Milk (closed for heartofcourage)

Susan gasped as Dominic move in front of her, taking her hands and making sure that she looked into his eyes. His gaze was honest and direct, one that she found incredibly comforting. Slowly she nodded her head as he asked for her patience as he explained why she was there.

She watched as he stood and started to pace the living room, telling her how life would be from now on. She felt a little…off put at first but as he explained why he was saying the things he was. She would have to live with him, staying here in this plush apartment with a man that she didn’t know.

He was giving her an opportunity to leave and try to live a normal life beyond the addiction that she was currently suffering. It was a sweet gesture and she knew that she should probably take the offer of a new life, but there was something about the way that Dominic talked that made her want to stay. He was vulnerable, begging, and she knew that was probably hard for a man as proud as him.

“I don’t really think that I want to leave…” It was all she could say and all she could really think about at the moment.

Dominic needed a moment to register what Susan had told him a moment ago. She wanted to stay. She was really picking up his offer, she was really trusting him despite she hardly knew him. He took a deep breath and nodded, showing a soft hopeful smile. He walked back to where she was sitting and offered her his hands.

“Thank you Susan. You don’t know yet how much this means to me. Come, I need to show you something.”

He helped her up from the couch and led her back to the main corridor where he stopped in front of a piece what seems to be just a part of the wall. He pressed his right hand against the white surface and spoke to his home AI.

“Cerberus, open Tartarus.”

A pale blue flicker darted across the skin of his hand and then a door-sized section silently slid back behind the wall and allowed them to step through the gap. Behind the opening, they entered a small but professionally equipped laboratory. White lights and several displays flickered to life as they stepped into the main room of the lab.

“This is my home lab. I need it to…,” Dominic closed his eyes for a moment and took another deep breath before he finished, “…continue my research on a cure. I’ve been working on it for several years now.”

He walked across the room and hopped on the lab bed that he had never actually used before. Many of the other devices were also still brand new and never used before, especially those used to examine and analyze tissue or blood samples.

“So, now I’ve let the cat out of the bag. Now you also know why I can’t ever let you go again. You probably remember that most scientists and programs working on a cure years ago have met rather unfortunate ends, and I really don’t want to join them. My research is also why I need your help.”

Susan actually felt herself give him a smile as he told her thank you. She glanced towards his offered hands and let out a little laugh before she took them and allowed him to pull her to her feet. She followed behind him as he led her from the living room to the hallway, waiting as he pressed his hand on the wall and spoke to his home AI.

She had always marveled at the people that could afford the AI units in their homes. It seemed like such an extravagance and luxury. She knew that there were areas of the hospital that had them, especially in labor and delivery and the operating rooms, but she’d never seen one in action up close.

When the door to the laboratory opened, she glanced around a state of the art facility. She was in awe, her eyes wide as she looked around at all the equipment that he had managed to bring to his home. It was a risky operation she knew but it seemed that Dominic was fearless when it came to finding a cure.

“So…is this where I’m suppose to live?” She asked, glancing from a panel of equipment towards Dominic as he sat on the neat and tidy bed.

He looked at her when she asked if she was supposed to live in the lab. His face was an expression of surprise and slight confusion. The thought of locking her up in this small laboratory, trapped behind the secret door was appalling to him.

“What? No! No Susan, I would never want to lock you up in here. You’ll live with my in the apartment. I just wanted to show you what I’m working on, and where. Still, you will need to stay at home for some time until things settled down a bit.”

Dominic dropped off the bed and walked over to her, taking her small hands in his and holding them gently.

“Look, it’s not that I wouldn’t trust you, but the risk and danger for us both is just too high. Someone took great care to prevent a cure or antidote for Milk and didn’t even stop from blowing up labs and shooting researchers. I wasn’t exaggerating when I said that, if the knowledge you now have got to the wrong person, we wouldn’t survive the night. But let’s go back, there’s nothing for us to do in here right now.”

He led her back to the rest of the apartment and sealed the laboratory off again. Deciding to show her the rest of his space, he gave her a small tour through the small eating corner next to the kitchen, his bedroom and the bathroom.

“And that’s it. I’m sorry I can’t offer you a guestroom for yourself, but I’m sure we’ll manage something between the bed and the couch. Tomorrow I’ll also introduce you to Cerberus, my home AI. He won’t let you out or let you make any calls other than to my phone, but you’ll be able to order clothes and food and whatever else you might need. I’m sure there are things you want to get from your own place, which we can also do tomorrow.”

