A soft rustling woke him up, not that he was fast asleep or anything. Mychaell pushed himself off the mattress to see what was going on. Afraid that this one of Genevieve's episodes, she was standing in front of the window. He slowly got up, and walked towards her. She was not going to jump, right? According to Rycharde this has never being an issue before, but he couldn't be for sure. So he stood behind her, ready to grab her. But she didn't do anything, just standing there looking at the stars.

"Hello Meak, Alia. It is going better with me, I made some new friends. I am helping Rycharde getting his shit together." she said. Her voice was thick with sleep, and oddly enough, it didn't sound like Genevieve at all. She stepped forward, and he wrapped his arms around her waist. She didn't react to it, she didn't jump, scream, nothing, which was strange. "It is my fault that you all are dead, it is my fault that I fell in love with Justin. That I trusted him, but I am going to do my best to make it all up to you." Again, this sounded like the Genevieve he knew. She sounded younger, her voice not filled with grieve and regret. That is the only way he could describe it, she leaned into him. Which again was a first. "I feel safe," he was glad that she said that. She turned towards him, he was not able to see her face clearly in the dark. But from what he could see, he knew that this was not a night terror. But she was not fully awake either, she buried her face in her shirt. "Safe," she repeated. She stepped away from the window, breaking free of his grip, and walked towards the bathroom. Sleepwalking, well that was a new development. He gazed upwards towards the stars, she was talking towards her adoptive parents. Maybe she believes that they were watching her from up there, and that is the reason why she hasn't tried to jump during her episodes. She didn't want them to see it. He was glad that her mind was wired in such a way, it takes away one of the many dangers inside this apartment. He turned away and strolled back towards his bed, laying down, his mind was still racing. Like it did before he heard Genevieve, he knew that he was not able to settle down until she herself lay down. The door of the bathroom opened up, and he heard her walking. But to his shock, she didn't walk towards her own bed. No, she crawled into his and snuggled up to him. He knew that she wasn't fully awake, and that this was her subcontantece at work. But still, after what she has being through, this was not something he was expecting. And there was no way that he was able to escape her grip and lay down in her bed. No, she had laid her head on his chests, her hands clutched his shirt. "Safe, comfortable." Wait a second, she leaned into his embrace, now she is laying on top of him. Repeating over and over the word 'safe', maybe she felt at peace when he was near. He gazed towards the sleeping woman on his chest, her eyes were now closed, and her breathing was slow. He couldn't see it any other way, he wrapped an arm around her and closed his own eyes. Letting sleep take him into his embrace as well, knowing full well that he got some explaining to do in the morning.

********

The warm rays of the early morning sun woke him up, that was directly a hint that he was not in his own bed. The other hint was when he opened his own eyes and saw Genevieve still fast asleep on his chest. Snuggled against him, her hands were still clutching his shirt as if it was her last lifeline. It was her last lifeline in some way, he was here to keep her safe. So there is that. He smiled softly, his arm was wrapped around her to safeguard her. It was not the first time he saw her sleeping, it was also not the first time that she used him as a pillow. But this was the first time he wasn't overcome with a sense of duty. He closed his eyes, and an image of her looking at him with her piercing blue eyes popped in his mind. The time that he saw her practice with the knife followed, she moved so beautifully as if it was some sort of dance. Her red waving hair following her every move as if it was a cape. Yes, he considered her beautiful, powerful and smart. He opened his eyes, just when Rycharde opened the door to check up on them. His stern eyes narrowed when he saw Genevieve laying in his arms, Mychaell motioned with his free arm that she was still asleep. Rycharde grumbled something under his breath, but closed the door when he left. But the sound of the closing door woke Genevieve up, and this peaceful and safe time together was at an end. First, she buried her face deeper in his shirt, which tickled slightly. But then those piercing blue eyes fluttered open. She was confused a first, but then when she realized that she was laying on top of him, again, she shot up.

"First things first, this is mine bed." Mychaell said quickly. She looked at him and then around the room, he already could see the fear inside her eyes, the fear that she had another episode. "It was an episode, but not one where you were done something dangerous. You were sleepwalking last night, talking to Maek and Alia." He was not going to repeat her words, those were not for him to hear or say. She still looked a bit puzzled, then her gaze went to her hand which was supporting on his chest. She quickly withdrew, not realizing that she was supporting herself on that one arm. Mychaell's eyes grew in surprise, at first the air was knocked out of his lungs. But then he realized that her lips were touching his. Really, was this really happening right now? Something like this only happened in those old movies Rycharde loved to watch. But now this was happening to him, to them. She didn't move, he looked straight in her eyes. A mixture of panic, shame and something else was carved into them. She didn't know what to do, something he could understand. A smile tucked on to his lips, he wrapped an arm around her and slowly pushed them into a turn. Soon she lay next to him, their lips were still touching, but now she was not laying on top of him. Which made the situation so uncomfortable. She moved her lips away, her cheeks were red.

