WARNING: The rape will be mentioned in this chapter; nothing too graphic will be included. If this is hard or upsetting for anyone please don't read.

Author's Note: Hi, everyone! Thank you so much for all the support! You are all amazing! I love reading all of my reviews and comments I get in my email!

Enjoy!

Song (On Wattpad): cardigan by Taylor Swift

Chapter Thirteen: Will You Come With Me?


Sylvie groaned as she opened her eyes and rolled over. The light was so fresh and blinding in her childhood bedroom. She grinned as she sat up in bed and saw how pretty it looked out her window. The sun was shining, and the sky was blue and full of beautiful white, fluffy angelic-looking clouds.

Sylvie sat up against her headboard and pulled her knees up to her PJ covered chest. She stared at the beautiful blue sky and thought about how proud she was of herself. She had seriously come a long way since that night Owen raped her. Was she still scared every time her phone rang or she heard a surprise loud noise, yes? But, from what her therapist told her, that was completely normal and maybe even a side effect that she would never get rid of.

Sylvie turns her head and instantly smiles when she hears her phone beep with a text. Without a doubt, she already knows who it is this morning.

Morning. I know I'm a little late with my text this morning; the whole house got called out a couple of minutes before the start of shift. xMatt

Sylvie gripped her phone tight in her hands and rushed a worried text out to him as fast as she could.

Are you alright? How is everyone else? Nobody got hurt, did they? xSylvie

Matt smiled from his spot at the kitchen table next to Herrmann. Sylvie was always so caring about the ones she loved.

Everyone's fine. I promise. Just a little worn out from the start of shift. How are you? xMatt

Sylvie let out a sigh of relief as soon as she saw his message that her family was okay.

Good! I worry about you all! You never know what kind of crazy things a certain fire captain I know might do. xSylvie

Matt's response was quick.

Hey, I'm not sure I know what you're talking about. xMatt

Sylvie smiled and gripped her phone tight as small baby butterflies went wild in her stomach.

Yeah, right! Lol! xSylvie

Matt was smiling so hard as his phone Mouch and Herrmann looked at each other and thought that he may be having a stroke.

Hey, you never told me what all Sasha said when she called you yesterday. Did she have any updates? xMatt

Sylvie froze as she read his message. All of the butterflies in her stomach were suddenly extinguished. She still didn't want to tell him what Sasha said about Owen watching her.

She didn't say much. She just wanted to check in and see how I was. xSylvie

Sylvie bit her lip as she sent that text. She hated lying to him, but there was no need to make him and everyone else worry...right?

Well, hopefully, she'll have an update for all of us soon. xMatt

Sylvie smiled at Matt's hopeful and encouraging text before she glanced at her alarm and threw her blanket off of her legs.

Hey, I have to start getting ready for my therapy session, but please be careful today on shift. xSylvie

Matt's head and body buzzed every time he saw Sylvie's name pop up on his phone.

You be careful today too, and good luck with your session. We'll talk later tonight. xMatt

Sylvie's heart swelled immediately when she read Matt's text. He was always so sweet to her. She'd never know how she got so lucky to have him in her life.

It was about an hour and a half later before Sylvie was sitting in the parking lot and waiting to go in her therapist's office. She had got there about fifteen minutes early, so she just decided to sit in her car and scroll through Instagram before she had to go in.

Her therapist's name was Annie Collins. She was located in the next town over, which was just fine for Sylvie because she really didn't want anyone in Fowlerton (other than her family) to know her business.

Annie was a middle-aged woman who had very long scarlet-red hair. She was honestly one of the nicest people Sylvie had ever met. She made it so easy to talk to her. Sylvie loved that she could tell someone she doesn't completely know like her friends and family about the rape. It made it so easy to explain every aspect of how she was feeling.

"So Sylvie, how did you feel when Sasha told you yesterday on the phone that your rapist had been watching you for weeks?"

Sylvie looked up from her tangled hands in her lap and met Annie's eyes. "It honestly terrifies me. It makes me feel...stupid. I mean...I should have known that he was watching me for that long, you know."