Dominic seemed genuinely surprised when she asked if she would be sleeping in the lab. She had just assumed that he would want to keep her there. She nibbled on her bottom lip as he hopped off the bed and walked towards her, his warm hands holding hers as he explained the situation.

“I understand.” She said softly as he led her back into the apartment, showing off the kitchen, dining room and master bedroom.

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly ask you to sleep on the couch in your own home. I insist on sleeping in the living room.” She said, her dark eyes turning towards him and letting him know that she meant business.

Thinking about what she wanted from her own home, she thought about having to tell her father about what was going on. He would no doubt worry about her if she didn’t at least check in. Maybe she didn’t have to tell him what had happened with the hospital, only that she’d found someone new and she’d moved in with him.

“There’s a few things I’d like to get, of course. Not too much though. I’m sure you wouldn’t want all of my stuff cluttering up your nice clean space.” She said, managing a smile for him as she slowly sat back down on his nice, cushy sofa.

“Nice and clean? I’m terrible at that. If it wasn’t for the cleaning service this place would be a mess. Don’t worry, we will get whatever you want and we will find a place for them. I don’t like the thought of you leaving personal things behind because they wouldn’t fit in on the shelf or something like that.”

Dominic smiled softly as he reassured her, even teasing her a little, hoping it would make her feel a bit better with the arrangement she’d agreed into. He sat down next to her and took a deep breath.

“So… you probably wonder what it is that I need your help for. I will be completely honest with you. You see, doing this kind of research is very time consuming, especially since I have to do it in secrecy. I can only run simulations on my home AI, and those take over two days before I see any results. This means that I can make at most three modifications or adjustments per week, since I have to wait for the simulations to return their results.”

He fidgeted a little with the buttons on his sleeves as he continued explaining his intentions to her.

“If I had someone suffering from the condition I could read the reactions directly after applying the serum. It would be a matter of minutes before I saw results. It would speed up my research by two or three times, perhaps even more. With your help I could...”

Dominic saw the irritation on her face and reached over to her, taking her hands in his.

“I know what you think right now Susan, but please believe me. You’re not just a test subject or lab rat or something like that for me. I really do care about you and want to help you. But I need your help as well.”

Again, Dominic took her hands to reassure her, letting her know that what he was saying wasn’t all that bad. Bowing her head slightly, her curls tumbling into her face, she thought about what he was saying. She would be experimented on and it would probably help hundreds of other women if they found a cure. Who was she to say no to that?

“While I really don’t like the idea of being a lab rat, I guess I can understand.” She said, turning her head to look at him with a shrug of her narrow shoulders. “Dominic, my situation is unfortunate and, yeah, I admit that I am in a pretty dark place right now, but I can see that this will help in the future.”

She squeezed his hands back, letting him know that she wasn’t going to go anywhere and that he didn’t have to worry. She had just as much at stake with this arrangement as he did. If it got out that she was addicted to Milk, she very well might disappear into a dark world that she wouldn’t be able to escape from.

“I trust you. I know that we just met, but I really do trust you.” She murmured softly, as if it were a secret between the two of them.

“Thank you Susan. You don’t know how much this means to me.”

Dominic releasead her hands from his hold and gently wrapped his arms around her shoulders, hugging her softly. He had to admit to himself that feeling her so close to him, holding her in his arms, felt really good. It had been so long since he had been with a woman, but he banished the mere thought as quickly from his mind as it appeared. He sat back and cleared his throat before he continued.

“And just for the protocol, you aren’t a ‘lab rat’. I know it sounds like that on the cover, but really, you aren’t. Actually, you don’t even have to do this if you don’t want to. I’ll never force you into anything. But if you want to help, I’d really appreciate it.”

Dominic took a deep breath, stifling a yawn, before he looked right into her eyes and continued.

“I promise that I’ll always tell you the truth about what I need from you and what is going to happen. I’ll never lie to you about my research. I also want to show you my current progress, but I think tomorrow or on Sunday would be a better time for that, I guess it’s getting a bit late.”

