Darkness was all-consuming, but voices were floating near her surroundings. She heard a male voice, that sounded deep enough to let her know it came from a man, but it was soft enough to know that he was kind. And she heard the voice of a stern woman, her voice becoming louder and louder with every word she spoke.

"Professor Claremont, the young lady could have died. She should be in the custody of someone, not living alone ."

"Well, Claire, who knows why her sugar was so high. It's just a relief that Professor Whitmore and I were present to help her."

When she heard the voices approaching her, Elizabeth realized she needed to wake up. With her body laying down on a cot, she tried moving some of her extremities, trying to regain consciousness, but it was more difficult than what she thought. It wasn't until she moved her fingers that the adults directed their focus to her, quickly shuffling to her side and be present once she opened her eyes.

And so it happened. Elizabeth opened her eyes and her focus was first directed to the older woman on her left side. With nurse scrubs on and a stethoscope hanging by her neck, the woman approached her and held Elizabeth's wrist between her thumb and index finger. While the nurse was taking her pulse, she started asking questions, "So my dear, it seems that we were a little careless this morning, won't you agree?"

Elizabeth looked down at her hands, knowing what her mistake was thing morning and how she could have avoided the situation. "I know I didn't measure my sugar, but I was in a hurry to attend my first class. But I can assure you that this will not happen again."

She knew that it was rare to have a minor be independent without an adult to watch over, but after she got emancipated in the States, she fought for the same here in England. She was not going to lose what she had fought for so hard.

"Why don't you have someone watching over you? I am sure that you must have a family member or guardian watching over you?", the nurse glanced her over as she made a friendly but self-assertive suggestion.

Elizabeth realized that this was the question that she was hoping to avoid for weeks to come. It was something that she saw coming, but after speaking to the administration, she thought it would never come up. And an unspoken message.

Being a 17 year old in England with no one to look after her, Elizabeth didn't want to be reminded of the traumatizing reason as to why she was orphaned three years ago.

The nurse sighed, "Well be thankful that Professor Clairmont and his colleague were there. You are very lucky to be alive at the moment."

It wasn't until his name was mentioned that Elizabeth thought about glancing at the man that had ultimately saved her life.

His face was dark and focused on her. While Elizabeth was trying to get up and have a better look at this face, Professor Clairmont took a slight step back. That movement would not have been noticeable has she not been laying so close to him.

"Thank you for helping me, Professor. And please thank your colleague for helping me as well." Elizabeth then saw herself following the man's every movement. For some reason, it seemed the more she wanted to lean towards him, the more he seemed to move away, but with struggle.

As she tried to move, she looked up at the wall in front of her and saw the clock hanging at the top. The time indicating on the clock made her remember why she had forgotten to measure her glucose in the first place.

"Crap! I am so sorry but I am an hour late for my class!" Elizabeth pushed herself off the bed, towards her right side, but that was the first of many mistakes that she made.

When she landed on her feet, she couldn't hold her weight. She just about collapsed had it not been for a pair of hands that held her, without letting her drop to the floor. As she felt the pressure of Professor Clairmont's hands on her arms, a sense of deja vu ran over her, a nightmare she had long forgotten.

There were hands wrappers around her arms, paired with a grunting bear her ears that made her feel dirty.

Pushing the person, she tried gaining control of her limbs, but she felt like a rag doll, with no control of her muscles. It seemed like she was caught in hell, and trapped with the person she least expected.

"You're a very good girl, Elizabeth"

"Elizabeth"

"Elizabeth"

That far-away voice distorted to the voice of the man next to her. That flashback was so far, yet so close, which left her confused, distorted, and distrustful. One thing she knew was that she had to leave the room. Quickly, she stood, without faltering, and sighted her belongings behind the nurse. Elizabeth rushed around the cot and grabbed her items. As she was heading to the exit, presumably, she turns around, avoiding the male in the room.

Staring at the nurse, Elizabeth acknowledged her, "Thank you for your help and for your care today. I will email you to let you know how I am and to follow up. Have a good day."

Elizabeth walked out of the door and crossed the nurse's office. Before she walked out, she quickly grabbed a business card from the nurse's desk.

She walked as quickly as her feet could take rushed out of the building, never looking headed out to the courtyard, keeping an ear out for any footsteps.

Once she was outside, she felt a chill envelop her, like goosebumps before you touch the first winter's snow. Her body assimilated into a winter where the sun was out on a rare autumn day.

It was then that she looked back to the building that she walked out from but, instinctively, looked up at the window.

There was the man that undoubtedly saved her life, but may have also become her worst nightmare.