"Sorry about that," she said. "I didn't know what happened there."

"I do know what happened, and I do not mind." he replied, he wished that she would kiss him again. But he understood if she needed some more time. She was just out of an abusive relationship, one of the reasons why he was here. Tears appeared into her eyes.

"Thank you, it is nice to make some kind of mistake and not being ridiculed for it." she said, and somewhere deep down he regretted the fact that Justin was dead. He would have loved to killed him, himself. "I am so scared that you turn to hate me," 

"That would never happen, disappointed, maybe. But I will never hate you." he said. He placed softly his hand against her cheek, she leaned into it. Her eyes closed, and a tear escaped. Which he whipped away, and she smiled. Her lips formed the words 'thank you', but she didn't speak them out loud. He moved his face a bit closer towards her, and watched her every move. He would stop himself if she pulled away, or said something. Which she didn't do. He pressed his lips onto hers and softly kissed her, he could feel her hesitation at first. But then she kissed him back, softly. But then she herself started to heat things up, maybe she craved more than a simple kiss. He only hoped that she wouldn't regret it afterward. Her hands moved through his hair, over his back, all the way down. "Genevieve, is this really what you want?" he asked. She only nodded, this was going too fast. Maybe she believes that this was the only way to his heart, because this was the only way that Justin looked at her. "Genevieve, please stop for a split second. I want you, the wastelands know, that I want you. But I would kiss, huge, care for you if you kept me waiting. I am not Justin." 

"I know," she whispered. "I know that you are not him, I never felt so safe, not the first time I gave myself to him and especially not after we had sex. But by you, I do not know, I have the feeling that I can be vulnerable. Does that make any sense?" He nodded, it did. In so many ways, it made sense. "So be gentle with me."

"Always, and please tell me if you change your mind. I will stop and take a cold shower," he said. She answered him by kissing him, he could tell what went on in her mind when she did this. He had given her all the power and she was taking it. She wanted to feel loved and desired, she wanted to feel safe. She wanted this and so much more, and he was going to give this all to her. And if it was in his power, he would give her even more. 

*******

Genevieve couldn't believe it, she looked at the sleeping Mychaell that lay next to her. He had given her all the power, every opportunity to nip this in the butt. But she didn't stop him, it didn't even cross her mind. She wanted this, she needed this. She needed to be in control, about something in her live. Her head was once again on his chest, she loved how his chest rose and fall. Once again, she felt completely safe, and at ease. She wanted to stay like this for a bit longer, but a knock landed upon the door. She quickly closed her eyes, hoping that who ever opened the door would think that she too was fast a sleep. The door opened, and a sigh became audible.

"Genevieve, I know that you are awake. And do not think for a second that I do not know what the two of you have being doing under my roof." Rycharde said loudly, so loudly that it also woke up Mychaell as well. Shocked, he pushed himself upwards. The sheets fell from them, she quickly took them back, covering herself up again. "Sorry, but it is time for the two of you to get dressed. I will give you five seconds." He closed the door, and she glanced over towards Mychaell, who's face was beet red. She started to chuckled slightly, and pushed the sheets from her. Mychaell quickly closed his eyes.

"That is not necessary, you already have seen me naked." Genevieve said, and he opened his eyes and grinned playfully. She replicated his grin, upon her own face. They quickly got dressed, just in time because Rycharde barged in for a third time that day. Genevieve grabbed her hairbrush, and wanted to brush her hair. But Mychaell took the brush out of her hand, and he pushed her softly down on the small chair.

"Let me," he said, and he softly brushed his hair. Again, she felt safe in his presence. Something that visibly surprised Rycharde, and her as well. But she let him be, and smiled when he lay down the brush on the vanity table.

"Alright, it is time to get to work. We are already late," Mychaell said loudly enough so that Rycharde heard it as well.

"You can say that again," Rycharde grumbled under his breath. They left her room and went to the apothecary. And she was smiling, from ear to ear. For the first time in three to four years.

