Teddy's POV

"Lauren," I called out. I don't think I've ever been this terrified in my life. If anything happened to her I would be ruined. My life is nothing without her. I should have never left her alone. "Angel," I yelled as little louder as I began searching for her. I entered our room and heard a whimper. "Lauren?" Our closet door flew open and she burst out. Streaks of black marked her face from her crying. Instantly she was in my arms, she was trembling. If I hadn't been holding her, I think she would have collapsed. Her sobs filled the room. I sank to the floor against our bed with her in my lap. "Ssshhhh. I need you to calm down sweetheart and tell me what the hell is going on. Are you hurt?" I didn't see any signs that she was hurt.

"I…I…I…" She was still crying and no way was I going to be able to understand her if she didn't clam down.

"Take your time and look at me Angel." I placed my hands on the side of her face and tipped her head towards me. "I'm right here and you are safe." Once her eyes were locked with mine she began to calm down. I wiped away her tears and she smiled at the gesture. "Now tell me what happened."

"After you left, I decided to go for a walk." The community we live in is gated and has a greenbelt with a pond and several fountains. We've been on several walks together since our arrival. It's beautiful. "I wanted to feed the ducks." We've talked about doing it but haven't yet.

"You should have waited for me."

She rolled her eyes at me. Now I know why my father hates it so much. "I'm not going to stay locked away in this castle." She was right of course. Classes start in just a few days and we would be on separate campuses with different classes and schedules.

"So what happened?"

"I was feeding the ducks and I got this really strange feeling. It was like someone was watching me."

"Did you see anyone?"

"No, I just ran back to the house, closed all the blinds, locked the doors, and hid in the closet." The ideal of her being so frightened pissed me off. I was starting to think I was wrong about not having a CPO for her.

"Why didn't you press the emergency alert on your necklace?"

"Because I didn't see anyone Teddy, it was just a feeling. It was probably just my over active imagination. I knew you wouldn't be gone long."

"I'm sorry I left you alone." She curled in to me and I caressed her soft skin. I kissed the top of her head and we just sat there. I'm not sure how long I held her, until we both fell asleep.

Laruen's POV

"I'll be fine. I promise." Teddy has barely left my side since I freaked out on him. The interview with Jess aired and had seemed to have the effect we wanted. Plus, a dramatic break-up of one of Hollywood's "it" couples had helped take the attention off of us.

"I want you to call me immediately if you feel like you are being watched or if anything weird happens. Anything at all."

"I know, I know." We've been over this a million times, but I know my safety is something that Teddy doesn't take lightly. I love my little worry wart.

The drive to campus was quick and easy, nothing compared to the Seattle traffic and I easily found my first class.

"Welcome to Drawing I, I'm Professor Mitchell, but I prefer my students to call me Erika." She spent the next ten minutes going over the class syllabus and then told us she wanted to see what we could do. "All right all you floaters, let's see what you've got." Everyone laughed. Apparently this class is known to be an easy "A" for undecided freshman, although I hardly fit in that category. Erika revealed a classic bowl of fruit and told us all to get busy. I put in my ear buds at started my Teddy playlist and started sketching.

A tap on my shoulder brought me out of my zone. "You're really good."

I pulled my head phones out. "What?"

"You are really good." I had already finished my fruit bowl and now found myself drawing Professor Mitchell. I had been so engrossed in what I was doing that I hadn't even noticed I was being watched by my neighbor.

"Thanks." I still get embarrassed every time I get a compliment on my work.

"I'm Pat. What are doing in this class? You obviously don't need it."

"I'm Lauren. It's a requirement for the Arts program."

I looked at my classmates drawing, "floater?"

"How'd you know?" I felt at ease and it was nice.

"I'm heading over to the commons for coffee with my friend after class. Do you want to come with?" I hesitated for a moment. I had time before my next class and it was nice to have someone to hang out with. Not that I don't love spending time with Teddy, but I knew I needed friends too. This was what normal college freshman did. Right?

"Sure, sounds great."

After class, we packed up our bags. Pat was still gushing about Erika's comments on my drawings. She asked me to sign her portrait and she gave me a wink.

"You look so familiar. Should I know you from somewhere?" Pat asked as we walked across the quad. I just wanted to be friends, I wasn't a celebrity.

"I don't think so."

"I leave you alone for one class and you already replace me. Some BFF you are." I loved the playfulness between them. I liked them both instantly. I wanted them to be my friends.

"Lauren this is Daisy. Daisy this is …" She cut him off.

"I know exactly who you are. Holy shit Pat, this is …"

"Lauren, my new friend from my drawing class." Pat knew who I was and didn't care. No wonder I felt so at ease. He was just testing me earlier. "Come on, let's order our drinks." Before our drinks were gone, Daisy seemed to forget she had seen me in all the rag mags too. Yeah, we could be friends.

Teddy's POV

To say I was nervous was an understatement, and it wasn't because of my heavy class load. It was because Lauren and I weren't together. I knew it wasn't healthy and that we both need to focus on our classes and try to meet some other people, so I decided to trust her to use that dam alarm if she felt uneasy for a second, even if it was nothing. She promised that she would. I checked my phone before entering the lecture hall of my Performance Live class; I had a text from my Angel.

Just drew a fruit bowl. The banana made me think of you ;0)

It was crazy how much I missed her since we just left the house a few hours ago, and now my banana was hard.

Must have been a big banana. I'd like to get my hands on your melons.

Neither of us can get enough of each other. Sitting in class for the next few hours was going to be hell.

It's a good thing I'm not wearing any panties because they would be soaked right now

Christ! Could I stand at the back of the class?

Dam Angel. You're killing me.

At least I would die a happy man.

