When AJ got to Alissa’s room, he noticed that the lights were off and Brooke was sound asleep in the chair.  AJ assumed that Alissa was asleep too but he crept in anyway. He decided to take a seat on the other side of the bed and just wait for her to wake up.

He had been there for an hour and had just started to doze off when Brooke woke up and jumped because she hadn’t heard him come in.

“What are you doing here?” Brooke hissed quietly. “You left, remember. You took one look at my cousin and bolted for the nearest exit. I told you that you didn’t care about her like you thought you did. I think you should just leave and don’t bother my cousin again!”

AJ had had enough of all the arguments and fighting. He asked Brooke to come into the hallway with him and she reluctantly agreed.

AJ looked her straight in the eye. “Why don’t you stop judging me! Do you want to know why I left, where I went? I went to find that fucking asshole that did this to her!”

Brooke was shocked and could barely look at him.

“I found him and almost killed him. Marcus needed to pull me away. I can tell you for a fact that he won’t be coming back for Alissa. He knows what will happen if he does.”

AJ started to tell Brooke again how much he cared for Alissa when they heard a scream coming from her room. Both of them bolted in and found Alissa sitting up in bed, sobbing.

Brooke climbed onto the bed to hug her cousin. “Shhhh…..It’ll be ok. You’re fine, you’re with us and we’re not going to let anything happen to you.”

Alissa looked up at her cousin. “Us?” she asked.

“Yup.” Brooke pointed at AJ.

Alissa looked over and AJ was standing in the doorway.

“You came back.”

AJ walked over the bed and sat down in the chair. “Of course I did. I wanted to see you, to make sure you were ok.” AJ said and reached out for her hand.

Alissa slipped her hand into his and started to tear up.

AJ looked at her and he hurt for her. It broke his heart to see her so upset and scared.

“I’m not going anywhere. I promise. I will be here until you leave and I won’t let you be by yourself.” He whispered. “Try to lay back and get some rest. I promise to stay.”

Alissa smiled faintly. “I know you have better things to do than stick around the hospital for me. Are you sure you can stay?”

AJ smiled back. “There is nowhere else I want to be.”