"Sylvie, you can't blame yourself. There was no way of knowing that this was gonna happen to you."

Sylvie untangled her hands from her lap and started rubbing Annie's soft black velvet couch. "Annie, why can't I move on? I just...I wanna go back to how my life was. You know? How do I get there?"

"Sylvie, recovery is different for everyone. Remember? We discussed that during your first session with me. You're not gonna go back to before without living through what happened and accepting it."

"What if I've already accepted it?"

Annie looked at Sylvie and smiled, "Then try something new. You told me that moving to Chicago was new and while you were trying to escape your life here, moving was the thing that helped you the most."

Sylvie nodded her head and agreed with Annie, "So you're saying that I need to do something new?"

"No, not necessarily. I just want you to do something that will bring you joy. Weathering it be riding a bike, watching your favorite movie, or climbing the side of a mountain. Sylvie, I want you to do something that will make you feel again."

"Feel again?"

Annie smirked and nodded her head. "Yes, do you think you can do that for me? Sylvie, I promise that one day all of these tasks I'm giving you will mean a lot in your recovery."

"I think I can do that."

Annie smiled and they finished Sylvie's session not too long after that.

Sylvie's drive back to Fowlerton was surprisingly full of pure bliss. The sun was shining. There was a nice cool, crisp breeze. It was a perfect day. Sylvie couldn't help but think of Matt. He would love a day like today where he could get outside and do something.

Sylvie smiled as she pressed the button for the radio and heard it come to life. One of her favorite Mariah Carey songs, 'Fantasy' came on. She bobbed her head, turned up the radio, and began singing along as loud as she could.

She stopped singing and reached for her phone, at a stoplight, when she heard it go off with a text.

B, I swear I am going to kill him! He's made me do an inventory check with him THREE times today. THREE! Ughh! Please tell me you're not going to be gone forever. I miss you! xEmily

Sylvie laughed out loud when she read that. Emily really couldn't stand her new temporary partner.

He can't be that bad! Give him a break; he's fresh from the academy! xSylvie

Oh trust me, he's that bad! I thought he was going to pass out this morning on our first call. xEmily

Sylvie was just about to respond when a car behind her beeped out of irritation for Sylvie sitting at the light, which had literally just turned green, for too long.

Sylvie sighed and continued driving. She waited until she reached another stop light before she texted Emily back.

Hey, just give him a chance. We were all a little nervous when we first started. xSylvie

Okay! Ughhh, why do you always have to be so right about everything! Lol! I miss you. We'll talk later, the bells just went off, and now I have to wait for pretty boy. xEmily

Sylvie laughed and shot off another quick text back to Emily.

I miss you too! Be careful! I'll try to call you later. xSylvie

Sylvie was just about to pass one of her favorite grocery stores when she suddenly got the idea that she wanted to bake. It was a perfect day for it; it wasn't too humid and the sun was shining as bright as it could. So, why not? Sylvie loved to bake. Sometimes she would feel the firehouse kitchen with all of her baked goods and Mouch would practically eat himself into a coma.

And, a cake would be the perfect gift for her parents who were getting ready to leave on their four-week cruise. They tried to get out of going once Sylvie came home, but Sylvie made them continue with their trip. They had been so excited for it and had saved up for so long, there was no way Sylvie would let them cancel and not go just because she came back home. And, Annie agreed that getting away would be good for the two of them. It was important that they understood, excepted, and recovered from the rape just as Sylvie would.

Sylvie pulled into Mr. Willow's grocery store and she couldn't help the feeling of joy that burst all through her body. She loved this store. It was her favorite in Fowlerton and it always felt so homey. It was impossible to not go in and see half of everyone you ever knew.

Sylvie grabbed a buggy and quickly made a plan of attack in her head. She needed a new gallon of milk, her parents seemed to run through milk like it was water, and she needed a couple of different boxes of cake mixes that she could turn into cookies. And, maybe a box of brownies because who doesn't like a certain sweet chocolate midnight snack

Sylvie was walking down the baking aisle and smiling at a text from Stella when she heard the biggest crash and looked up to notice that she had run right into someone else's buggy.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry. I really need to pay attention."

