AN:

***

The thought of Jake purchasing a gun still bothered my mind the entire night, but I decide not to question him again about that. I keep wondering why he suddenly decides to carry it now. We've been living in Texas for two weeks, and so far, everything is fine.

This morning, he leaves for work, as usual. While I'm about to finish blowdrying my hair inside my bathroom, I hear footstep sounds from downstairs. That makes my heart thump hard against my chest. Ever since the incident of Derek breaking into our house in Boston, the smallest sound and the slightest movement can make me become a paranoid again. I'm sure that Jake has locked the door, so if it weren't him, who else would enter this house?

Slowly, I step out of my room and head downstairs, almost tiptoeing so that I won't make too much sound. My pulse quickens as I finally reach the ground level. When I see the person entering the living room, I yelp in surprise.

My eyes widen as I see Vaughn standing before me. Although it definitely washes away my fear from thinking that some lunatic has broken into this house, it still doesn't erase the shock that I'm feeling at the moment.

He's dressed in a black t-shirt and ripped jeans, his backpack slung across his shoulder. I don't need to explain again about how good he looks, because that's just common sense. And clearly, he looks so much healthier than he did yesterday.

But the question is, what is he doing here?

"Vaughn?" I'm surprised that I can still find the ability to speak. "What are you doing here? How could you even get in?"

"Jake let me in," he says nonchalantly, shrugging, leaving me dumbfounded.

No way. Jake wouldn't do that. Did he forget that Jake once said he would kill him first before he could even take one step inside the house?

"That's..." I falter, my voice barely a whisper. "Not possible."

He stares at me with amusement in his eyes and steps closer to me, which only makes me step back in retreat. "Well, maybe he changed his mind."

I quickly look away to avoid his gaze. "I'm gonna call him." I hate that my voice comes out in a stutter. Being close to him is definitely not good for my heart. I don't think twice before I turn on my heels and totter upstairs.

While I'm walking down the hallway in the second story, my mind is filled with so many questions. Did the two talk yesterday? Did they suddenly apologize to each other and are in good terms now? It's not that I haven't hoped for it, but this twist of bromance is too sudden for me that I almost had a heart attack, especially when Vaughn is now standing under the same roof.

I know that I'll get an explanation once I grab my phone in my room and call Jake. On the way there, I pass his room and hear the sound from his TV echoing distinctly. Right. Jake must have been in such a hurry that he forgot to turn it off. No wonder. He even forgot to tell me that Vaughn was coming!

Groaning, I step into his room. I grab the remote from the bed to turn it off. But then, something catches my attention.

Something even more shocking.

The TV is airing the news, and I figure out that Jake must have been watching it. He's been consistently monitoring it ever since we arrived in Texas, while I'm too afraid to watch the news.

I can't believe what I hear as the newscaster speaks about the person I fear the most. Derek.

"Derek Harrington is due for interrogation for the organised crime of kidnapping, sexual assaults, abuses, rape attempt and illegal distribution of the victim's pornography. The police have been looking for him after he escaped from the hospital yesterday afternoon, but until now..."

My hand is shaking as I drop the remote onto the ground.

What did I just hear? Derek escaped from the hospital.

It can't be...

My lips tremble, my eyes brimming with tears as the darkness that I once escaped from now starts to engulf me again.

Vaughn appears at the door, and I snap my head toward him. "Did you know about this?" I stutter.

Worry crosses his expression as he strides toward me, and I shake my head in disbelief. "Tell me it's not true," I snap.

But the sadness in his eyes tells me that it's the truth, no matter how much I want to deny it. "Melanie--" he whispers.

"Is that why you're here?" I ask, my chest tightening as I think about the bastard on the run. "Is that why Jake let you in?" I raise my voice, and I choke in tears as panic builds up inside me. Now, I also know why Jake has decided to keep a gun.

"He-he's somewhere out there," I stutter, wrapping my shaking arms around my shoulders, pacing around. "H-he's looking for me, isn't he? He's after me. He--he's gonna get me again--"

"No." Vaughn pulls me into a tight hug, and my face crashes on his chest. "I won't let it happen," he says firmly, anger in his voice.

Being here in his embrace makes me feel even more vulnerable than I already am. I feel like all the emotions inside me are being poured out as I cry against his chest.

Is it not enough for Derek to abuse me and ruin my future? Does he have to get me again?

He might just want to run away from the cops, to escape jail. But somehow, there's a part of me fearing that he won't stop chasing after me. What if he becomes even crazier than before? What if he wants to avenge what we've done to him?

Vaughn pulls away to look at me, his arms still circling around my waist. There's so much emotion in his amber eyes, stirring my already messed up feelings. "When Jake told me about this, I was furious," he says. "I've been keeping in touch with the cops too, but I was knocked out the whole day yesterday. I just knew about it last night."

I listen to him intently, and he continues, "I went back to the motel to pack my things up so that I could move here. Jake wouldn't want you to be alone while he's working." Vaughn stares into my eyes, determination in his. "You don't have to worry about anything, Mel. I'm here. Jake's here. The cops are chasing after that bastard." His jaw tightens. "I'm not going to let anybody hurt you." With that vowed, he presses a hard kiss on my forehead, and I close my eyes.

My hands find their way on his back as I hug him too. I hate how weak I've become. I'm not supposed to do this, but I just need him so bad.

Just like I always did.