Author Note: Thanks goes to damonadark-hunterfan69, and Slytherin Studios for becoming followers of the story. Thanks also goes to Leasha Orton, JohnsAngel22, DeeMarie426, LindaPipeBomb, ctina (guest), Slytherin Studios, and THE Kid Hardy. Thank you for letting me reach the 100th review mark. It's amazing to see the number continue to grow with such positive words. I'm continuing the lyrics from the song 'Cut' by Plumb for the parts with Rydia and Roman. I've also increased the rating to M specifically for this chapter. I don't want to give anything away; but know there is a reason for the change in rating. I hope everyone likes the new chapter.

"You're beautiful, so beautiful

Oh and you hold me tight

You're beautiful, so beautiful

And I can't speak, or I'll cry

Oh I don't deserve you

Cause I always hurt you

Then you'll say the perfect thing

You're beautiful, so beautiful to me"

'Beautiful' by: Plumb

Chapter 25: Brought to Life

Skye could see the concerned expressions upon the remaining part of the group. There was no way of knowing exactly what was going through their minds. The knowledge that Nick didn't want Rydia at all; but wanted her dead was a shock to all of them. It broke her heart to see the utter despair on her best friend's face. She realized that there was nothing she could say to change her way of thinking. Roman was the last hope to bring her back from the void of emotional torment Rydia was swirled in.

"What do we do now?" Mia asked softly her voice breaking with the sobs she was desperately trying to hold back.

"I honestly don't know what we can do if Rydia doesn't want our help or protection anymore." Seth answered taking hold of Skye's hand once more.

"This is my sister we are talking about, damnit!" She screamed back.

"I know, Mia. I'm not saying we should give up on her. I'm just wondering what more we can do in her current state of mind. Roman might be our last ditch effort in bringing her back to herself."

Dean wrapped a comforting arm around Mia. He ran his free hand through his hair trying to figure out something helpful to say. Unfortunately, nothing came to mind. He was just as lost about the situation as the rest of them. His attention was caught by the sound of heeling clicking on the tiled floors.

"Skye! How are you?" Stephanie asked stepping into the room.

"I'm fine for the most part. Don't worry, this won't keep me down long." Skye replied with a slight smile on her lips.

"That's so good to hear."

Stephanie looked around the room to see only Seth, Mia and Dean present in the room. She noted that Rydia and Roman were missing. It disappointed her, because she wanted to ask Rydia about the text message she had sent her. "Where is Rydia?" She asked out of curiosity.

"She's...she's having a hard time dealing with all of this. She left for the night." Dean answered when no one else spoke up.

"I just wanted to ask her about the message she sent me a little bit ago."

"What message?" Mia asked pulled away from Dean's comforting hold.

Stephanie saw the curious heartbroken look in Mia's eyes. The water of her tears made her eyes look glassy. Everything in her mind screamed that there was something more to what was around her than she originally thought. "She said that she needed some time to herself to deal with some personal things. She also apologized for wasting our time with someone like her. I don't understand what she was trying to say."

"Jesus..." Mia whispered.

"What?" Dean asked.

"I can't believe she's bringing that up again. I thought she had gotten over that years ago. Someone like her, please...I'm going slap some sense into her right now."

Mia turned to walk out of the room with her fists clenched. Dean reached out and held her arm firmly, preventing her from doing what she set out to do. Her harsh stare eyed his grip on her arm before he let go. "I don't think that's going to solve anything. Why don't you tell us what you mean? Do you something about her that we don't?"

The Hotel

Rydia stood in the bathroom staring at the mirror and at the reflection of herself. She hated what stared back at her. Everything she had worked for was gone and the one person that actually treated her like a human being was dead. Bitter tears rolled down her cheeks as she remembered who she really was and exactly who she kept hidden beneath the dyed brown hair.

"I'm sorry, Roman..." She whispered before screaming out in frustration.

