AN: Chapter 2 of this little "three-shot" episode.

"RUN" Freddie had yelled. I didn't want to leave him but he was adamant; he wanted me to be safe and I understood it. In all honesty I'd be of little use to him in a fight and would only distract him. So, reluctantly, I fled.

I had run two or three blocks from the alleyway when I pulled out my pearphone to call my dad. As I did I spotted a cop across the street so I ran over to him instead. I quickly gave him my name, my dad's name, who my dad is and what was happening. The cop took it all in, radioed for back-up and an ambulance before he rushed to the alleyway with me close behind him.

We arrived in time to see the thugs stood around Freddie kicking him. The cop yelled, the goons looked at him and made a run for it. With three of them running and pushing past him the cop decided not to give chase; instead he waited with me by Freddie's side for the ambulance to arrive. Freddie was breathing but unconscious. It seemed to take an age but finally the ambulance arrived. I followed Freddie into it and we left for the Reagan Medical Center on the UCLA Campus.

As we arrived at the hospital I realised that I still hadn't called my dad and that, no matter what had happened, he was still waiting on my call to collect me from Freddie's dorm at the end of the night. I called him, my voice shaking as I recounted what had happened. He had left the house before our conversation finished and soon arrived at the hospital, bursting into the room where I stood watching my unconscious boyfriend.

He pulled me into a relieved hug and my stoicism crumbled; I burst into tears against his chest as the emotion of the incident overwhelmed me. I don't know how long I blubbed for but dad just hugged me close, trying to soothe me.

"What did they look like?" he asked, once I'd calmed down; he had heard the basics (there were three of them) from the cop I found nearby but he hadn't been able to get a good description.

"I dunno, just big and goony"

"Try to think Tori" he said, gently but impatiently. "Anything you can remember; height, build, hair colour, skin colour. ANYTHING that will help us to get them"

I thought hard; I remembered that two were white and one black. One of the whites was shaven-headed; the other had short brownish hair (though I couldn't be certain of the colour given how dark it was). I thought to other identifying marks; tattoos? Scars? I was having difficulty remembering exactly what any of them had in that regard but I did manage to provide a rough description of our assailants. One more person came into mind as I stopped to breathe and think about what had happened.

"Mrs Benson" I said suddenly. "I have to talk to her; I have to tell her what happened" and I left my boyfriend's room to find an area where cellphones were permitted.

I scrolled down the list of contacts and cursed as I realised I didn't have a number for Marissa. Scanning my list I got to Carly's name; at least she could tell Mrs Benson what had happened to her son. I pressed the call button.

"Hey Tori" the bubbly brunette greeted me in her jovial tones.

"Carly, listen" I began earnestly "I need you to see Mrs Benson as soon as you can."

"Uh ok" the confusion was evident in her voice. "She's home now I think, I'll go over. What's happened? Is Freddie alright" Confusion was swiftly giving way to panic.

"He's in hospital; these thugs tried to attack us on the way back from a restaurant. He held them off so that I could run. He's hurt pretty bad Carly, he's unconscious."

"Oh my God" she said softly and I could hear knocking on a door in the background. "Mrs Benson" I heard her voice faintly "Tori needs to talk to you."

"Yes, what is it Tori?" there was confused impatience in her voice. I could tell she didn't really want to talk to me, maybe blaming me in some part for our abrupt departure after Christmas, but the fact that I had called and wanted to speak to her, along with Carly's demeanour, must have piqued her curiosity.

"Marissa, Freddie's hurt; he's in hospital" and I told her what I'd told Carly.

Between her sobs, screams and general horror she told me she'd be on the next available flight to LA.

It was the longest night of my life. My dad told me to go home, my mom told me to go home and so did Trina when the pair arrived late in the evening but I refused; I wanted to be there when Freddie woke up and I wanted to be the first thing he saw. I spent the night endlessly pacing the room, not leaving his bedside for a second.

