**Author's Note**

I owe my thanks to so many of you who have added my story to your favorites, and are continued to be interested in it... and keeping me inspired to get updates out. I have been trying to take on the not so easy task of restructuring some of the chapters that I have already hand written. So, it does take some time to do. Thank you all for your patience. I do know where I want this story to go, and have most of it in my head. It will continue to grow and will be completed :)

Another thanks to my beta, foxotr, for being so awesome at what she does.

Chapter XII: Broken

He wasn't doing a very good job at getting information from her; but he was doing something right, seeing as how he had her in his arms. His blades were carefully pointed away from her; much like he had to do once, long ago. Although, that time he wasn't holding a kettle full of scalding water. It made holding her even more challenging. She pulled away slowly and looked at him shyly. If it were up to him the embrace would have lasted for all of eternity.

He shifted the tea kettle away from her and responded to her thanks with, "You're welcome." He tried his best to clear his mind of her, and focus on the task at hand; making the tea. He filled their cups, and returned the copper pot to its home on the stove.

"I'll clean this up," she said as she scooped the clipped hair off the floor. She surveyed the room again, and asked, "Where do you put your trash?"

"I don't produce much waste. You can put it outside."

"Ok," she replied, and walked outside. A moment later she reappeared in the kitchen, smiling at him again. He didn't think the shock of her actually smiling at him would ever wear off.

She really was a wonder to him. He needed to know more about her. I have to think of something to ask her, quick...before she starts with the questions again. If only I could be more-

"So, how did you learn to do that?" She touched her new, shorter hair.

"I started with hedges, then ice sculptures. Cutting hair came naturally to me."

Her eyes got bigger, "Ice sculptures? That's amazing, and the hedges are all so incredible. I would love to see you create one."

"You can watch me tonight, in the garden. I tend it every evening."

"Great! I would love that...I'm sorry. You wanted to know more about me?"

"Yes," he said, relieved that she had brought it up.

"Ask away," she replied cheerfully.

The first thing he was wondering about, wasn't so much a question as a pondering statement. He was hoping that she would elaborate. He looked at her newly cut locks as he said, "Your hair is the color of a flower. I have never seen anyone's like that."

Her smile remained, and she raised her eyebrows a little in amusement. "I dye it."

"Why?"

She shrugged, "I dunno...I like this color, and it makes me look more interesting."

"Yes. It does. I like how you look."

She smiled, and cast her eyes down, saying, "Thanks."

He abruptly changed topic by asking, "Is there a difficult answer?"

"...To what?"

"Earlier you talked about the easy answer to why you moved here."

Her smile dropped. "Oh...," she said, uncomfortably shifting from foot to foot. She itched the back of her neck and looked off to the side. Hesitantly she said, "Yes."

He thought maybe some tea would help calm her. So, he sat down and pulled the herb sprigs out of the tea, and pushed a cup towards her chair.

Walking over to her chair, she joined him. She sipped the hot tea, "It's very good. Thank you."

He nodded. He didn't want to utter a sound, for fear she may not start her story.

She took a deep breath, and said, "I'm avoiding someone."

She then told him about how she had gone to school with a boy, who was disliked by most people and constantly getting into trouble. She was the only one who befriended him out of everyone that went to that school, but he had always wanted more than friendship. She had known that it was getting out of control; and tried ending the friendship and avoiding him, but it had made everything worse.

"It got to the point where he would threaten to kill himself if I didn't call him every day. I was young and naive, and actually believed that he would. I did care for him as a friend, and didn't want to see him hurt. So, I continued to call him and talk to him, but I always had an excuse for not seeing him outside of school. I even contemplated trying to have feelings for him. I thought maybe I just wasn't strong enough to withstand it anymore, and it would just make things easier...but, I just couldn't feel anything for him...Maybe I can't feel love...Maybe I'm broken. I don't know."

She paused and her eyes fleetingly made contact with his, before she looked down to her tea cup. She had been fiddling with the cup's handle while talking. He wondered what was so interesting about the cup; she stared intently at it, as he continued to intently watch her.

She continued, "All I know is that I just wanted to be free from all of it; but it was very hard for me to figure a way to be free from him. I couldn't even look at a guy without him freaking out, and I had heard of him threatening other boys in school when he found out anyone liked me. His craziness even alienated all of my friends, because they just didn't want to deal with him. And I did tell him several times that I wasn't interested in him that way; I wasn't leading him on."

Again she looked up from her teacup to him, like she was trying to emphasize that point. Her hand reached up to the cup again. He realized it must be a nervousness that made her do that, a lot like how he was with his snipping, twitching fingers.