Her fist connected with the mirror, shattering to pieces. The shards of glass cut and slashed her skin on her hand. The blood rolled into the white porcelain sink, staining it crimson. She fell to her knees in painful sobs as the main door clicked open.

I may seem crazy

Or painfully shy

And these scars wouldn't be so hidden

If you would just look me in the eye

I feel alone here and cold here

Though I don't want to die

But the only anesthetic that makes me feel anything kills inside

Roman pushed the door open just in time to hear the scream and the sound of shattered glass. He immediately ran towards the sound only to find Rydia on the floor, blood flowing from the several open cuts on and around her hand. He reached for the hand towel beside the sink and wrapped it around her hand, applying pressure to the wounds.

"Rydia...this is not your fault." He whispered.

"You know nothing about me and you still say that." She replied standing up from the cold floor.

Roman was taken aback by her words. He's been around her for three months and thought he knew a lot about her. Her eyes held no warmth to them. The only thing he saw in them was despair and anger. "What are you talking about? I know a lot about you..."

"No! You really don't..."

"Tell tell me what you're so afraid of me knowing; because it's obvious that's where this is going."

The memories of the things she was told when she got older came flooding into her mind. It was something that she had hoped that her mother would have kept from her forever; but it didn't happen that way. The anger she felt towards Nick when she found out about his infidelity boiled to the surface and it mixed with her already bitter sorrow.

I do not want to be afraid

I do not want to die inside just to breathe in

I'm tired of feeling so numb

Relief exists I find it when

I am cut

Pain

I am not alone

I am not alone

Tears rolled down her sore cheeks and the pain in her hand was beginning to burn as the wounds were clotting. Roman let go of the towel and saw that there was no more blood flowing out of the cuts; but what hurt more was her pulling away from him. "Why do you still chase me after all I've done to you?" She asked softly.

"Because I care about you. I have since the day I met you. There was something about you even when you bumped into me on that plane three months ago. It's just been all about you." He replied.

"You need to let me go. I don't deserve someone like you. Someone like me doesn't deserve to be treated the way you treat me."

Rydia tried to walk passed him. In a second he took hold of her arm and turned her around to face him. He couldn't understand why she talking that way. He knew that she was trying to push him away for the same reasons as before; but he wasn't about to let her do that this time. There were things she needed to accept and one of them was the fact that he was in love with her.

"Roman, I'm a rape child. My mom was raped when she was first married and because Paul loved her so much, he adopted me as his own. He isn't really my dad; but he cared for me my whole life. He never once looked at me differently than Mia and now that he's gone I fear the bond is shattered."

Roman reached out and cupped her face into his hands, his fingers flowing through her hand in attempts to calm her sobs down. "It doesn't matter to me. Your past means nothing. You are your own person and that's the woman I fell in love with." He said softly and kissed her forehead.

The words made her freeze. The one words no man has ever said to her made her legs turn to jelly and her heart race. She didn't want to believe that someone could love her. It just seemed ridicules to her. Roman felt her stiffen in his arms. Now was his chance to prove to her that she meant everything to him. She was caught off guard by his words and now he had to let his actions prove it completely.

His fingertip lifted her head up to meet his gaze. Her lips were moist and were begging to be kissed. He leaned in closer until there was just a small gap between their lips. Rydia's heart was racing a million miles a minute, anticipating what he was about to do. "I love you, Rydia. I need you to believe me when I say that, because I do."

"I believe you; but I don't want you to get hurt for me."

"It's my choice to protect you. I'll die protecting you, and understand that I'm going to make love you right now to prove just how much I love you."

His lust coated voice of whispers sent her body into tingle mode. Roman captured her lips with his and gently pulled her body closer. He wanted to feel her as close as he could get her. Rydia responded to his every kiss and dance of his tongue until she felt his lips pull away and reposition in the shallow of her neck, trailing his tongue up the base to the lobe of her ear. The action sent a shiver up spine and sparks down to her very core.

