"I didn't know where else to come." His voice continued to ring around my ears.

The blood in my fingertips continued to run down the side of my hand. All I could really do at the moment was just stand there in shock. Jack was bleeding and I can tell it was no accident either.

My eyes widened as I looked down to see him clutching his side. "What in God's name happened to you?" I shrieked, snapping out of my state to run back over to my nightstand where I switched the lights on from my lamp. The room shimmered in a dim glow. Apparently Jack hasn't been nowhere near the light in a while because his eyes were sensitive to the sudden shine.

Jack shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal. What an idiot. "It's nothing."

All of a sudden I saw things more clearer than before. His face was left injured after taking multiple hits. It was all bruised up, small cuts becoming visible around his lips and his eyebrows. That was just the beginning too. As my eyes trailed lower down his body, I noticed his condition getting worse.

"You're bleeding right through your clothes." My eyes widened while gripping the hem of his shirt and pulling it up. There was a quick glance before he pulled back with a wince, the shirt falling back over his abdomen.

"Ouch!" A quick wince fell from his mouth as he clutched his side. Even I can tell he didn't want his cry to come out but the pain was too much I suppose.

From the quick second I got to look at what was the source of the bleeding, I recalled it seemed like a really serious cut and not just some scratch he got somehow  from doing whatever it is Jack does at this time of the night.

"What happened to you?" I asked with wandering eyes around his body then back to his face. A worrisome look growing on my face.

Jack didn't seem so forth telling in the story. Obviously it was something he didn't want to bring up.

"Nothing." He answered again.

That wasn't enough for me. 

"But Jack.." I continued.

"I just need some bandages and I promise, I'll be on my way." He interrupted. The look on his face was sincere. Though I was really worried right now, one thing seemed to be the most important over all of my thoughts and that was that Jack was hurt.

"Come with me." I gently grabbed his arm, pulling him into my bathroom and turning on the lights. "Sit." I pointed to the closed toilet seat. He obligated, slowly taking his time.

"Ouch.." He winced. "What are you doing?" He focused on me.

"I'm going to help you." I crouched down to be in eye level with the cabinets as I pulled them open.

Grabbing a first aid kit from the back, I closed the cabinet shut, standing tall again.

He gave me a look.

"What?" I asked.

"You have a first aid kit in your bathroom?" He looked at me as if it was a crazy idea.

"My mom's a nurse so she has first aid kits placed all over the house, just in case." I shrugged while opening the kit over the sink and rummaging through it. Grabbing all necessary things that'll help his wounds, I turned to him. "Take off your shirt."

The water started falling down the faucet from my bathroom sink. I continued to wash my hands in the warm water before I heard him speak again.

"You don't have to fix me up." He explained. "I just asked for some bandages."

"I know." I replied. Looking down to him, I sighed. "But you came to me, remember?" I arched a brow. "And I want to help you. So that's what I'm going to do. Now, take off your shirt."

Sighing, Jack reluctantly gave up. He grabbed the bottom of his shirt before pulling it up slowly and discarding it on the floor.

I couldn't help but stare at his stomach. Though his side was covered in blood, his six pack was shining against the light.

That's when I noticed something a bit startling. He was pretty bruised up with a gash in the middle of his side. It was a pretty clean cut, too clean to be an accident. Just knowing that, it changed my mood dramatically.

"I'm sorry, am I interrupting your little drooling session?" Jack smirked, urging me to look back up at him.

I wasn't up for his jokes right now. I told myself that maybe it'd be best if I didn't know all the details just yet, but now just being able to physically look at the cut I can tell that the story behind it is what could really help Jack now.

"Were you racing?" I asked.

At first Jack's features relaxed once he noticed I wasn't playing around, but the next second they tensed up again at the thought of answering my question.

"I don't do that anymore." He spoke with a shake to his head.

"Well did you get into a fight or something?" Was the next thing I asked. I just couldn't put it together, what could he have done that was so bad that he got hurt while doing it and now can't stand up for his actions?

All of a sudden Jack went silent.

It was then I put two and two together and noticed what was already in front of me.

"You did.." My lips trembled.

Jack's dark eyes looked up at me, no emotion prominent to his face.

"Who did this to you?" I furrowed my eyebrows, looking at him as concerned as I could possibly be towards him.

"Does it really matter?" He tried shrugging it away.

To be honest, what I said next not only surprised Jack himself, but me too.. "Yes." I nodded.