Glancing at his wristwatch, Dominic saw that it was already far past midnight. He could not believe that all the recent events took place in only two hours. It still seemed unreal to him. Having saved the young woman from killing herself, to eating out with her, bringing her back home, and convincing her to help him with his “hobby”.

“I’ll help you setting up the couch for sleeping, but the offer with the bed still stands.”

“I’m not taking your bed from you.” She said with a small smile on her face as she stood up and waited for him to lead the way.

Susan stood beside him as he pulled a fresh set of sheets and a blanket from his hall closet. Taking that, she made her way back into the living room and started to make herself a place to sleep as he retrieved a pillow.

“Dominic, do you have a shirt I can borrow to sleep in? I’ve been in these scrubs all day and I would kill for something to change into.” She called over her shoulder as she spread the blanket over the top sheet.

Glancing around the apartment yet again, Susan couldn’t believe what a wild turn her life had taken in just the last few hours. It made her head spin to realize that there was nothing normal about this entire situation. She was an addict, jobless, and sleeping in a man’s apartment that she barely knew.

The pain her belly was slowly returning and she sucked in a harsh breath to deal with the growing pain. By the time Dominic returned, she was doubled over the sofa, clutching her belly tightly with her hands as a thin sheen of sweat covered her dark skin.

“Help me…” She whimpered, her eyes clenched tightly as the pain became nearly unbearable.

Dominic nodded softly and returned her smile before leading her out of the living room. In the hall, he handed her sheets and a blanket for her improvised bed. Back in the living room, he removed the cushions from the couch so that she had more space to lie on while she started unfolding the sheets.

“Yes, of course. If you want, you can also take a shower, I don't mind.”

He headed into the bedroom and searched through his wardrobe, finally finding a white t-shirt that was long enough to cover her. Dominic walked back to her, but instantly dropped the shirt when he saw her hunched over in pain, jumping to her side.

“Susan!”

He knew she was suffering from withdrawal again, and it would only be getting worse much faster from this point on. He had hoped it would not happen so soon, but now he had to deal with it. Softly pushing her over to lie down on her side, he pressed his hand against her flat belly, his other arm wrapped around her shoulder to hold her close.

“Breath. It will pass soon, just hold on. I’m here Susan. Breath!”

Dominic held her for several more moments until the pain eventually started to fade. He saw the tears on her face and it broke his heart to see her like this, even more knowing what she needed to do to find relieve. Trying to comfort her as best as he could, he pulled her into a tender embrace, rocking her softly as he whispered.

“It’s okay Susan. I’m here.”

He released her from his arms and helped her to sit up. The situation was awkward for both of them, but before she could ask him about her fix they both knew she needed very soon, he put his finger on her lips.

“Shhh, I know. Just give me a few minutes, I’ll be right back.”

Dominic quickly left the living room and Susan could hear him entering his lab and closing it behind him. A couple of minutes later he returned, his face a bit flushed and his breath a little faster, holding a test tube in his hand which was half-full with a creamy white liquid. The tube was closed with a screw cap and she could feel the soft warmth of the contained liquid through the thin walls after he handed it to her.

“Here. I... I'll wait in the hallway...”

It was obvious what the white liquid was and what he had done, but the volume and consistency was not normal for a human. In the advent of genetic modifications, there had been a huge rave with men getting treatments to alter their semen and some of those trends continued today. The possible changes ranged from gaining absurd amount of cum, to changes of its consistency, and ended with adding some colors and flavors. Dominic obviously also had gotten one of those treatments, probably a relic of a wild youth as he did not strike her as the type to get something like this at his age.

Susan was sobbing by the time Dominic came into the room and her senses were focused on the pain that was stabbing her belly. Dominic’s words were a blur and she barely felt his touch as he pressed her over onto her side. She would have never thought in her life that the pain of Milk withdraw could really be this bad. She’d seen many women in the throws of it, but it was mind blowing.

She knew the moment that he left and when he returned, he placed a tube in her hand, telling her that he would wait in the hallway. She looked towards it, knowing that he was giving her what she needed to get through the withdraw. She nodded and instantly unscrewed the cap, bringing it to her lips and downing the still warm cum as quickly as she could.

It was amazing how fast the pain started to subside. The sharp pain became a dull ache before she was left with nothing but the feeling of sore muscles. Blowing out a long breath, she slowly turned onto her back and stared at his ceiling. She was spent, completely and totally unable to move.

