West helped me into the wheelchair the nurse left here. He also slung the duffel bag over his shoulder and picked up the fast food bag.

When we got to the bathroom, which was nearly the size of my apartment, West helped me onto this white plastic seat that was in the shower and wrapped my feet in a plastic cover so I don't get them wet.

"Do you need help with your clothes?"

I shook my head.

"Okay. I'll be right out here," he set the soaps and a wash cloth down near me and closed the curtain.

I removed the clothes I was wearing, tossing them outside and then turning on the water. It was cold only for a few seconds before it warmed up. Not nearly scalding but warm enough. I went straight to scrubbing my body like always. Until it was red and stung all over. Until I couldn't feel anything but the burning sensation.

"Sammy."

"Sing for me, Sammy."

No.

"You're so pretty, Sammy."

"Sing."

"Sing."

"Sing."

"Sing."

"No!" I gasped taking short hard breathes and scrubbing my skin harder.

Deep breathes. Should he come back?

"Blue? You okay?" West called from outside the curtain.

"I ca-an't-" I broke off when it got harder to breathe.

Sam you need to breathe. He isn't here.

"Hey Blue! It's okay bud. You're okay! Can I come in?" West was right outside of the curtain now.

Absolutely not. He can't see you like this.

I ignored my thoughts and nodded but I knew he couldn't see it. I dropped the rough cloth I was holding and leaned forward to push the curtain aside slightly.

His eyes widened at my red and irritated skin.

I shied away from the look he gave me and hugged myself, "so-orry i'm-"

"Sshh. No worries, Blue. You've done nothing wrong. Take a couple deep breathes with me, okay?"

I nodded and mimicked his breathing until I calmed down.

"You okay?"

I nodded.

He smiled, "good. Want me to wash your hair?"

I shrugged, feeling self conscious about the way my body looks. Not only is it all red but I'm covered in bruises and scars and I'm really thin compared to other people.

"I won't look anywhere but your hair. I promise."

I nodded and turned around on the plastic seat. The water hitting my thighs. I felt West poor shampoo on the top of my head before he started scrubbing it in and massaging my scalp. I hummed, content with the way it calmed me. It's never felt this good when I did it myself. His hands moved down and lathered the rest of my hair in shampoo before taking off the shower head and rinsing my hair in the warm water. He did the same with conditioner and I nearly fell asleep. Once the water went off a fluffy white towel landed on my head.

"I've got some clothes for you here. Get dressed and I'll blow dry your hair."

"You don't have to." I muttered.

"Come on! Everyone deserves to be pampered every once in a while," he grinned at me.

I really like his smile.

🌊🌊🌊

"I guess all this food will go to waste then," West spoke over the blow dryer, dramatically pouting after I declined the chicken nuggets his Mom brought.

He was trying to make me feel guilty and it was definitely working. I'd feel really bad if Mrs. Jones' money went to waste so I reluctantly took a chicken nugget from the box and nibbled on it.

"Your hair is super long. How long have you been growing it out for?"

I fidgeted with my hands, scratching at the skin around my nails until it peeled and I picked it off. I shrugged in response to his question. I felt like I'd cry again if I answered and his shirt already has tear stains on his chest that haven't fully dried yet.

West seemed to understand, he started talking about his cat, Mr. Whiskers, and how he swore he saw him hop like a frog out of the corner of his eye the other day. He said he was gonna confront his witch friend about it.

That had a more childish part of my mind shifting to attention but I was too busy looking at myself in the mirror to react. I had dark bags under my eyes, my cheeks were hollowed in and my neck had a nasty bruise around it. I was pale and thin and just... overall unattractive. I looked almost scary.

When West finished drying my hair, he braided it for me. I had already ate my chicken nuggets and now he was rolling me back to the room in my wheelchair.

"Welcome back boys," Angie yawned, closing her book and standing up, "I changed the sheets so they're all clean now for you, Blue."

I gave her a half smile and a nod, making a mental note to thank her properly for everything later.

"I'm gonna head home, your Mother is probably waiting up for me," she kissed the top of West's head, "goodnight sweetheart."

"Night Ma! Tell Mother I love her."

"I will," and with that she left the room.

"Mother?" I asked, looking up at West with furrowed eyebrows.

West smiled warmly, helping me up on the bed, "I have two Moms."

"How?"

"My Mama, Angie, married her high school sweetheart really young. She thought he was nice so she had a baby, me, with him. She left him when he started being... awful to us. He'd hit her sometimes and push me around a little. Then she met my Mother, Julia and they fell in love."