"Sylvie?!"

Sylvie's head shot up and she noticed that she crashed into her ex-fiance's buggy. "Kyle?"

"Oh my gosh! Sylvie, what are you doing here?"

Sylvie plastered the fakest smile she had on. "I...ugh...I'm here visiting my parents for a little while."

Kyle nodded and looked genuinely surprised to see her there in the grocery store. "Wow. It's so great to see you. How is everything in Chicago? I mean how's everyone? Are you still at firehouse fifty-one?"

"Umm, yeah I'm great. And, yes I'm still at fifty-one and everyone there's great. Umm...I should actually go, I promised my parents I wouldn't be too long here at the…"

"Babe! I found it! They had it hidden in the veggie section. Can you believe that? Out of everywhere in this store and it was over there next to the cucumbers."

Shock? No, Sylvie was blindsided. Her ex-fiance was standing there with...Hope.

"Oh my gosh! Sylvie Brett! I can't believe it's you!" Squealed Hope as she ran over to Sylvie and pulled her into the tightest, most uncomfortable hug she had ever experienced.

"Yeah, it's me. It's so good to see you, Hope."

Hope smiled and slid back over to Kyle. "I can't believe you're here! I mean we were just talking about you and whether or not we should invite you to the wedding."

Wait? Did she hear her right? Wedding? Sylvie felt like she was spinning. "Umm...what wedding? I don't think I remember my parents mentioning anything."

Hope grabbed Kyle's arm as tight as she could and she threw her left hand out for Sylvie to look at. "Our wedding! We're getting married this Sunday! Can you believe it!"

Sylvie wasn't sure if she had ever felt this awkward in her life. "Wow. Congratulations. That...great. That's just...great."

Hope nodded and squeezed Kyle even tighter. "I know. I'm so lucky Kyle came into my life. I just wish weddings were so much easier to plan. You know? Oh, wait! Who am I talking to, you've been engaged three times! Girl, I don't know who you've done it!"

Yep. Sylvie was definitely waiting for the ground to open up so it could swallow her. "I….yep...yep, I have. Well, I should go I don't want to leave my milk out too long. You know?"

"Wait, Sylvie! You may be the answer to all of my prayers! I just had a bridesmaid bail out on me, you know something about appendicitis and such, and I really need someone to take her place! Maybe you could do it for us?!"

Sylvie stood there like a deer in headlights. Did..did she really just ask her to be a bridesmaid in her ex-fiance's wedding? "Ummm….I...oh, I'm sorry, but I think I have plans."

Hope looked like she was about to burst into tears, "Sylvie, please you have to! I've asked just about everyone I know and they've all said no. I just, I don't know what we're going to do without another bridesmaid."

Sylvie was about to say no. She really was. But, she had a thought. I mean Annie did just tell her to try something new or try to get back to her. Maybe this would help. Was she crazy? I mean it's kinda weird to be a bridesmaid in your ex-fiance's wedding, but that's her luck.

"You know what, Hope. Sure. I'll do it."

Hope and Kyle both looked at each other shocked before Hope suddenly started jumping up and down and screaming in excitement. "Oh, Sylvie you just don't know what this means for us! You are really helping me out here!"

Sylvie felt nauseous, but she continued to plaster on the fake smile she had kept during this whole conversation. "Happy to help."

"Great! Now, I still have your number so I call and text you tomorrow and give you all of the details you need! I'm just so excited to have a wedding expert as one of my bridesmaids."

Sylvie cringed before she smiled and said her goodbyes. She was ready to go. Her grocery checkout had to be one of the fastest in Fowlerton's history.

When she got home she was grateful to find the house empty. Her parents had decided to go to the weeknight church service tonight, so Sylvie had the house to herself for a couple of hours.