“Dominic?” She called out after a few moments, her eyes turning towards him as she saw him enter the living room. “Would you help me?”

Her cheeks turned a rosy shade and she held up a shaking hand, waiting for him to step forward so she could get off the floor.

He waited for what felt like hours before he heard her weak call. Quickly he walked back into the living room, finding her still on the ground where she had dropped, the test tube lying on the carpet next to her. With a couple of swift steps, he moved over to her, kneeling down beside her and taking her shaking hand.

“I’m here Susan, I’m here. Wait, I’ll help you get up.”

Dominic gently squeezed her hand before reaching around her and pulling her against him. Moving one arm around her shoulders and the other under her knees, he leaned back and pulled her up. He carefully took a step, and then placed her gently down on the couch. With a tender touch, he brushed a strand of hair out of her face. His lips formed into a soft smile, but his eyes were full of concern for Susan.

“How are you? Does it still hurt? Are you feeling a bit better?”

He then noticed he was again holding Susan’s hand, not remembering when he took it again. His eyes looked at her small hand in his own, the contrast of their skin’s colors, surprised by how good the skin contact felt.

Susan moaned slightly in pain as he reached around her and pulled him against her. Her muscles ached and she felt sore all over, but he was trying to be as gentle as he possibly could. When he lifted her off the ground, she whimpered and then sighed with release as she was placed upon the couch. The soft surface enveloped her as Dominic leaned over her body, brushing the strands of hair out of her face.

“I’m sore, otherwise alright.” She said softly as he took her hand and held it gentle, his eyes holding such gentle concern for her wellbeing that it made her choke up slightly.

“I promise, Dominic. I’m alright.” She said, squeezing his hand back to let him know that she was truly with him and not going anywhere.

She told him that she was alright, softly squeezing his hand back. This simple gesture of reassurance was enough to make him smile more and breathe a soft sight of relief. Dominic held her hand for a moment longer before letting her go, almost reluctantly sliding away to the next seat to give her a little more space.

“Oh, your nightshirt. Wait a second, I’ll get you a fresh one.”

Dominic stood up and headed out of the living room, picking up the shirt he had dropped before, and walked into the bedroom to grab a fresh one. He dropped the other one in the laundry basket before heading back to the living room. When he came back, he stood there mesmerized for a second, his gaze lingering on Susan’s form longer than he had wanted. Even in her current condition, sore and exhausted from the withdrawal, she was simply gorgeous.

He quickly shook his head and chastised himself for the direction into which his thoughts were heading. This was not a date, but he was almost as nervous as a teenager was on his first one. It had been six years since his last time with a woman, but still, he must keep his urges in check. He walked over to thge couch and handed the white t-shirt to Susan.

“Here, it’s the best thing I could find. I hope it fits at least somewhat.”

Susan watched as he handed her the t-shirt. She gave him a weak smile, the shy nature that he had around her telling her that he was incredibly nervous. It was sweet, she thought, and she knew in the bottom of her heart that Dominic cared about her.

“It’ll be fine. I’ll get changed and then maybe we can talk some more? Maybe over some coffee?” She asked him softly, waiting until he agreed before she set about changing from her scrubs.

The moment he was out of the living room, she gathered her strength to stand and pull off her scrubs. She kicked them into a pile, knowing that she wouldn’t ever put them on again. She knew she could go back into the medical profession and the very thought broke her heart. She had always wanted to help people who were sick or in danger…and now all of those hopes were gone in an instant.

Reaching behind her back, she unsnapped her white bra, sighing as her breasts bounced free of the material. There was nothing better than taking off her bra at the end of a long day. She took a moment to run her hands across her skin, shivering at the contact of her hands against her hard nipples before she slipped on the white shirt that had been given to her.

Leaving on her panties, she felt halfway decent. The shirt hung down to the tops of her thighs, covering everything that was essential. She supposed that she didn’t really mind if Dominic saw anything else either. She was starting to like him, actually.

“Can I have two sugars and some cream in my coffee?” She asked, entering the kitchen to help him prepare the mugs.

Her question for coffee took him a bit off guard, considering how late it was, but who was he, to deny her this simply wish. Dominic nodded and replied to her with a soft smile, before he turned to leave for the bedroom to give her some privacy to change.

