I'm back! Did you miss me? Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Also- very slight mature content- or reference to mature content, since I tried to keep it Teen rated, but just a heads up ;)

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Things weren't as intense for me in Rosewood for a short period of time, and it felt good to wake up in the morning with sunlight streaming into my room and knowing everything was alright with the world, at least for me. I didn't know much of what the girls were going through, but they were permanently looking over their shoulders, looking stressed and tense.

Jason had skipped town after we got home from the police station a few weeks ago one morning, and everyone figured I would know, since I was sister and lived with him, but truthfully, I had no idea where he went. He hadn't left a note of anything. The car was gone, the keys gone, his phone, wallet taken with him to wherever he was traveling, but he'd left me fully cared for during his absence. He had enough of all the foods I loved to eat, healthy and not, ready for me to eat or cook, and the house was clean, the bills taken care of…I could go about my daily routine without any help from him.

Even though he hadn't left a notice, it was evident in the air that he was telling me to take care while he was gone, and he trusts me and loves me.

I wasn't like Ali who would've taken advantage of the situation and thrown wild parties and whatnot. I was responsible.

It was actually sort of sad without my brother, because I was all alone. Minors aren't allowed live on their own, but I knew it was a temporary set up, so I didn't worry about it at all.

I would get up, make breakfast, eat, make lunch, get ready for school, grab my stuff, and Toby would usually pick me up and drive me, or Mike would have Aria or Noel pick me up along with him. Poor Toby, our drives were cheerful and full of chatter until Spencer or my other older friends came up. He missed her; he'd even been ditching me to make a beautiful chair for her. I had joked that if she didn't want it, I'd take it, but he only gave a small chuckle, and then his smile fell. He wanted to have her back so much, and I could tell he needed her, but I couldn't push Spencer. She was trying to protect Toby, because she loved him too- that was obvious. Toby had even been scared for a bit I'd shut him out, just like Emily and Spencer had.

Aria was a fine carpool too- we were friends now, better than before, as I saw her more than anyone else of the four of her group, because I spent so much time at her house with Mike nowadays. (Here's a fact- at first, the Montgomery family made us keep the door open so they could monitor him, make sure he wouldn't hurt me again, but once it became clear he was getting better every day, they let him close the door. Byron and Ella were more easy-going than other parents usually. Letting the kid close the door when their partner is in the secluded room with them…not the best idea.)

With my other carpool, at first it was awkward, Noel, the guy I had "loved" as a kid, the one I'd talk endlessly about in front of my current boyfriend, would drive us both. And since Mike was "normal" again, they talked about lacrosse and stuff, while I looked out the window, quietly, sometimes getting a quick nap in on Mike's shoulder before we got to school.

Mike. It was getting better and better between us, and as more time passed, we grew closer and closer, inseparable even, while I got to use less and less cover up on my bruise. Soon, it would be nothing but a distant, terrible memory.

Mike himself was doing just as well as our relationship was- he was taking his medication, and going to the therapist sessions, he liked this therapist much more than his first one, he told me.

I thought he would've wanted me to come with him to the sessions, but he was brave, and went it alone. But on one special day, he said the therapist wanted to meet me, and I agreed, knowing if the therapist wanted it, it was for Mike, and I would do my best to help Mike.

So we got to the office and went in, and when they called Mike in, he took my hand, and as if I were patient, asked me in a low voice if I was ready. I kiddingly rolled my eyes but nodded, and tightened my grip on him. We walked in together, as one. The therapist was old, but he looked like a nice enough guy.

"Ah, Mike. Nice to see you again." He stood up from his desk in the corner, and walked over. He wore glasses and when he looked at me, he had lowered his head slightly, looking at me analytically over his glasses. "And this beautiful young woman must be…Madeline." He looked back to Mike for a confirmation, but didn't wait for a nod or a yes. We shook hands and he said smiling pleasantly, "I've heard so much about you. Tell me, do you like Mads or Maddy more?"

"Either is fine." I shrugged as I settled onto the couch with Mike.

And then he talked to me about Mike, and how he was doing.

And we chatted, the hit never coming up, until I accidently brushed my hair from my face, somehow ridding of some of the makeup on my cheek, and then the therapist asked me about the bruise on my face.

"I ran into a wall. I'm really klutzy, I know. My sister always used to tell me to watch where I was going and that I should get my head out of the clouds." I stopped talking, not wanting to speak about the subject anymore. Als was a tough thing to talk about.

"You're the DiLaurentis girl right? The other one?" he seemed to realize how much I looked like the dead girl for the first time.

I nodded. "Can we not talk about it? After all, it's Mike we're here for." I shifted uncomfortably in my seat and he folded his hands over his lap and asked me with a raised eyebrow if I'd like to tell him where my bruise really came from.

I stuttered and paused, then rushed out an excuse about having to go to the bathroom, and rushed out of the room.

Later, Mike found me, sitting against a wall down the hall, my eyes closed, my head back, trying to calm my nerves still.

