Crashing Down (Dark N.H A.U)

Chapter Thirty-Six

"Francesca, how are you feeling today?" My psychiatrist asks.

"The same as yesterday and the day before that." I look out the window, but focus on my reflection. I have become a shadow of myself. "Who am I if I'm not with him?"

"With who, Francesca? You showed up on my doorstep a month ago, claiming you were kidnapped." Doctor whose last name I don't know says. I should try to remember her name. "We are trying to help you. I know what you experienced was bad. Let's put this person behind bars so they can't hurt you or anyone else."

She is going about this all wrong.

"I'm not pressing charges against him. None of you will ever know who kidnapped me." I let a smile creep upon my lips. "What's your name again?"

"Patty," she sighs. "Can you at least tell me what happened?"

"It started out as a normal day, but then things got weird." I look around the room. He has to be listening to this. There is no way he just left me.

"Keep going," Patty encourages.

"That's the thing, I can't continue. He will come back for me. I know he will. There is no way that he would just leave me." I shake my head as tears start to fill my eyes. "We love each other."

"You love him?" I can hear the understanding in her voice.

"It's not what you think. This isn't some Stockholm Syndrome scenario." I shake my head at her as she purses her lips. "I'm going to school to become a psychiatrist. I was focusing on Stockholm syndrome when I was kidnapped. This isn't that."

It's not that. It can't be that. I have spent so much time studying Stockholm syndrome. I would know if I had it. We are in love and he will come back to me. He has to. All he wanted to do was protect me.

"What do you think this is then?" Patty softly asks.

"I don't know. That's what I'm trying to understand." I bring my hands up to run my fingers through my hair, but I end up slightly pull my hair.

None of this makes sense. He was never supposed to leave me. We are meant to be together. He promised me that.

Why did you leave me, Niall?

I let my face fall into my hands and I cry. I have therapy three days a week and this is how it always goes. I spend my hour crying. This is the only time I let myself cry. When I leave this office I focus on school. School is the only thing I have.

"Francesca you are graduating in a month and a half. You will be done with undergraduate school. Have you thought about going back to the States for graduate school?" Patty asks with a neutral expression.

"It's almost April. It is too late for that. Besides, I will just be stopped by him before I leave." No point in getting anyone's hopes up.

"You are so sure he will come back to get you. Did he tell you he would be back?" I shake my head at her question. "Has he tried to make contact with you?" Slowly, I shake my head again. She sighs, "Francesca. This man is gone forever. He has committed a crime by taking you against your will. Who knows what else he did. You are letting him get away with all of it. He is going to do this to another girl. You know that, right? Another innocent girl just like you once were."

No. No. She is lying.

Niall wouldn't do that.

"No he wouldn't. He loves me and he left to protect me." I look out the window and see the sun trying to shine through the clouds. "The world is a lot scarier than you think."

"I know you were involved in that car accident where that man was found dead." My head snaps to Patty at her confession. "He was in a well known mafia family. Is he the one who took you?"