Madness and an offer[Aiden Blackwell]

[Artemis Bane]

Enough was enough. Artemis had met with her father a few days ago and she had told him how she was feeling about the whole ordeal. How she was feeling about the job she was doing, how it was draining her little by little. There was no love for the job anymore, no way to escape the nightmares that haunted her every time she closed her eyes. The things she had seen, the things she had done. She was over it all. She wanted something more out of life, and after her conversation with Aiden, he made it seem like she still had time. But the meeting with her father didn't go as she had hoped. He was only proud of her because of what she did, because it was following in his footsteps, and he called her a coward. A hopeless cause that he would no longer support in anything she did. She left their manor with the injuries to remind her what a horrible daughter she was.

Artemis found herself in front of the clinic that Aiden had opened. Her face was hidden by a burgundy hood, it also hid the bruises and the tears that smattered her face. She took in a deep breath and tried to force herself to find the courage to open the damn door. Her mind cursed her for being so damn scared to walk through a door, but it was first time in her life she was seeking out help. Help from someone she barely knew, but someone she felt she could trust. Trust didn't come easy for the woman, but he had made it seem like he wasn't going to end her or make things difficult for her either.

A shaky hand reached out for the door hand and she pulled the door open. There was a woman at the front desk, and Artemis almost turned around and ran back out the door. She stopped and took a breath before walking to the desk. "Aiden...Is he around?" her words came out softly. Her voice cracked a bi,t and her stance showed she was a shadow of the woman she used to be.

[Aidan Blackwood]

Lisa had been sitting at the front desk, doing some paperwork, and looked up when Artemis came in. She frowned a little at her state, "Oh dear, are you alright?" she asked softly, "Oh, but yes, he is, give me a minute," she stood up and rushed over to the door to the back, the rabbit in the cage in the room dashing into its hidey hole at Lisa's abrupt actions.

"Hey, Dr. Blackwood, there's someone here for you," she said to him, where we at his own desk in the back.

"Send them back," Aidan said, surprised someone was just dropping in.

Lisa left the door open and looked to Artemis, "You're good to go back," she said, moving to give her space, like one might a spooked animal.

Aidan came to the door and looked surprised, "Artemis?" his brow furrowed, "Please come back," he said, stepping out of the door to let her in and closing the door behind her once she was in his office, "What's happened?" he asked.

[Artemis Bane]

Artemis stood there awkwardly, contemplating leaving again. Her heart was racing and her nerves were shot. If she were being honest with herself, she wasn't even really sure why she was here. Sure, they had a good conversation a few nights ago, but did that mean that she trusted him? Not really, no, but there also wasn't anyone else she could really talk to. Artemis didn't have friends, she didn't have any other family to talk to. She had people she slept with and people that she worked with, that was the extent of her relationships.

When Lisa came back into the lobby, Artemis looked up. She slowly walked past the woman before stopping in front of Aiden. She took in a deep breath and pulled the hood further over her face. She didn't want him seeing her like this, again, why was she here!? She swallowed before, her head dropped, and her eyes stared at the floor. The once confident woman was gone, replaced with whatever this meek, scared, little girl was.

A small noise escaped from her lips as she walked past him and into the office. She turned around quickly and took a few steps back from him. "I..." Her voice was cracked and her hands still shaking. "I'm sorry..." She shook her head and pressed her hands together, and she quickly tried to go for the door. "I shouldn't have come here...I d-don't know what...what I was thinking." Her words were rushed and choppy. She looked up at him as she neared the door. "You don't deserve my shit..."