Around 9 o'clock the following morning the door to the room burst open and Marissa stormed into the room, clutching at her chest when she saw her son laid on the hospital bed, still unconscious. To my surprise a second figure raced in behind her; it was Carly. She gave a gasp and a swallow as she took in Freddie's bruised and battered face, livid bruises on his jaw, a black eye, cuts to his arms and, though they were hidden to the eye, more bruises and damage to his midriff; the doctors had informed us that he had a couple of broken ribs. Our eyes met and she walked over to me, hugging me tight as I felt my tears welling up again.

Carly released me and I looked to Marissa; she was stroking Freddie's hair, tears in her eyes.

"He's a hero" I said, my voice shaking. His mom turned to look at me. "We were walking back to campus from a restaurant; my car's in the shop so we couldn't drive and as we were walking these three guys set on us. They… they wanted to… do stuff to me. Freddie put himself between me and them and held them off while I ran to get help, and to get away from them. He's just so amazing…" I couldn't continue as I lost any semblance of control over my emotions. Carly slipped an arm round my shoulder and Marissa surprised me by taking me in her arms, her own tears falling freely.

"Do the doctors know when he'll wake up?" Carly asked, apprehension in her voice, when we regained our composure and disentangled ourselves from one another.

"Hopefully soon" answered a voice from the doorway; it was the doctor who had been checking on Freddie the previous evening when he was brought in. "From what we can tell there's no major head or brain trauma; he's been through quite the ordeal and probably blacked out through the pain. He's been out around 12 hours now?" I nodded; we'd arrived at the hospital at 9:54 the previous night; Freddie and I left the restaurant around 9 so the fight had happened 11-12 hours ago. "All we can do is wait for him to come round then."

"All we can do is wait" I echoed as I took Freddie's hand in my own, gently tracing my thumb on the back of it. "Come back to me Freddie" I whispered, lifting his hand and kissing it. Suddenly I felt a slight pressure on my hand. My eyes shot open and looked at his hand; it was moving slightly.

"Freddie!" I couldn't keep the joy from my voice. Marissa and Carly bounced to the bedside at this, looking eagerly at our boy. His eyes were still closed but a small smile was growing on his face. From the corner of my eye I could see my dad re-enter the room.

"Freddie!" Marissa repeated my shout. "Are you awake? Can you hear me?" His eyes shot open and he looked around, seemingly bewildered by both his surroundings and his audience.

"M – Mom? Carly? Tori?" his voice was weak and shaky but none of us cared; three smiling faces looked back at him.

"What do you remember?" I asked him as the doctor bustled to his side and began gathering various instruments together.

"Three guys… said they'd…" his eyes widened "Tori, did you get away from them?"

"Shhh. Yes Freddie I was fine, thanks to you, you saved my…" I didn't know how to finish. Innocence? Not really anymore. Self-respect? Dignity? They were probably the best words for it. I could feel my dad's eyes boring into me and I knew that he knew why I was at a loss for words. Freddie just smiled at me before his eyes focussed on his mom. Mother and son smiled at one another.

"How are you mom?" he asked.

"Never do this to me again young man" she began. "I was so worried when Tori called me last night, especially after how Christmas ended." She hesitated before continuing "I'm sorry Freddie, for embarrassing you."

He smiled at her. "I love you mom. I just hope that one day you can accept that I'm growing up!"

Carly took her turn in talking to Freddie and my dad tugged gently at my arm, guiding me away from the Seattle trio and outside the door to my guy's room.

"So that's why you keep wanting your mom and me to go away for the weekend" he stated. I gave him an embarrassed smile. "I can't say I'm happy about this" he continued "but this at least proves that he's as good a guy as you're going to get. I guess I don't have to kick his ass." He smiled slightly before dropping it. "I'm still going to have a little chat with Mr Benson though."

We looked through the door into the room. Freddie was being looked at by the doctor while Carly and his mom talked to him. I smiled at the sight, at the thought that things would be ok between him and his mom, at the thought that dad had discovered that I was sleeping with Freddie and didn't plan on ripping my man's head off. Mostly I smiled at the fact that he was going to be ok after last night's ordeal.