“Of course, if you want to. I hope you don’t mind me skipping the coffee thou. I’m not much of a coffee drinker, especially late at night. But I guess a cup of hot chocolate is alright.”

He quickly closed the door behind him as he entered the bedroom and let out a deep sigh. He only hoped he would survive the cup of coffee, or hot chocolate, without messing it up. When he had handed her the t-shirt it hit him like lightning. Giving her a white shirt was a bad idea, but he did not have anything else in his wardrobe, which could have served as her nightshirt. Why did she just have to be so gorgeous? He took a quick stop in the bathroom, washing his arms and face with cold water to calm down a bit.

Dominic checked his watch and opened the bedroom door, carefully walking back towards the living room. He did not want to peep on her, but at one point, he would have to get to the kitchen to make their drinks. He stood in the hallway and called out to her, not wanting to walk in on her while she was still changing.

“Susan? Are you done? Can I come back?”

Her response was positive and so he walked around the corner, heading for the kitchen, as was she. The sight of her was breathtaking, and for a moment, he just stood there dumbfounded and stared at her. The white shirt was in stark contrast to her ebony skin, and he could see the outline of her dark nipples as they poked against the fabric. She just walked around the counter, giving him a full view of her, and asked for sugar and cream for her coffee. Dominic cleared his throat and replied while he was keeping himself busy with the machine.

“Yes, yes of course. The sugar is in the right cupboard, and the refrigerator is over there, cream in the top right compartment.”

Soon the scent of hot coffee filled the kitchen and living room, and Dominic was keeping himself busy with preparing his hot chocolate. Eventually he ran out of things to do and his eyes started wandering over to Susan, drawing in her delicate frame standing in his kitchen. He drew a deep breath and smiled, forcing himself to look at her face as he talked to her.

"So, what do you want to talk about? I think we still didn't get to your questions, and I guess you have lots of them. But one thing first, tomorrow we'll go shopping. I can't have you run around in just t-shirt and underwear, after all."

“Oh, Dominic, I can’t let you buy me new clothes. If you would just take me back to my apartment, I can grab my things.” Susan said softly as she took a sip of the hot brew, turning towards him in time to watch his eyes drift along her half clothed figure.

She blushed slightly and glanced down her body at that, noticing the way that her dark nipples were almost showing through the thin cotton fabric. What must he think of her, she thought to herself as she slowly raised her gaze back towards his.

“Dominic…I’m flattered by the way that you look at me…but do you really think that a guy like you would want anything to do with a girl like me? I mean, you can do so much better than a failed doctor who is an addict.” She said softly, her heart breaking as she said those words.

When she told him that she had noticed his looks he instantly blushed, nervously putting his half-empty cup of chocolate on the counter. Inside he cringed, having been caught peeping on her when he had promised to help and protect her. He chided himself silently. Very smooth Dominic, way to go to get her to like you. Now she probably thinks you’re some old creep peeping on her.

“I… I’m sorry Susan, I didn’t mean to stare, I just…”

Dominic took a deep breath before he turned to face Susan again, his cheeks still being a clearly visible shade of red. He forced his eyes to look straight in her face, not lingering on her tempting body on the way up.

“Look, I really didn’t want to stare. And I’m really sorry for it. I know I shouldn’t have done it. It’s just that… that you’re a very beautiful young woman.”

He picked up his cup and took another gulp, only now remembering the rest of her words. Why did she say that? Did she think he was interested in a relationship with her? It was not that he did not like her, but he barely knew her. Even more, she now depended on him, and he would never abuse her condition or situation to get into her pants.

“And what do you mean with not wanting anything to do with you? You are a strong and smart young woman. The addiction was forced on you; it wasn’t your fault. I should rather ask if a woman like you would want anything to do with a guy like me. I’m an idealistic dreamer old enough to be your father, never leaving the house without my tin foil hat and plotting against the rest of the world.”

Susan was taken back by his words. He hadn’t been thinking about a relationship with her? Wasn’t that the way that the world worked now? A pretty girl would catch the eye of a handsome man that they were enter into a relationship to protect one another from what was happening outside? Most turned out to be addicts in the end, but it was the way that she’d always grown up.

“Dominic, you’re a handsome man and any girl would be blessed to have you with them. I guess…I guess after the last time I’m a little skittish about men in my life.” She said softly, ashamed that she would even try to compare him to her ex-boyfriend.

