'Welcome to Oregon International, the time is...'

I unclenched my fingers from the armrests and looked at Aaron who seemed at ease with the flight.

"You okay?" He asked rubbing my thigh. I nodded in response and looked out the window seeing the runway and tarmac as well as planes awaiting their passengers.

"Hey, don't worry. It's the safest place I know." He whispered.

"Besides your house?" I asked.

"Besides my house." He confirmed.

In a panic earlier, I had convinced Aaron to come away with me. Only I had no idea where so I put complete trust in him to take me out of Vegas. I felt bad for leaving in such an abrupt way but I think Alec understood, deep down I knew he understood.

"Oregon, nothing like Vegas but it certainly feels like home." Aaron answered looking out the window as the plane began getting into position near the terminals.

"You used to live here? Right?"

Aaron nodded "Yeah in Portland Oregon, it's not far from here."

"Hey uh, if you wanted to go and visit your mom whilst we are here, I'm totally down for just chilling at the hotel.." I replied.

"Hotel? Why would I leave you at the hotel? I want you to meet my mom." He explained making me blink.

"Like this? Aaron, first impressions babe..." I reminded him.

"Lucky for you, with a son like me.. My mom is pretty understanding, that and I kind of told her we needed to get out of town for a couple days. She more or less demanded I bring you for dinner."

"Oh." I nodded.

"Don't sweat it. I explained everything."

"Great, so she probably thinks I'm a troublemaker." I grumbled.

"Not at all.." He replied before standing up. "Come on, let's beat the rush."

Taking a small breath, I stood up with him and filtered into the line to get off the plane. As with any airport, it was packed with people. But thankfully everyone was desperate to get to their final destinations and didn't care for a battered woman hurrying behind a gentle giant.

We collected our bags and made our way outside when I had a mental lapse. "Aaron we didn't book a taxi." I sighed.

The queue alone was ridiculous which meant we were in for a long wait.

"Taxi? Why would I pay for that when I've got a hire car?" He asked taking my holdall.

"You have? When did you order that?" I questioned following beside him quickly. His long legs meant a short thing like me had to almost run.

"I used the planes Wi-Fi. I did tell you." He paused looking down at me with concern. "I hope being here helps you Lu.."

I nodded "It will.... I hope." I answered continuing on with him.

****

The rest of it went in a blur, so consumed in my own misery and thinking of what could of happened, I didn't realise we were in the hotel room until Aaron shut the door making me jump.

"Hey.. Come here." He whispered pulling me into a hug.  I melted into his arms relieved that we were out of Vegas and we had put a few hours between myself and Mark.

"Thank you.."

"Don't mention it. Let me look at you." He whispered pulling me back to see my face.

I lowered my eyes not wanting to see the upset in his, the look had been there for the past few days. The guilty expression of his face when all he could think about was what he should or could have done different.

But in all honesty, it came down to me. Not pursuing the attacks Mark gave time and time again. If I had used the chance I had, we wouldn't be in Oregon trying to lie low now.

"Sorry for taking you out your home. I just panicked, I guess."

He shook his head "Stop apologising to me. None of this is your fault okay? Now we are here, he doesn't know where we are. I won't post a damn thing and your cell phone? Turn it off."

I pulled it out instantly and turned it off.

"You need to use one? Use mine. Alec has my number and I have his. But he has cleared your work schedule on all this."

I nodded sitting down on the large bed with a humph. "I'm a pain in the ass for everyone I meet. Zak and Maria?" I asked remembering them in this.

"Zak is gonna call me when we are gonna head on lockdown. Probably be in California so we are good. This is about you, I hope whilst we are here, you can at least get some proper sleep." He hinted.

I looked down at my hands feeling like a scorned child.  "I woke you?"

"The moment you got out of bed. I don't want a sorry, I know you're having nightmares."

My face crumbled with upset. "It's like he will never leave. But he will eventually.. Won't he?" I asked.

"Of course. Lu this is all fresh in your mind, I know when you look at yourself all you can see is his fists. You change in the bathroom to avoid me seeing the bruises, but it's not something you should be ashamed of, you didn't cause this Luna. You have to believe me."

"I guess I'm just scared." I admitted .

"Scared of what? Of him?"

"No.. Of you leaving when you see." I wept.

His arms went around my body as he held me gently "You have no idea how much I l... How much I like you. I'm not going anywhere. And instead of hiding the marks, maybe showing them will start the healing?"

I shook my head "No, no I don't want you to see them.. Not all of them."

"Okay. But one limb at a time yeah?" He asked gently.

"Maybe." I replied tugging my sleeve down enough to hide the marks on my forearms.

****

"Aaron?" I called making him look up from the floor as I laid on the bed.

"Yes?"

"If you could be an animal.. What would you be?" I asked rolling onto my back to look at the ceiling.

He put his paintbrush down in thought. "Hmmm. That's a good one. Maybe a tiger or Jaguar, something fast but ferious. They are both pretty bad ass."

I nodded and agreed.

"What about you?" He asked.

"A bird. Just so I could spread my wings and fly. They always look so free." I answered.

"Good choice."

"Why do you paint?" I questioned.

"It helps me relax before sleep." A smile played on his face "Wanna try?"

I looked at his abstract work and shook my head "No you're doing an awesome job, I'll only ruin it.  Favourite artist?"

"I don't know. Do you have one?" He asked taking interest.

"Yep. Claude Monet. The Water Lily Pond. It had a Japanese bridge in?"

"Oh I know the one!" He answered listening.

"He was an impressionist artist. It made an impression on me,  I don't really know why I love it so much. Maybe it's the way he painted the lillies or the drooping of the trees. Hell it could even be the colours. Whatever it is, that's the piece I always think of when someone says artist." I replied.

"Well, I'll never be Monet." Aaron replied looking down at his canvas.

I smiled "I wouldn't want you to be.. You're my Mr Goodwin. I wouldn't have you any other way." I replied reaching out and touching his face.

He took my hand in his paint splattered one and kissed it. "I like you. Get some sleep for me though. You're looking tired."

"I'll try."

"I'll be here to fight those sleep demons." He replied making me smile.

"I like you.. Lots."

"Then sleep." He ordered leaning up to kiss my forehead.

Giving him a salute, I pulled his jumper from the other side of the bed and draped it over my body, letting my body relax in his scent.