.Mate Problems.

-9-

Anna's pov:

it's been two weeks since that crazy man got locked up in a mental hospital but it's also been two weeks since Ash changed.

Ash rarely talked to anyone or even uttered a word, never smiling or showing any emotions, mostly alone in her room, she didn't do her usual routines, she was like dead on the inside, a pre-programmed robot with dull blue eyes that looked empty.

I was so angry, he had broken her, I had punched him when the police had subdued him after he tried running away from court.

on the other hand, she still went to school but didn't act differently, she did her work and that's all, not even her cousins could have nudged her from robotic state. it's sad to see only now does everyone else start to care about her when they were all mocking her before this.

the habits she still kept changed, like her dressing habit, working habit, sleeping habits, eating habits and drinking habit.

she cares didn't about what she put on and sometime would wear the same clothes for three days and sleep in them because she didn't feel like changing, mostly in dark clothes, sweat pants and hoodie not caring about almost anything.

she did come to school and such but it felt like robotics, she did her work but never listened nor talked, it was like a program dictating what she did in what situation.

I would find more empty bottles around the house, both Ashlin and I knew it was Ash but even when confronting her she would not even acknowledge our existence, like she didn't hear nor see us.

she would go to school and when home spend time in her room, simply laying stomach down on her bed with her hands under her pillow and staring at the wall, it was school and then room.

she didn't do any of the sports she did, the running and the training were dropped.

she ate but not much, it always seemed like she simply ate because there was food put out for her and she didn't want to waste it but never out of hunger.

and her sleep...... she had black circles under her eyes because she would simply stay awake the whole night, sometimes, when she closed her eyes, she would get nightmare and Ashlin would stay with her.

even Jake tried to help with what he could and I got to admit, I think he was making some minim progress but still progress, Ash look unresponsive and all but he could get small reactions out of her, it was like she simply couldn't resist him.
she would let him drag her somewhere to show her something even if she never really cared about such thing, he would hug her randomly and she just put her arms loosely around him out of reflex, she would eat whatever he presented her with that was food. I'm happy at least he got the slightest response from her but I would give everything to get her to react to something I did.... I'm her mate.... I was supposed to protect her....

I sighed, I couldn't sleep for some reason today, simply spending the time by staring at the darkness where the door should be.

I got out of bed and fixed my shorts and T-shirt, all wrinkled and uncomfortable by my moving around in the bed.

I decided go get myself something to drink.

I didn't need to turn the lights on as it was the almost full moon and its light was filtering through the windows, I stopped on my way back when I heard noises while passing next to Ash's room door.

I walked backwards until I was standing in front of it and gently opened it, not wanting to wake her if she had found sleep.

I dropped the bottle I was holding, luckily it was closed, and ran in, she was tossing around and crying in her sleep.

"Ash.... Ash wake up you are having a bad dream" I urgently said as I lightly shook her, I sort of 'slapped' her, it was more like a pat to the face because I didn't want to hurt her but it woke her up like I wanted.

she gasped and bolted up in a sitting position, breath rapid and shaking all over as she hugged herself.

"it's alright Ash, he's gone, he's not going to hurt you anymore" I said, laying a hand on her shoulder, not sure if she wanted to be touched.

she slightly flinched away but didn't push my hand away, staring in to my own eyes with the most emotion I've seen in days.

fears, hurt and hopelessness where the more visible from the mix of emotions her face and eyes were showing right now, it broke my heart even more than just seeing her emotionless.

I slowly and gently hugged her, laying her head on my chest as I rubbed her back gently, not wanting her to be scared because of a sudden movement I could have made.

she let me hold her for a long time, simply crying her eyes out, I didn't care my T-shirt was getting wet as I was simply holding her with no intentions of letting go of her in this state.

"it's okay, I'm here and I do not plan to leave" I muttered.

her breathing slowly slowed down (no shit slowly slowing down XD) and she stopped crying, falling asleep in my arms.

I brushed a strand of hair out of her face before gently kissing her forehead and passed a finger on one of the bandages on her face.... one of many that littered her body still, I slightly frowned, I can't believe even he fell so low to do this to a kid.... but I still find her as beautiful as ever, I would never think of her in another way, she will always be in my eyes.

I would have laid her down but ended up sighing, she always ends up holding on my clothes and making it impossible to leave it seems.

I made myself a place on the bed and sighed again, not sure if she would be happy that I stayed even after what happened before.

I gently hugged her, she may be out of the hospital but the docs still wanted her to be careful about her ribs and such.

"I will always...... always love you" I muttered, closing my own eyes.