A/N: Hey guys! So, this is my first ever life is strange fanfiction! I hope y'all like it!

Alex awoke with a start, sweat dripping down her face as her heart raced, threatening to beat out of her chest as she tried to get her bearings. This had become a daily occurrence for her. Ever since Jed had tried to kill her a few months before, she had constant nightmares. She constantly relived that night repeatedly.

No one knew what she was going through. Not even Steph, her best friend, or even Ryan, her now boyfriend. She was fortunate that when it came to his arraignment, Jed pleaded guilty, grateful that they would all be spared the trauma of a trial.

Alex got up and looked out the window to see the sun high on the horizon, almost reflecting off the snow-covered mountains. Alex sighed as she went to the bathroom and splashed water on her face. She hoped that no one would notice the bags under her eyes from the lack of sleep.

Okay, happy face now. Just get through work. She thought, straightening up and going to get dressed for the day.

When Jed got arrested, the black lantern closed for awhile until they could find someone to run it. When no one eligible popped up, Alex and Ryan accepted the responsibility.

Alex left her apartment and hurried down the stairs where Ryan was finishing setting up.

"Hey babe," he says, smiling as he saw her.

"Hey, sorry I'm a little late." She says, giving him a quick kiss.

"No worries, you're here before we open, that's all that matters."

Alex nodded as she grabbed the keys and went to unlock the door.

"So, maybe after we get out of here, we can go on a hike or something? Maybe have a couple of beers?" Ryan asks as he put his arms around her waist.

"Yeah, I'd like that." She says, flashing him a faint smile before turning her gaze back to the door as Steph entered the bar.

"What's up, losers!" Steph called as she sat on one of the bar stools.

"Hey, on your way to work?" Alex asked, glancing up at her.

"Yeah, I can be a little late because one of our newbie, Raina, is going to be there. She'll be fine on her own for a bit." She says as Ryan poured her a shot.

Steph downed the shot and looked at Alex, who seemed to be staring off into space.

"Hey, earth to Alex!" Steph says, waving a hand in the younger woman's face.

Alex snapped out of it, blinking her eyes rapidly as she tried her best to focus on her surroundings again. The woman looked at Steph and Ryan, who both looked worried.

"Oh, sorry. Was I spacing out?"

"Yeah, you were. Are you okay? You look tired."

Alex nodded, "yeah I just didn't sleep well. I'll be fine though." She says, looking at Steph, and then at Ryan, "I'll be fine. I promise." She adds as she saw Eleanor and went to take her order.

"Hey Eleanor, how are ya?" She asks, ignoring the worried looks that Ryan and Steph were giving her.

"Oh, hello dear. How are you feeling?"

Alex shrugged, "I'm getting there. Just taking it one day at a time."

Eleanor smiled and put a hand on Alex's arm, "that's good to hear. Just let me know if you need anything."

Alex nodded, "So can I get you anything?" She asks, looking around anxiously. All she wanted to do was change the subject and she was worried that if one more person asked her how she was doing, she might have a psychotic breakdown.

"Oh, just get me some water."

"Coming right up." She says, forcing a smile as she went back behind the bar to grab Eleanor her glass of water. Alex once again tried to ignore the worried looks that Steph and Ryan were giving her but failing.

"Will you guys just stop!" She snaps, glaring at both as she felt her own red aura making an appearance around her features.

"We're just worried about you." Steph says, her eyes wide at Alex's outburst.

"Well don't be! I'm fine!" She says, quickly dropping the glass of water at Eleanor's table. Eleanor glanced up at her, not able to thank her before she rushed up the stairs.

"What was that all about?" Eleanor asks as she looked at the two at the bar.

"Nothing, she'll be fine." Ryan says as he stared after Alex, "she's just having a hard time adjusting after everything a couple months ago." He adds as he poured Steph another shot. He knew that Alex just wanted to be alone and thought better about following her.

"Hey man, if you need to talk to her, I can watch the bar." Steph says as she got up to go around.

"What do you know about making drinks? Or cooking?"

Steph rolled her eyes, "oh please. How hard could it be? And how busy can it get at…10:30 in the morning?"

"Steph, she's fine. She just needs to cool down."

"Go talk to your girlfriend, Ry. I got this." She says as she let herself behind the bar.

Ryan sighed, knowing that Steph wouldn't take no for an answer. Ryan reluctantly left and went up the stairs where Alex was sitting on the rooftop drinking a beer. He was about to comment on the fact that she was having a full-blown beer before noon but thought better of it since he just served Steph a shot less than ten minutes prior.

"Hey." She says softly, barely noticing him. Alex looked out on the horizon, the mountains in the distance seeming closer than she remembered them being.

"Do you want to talk about what just happened?" He asks, sitting down next to her.

"Not really. I'm fine honestly, really, I am. I just don't like how everyone's auras are…sad when I'm around. They look at me like I'm damaged."

"Babe, no one thinks that you're damaged. You've been through a lot with Gabe dying, my dad almost killing you, they just want to help."

Alex sighed, knowing that he was right. For so long she had survived on her own, just trying to get from one day to the next. People wanting to help was foreign to her.

"You're right. It's hard to get used to."

Ryan nodded in understanding, "that's all right, you just need to take it slow. You don't have to accept the help, but you should at least acknowledge their offers."

Alex had stopped listening as she started staring off into space again. Her heart picked up the pace when she saw someone that looked like Jed. She knew that there was no way that it could be him since he was in prison for a very long time.

"Alex? Hello?" Ryan says, waving his hand in front of her face.

"Huh? Sorry. Can I just have a few minutes alone?"

Ryan nodded and got up, exiting the roof top.

Leaving Alex alone.

A/N: Let me know what y'all think! Please review!