"I just came to see my only son," my mother was saying as she walked around the gym, "see how business was doing."

I smiled rubbing my hand over my unshaven face. My mother never did this, just came to drop by. We only ever saw each other when I came home for weekend dinners.

"Things are good," I said simply. "Now tell me why you're really here."

She touched the mirrored wall as if inspecting it for grime. Doctors. Always so clean. She rubbed her fingers together which means she was lost in thought. It had to be a good reason she was here.

"Is Vika alright? Sonya? Karolina?"

She looked at me surprised. "Of course, they're fine. Well, Sonya and Karo are fine but Vika's still being weird but I'm sure it's just the teenage girl thing and she'll get over it. I'm actually here to talk to you about the girl I sent here, Rose."

This surprised me. It wasn't unusual for my mother to recommend that her patients come here but she never really asked about anyone in particular.

I nodded. "What about her?"

"How is she doing here? Is she still coming to the classes?"

"Yes," I answered, still confused on why this one girl was important to my mother in particular. "She's been here everyday this week. You were right when you said she's really...broken right now," I commented.

Of all the people, women, that came through here, she was probably the most damaged. She rarely spoke and when she did she was so nervous she stuttered but at least I got her talking a lot more now. I hoped I could get her completely better soon.

My mother nodded. "Yes, that was my concern. Something happened to that girl. She wasn't telling the truth when the cop asked what happened to her. I think something worse happened, not just a mugging."

"Why do you say that?"

She waved her hand dismissively in the air. "I don't know. I've seen mugging victims before, plenty of times in my examination rooms. They weren't nearly as...traumatized as Rose was that night. I don't know if she was too scared to tell or too traumatized but I do know that if she keeps that in to herself, she could really start blaming herself for whatever really happened and that could lead to self harm, suicide..."

I held up a hand to stop her. "I don't think it's that bad. She actually seems better than when she first came in here," I assured her. "I know it's only been a week but she's a little better."

"That's good to hear. I've been thinking about her a lot lately, after hearing about the report she made to the police about that Adrian kid, I started thinking that maybe it has something do with him."

"We won't know until she says something and I don't think she's ready for that yet."

My mother ran a hand through her thick hair and relaxed a bit. "Yes, you're right. Just do me a favor and look out for her."

"It's kind of part of the job," I said with a small smile, but even without my mother having to tell me, I'd been keeping an extra eye out for Rose. I couldn't explain it but I felt like I had to.

"I know, I know. I know you believe that people need to know self defense but some people just need a friend to feel stronger."

I nodded, knowing she was right. "Yeah, I know. I'm keeping an eye on her," I assured again. this seemed to appease my mother.

She patted my hand gratefully and then looked at her phone where a message buzzed.

"I have to get back to the hospital but keep me updated on Rose, okay?"

"I will."

She gave me one of her quick cheek kisses and then hurried to get back to work. I was about to settle down in my office, enjoy the slow business of weekends until I heard a shriek.

I bolted out of my chair and hurried to the back of the gym, outside onto the path. I paused, hoping to hear it again so I'd know where to go, and sure enough I heard another cry.

I jogged quickly through the path and not to far along I spotted her, in a purple sweater, sweats and her converse. She was laying back on the grass her eyes closed, unconscious.

"Rose," I said, prodding her.

I wished my mother hadn't left so soon. I thought about calling her back but my phone was still in the office and Rose's injuries didn't look severe enough. I could patch them up. I lifted her carefully into my arms, wondering what she was doing out here and why she didn't come into the gym.

Her body tensed with each careful step I tried to take and I walked slower. It took time to get back to the medical room connected to my office where I laid her on the cot. She stirred a bit. I cleaned off her palms and a scrape on her knee before bandaging them.

She was blinking now, almost completely awake.

"Hey, are you alright? Can you hear me?"

She nodded slightly, her eyes widening at the sight of me. She bolted upright, leaning back on her hands, taking in her surroundings.

"Relax," I tried to assure her. "I found you outside," I explained. "What were you doing out there?"

The answer was obvious, she was running, but I couldn't believe she'd go out there alone. She didn't answer as she laid back on the cot, covering her eyes.

"Rose, are you sure you're alright."

"I'm fine."

I was getting use to this response but it was getting hard to tell when she meant it and when she was jut saying it to appease me.

I double checked her bandages and asked her to sit up, so I could make sure she was really okay.

"I can call my mother back here if you want? Or take you to the hospital."

She shook her head as she slid off the bed and nearly fell to the floor, her ankle giving out under her. I caught her before she fell and she flinched before gripping my arms tightly to steady herself.

"I'm going to have to lift you by the waist to put you back on the bed. Is that okay?"

She stared at me before giving the slightest of nods.

I lifted her easily onto the table, unsurprised by how light she was.

I looked at her ankle where it was purpled and already a little swollen.

"I think your ankle's sprained. You're going to need a brace to-"

"Do we have to go to the hospital?" she interrupted, shuttering.

I froze, unsure of what to say. "It's better if you do. I mean, I have something to secure it here but I'd feel better-"

"Please, no hospitals."

Her eyes were wide and she was stiff as a board. I couldn't blame her. Hospitals freaked me out too and my mother worked in one. I nodded as I reach behind me for the brace.

"Alright, no hospital but I guess we won't be doing any more running for a while."

Her face fell, disappointed.

"We can still do hand work, getting your fists in the right positions to strike but it's gonna be a while before it's okay for you to be on your foot."

She nodded again.

It was quiet while I wrapped her ankle. I thought about asking her why she was out there alone again but thought better of it. She'd tell me if she wanted to.

I set her foot gently down.

"So, are you up for a little hand to hand practice?"

Her disappointment from before faded a bit and she managed the smallest of smiles. "Yeah."

I positioned us in two foldable chairs in the gym and wrapped her hands and then my own. I gave her a few pointers on the best way to strike, how to strike without hurting herself, and a self defense pose so that her hands could block.

She was sloppy at first and even struck me in the nose once but picked it up quickly and had it perfected by the time night fell.

"I guess we're done for tonight," I said, gesturing outside to the windows where it was dark.

She looked shocked by how late it was and tried to stand. "I have to be home, I should've been home. It's dark."

I grabbed a hold of her hand and, as expected, she automatically flinched but I was growing use to it. I steadied her enough to set her down so I could unwrap her hands. "Don't worry about it. I'll take you home."

She looked horror stricken.

"If that's okay with you," I added a second later, fearing I'd made her uncomfortable.

She thought about it as I worked in silence to undo the bandages before looking outside the window again. "It's fine," she said simply. "I can take the bus."

"It's not safe to take the busses at night," I advised. "As a guy whose grown up in a house full of women, my mother would kill me if she found out I let you go home by yourself at this time of night."

"How would she know?"

"She's a mom. Mom's know everything. Or at least mine does."

I actually made her give me a full on smile and couldn't resist on in return. She blushed and his her face with her sleeve when she realized she was smiling. She looked outside again and then nodded.

"Okay, you can drive me home."