A/N: I am on a roll with this story, and I am so unbelievably excited about that. I give Jed and Abbey (also Aaron, Martin, and Stockard) full credit for being the inspiration for reigniting my love of writing after I found myself in a bit of a fog. As some of you may have noticed, the rating for this story has been changed to M, and this chapter is the reason why. I hope you enjoy!

It was only Jed's lightning-fast reflexes that kept Abbey from falling as her heel slipped on the wet pavement one Tuesday evening as they walked back from the library. His hand on her arm steadied her as she swore softly, hardly able to be heard over the pouring rain that fell around them, and he smirked at the sound. It was strangely endearing to him, and as she looked at him in appreciation, he relaxed his hold.

"Thanks."

She took another step, stumbling slightly, and he frowned as he reached out again, bis eyes worried.

"Abbey? Are you okay?"

"Think I may have twisted my ankle," she said, her voice pained, "It's nothing. I'll be fine."

Each step she took made her wince, and Jed rolled his eyes as he peered at her through the sheets of rain, grabbing her by the arm to stop her from moving. Did she always have to be so stubborn? He threw her arm around his neck, taking slow, careful steps, and as they walked, he kissed her cheek lightly.

"Would it kill you to let someone help you?"

"It might," she quipped, "But if it means I get to be this close to you, then by all means, help all you like."

Jed laughed as they neared her dorm room, hardly able to focus on anything except the next step, and when they stopped outside her door, she gave him a grateful smile.

"Thanks."

He kissed her, not even caring that they were both soaking wet, his hand brushing back a strand of hair that had stuck to her cheek.

"You're welcome."

She opened the door, frowning when she realized that the room was empty, and she scanned the area, wondering where her roommate had gone. Quickly deciding that she didn't care, Abbey turned to look at Jed, still standing in the hallway, and she smiled as she carefully took a step closer to him.

"Millie's not here," she said, reaching up to run her fingers through his wet hair.

He glanced over her shoulder, nodding once.

"So I see."

"It would be a shame to waste this precious opportunity to have time to ourselves," Abbey murmured, her voice low.

"It would," he agreed.

Jed moved quicker than she had anticipated, lifting her easily into his arms, and as he carried her into the room, Abbey laughed, her head falling onto his shoulder.

"Jed Bartlet, what are you doing?"

"Can't have you making that ankle worse," he said by way of explanation.

He placed her carefully on her bed, kneeling in front of her as he pulled off her heels, careful not to apply too much pressure to her injured ankle. He examined it closely, relieved that there seemed to be only minimal swelling, and when he spoke, he didn't look up.

"Doesn't look like there's too much damage."

It suddenly occurred to him where they were, now painfully aware of the fact that she was wearing a loose skirt that ended just above her knees, and he moved his right hand up her calf, his touch light. Without thinking, he leaned closer, his lips brushing against her skin, slowly moving up her legs, and he closed his eyes as he kissed her. The fabric of her skirt whispered around him, incredibly close to his ears as he continued to kiss her, his hand moving to her other leg, taking great precautions not to touch her injured ankle.

"Jed."

He glanced up at her, his position never changing, and her eyes met his in the dark.

"Come here."

There was no mistaking the ragged tone of her voice, and he knew he wasn't imagining the way her body was shaking under his touch. He stood quickly, closing the distance between them in seconds, and as his mouth claimed hers, Abbey fell back onto the bed, pulling him with her. He carefully supported his weight with his left hand, his right moving up her legs again, slipping under her skirt with ease. God, she had incredible legs.

As his lips moved to her throat, he let his hand move to her breast, earning him a sharp gasp as Abbey gripped his shoulder. He carefully slid his hand to the hem of her shirt, pushing it up slowly, placing soft kisses to her skin as it was revealed to him, and as he dipped his tongue into her navel, Abbey's hands tangled into his hair.

"Jed," she whispered, "Wait a minute."

He paused, raising his head to look at her, and it suddenly hit him that she had never looked more beautiful, in spite of the way the rain had drenched them both.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, worried he had done something to upset her.

She shook her head, looking at him seriously.

"No, not at all, but...Jed, how far are you prepared to take this tonight?"

He considered her question, thinking carefully. Even if he had been ready, there was no way they could have sex at the moment, neither one prepared with a condom, though he supposed she could have used some other form of birth control, and he met her eyes seriously.