"Every time I told him how I felt he would go into hysterics, I just couldn't get it to sink in. He was convinced that he was in love with me, and would never love anyone else. I ended up just trying to go a separate way, and end it all together. It seemed like the more I avoided him, the more obsessed he became. After high school, I went to our community college...and the situation continued. So, I transferred to a college a few hours away. He showed up there, enrolled, as well. After that first semester I transferred again, but that time I decided to go to the city. The population is so much greater, I figured I would be hard to find. I also didn't tell anyone from my hometown where I was, only my mom knew. I really thought I was in the clear. I got a job at a coffee house, and it was good for a while."

She paused again, this time breathing deep, and looking off to the window. The sadness of the memories was apparent. It was obvious that it was hard for her to think about all this. He wasn't sure exactly what to say or do to help her. He felt awful, that she had to go through something that made her so sad. She looked as if she was lost in her memories, gazing out the window for a couple minutes.

He urged her to continue her story, "Did he find you again?"

She nodded her head, "One night I was working late in the photo lab. I left and walked home in the rain. I remember feeling like someone was watching me, but I just shrugged it off. I guess I should have listened to my intuition. Maybe it was the rain that threw me off, I never heard anyone following me. When I got to my apartment building, I went inside and walked up the stairs to where my door was. As soon as I had it unlocked, and was going through it, someone pushed me from behind and let the door slam shut behind us. It was Jack. I was-" she paused thinking of a word; running her thumb across the lip of her cup. "Shocked...dumbfounded, I couldn't react. He locked the door, and approached me."

She paused again, acting like she was going to stop there. She had both hands on the cup now, and was biting at her lower lip. He urged her on with his eyes, "What happened?"

With another deep breath she said, "He pushed me around, yelled at me. Told me that I was awful, a bitch, for making him work so hard to find me. That I belonged to him, and that if I kept fighting it, he would make me regret it. He said he would not take no for an answer, and demanded I declare my love for him... and to 'give in'. That's when he started to pull at my clothes, ripping my sweater off."

It had been a long time since he had felt anger. As she was describing what this man did to her, he could feel his blood heat and start pumping harder. He furrowed his brows and tried to control his breathing. She continued to look at her cup, completely avoiding all eye contact with him.

"I had already backed up to a wall...there was no where for me to run. He had me cornered. I was telling him no, and to stop it...but it was like he had turned into this violent person that I didn't even know existed inside of him. I tried to push him off me, but he was too strong. He was pinning me against the wall, groping me, and trying to pull my clothes off all at the same time. All I could do to fight back was to slam my head into his face as hard as I could. His nose instantly started bleeding, and he backed off."

He couldn't help the smile of approval at her action of hurting Jack. In his opinion, he deserved more pain than a bloody nose.

"I slid down the wall, and went into the fetal position. Through my sobs, I told him to leave me alone. He just stood there, holding his bleeding nose, and looked at me with disbelief. He started pacing back and forth in front of me; once again spewing how awful of a person I was. How I was so pathetic and didn't even deserve him. Poe sat by my side the whole time; looking at me with concern, and touching my face with his paw."

She glanced up at him and gave him a crooked smile. He returned the smile, happy that this time she didn't immediately look away. She continued making eye contact as she finished her story.

"It was probably his presence that allowed me to regain some sanity and composure. I started to get up, and he screamed that I wasn't going anywhere. I screamed back to him that I had to use the bathroom. Luckily, Poe followed me in like he usually does. Jack followed me to the bathroom and stood guard outside the door, to make sure I didn't try to bolt for the door when I came out. That wasn't my plan at all. Once I was inside the bathroom I grabbed Poe, jumped out the window, and made may way down the fire escape. I ran a couple blocks away, until I was in a more populated area, and used my phone to call the police. I told them there was an intruder in my home. I then called my boss Vincent, and asked him to pick me up. Poor Poe was so scared; he's a house cat, and not used to so many people and all the noise. I was hugging him tight against me, as I shivered from the cold...All I had on under the sweater was a thin sleeveless shirt...but at least I had a shirt on."

Edward was curious and caught up enough with the story to dare interrupt her with a question. "Did they catch him?"

"No. He wasn't there when the cops showed up. All they found was an empty apartment with some of my belongings smashed. They questioned me, wanted a description of who it was...but, I told them I didn't see the person who did it. Vince was pissed that I didn't 'rat him out', but I couldn't. He would have been able to get out of it really easily, and it would have just further infuriated him. I did stay in that city until I graduated. Vincent's wife Sally demanded I stay with them, and she or Vince would escort me to and from my classes. I moved here so he wouldn't be able to find me again. Hopefully by now he has given up...but I still have nightmares that he finds me. Once you live in paranoia, it's hard to relax."

She went quiet and shuddered. He wanted to try to comfort her, like what she had done for him. He raised his arm and awkwardly wrapped it around her back, his hand pointing away from her. She leaned into him and placed her head against his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his waist. They held each other without talking. Edward finally relaxed enough to rest his head on hers. He knew he should try to think of something to say to console her, but it was hard for him to think of anything when she was so close. She was so warm and it felt unbelievably good to have her holding onto him. He breathed in deeply, closing his eyes, and savoring the smell of her hair.