*******

The day at the apothecary was peaceful, not a lot of costumers, and they had a lot of time to stack up their stock. Genevieve was once again making her various types of tea bags. The large order was picked up before she came in, so she was not able to see who ordered it. Jessica was sitting at the table, packing the various ointments in glass jars. She often looks up to watch the door, but when she does that it is always with the deer in headlights look. She was not comfortable at all.

"Jessica, are you alright?" Genevieve asked. Jessica once again looked up, with the same look in her eyes. Genevieve shook her head, and knew that this was not a conversation they needed to have inside the store. "Jacob, I am going to grab some ginger. Jessica, I need a lot, so way don't you help me?" Nobody said anything as they both entered the back, walked past the office of Mychaell and Rycharde, and entered the office with the bed. "Now sit down, and please tell me what is going on." Jessica still looked uncomfortable. "Jessica, you were willing to listen to my story. Let me do the same in return." But Jessica shook her head.

"You have enough to deal with, you do not need my mess to add to that." Jessica replied, Genevieve rolled with her eyes.

"Let me be the judge of that," she snapped back. "You are clearly aren't comfortable, let me help you." She grabbed Jessica's hands, who were shaking violently. Something that seemed to calm her down, all was it just a bit.

"I was attacked yesterday, on my way to my house." Jessica said softly. Genevieve didn't need to ask what that meant, she already guessed that this happened to Jessica in the past. Because she had picked up the signs that Genevieve gave them, and now it happened to her again. Which was enraging, and so unfair. Where Genevieve got back the power to decide, Jessica was once again robbed of it. Genevieve sat down next to her, she didn't let go of Jessica's hands.

"I am so sorry, Jessica." Genevieve said. She wanted to tell her this and so much and more. But the words escaped her, and she knew that this was what all she could offer right now. Jessica started to tear up, and Genevieve motioned that she wanted to huge her. And Jessica nodded that she really wanted one, she wrapped her in a tight huge. Jessica broke down in tears, it was loud enough that Rycharde and Mychaell came to look what was going on. But it was not her place to fill them in, it was Jessica's right to keep all of this to herself. But Vanessa came in, looking for Jessica.

"Uhm, there is a costumer who wants to place a large order. And I do not know how to do that." Vanessa said.  Jessica calmed down a brief period of time. But there was panic in her eyes, afraid that this might be a man.

"Should I go?" Genevieve asked, Jessica nodded slowly. She turned around, "Vanessa, why don't you stay here with her."

"Why can't we stay?" Rycharde asked, Mychaell looked at Jessica and slowly nodded.

"Because we are men, and Jessica doesn't feel comfortable being around men for the foreseeable future." Mychaell said, Jessica nodded slowly to let him know that he was right about that. "That doesn't mean that you are going home alone tonight. Genevieve inform Jacob that he needs to take Vanessa and Jessica home tonight, I will take over his night with you." She nodded, that might be for the best. She got up and was quickly replaced by Vanessa. Mychaell walked with her until she was at the storage area. "Do you got this?" She nodded, she had done this a lot when she helped her adoptive parents in the apothecary. He nodded, and she went back into the shop with a shit ton of ginger. There was only one customer inside the store and she gave him a polite smile.

"Good afternoon, sir. I came to the understanding that you wanted to place a big order. So how can I help you?" She asked. The man however didn't reply, he looked her up and down. He gave her a piece of paper, on it was the desired order. Another large amount of tea, for the end of the week. But that was not the only thing on the piece of paper. There was the logo of, 

Benevolence industries

She shivered when she looked towards the man. She didn't know this man, but the fact that he was not saying shit was not helping either. Instead, she put her smile back on and sighed. 

"This will not be a problem, let me give you a recite and I need you to sign it. And you can pick it up with said recite," she said. The part that the man needed to sign the recite was a lie. But she needed this man's name, so she placed the order inside the computer and placed some kind of tablet that they use for the special orders on the counter. "Only your name would be fine, sir." she said. "Your full name, that is." The man probably didn't see any problem with this and did as she said. He signed, she printed the recite, and he left the store. Derick was standing behind her when she turned around.

"What was that all about?" he asked, so he knew also how to take a large order. So why didn't he do it? He was probably busy with something else. She shot towards the 'we are open' sign and turned it around and locked the door.

"Back room now," she simply said. He nodded and got the other guys. She marched into the storage area into the back of the house. Which surprised Rycharde.

