By Monday morning, she was mostly feeling like herself again. She was exhausted and traumatized, but the nausea, dizziness, headache, and essentially the worst hangover of her life had passed.

Still, Steve didn't want her to go to class.

"Just withdraw this semester," he pressed. "Sign up for all these same classes next semester. Lots of people take way longer than four years to finish their Bachelor's."

"No," she said as she finished applying her makeup. "I'm going. I'm not gonna let some creepy, perverted guy slow down my career."

"Laura, I just want you to be safe," Steve insisted, blocking the door to the bedroom.

She shook her head at him. "You can't keep me safe by keeping me trapped at home. I'll be in a crowded, public space."

"Like a bar?" he challenged.

"I'll be fine. I'll be more careful. I won't accept any drinks from anyone, even people I think are my friends."

"I want you to call me when you get home."

"I will," she agreed, grabbing her book bag from the office as she walked through and slinging it over her shoulders.

"And call me if you need anything. I'll get to you as quickly as I can," he promised, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Ok," she agreed. "Thank you." She stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Are we ok?" she asked softly.

"What do you mean?"

"I kissed another guy, Steve," she said, hanging her head in shame. "Are we ok?"

"You didn't kiss him. He drugged you, and he kissed you. He tricked you into going out alone with him. He's the bad guy here. Not you, Laura. I know that you think I'd never blame you for anything, no matter how badly you messed up our relationship, and maybe you're right, but this isn't that. He's the bad guy. You didn't do anything wrong. Please, don't blame yourself."

Laura nodded, holding back her grateful tears. "Thank you for reminding me, Honey," she whispered.

"I love you, Laura Lee. Have a good day," he purred before kissing her gently.

"I love you, too," she said as they pulled apart. "I'll call you when I get home."

Laura got to class and sat on the opposite side of the room from all of her friends and from Alex, who was still seated comfortably beside them. She had made sure to get to class just as it started to avoid having to explain to anyone why she'd switched seats, but that plan didn't work long after class had ended.

"Laura?" Deja said as she and Georgia walked by. "What are you doin' over here? We saved your usual seat."

Laura swallowed hard, preparing herself to explain what had happened, but then Alex paused behind the girls. Laura looked at him. Her heart started to pound and her mouth went dry. She had to get out of there. "I-I have to go," she mumbled as she pushed through them and made for the door. She moved as quickly as she could through the halls, dodging other students and professors left and right, until she took a wrong turn, straight into an emergency exit. She froze before bursting through the door. She turned around to find the proper exit, but she had been backed into a corner by a predator.

"Laura," Alex said as he stepped closer to her. "What's going on? Is something wrong?"

Laura could hear her pulse in her ears. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been this frightened. "I don't wanna talk to you," she said softly, trying to push past him.

He just stepped closer, backing her up against the wall more aggressively.

Laura tried to remind herself that they were in public. Sure, they were in a stairwell with no windows, and he'd managed to trap her several feet from that alarmed door, but she knew if she screamed, someone, preferably security, would come running. However, if she did that now, what would she tell them? Her classmate had tried to talk to her?

"Laura," he said softly, "what's going on?"

She looked at him, flabbergasted. He was just going to pretend that everything was normal? "You roofied me!" she whispered harshly, though she wasn't sure why she was whispering it.

He blinked dramatically and stepped back ever so slightly. "What?!" he cried. "Out of all the crazy… I did NOT."

"Yes, you did!" she argued. "My husband took me to the hospital after he picked me up from the bar completely out of my mind. They tested my blood and found a lot of Rohypnol. You drugged me with the intention of raping me."

He had the nerve to look hurt. "No, I didn't, Laura! I would never do that to you. I know I crossed a line last night. I had a few too many, and I made a move on my married friend, but I didn't drug you."

"Then who did?" she demanded. "Who else touched my drinks? The female bartenders?"

Alex placed a hand to his forehead pensively. "No, Laura. Someone with something to gain from making you afraid to go out."

"What?" Laura asked.

"Steve, Laura," Alex said gently. "I tried not to stick my nose where it doesn't belong, but he's possessive and controlling and jealous. He doesn't even trust you enough to let you study with me in your apartment when he's in the next room without interrupting us all the time. I'm sure that's not the only example you can think of. He could've drugged you before you went out. He's the only person who would benefit from making you weak and afraid. You deserve better than him, Laura."