After a couple of minutes she pulled away, saying, "Sorry; I must seem so petty compared to what you've been through."

He didn't quite understand why she was apologizing for getting upset over telling such a traumatic thing. He had been through hardships, but so had she. He said, "I don't think you are petty." He quietly thought for a moment, then added, "Was there no one that could have helped you? Your parents?"

She sarcastically laughed, "Ha! My parents never acted all that interested in me. A lot of the time I feel like an orphan. They are always too busy doting over my brother and sister, to care much about me."

His only family was his father, and he loved him dearly. He was his whole life at the time, and he didn't understand how you could not have that with a parent. She glanced at him to see the confused look on his face, and explained further.

"My dad is a biologist, and college professor, my mom a doctor. They got just what they wanted from their other kids. They went on to have 'professional' careers. They always pushed that on me as well. I always had a love for animals, so they tried to get me to be a vet or something...anything, other than a barista. I may as well be working in a fast food restaurant. My choice of education was such a joke to them. My dad and I fought all the time over me going to an art school. But, that's all that interested me, so I rebelled against them. It's not that I don't love my family, I just didn't always get along with them."

She stopped a moment, to drink the last of her tea. He did the same, while keeping his eyes on her. She was quiet for a moment, with a thoughtful look on her face.

She looked at him and said, "I would rather be broke and happy; then overworked, doing something I hated, and rich...I didn't end up leaving home on good terms. I do occasionally talk to them, and I visit on Christmas. And they still do a good job at making little comments to make me feel like a complete failure."

"I'm sorry," he said, not sure what else to say. And he was sorry. He was thinking she must have such a fascinating and interesting life; yet, he had had a better relationship with his father than she did with hers. He suddenly felt so grateful for having that in his life; and he pitied her for never knowing it.

"It's ok," she shrugged. "I did have a really good relationship with my grandfather, but I rarely got to see him, and now he's dead. He was an Irish fisherman, and wanted a better life for my mom. So he worked his life away to afford to send her to the states and get her a proper education and career. She wanted him to move here too, but he couldn't leave Ireland. Have you ever seen pictures of it?"

He shook his head no. He desperately wanted to see such places.

"Well, it's a beautiful place. I got to visit him there a couple of times. I understand why he wouldn't want to leave. I even got to go out on his boat with him, and spend some time on the sea. The ocean is such a peaceful place, I really felt happy there. I sometimes think maybe it's in my blood; maybe I am just not meant to be around people...Maybe I'm meant for the sea." She laughed at the notion and shrugged.

The conversation about her grandfather led to her talking more about her childhood. Edward did not have such a thing, so he was very interested in it. He continued to ask questions, and happily listened to her stories for hours. Some were sad, some funny. He loved listening to her detailed description of the place she grew up, where her parents still lived. The small town surrounded by mountains, he would love to be able to see it. Heck, he would love to be able to see any other place.

Her stomach growled, interrupting one of her stories. She laughed and said, "That would be my stomach reminding me to eat...Do you ever need to eat?"

"No. Although, I have before. I like food, even though I can not use silverware."

"But...how do you live without sustenance?"

I must seem like such an foreign thing to her. He smiled at her, saying, "I do need sustenance. I have to drink tonics sometimes."

She raised an eyebrow, "Tonics?"

He nodded, "Yes, Father taught me how to grow and harvest herbs to make the elixirs."

"Oh, that's what was in that lab-looking room I found earlier..."she mused, thinking out loud.

He confirmed her thoughts, "Yes, the laboratory is beyond the library."

She smiled at him, "You really do have an amazing house, I went adventuring through some of it earlier, while I was looking for you. I hope you don't mind that I was poking about."

He smiled back at her, "You are welcome to go wherever you choose."

She stood up, "Well, I need to be going home."

He couldn't help but look down and frown; disappointed to be losing her company.

She looked at his face and quickly added, "I will come back in a little while. Would you like me to bring you some food?"

He visibly cheered at the notion of her coming right back; but then he considered her question, and answered, "No, thank you." He didn't wish for her to see his clumsy and barbaric attempts at eating food.

"Alright," she said while standing up. "See you soon!" She gave him a smile, as he also stood up and accompanied her to the door.

He watched as she crossed through the garden. He then walked up to his window, so he could watch her as she walked the rest of the way home. He stood planted at the window for a while, thinking of her. He didn't want to go back to the kitchen, or anywhere else in his house. It just felt too empty now, that she wasn't in it. He was amazed at how quickly she could impact his life. He didn't realize just how empty and lonely his existence was before she breathed life into it. There was no way he could go back to that, she was a part of his life now...it scared, yet thrilled him.