She immediately started unloading her bags and putting everything away before she pulled out everything she would need for her triple layer chocolate cake and started baking. She grabbed a bowl of vanilla bean ice cream and ate that as her dinner as she mixed everything together. Who said ice cream didn't make the perfect dinner? Especially after the day she had, she was very glad that she stopped after three scoops.

Once everything was in the oven and washed, Sylvie decided to try and give Matt a call. She knows she talked to him this morning, but what could she say she missed the man. She quickly hopped on the kitchen counter and licked the rest of her ice cream out of her bowl before grabbed her phone and pressed call.

To be on shift, he answered the phone very fast. It only rang once.

"Hey,"

Sylvie smiled into her phone as soon as she heard his voice. "Hey, I'm not calling at a bad time am I?"

"No, no you're fine. I actually just finished up some paperwork."

"Good. I just thought I'd call and see how things were there without me."

Matt chuckled into the phone and made Sylvie's heart race. "Well, today has been a pretty slow day except for the call this morning."

"Yeah? Nothing too crazy that I'm missing out on?"

"Nope, I mean you could call Herrmann and Mouch arguing about doing a trivia night at Molly's crazy."

Sylvie laughed as she listened to Matt tell the story about Mouch and Herrman yelling at each other in the briefing this morning.

"Hey, how was your appointment today? I was gonna text you earlier, but I didn't want to bother you."

"Matt Casey, you never bother me, but now that you ask, the appointment went really well. I honestly feel like we're making some headway, you know?"

"Sylvie, that's great."

Sylvie nodded her head and tried to envision what Matt looked like right now sitting in his office talking to her on the phone. "Yeah, it is. Oh, guess who I saw today at the grocery store?"

"Umm...I don't know. Who?"

"Kyle."

Matt felt his heart jump when he heard Sylvie say Kyle's name. "Kyle? Like your...ex?"

"Yeah, and guess who he was with?"

Matt was still shocked that she saw Kyle of all people. "Who?"

"Hope."

"Hope? Really? WIth Kyle?" Matt was honestly surprised by Sylvie's news.

"Yeah, apparently they are engaged and are getting married this Sunday."

Matt had never been so happy to hear Kyle's name in a sentence. "Really? I didn't know that they were ever dating."

"Yeah, me either. But just wait, the story gets better. Guess who's going to be a bridesmaid in their wedding?"

"No way?" Laughed Matt as he thought about how this would only be Sylvie's luck.

"Oh yeah. Annie said today that I should try something new or do something that I used to do, so I said yes, and now I'm a bridesmaid in my ex-fiance's wedding."

"Wow," Whispered Matt, "That's different."

Sylvie laughed and shook her head, "Yeah, that's what we'll call it, different."

Matt sat back in his chair and laughed into the phone, "Only you, Sylvie Brett."

Both Sylvie and Matt went quiet for a couple of seconds before Sylvie started talking again. "I was actually wondering if you would be my date to the wedding. I mean, I know it's short notice and you would probably have to stay the night here in Fowlerton with me, but I figured that you could…"

"Sylvie!" Interrupted Matt as he tried to stop her nervous rambling. "I would love to come with you to the wedding."

"Really?" Asked Sylvie as she suddenly perked up and became excited about the tortuous event.

"Yes, I would love to be your date for the night."

Sylvie couldn't help the megawatt smile that spread across her face. "Thank you, Matt."

"You're very welcome, Sylvie."

Sylvie was about to say something else, but before she could get the words out she heard the bells go off on Matt's side of the phone.

"Ughh, Sylvie, I'm sorry. But I have to go. I message you in the morning. Okay?"

"Okay, Matt. Just be careful, please."

Matt smiled and gripped his phone tight, "I will...I promise."


*Quick note: I just wanted to let you all know that I did not steal Sylvie's therapist's name from anyone or another fanfic. I had already picked that name out when I first started drafting this story.

Thanks to all who comment/review! What did you think!?

Again, sorry for any typos, misspellings, or anything like that. I write late at night without my glasses on, lol. I know they're there after how long it took me to write this today, lol! WAY TOO LONG! Haha!

Thanks again for reading and the support!

Stay safe and healthy!