The Past Within - Mialotte - TNN

Day and Night

TW - blood

Yes, this is what the Day or Night question was for... y'all wanted night, so here you go.

This chapter is pure fiction.

Charlotte sat in the familiar chair, her eyes fixed on the patterned carpet of her therapist's office. It had been a month since the assault in the parking lot, and though her physical wounds had healed, the emotional scars were still fresh and raw. Dr. Peterson sat across from her, patient as always, waiting for Charlotte to gather her thoughts. The silence in the room wasn't oppressive, it was a gentle nudge, a quiet invitation to share what weighed so heavily on her heart.

"I don't know where to begin," Charlotte finally said, her voice shaky. "I still can't believe it happened."

Dr. Peterson nodded. "It's okay. Start wherever you feel comfortable."

Charlotte took a deep breath, her mind flashing back to that night, the parking lot, the man, the terror that gripped her body when his hands grabbed her. "It was so fast," she whispered. "One minute I was just... leaving work, and the next, he was there, pulling me, touching me. I tried to fight him off, but I just... froze. Everything after that is a blur."

Her throat tightened as she spoke, and she paused, blinking away the tears threatening to fall. She had replayed those moments a thousand times in her mind, but speaking them aloud made the trauma feel real in a way it hadn't before.

"I woke up in the hospital," Charlotte continued, her voice barely above a whisper now. "And Mia was there. She hasn't left my side since. She's been... incredible. But I don't know how to feel, Dr. Peterson. I'm still so scared. So angry. And I feel guilty."

"Guilty?" Dr. Peterson's brow furrowed. "Why do you feel guilty, Charlotte?"

Charlotte's hands twisted in her lap. "Because she's been taking care of me this whole time, and I feel like I'm putting all of this on her. I don't want to be a burden. She's dealing with my nightmares, my breakdowns, the constant panic... It's not fair to her."

Dr. Peterson leaned forward slightly. "Charlotte, it sounds like Mia is doing this because she cares about you deeply. Have you talked to her about how you're feeling?"

"I have," Charlotte admitted, "but it's hard. I'm used to handling things on my own, or at least trying to. Letting someone else in like this... It's terrifying."

The memory of Mia sitting beside her hospital bed, coaxing her to eat when she could barely muster the energy to move, flashed through Charlotte's mind. Mia had been so gentle, so patient, even when Charlotte had felt completely numb.

"She's been amazing," Charlotte repeated the words almost a confession. "She made sure I didn't shut down. I wanted to, so many times. But Mia just... held me. She didn't push. She didn't try to fix everything all at once. She was just there."

"And how does that make you feel?" Dr. Peterson asked gently.

"Safe," Charlotte said after a moment. "She makes me feel safe. But I don't know how to repay her for that."

Dr. Peterson shook her head. "You don't need to repay love, Charlotte. Mia's support is coming from a place of love and care for you. It's important to let yourself lean on her, to let her help you through this. You're not a burden."

Charlotte closed her eyes, taking in the words. She knew they were true, but it was still difficult to accept. "It's just... I've never let anyone in like this. Not even with my ex-husband."

"Because you've been hurt before, and that makes it hard to trust," Dr. Peterson said. "But from everything you've told me about Mia, she's someone you can trust. And it's okay to be vulnerable with her."