Hellooooo nebulous wattpad readers! I apologize very much about my absence. It's been a busy summer. Anyway, you've been waiting for this chapter, I know. It's a bit... de ja vu.

~Chapter 23~

 Beep. Beep. Beep. 

 The monitor keeping track of my consistent heartbeats stood to my left. To my right, I picked up a muffled conversation. My eyes opened to take in the hospital room view I knew I'd find. Funny how easily I'd grown familiar with it.

 "Ainsley! Oh, honey, your father and I were so scared... This stalking this has gotten way out of hand. Your father is out right now talking to agents from the witness protection program. I've already hired movers and-"

 "Mom, no!" I blurted. My temples throbbed painfully. "We can't move. I'm not running away now, I'm so close, so close to catching the tail."

 She stared at me, shocked. "You will do no such thing as finding your stalker! That is for professional detectives only. You are a senior in high school, sweetheart, and crime solving is none of got business," she sternly. "Besides, this is your second time in the hospital within two months! No. Absolutely not. We are moving, and that is that."

 I crossed my arms. "Mom, please don't do this. I'm almost eighteen, I won't be uprooted in my last year of high school." How I wished she'd listen to me.

 Mom's eyes brimmed with glittery tears. "Ainsley, your father and I talked deeply about this and we think this would be the wisest move we could make at this point in time. I'm sorry, but this is for your safety and for our peace of mind. Try and put yourself in our positions."

 I shook my head defiantly. "I'm not going."

 She fixed me with her 'mom' glare. "Yes, you are."

 "No, Mom. I'll stay with a friend if you decide to kick me out, but I am not leaving." She pursed her lips, picked up her purse, and walked out of my hospital room stiffly. My heart ached. I hated doing this, but I wasn't willing to leave these loose ends untied.

 Seneva skipped into my room, strawberry blonde waves bouncing up and down. Her navy blue eyes sparkled with... Something. I was doused with a serious sense of de ja vu.

 She climbed up onto my bed and sat on my feet. "Hi, Ainey."

 "Neva," I greeted her cautiously. She picked at her fingernails and stuck her pinky in her mouth, looking at me all the while.

 "He's here again."

 I debated whether or not to take the bait. Curiosity won out. "Who's here?"

 She giggled. "The handsome guy from last time!"

 Flashing memories of sea foam green eyes, and light brown hair filtered into my mind. Was it... He was... Here? Again? Why?

 Seneva carefully watched the expressions flitting across my face. "Daddy's talking to him again. They're by the lelegators."

 "Elevators," I corrected her automatically. "And why are they talking? What are they talking about?

 She shrugged. "Grown up stuff. Did you know you sprained your wrist? The doctor asked me what color thingymabob you should wear because you were asleep. I chose green!" She said happily.

 I smiled at her cuteness. "Thanks, Seneva. Do you know when the doctor is coming in?"

 Practically right on cue, there were three raps on the door. "May I enter?" a friendly, male voice questioned.

 "Come in!" Neva crowed. "It's doctor Mendleson! He's nice," she bobbed her head.

 The middle aged doctor with salt and pepper hair and kind blue eyes entered the room with a dreadful clipboard. "Good afternoon, Miss Winters. How are ya feelin'?"

 I shrugged-- and winced. Ow. "I've felt better. I'm lucky I only received a sprained wrist," I laughed, relieved.

 His brow creased. "Well, I'm afraid that isn't your only injury, Miss Winters. You also have stitches on your right thigh, hip, side, cheek, and arm. We had to extract quite a bit of shrapnel from beneath your skin. As for your cheek, it appears when you landed, you sliced it on a jagged rock. There was a deep gash but my team and I managed to ensure minimal scarring. You broke your index finger on your left hand and three of your toes as well. Not to mention numerous third and second degree burns. Don't worry, those will fade rather quickly. You're pretty lucky to be in such good condition, from escaping an exploding car. You will need to stay here for about four days, or until we see some immense improvement."

 I groaned. "All right. Winter break starts in a few days anyway. I couldn't have timed this better," I bit out sarcastically. Doctor Mendleson cracked a smile.

 "On the bright side, you will most likely not be spending Christmas here."

 "Yay," I muttered, joylessly. After a quick bid of adieu, the doc was on his way and I slumped down into the monstrously uncomfortable hospital bed.

 Seneva peered down at my face, hair swinging wildly. "I'm gonna go spy on Mr. Right." She giggled and hopped off my bed with a child's grace.

 "Wait! I should, uh, accompany you," I said quickly. She arched a condescending brow.

 "CAN you?"

