Bex guiltily peered down, as Chris carefully bandaged her injured wrist up; he did it ever so meticulously, careful not to aggravate the cut as it was placed over it.
It shouldn't have hurt anyway, as he'd bathed it enough times, but it was a deep injury.
"I think it should hold for now." He made sure the bandage was held quite firmly in place before flitting his gaze to her. "You ok?"
She nodded slowly.
"Bex, I know you feel bad…but don't. It was something you couldn't stop." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "You wanna stay up for a bit?"
She nodded again. "I don't think I can go to sleep because of how bad I feel."
Chris had to perk her up a little bit; it would reduce the depression she was so clearly feeling. "You want a drink?" He was hoping she would've gone for something warm if she did – that was more comforting than a cold one.
"O-ok."

Bex felt herself drifting off from the sheer exhaustion she'd been going through; she was slowly getting more and more tired, which was what Chris was hoping for. The more tired she felt, the easier it would've been for her to get to sleep.
"This'll get you relaxed."
She took the cup from him thankfully, settling back down as he positioned himself next to her. "Thanks."

"Don't see it as a way of staying up later." He winked knowingly. "You still need your sleep."

Once Bex had finished that, Chris took the cup from her. "You wanna sort yourself out at all?"
"In what way?"
He was thinking along the lines of her taking a shower; something like that was also good at making anyone relax. "I-if you wanna get yourself cleaned up…" He shyly moved his gaze to the floor, sure that what he just said sounded perverse. Not that he was anything like that, but he didn't want her getting ideas.
Bex smiled softly at his slight embarrassment. "Maybe tomorrow. I think for now I just feel like sleeping."
"Ok."
She slipped in amongst the warm blankets, as he pulled them up more over her. She gazed up at him, taking in a very warm blue in his eyes; they bore an almost paternal appearance as he carefully swept her long blonde hair to the way it should have been.
"Feel any better?"
She nodded dimly. In a way, she wanted Chris to stay with her till she fell asleep, as there was something that was so protective about him, which she couldn't put her finger on. But she would've felt embarrassed at asking him if he could do that – how old was she supposed to be? Plus, Chris might've felt exactly the same.
"Something wrong?"
Bex slowly looked away, sensing a tear that had started to creep from out of the corner of her eye.
He slowly wiped it away with his sleeve, causing her to softly close her eyes and gaze back up at him.
"I-I still feel scared."
He said nothing, and let her talk some more.
"I keep thinking that he's…right outside and he's going to come and hurt me."
"No, don't think that." Chris placed a hand on her shoulder. "That's not going to happen. Don't be scared and don't worry."
"But I do worry and I don't know why."
He squeezed her at her shoulder supportively. "Close your eyes and get some sleep, Bex…you're safe now."
Her eyes slowly closed as he stroked her through her long hair and flicked it back against the pillows.
Gently, he pulled away from her, leaving her to sleep.

The next morning.

Chris drifted back into consciousness, his attentions immediately focussing on Bex; he positioned himself down onto the floor at the end of the bed, noticing her still asleep in amongst the thick blankets. He breathed a sigh of relief after checking she was pretty much ok.
He softly pressed a hand to her forehead, happy that she wasn't feverish or sick. God only knows what the shock could've done to her.
Bex stirred a little, opening her eyes and finding herself looking into a pair of vibrant blue eyes.
"How do you feel?"
"Better." She certainly felt much better as he stayed beside her.
"Stay for as long as you want." Chris put to her softly. "I wouldn't even mind if you were still here by the time I come back."
"Y-you're leaving?" She rolled onto her side, watching him pull away in order to get dressed.
"Some of us have to work." He smirked, thankful that she turned her back to him when he completely stripped off. "I'll be back later, though…I finish earlier, so I can come back and hand you over to your mum."
Bex nodded slowly, casting her gaze to the floor. "I guess…even though I don't want to."
"I know you don't, Bex, and I'm sorry. But I can't do much else for you."
"Just to be with you was enough." She stated quietly, hoping he didn't hear her.
Chris flitted his gaze to her once he'd dressed himself. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know, you just made me feel so safe." She watched him come back over to her and positioned himself even closer to her than before. "I wish I could stay with you."
Now what he'd just been told had shocked him. He didn't mind that she felt better as that was what he was aiming for, but for her to develop intimate feelings towards him? That would get him into a little bit of trouble.
"I shouldn't feel this way, but I do."
"B-Bex…" Chris started slowly. "For a start, I'm already taken – by your mum. Another thing is that I teach you, and thirdly, you're too young for me." All good reasons as to why a relationship with them would be wrong.
"There's only a few years' difference between us though."
"It's more than a few years."
Bex leant further forward, taking in a sweet scent that floated around him; it was a tempting scent, one she couldn't resist. She wanted to touch him, at least do something to him that allowed her to have him, even if it was only short-lived. "Can I kiss you?"
"Not really." He stated. He didn't want to go down that road again. "I don't mind you hugging me though, if you wanna touch me."
She threw her arms around his waist, pulling him up against her. "I just want you to be there for me."
"And I am there for you. I'm here for both of you." Chris twirled a long blonde strand of hair around his index finger. "I can have an adoptive relationship with you, but not an intimate one."
Bex nodded slowly. "Ok."
"It's not that I don't like you, but for us to be together…it wouldn't work."
"Y-you love me though…right?"
He smiled softly. "As a daughter, but nothing more. Your mum and I…we're very close."
She gazed up at him carefully. "I won't tell anyone about you and my mum together."
"I know you won't, I trust you enough."
"I guess when I get handed back over to my mum…" She watched Chris tilt his head attentively. "…They're going to take me away."
"No one's taking you away." He reassured her. "You might only have to go to a mental hospital once and that's it. But they won't admit you if you're not dangerous."
She smiled a little. "Thanks for looking after me."
"You're welcome."