She let out a little sigh and placed her coffee cup on the counter. “It’s been a long day. I think I’m going to call it a night.”

With that, she quickly went to make her way out of the kitchen. She paused though as she drew up next to him, her dark gaze finding his and she leaned forward, kissing his cheek gently. “Thank you for pulling me off that bridge.”

It was all she could say as she moved past him and into the living room. She made her bed and lay down on the sofa, pulling the blanket up and over her head to escape from the world around her. It was all so confusing when everything had once been so sunny and bright.

The way she looked at him when she called him handsome made him miss a breath. He knew he had told her that she would have to stay very close to him for a while, but he had not thought of it this way. She was so young and likely had completely different ideas about how to spend her free time than he did. In his mind, it was almost impossible for them to form a long lasting relationship; they were probably just too different.

Then Susan said she wanted to go to bed, and Dominic readily nodded his head in agreement. He was also tired, and having a prolonged conversation right now would only end up awkwardly. Getting some sleep would give them both a chance to clear their minds and look at the situation with a little more distance the next day.

“Yes, I guess that would be the best. It’s been a long day for both of us. Good night Susan, sleep well.”

The kiss on his cheek left Dominic mesmerized for a second and he just stared in her eyes with a surprised expression on his face, before she finally turned and left the kitchen. He softly touched the location of her kiss with his fingers and mumbled a soft reply, wondering about how well they might get along.

“You’re welcome…”

His eyes followed Susan for a few more moments, watching as she unfolded the sheets and blankets to prepare her bed and then laid down. She pulled the blanket over her head, and Dominic’s heart ached at the sight, as he could imagine how lonely and insecure she probably felt right now about the future.

Dominic silently left the kitchen and returned to his bedroom, looking at the large empty bed. Part of him wanted to go back to her, hug her and hold her, and let her sleep in his bed instead of on the couch. However, another part of him was struggling strongly against this idea, convinced that this would be simply abusing her condition despite her gentle kiss. Letting out a heavy sigh, he changed into his pajamas and went to bed, giving a last command to his semi-AI as he pulled up the blanket.

“Cerberus, activate night watch.”

“Affirmative, Hades. Initiating night watch program.”

Dominic lay awake for over an hour, his thoughts still turned around the events of the day, and the young woman sleeping in the living room. Eventually, though, his mind calmed and he fell into a deep slumber.

Susan waited until she heard Dominic slip into his bedroom before she pulled the blanket from around her head. She sighed deeply and stared at the stark white ceiling, her mind churning with everything that had happened to her. She couldn’t believe the hard turn that her life had taken. It all made her want to weep with injustice, but she supposed that would be a disservice to Dominic and everything that he had already done for her.

She found she was too restless to just lie there and soon she was kicking off her blankets, pacing around the room as her thoughts continued to unfold. She felt so lonely, so used…so angry. She wanted to make sure that her ex-boyfriend was brought to justice, but she was unsure of how to do that. Perhaps Dominic would have some way to help her with that.

Pushing her fingers through her hair, she pulled at her tresses slightly, a long, low sigh leaving her lips. Ever so quietly, she made her way towards Dominic’s room, gently pushing open the door and looking inside. He was asleep, the sounds of his breathing reaching her ears. She wanted to talk to him, to fill that aching void left by her doubts, but it would have to wait until morning.

Leaving him alone, Susan made her way back into the living room and settled beneath her blankets again, her eyes closing and a fitful sleeping finally falling upon her.

Dominic stirred and woke as the rays of the morning sun lightened up his face. He breathed a deep yawn and stretched, pushing the blanket aside. Sitting up, he blinked the sleep from his eyes and crawled out of bed.

“Good morning, Hades. Two unusual incidents recorded by night watch program.”

He was on the way to the bathroom when the report of his home AI made him freeze. Two incidents? He had never had any incidents, and now all of a sudden there were two. Fearing for the worst, he changed course towards the large monitor in front of the bed.

“Cerberus, show incidents on monitor SR0.”

The screen flared to life and showed the recording of the “incidents.” Dominic did not let Cerberus constantly record everything in his apartment; instead, he had programmed the AI to make visual records only if the sensors detect something out of place. Dominic watched the videos and could not help smiling softly. He watched Susan on the screen as she paced around the living room sleeplessly. Then he saw her move to his bedroom and open the door, gazing inside for a long moment, before she returned to the living room and went to bed. Remembering the sight of her from the night, how she curled up on the couch under the blankets, made him release a deep sigh before he finally went to the bathroom.