Love.

"Julia's nice?"

"She's the best. You'll meet her sometime," West pulled the blanket up, covering me.

"My parents were really nice too," I smiled at the memories that I haven't really thought about in a long while. I guess, when I realized they weren't really coming back I decided to block them out of my mind. It hurt too much to think about on top of everything else.

"Papa would play pranks on Mama all the time. He'd hide behind furniture and scare her. He seemed to get more and more creative with it each time," I giggled, "one time he burst right through a wall. Our homes in the ocean are made of wood from sunken ships so they're not very strong. Mama was not happy at all but the look on her face was amazing. We eventually all laughed about it after Papa had repaired the wall."

"No way! A wall? Man, that's commitment." West laughed along with me.

I recalled a few more memories of them, retelling them to West. It all seemed a lot less sad when it was impossible to stop laughing at West's dramatic baffled reactions. These memories, this moment, gave me so much warmth. Warmth I haven't felt in years. It was familiar but it also scared me. Reid once made me feel this kind of warmth a long time ago.

Our laughter quieted down and I was left feeling exhausted.

"You should get some sleep, I'll be right over there if you need me," West pointed to a couch on the other side of the room.

I nodded.

"Night, Blue."

"Night."

🌊🌊🌊

"This way, Sammy. You wanted to celebrate my birthday with me right?" Reid smiled down at me, holding my hand.

"Yep! I didn't know what to get you as a gift so we can just play games or something. I can sing you happy birthday."

"Yes, I can't wait," Reid opened the door to a large bedroom. "This is my room, Sammy."

"Really? It's super nice."

"Mhm."

Reid made his way to a small kitchenette. He pulled a glass bottle out of the bucket and poured the red liquid in two glasses. He handed me one.

"Cheers?" He asked.

I held up my glass and clinked it with his, "cheers!" I exclaimed before taking a sip and coughing, "ew."

Reid chuckled, "that's wine, Sammy."

"I don't like it."

"Give it a few more tries. I know it tastes bad at first but you get used to it."

I nodded, taking another sip and crinkling my nose.

Reid chuckled again, I took a few more sips before setting my cup down. Reid set his down too and lead me to his bed. I felt a little bit dizzy and kind of sleepy.

"Sing happy birthday to me," Reid said, standing in front of me while I sat on the bed.

I nodded, giggling an 'okay.'

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to- woah!"

Reid had shoved me down on the bed.

"Keep singing, Sammy."

"...Happy birthday-"

"...to you..."

I had stopped singing but that had seemed to be enough.

Enough for him to hurt me.

"No."

My eyes shot open and looked around wildly. My lungs felt constricted and I was barely getting any air. I gripped my shirt and tried to lift myself up a bit. The room was dark but I could tell I wasn't there.

I was in a hospital.

My mind was so quiet. There were no positive thoughts of advice to help me.

"I'll be right over there if you need me."

My eyes went to the couch where West's sleeping figure lied.

"Wes..." I wheezed, not getting enough air to talk.

I swung my legs off the side and attempted to stand up, but the pain in my feet along with my violent trembling made my legs give out and I collapsed, now sitting on the floor.

The sound must have woken West up though, I heard him stir a bit before he sat up and looked over at the bed I was just in before they trailed down and found my watery eyes.

He was wide awake now and right by my side, "hey, Blue. You're okay, you're okay. Copy my breathing."

I tried. I really did but it just wasn't working. I couldn't get air in my lungs and I was starting to feel dizzy.

"Okay, Blue. What's 2 + 2?"

I gave him the best what the hell look I could while I was panicking.

"Just answer."

"F-F-ou-r" I sounded it out with each exhale. It came out in a whisper but it was good enough for West.

"4 + 4?"

"Eigh-t"

"8 + 8?"

"Si-xss-tee-n"

"16 + 16?"

This continued until we reached all the way to 256 when I calmed down enough to copy West's breathing.

I slumped against the bed, completely worn out but also too afraid to sleep.

"What happened, bud?" West asked, concern furrowing his brows.

"He hurt me," I whispered.

"He's not here. I won't let him hurt you ever again, okay?"

Tears filled my eyes at that.

West helped me back in bed but I held onto the sleeve of his sweater when he tried to walk away. "Can you sleep here...please."

He smiled, "yeah, of course."

Luckily I had a small stature and we both fit comfortably on the bed made for one person.

"Goodnight, Blue."

"Goodnight, West."

I like the way his smile is lopsided when he's tired.