Guardian

That night is still a vivid memory in her mind, everything changed that night. Watching the news she heard a report of a young girl 14 or 15 dumped on the side of the road and just left like she was, except this time the poor girl was dead. No one saw anything, and very few cared. Kenna knew that was her years ago and she knew that he had a replacement in line; she couldn't let it happen again. She went down to the most exclusive hotel in town and using every memory she had of him, she worked her way up to his room. LMJ, she had found him. He traveled without guards, because he believed he was untouchable and there would be no witness to his perversion. Stealing her way into the room she came face to face with "Dad", she said nothing just stared at this monster in man's skin. He was older, face twisted in a cruel smirk, his eyes glowed with madness, and without thought she swung and made contact with the face that had haunted her every nightmare. Blood flew from his nose and mouth as she punched and pummeled the man, who took her innocence he fought her back and was able to land a few good punches to her face and ribs, she picked up the steak knife one the room service cart. Kenna stabbed him where his heart should be, she stood back and watched him die in front of her. The reality of what she did hit her, she had to get out of there and now. Leaving the room and slipping out the fire escape she hurried away. That was when the pain began her ribs hurt and she had had enough broken ribs to know when one. She remembers the kind doctor who talked to her while in her coma, he had a clinic and he spent most of his time there. She hid in the shadows and alleys while working her way to his clinic, when she got there the light was on in the back. Banging on the door, she heard him shout to hold on. The door swung open and she was face to face with the voice that kept her grounded to earth. He was about 6' and solid, not the nerdy type she expected, and his eyes shined with the kindness and concern that she didn't believe existed in men. The surprise and flash of recognition in his eyes told her he knew who she was, "Please don't ask any questions? I can't answer them, can you help me?" Kenna questioned. Alex extended his hand and showed her to the exam room that would soon become all too familiar. That was a year ago, funny how time flies.
Kenna's bed was soaked, she was burning with fever, looking down at her side when Alex had put the stitches in days ago, it was red, puffy and this gross stuff coming out of it. Her head was spinning as she fumbled around for her cell phone. "Mutt, I think I need to break a rule" she groaned "I need help" with that statement she called the only person she could count on. Thirty minutes later at her front door stood Alex, with his trusty doctor bag in hand. "Shit, Kenna you look like hell" he grumbled as he placed one hand on her flushed cheek and stepped into her apartment. Alex could only shake his head and think what if the cops hadn't had shown, what if she had only stayed he could have gotten her the antibiotics that would have prevented this. She was sick and he knew it.
"Thanks for coming "she mumbled trying to get over the discomfort of someone in her space.
"Let's get you looked at, this is bad. How long has it been like this?" he asked but when he looked she had begun to falter on her feet and passed out. Alex caught her and took her in to her room. In the middle of her bed was the largest cat he had ever seen and it looked annoyed that he had its owner in his arms. "Move it" he growled, and proceeded to lay Kenna down on the bed. She groaned in her fever induced faint. Alex walked down the hall taking in her small apartment, it was sparse not a lot a couch and side table made up the living room in front of a fireplace. Across the small room were two tall book shelves over flowing with books to the point where they were all on the floor and a desk with a laptop on it between them. Her kitchen was just as small, with a small table with two chairs one empty the other had a bag, purse and coat it in. Alex searched the cabinets until he found a large bowel and some towels, filling the bowl with hot water her returned to her bedroom.
Her head felt like lead and she couldn't move it, she heard the rustling around in the kitchen and the water running. A moment of panic ran through her until she realized that she invited this intruder. Mutt sat close to her head, purring. As Alex reentered the room she opened one eye, but it became an effort to keep it open. "How did I get sick so fast?'" she tried to say but it was becoming garbled as the fever consumed her body.
"I need to get to your side lets, take off your shirt." he stated calmly, he remembered the scars that covered her back and how it always made her uncomfortable. Gently he removed her shirt attempting to keep her back covered, he exposed the wound. Touching it she hissed at the pain, but he began to treat it and clean it. Going back to his bag he pulls out the medication and sits her up to give her the medication that would help her. Seeing the bed was still wet from her sweat and the water from cleaning the wound, her searches again for linen. After changing the bed she gets her to bed and take his place on the floor watching over her and checking her through the night. He grabbed an extra pillow from the bed, and the throw at the end of the bed. Eyeing Mutt as he was getting comfortable, he wondered how the woman ever fed that little lion laying next to her and hoped she fed it well because he liked his face.
His eyes had barely be closed when he work up to her cries of pain, sitting straight up instantly awake, she still slept trapped in the arms of her nightmare. Her cries were painful and primal; the demon she fought was winning. "No stop, don't, it hurts" Kenna shook with fear. Alex thought about trying to comfort her but for the first time he was lost, fearful that if he touched her she would think it was the dream and not comfort. He called her name, no response. Looking over her to Mutt he asked "Does this happen often?" as if expecting a response but what happen next surprised him. Mutt climbed on to her back and laid there, placing his head near her ear giving a loud meow and then began to purr loudly. Kenna began to calm down and went back to sleep. Alex just sat there at the edge of the bed staring while the cat climbed down from his mistress and looked at him like he was the dumbest creature on earth. Alex witnessed the cat comfort Kenna three more times that night.