It was 5:30 in the morning. Kayla was standing behind the open doorway to her deck. Too afraid to sit out on it, in case Dominic was outside looking for her. She had tossed and turned all night. Waking up in cold sweats thanks to nightmares infested with him.
"Only 3 hours till work...no sense trying to sleep now." she said, quickly changing into her sweats and tank top and headed down to the building's gym.
–

"Come on Michael's you can do better than that!" Mark teased side stepping circles around the hungover Shawn.
"Glenn had a lot more to drink then you and he's doing better." Mark motioned over to Glenn who was doing pull ups, with headphones in his ears. Shawn tried desperately to land a jab on Mark. Thanks to the hangover, it wasn't happening. Shawn and Mark locked up, Mark saw the option to sweep Shawn's right leg, and he went for it, sending him crashing to the mat.
"Uggghhh come on man! Not cool!" he groaned. Mark's laugh was dark as he shook his head.
"Why must you two work out so early?" Mark helped the whining man to his feet.

"Cause we aren't lazy." Glenn said as he past by them. "Pick you two up at 9." he said as he walked out. Mark and Shawn left a few minutes later.
~later that night~
Just like last night, the club was packed. Mark took the same spot at the bar and watched Glenn and Shawn hit on and get rejected by several girls. He hoped Glenn didn't drink too much, it was his turn to drive them home. Nate greeted him by handing him a beer.
"Is your friend alright?" Nate sighed and rubbed the back of his head.

"I hope so, she hasn't answered her phone at all today. Knowing her she'll be here though." Mark nodded. He checked out a few seconds later, trying to make sense of what was to unfold in the coming weeks...maybe even months. He finally came out of his own head when someone rushed passed him, nearly knocking him over. He was getting ready to beat the crap out of the guy when he realized it was a woman, he was completely calm when he saw it was Kayla. Her hair was all about her face and she looked pissed. Nate took one look at her and held up his hand before she could speak. He brought up a bottle of Jack Daniels, uncapped it, and placed it on the counter top. Kayla swiped it and chugged down the dark amber liquid. Amused, Mark raised an eyebrow at her.
"Wanna take it easy there Kayla? Maybe get a glass?" he teased. Kayla turned towards Mark, still drinking. She stopped after about 5 seconds later. A quarter of the bottle was gone.

"Oh...hey Mark." she capped the bottle "Didn't see you there, how? I don't know. You're built like a fuckin' tank."
"And yet, you almost knocked me over. I was getting ready to chew your head off."
"Sorry, I had a rough day." She went to pull her hair away from her face, then stopped. Instead she pulled more strands to the side of her face.
"I work for a Graphic Design company," Mark listened
"I get my appointments from my boss and before I can sit d-" her phone vibrated against her thigh, she jumped. Her face went blank as she read the message. Once again she angrily barged passed Mark, storming out of the club. Nate sighed and ran his hand through his hair and Mark sipped his beer. The two knowing exactly who the message was from. Mark and Nate kept glancing at the door every few seconds. After 5 minutes, Mark could feel that she had calmed down a bit, he finished his beer and told Nate he was going to go check on her.
Kayla was sitting under the tree across the street. She had drank 90% of the alcohol already and had tied the bandanna around her head. Her hair now neatly covering her ears. The smoke from the lit cigarette in her hand seem to have calmed her down. She looked up and saw him, he flashed her a small smile. Putting out the cigarette, she stood up, bottle in hand and walked over to him.

Anger that Mark had never felt welled up inside of him as he watched her. He was pretty sure that his eyes had changed colors. The familiar sound of an engine revving caught his attention. He turned his head and saw a set of head lights speeding towards Kayla. The anger dissipated when he realized what was about to happen. He tried to move but his feet were anchored to the sidewalk. HE called out to her, hoping that'd work.

"Kayla!" she snapped her head towards his voice and saw bright purple headlights in her peripheral.
"Dominic?" her brain registered that the lights were headed her way and fast. She dived out of the way just in time, a second later her foot would have clipped the front bumper.
Kayla frantically backed up into the tree she was sitting on a few moments ago. Her heart rate increased, her breathing became shallow, another panic attack was taking hold of her. She clutched at her chest, and was struggling to breath oxygen into her burning lungs. She never saw Mark running to her.

Mark watched her dive out of the way of the black pick-up truck. His chest tighten just as her foot cleared the bumper. The asshole driver never stopped. He ran over to her once she reached the safety of the tree.

"Kayla are y-" she was shaking like a Chihuahua and clawing at her chest, her eyes were a pale brown and fading.
"Shit, its okay hun, I'm here. Its alright love. I'm here." Mark cooed in her ears he wrapped his arms around her.
"I can't breathe, it burns."

