Ahh I am sorry, yet again! My grandma had a heart attack and it was just really sad and hectic because she had a stroke a few months ago and there's just a lot of tension in my family. And schoolwork has been piling up. I'm currently procrastinating on writing an essay. By the way, don't read anything by Hawthorne. Hemmingway, yes. Hawethorne, no. I can't believe we read both in the same year; they're nothing alike! Hemmingway is greatness and Hawethorne shouldn't have been given a pen and paper. Okay, enough of my rant.

Once I stopped crying, Derek slowly moved his shoulder from under my head to look at me. He smiled apologetically and stood up, careful to make sure he didn't touch any of my wounds.

"You really should go to the hospital," he sighed.

"I can't, okay." My voice is barely audible. I look up at him and frown, "crap, I got blood on your shirt… I'm sorry."

He looks down and notices the blood stain on his shoulder. "It's fine, really."

We sit there looking at each other in a comfortable silence for quite some time. I can't help but notice how attractive he is. Blue eyes, dark curls placed perfectly atop his beautiful stubble-covered face. Yum. I remember that I mist look absolutely ridiculous; blood staining my clothes, hair, and face; black, blue, and purple covering my eye and other various places on my body. I'm damaged.

"I, um… I need to get back to the hospital before your mother fires me."

"Oh, okay," I say sadly. I'm afraid Adam is waiting for the moment he leaves. I shudder at the thought.

"But I can't leave you alone; especially not in that state. So maybe you could quickly clean up and accompany me? If I can't tell anyone, I'm sure as not going to have your safety on my conscience. I just feel it would be better if you weren't left alone for now." He sighed, running a hand through that perfect hair of his. I wonder if he notices that even in this condition, I can't help but look. "And this is my last task of the day; I'm off after I drop the book your mother needed off at the hospital."

"Its fine," I lie through my teeth. "I'll be fine. You're an intern and I know you don't get too much tine off and you probably need sleep. Sleep is good. As an intern, I'm sure you can't get enough sleep. I've already burdened you enough. Just… its fine. I can stay here," I ramble on.

"As much as I enjoy sleep, I actually have gotten plenty lately and wouldn't be able to sleep knowing I just left you here. So go upstairs and get ready."

I realize I'm not up for an argument so I ascend the stairs as quickly as possible and jump in the shower, once again letting the warm water sooth me. As I run the washcloth over my body, I am aware of every mark left. My wrists were sore from him holding me down, and I had a large bruise on my shoulder. I quickly get out of the shower and wrap a towel around me.

Thirty minutes later, we were pulling into the Seattle Grace parking lot. We rode there in silence as I watched houses go by and he paid attention to the road.

"Are you coming in?" He asked as he opened his door and began getting out.

"Um, no, I think I'll wait in here."

He nodded and walked swiftly towards the hospital. I leaned the chair back and put my iPod headphones in, escaping in the music.

Derek returned about ten minutes later with a bag of nacho cheese Doritos in hand. "I figured you might be hungry and I didn't know what you liked so I figured everyone likes Doritos."

"I do like Doritos, thank you," I say as a smile softly at him and open the bag. "So what are we doing?"

"Well, will you still be hungry after the chips?"

"Yup," I mumble as I shove a chip into my mouth. "Want one?" I offer.

"No thanks," he laughed. "So do you want to go grab a late lunch? I think we probably need to talk, or you need to."

Although talking doesn't sound appealing, I owe it to him for saving me. "Sure, lunch sounds nice."

"What do you feel like?"

"I could go for anything, your choice."

"Well, there's a little café up here and the food there is quite good."

"Okay, sounds good."

As we enter the café, I can't help but notice the looks Derek is receiving. I can't blame the girls for looking, but a little pang of jealousy hit when I realized Derek was way out of my league. Gorgeous girls, girls with boyfriends, hell married girls couldn't help but check Derek out. I looked at him and smiled when he looked down at me. Like I said, I can't blame them.

The waitress came and asked us if we'd like anything to drink as we sat down. We were both fine with water. As she left, Derek looked at me and sighed.

"So I think we should talk," he said softly.

I look into the pool of blue staring at me and managed to breathe a short "yeah" in response.

"I, um," he looked up to make sure no one was around and back down to me, "why are you letting this happen."

Anger flashes through me, "What do you mean 'letting this happen'? Do you think I haven't tried stopping it? That I haven't made an attempt to end it?"

He frowns, "that's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?" I spat.

"I just meant, well… Why haven't you gone to anyone for help?"

"I just… he was a good person, he was amazing. I looked up to him and he was almost perfect. I could have loved him; I thought I did. I just… he's not this person, he's not horrible," I begin to cry and he puts his hand over mine as we sit there in silence. I compose myself as quick as possible. "I'm sorry, I usually don't cry this much, I promise."

He smiles sadly at me, "it's completely understandable. You're crying less than any other person would, anyway. But it's just… what you said, people change. This new person isn't good for you." His hand gently falls off mine and he picks his drink up, taking a quick gulp.

"Yeah but… I guess you're right. I don't know what to do."

"I'd say go to someone but really, it's your decision. If he ever lays another hand on you, though, I couldn't forgive myself. I don't want to let you go get hurt, me being the only one with this knowledge. Does anyone else know?" I shook my head. "Well, if he tries touching you, call me." He hands me a card with his number on it over the table and smiles.

"I will."

The waitress must have sensed the new lack in tension because she came and took our orders, her eyes focusing on Derek the entire time.

"So it seems you have quite the fan base," I say, trying to lighten the mood.

"Excuse me?"

"I don't think a single girl has passed by you without at least taking a second glance."

"Oh, come on," he blushes, "that's not true."

"Whatever you wish to believe," I laugh.

"Well, you've been checked out a couple times yourself," he laughs. We had managed to hide the majority of the marks on my face with an excess of makeup, so I didn't appear to be bruised.

"Hah, you're funny. So tell me about yourself. I mean, you are my knight in shining… whatever."

"Knight in shining whatever? That's a new one," he laughs as I shoot him a glare. "Okay, um, I work at Seattle Grace hospital. I'm an intern so I don't have too much free time but I do enjoy fishing, I read the occasional book, Sun Also Rises is my favorite. Favorite band? The Clash. I want to specialize in Neuro; the brain fascinates me. Um, I don't really know what else to say, I'm not a very interesting person."

I laugh. "You're right about that."

"Hey, unfair! So what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Yeah, I'm just a girl." He raises his eyebrows. "Fine, fine. I'm 17, but I'll be 18 in a month. I'm a senior in high school and I'm an aspiring surgeon although Ellis doesn't want me to be one because apparently, I won't make it. Um, I study quite a bit, but I guess you could say that I party a bit too much, also. But I do get straight A's. And I'm in almost all AP classes, two of which are AP sciences."

"Impressive. I guess I'm going to have some competition in the future."

"If I make it. Maybe I'll just be a lawyer. Ellis says that's more suitable for me."

"I think you'll make an excellent surgeon. You're ambitious, you'll make it."

"Thank you."

And for once in my life, someone believed in me; for once in my life, I believed in myself.

Something's always coming you can hear it in the ground
It swells into the air
With the rising
Rising sound

And never comes but shakes the boards and rattles all the doors
What are we waiting for

So give me something to believe
Cause I am living just to breath
And I need something more
To keep on breathing for
So give me something to believe

I am hiding from some beast
But the beast was always here
Watching without eyes
Because the beast is just my fear
That I am just nothing
Now its just what I've become
What am I waiting for
Its already done

R&R!