The Institute ~Completed~

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Ella {warning very disturbing}

Axel wakes up from Acoma to see Lou directing the nurses to the morgue. A body laying on the gernie. Something about the body even though it was covered made him cringe. He didn't like death but murder contributed to his biker ways. Of course no one knew he was awake. He lifts himself up. He carefully takes off the heart monitors and I.v.

He felt dizzy when he stood up. He stretches himself almost cat like. He felt pretty good for someone who had been in Acoma for several months and his wounds had faded. He goes to the bathroom and turns on the faucet. He splashes some water on his face to wake himself up. "God how long have I been out?" He whispers to himself. "Almost six months." A familiar but oddly strange voice spoke. He splashes his face with water again. Suddenly, he felt a pair of arms wrap around him. "It's okay, it's just me." She whispers. "Cottie?" He asks. She removes her arms and turns him around. "Yes." Cotton giggles. Axel couldn't help but notice the stitching on her neck. "Cotton what happened to your neck?" Axel asks. She didn't respond. She just stares at him blankly. Axel found it odd for Cotton to do so. She never does that unless there was something very important pounding at her thoughts. "Cottie!" Axel snaps his fingers at her. She jumps and stumbles a bit. "Sorry and just an incident with Anabelle." Cotton responds. Axel takes her hand and walks out of the small bathroom. She seems distant and he wanted to get to the bottom of it. He sits her down on his lap when he sat down. "Cottie what's the matter?"

Cotton speaks. "About three days ago, Joshua came back and I've been falling for Kaleb lately. But I can't help feeling torn between the boys." As much as Axel disliked Joshua, he had a bad feeling about Kaleb. He didn't feel like Kaleb was a right fit for Cotton. He seems to have alot of secrets. Joshua didn't keep anything a secret. He was open about everything. But still Axel felt there was something missing. "Who do you prefer?" Axel asks his little sister. "Kaleb." Cotton replies. "Be careful with him. He seems to be very secure and closed off. That's very dangerous and I will be dammed if he harms you." Axel says concerned. "I will." Cotton smiles and kisses Axel's cheek. "I love you Axie."

"I love you to Cottie." Axel replies. "But what happened to your neck?" Axel adds. "Anabelle tried to kill me." Cotton simply replies. "Why did she try to kill you?" Axel asks. He was really curious. "I slammed a rock on her head. I guess it was her way of getting revenge I guess." Cotton shrugs. Axel nods. "What happened to her?"

"Jake murdered her." Cotton says quietly. Axel just said a blunt oh. He kinda got a bad feeling about Jake. He didn't think Jake was murderer but Cotton always told the truth. Now that Axel thought about it. Jake could potentially be a dangerous threat, same with Jessica. He looks at his sister. "Are y-you afraid of him or Jesy?" Cotton sighs not wanting to answer his question. "Mummy." Cotton simply replies. Her voice was almost trembling. Axel brushes back Cotton's brunette curls behind her ears. It reveals the most beautiful orbs he's ever seen. If he could he'd give her kisses but he can't. "Shh.. She won't ever hurt you. I promise." Axel smiles and kisses her cheek. Suddenly, a pregnant figure stood in the doorway spooking both Cotton and Axel. "Jessica?" He says quietly. She just nods. Something was definitely on Jessica's mind and he needed to find out what it was. "Cotton, daddy wants to see you." Jessica tells Cotton. Cotton didn't want to leave her brother. "Why?" She asks. "I don't know but just go to him." Jessica commands. Cotton gets out of Axel's arms and walks out. "Does he really need her?" Axel asks in a suspicious tone. "No." Jessica replies bluntly.

Axel found himself admiring Jessica. Then she snaps her fingers in front of him to get his attention again. "I have a question." She says as she sits down. "Okay ask." Axel says. "Why does Cotton get upset easily?" Jessica asks. It was a good question. But even Axel couldn't explain Cotton's emotional distress. "She feels no one loves her. People abuse and take advantage of her. She's kindhearted and loving but people think she's vulnerable because of it. She let's everyone hurt her because she feels it. When she gets upset, she just wants affection and love instead of abuse and hate. What you need to realize is that giving her that satisfaction is going to make your relationship with her so much better and slightly easier. She's not looking for sexual affection. She's just wanting affection. When someone doesn't give her that she gets upset. If you make her to upset she'll distance herself and isolate herself from the outside world. I'd advise you to take caution when it comes to her." Axel explains in the only way he knew how. Jessica took a deep breath after she received the explanation on Cotton's behavior. It all made sense to her. Cotton was a very depressed and suicidal little girl. The first day Jessica officially met Cotton, made Jessica feel so much love and compassion for the used to be nine year old. She is now eleven. It's been two years since Jessica adopted Cotton and saved her from herself. But Jessica couldn't help but feel that Cotton's gonna resort back to her old ways such as cutting and burning herself. Jessica definitely didn't want her baby to get that way again. So she needed Axel's help at whatever cost it may be.