"Don't worry," he said, moving to kiss her lips gently, "I have an idea."

As he kissed her again, he slipped his hand under her shirt, cupping her breast through her bra, and when her leg wrapped around his waist, it took everything he had to keep his hips still. He was overcome with the need to touch her bare skin, and when he took the fabric of her shirt in his hands he looked at her seriously.

"This is an extremely nice shirt," he began conversationally.

"Is it?" Abbey asked, her voice shaking.

He nodded.

"Yeah," he kissed her hard, "Take it off."

"Jed, are you sure y—"

"Abigail," he whispered, his voice low in her ear as he kissed her throat, "take it off. Please."

He couldn't take his eyes off her as she peeled off the still-wet fabric, her skin cold to the touch as a result of the rain, and as he leaned over her, he ran his fingers over her cheek lightly.

"You are the most beautiful woman in the world," he told her seriously.

She kissed him again, her tongue tasting his mouth hungrily, and he let his hands roam over her, touching every part of her skin he could. Abbey pulled his shirt over his head, letting her fingers trail over his chest, and when he carefully scraped his teeth over her throat, she moaned, her head falling on his shoulder as she tried to remember how to breathe. His hands were everywhere all at once, his left slowly caressing her inner thigh, just close enough that she could imagine how it would feel it he moved it slightly higher, and his right alternating between both breasts, slipping under the fabric of her bra, setting her skin on fire.

Abbey's grip on his shoulders was tight, almost as tight as his pants as he kept touching her, and his fingers brushed over her hips, causing them to jerk of their own accord.

"God damn, Jed," Abbey whispered, kissing him hard, "You're killing me here, babe."

The term of endearment only made him want her more, and just as he moved to unhook her bra, he froze, listening hard. There was no mistaking the sound of approaching footsteps and Abbey met his eyes fearfully. He quickly moved off her body, grabbing his shirt and pulling it over his head in record time, the cold fabric shocking his system more than he had expected, and when he glanced at her again, he was saddened to see that her clothing was also now back in place. He moved to the edge of the bed, pulling her legs into his lap as the door opened, hoping it would be enough to hide his obvious arousal.

If she was surprised to find them sitting in the dark, Millie didn't show it, and as she turned on the light, she frowned at their appearance, her eyes taking in their soaked clothing and hair with amusement.

"What happened to you two?"

"Abbey twisted her ankle walking home from the library."

"I meant, why are you both soaking wet? Haven't either of you heard of an umbrella?"

Abbey shrugged, shivering from the lack of Jed's body heat.

"I didn't know it was going to rain."

"Well, you both look like drowned rats."

"Thanks," Jed muttered sarcastically, rolling his eyes, "Is it still raining?"

Millie shook her head, taking off her coat.

"Looks like it stopped for now."

Jed nodded, feeling safe enough to move now, and as he stood, he leaned down to kiss Abbey, giving her a knowing smile.

"I'd better go before someone realizes I'm here. Make sure you stay off that ankle as much as possible."

"Good night, Jed," she said softly.

He kissed her one final time before leaving, nodding to Millie as he walked out the door, and as soon as it closed behind him, Abbey shook her head, glaring at her roommate.

"You have really shitty timing, Millie."

Millie frowned, looking at her in confusion.

"What do you—oh, damn! I interrupted you, didn't I? I'm so sorry, Abs. I didn't even think about him being here."

She paused looking at her mischievously, a smile playing on her lips.

"So...how was it? What happened?"

"I can't really answer how 'it' was, because 'it' didn't happen and wouldn't have even if you hadn't walked in. But his tongue isn't the only thing Jed uses well. God, Millie, he has amazing hands."

Millie smiled suggestively, raising her eyebrows as she sat down on her bed, crossing her legs slowly.

"Did you really twist your ankle?"

Abbey nodded.

"Yeah. That's kind of how everything started. He helped me back to the room and when we realized you weren't here, he picked me up and carried me to my bed. He started looking at my ankle, and...well, things kind of escalated pretty quickly. It was...I don't even have the right words."

"Better than Ron?"

"In every possible way," Abbey said without hesitation, "Ron wishes he was as good as Jed."

Millie whistled, reaching over to turn the light off, throwing them into darkness.