"I know, don't talk. You have to breathe slowly."

Mark heard footsteps running towards them but he didn't turn around. He was focusing all his energy into bringing Kayla out of her panic attack. He was rubbing her back when her gasping turned into more of a choking.
Kayla's mind raced. Dominic, her mother, her father...her baby brother. Memories that she had buried deep in her subconscious came back to her.
"Dad..." she breathed out, and clutched onto Mark's shirt. "Dad.." Her choking turned into wheezing until she passed out all together.
"Kayla?." Mark noticed the grip she had on his shirt loosened. "Kayla?...dammit. Well, at least she's breathing."
"What happened!" a woman's voice shrieked behind him, making him jump. He picked her up and turned around to face the woman. She was wearing the club's security jacket.
"Oh my darling Kayla." she placed her hand on her forehead.
"Who the h-" the woman's eye shot up into his. Mark shut his mouth before he finished the sentence.
"I'm Rachael. Her godmother. Who in the hell are you?" she challenged him. She was 5' 6" and had dark brown eyes that burned through straight through him. He gulped and backed down from her intense gaze.
"Friend of hers, I was coming out to get her and when she crossing the street a car alm-" her eyes darkened and her fists clench
"Black truck? purple lights?" he nodded.
"Dominic" she hissed. Rachael looked as if Mark was Dominic and was about to punch him, but she softened when she look down at her goddaughter.
"She needs to go home."
"I was going to do that, but Nate needs to know wh-"
"I got that covered. You start walking that way" she pointed. "and I'll catch up." She was already across the street before he could protest. He started in the direction of Kayla's apartment. Her godmother caught up with him a few minutes later. She reached in Kayla's pocket for her keys when they reached her building.
"Oh hey Rachael. Its been-What happened to her?" the older gentleman jumped up from his seat at the front desk. He looked deeply concerned for the young woman.
"Its fine Bert." Rachael brushed him off, hurrying to get Kayla in her bed. Every time he looked down at the woman in his arms his chest tightened out of...sadness? Yeah he felt for the girl, she pretty much has a homicidal, stalker, ex-boyfriend on her case 24/7. But seeing her right now...not angry not freaking out...almost at peace...there was something safe in this.

Rachael opened the door to Kayla's apartment, Mark followed the older woman around and laid her on the bed when she opened the bedroom door.
"Take off her shoes and jacket." Mark did as he was told, carefully removing her jacket and boots. Rachael came back with a cold damp wash cloth, She took Kayla's pulse and made sure she was breathing all right. She placed the wash cloth on Kayla's forehead and pulled the covers over her.
"Alright she should be fine. I'd love to stay but I have to get back to work. Poor dear."
"I'll stay here with her." Rachael raised an eyebrow at him.
"I won't hurt her. Though if Dominic shows up I'm killing him this time." His green eyes flared red and his arms involuntarily flexed. She looked him over one more time, then held out her hand.
"Rachael Todd." he took it and smiled.
"Mark Calaway."

"So you're the one who threw Dominic out on his ass last night."
"Yes ma'am." he smiled proudly.
"Then you'll be fine here. She should be fine in the morning." She started to make her way to the door.
"Uh, Ms. Todd?" he stopped her.
"Rachael is fine dear."
"Rachael, Kayla kept saying "dad" before she pasted out. Does her father have anything to do with this?" She shook her head.
"No, her father was a wonderful person. But...she's been through hell for years, and that's something she'll tell you about if you gain her trust. Take care of her." she left.
Mark locked the door and walked back to Kayla's room. He stood there at the foot of her bed, his hand found the silver wedding band he wore around his neck. He let out a shaky breath when he pictured his wife standing in front of him.
"This is worse than I thought." he felt her hand on his shoulder.
"She needs you, she needs the both of you." He breathed in and looked down at his shoulder, nothing was there, she was never there, like always.
Looking at Kayla he realized that Rachael didn't take off her bandanna. The bandanna defeating the cloth's purpose. He took it off, and moved her hair out of the way. He gasped when he saw the long scar that started from her temple and ran all the way to the outer shell of her ear. He placed the cloth back on her head. He noticed the air mattress on the right side, he pulled it to the foot of the bed.
He texted Glenn to take Shawn home and that he would see him in the morning. He laid down on the mattress and groaned, closing his eyes.
"I hope you're right Gracie." he fingers played with the ring.
"I'm always right you big grizzly bear!" he chuckled at that. He opened his eyes hoping to find her bright blue irises staring at him. Instead, he was gazing up at the glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling.