Wish to god that the memories fade to black

It's weird, going to bed a teenager and then waking up as a young adult. Yesterday, Alix went to bed on the last day of summer. No more bonfires with her friends, sneaking alcohol from her parents' liquor cabinet with her friends, or staying up late and watching movies. It's time for her to grow up. To move on, to show the world what she can become. That Alixandra Finley was not going to stay in their little hometown and was going to become something. She was not going to live her life as a waitress in her father's restaurant. She was going to become a teacher, or a doctor, or something that she would easily reach for. Something that Alix was sure that she'd be happier doing for the rest of her life. She was going to become her true self, and she was beyond excited.

At least, Alix was until the alarm on her phone went off and woke her from her light sleep. Tossing and turning, fears of failure haunting her dreams. Opening her bright green eyes, Alix looked towards the windowsill where she laid her phone last night and reached out lazily. She fumbled around for her phone for a moment before she felt her hand hit the demonic device. Picking up her phone, Alix turned the alarm off and then rolled onto her back. She laid like that for a moment before slowly sitting up and looking around the small studio apartment that she could barely afford. Her independent streak was yelling at her for not accepting some financial assistance from her parents. Now, she was stuck waitressing at a local cafe to try and afford this place as her scholarship paid for her schooling.

"I bet Alessio will shit himself when he sees how small my place is," Alix mumbled to herself, her shoulders sagging in defeat as she laid back down and let out a small groan. Her best friend, mister popular. Mister star on the sports teams. Mister perfect, her partner in crime since she could remember. He was practically her brother, that's how long they've known each other and have been friends ever since. Laying in bed for another couple of moments, Alix decided to get the day started. There was no use in laying around when she had to get to class in two hours. Her first college class no less, freaking math. Ugh, gross.

Slipping out of bed, Alix got to work on making herself a quick breakfast. Consisting of plain vanilla yogurt and her favorite peanut butter chocolate granola. Then, she hopped into the shower. The warm water helped her wake up and shake off that last bit of sleep that lingered in her mind. Once she was done getting cleaned up, Alix got dressed and grabbed her syllabus and looked at her schedule as she picked up her bag and tossed it onto her shoulder. Then, her movements halted as she red the list of her classes. "Aw, shit." She mumbled, eight PM was when her class was. Not AM, like she had originally thought. An annoyed sigh escaped from Alix as she let her school bag slip from her shoulder. Her confident demeanor slipping to one of exhaustion. "I could have been sleeping." She mumbled to herself.

Not wanting to waste her effort to get ready for the day and look nice, Alix pulled her phone and texted the only person she knew was close by. Mixed up my schedule. The class is at eight tonight, not this morning. Want to meet for breakfast? She sent the text to Alessio, knowing that he was an early bird for some reason. Then, she headed out of her apartment and headed towards that cute little cafe that she and Alessio had found on their walk around the college town.

Once she got to the cafe, Alix walked inside and found an empty table in the back of the place. It was a weird thing that Alessio had, he wasn't a fan of eating outside or near windows. Saying he liked being the one to watch, not being watched. When they were younger, Alix teased him about it, but now. She just accepted it as Alessio's little quirk and loved him all the same for it. Sitting down, Alix reached out and grabbed one of the little menus that were on the table and started to look through it. She might have just eaten, but this place's food always seemed to cause her to want to eat. As Alix stared at the menu items, her mind started to wonder. This was her first real day being on her own, away from her family. Sure, she had Alessio, but, he was just a friend. A single person that she knew. He had talked her into applying to this college in California, the University of LA, saying that it'd be an adventure. A while Alix was excited to learn that she had gotten in, which she was iffy about, it also scared her. They were the only one's in LA, all of their classmates had stayed in Nevada for college or were working in their family-run stores. It was daunting to think that her family was hours away instead of down the street or in the room next to hers.

A small sigh escaped from Alix as she raised her right hand and lightly rubbed her tired eyes. She wanted to meet some more people, she wanted to experience the college party scene. She wanted to finally find a boyfriend that would date her for more then a couple of weeks. She's never gone farther than kissing, and while it might sound like not a big deal. Alix wanted to feel loved by someone, someone who she wasn't related to or, was Alessio. He always looked out for her. He could tell the bad guys from the good, telling her that her relationships weren't going to last long and he was right. He was always right. This was kinda scary, but, Alix was happy that he was able to point things out so that she didn't end up heartbroken.

The sound of the chair across from her scraping against the floor slightly pulled Alix out of her thoughts, causing her to jump. She looked up with wide bright green eyes and looked into beautiful blue ones. A small smile appearing on her lips and replacing her look of shock as she spotted Alessio. "Oh, hey!" Alix said and grinned shyly at her friend. "Sorry, I've been out of it lately," Alix mumbled quietly and rubbed her eyes once more before sitting up straight. "How are you settling into your new place? You excited about your classes?"

@ FallenHope95

"You really shouldn't daze out like this in public," Alessio told Alix as she came out of it. He looked over her worriedly for a moment. It was something that he had to tell her from time to time. To be more aware of her surroundings, to be more careful when she was alone. Alessio didn't want someone to hurt or take advantage of Alix when she could have gotten away if she was just paying attention.

Though his demeanor changed and a gentle smile moved across his face. At least it was okay now. He was with her and Alessio knew that nothing bad was going to happen to his friend if he was around. How could it when Alessio was who he was?

With his chair pulled out, Alessio sat down, his back facing the wall before he moved closer to the table, his chair scraping against the floor again as he did so. While Alessio didn't try to push it or be weird about it, he did always try to be as close to Alix as he could. She was the person that he cared about most, even if she didn't realize it.

"Oh, everything is done with my place," Alessio told her with a little shrug. "All moved in." His family had hired movers and decorators and whatever else he needed to get the apartment up and running. Alix wouldn't be surprised to hear it but he decided to just not mention it at all. "How about you? Are you all moved in yet?"

Picking up one of the menus in front of him, Alessio glanced along it for a moment. He let out a small hum at seeing one of the new specials before setting it down. Alessio already knew what he wanted but he did like to look every now and again to see if anything changed...if anything better had come along.

"Excited about class?" Alessio said with a chuckle. "No... but it should be interesting in the least, right? Though I am sure you are more than ready to start up school project again. I know how you just love to do homework," The man teased her lightly.

Once the waitress came over, Alessio glanced up and ordered himself something to drink before motioning to Alix to follow suit. His eyes dropped back down to the woman in front of him, his smiling growing a bit. He was glad that he was able to get her to follow him all the way to California. It had felt like a hard sell but she was here and that was one of the few things that mattered.

"I guess I just never learn. I'm a bad girl." Alix mumbled quietly as she rested an elbow on the table and then cupped her chin with that hand. Her gaze focused on the menu as she debated on iced coffee or hot coffee for the day. Or tea, tea was always one of Alix's addictions growing up. One of her cupboards at home was filled with different brands and flavors of teas that she liked to drink at different times.

Raising her eyes, Alix pursed her lips. Doing her best to hold back asking if Alessio unpacked by himself or if he had someone else do it for him. "I finished last night. It's why I'm so tired and scatterbrained today." Alix confessed, a light pink color tinting her cheeks as she lowered her gaze. "It's so weird having a place to myself." She confessed and let out a small sigh, not sure what else to add to the subject.

Then a snort escaped from Alix as Alession mentioned her love for school projects. "Oh yeah," Alix replied and sat up in her seat. A small smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. "I can't wait to sink my teeth into fifteen-page essays and learning things that aren't going to help me in the future." Alix playfully rolled her eyes and then looked up as the waitress came over to ask for their drink orders. "I'll have a chai latte with soy milk. Please." Alix said, wanting to try something new. Then her bright green eyes moved towards Alessio once more, taking in his relaxed stature.

"How do you always seem so calm and collected?" Alix asked as she relaxed in her chair. "I feel like my mind is about to explode from my anxiety." A small sigh escaped from the young girl. "Everything here is so different from our little home town in the middle of nowhere." Alix raised her right hand and tucked some hair behind her ear. "So many more people, places to see and things to do." Looking up, Alix smiled slightly as her drink was placed in front of her. It smelled amazing and made her feel better knowing that her rant was being erased from her mind.

After they ordered their food, Alix looked back towards Alessio once more. "Would you mind walking me back to my apartment after my class tonight?" Alix asked, her voice a little quiet as she looked away from his blue eyes and down towards her drink as she raised it to her lips and took a sip. A small moan of approval left Alix as she set her to drink down and savored the sweet and spicy taste in her mouth. "This is good." She murmured, looking up and revealing a tiny white foam mustache along her upper lip. "Want to try it?" She asked, motioning for Alessio to take her tea and try it for himself.

@ FallenHope95

"I just don't let things worry me," Alessio told her simply. Though there was certainly way more to it than that. He was used to being in high intense situations where he might die or have to kill someone else. And yes, while moving far away from home in an unfamiliar town could be difficult, it wasn't something that would weigh him down. "I just know that I can handle anything that comes my way. So I feel like there is no reason to worry."

He turned his head and glanced out of the window, watching the people walk by for a moment. "We are somewhere new and it is incredibly different. But I see that as a good thing. It is an opportunity to start fresh. And you mention more people, more places and more things to do as a negative but I only see it as a positive. There are less reasons for us to sit around our apartments bored when we have a whole city to explore."

Alessio turned his head back to look at Alix with a huge grin on his face. In truth, he also saw this as the best time to start something afresh with Alix. They had been friends for so long, which Alessio was happy for. Though now that they were in college and relationships could be a lot more serious... now that they were both adults and leaning on each other in this new place...well it seemed like a good place to start the relationship of a lifetime. Not right away, of course. Alix needed time to adjust to everything but hopefully by the end of the school year he could finally make his move with confidence.

"Of course, I will," Alessio told her, glad that she was asking him to help keep her safe. It was a worry of his that Alix never took her safety seriously enough. He wondered if she even had pepper spray in he bag or not. "You never told me what apartment building you moved into." He commented, hoping she would say where. Of course, Alessio already knew which building she was in, and even what apartment number. After all, Alessio needed to make sure he was close by. So, as a surprise to both of them, he would reveal that his building was only just a block away from hers. What luck! And it wouldn't seem so strange since they were attending the same college. They needed to be close.

"You can try mine as well." Alessio said before he took her tea and tried a sip. As he removed it from his lips, Alessio let out a hum of approval before handing it back. "Delicious."

@ BearGirl
A small sigh escaped from Alix as she listened to Alessio. A playful roll of her eyes acting as her reply to what she was hearing. "My Alessio, always the sensible one." She teased, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. While Alix didn't really see herself as a wild child, she certainly wasn't against trying new things. Even if they didn't seem the safest. She knew her limits and liked to see how far she could take them sometimes sure, but she was also smart in what she did. Take tree climbing, she loved to climb the trees in their yards when she was young. Sure, she got a few scrapes but it was also fun. Cliff jumping, on the other hand, that scared the shit out of her. In middle school, Alix remembered dragging Alessio to a small gathering that someone they knew was trying to have in the woods near his parents' house. People were jumping off one of the cliffs on the rocky terrain and into a lake under it. Alessio was actually the one to jump first out of all of them. Alix made him jump with her after ten minutes of freaking out about the height.

When asked what apartment building she was staying in, a light blush slowly tinted Alix's cheeks and she got a little shy about it. "Um, I moved into the Zen building. It's about six blocks from campus." She mumbled shyly. The Zen apartment complex was known to be one of the cheaper complexes that were close to the college. Anything closer and it'd be way over her head as a part-time worker and full-time student. Plus she actually got lucky and got an end unit for her studio. The natural light really made the place seem bigger than it actually was.

"What about you?" Alix asked casually as she reached for Alessio's drink after he offered it to her. She raised his drink to her lips and grinned. "You always pick good drinks." Alix murmured quietly as she set it down carefully, not wanting to spill it. To some people, it might seem romantic for a guy and a girl to share, but to them it was normal. Alessio was practically Alix's brother, they've shared lots of things. He was her best friend, and nothing could ever change that. Although, that little fact was probably why most of Alessio's relationships didn't last very long.

Glancing up at the sound of the tv changing, Alix saw the news on. Her lips forming into a small frown as she saw that they were reporting that the notorious mafia group that's plagued the southwest was causing problems once again. "I thought coming here would take us away from those thugs," Alix mumbled quietly as she sat up straight and watched the tv. "I think of all things I'm scared of. I'm scared of made mafia men the most. Those guys seem dangerous." Alix murmured quietly as she described the four bodies that were assumed to be caused by the mafia.

@ FallenHope95

-skipping to tonight-

After the meal with Alix, Alessio had made his way home for a few hours. In the light of the day, Alix felt safe enough to walk around campus and head to her class. It was at night that he would have to meet her outside of the building to walk her home. Which Alessio currently did not mind. He wanted to spend more time with her, plus this way he knew that she would be safe. While Alix would be safe in their small hometown, the city was different. And he just didn't think that Alix had the instinct that she was in danger.

So he made his way over to her building early, in the off chance that Alix would be let out of her class early. He was sitting on the stairs, leaned over his phone as he texted away. Now that he was in a new city, it meant that the gang was beginning to base there. There was a lot to do to get themselves known and to take up territory. It was actually one of the main reasons that he headed to have college here. His father wanted him to control part of the gang, prove his worth, and make them some money. Some things were already taken care of but know he needed to make them known.

His eyes lifted up as he heard running and screaming heading towards him. And, in an instant, Alessio recognized two members of his own crew chasing some random man. Without a thought, Alessio jumped onto his feet and stood in front of the man running towards him. The man panicked, seeing that his path was blocked in front of him, he turned to run down an alley. But before he realized that it was blocked off, Alessio and his members were closing in on him. "What did he do." Alessio asked as he turned to Vinny.

"We sold him something sweet but he tried to run before paying us." The man held up the drugs that he had stolen and threw it at them. "I didn't have any money! Just take it! Take it!"

Alessio shook his head and cracked his knuckles. "It isn't enough." With that, the three of them jumped him and started to pound the gang. It was more than just getting stolen from. It was about sending a message. Everyone in this city needed to now that they couldn't fuck with them.

@ BearGirl
Sitting on the stairs of the building that her class was in, Alix glanced at her phone for the millionth time. Alessio was late, it was twenty past nine. He said that he was going to walk her back to her apartment. A small sigh escaped from Alix as she raised her head and once again looked around the deserted campus. There were a few old fashions looking street lights that cast an eerie glow to the paths around campus and did little to nothing to ease Alix's anxiety. Usually, she was fine walking around at night. At home, it was extremely safe. Almost everyone knew each other, here. She had no one to lean on but Alessio. He was her rock, but. They were in a new place and he could change on her just as fast as they accepted the chance to come here.

"He's probably distracted getting ready for his own classes, Alix. Don't blame him." Alix tried to reason with herself. Letting out another small nervous sigh as she ran a hand through her hair. Then, the sound of metal trash cans down the street rattled and caused Alix to jump. Looking towards the sound, she could barely make out a man stumbling drunkenly out of an alley. Then, a slurred song slowly filled the air as he walked along the road. "Alright, I'm a big girl. I'll-I'll just walk back." Alix mumbled to herself as she stood up and started to walk down the path that led to the street that would take her towards her apartment.

In the daylight, the campus didn't seem as spooky. The place was filled with people, sounds and just felt like it was so full of life. Now, when it was night time, it felt like a totally different story. Horror movie scenes flashed through Alix's mind. She hated those things, but from the commercials, she's seen, this sort of scenario kept popping up. A young girl walking down a street. Random fog developing ahead of her and a monster starts to chase her. OR, a man walks out of an alley with a chain saw. Ready to slash her in half before she could move. There were more possibilities but Alix really didn't want to think of them. She's freaked herself out enough for one night.

"Alessio," Alix mumbled quietly to herself as she walked. Trying to keep herself calm as she moved along the dark and lonely street. "You so owe me a chick flick movie night. With popcorn and candy." Alix looked around as she heard a strange sound up ahead. "And you better pick up a shit ton of Resse's for me, you know those are my favorite things in the world, and-" Alix stopped talking to herself as she heard a strange sound came from the alley up ahead of her. She was across the street from her building and had half a mind to just ignore it, but. Something told her to try and find out what the sound was.

Hoping it was just an animal getting into a scrobble with another animal, Alix moved slowly. Not wanting to disturb the way the animal kingdom was working. Although, what she saw caused Alix's whole world to freeze. Three men circled something on the ground. She couldn't really see what it was, but it wasn't moving. Alix's lips parted slightly as she looked on in shock. Her eyes widening as she slowly raised her eyes and looked at the men surrounding the thing. It was then, a sharp intake of breath could be heard from Alix as she caught the sight of familiar blond hair.

The small sound must have caught the blond's attention because as soon as his head raised to look towards her. It felt like Alix's world was crumbling down. The faint light coming from the streetlight a little past the alley barely showed in the alley, but Alix could recognize those eyes and facial features anywhere. Standing in the alley with two strangers. Sprinkles of what could only be assumed as blood on his face was Alessio.

Panic started to stir inside of Alix as she stood frozen to the spot. Her best friend, the kid she's known since she could remember. The one she was sure that she could always rely on, was covered in blood. Someone else's blood. It couldn't be real, this wouldn't be happening. This has to be a mix up of some sort. She was tired, she was probably tired from learning math and was imagining things. Yeah, that sounded right. This was all just a daydream she was having. In fact, she was probably just sitting on the steps of the college building right now. Waiting for Alessio, the Alessio that she knew to come and get her. Yeah, that sounded about right. Right?

@ FallenHope95

It was a minute or so that the man under Alessio turned limp. Though they continued to beat on him, ensuring that his injuries were bad enough to send a message. It was important that it looked beaten up, bruised and like he just barely made it out with his life. But they surely did not want to kill him. An alive message that lingered for weeks and weeks was much better than a dead message that only sat in people's minds for a week or so.

Just as Alessio was beginning to pull up on the stranger, thinking that they had done enough damage, he felt a presence from behind him. It was too bad. He still needed to pick up Alix and he didn't really have time to deal with a witness. Alessio always made sure that no one saw him or his face but it seemed that the man behind him was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Alessio turned around to see who it was but the moment he did, his heart fell out of his chest. No was all he could think. No, no no NO NO!. Although Alessio felt his whole world crashing around him, he was lucky that his instincts were kicking in for him. Alessio started to walk towards Alix slowly, but was ready to move quickly the moment she made a move to run. Surely there was a way to get out of this. An explanation that he could give Alix to make all of her worries and doubts go away. Something that he could give so that the last 18 years of their friendship wouldn't fall apart because of one little mistake.

"Hey..." Alessio said, the word coming from his mouth a bit awkwardly. None the less, he continued. "Some lady...he was chasing her and I thought..." Alessio looked back at the limp man and two members of his gang. Only God could make sure that it was too dark for her to see the tattoo on one man's upper arm. Please, by some miracle, make it so she didn't see it.

"I thought I could help." Alessio continued as he looked back at Alix. "She was so scared...Alix, I need you to call the police. This man needs to dealt with by the authorities. I promise it's okay and I'll walk you home but we should do this first... I think he's uh...a predator or a thief or something."

@ BearGirl
Blood, there was so much blood. From what Alix could see this looked like a crime scene. There wasn't much light, but what else could this have been? There was a man laying on the ground while three men beat the shit out of him. Alix saw it with her own two eyes. She saw the way the men held themselves, the way the body didn't react in the slightest. This wasn't a normal beating, not that Alix even knew what a normal beating was, but still. This wasn't right.

"So, you beat him unconscious," Alix spoke, her words barely above a whisper as she spoke. Her eyes going from Alessio as he slowly moved towards her and then towards the two men who were still standing above the body. Acting like this was an inconvenience to them. That she had just walked in on a boy's night un-announced and asked if they wanted to watch a chick flick or something. The smell of danger rolled off of those men Alessio was with and with the slight shift of the man on the right. Alix caught sight of something she shouldn't have. A dragon tattoo. A symbol for the mafia family that's been raised in power in the west, starting in Colorado and then their home state of Nevada, and nowhere it seemed.