Am I actually caring for this guy? Not only has he followed me everywhere but he's also gotten into fights for me, and Jack isn't necessarily citizen of the year either and has enough problems with the state I just imagine.

"Who did this, Jack?" I asked once more, this time having him become a bit more comfortable around me.

Still, no answer.

The wound kept oozing out blood. I noticed this and dropped the question once more before going back down to work.

Walking over to the sink, I wet a towel before walking back over to him and slowly began to dab it against the cut on his side. His hand rested upon mine with the contact.

This action forced me to look back up at him.. He was staring deep into my eyes, almost as a way to feel reassured that I knew what I was doing. I gave him a leading look.

He sat there without a problem, not even wincing once which made me wonder just how many times he had gotten hurt to be so used to it.

Jack didn't say a word, so I figured that I should't either. We just sat there in my bathroom in complete and utter silence. Yup, this made me miss him making his snotty comments every now and then even more.

"Why are you so interested in who did this to me?" He asked in a quiet hum.

My eyes fluttered to look back up at him, hand continuing to dab onto the surface of his skin.

His eyes looked down at me in concentration. You can tell just by looking at them that he was curious to know. It was probably a new feeling what he was feeling, I wouldn't be surprised though, Jack is a very independent guy and having others care for him doesn't seem like something he's used to.

I quickly looked back down to his torso, unable to make eye contact with him as I came up with a way to answer his question. I wasn't going to actually tell him I cared about him if he was hurt, that might just give him ideas.. So had to come up with a lie instead.

"Because.. I know you'd do the same if I was in your position.." I continued. Hopefully that didn't come out too strong.

Jack's shook his head, leaning closer to my face as he then brought it up to look back at him with his fingertips.

His next words came out in a low and raspy tone.

"I can take care of myself." He stated.

I had no response for that. I was just doing the right thing here after all the unspeakable things he has already done for me. Of course, I couldn't say that. Who knows what kind of heat that'd put him in. For now, silence was the key. I was almost done anyways.

He released his hands from my face the moment I looked back down.

The room fell silent again and only the noise from the home heater going on was heard coming in from the vents around the lonesome house.

Due to the silence I soon found myself being undertaken into my own thoughts. The image of him in a fight popped in my head the next moment. I only saw him fight once and well, that was with Andrew..

Oh no..

Andrew!

My head tilted back up to look at him as I felt like I've solved the mystery in one of those Criminal Minds episode. Of course! It was all right there in front of me yet I was so blinded! This was all Andrew's fault!

"It was him.." I paused. "Colt.." His name fell from my mouth in a shaken whisper. Just recalling him in general made me tremble in fear. He's a horrible person and judging against with what he did to Jack made my blood boil even more.

His silence and look of guilt on his face was all I needed for an answer. I was right.

"Did he do this.. Because of me..?" I questioned with trembling lips. If I recall, the last time those two got into a big fight it was because of me. I was the stupid one that started talking to him and made him notice who I was which led to him almost taking me hostage if it wasn't for Jack who stopped him.

Jack's eyes wandered back up to me. The answer that fell from his mouth seemed as if it was the easiest thing he said.

"Of course not." He shook his head. "Why would you ever think that?" He furrowed his eyebrows.

I looked down still feeling a little bit guilty. I didn't want to say anything back, mainly because that had to do with recalling that night and just knowing it was all caused by me didn't help me feel better.

"Hey." Jack's fingers came back up to my chin in order to make me look back at him.

Reluctantly, I did, and I was completely breath taken by the way he looked for a moment there. He was still beaten up, but behind all that I noticed a man. He wasn't being a playboy for the first time since I met him, nor was he trying to impress anyone with his ways. He was honestly caring and most importantly, he was owning up to others, me..

"It wasn't your fault." He shook his head. "Just guy stuff."

I felt Jack get a little more comfortable around me. He noticed I wasn't buying it and before I could even think of it, he was getting ready to tell me the story. I mean, seriously.. What kind of guy stuff leads to a really nasty fight and gash around his torso.

"I went back there to Andrew's territory to straighten some stuff between his next race against Justin. One thing led to another and I said some things to him and he said some stuff to me and before I even knew it he had already pulled out a knife as a warning for me to get out. I tried taking it out of his grip but his guys started showing up and well we got into a nasty fight and the knife went flying around." He explained. "That's how I got this nasty cut, but it's nothing really." He shook his head, pausing to look back down at me. "And it wasn't your fault either.."