"He figured out that I hit you Mads. We had a chat about it for the rest of the hour. C'mon- let's go." He helped me up and I started crying.

"I'm- I'm- I'm so- so- sorry." I hiccupped as we walked out.

"It's not your fault. You didn't know if he knew or not- you didn't want to get me into trouble. It's fine Mads, really." And that was that.

I went to Mike's place one afternoon after school, since we both had no homework to do, and his house was closer to Rosewood High than mine was. His parents were home, and greeted me like family as they always did, and then Mike announced we were going upstairs, grabbed my hand, and pulled me up with him. I looked back, to see his parents watching us go, but more out of curiosity and amusement than caution.

We were upstairs, debating music topics from opposite sides of the room, one on the bed, one by the bathroom door, leaning on it, when we heard something going on downstairs.

Mike tensed, as if he thought it may be his parents fighting again, and then straightened up and headed towards the door. "Wait here." He told me passively as he exited.

Like I was going to take orders from him. He wasn't dangerous. I knew now though that if he ever lost control, I should definitely take his advice and run, because I didn't want a repeat of the night he hit me. Even when he was losing his mind, saying awful things to me, he was still warning and begging me to leave. But that was then, this was now. I followed him out and trailed a few feet behind him.

We got down the stairs and saw Byron standing very close in Mr. Fitz's personal space, almost yelling at him, while Ezra talked about how he loved Aria. Mike stood there for a moment, soaking it all in, and holding his arm out to prevent me from going any farther, while I raised an eyebrow at Aria, and she shook he head as she caught my eye. I figured just this much, but she'd still have to explain some things to me. Well, she didn't have to, but I find I'm very persuasive and manipulative when I want to be.

"Aria, go upstairs. Mike, you too, and take Mads with you." Ella and Byron ordered, trying to keep their voices level.

That's when Mike went forward, forgetting me in the rush of the moment, and then got in between his father and Ezra, and punched Aria's older boyfriend in the face, instantly cutting Ezra's lip and making him bleed.

"Mike!" Aria and I shrieked as his father pulled him away from Mr. Fitz.

Mike brushed himself off, and went to the door. I was ready to take off after him, thinking he'd leave, but he simply opened the door, and I held my breath, my eyes wide, until Ezra finally left.

I went over to Mike and put a hand on his shoulder after he closed the door in order for him to remember me and turn to me.

"I'm sorry you had see that." He said quietly, so his sister and parents wouldn't hear us. They sometimes looked at him as if he were still crazy and unstable.

"I've dealt with worse." I said, smiling softly, then realized he could interpret it as when he hit me and pushed me into his dresser side, when that was only a piece of it; I meant my own family problems mostly.

That night, after I left Mike's house and ate and did everything I needed to get done at home, I snuck out and into Mike's place again. Well, the out wasn't an issue, since I just walked out, and walked the distance to his place, but in was harder. Yes, it was easier than my spider-man way that I had used the first time, as Mike explained his way for sneaking in and out through his window, but still, Mike's parents weren't aware I was there.

The moment I got in through that window, Mike took me into his arms and kissed me. We started to make-out, making up for our rather casual act earlier today…and well…we ended up in his bed. You can guess what happened, and oh- alert the media- Madeline DiLaurentis lost her v-card to a crazy guy. But I didn't care. Some would even judge it was just a regular night, not prom or anything, but I scoffed at them- because you can't plan love, it just happens. And for me, it was really, really sudden, but really, really pleasant.

We were quiet enough though, which was slightly hard, but needed, because there were others in the house. I would have preferred this to happen at my place, since it was only me right then, but I couldn't argue with it. Mike had put back on his clothes, and his usually gelled spiky hair was all ruffed up and tousled, and then he heard Aria closing her door and went out to retrieve her. I put on my clothes again; a thin tank-top and some short shorts, and of course undergarments beneath that. But then I crawled back under the covers, feeling strangely at home, and I snuggled into the warmth of the bed and closed my eyes, waiting for Mike to come back.

"Are you going to see him?"

"No. But I have to get out."

"You better go this way." I heard the sibling conversation going on. I then straightened up and lay down on my back, facing the ceiling, putting my hands behind my head, and watching as Mike reentered with his sister following close in suit.

Mike opened his window and explained that there were handholds and that's how he snuck out and such.

Aria had glanced at me with huge eyes as she passed from the door to the window, and I knew exactly what was racing through her mind on this matter.

"Look Mike, what's going on with me and Ezra-" Aria tried to explain.

"Stop. Look, I'm sorry I hit him. But when I saw Dad's face, I figured better me than him. Plus, I have my own love secrets." His eyes flickered briefly over to me.

Aria nodded, knowing exactly what this meant, then rubbed his arm, touched his hands in thanks, and began her descent out.

He came back over to me after watching his sister climb down, and we resumed where we had left off. More kissing. This, was ultimate perfection.

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