"Dasher!" I shouted as I hastily opened the door of his room, hoping he's already there. But I saw no one inside.

My heart's heaving up and down as I closed the door. I bit my lower lip while scanning the whole place for the nth time but still, I can't see Dasher inside.

I was in the kitchen, preparing our dinner awhile ago when I noticed the silence in the living room. I didn't mind it at first. Ngunit nang tatawagin ko na siya para sa hapunan ay doon ko na siya hindi nakita.

I already searched the whole villa but I didn't find even a shadow of him. My eyes landed at the wall clock. "Shit," I uttered a curse when I saw its almost eight in the evening.

I placed my knuckles on my lips as I took a step towards the dining room. Habang ang isang kamay ko ay mariin ang hawak sa aking telepono. Matapos ang ilang hakbang ay muli akong bumaling sa kasalungat na direksyon habang ang mata ay paminsan minsang bumabaling sa orasan.

Ilang minuto ang makalipas ay malalim akong napabuntong hininga at napagpasyahang tawagan si Ridge. Maybe Dasher's there. Siguro ay nabagot ito at pumunta sa villa nina Ridge at Donna?

I tried calling him for a couple of times but he didn't answer any of it.

Naisip kong tawagan si Dasher ngunit agad akong natigilan nang maalala na hindi ko alam ang number niya.

I sighed as I decided to go out of our villa. The cold breeze of air immediately welcomed me as I started walking towards the direction where Ridge and Donna's villa is in.

Madilim ang daan patungo roon ngunit sapat naman ang ilaw sa labas ng mga nakahilerang villa upang makita ko ang tutunguhin. Isa sa mga villa na naroon ay ang kila Ridge. Bukas ang mga ilaw kaya't siguradong naroon sila. Habang papalapit ay nakita ko rin na nakaparada sa tabi ng villa ang kotse ni Ridge kaya na kumpirma kong nasa villa nga sila, hindi lang ako sigurado kung pati si Dasher ay naroon.

Habang patungo sa villa nila ay sinusubukan ko pa ring tawagan si Ridge ngunit hindi talaga ito sumasagot. I don't have Donna's number as well, reason why I can't contact her.

I pushed the button of the doorbell as I stood in front if their villa. Ilang minuto matapos walang nagbukas ng pinto ay muli kong sinubukang magdoorbell.

"Ridge!" I called when still, no one answered.

Muli akong nagdoorbell at sa pagkakataong iyon maluwag na bumukas ang pinto ng villa.

Bumungad sa akin si Ridge na namumungay ang mga mata at naabutan kong nagsusuot ng pang-itaas na damit. Magulo rin ang buhok niya at boxers lang suot pangibaba. Is he sleeping awhile ago? Ang aga naman?

"Maureen," he muttered with his unusual raspy voice.

Kunot ang noong pinagmamasdan ko siya.

"What brings you here?" Patuloy niya matapos magsuot ng puting t-shirt. He's not sleeping yet, my mind concluded. Isang hinuha ang pumasok sa aking isipan na agad ko namang isinawalang bahala dahil masyadong pribado ang bagay na naisip.

"Is... Dasher inside?" I asked though I think Dasher isn't here. In Ridge's state and if my hunch is right, Dash won't probably be here.

I cleared my throat as I shook my head. I even motioned my hand. "I mean..." Napahinto ako bumuntong hininga. "Nevermind, babalik na 'ko sa villa. Pasensya na sa abala." Agad akong umakmang tatalikod ngunit nahagip niya ang aking braso.

"What happened?" He asked, maybe he realized I won't go here at this hour when its not important.

"D-Dasher's missing. He's not in our villa. I thought he's here..."

"I'm worried." Dagdag ko, it was almost a whisper.

Yes, he can now walk with the help of his standard walker. But still! If there's someone who wants to hurt him, he can't fight for hisself. Hindi niya kayang protektahan ang sarili katulad ng nasaksihan ko noon sa may bangin.

O hindi kaya, paano kung bumigay ang mga binti niya? He's still not fully recovered.

"What? He isn't. Fuck! Wait for me, I'll get my phone and we'll find him." He didn't wait for my response. Agad na niya akong tinalikuran at tila naalerto rin dahil sa hindi ko makita si Dasher.

No, I can't wait here. I need to find him. In fact, I should be the only one responsible for this. Ako ang kasama ni Dasher sa villa at hindi na dapat responsibilidad ni Ridge na tulungan pa akong hanapin siya.

Thought, it'll be a big help if he'll try to find Dasher too. 'Cause right now, my mind's already in chaos. Tumakbo ako pabalik sa villa upang tignan kung naroon na si Dasher. Ngunit kahit pa siguro baligtarin ko ang buong villa ay hindi ko siya makita.

I went out of the villa to find Dasher. Dumiretso ako sa dalampasigan dahil iyon lang naman ang hindi ko pa napuntahan. Kung sa gawi ng mga villa siya nagtungo ay siguradong nakita ko na siya.

The darkness is consuming the whole place but I can still see with the help of the glint of light from the moon.

Tuloy tuloy ang lakad ko nang hindi makita ang bulto ni Dasher sa dalampasigan. I turned to the sun loungers beside our villa, facing the shore. I let out a deep breath as I saw a familiar built seating at the second sun lounger.

His standard walker's resting beside him. While even in the dark, I can see him looking at nowhere. Tila malalim ang iniisip. He must be. Dahil hindi naman niya ugaling lumabas lalo na sa mga oras na ito.

Marahan ang mga yapak na nagtungo ako sa kanyang direksyon. I don't want to disturb him as much as possible. Ngunit kahit anong tahimik ng bawat paglapat ng aking mga paa ay naramdaman pa rin niya ang aking presensya.