At that moment I had no idea what to believe. Usually I'm really good with reading people's emotions, but Jack is something else. Maybe it's because I don't know him well enough yet as an actual person. I just know his hobbies and friends, and the fact that he really hates Andrew Colt. That's not enough to get to understand a person better, but from the sound of his voice, I had to believe he was being honest with me.

Nodding my head back to him, a gave him a quick half smile. My eyes fell back to his abdomen once more. It began oozing again so I quickly recollected my stuff and took action. My hand gently rose and continued to wipe away the red liquid that had trickled down the side of his waist. Yes, it was definitely caused by a knife. I still can't believe this happened to him. The stuff these guys do is crazy, stuff I've never even imagined coming close to.

Well then again, that's the stuff that comes along with knowing Jack.

* * *

A few hours passed and neither Jack or I had spoken since. I guess it was too awkward judging by how we act around each other and how we then suddenly took a different turn to our soft side in attitude. Either way, we were just in my room without saying a word to each other.

I walked out of the bathroom after cleaning it up from the mess I left behind with Jack's bloody gauzes. Turning off the lights, I looked back at Jack who was currently lying on his back on top of my bed, still bandaged and still shirtless. He plopped up on his elbows once he heard me close the bathroom door.

If you were wondering why he was still here and hasn't left like he promise he would, it's mainly because I wouldn't let him. He's in no condition to be roaming around and his injury in which I just treated could begin to bleed again if he does anything to stress it and knowing Jack, it'll start bleeding as soon as he's out of here. So in the mean time, I decided to have him rest on it a little before it's healed enough for him to be on his way again.

I felt Jack's eyes on me as I walked around my room to put the stuff away. As much as I tried to ignore it, I couldn't. Later on, as the silence almost became unbearable to sustain, a sudden sound alerted us both from our silence state. It seemed as if it couldn't be a more perfect moment as I heard my phone begin to ring by my nightstand.

Mentally thanking whoever it was on the other line, I reached over and walked to my nightstand to pick it up.

Jack watched the entire time. All I was trying to do was avoid a conversation with him and this was the perfect excuse, at least for now.

I looked up at him before excusing myself. Turning around in my heals, I walked to the door and stepped out. I shut my bedroom door behind me as I did so. I went over to my stairs where I knew I was far away enough to talk on the phone without him hearing what it was we were saying. Maybe it was one of my friends and I honestly can't have anyone knowing Jack is here.

I looked behind me towards my closed bedroom door before answering the call from an unknown number.

"Hello." I answered.

"Hey Liz, it's James." The voice on the other line answered.

"Oh Jamie, I'm so relieved to hear your voice." I sighed. "Wait, how come you're not calling me from your phone?" I asked quickly before he could reply to the first thing I said.

"Someone had a rough day." He chuckled. "Well, I just hope it wasn't as bad as my situation.. My phone died so I'm using the phone booth outside of the coffee house. I am actually using an old fashioned-- cable connecting phone! Buttons and everything!" He explained. "Gotta love iPhones am I right?" He joked.

It felt nice to laugh that next moment.

"James, you were born in '96. Our phones were all like that until a couple of years ago." I shook my head.

"Yes but, Liz, technology gets to you. It erases your memory as if this is was what the old people used." He joked. As always.

"Yup, sounds like a real problem." I joked along with him too, but not the way I always do. He noticed the change in my voice.

"Are you okay, Liz?"

"I'm fine." I chuckled, trying to hide the fact that Jack, my recent stalker/ illegal race car driver/ and MMA fighter, was in my room.

"I really hope you are and that you're not just trying to cover up." I could imagine him grinning on the other line.

"I'm not." I lied again.

"Do you need me to stop by?" He asked again.

"No!" I quickly answered, noticing it was probably too quick to make it sound believable of the story I was telling him. "Erm.. I mean.. No, it's fine. I was just going to bed so.."

"I really do hope you know who you're talking to, Viera. I know you." He paused. "But for now, Ima let it slide."

"I can promise you I'm fine." I chuckled.

"Alright, I believe you." He warned off. "So anyways, I just wanted to make sure you're up for babysitting tomorrow?" He asked.

"Yeah." I answered with no hesitation.

"Okay, good." He replied.

"Are you still working?" I asked.

"Just finished my shift." He answered.

"Oh, do you need someone to pick you up?" I asked, wishing he'd say yes out of curiosity so that I won't be in the same room as Quiet Gilinsky over there.

