A/N: Okay, so this is the last post that I have completely written and edited so this is going to be the last thing you guys are going to get before next weekend most likely. I will try very hard but I doubt anything will be posted before Thursday. Very sorry, but school is a little crazy this semester! Also, I know that this chapter is ridiculously short, but I needed a little bit of filler in between the last chapter and the one where she goes back to work. R&R!!!

Disclaimer: I do not own Josef, Mick or anyone else that you may recognize. Riley and all of the others that come out of my head are of course mine. No copy write infringement is intended

Chapter 5

I woke up, on time, and got ready to go. After my shower, breakfast, and whatever else it was that I did to get ready, it was only 9:30. I still had an hour until I had to be at work. After all that had happened over the past 36 hours, I probably should be listening to everyone else and taking some time off. I didn't want time off though. I wanted to go back to work. I couldn't just sit here, with all of this free time, and not think, and at this point, that was what I was trying to do. I didn't want to have to think about what I had seen and what I had learned.

The longer I sat, the more clearly I could hear the conversations that had happened over the past day. I didn't want to have to relive all of those conversations; they had been weird enough the first time. I looked at the clock again. I would be about 30 minutes early if I left now, but at least when I got to work I would have something to keep my mind busy. That was it, I had to go into work. I know that Josef didn't want me there, but maybe I could make him see that I shouldn't be at home.

I got to work around 10. I was pretty proud of myself; I didn't feel anxious or nervous at all. Maybe coming back to work was a good thing. I walked into the office and turned my computer on. After I had my desk set up I walked back to Josef's office. I knocked on the door and waited for a response.

"Come on in, Riley. I have sort of been waiting for you to show up." I smiled a little, he knew me better than I thought. I pushed the door open and walked into the office.

I froze almost as soon as I walked into the door. I walked into the room and the panic set in almost instantly. I saw him standing before me and as hard as I tried, I couldn't force the image of him feeding out of my head. I hadn't expected the fear and anxiety to hit me so suddenly. Josef picked up on what had happened as soon as the door opened. He took a step away from me and then walked back to his phone and called someone to come and get me. About five minutes later, the door opened and Mick walked in. He came over to me and put his arm around me.

As Mick ushered me out the door, I took one last glance back at Josef. I seemed to be okay now that I was with someone else. As I looked at him, I thought I saw a glimpse of pain and sadness in his eyes, but as soon as I took another look, it was gone. Mick pulled me out of the door and drove me back to my apartment.

I stayed there for the next few days. I didn't take any phone calls and the only people that I let come over were Mick and Beth. Beth had stayed with me the first night to make sure that I was ok. After that, the both of them had come over every day for the past five days. Mick told me yesterday that Josef had asked about me a few times, wanting to make sure that I was ok.

After five days of doing absolutely nothing, I started going out again. Beth and I went shopping for a few hours one day. I even called my brother, Adien, and went out to dinner with him. The next few days after that were ok. I went over to Beth and Mick's for dinner one night for dinner. As I was getting ready to leave, Josef stopped by. I had been able to day hello, goodbye, and walk past him without the overwhelming fear taking over me at this point. I caught his eye as I slipped past him and again thought I caught a glimpse of regret in his eyes. But just like the last time, it was gone when I looked back.

I went back to work the next night.