Author's note: Thank you all for the reviews! I get so excited when I read them! If you are reading this chapter and you don't post a review I will track you down and spank you.

"What have I done?" I speculated, returning from my trance.

I have no idea how long I've forgotten myself or what I've done during the time I was mislaid. Now I find myself in the oddest of circumstances.

I immediately gasped as I felt something in-between my legs. There were ropes bounding my arms and legs around whatever the object was, forcing me to hug it.

"It must be some type of post," I thought to myself.

I'm bound so tightly that I have to lean the painful side of my head on the column. I screamed within realizing my left shoulder is entirely exposed to the cold air. I infer that a rip was made down the seam.

I could feel my cheeks begin to glow.

My first strategy was to loose my senses and just panic. I violently heaved my hands and feet from right to left while barbarically gnashing my teeth at the ropes. The fact that I had abandoned all attempts of self control failed to rattle my mind.

I then came to the conclusion that perhaps Erik had simply gone mad and tied me to this podium in my sleep, but it was indeed I who had gone mad. Yes indeed, tiny shards of memories now began to surface at the level of my mind.

Now I remember. Before I had drifted away he had given me some type of medicine. That might help explain why the headaches are gone. Oh, and he held me so.

My cheeks now began to glow a heavier shade. If only I could have been concise to experience it all.

From that moment on, my memories were but fog.

I'm clearly still in the cave. I can still feel the moisture in the air and I still hear water dripping off of the ceiling.

"Erik," I cried.

"Denise?" he called from behind me. He quickly ran to me and began to cut the ropes that bound me free. They soon broke loose and fell to my feet.

I gently massaged the sore markings in which the ropes had once been and asked him what had happened.

"The headaches were formed from pressure building up inside of your wound.

You passed out and when you woke up you forgot who you were. It was as if every few minutes you became a different person. It scared me."

His words were so tender, yet they didn't explain my situation.

"So is that why you tied me up and ripped off my sleeve?" I spat, beginning to raise my voice. I quickly stood up, forgetting about the sore lines were the ropes had been.

"No," he shouted beginning to step towards me. "I tied you up because you were a hazard to both me and yourself. As for the tare madam, you went insane and used my hand as a tool to rip it off yourself!" he roared.

I nearly gasped at his comment. Had I truly done such a thing?

"Why should I believe what you say? You could have used this opportunity to seize my body without me knowing it." I said, allowing my frustration, bewilderment and desire to pour out within my screams.

The room was beginning to spin, but I had been foolish enough to believe my anger was to blame.

"Why would I do such a thing?" he yelled in a disgusted manor. "Not only are you less then half of my age, I have no reason to rape you! I feel nothing for you. You are a pestering insect in my presence. I have done nothing but serve you for the past months and you still treat me like a monster."

He could have sliced a double edged blade though my tender heart and it wouldn't have left me with as much pain as those simple words did. I didn't bother to try and disguise my tears as they flew down my cheeks.

Did he truly imply all of those heartrending things he told? It surprised even me that he would hurt me in such a way. Had he forgotten all of those peaceful moments between us, or had I dreamt them all up?

My entire head was boiling in misery. He hates me, he hates me and I hate him.

A flash of anger and pain surged though my core, crying for me to do something drastic. Will all of my strength, I swung my fist at his chest. I must have caught him by surprise and knocked the wind out of him. This didn't stop me. Nothing will feed my frustration. I repeatedly sent blows at his chest and he took every single one. The fact that he wasn't hitting me back, or dodging my blows infuriated me more. I whined in anger and started to hit him harder.

"Hit me! Hit me! I hate you just hit me!" I screamed. He allowed me to hit him a few more times before grabbing me by the wrist. I tried to break from his grasp and squirmed as much as I could, but it wasn't even a struggle for him. I soon gave up and waited for him to hit me back.

Tingling pain was flowing through my skin. I began to sob with complete anguish. His words were continuously ringing in my mind. "I feel nothing for you," The words began to grow louder until my head was bursting. The room began to swirl around me and I quickly lost my footing.

Erik's words barely reached my ears. "Denise? Are you? DENISE!" Erik screamed.

My legs flew from under before Erik gently caught me in his arms. Then the horrifying darkness returned.

"Denise are you awake?" Erik inquired, gently placed his hand on mine.

The room was beginning to return to me. I was back in the bed.

"Are you alright?" Erik demanded, leaning closer to me.

"I remember.. I remember we were fighting.. Again," I recalled holding the side of my face.

"Denise I didn't mean anything I said," he nearly whispered.

"It happened again didn't it?" I asked.. No reply came "Is my condition serious?"

It took a few miniuts before he could bring himself to answer. "I've been thinking. Keeping you here isn't the best for you. I think you might need surgery.

My eyes widened at his answer, even though they were focused somewhere in space. "No doctor can take care of me like you can." I begged him, my tears returning to my eyes.

"I can't perform surgery on you Denise."

"Sure you can. There isn't anything you can't do." I sighed.

"I'm only a man. I only kept you here because I was lonely and selfish. I should have sent you away a long time ago."

"But if you send me away they will lock me up in one of those cells were they keep the blind and mute!" I cried.

"After you have your operation, you'll be able to see again and start a new life. I've already decided. You deserve so much more then what I can give you. My friend Nadir is coming tomorrow to take you to the doctor. When you recover he will take you to your new home."

"You want me to live by myself? You think that living alone would satisfy me more then … with you? .. I can't go back into the real world now. I belong in the darkness."

"Don't you understand? If you continue to live with me we'll fight like this every day. We'd tare each other to shreds! We hate each other!"

"But.. I thought that we also felt.." I began

"What? Love," he said mockingly.

My tears were welling up in my eyes. I tried to keep them hidden beneath my lids, but they were overflowing like mad.

The tone of his voice suddenly transferred. "Oh, Denise," he cried sympathetically. He gently ran a thumb over my cheek to wipe off my tears. "Please, Please don't cry again." He moaned, his breaths growing louder with his sobs.

I gently leaned into him and rested my head on his shoulder, allowing my tears to madden his shirt to his body. At first his body stiffened underneath me, but when his shoulders loosened up, he grabbed me and pulled my chest to his. We both held each other as our tears united, both comforted by having our arms full.

"I'm sorry I have to do this." He sobbed.

I knew, no matter how much I tried, I couldn't change his mind.