"Uh that's fine." He answered. "I'm catching a ride with one of my guys."

"Oh.. Okay." You couldn't tell from the outside, but from the inside, I was devastated.

I'm still upset about the whole following thing but it didn't seem like a subject to bring up after knowing he's been hurt. Even though I'm still curious of how he actually got here in the first place, inside my room, I decided the subject would be better off untouched. I'm not a horrible person, and it was a conversation I wasn't looking forward to speaking about.

Maybe a long conversation would help stall the moment from getting back in there.

"So how was work today?" I asked curiously.

James didn't buy it though. Of course.

"Is everything alright back there?" He asked, a mixed tone of not knowing if I joking with him or actually being serious ran through his voice.

I looked back up to my door a few feet behind me, making sure it wasn't creaked open or anything. Turning around once more, I prepared my voice to not sound as loud as it was before.

I wasn't going to hide anything, maybe James coming here is the best thing that can happen now.

"I--"

I immediately stopped myself from speaking any further as soon as I heard a loud thump sound from inside my room. Worried about if something happened to Jack, I quickly dropped my phone.

"Sorry James, I gotta go." I spoke rapidly as I headed back over to my room.

My hand gripped the door knob and swiftly pulled the door open. I wasn't paying much attention to what was in front of me which is why I became unaware of the sudden body I collided with on the other side. Looking up, I saw Jack looking down at me.

I caught my breath. "Jesus, Jack." I let it out slowly, licking my lips. "You scared me." I paused, recalling a more serious situation. "What are you doing standing up?"

"Sorry." He monotonously replied. "I was just going to get a glass of water."

"I'll get it." I paused. "Just go back to bed." I ordered, looking back up at him vigorous eyes.

I stepped back once I saw him making his way back to the bed again. Making my way down the stairs and into the kitchen, I grabbed a clean glass and filled it up with water before walking back into my room.

Spotting Jack lying on his back once more in my bed, I walked over to him. I leaned over to hand him his drink. He grabbed it and thanked me.

"No problem." I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. I was about to walk out of the room again when his voice stopped me.

"Come here." He mumbled, setting the glass on the stand beside the bed.

I knitted my eyebrows together, deciding not to question him any further I just went along with what he said.

Standing right in front of him, I crossed my arms. He frowned a bit at our distance, which from my point of view I'd say was distant enough. Jack on the other hand, found that three steps away from him wasn't good enough. Bringing his arms out to me, his hands gripped my waist and brought me closer.

My arms latched out as he moved me towards him. They pressed on his broad shoulders in order to prevent me from crashing into him.

My heart raced.

We held a moment of dead silence. Nothing but long stares were exchanged between us.

Our slow, heavy breathing filled the air. I became irrationally nervous as his eyes looked deeper into mine.

Shaking away the intriguing feeling that rushed upon me, I quickly recollected myself and rose myself up again from on top of him. His hands went back down to his lap. I cleared my throat. The next moment was an awkward one, one I didn't wish to last long. Luckily, it didn't.

He licked his lips, locking his eyes with mine-- they were unreadable as usual but they held a warm feeling to them.

He sighed. "Are you still mad at me for the other night?" He searched my face for any sign of discomfort.

I shook my head. "No, I'm over that." I lied. I wasn't over it. I mean, knowing what they've said about him, what he's capable of doing.. It scares me.

"No you're not." He corrected me.

"I just.." I continued, looking up as a rough sigh fell from my mouth. "I don't understand you, Jack."

I looked back down to catch Jack's eyes turn soft. It was a side I've never seen from him and apparently one that he never brought out.

"Trust me.." He got serious, speaking beneath his breath. "You don't want to."

Deciding not to push the subject any further, I just left it as it was. The last thing I need is for him to get angry and latch out. But Jack thoughts of it differently.

"Look, I'm really sorry." He looked down.

My eyes looked back up at him. Filling them with curiosity, I stared back at Jack. He seemed like for the first time in all my days of knowing him, he was willing to open up.

"Can you just tell me one thing..?" I asked, voice coming out in a careless whisper.

If looks could speak, he'd be telling me to go on; that he'll answer.

So I asked..

"Who are you protecting me from?" The words shivered down my spine.

The look on Jacks face took a sudden change. His face stiffened, jaw tensed, and for some reason.. He couldn't look my in the eyes anymore.

"You wouldn't understand." He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

I didn't understand what he meant by that so I walked up closer to him. If there's something I'm good at, it's getting people to open up. Something is holding back.