C'ya at home. Fruit salad for dinner tonight – XOXO

"Teddy Grey. It's nice to see you man. I heard you got in." I tucked my phone into my pocket.

"Holy shit, they'll let anybody in here." I hadn't seen Austin Ryan in a couple of years.

"True. They let you in. Didn't they?" Austin I and met a music camp. It sounds stupid, but it was a lot of fun, we learned a lot, and met a lot of really talented musicians. Austin and I were in the same cabin together for three years. "That must have been some text." Fucker needs to wipe that grin off his face.

"My wife." I hope Austin picked-up on the way that I said it that nobody talks about Lauren.

"Down boy, so the rumors are true?" I held up my hand as evidence.

"Do you live under a rock?" Shit, I thought everyone knew. It seems like it anyway.

"I've been off the grid all summer. I just flew in yesterday." Austin's dad is a music legend and much like me he has grown up under watchful eyes. I guess it's one of the reasons we get along so well, that and we both love music. "Plus I never listen to that shit. She must be one hell of a girl." He tipped his head towards a couple of seats and we sat down. I was glad he was hear and couldn't wait for him to meet my Angel.

Lauren's POV

"You've been doodling that all week. What is it?" Pat grabbed my paper.

"It's a new tattoo that I've been thinking of getting."

"You already have one?" Pat looked shocked. "Where and what is it?"

"Yes and it is private." I grabbed my doodle back.

"Fine, I know a great shop."

"You do?"

"You're not the only one with secrets."

"I didn't say it was a secret, I said it was private."

"Pish, posh." I stuck my tongue out at my new friend.

Pat's POV

I really like Lauren. She is really fun to hang out with and doesn't judge me.

"Ready?" Slacker asked as he took us back to the back room to ensure Lauren's privacy. We headed straight to the parlor after class and are meeting up with Daisy at Lauren's house later. We still have yet to meet her Teddy. He sounds hot.

"So two hearts right?"

"Yeah." Laruen put her hair up on the top of her head and Slacker shaved the skin on the back of her neck before applying the stencil transfer.

"How's that look?" He asked as he handed Lauren a mirror to check the placement.

"Perfect" One of the hearts was pointing down and one was pointing up, they intertwined with an infinity symbol. It was simple, beautiful, and meaningful just like Lauren's love for Teddy. Just like the love I hope to find one day.

"Don't hold your breath." I scolded her as Slacker began to apply the ink. "Try and relax."

"Easy for you to say." Since Lauren only wanted the tattoo shaded, it didn't take very long.

"All done, take a look." Once again he handed her the mirror.

"I love it." He bandaged the tat and gave her the aftercare instructions and then we took off.

Teddy's POV

Lauren got out of class a few hours ago, she texted me that she was with Pat and Daisy. I'm glad she is making new friends.

I was about to head home. Austin was coming with me. I hoped that he would be able to meet my wife, when I got a mysterious text from an unknown caller.

Happily married?

Fuck, fuck, fuck. Attached to the text was a photo. What the hell? Someone was watching her and who was she with? I took off running as fast as I could. Austin was hot on my tail.

"What the hell is going on Grey?"

"Need to get home." I didn't slow down to talk to him.

I barreled through the front door causing my wife and her guest to nearly jump off the sofa.

"You scared the shit out of us Teddy. What the hell is going on?" Lauren removed her feet for their resting place.

"Really? Who the hell is he?" I pointed to the guy who was sitting on my sofa. The guy who had just had my wife's feet in his lap.

"Where's the fire?" Austin gasped for air with his hands on his thighs.

"What did I miss?" Asked a girl with a big bowl of popcorn in her hands who just came out of the kitchen?

Now this was a scene. Popcorn girl was smiling at Austin. Austin was still trying to catch his breath while making goo-goo eyes at popcorn girl, sofa mother fuck was laughing, and Lauren was fuming.

"Bedroom now." Lauren said as she grabbed my hand and pulled me towards our bedroom. Why the hell was she mad? I just caught her being all comfy on the sofa with another guy. She shut the door and turned to me with her arms crossed over her chest.

"What the hell did I just walk in on?" She didn't get to be mad, I was mad.

"Really Theodore Raymond Grey?" That might work for my mother, but not my wife.

"Yes really?"

"Who the hell is that?" I pointed to the front room.

"Those are my friends, Pat and Daisy." She has been talking about them all week.

"Pat's a guy?"

"Oh my god. When did that happen? I had no idea." Smart little mouth was going to earn her a spanking.

"This isn't funny. You had your feet in his lap."

"He was painting them Teddy." What the fuck? Why was the dude painting my wife's toe nails? Who does that? Why is she finding this so amusing? "He's my friend." She stepped towards me and put her hands around me. "Just my friend," she stressed the last word before kissing me.

I put my hands in her hair and she grimaced in pain. "What's wrong?"

"I wanted to do something to show you just how much I love you." She turned and lifted her hair to reveal a bandage on her neck.

"What did you do?" She peeled it away and revealed her new tattoo.

"Angel." The symbol was stunning, but it was more than just that. True, she had marked her body for me before, but that was so that she would never forget me or the day that we spent together. She never expected to see me again. This, this was more. This was a symbol of us being one, joined together, forever. I kissed her reverently. "I'm an ass."

"Sometimes," she teased. "But you're the ass I love. Come meet my friends." She replaced the bandage on her neck and took my hand. I still wasn't sure about this Pat guy, but I was sure about my wife.

When we entered the living room, Austin was sitting on the sofa between Pat and Daisy. Daisy and Austin were drooling all over each other and Pat was drooling all over Austin.

"He's gay?" I asked in my wife's ear.

"Totally."

"Thank fuck." That was one problem solved. Now I just had to figure out who was watching my wife.