-"

I furrowed my brow, pretending to be confused. "What?"

"Oh, don't play stupid with me. I saw your face, and I know it was you."

I gave up on lying.

"Yes, but I wasn't in control." I looked to the ground.

"In control? You're insane."

"Okay, I am. But, you can't tell anyone. Not until I figure this out." I gripped the bar next to her bed, my knuckles white. Then, it bent under my touch, and I jumped back. I put my shaking hands in my pockets.

"Why? How?" She gaped at the bar.

"I don't know, okay?" I choked, then took a deep breath to steady myself.

"You got lucky. I killed someone yesterday. The voice in my head told me. I was asleep, and it took over." It sounded a lot better in my head.

"You realize what you've just said, right?" She tensed up.

"You don't believe my word, fine. Here's something you can believe." I gave control to the voice, and it reluctantly took it.

What are you doing?

"Getting us an ally."

I don't want one

"I do."

I looked through the voice's eyes, and I saw Laurel choke.

"Oh my God." She covered her mouth with a shaking hand.

"I should've killed you." The voice hissed, claws extracting.

"No!" I roared, ripping my control back. I fell to my knees, breathing hard. I put my hand to my hair. Great. Just great. The ears are still there. And so's the tail.

"You can't tell anyone." I got out around my fangs.

"Oh my God." She said again, more with pity.

"I didn't want to hurt you, and I didn't want to kill anyone. I've been missing for seven years, and I can barely remember anything. But, this is something I'm going to have to fight alone.. I need to figure this out before anyone else does and uses me. You can't tell anyone.

Felt the fang size reduce a little, and my ears buried themselves in my hair, almost invisible from afar.

"I'll help you." Laurel swallowed hard.

"And we'll get through this."

"Thank you." I said breathlessly just as Oliver stormed through the door.