"Try me." I replied sincerely.

My words brought Jack's attention back up to me. Finally, a got a reaction out of him.

He was a very secretive guy, there's no doubt about it. But there was something about the way he looked at me this time that caught my attention. He actually seemed like a genuine person for

"I--"

His words were left unspoken as a sudden ring from my phone was heard.

I tried to play it as if it wasn't there, as if there was no sound to distract him from what he was about to say. Jack's mouth shut closed. His eyes wandered off the ringing noise coming from my nightstand behind me.

"Are you gonna get that?" He glanced from the phone back to me.

The phone kept ringing.

I sat there debating whether or not I should just answer it quickly or ignore the call so that he can get back to his story. So that I can finally get some answers.

After another moment or so, I finally gave in and walked back over to my phone. After all, Jack didn't seem like he'll start his story any second now until I answer my phone.

I picked up the blinking object. The number was blocked and I knew just exactly who it was. I bit the inside of lip, hoping it'd stop ringing before Jack grew suspicious.

Luckily, the ringing stopped seconds after. I let the notification that I had a missed call come up on my lock screen before I slid it across and deleted it from my view. I set the phone back down again.

My relaxed as if nothing had just happened, but as I turned back around, I noticed Jack.

"Whoa, what are you doing?" I asked immediately rushing up to him as he started putting on his shirt again.

Jack winced as he raised his arms. His shirt was put back on, bloody and everything since he didn't give me the chance to wash it off.

"Listen Babe, as much as I know you love seeing me shirtless, it's 60 degrees outside and I have to get going." He joked.

"Going?" I sounded confused. "Where are you going?"

"Home." He chuckled. "I can't stay."

"But, you're hurt.." I continued. "What if your wound starts bleeding again?" I hissed in a light tone.

He chuckled. "Babe, you make it seem like this is the first time this happens to me." He smirked. "I'll be fine. I know how to handle myself."

"Oh yeah, I can definitely see how that's working out for you." I referred to his little accident.

Jack stepped closer to me. Pressing his lips to mine, he soon pulled away. "You talk too much." He cheesed before walking back up to my already open bedroom window.

"Wait!" I called back.

Jack turned.

I grew a little more nervous with the next thing I was about to ask; my eyes unable to make contact with his. "You never finished telling me.." I continued.

This time I did look back at him. His eyes were wandering elsewhere. Finally he looked back at me and just shook his head. "No one." He shook his head.

"Then why did you say you were pro--"

"I just.. I don't want you getting hurt." He began. "And not just by someone, but by anything."

"You know, I heard about you before.." I continued slowly.

"Oh really?" He suddenly became interested in the subject.

I've heard a lot actually but I wasn't even close to bringing that other stuff up like him beating up that guy. Or the fact that he's been in prison. That kind of stuff is just better to leave it alone. So that's why I told him something other than his dark past and kept it simple.

"You don't really care for people." I continued. "So what makes you do otherwise.. With me?" I shrugged my shoulders, still not understanding the concept.

Jack just shook his head. That right there let me know that he didn't know why either.

"I guess you're different." He smiled. "Stubborn too." He finished with a wink.

"Hey, I am not stubborn!" I defended, laughing a little towards the end.

"Whatever you say, Princess." He joked.

There was a dead moment of silence that followed after a small laugh we shared.

Jack broke our limited movement by turning back around. His hands gripped on the ledge of my open window.

"You know, we have a perfectly good door downstairs?" I crossed my arms again.

Jack was already sitting in the window frame, neck nudged down to slid right under the glass.

His head turned back to me, thinking of his response for a while too before answering. "I like the climb." He shrugged his shoulders.

I sighed, licking my lips.

"I'll see you soon." He smiled before pulling his right leg over the edge followed by the left. I watched him grip onto a thick branch extending out from the bug pine tree besides my window. His leg searched for another steady branch to step on. I walked up to my window as he went down. He repeated those steps until he finally reached the bottom. This made me think just how many times he did crazy stuff like this.

Sending me a subtle wink, he started walking away.

I just shook my head with a smile, raising my hands to slide back down my window and lock it from the mid border. Jack was gone in moments. I was once more alone in my home again. I know it seems crazy, but that talk with Jack really eased my mind off of things. It was nice.

Even though he was hurt, he kept us both calm and it was just.. Nice.

Oh my, did I just have a moment with Jack Gilinsky?