"What is going on?" he asked. Genevieve placed the recite on his desk, pulled him away from the computer, and typed in the man's name. "Genevieve?"  she turned around and looked at his worried face. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a second. The computer made the ping sound to inform her that he was done with the source. She quickly turned towards it and there it was once again. 

Benevolence industries

"This is no longer a freaking coincidence." she murmured. "Mychaell, do you guys have a whiteboard of some kind?" she asked loud enough so that the others knew that she was serious. She could hear him run away, and there was one when she left the office with another stack of papers. He handed her a marker and she took it. 

Benevolence industries

That was the first thing she wrote, and then placed all the pieces of papers to the board in a neat order. So that was easier to understand. The others behind her didn't say anything.

"Jessica, do you have a written conformation from the last tea order?" Genvieve asked. 

"No, I do not." she replied, so that was a shot in the dark. But she wrote it down with a qeustionmark under it. She simply didn't want to rule it out. Two major tea orders in two days, it was posible but still. After that she turned around.

"Sorry to keep you all waiting, but I wanted first to write this all down." She said, turning towards the board and took a few steps back.

"Alright please explain to me, what is Benevolence industries?" Jacob asked. "I see it pop up all over this board, but what is it?" Genevieve closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Benevolence industries, is a company that Justin used as a front of his evil operations. When that name popped up you knew that there was trouble," she explained. "The thing is that it currenlty pops up here, a bit to often to be on the comfortable side."

"Alright it is indeed creepy, but what are you saying? That Justin might be still alive," Derick said, his voice was drenced with disbelieve. She almost didn't want to admit it, but that was indeed what she was thinking. "With al due respect, Genevieve. But that is crazy. We were there, we have seen Benevolence. Nobody should survive that." 

"I did," she pointed out. "I by some mirical survived, only because Justin warned me about his plan. And before you say he was wounded." She pulled up her top to show him the scar. "So was I." Mychaell stepped towards her, and with his hand he covered the largest part of the scar. This morning he kissed it, but this was not the time nor place to think about that.

"You are right there is a small chance that he is still breathing air," he said. 

"Next imposible." Derick pointed out.

"But there is still a chance, mister Know it all." Mychaell snapped. "She already has being through this, she knows how he operates. So I trust her judgement. Are there other explenations that explains what is going on, yes. But this is still a posibility." Derick shook his head in disbelieve. But he said nothing more, he just left the back of the house and went back towards the apothecary to finish up his work. Genevieve closed her eyes when he slammed the door.

"I am sorry Genevieve, but this sound a bit far reached." Jessica said, Genevieve turned around and saw that the others including Rycharde was nodding in agreement. "It is not that I do not want to believe, but." she didn't make eye contact with Genevieve. "I desperatlly want him to be dead, because of what he did to you." Genevieve knew where she was coming from, she wanted the same thing for her. She once again looked at the whiteboard.

"You know what, I want to be wrong. I desperatlly want to be wrong," she said and she turned around.  She knew that this was the hardest thing she has ever done. "But until I know for sure that I am wrong, I am going to distance yourself from you all. Because the last time he took pleasure in hurting the people I love, to hurt me. And I do not want to go through that again." She looked her friends, which friendships were just at the start. But Justin will not see it that way. He sees things black and white, and he would hurt them if this meant getting her as well. "So from today, I will be no longer be at owrk inside the apothecary. I will make the tea bags for the order but that will be it. I am going to focus my attention and time here, at the back of the house. To help the Freedom Fighters where ever I can, this also means no more watching me for episodes."

"I will keep on watching you," Mychaell said. "Justin doesn't scare me. And I am not going to put you in mortal danger, because of him." She smiled and lowered her head.

"Then I have to warn you, that I am going to try to push you away. And that is for all of you," she looked at each face before she continued. "And do not think I am going to be suitle about it either. Rycharde I am going to make you rethink the fact that you offered me a place to stay. Mychaell, I am going to push you towards the limit as well. You all might hate me for this, at the end of the day. But I have to do this, to keep you all save." she walked into an empty office, alright empty it was filled with junk. She didn't mind the work to clean in out to make space for her, and a gun practice area. Although Rycharde owned a gun, he doesn't like having it. But he hasn't found a reason to get rid of the gun. Not, that her trying to hurt herself was reason enough. But she was going to use this gun to practice with, until she was able to buy one her own. None of them helped her, or she didn't notice it. Which was fine buy her, because this gave her time to procces everything that happened and was about to happen.