The Love of a Stranger

The Awakening

*Laura's POV*

"Hi..." I heard a gentle voice say. My eyes adjusted and in front of me was Dan. For me, there was nothing better than waking up and the first thing I'd see was his face.

"Hi..." I whispered back. Tears were filling up my eyes and my vision became blurred from the amount of tears. I couldn't help but to smile when I saw him.

"God, you look terrible." He laughed.

"Coming from you. I think you're worse than me." I joked, he laughed along as well but his smile soon disappeared after taking a second glance at my cuts and bruises.

"I can't even begin to imagine what you've been through, I'm so sorry I didn't find you sooner." I shushed him because he was talking absolute nonsense.

"Don't blame yourself for this, none of this was you're fault, how were you supposed to know where I was? Anyway it was my fault, I shouldn't of walked the way I did, then I wouldn't be in this mess right now. To be honest, I didn't think you'd even bother to come and look for me."

His facial expression completely changed on that last sentence.

"Of course I would, why wouldn't I? You're best thing that has ever happened to me and I would never give up on you, not in a million years. What the fuck would make you think that?"

"It's just, Scott, he said I was a waste of space. He'd go out every night and every time he came back, drunk out of his mind, he'd say that no one was looking for me, no one had noticed, no one cared." I trailed off into silence.

"And you're supposed to believe that asshole? I had the whole of the police department looking for you, I spent days and days asking random strangers if they had seen you, walked miles and miles until my legs gave up searching for you. Kyle, Will and Woody had everyone they knew out to look for you. So don't dare think for one second that when I don't know where you are I wouldn't go searching."

I was speechless to say the least, all I could do was cry like a baby. Dan moved up to sit on my bed beside me and I snuggled into him, feeling safe once again. He quietly hummed while he stroked my head. Even though there was immense pain surging through my body I chose to ignore it so I could ravish the precious moment I had with him.

"What did he do to you?" He asked rather sternly making me scared of what to say to him.

"He...he'd go out every night, come back drunk, then..." I took a deep breath. Talking about it made the flashbacks appear in my mind.

"He'd beat me." I whispered barely letting out a whimper. An exasperated sigh could be heard above me, I could feel his grip tighten then he kissed my forehead.

"You didn't deserve this, any of it."

I just shook my head in reply.

"Dan?"

"Hm?"

"Thank you." He kissed the top of my forehead then exhaustion took over my body, and probably Dans as well. I was ever so grateful for him, I've put him through so much; I've caused him to suffer, I've caused him pain and I just want to make it up to him.

I woke several hours later but Dan was still asleep, I took this opportunity and took his phone to text every single one of his contacts explaining who I was and that I was throwing a party for Dan, it was his birthday soon anyway.

'Hey guys Laura here, I was thinking about planning a party for Dan, he's done so much for me plus it's nearly his birthday, I just want to see who would want to come.'

My phone buzzed repeatedly because of the amount of replies I got, everyone wanted to come. I made sure to delete the message after so he wouldn't know.