Chapter 6

It was once again nine a.m. when Luke showed up at Alex's door.

As it had been only six a.m. when Marissa and Luke had wrapped up completely for the night, the first thing Luke had done was go over to his house and review his footage. He did not edit anything, for this might ruin his evidence. He was pretty satisfied with the way it had turned out. Then, he viewed Marissa's message to Alex. He was moved by it when he saw Marissa record it and he was moved again upon watching it. By a quarter to nine he left his house with a good feeling. Just maybe, happy endings do exist.

This time when he knocked on Alex's door it almost immediately flew open. Alex knew he had gone to Marissa's that night, so she herself had been up since seven a.m.

Anxiously she pulled Luke in, almost making him trip over the threshold in the process.

"So, how did it go? Did she pass? Do you have enough evidence to go to that committee-thing?" she spoke rapidly. However there was no excitement in her voice, just huge question marks.

"Calm down Alex, take time to breathe as well!" he said smiling.

The tone of his voice and the choice of words already told Alex everything she needed to know. If Luke could smile and make jokes about her condition… well, Marissa simply must have passed. But her heart was still afraid of being hurt, so she tried to keep herself desperately from jumping to conclusions. With big questioning eyes she looked up at Luke.

"That's more like it. Now to give you your answers; Yes, she passed. No crazy psycho bitch, no soon-to-be-serial-killer, no reason to keep her there whatsoever, no doubt in my mind."

Alex nearly jumped Luke over, wrapping him in a giant hug.

"I knew it! I knew it!" Alex almost shouted at the top of her lungs. She had not been this happy and excited for a long time. But the words Luke had uttered, they had lifted a huge weight from her shoulders. Still clinging to Luke a smile started to make its way onto Alex's face. 'This guy should have become goddamn Cupid instead of a psychiatrist' she thought to herself. Her heart seemed to jump for a moment when she realized she'd just been making a joke inside her head. Her smile widened even more as she could feel bits and pieces of happiness returning to her soul.

It was almost as if Luke had entered Alex's mind and heard what she had been thinking, for he chose that moment to tell Alex about his surprise.

Luke pulled back from the slim blonde girl.

"I'm so glad I could bring you this good news… but I think I might have something even better for you. Come and sit down for a moment." He sat down and patted the couch, motioning for Alex to sit down next to him.

When Luke asked Alex to sit down an unsettling feeling came over her. There was something about that phrase 'sit down for a moment'

It's the phrase parents use when they are about to tell you they want to get a divorce, it's what cops use right before telling you your brother died in a car accident. It's one of those phrases that's a bad omen most of the times. It didn't matter that Luke also used the words 'something even better,' the phrase alone set of alarm bells in Alex's head.

She had no idea what was coming next so naturally to her, the happiness she felt was starting to fade and a shadow slowly made its way over. Dark feelings always seemed to linger more than light feelings. With all that had happened during the last seven years, this dark side had become more accessible to Alex. It was simply more easy to think things were bad. This was her shield, her protective aura. Don't believe in good stuff until it actually happens. Sure, she fought full heartedly for stuff she wanted to believe in but in the back of her mind there was always that shadow. It had become Alex's way of living.

So Alex would not believe Luke could bring her something better until Luke could prove it. She cautiously sat down next to Luke. For a moment she felt angry with herself for doubting Luke when he had brought her so much hope and happiness in the past few weeks. But another part of her realized that this was simply the aftermath of seven years of pain. Her trust in the world had been ripped away too many times before. It would take her time to heal and start trusting in the good of this world again. Time, and Marissa.

Upon realizing this, she started to relax again. The fact she could reach into the depth of her soul and SEE what she was doing to herself meant she was ready for change. It meant she was ready to start pushing away darkness and make way for the light.

Only seconds had passed while all these thoughts crossed Alex's mind. Luke in the meantime had reached in his bag and pulled out a dvd case.

Unaware of the inner struggle Alex had had in the meantime, he smiled at her.

"So, I have this surprise for you. I could give you an explanation first but honestly, I think it's best if we just watch it."