Laura paused for a long moment as she thought about that. Steve certainly was a little jealous and possessive, but he was far from controlling. More importantly, he would never hurt her. She knew that. She also knew that cruel, abusive men did everything they could to make women feel weak and helpless and alone. Laura wasn't alone. Laura had Steve. By attacking her bond with her husband, Alex was attempting to make her an easier target, to make her feel like she had no one to go to for help, but she knew that wasn't true. "You need to get away from me right now, or I will scream," she threatened.

"Laura," he began, reaching out to her.

"AAAAAAAAA!" Laura let out a quick, clear, loud scream. She relaxed slightly when Deja and Georgia came running. Criminal Justice majors were always good for a quick save.

"Laura, what's wrong?" Deja asked, running up to them.

"I don't feel safe," Laura replied. "Will one of you please walk me to my car?"

Deja looked between Laura and the deeply blushing Alex. "Yeah, sure," she said, grabbing Laura's arm and leading her out of the stairwell to the main exit.

Once they were outside and on their way to the parking garage, Laura finally told Deja her story.

"Are you sure it was him?" she asked.

"Pretty sure," Laura shrugged. "Who else would have a motive?"

"Well, what about what Alex said? What about Steve?"

Laura tensed as she was beginning to feel attacked. "Look, Deja, if you all are just gonna take his side, I can find a new group of friends. I-"

"No, Laura. I'm not taking his side. I just… I don't know Steve, but from what I've heard, he does seem kinda jealous."

"He is jealous," Laura agreed as they finally made it to her car. "He's really jealous because he's really insecure, but he loves me, Dej. He loves me more than anyone has ever loved me. He would never do anything to hurt me. He could never hurt me like that. I know my husband better than I know myself sometimes. He is a good, good man. He has his flaws. He needs to learn to trust me, and he's working on it, but I already know I can trust him. With my life. He didn't do this."

"Ok. So maybe it was Alex," Deja nodded. "I just can't believe it."

"You don't have to believe me," Laura said.

"No, it's not that. I believe you, Laura. I'm just processing. This is a lot to take in."

Laura nodded. "I understand. I'll just… see you tomorrow. Ok?"

"Yeah. Ok. Are you gonna be ok getting home?"

"Yeah. Thanks, Deja," Laura said, getting into her car.

When Laura made it home, she went immediately into the apartment. She closed, and locked the door, and put the chain in place, which she almost never did. She went into the office with her textbooks and her backpack, ready to buckle down and get some homework done since she hadn't done any that weekend.

About fifteen minutes later, Laura's cell phone started ringing. "Hello?" she answered.

"Oh, thank God. Why didn't you call me?" Steve demanded.

She gasped. "Oh, Baby! I'm so sorry! I totally forgot!"

"So everything's ok?" Steve confirmed.

"Yeah," Laura assured him. "I'm home, safe and sound."

"Good," he said, breathing a sigh of relief. "How was your day? Did you manage to avoid him?"

"No," she admitted. "He cornered me after class."

"He cornered you?! Laura, are you ok? Do you need me to come home?"

"No, Steve, I'm fine. He was creepy and upsetting, but I screamed, and a friend walked me to my car."

"What did he do? Did he touch you?"

"No. He just tried to convince me I was being crazy for avoiding him. He tried to convince me that you roofied me."

Steve froze. "What?" he gasped softly. "Laura, I would never-"

"I know," she assured him. "Please, don't feel like you have to defend yourself. I know that, Steve. I trust you completely, remember? He was just trying to mess with my head. It's what that type of guy does."

"Thank you for trusting me," Steve said softly. "I don't know how I could handle you being really afraid of me like that."

"Thank you for earning my trust," she replied. She paused for a long moment. "I'm sorry I forgot to call, Baby, but I'm in the middle of a huge paper here."

"Say no more! I'll be home in a few hours, Darling."

"Good. Hopefully, I'll have this paper done by then."

"I love you, Shnookums."

"I love you, too, Honey," she giggled. "See you soon."

When Steve got home, he unlocked the door and went to stumble inside like he normally did, but he slammed into the door when it hit the end of the chain. "Laura?" he asked.