"Damn, Abbey. You're kind of making me want Jed now."

"Hands off, Millicent Griffith, or I'll use my pre-med skills to dismember your entire body."

Nothing in the world could have prepared Jed for what he saw when he entered his dorm room a few days later, nearly dropping his books at the sight of his father standing in the middle of the room, his eyes roaming disapprovingly over Jeremy's side. He turned at the sound of the opening door, his stern eyes landing on Jed at once, his demeanour making it clear this wasn't a social call.

"Do you have any idea of what you've done?"

Jed, still standing in the doorway, felt his body immediately tense at his father's angry tone, and he shook his head, hoping his voice came out steady.

"Sir?"

"I found out through a colleague of mine that there was an incident here involving the head of the English department and a female student, which would normally be of no concern to me, but imagine my disappointment when I learn that one of the main witness testimonies came from my own son! You're supposed to be studying to be a priest rather than involving yourself in the drama surrounding some whore. But wait, it only gets better. I decide to do some investigating, only to find out that you've turned your back on the priesthood. I never supported the idea of you being a priest, but I allowed it anyway, and now you've gone and thrown away years of time and money! This is unacceptable, Jed."

Jed took a step forward, his mind focused on only one thing his father had said, and he shook his head slowly.

"She's not a whore," he said quietly.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Abigail is not a whore," Jed repeated, his anger giving his voice an edge he hadn't expected.

"Any woman who finds herself in a position like that didn't wind up there by an accident."

"That's not true!" he snapped, taking a step closer to his father, "She didn't ask for this, Abbey's not like that, and she would never do anything to—"

"Abbey, is it? A moment ago it was 'Abigail', now she's suddenly 'Abbey'?"

"You don't understand, she—"

"No, you don't understand, Josiah," his father yelled, shoving him back into the door, "You don't want to be a priest, fine. But I am not going to let you throw your life and education away for some whore who can't keep her legs shut and—"

"Don't talk about her that way."

He knew the slap was coming and braced himself, but it still shocked him just how much it hurt, and he blinked hard, glaring at his father.

"What did you say to me?" his father whispered dangerously.

"Don't talk about Abbey like that. She's not a whore, I'm not throwing my life away, and I really think you should leave."

He paused, his tone colder than he had ever made it when addressing his father.

"Sir."

His father's hands grabbed him by the shoulders, pushing him away from the door, sending him sprawling to the ground, shaking his head as he pulled the door open.

"Don't you ever speak to me like that again. Do you understand?"

Without waiting for an answer, he slammed the door shut so hard that it rattled, and Jed stayed where he was on the floor, trying to control the frantic beating of his heart.

Reaching out to touch his cheek gently, Abbey's bright green eyes met his, the sadness in them so strong that he was almost certain he could have touched it.

"Oh, Jed..."

He shook his head, wrapping his arm around her shoulders, kissing her hair lightly.

"Don't, Abbey. I'm fine. Really."

She sighed, knowing he would never admit otherwise, and as she laid her head on his shoulder, she reached for his hand, holding it securely in hers.

"How bad is it?" she asked, running her other hand over his back carefully.

"Just a little sore. Few bruises. I'll live."

Pulling her closer, Jed ran his lips lightly over her throat, his breath warm on her skin.

"But if a certain pre-med student would like to give me an examination, I certainly wouldn't say anything to stop her."

Abbey laughed, moving to tip over in his lap, smiling when she felt his fingers combing through her hair slowly. She closed her eyes, losing herself in the sensation, and when she heard the sound of Jed's door opening, she froze, terrified that his father had returned. She visibly relaxed when Jeremy walked into the room, frowning at the looks of fear in both of their eyes, and he swore as he saw the fresh bruise on his roommate's face.

"What happened to you, Bartlet? You lose a fight?"

Jed sighed, shaking his head.

"Not exactly."

Thankfully, Jeremy didn't press the issue, rightfully guessing the situation on his own, and as he threw himself on his own bed, he glanced at Abbey, still laying across Jed's lap.

"Hey, Abbey."

"Hi."

He knew Abbey was being polite, but Jed had never wanted to throw Jeremy from the room as badly as he did at that moment, manners be damned. Abbey pulled herself up from his lap, kissing his cheek lightly, giving him a smile as she stood.

"I should really get going anyway," she said softly, "I'll see you at the library later?"

