"W-where are we?" I yawned rolling my eyes across the windscreen as I woke up.

"At a place where nobody knows us and nobody can find us." Alec sighed taking off his tie. He opened up the car door and gave me an encouraging look to do the same. I rubbed my eyes and got out yawning into my hand.

"S-sorry." I grumbled waking myself up before I was deemed rude.

"It's okay. How you feeling?" He asked looking to my chest.

"It's okay, tender but no real burns. Thank god."

He smiled gently "Guess that is something, look if you wanna send Aaron a text and let him know I've taken you out of wor-"

"No. No it will just lead to more questions and right now? I don't want to deal with them." I answered feeling a little selfish and guilty.

He nodded before moving to the back of his car and popping the trunk. I watched as Alec took off his jacket and laid it down before rolling his sleeves up on his crisp white shirt.

Despite the last couple of days with Aaron, I couldn't help but shamelessly gawk at Alec's forearms.

I couldn't be the only woman who thought shirt sleeves rolled up was hot... Right?

Undoing his top button he rubbed his neck and rolled his head before closing the trunk. "God it feels so much better.."

After that, he came over to me and guided me towards the large glass building with his arm on my back.

It wasn't until we got into the building that I realised it wasn't just a glass building, but a botanical garden.

"Oh woah.." I whispered feeling the humid temperature on my skin and the bright sunshine gleaming down on all different types of flowers and trees.

"I know right?" Alec whispered.

I turned to see a small smile on his face, he gently guided me on forwards on the cobbled stones. The walkway marked out by small wooden pillars with rope barriers. I had noticed a few lights placed by each of the pillars for the later hours where I presumed the lights would turn on giving a softer glow.

"I had no idea this place existed." I whispered in amazement.

My hands couldn't stop slapping onto Alec's arm in excitement as I noticed frogs on the plant leaves. "Look!"

He chuckled softly "There's a lot more than frogs here. But you have to keep your eyes open."

My hands went to my chest before I frowned. "Hurting?" He asked.

"Camera..." I muttered. Feeling the bitterness, I continued around slowly with him making a mental promise to myself that I would return with a camera.

"Look.." Alec whispered into my ear pointing to a gecko.

I grinned and watched it run away, I looked around to see a tortoise moving slowly across the ground.

"This place is amazing." I replied crouching down to watch the tortoise for a while.

I marvelled at the plants, flowers and trees of all different varieties that thrived in the warmer greenhouse climate, how the animals kept here were free to roam around and now kept enclosed behind glass.

In fact, Alec has stopped us from walking at one point as we stood at a tortoise pavement crossing. The Botanical gardens had even put up a small warning sign for people to watch their footings. Once happy that no tortoise was gonna jump out, we continued walking along until we reached the end.

"My favourite part..." Alec smiled.

We entered in a set out double doors, only to be enclosed with a netted arch way, walking to opening of it. I slipped through and paused.

"Holy mother of god, this is beautiful."

Hundreds of butterflies were flying over our heads, all shapes, sizes, colours and varieties.

"Alec this is beautiful." I spoke looking over to him as he held out his hand.

I watched as a butterfly landed on his palm making him smile. "Go on.. Try it."

I wiped my hands onto my trousers before holding my palm out flat. I gasped quietly as a butterfly landed onto my palm, its wings were a beautiful aqua blue, with black edging and small white spots.

"This place is amazing. I- I'm in love with it." I replied looking over to Alec who's Butterfly fly had flew off and been replaced by three more.

"You are the butterfly whisperer."

"Come on." He smiled as my butterfly had flew off and one landed on my head.

"I don't want to go yet." I giggled.

"We aren't, were gonna sit down near the small waterfall."

I looked around and noticed an empty bench.

We took our seats and watched the flutters of colours in the air. A part of me was afraid to blink incase I woke up to find this all just to be a wonderful dream, but when I did and my eyes opened to the same scenario, I accepted that this was real and I was living this moment.

"You've never been here?" Alec asked surprised.

"Never. But I will be back, God won't I ever." I whispered watching a black and red butterfly flapping in the air.

"I like to come here and destress. Helps me think too."

I looked over to see his face "Think about what?"

"Worries, sometimes they are small, other times they are big worries."

I pushed my mouth to the side, "And what size are they today?"

"Increasing big." He replied looking directly at me before they went to his shirt I was wearing. "Luna.. We have to put a stop to him."

I rubbed my forehead "I know but it's his against mine. They will also take into account that we used to date, everything he does? It's off camera, apart from the odd incident but he won't get anymore than a slap on the hand for that. "

"He is hurting you." He growled.

"And I know that. But when I say it's pointless at the moment? I mean it really is. I have to get evidence, solid concrete evidence Alec, you know that."

He clenched his fists in anger "I wanna put the fucker on the ground for even looking at you. Let alone hurting y-.." He paused breathing heavily before tearing his eyes across to me.

His hand slipped onto the side of my face stroking his thumb near my lips gently. "Is Aaron good to you?"

I nodded.

"Treats you well, I mean after everything? You're happy right?"

"I am." I replied quietly.

He nodded drawing his thumb over my bottom lip. "He better know how fucking lucky he is. Maybe we were suppose to be in another like huh?" He smiled taking his hand away.

"Maybe. I really like you Alec, but as a friend and I know that sucks and you want to bang me every piece of furniture like your baby toe but I wouldn't be able to give you what you need."

"I know, not whilst you're mad for him right?" Alec asked.

"Exactly. I don't know, I don't know how he got into my body, my blood. I just know that when I'm with him, everything works again after being broken for so long and I guess that's stupid."

"No, no that's love." He replied making me pause. "You can deny it all you want but I can tell it from your face and in your eyes. You love him."

I thought about his statement for a while, I thought about the days of confusion, worry and the nights of anger all turned so easily into laughter, excitement and joy. Maybe I should have noticed it sooner but I hadn't..

I had no idea it happened or how it happened. But in the treat em mean and keep em keen phase of Aaron's grouchiness, I had indeed feel in love with him...