"Oh, darn," Laura complained, jumping off the couch and running over to him. She slammed the door in his face, and he blinked several times in surprise. Then she opened the door with the chain undone. "Hi, Honey," she grinned, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him sweetly.

"Hey there, Sugar Lips," he grinned in response, dropping his briefcase to the ground and placing both hands on her hips. "Missed you," he cooed.

"I missed you, too," she said, watching him pull away as he shut the door behind him. He was careful to lock it again. He looked at her for a long moment, trying hard to read her. "Are you ok?"

"You don't have to keep asking me that," she said, "but yeah. I'm ok. I'm glad you're home." She stepped close to him again.

He placed his hands gently back on her hips. "You used the chain?" he questioned. "I'm the only one who ever uses that."

Laura looked down at her feet. "I'm really, really glad you're home, ok?"

"Oh, Laura Lee…" he frowned.

"I don't wanna talk about it anymore," she said softly. "I wanna make love to my husband."

Steve gasped. He hadn't expected her to be ready for that again so soon. "Laura, are you sure?" he asked. "We don't have to hop right back into things."

"I'm sure, Steve. I wanna feel normal again. I don't want you to keep walking on eggshells around me."

"Take the lead, ok? Just tell me if you wanna stop."

"I won't wanna stop," she whispered before pressing herself up against him as firmly as she could and kissing him deeply.

As Laura lay in Steve arms, completely relaxed for the first time that day, she listened to Steve's heartbeat and stroked his chest. She felt so safe with him. She couldn't believe Alex's comment had even shaken her. Steve was the most gentle, respectful person in her life.

"Laura," he began nervously, "I have to tell you something."

"What is it, Steve?" she asked, growing concerned when she heard his tone. Maybe this lovemaking hadn't had the same calming effect on him as it had had on her.

Steve took a deep breath. He had to tell her. She deserved to know, whether it destroyed her trust in him or not. "I did drug you once," he whispered.

Laura's brow furrowed. "What?" she asked, feeling her heart pound at the mere thought of him betraying her like that.

"It was a long time ago, and nothing happened. We kissed, but nothing else. It was wrong. I know it was wrong, and I'm so sorry."

"Steve, what are you talking about?" she asked, quickly growing upset.

"I invented a love potion called Woowoo Juice," he began, speaking quickly so he could tell her the whole story before she filed for divorce.

"Oh," she relaxed slightly. "Oh, Steve, I know about that."

"What?" he croaked.

"I lied to you that night. It was easier for me to pretend I had dreamt it than deal with actually talking to you about it. I asked Eddie about it, and he told me what happened. That it was an accident."

"Why didn't you tell me you knew?" he asked. "Once we were together?"

"Why didn't you tell me about it sooner?" she asked.

He took a deep breath and sighed. "Oh, Laura… I don't know. I tried to tell myself that it wasn't important… That I was overreacting, but I think I was just scared you'd hate me if you ever found out."

Laura took a deep breath too, forcing herself to relax. She had forgiven him for that mistake a long time ago, but due to recent events, talking about it was giving her the willies. "Steve, I don't hate you. I love you. You did the right thing that night, and you didn't drug me. You and Eddie spilled the stuff by accident, it got to me by accident, and it didn't make me lifeless and unresponsive like Saturday night. It made me bend over backwards trying to get your attention. It's hard to say no to that, but you did, because you're a good man. You're the kind of man who takes his wife home high as a kite and puts her to bed instead of touching her. You weren't responsible for my state of mind either time, or the time I got drunk at that frat party by the way, but every time, without fail, you did the right thing. You took care of me. You kept me safe from other, less virtuous men. Those moments just make me love you more, Steve. You're a good, good man."

Steve smiled softly. "I feel… so much better."

Laura smiled back weakly. "We could've had this conversation a long time ago if I knew it was still keeping you up at night."

Steve reached up to stroke her hair. "Well, I should've told you sooner."

"You should've," she agreed.

"But we're ok?" he asked.

"We're fantastic. Steve, this whole thing has just reminded me how awful guys can be. It's just reminded me how lucky I am to have a man like you watching out for me."

"I want you to feel safe with me," he whispered.

"I do," she promised. "Feel free to unhook the chain on the door."

He laughed and snorted before rolling over to kiss her.