Jed nodded, walking her to the door and kissing her just before she left, taking great care to securely shut it behind her. He picked up his shoe, tossing it at Jeremy's head, glaring at him as he walked back to his bed.

"You just had to come back, didn't you?"

"Sorry, man."

Jed sighed, running his hand through his hair. All he wanted to do was spend time alone with his girlfriend. Was that really too much to ask?

"What's the term for the removal of an associated tubular section of the associated main bronchial passage during lobectomy with subsequent reconstruction of the bronchial passage?" Jed asked, watching Abbey's face as she thought.

The look of concentration on her face was fascinating to see, the determination in her eyes making him feel proud as he observed her, and when she spoke, she gave him a triumphant smile.

"A bronchoplastic resection, also called a sleeve resection."

He flipped the index card over, showing her the answer, and she smiled, her eyes lighting up as she nodded.

"I knew it!"

"Never doubted you for a moment, babe."

The term of endearment fell from his lips before he even realized it, but if Abbey was surprised, she didn't show it, merely nodding at him for the next question.

"Okay, next one," he said with a smile.

"Is there an incentive if I get it right?"

Jed smirked at her, pulling another index card from the pile.

"Only one way to find out."

The low moan that fell from Abbey's lips as Jed pulled her into his lap only served to fuel his desire, her hair falling around them in a mahogany waterfall, the scent of vanilla perfume flooding his senses. Her hands pushed his jacket from his shoulders, tangling into his hair as they kissed, her tongue sweeping into his mouth and she whispered his name softly. By nothing short of a miracle, they had managed to find time alone in Abbey's room, something he strongly suspected she had bribed Millie for, and as he slid his hands beneath her shirt, Jed sent a silent prayer of thanks to God that the other girl had been so easily bought.

He unhooked her bra, his hands moving to touch her breasts, and when he slowly rolled her nipple between his fingers, her head fell back, giving him a perfect opportunity to move his mouth to her throat. He sucked the flesh between his teeth, careful not to use too much pressure, and Abbey tightened her hold on his neck to keep herself from falling backward from his lap. He kept touching her breasts, judging his success by the way her body shook beneath his hands, and he could feel himself growing harder with each passing moment.

There was no possible way that Abbey wasn't at least somewhat aware of this, but she gave no indication, and before he knew what he'd done, he tipped her backward onto the bed, carefully positioning his body over hers. He pushed her shirt up above her rib cage, tossing it aside after he had pulled it over her head, and as he dropped her bra into the pile, he paused just long enough to look down at her.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered.

Abbey pulled his shirt over his head, her fingers trailing over his chest, and he was extremely thankful that she couldn't see the bruises on his back. She kissed him hard, her nails digging into his skin, painful in the most delicious way, and he moved his hand back to her breasts as her legs wrapped around his waist. His mouth was driven down her body by the short gasps that tore from her lungs, and when his lips closed around her breasts, her body arched into his, her eyes closing on their own.

"Jed, please," her voice was rough, "Please don't stop."

His right hand moved down her body, pushing her skirt up around her hips, his fingers splaying over her thighs, and she pulled his head up, capturing his mouth with hers. He broke away, touching her face gently, his eyes locking with hers in the dim light.

"Abbey," he whispered, "Tell me what you want."

She reached for his left hand, bringing it to her breasts, and left his right hand where it was, still resting on her thigh, moving it slightly higher.

"Touch me, Jed," her words were a ragged plea, "I need you to touch me."

"If I do something wrong—"

"I'll tell you," she assured him gently.

He tried to pretend that he didn't notice the way his hand was shaking as he pushed her skirt up, his fingers slowly making their way up her legs, and when he reached her hips, he let them lightly dance over them. He hesitated for a moment before slipping his hand past the barrier of her underwear, unsure if he was doing the right thing, and when his fingers brushed against her, Abbey gasped, making him suddenly panic.

"Did I—"

"It's okay, she said breathlessly, "Keep going, everything's fine."

Trying to recall everything he'd read in those medical textbooks about foreplay and arousal, Jed kissed her again, carefully moving his fingers over her, smiling each time he felt her body begin to respond, and when he slowly slid them into her, he was sure that the moan that fell from her lips would be the death of him. He could feel his own body responding to her, but he shoved it from his mind, concentrating on doing everything in his power to make her say his name like that again. She moaned into his mouth when his thumb brushed over her clit, her hips moving to meet him, and he immediately did it again, desperate to feel her move under him.

