~*~Three months later ~*~

We'd returned to Germany two weeks after Veronica had revealed herself to us. Bill had volunteered to stay with our mother and step father so Veronica wouldn't be overwhelmed with the three of us all living in one small apartment. She refused to go back to her apartment because she was so terrified of being alone. However, she didn't sleep in my bed with me. She would only sneak in on nights when there was a storm or something else outside that was creeping her out. At first she was a bit apprehensive about snuggling on the couch with me when we watched a movie or something, but she was slowly getting back into that habit and letting me hold her closer for longer periods of time. I was taking her to a therapist, one that specialized in abduction/ abuse/ rape victims, which seemed to be helping a lot.

The men who had been holding her captive were still hiding somewhere in that small town in Russia. The police stationed on the outskirts of the town were absolutely positive none of them had tried to cross into a neighboring city and the detectives were still taking their time inspecting each and every building from top to bottom. That didn't stop Veronica from being terrified of every stranger that we passed on the street, when she did leave the apartment. When we did she would stay attached to my, keeping a safe distance from everyone we walked past. There were certain things that would just set her off no matter where we were that would send her into a screaming, crying, petrified rampage. These gradually decreased as she saw her therapist and took the medicine he prescribed. Some things at night would still set her off, though. Especially the nightmares….

Veronica's P.O.V.

I cracked open the door quietly and leaned my head in. Tom was facing the opposite direction of me, but I wasn't sure if he was asleep or awake.

"Tom? Are you awake?" I asked in a soft voice. I wasn't sure, but I thought I saw him turn his head just the slightest bit. "Tomi?"

He turned his head around to look at me; he was wide awake. I was close enough to see the emotions in his eyes- confusion, surprise, and happiness. There seemed to be happiness in his eyes every time he looked at me, now that he knew I was safe. But there was always fear in me, no matter what I was doing, even if I knew in my head I was safe my heart told me to be afraid. Despite the confusion he felt, he smiled at me and propped himself up on one elbow.

"What's wrong?" he asked, slightly furrowing his eyebrows together.

"I-I can't sleep. Can I stay with you?"

His smile turned into a grin. "Of course," he said, patting the spot on the bed next to him.

I cautiously tip toed my way over to him and laid down close to him on my side. He pulled the quilt over the two of us and settled down next to me, wrapping his arm around my waist and filled the already microscopic space between us. I don't know if he noticed, but he always pulled me a little tighter than necessary. But I didn't mind; I liked it. After spending over a year and a half apart from him and two months so close yet unable to touch him, I savored any close contact from him I could get. Even if it made the bruises and burns hurt more.

I pressed my fore head against his chest and snuggled next to his warm body. I closed my eyes, inhaling his scent that was so familiar yet I hadn't been close enough to sense for so long. I felt him gently turn his head to softly kiss my temple before he squeezed me just a little tighter for one moment.

"I missed you," he whispered softly in my ear.

I opened my eyes a little and smiled. "I missed you, too," I said just as softly, then sighed, "I love you."

Tom leaned away from me and tilted my chin up with his hand so I was looking directly at him in the faint moon light coming in through the window. The surprise and confusion was gone from his eyes, now there was just the happiness as well as the undying adoration that was always there when he heard me say those words. He leaned down and touched his lips to mine in a soft, but lengthy peck. Strangely, it didn't make me feel afraid like I thought it first would.

"I love you, more than any words in any language can possibly say," he said, looking straight into my eyes. When Tom looked at me that way, and said those words so sincerely, there was not one ounce of fear in me. When he looked in my eyes and said those words, I felt wrapped in the safe, quiet world I had always gone to when I was alone with him.

He tightened his grip on my waist as he rolled onto his back, pulling me on top of him. I rested the side of my face on my overlapping hands while looking up at his face as he moved his hand gently up and down my back. The soft rhythm of his breathing and heartbeat, combined with him caressing my back was lulling me to the gentle world of sleep that I had been deprived of for so long. Just as I slipped into sweet unconsciousness, I felt Tom kiss my forehead one more time before I fell asleep.

Smoke. There was smoke everywhere. I tried to get up, tried to run, but something was holding me down. I tried to look around, but all I could see was the smoke. I tried to scream, but couldn't find my voice. It was getting harder and harder to breathe as I panicked. Through the smoke I could see His silhouette standing over me.

"I told you I'd bring you home," He said in his dark voice along with his menacing laugh.

I finally found my voice and began to scream at the top of my lungs. I tried even harder to break free from whatever was holding me down.

"Veronica? Veronica, wake up," I could suddenly hear Tom's voice in the distance.

I opened my eyes to find myself in Tom's room, on the bed. Tom was sitting up on his knees next to me. I threw my arms around his neck the instant I saw him. I sobbed into his chest uncontrollably. He immediately wrapped his comforting arms around my shaking body.

"It's OK. It was only a dream. I'm right here," he whispered in my ear trying to soothe me.

"He'll never leave me alone," I choked out through rough sobs. I felt Tom's body tighten around me.

"Yes, he's gone now. He can't hurt you anymore. He'd have to go through every person in this building and me twice before he could get ten kilometers from you."

As time passed, my sobs turned to silent tears. He never let go of me once the entire two hours we sat on his bed with me cradled in his lap. When at last I could be silent, I glanced over at the clock and realized it was almost four in the morning. I looked up at Tom, expecting him to have fallen asleep, but found him wide awake, looking down at me with sympathetic eyes.