Slow and Easy

Chapter 1

"When was your last nightmare?"

Mitch fidgeted in his chair. He always hated when his therapist, Dr. Ruth Hopkins, asked him this. He felt ashamed to say he had one almost every night.

It had been just over a year since he was kidnapped and assaulted by Avi, shouldn't he be better by now?

"Mitch? Are you with me?" Dr. Hopkins asked.

"Yeah, sorry. I'm with you." He answered shakily. He seemed to zone out a lot and to be honest it was starting to scare him.

"Mitch, can you tell me when your last nightmare was?" She asked again.

"Last night. I had one last night."

"Was the same one you always have?"

Mitch closed his eyes and nodded. It never failed. Nearly every night for the past year he has had the same nightmare. Avi kidnaps him, tortures him physically and sexually and manages to escape with him, that Scott had never found him and he was forced to be Avi's slave for the rest of his life.

"Have you told Scott about the severity of these nightmares?"

"He knows I'm having them, but I don't go into details. He still blames himself for Avi taking me. He doesn't need to know every detail it would only hurt him." Mitch said.

"Mitch, if you and Scott are going to be together as a couple, then you need to be honest with him. He needs to know. He is a key part in your recovery."

Mitch merely nodded, not at all interested in telling Scott anything.

"Well our times up for today. I want you to keep doing the mental exercises you have been doing and I'll see you the same time next week."

"Okay. Thanks Dr. Hopkins."

Mitch quickly left the office and clutched his bag in his hand. Scott had given him pepper spray to carry with him and Mitch currently had his left hand wrapped around it, waiting to spray anyone who even looked at him wrong.

He hated living like this. Being scared all the time, having to carry pepper spray and see a therapist. He wanted his life back where he didn't jump at small noises and where he trusted people to not hurt him.

Scott had been there every step of the way. He had been understanding and comforting, but now he was back to work and Mitch was alone most of the day.

Being alone with his thoughts was eating him alive. Sometimes if Scott was working late, Mitch would go over to the police station and hang out with Kirstie or Kevin.

Since his abduction, they had all become his family.

He glanced at his watch and figured Scott was going to be working late. It was already after 5. He thought about heading to the police station, but he really wasn't in the mood. He hopped in his car and just began driving.

He drove past Avi's night club. Well, what used to be the night club. It had been torn down a few months back and now was used as an extra parking lot for the office building next door.

He stopped the car and just stared at the vacant lot. It seemed like just yesterday he was there. He shook the thoughts from his head and turned around, heading for his and Scott's apartment.

As soon as he unlocked the door and walked in something felt off. He didn't remember seeing Scott's car outside, so he knew the older man wasn't home.

He stepped back quietly into the hall and fished his cell phone out of his bag.

"Hey babe, sorry I forgot to call, I'll be working late-" Scott started before being interrupted by Mitch.

"Scott, I just got home and something feels off. I don't know what it is. Something just doesn't feel right."

"Okay, Mitch, don't go inside. Just wait in the hall and I'm going to call Kevin to swing by and check it out. I'll be home as soon as I can."

"Okay Scotty, thank you."

"You're welcome Mitchie. Love you."

"Love you too."

Mitch hung up and waited a few steps back from the apartment door.

A few minutes later he saw Kevin getting off the elevator.

"That was quick." Mitch said clearly impressed.

"Ha! I may be good but I'm not that good Mitch. I was actually just a few blocks away. Now, Scott said something about a feeling you have?"

"I don't know how to explain it Kevin. As soon as I walked inside I felt like something was off. I didn't go any further than the living room."

"Did you hear anything? See anything out of the ordinary?"

Mitch shook his head. "No, just a feeling I had. I haven't had it since, well...Avi..was..."

"Gotcha. Okay. Stay here and I'll check it out."

Mitch watched as Kevin drew his gun and cautiously made his way inside.

A few minutes later he reappeared.

"All clear. No one's inside. Come in and see if anything looks out of place to you."

Suddenly feeling silly for even calling Scott, Mitch shook his head as he walked in.

"I'm probably just exaggerating Kevin. I'm sorry for making you come up here for no reason."

"No worries. Take a quick look around while I call Scott. I'm sure he is having a nervous breakdown waiting."

Mitch nodded and went from room to room looking around. He found nothing out of the ordinary until he got to their bedroom.

The picture of he and Scott that was on their nightstand was missing. He looked behind the stand, under the bed and around the room before making his way back to the living room.

"Here he is Scott. Mitch, Scott wants to know if anything is missing."

"Yes, our picture we keep on the nightstand. The one of us that Kirstie took on the beach a couple months ago. It's not anywhere."

Mitch twisted his hands together. It was a habit he had picked up when he became extremely anxious.

"Okay Scott, see you soon." Kevin said hanging up.

"Scott is on his way with Kirstie. I'm going to run down to my car and get a few things. Try not to touch anything else so maybe we can pick- up some fingerprints. I'll be right back Mitch. Are you okay alone for a few?"

Alone? Now? No. He couldn't be alone, but he nodded his head anyway.

He backed up until he reached the couch and sat down. His heart was racing.

This couldn't be happening again. Avi was dead.

He was safe. He was safe.