Abbey couldn't think through the haze of sensation as Jed touched her, her hips jerking of their own accord each time his thumb touched her clit, his fingers twisting carefully, and when he hit a particular spot, she moaned, her head falling onto his shoulder.

"Do that again," she said, "and do it faster."

He did as she asked and as he kissed her again, she began to feel that familiar tightening in her lower abdomen, making her tangle her left hand into his hair. Her hips ground into his hand, her breath coming in short gasps, and when she felt the orgasm wash over her body, she couldn't stop the moan from tearing from her throat as her fingers gripped his arm tightly.

"Jed," Abbey whispered, her voice shaking, "God damn."

He met her gaze, slowly pulling his hand away from her, reaching out to brush her hair back from her face.

"You're shaking," he said, his concern clear in his tone.

Abbey reached out to touch his cheek, a breathless laugh falling from her lips just before she kissed him.

"Consider it a compliment, babe."

As much as he hated to admit it, Jed found himself frequently engaging in cold showers after being alone with Abbey, but that night, after walking back to his room, he couldn't stop himself from replaying the entire evening over in his head, hardly able to believe it had happened. He made his way down the hallway, quickly walking into the bathroom, and as he stepped under the hot spray of the water, he wasn't surprised in the least to notice that his erection had returned. Though he would have normally utilized the cold water to make the problem go away, he found his hand reaching down to touch himself, needing the release in a way he hadn't in as long as he could remember.

It didn't take long, his memories of Abbey coming undone in his arms making the process easy, and as he came in the shower, he whispered her name, closing his eyes as he rested his head on the wall. He quickly washed his hair and body, not wanting to cause anyone to be suspicious of him, and after he had made it back to his room, he frowned when he realized he had left his jacket back in Abbey's room. He shrugged, making a mental note to pick it up the following day, and when Jeremy opened the door, he reached for the book that Abbey had given him for his birthday, holding it carefully.

"Where have you been all night?"

Jed pointed to his wet hair, fighting the urge to laugh.

"Shower."

Jeremy rolled his eyes.

"No shit. I meant before that. Your dad sent you another letter. I thought maybe he'd hauled your ass back to New Hampshire or something."

Jed frowned, only just now noticing the letter sitting on his bedside table, and as he reached for it, he inwardly sighed. It seemed like his father had made it his sole mission to ruin Jed's happiness at every turn, and as he read the letter, he could practically see the anger seeping out of every word.

"He's still pissed because I defended Abbey."

Jeremy frowned.

"Wait, that's what he lost his mind over? I thought it was because you gave up being a priest. What does he know about Abbey?"

Sighing, Jed sank down on his bed, tossing the letter in his wastebasket.

"Somehow, word reached him about the incident about Howson assaulting Abbey. Probably gossip among the teachers. Anyway, he's pissed because I stood up for her and gave a witness statement saying that I'd seen him harassing her. I stood up to him when he called her a whore, and that's when he gave me the lovely body art I'm still sporting right now."

"He called her—Jed, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but your dad is a bit of a bastard."

Jed laughed, shaking his head.

"Believe me, you're not the first. I think I figured that one out when I was about twelve."

Jeremy shook his head, unable to understand how his roommate could make light of such a serious situation, but since it really wasn't his place, he stayed silent, hoping it wouldn't one day come back to bite him in the ass.

"Why did you choose American Studies, Jed? Family history too strong to ignore?"

Jed shook his head, his arm around Abbey's shoulders as they walked, seriously considering his words before speaking.

"I've been thinking about the way I could make the most difference. I could maybe try to run for local office or something years down the road. Just think about it, Abbey: you'll be a world renowned doctor, and I'll be a governor or something. We'll be unstoppable together."

Abbey smiled, his enthusiasm contagious, and she glanced at him, her voice carefully light.

"Together?"

He nodded.

"As long as you'll still have me. I don't plan on going anywhere unless you get sick of me and tell me to leave."

Abbey wrapped her arms around him, kissing him hard.

"I don't think so."