I caught him glanced at my direction. It only took him a couple of seconds to know who's approaching. Kahit pa madilim at bahagyang malayo pa ako sa kanyang kinauupuan.

He returned his eyes in his front, bahagya siyang tumingala sa langit. Unconsciously, my eyes darted at where he's looking at. The moon. Though I'm not sure, maybe he's looking at the stars or just at the mere darkness.

I sat at the edge of the sun lounger beside Dash so I can be near him.

"I'm worried about you." Kusang lumabas ang mga salitang iyon sa aking bibig matapos kong makaupo.

Dasher turned to me, sandaling kumunot ang noo bago muling mawala ang ekspresyon sa mga mata. My eyes widened a fraction as I realized what I've said.

"I-I mean, you didn't even tell me where you're going." I grimaced in the dark as my words sounds like I am a demanding girlfriend. "Don't get me wrong. I'm your nurse and I'm responsible for--"

"Didn't you see the note at the center table in the living room?"

"You... wrote one?" Of course! He just told you there's a note!

"Hmm. I slid it beside the vase at the top the center table."

My mouth formed into an 'o' shape. Siguro, dahil sa pagkawala sa sarili kanina ay hindi ko na rin napansin iyon.

I didn't respond and let the silence consumed us. The calm sound from the waves striking the shore is the only thing I can hear.

I found myself mesmerized by the moon. While my mind's clouded with reasons why Dasher's here. It seems like I can be drowned in whatever he's thinking.

"You know what Mirae and Astrid told me?" He muttered in a soft voice, that I need to gave him a second look to make sure if I heard it right.

He's now initiating a conversation! And he's not using his cold tone! I don't know but it sent a dozen shot of unknown emotion in my insides.

"W-what is it?" Marahang tanong ko, nananantya pa rin dahil ayokong bumalik ang lamig ng pakikitungo niya sa akin dahil lamang sa isang maling galaw. Though he's still distant at times.

"My family's still mourning in my death."

Nahigit ko ang aking hininga at napaayos ng upo.

Sumikip ang aking dibdib para sa pamilya niya. If I were his family, I'll surely be devastated after knowing he's dead.

I barely know Dasher, yes we're living in the same roof a month and a few days already but I know, his cold treatment is not really him. The accident made him act like that, and I understand him.

I licked my lower lip and pressed my lips after to let him continue, seems like he still have something to tell.

"I want to go back to them." I can hear his heaving breathing as his jaw tightened. "I fucking want to but damn it... I can't," he whispered the last part in an almost inaudible voice.

I can't help but bit my lower lip while staring at him. Tila may malaking butas sa aking puso ngayong nakikita ko siyang nahihirapan.

Even in the dark, I saw him tightly shut his eyes closed. And my lips parted as I saw a lone tear glimmered from the side of his eyes.

Sa pagkislap ng luhang naglalandas sa kanyang pisngi ay siyang pagdilat ng kanyang mga mata.

I cleared my throat when I felt a lump forming inside it. "I heard..." I trailed off while staring at him. His eye aren't on me but I know he's listening. "You were ambushed? T-that's why--" Napahinto ako, hindi makahanap ng tamang mga salita. I shouldn't tell him I know Mirae planned to hide him, na alam kong sinadya ni Mirae na palabasing patay na siya. "That's why, y-you're here while your family thought you're dead?"

Isang tango ang iginawad niya sa akin bilang sagot.

"W-what happened to those who did it. What are your plans? Ipakulong ba sila? Or... nakakulong na ba?" I was struggling to continue my words because acting like I didn't know anything made me feel like there's a hole in my heart because of guilt.

Binalingan niya ako. There's something in his eyes, something too deep that even words can't explain it.

"Don't be such a fool and act as if you don't know me, I know you do."

Napamaang ako sa mga salitang lumabas mula sa bibig niya. He knew?

Marahas ko akong napaharap sa kanya. My eyes widened a fraction as my heart started hammering my ribcage. I held my breath as I forced a chuckle. "W-what are you--"

"You're the woman at the cliff. You saw how I killed those bastards, mercilessly."

Nalaglag ang aking panga. He remember. Tila nakahinga ako ng maluwag dahil naaalala niya. At dahil iyon ang tinutukoy niya sa sinabi niyang 'he knew, I know him'.

"Now, don't act as if you don't know I won't kill them. I won't let them rot in jail. They'll rather rot in hell. I'll surely kill all of them." May diin ang bawat sambit nito sa kanyang mga salita.

I can't help but be threatened for my father. No matter how wrong all the things that he did, no matter how evil he is, he's still my father. I love him.

Even though I didn't grew up with him physically, I can feel him beside me. I know in every step I took when I was still a child, he's with me. I can feel him, not physically but still. He's with me.

And my sister, I know she's one of those. She planned Dasher's death with dad. Who knows, maybe she's one of those who ambushed Dasher's car.

I love my father, so much that despite his wrong doings together with my sister, I don't want them to die. I'm not that close with my sister but still, she's my sister.

I can't breath at the thought of one of them dying.

And I know Dasher will surely kill them for what happened. Maybe soon when he's recovered already.

"Y-you..." I trailed off and cleared my throat when my voice trembled. "You'll kill them? You can just--"

"I'll kill them, Maureen." Malamig na sambit niya sa akin, sinadyang putulin ant sasabihin. Siguro ay may pakiramdam siya na kung ano pa ang isusuhestiyon ko.

I just nodded my head as a response, not wanting to prolong the conversation.

I let out a deep sigh and I know he heard it.

I won't let him. I'll do everything, anything Dasher want just to spare my family's life. Even if it costs mine.

__________