“Cerberus, delete incident recordings. Also, add Susan to the night watch whitelist.”

“Affirmative, Hades. Incident recordings deleted. Added night watch exception rule for entity 'Susan'.”

After a quick stop in the bathroom, Dominic carefully slipped out of the bedroom and tiptoed to the living room. Silently he stepped into the open space between kitchen and living room, not wanting to wake Susan up in case she was still asleep.

Susan knew the moment that Dominic woke and began moving around the apartment. She had always been a light sleeper and even becoming a doctor hadn’t solved that. The nights were long, the sleep was shitty, and she usually survived off little else than cat naps throughout the afternoon. Last night, however, had been the first good sleep she’d had in ages. Maybe it was the fact that she actually felt safe…or maybe it was the fact that there was someone out there who actually cared about her.

With a sigh, she slowly pushed the covers down her body, blinding in the dim light of the apartment. She could hear him in the kitchen, trying so hard to be quiet since she was just on the other side of the wall. She lay there for a few moments, staring at the ceiling and wondering just how this would all play out for the future. She didn’t know…and that frightened her completely.

“Dominic, I’m going to use your shower.” She called out to him as she slipped from beneath the sheets of her makeshift bed and made her way towards his room.

She had no idea where the shower was, except for the vague tour that she remembered from the night before. Everything just sort of fogged together, formed into hazy memories that she couldn’t quite put her finger on. That was a side effect of the drug, she knew. Soon, the pains would start again and she would have to go crawling back to Dominic for another “fix”.

She hated that about herself now. She didn’t want to be dependent on anyone or anything. She wanted to be able to make her own way in the world and not have someone else pick up her slack. Perhaps she would have to talk to him about a new arraignment. One where she did some of his work for him, instead of simply waiting for him to find the cure.

She turned on the shower and waited for the water to heat up before she peeled off the shirt and stepped out of her panties. She sighed softly as the door closed behind her and she was enveloped in warm water, washing away all of the worries and sins she might have had the night before. It was all just circling down the drain, swirling away until she felt worlds better. Maybe this all would work out for the best. Maybe she did have reason to hope.

When he entered the open area his eyes wandered over to where Susan was laying. She had pushed the covers down her body and laid completely still. Even in the dim light of the living room he could make out her shape against the covers. Dominic was not sure whether she was already awake as he made his way into the kitchen, but then she stirred a little and got up. It was then that he decided to greet her.

“Hey. Good morning, Susan. How did you sleep?”

He did not know what he expected, but her reaction left him completely confused. She just told him matter-of-factly that she was going to use his shower and then went off to the bathroom. Dominic still held the cups for their morning coffee in his hands when she disappeared around the corner. With a deep sigh, he put the mugs down and continued with preparing their breakfast. He hoped this was not a sign for a bad start of their new “relationship.”

Soon he heard the soft noise of a running shower. Almost instantly, without him wanting it, thoughts of Susan naked under the shower entered his mind. Dominic shook his head and banished the images struggling to form before his mind’s eye. Eventually he was done making breakfast and the sounds of the shower stopped. The scent of fresh coffee greeted Susan as she left Dominic’s bedroom and by now, the light of the morning sun flooding through the wide windows brightly illuminated the living room and small dining corner.

When Susan turned off the shower, she dried off with a towel and then slipped on Dominic’s robe which was hanging on the back of the door. She felt bad about not asking, but she was sure that he wouldn’t mind at all. She felt safe when she slipped it on, a deep breath sucked into her lungs filling her with his warm scent.

Don’t get your hopes up, Susan, she told herself. Shaking her wet head, she let the thought leave and she was soon stepping through the bedroom. As soon as she left the door way, she caught the delicious smell of hot coffee. She was a sucker for a man that knew how to make a good cup of coffee. It instantly put a smile on her face as she stepped into the kitchen.

“Sorry. Had to get my head together this morning.” She said softly as she picked up one of the two mugs that had been placed on the counter.

“I wanted to thank you again for everything that you did last night. You didn’t have to do any of it.” She said as she took a sip of the hot brew and let out a long, pleased sigh.