As much as Abbey tried to deny it, there were still moments that she would have flashbacks to Professor Howson attacking her on campus, and each time they occurred, she fought to remind herself that it was only a memory, that he couldn't hurt her now. One such moment took place when she was passing the library, jostled by the crowd of students flocking to class, and when she stumbled, she felt a hand reach out to wrap around her arm, effectively keeping her from falling.

She knew, logically, that the person who had grabbed her meant her no harm, but she pulled away quickly, fighting the scream she could feel building in her throat. She ran from the area, bolting as fast as she could in the direction of her dorm room, and as she disappeared, she didn't even notice Jed calling her name. She didn't stop running until she had reached her dorm room, crashing into the small space and slamming the door closed behind her, leaning against it heavily.

Her breathing was ragged, tearing from her lungs painfully, and she fell to her knees, closing her eyes as she felt the panic rising in her chest. The knock at the door was so quiet she almost didn't hear it over the sound of her own heartbeat, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't bring herself to stand, her legs refusing to cooperate. It swung open slowly, Jed standing on the other side, and when he realized what he was seeing, he rushed to her side, kneeling down next to her.

"Abbey, are you okay?"

"Don't..." she shook her head, tears falling from her closed eyes, "Jed..."

"What happened? Can you tell me what happened?"

He reached out to touch her arm, trying not to feel hurt when she pulled away, her entire body shaking.

"Don't touch me!"

He moved away, careful to keep distance between them, and she fought to catch her breath, still on her knees, her weight supported by her hands. Jed watched her in silence, unsure of what to do, and when she finally raised her head, she took a long ragged breath.

"Abbey," he tried again, his voice gentle, "Can I touch you now?"

She nodded, allowing him to move closer, and he pulled her into his arms, holding her close against his chest.

"Talk to me, babe," he whispered, running his fingers through her hair, "What happened?"

She began to explain, her voice breaking slightly as she tried to recount the incident, and when he felt her begin to shake again, he pressed his lips to her temple. When she had finished, he merely held her, his chin resting on the top of her head, and when he kissed her hair lightly, her fingers curled around his shirt.

"You're safe, Abbey. I promise."

"Do you?" she asked softly.

"Yes. I'll keep you safe, babe. No matter what it takes."

She closed her eyes, taking comfort in the steady beating of his heart.

Jed frowned when he noticed the anger in his girlfriend's eyes, wondering what could have caused her to be in such a bad mood, and when he asked her how her day had gone, she sighed, shaking her head.

"It was fine."

It sounded as though it had been anything but fine, and Jed looked at her, more than a little confused. Had it been a bad mark in a class? Had she had an argument with Millie? Had he somehow caused her some distress?

"You sure?"

"Jed, I said it was fine! Just let it go!"

She slammed her books down on her bed just as Millie opened the door, shoving past her friend in her anger, and when she stormed down the hall, the blonde sighed, looking at Jed seriously.

"Don't worry, Jed. It's not you."

Jed frowned.

"Is something wrong? Did something happen?"

Millie sat down on her bed, her expression sad.

"She hasn't been sleeping well. She has nightmares almost every night. I can hear her crying in her sleep."

He was silent as he processed the information, feeling more than a little sad about the fact that Abbey had been suffering in silence, and when he nodded in the direction of the door, he kept his voice light.

"Any idea where she went?"

"She's probably sitting outside against the wall in the back of the building. She likes looking at the trees."

Jed nodded, standing up from the bed, and as he walked down the hallway, he tried to think of what he was going to say. After all, the last thing he wanted to do was make the situation worse, but he wanted to make sure that she knew he would be there to listen if she needed him to. He rounded the building, finding her just where Millie had predicted she would be, and as he walked up to her, he made his tone carefully neutral.

"You okay?"

"Jed, I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay. But you know that you can if you want to."

"You..." Abbey sighed, running her hand through her hair, "You can't fix this, so there's no reason to talk about it. It's not about you, and I don't need you trying to make it about you! I need to deal with this on my own."

"Why? Why do you need to deal with it on your own?"

"Because I need to prove to myself that I still can!" she yelled, tears filling her eyes, "I need to know that I can still manage my own problems without relying on everyone else to pick up the pieces, and it's not your job to fix me, Jed! I'm not some broken window. Just leave me alone. Please."

She moved away from the wall, sidestepping him to go back into the building, and as he watched her disappear, Jed found himself wondering how this had all gone so terribly wrong so fast.