Rydia's hands lingered on his chest for a moment before moving them down his chest, outlining every muscle she could find. A soft groan escaped his lips. His arms lifted her up, her legs wrapping around his waist. Roman walked with her in his arms until he sat her down on the edge of the bed. Leaning down to kiss her lips once more, he gently pushed her down so her back was flat against the mattress.

His t-shirt was discarded within seconds and he was right back to her welcoming lips. His hair drapped off his shoulder and tickled her nose. Her hand went up to move it away from her face; but he pinned her arms over her head. She felt the zipper that held her shirt on her body slowly start to open. His warm lips gave soft kisses to the tops of her breasts from their confining black and green lace bra. Rydia arched her back into his caresses, trying to free a hand from his hold over her head.

Roman's arousal was pinned up against her still covered core. The feeling of it sent even more sparks throughout her entire body. His rough hands slid down her bare sides and tugged at the waistband of her leggins. Pulling them down, he tossed them to the floor. She lay before him in just her bra and panties. His eyes lingers on her exposed body. She was breathtaking. "So beautiful..." He whispered and cupped her center with his hand.

"Roman...I..." Rydia tried to speak; but was cut off by his lips covering hers.

Her tongue danced with his. Roman's grip on her hands loosened and she slipped free. Her newly freed hands roamed down his chest and began to fumble with his belt buckle. It didn't take her long to release it and unbutton his jeans. His smile was shown through every kiss and every touch he placed on her body. Rydia slid up further on the bed and he slid between her legs, caressing her still confined breasts. Allowing his hand to slid up her back, he unclasped the bra and pulled it away from her body. A small birthmark was just above her left breast. He found it to be a perfect fit for her attributes and kissed the mark tenderly.

Roman slid down the panties that were one of the last barriers that kept them from being joined together. Her naked body was completely at his mercy. His touch sent her body on fire and there was nothing she wanted more than for him to fulfill her aching body's desire. A touch of blush covered her cheeks and he smiled upon seeing it. "Why are you blushing?" He asked out of curiosity.

"You're staring at me..."

"I'm admiring what's before me. You are perfect."

Rydia looked away from him. In her mind, she was anything but perfect. Her life was anything but normal. She had an ex-boyfriend out to ruin her life and would do anything to make sure she didn't see any happiness at all. Her father was ripped away from her far too early and her best friend came close to bleeding out in the parking garage floor. Roman was the only thing that remained the same.

She watched him removed the last articles of clothing he had left. His body left her speechless. She questioned his sanity in wanting to be with her; but the second his lips connected with hers and his fingers rubbing circles around her clit made her stop thinking about all the negative and think about only to good that has come from being with him.

Roman could hear her soft moans from her throat and loved the sound of them, especially when they were right at his ear. The moment he entered her, a different world exploded within both of them. The sensations they felt were so very different. His name rolled off her tongue and her nails dug into the skin on his back. He knew that she was close to a release; but he wanted to make it last.

Slowing down, he kissed her lips and touched her face. Her heart swelled when she saw the look in his eyes. His love for her was genuine and she finally let down her barrier. Tears of happiness rolled down from the corners of her eyes. "I love you to." She whispered.

He was surprised to hear her respond to his declaration; but smiled nonetheless. Her release crashed down around her and she moaned his name slightly louder than before. It triggered his own and without warning he spilled himself into her. They remained unmoving, staring into each others eyes and breathing heavily to regulate their heart rates. "Roman..." She whispered.

"Yeah..."

"Thank you."

"There is no need to thank me. You needed to know how I feel about you."

He rolled off her and pulled her into his warm embrace. His lips pressed against her forehead as he covered them with the comforter. She stared up at him, trying to think of a way to tell him that she feared for him. She was afraid that Nick would target him next. No words would come to mind and she hoped that sleep would help with the blockage. "Sleep well, my goddess..." He purred in her ear.

"Goodnight, Roman." She replied just as the slumber took over.

End Note: I hope it wasn't too graphic for you. I tried to keep it to a tasteful level.