 I shot her a narrow eyed look. "Of course I can." To prove my point, I swung my legs-- carefully-- over the bed, and stood myself up- albeit slightly wobbly. "See? I'm capable," I huffed.

 Seneva smirked. "Just don't clunk," she said, pointing at my foot cast. Green, just like my wrist brace. I looked like a pickle. Or Christmas, if my burns were red.

 "Fine," I grumbled. She beckoned me out the door and quickly scampered down the hall, and poked her head around the corner. I sidled down the wall of the hallway until I reached her.

 "Took you long enough," she huffed. I rolled my eyes. Oh, childish theatrics.

 "Shh! There they are!" she whispered excitedly, pointing down the next hall. I peeked around the edge, my heart beating twice as hard when I saw Him.

 He looked perfect just like last time; really, a heavenly sight. Tousled honey brown hair. A broad back that, when glancing down, curved in from his ribs before tapering down into a pretty narrow waist.

 Seneva smiled dreamily. "I wish I was older," she exhaled gustily.

 I arched a brow. "Why?"

 She flashed me a look that told me she really thought I was an absolute idiot. "Because if I was older, I could flirt with him and he might like me. Right now, he'd only see me as a cute little girl who still needs naps." She scrunched her face at that.

 "Cute?" She bobbed her head. I just sighed and shivered. My blasted hospital gown was as airy as a holey trench coat with even less insulation.

 "What should we do?" Seneva asked, looking up at me with wide eyes. I put a finger to my lips.

 "Let's listen and see what they're talking about."

~

 *Nate's PoV*

 "Dammit, Peters, how the hell did you even get hired if you can't protect my daughter from anything?!" Clinton Winters roared. I watched calmly as he ripped at his peppering brown hair. He paced up and down the hall we were in, while I casually leaned against the wall by the restrooms.

 "I'm not paying this obscenely sum to have you fail. My daughter could have DIED hours ago! Died. And it's like... It's as if you just stood by and watched it happened! I thought you were trained better than this!" He took a heaving breath.

 "Your boss recommended you as one of his best, and I'm now wondering if maybe I should file a serious complaint," he ranted. "A serious complaint! About an exclusive professional bodyguard tracker!" I ground my back molars against each other as he carelessly flung insults into my face. He was really  pissed enough to tell me I wasn't taking my job, the most important job I'd ever had; no, the job with which I had everything to lose, seriously? Oh hell no.

 "Mr. Winters," I began, with all due respect. "I"m very much aware of the distressed state you're in. But let me tell you, before your daughter gets up in the morning I have already run every single check on every item she needs to use in order to survive another day with ease. Her car, her phone, her computer, her personal electronic devices. I was nearby when you requested that I protect her while you and your wife went to the benefit a couple weeks ago. I have done background checks every single night since being admitted onto this case about every person she encounters on a daily basis, just to make sure I'm missing nothing.

 Now when you tell me I can't do my job right, it is extremely offensive. I'm doing everything I can for your daughter, and not just because I'm getting paid, as you just insinuated. I'm giving this case all I've got because I care. But your daughter is very resilient. She won't let anything take her down, which is a major blessing for you that I don't think you realize you have. So, to settle matters, I am telling you this," A noise behind me to the right came to my attention. Two people were breathing softly and trying to limit their movement against the hospital walls. I could only figure it was Ainsley, so I had to deliberately pick out my next choice of words.

 "By the end of this month I will have your daughter's stalker behind bars where he belongs. During that time, she will be completely safe. You have my word," I said firmly, staring into his eyes intently. "And before I leave, may I suggest cancelling the moving plans you and your wife have made? Right now would be the worst possible time you could move, as the stalker would only follow you there and wreak more havoc. Not to mention the difficulties it would add in my trying to protect her."

 Clinton Winters sighed, an old, weary sigh of a person who has dealt with a tough card. "Peters, forgive me. I don't know if you have any children but if you don't, I really can't express how hard this time is for my family. I'm thankful that you're devoted to protecting my daughter, and I truly do apologize for flying off the handle. But I will hold you to your promise. By the end of December, her stalker is to be found, captured, and imprisoned."

 I gave a curt nod. "Yes, sir."

 He scrubbed his hands over his face. "I''ll keep in touch. My wife needs me," he said partingly, before walking off.

 I released a pent-up breath of frustration and lightly punched the hospital wall. This was the second time I had allowed the stalker to slip through my fingers and nearly kill Ainsley. The girl who was the most important thing in my world. Why was I so completely and utterly idiotic?

 CRASH. "Uh-oh, Ainey."

 Oh, Ainsley.

~

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*Sooooooo! Yeah. What did you guys think of this one? I hate to say it but.... THERE'S ONLY A FEW MORE CHAPTERS LEFT! :O