Millie was at her limit, fighting the urge to pull her hair out as she looked at her roommate's body laying on her bed, and she sighed.

"Abbey, why don't you just go talk to him?"

There was no response, no indication that she'd heard her, and Millie rolled her eyes as she sat down on her own bed.

"He was just trying to help, you know. You were kind of a bitch to him."

"You're not helping," Abbey snapped.

"And now you're being a bitch to me. Look, it's not Jed's fault that you aren't sleeping and it's not my fault either, but you're taking it out on us like we're the ones tormenting your dreams every night. Why don't you just go apologize, admit that you were wrong to treat him like that, and beg him to forgive you?"

Abbey frowned, raising her head up from her pillow.

"How do you know I've been having nightmares?"

Millie rolled her eyes again.

"You mean besides the fact that you just told me? Abs, I can hear you crying in your sleep! Some nights you wake up screaming and it scares me to death. Now, I don't know what's going on with you, but I really wish you would talk to him. Jed cares about you more than I've ever seen anyone care for another person, and he would do anything in the world for you. Stop being stubborn and let him help you."

Though she hated to admit it, she knew Millie was right, and she sighed, falling face-down on her bed, a loud groan falling from her lips. Damn it, she hated being wrong.

The quiet knock on the door did little to rouse him from his bed, and he buried his head under his pillow, pulling his blankets more tightly around himself. He could hear Jeremy moving around the room as he answered the door, and when he heard it softly click shut, he still didn't bother to move, closing his eyes tightly.

"Good luck," he heard Jeremy say as the door opened again, leaving him to wonder who he'd been speaking to.

"Jed?"

Wait...it couldn't be. But he knew he would know that voice anywhere.

"Abbey?"

He sat up, the blankets falling from his body and he was suddenly very aware of how he must look, his hair unkempt and his clothing more than a little wrinkled. She didn't seem to mind, though her eyes roamed over him curiously.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice slight hoarse.

"I..." she paused, taking a deep breath, "I came to tell you that I was wrong. And to say that I'm sorry. I should have never taken my anger out on you and I'm so sor—"

His mouth crashed against hers, silencing her apology, pulling her down to sit on the bed, and he met her eyes as he broke away, his voice soft.

"Tell me about the nightmares, baby. What's going on?"

Abbey sighed, her eyes sad as she shook her head, not quite sure how to begin.

"It's always dark. Always. I'm walking outside the dorm room and just before I can make it inside, a hand reaches out to grab me and it's him. I try and try to get away, but he's too strong. He pins me down, and starts tearing my clothing, holding his hand over my mouth to keep me from screaming. I always wake up before he—before—God, Jed, I can't even say it!"

"Shh..." he pulled her close, holding her against his chest, "It's okay. I get the idea. But Abbey...honey, why didn't you tell me?"

She blinked, her tears falling onto their entwined hands, and she shook her head.

"I was ashamed of it," she admitted softly, "I mean, I feel like I had to have done something to make him think I was interested in him, or to make him feel like he had some kind of entitlement to me, but—"

"Stop right there," Jed told her firmly, "You didn't ask for this, you didn't want this, and you didn't do anything wrong."

"I was so scared, Jed," she whispered, not even trying to stop her tears.

Jed held her as tightly as he dared, kissing her hair as he ran his thumb slowly over the back of her hand, trying to give her even the smallest sense of security.

"I know, babe," he said gently, kissing her hair, "and it's okay to be scared. I'd be concerned if you weren't."

She frowned.

"Really?"

"Well, yeah," he answered as though it were obvious, "If you weren't scared by nightmares where you were repeatedly assaulted, I would think you were insane. Which, you are, but that's not why."

Abbey laughed.

"You think I'm insane?"

Jed nodded seriously.

"Why else would someone as brilliant and beautiful as you be with someone like me?"

"Easy," she said smiling as she leaned in to kiss him, "it's because your ass looks so good in jeans."

As he listened to the bright sound of her laughter, Jed kissed her again, knowing without a shadow of doubt, that there was nothing in the world he wouldn't do for her.

A/N: I felt that it was important to show that Abbey is still suffering the aftershocks of her assault. After all, it's not something one usually moves on from quickly. To my lovely Guest reviewer, I hope the initial spice was good for you!