Alex stepped out of the shower 30 minutes later. She grabbed her towel off the rack and wrapped it around her. When she walked out into the living room, Kelly was sitting on the couch scrolling through his phone.

Kelly looked up to see Lex standing in the doorway with just a towel wrapped around her. Her hair was still wet, parts of it sticking to her face. He felt his heart skip a beat as he saw her. She was just as beautiful if not more than before she left.

Alex couldn't but noticing that Kelly was staring at her. She felt the same butterflies that she had felt since being a teenager starting to flutter in her stomach. But she couldn't act on her feelings. Her heart couldn't take another break if he were to reject her again.

Alex quickly shook the feeling and walked over to the closet to begin pulling out a shirt and jeans. "5 more minutes and we can go." Kelly nodded his head as she grabbed her undergarments from a bag.

Alex went back into the bathroom to finish getting ready. Alex was slipping on her jeans but stopped to look at the distorted tattoo that was on her right hip. When Kelly and her both graduated they got each other's badge numbers tattooed on them. Mason hated it.

So one night when he was drunk he took a lighter to her leg and when that didn't work he grabbed a knife. He made several slashes trying to completely destroy it. It was that night she should of left but she stayed for smother 6 months. He bought her flowers the next day and apologized a hundred times and she believed him.

After every drunk night of fights and him abusing her, he would buy her flowers the next day. She had flower vases everywhere because of the number of times he had to apologize.

Alex quickly wiped away her tears and finished getting dressed. She dried her hair and put it up in a ponytail. She then put on a light cover of makeup and made her way out of the living room.

Kelly looked up when the bathroom door came open. "You ready?"

"Yeah let me just grab my phone and wallet." Alex walked over to the table but didn't see her phone. She felt her heartbeat increase at the thought of Kelly seeing any messages from Mason. She wasn't ready for the truth to come out.

When Kelly stood up from the couch he could see Alex looked scared when her phone wasn't on the table. "I plugged your phone in on your nightstand."

Alex quickly walked over to her nightstand picking up her phone. Much to her relief the phone was still off. Deep down she knew Kelly would never invade her privacy like that but it took her a minute to realize it.

Alex grabbed her wallet and the two of them headed to the diner. Kelly offered to drive so they left Alex's car at the house.

At the Diner*

Kelly and Alex slipped into a booth and sat across from one another. Neither of them bothered to look at the menu as they always got the same thing.

"So how have you been?" Kelly was trying to choose his words carefully as trying not to reveal that he saw Mason's texts.

Kelly hated watching her read through them on the way over. Out the corner of his eye who could see she was trying to not cry and stay calm.

"I've been doing pretty good. I was head paramedic in North Carolina."

"You always took charge no matter what we were doing." They both chuckled.

A waitress walked over to their table. They both looked up to be greeted by Bethany. Alex couldn't believe she still worked there. "Well hello you two. Long time no see."

"Hey Beth."

"The usual?"

"yes please." Beth nodded and walked off. "I can't believe she still remembers us."

"Well we did come her after every shift." The both laughed.

Beth came walking over with their coffee and two waters. She sat everything down on the table and headed back to the kitchen. Kelly grabbed a straw, unwrapping one end and blowing into it.

The wrapper came flying off, hitting Alex in the chest. More giggles escaped past her lips, making Kelly smile. He didn't realize how much he had truly missed her.

Alex locked eyes with Kelly after she stopped giggling. The butterflies formed in her stomach again and she had to quickly look away. Kelly looked down at the table when she turned her head. All he wanted to do was kiss her and hold onto her for forever. Never wanting her to leave again.

Alex cleared her throat causing Kelly to look up. "So how's being squad lieutenant?"

"It's very interesting…"

The two of them talked for an hour over breakfast. Alex learned Kelly was still a player and hadn't had a serious relationship in years. They avoided talking about Shay, Darden, and Mason. Neither of them wanting to ruin the happy atmosphere.

Kelly paid the waitress and they said goodbye. They drove headed back to the Hermann's. He pulls up behind Alex's car. "I have to help Casey with something but maybe we can hang out this evening?"

"Yeah that would be great." Alex plastered another smile on her face. There became this awkward feeling in the car as neither knew what to do or say next. Both of them wanting to kiss each other but both to afraid to act. "See you Kel."

"See ya Lex."

Alex got out of Kelly's car and headed up to her apartment. She walked into the apartment all smiles as she hasn't felt this happy in a very long time. She closed the door and then turns around, almost jumping out of her skin. "Mason?"

"Where have you been?" Mason got up from the couch and started walking towards her.

Alex backed up but she don't have anywhere to go. Her back quickly hit the door and Mason still kept coming forward. Alex looked around frantically looking for something to defend herself with but there was nothing.

"Where have you been?" Mason was now inches from her face and she could smell the alcohol on his breath. A knot formed in her throat and she tried to push it down.

"I… uh… I went for a walk." Alex began to pray that he believed her but deep down she knew better.

Mason looked down to see what she was wearing. A v-neck shirt, skinny jeans, a light cardigan, and boots. "In that??" The question sprayed across Alex's face making her nauseous.

"Yeah of course." Alex knew he didn't believe her but she had to keep with the lie.

Mason's face began to turn red as he became more angry. "LIAR!" Mason quickly removed her cardigan and then ripped her t-shirt from her body. He snatched her by her hair, throwing her onto the bed.

The tears began to flow down Alex's face. This is why she left North Carolina. She wanted to be as far away from Mason as possible.

Mason pulled her hair lifting her head slightly off the bed. He got down next to her ear and asked again. "Where have you been?!"

Any walls Alex had built up came crumbling down as she feared for her life. "I was with a friend."

"Who?!?"

Alex swallowed the lump in her throat as she knew what she was about to say wasn't going to end well. "Kelly." She braced herself for whatever was coming next.

"You whore!!!" Mason pulled her from the bed and threw her to the ground by her hair. Parts of her hair being pulled out. She crashed down onto the floor and began to sob. She curled her body up as much as possible as Mason began delivering his blows.

All Alex could do was pray. Pray that maybe her uncle could hear what was happening. Pray that maybe Kelly would blow Casey off and come back. She tried to stay awake but each blow was making that even more difficult.

Alex shut her eyes and her world turned black.