"Cops," Alix repeated what Alessio had told her. "I-I need to call the cops." She mumbled, still staring at the man who's a tattoo she had caught a glimpse of. Alix gulped, her eyes going wide as she looked up towards Alessio once more. "Alessio, what did you do! You got yourself entangled with them!" Alix all but yelled, fear radiating from her. She could see the two men stiffen and get ready to pounce, but she didn't care. She only had eyes for Alessio at the moment. The attractive blonde male who was slowly approaching her, who was trying to talk calmly to her. Like she was a wild animal that he was trying to tame. To ease her fear, but, it wouldn't. Alix wouldn't allow it.

As soon as Alessio was in arms reach, Alix's whole body seemed to shift from fight to flight mode. She could feel her breathing speed up, her heart pounded in her chest. Fear, pure and powerful, coursed through her as she stared up at Alessio. "D-don't come near me!" She stuttered out, stepping back slowly, her hands moving up to hold onto the straps of her bookbag. If he tried to reach for her, Alix would throw the ten-pound thing at Alessio and make a run for it. This wasn't her best friend anymore. No, he was a freaking monster. A killer, a psychopath.

@ FallenHope95

"Well... yeah..." Alessio murmured, unsure as to what the issue was with beating a man unconscious. Well, a man that he had just described as chasing a woman and trying to be a predator. Why would Alix want a man like that still awake? "We just didn't want him to hurt anyone." He explained to her. "Or to get away."

His attention shifted as he noticed where Alix's eyes were going. She was focusing too much on the men behind him. Why did she have to look at them so much! God damn it, Alessio was right in front of her! He shifted his weight to try and move in front of her eyesight. Though that was when her demeanor suddenly changed. Her eyes went wide and suddenly she was almost yelling. Alessio's body went stiff and he stopped moving. He even held his breath.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

Years upon years, Alessio had tried to hide the truth from her. Almost his whole life. And he had managed to do so. Until now. One little slip up, and it was all crumbling down around him. It just took one moment, one little secret and Alessio was yelling at him. He could feel the way their relationship was turning sour. It made his blood boil. They should be able to get past this! In fact, Alix shouldn't even be blinking an eye. Though as he stepped closer, Alix was telling him to stay away. And just one more step and suddenly he was getting winded by a bookbag and she was running.

Alessio growled out loud in frustration before throwing her bookbag to the ground. "Take care of this!" He commanded to the men behind him before booking it towards Alix. Luckily for him, he was always faster than her.

Without a thought to it, Alessio tackled Alix to the grass next to the sidewalk. His arms wrapped around her tightly as he moved his body weight on top of her to keep her pinned down. "Don't be fucking stupid Alix!" He snapped at her. "I am your friend! Don't throw all of this away just because you don't understand. Just because you're scared!" Alessio turned his head to look her in the eyes. "Do you really want to just throw me away like this!"

@ BearGirl
This can't be real. No, no, no! Alessio is her best friend, was her best friend. He was everything to Alix, her rock, her voice of reason. She trusted him with everything, he knew everything about her. So why, why did things have to turn out like this? It isn't right, it's not right at all! This can't be happening, he can't be some monster, he just can't! Alessio is supposed to be her knight in shining armor, her protector. He couldn't have gotten sucked in with these monsters. He was too kind, too gentle. He was NOTHING like them!

A surprised squeak escaped from Alix as she was tackled to the ground. Her body twisting so that her back was the thing that hit the ground. The back of her head bouncing against the dirt a couple of times. Alix's vision blurred for a couple of moments, before focusing once more. The vision of the night sky was black above her, void of everything good that Alix once believes in. Then, Alessio's beautiful face came into view. His bright blue eyes that she used to stare at from across the room. The blond hair that looked like strands of gold in the sunlight. God, he was such a beautiful man. Alix used to be jealous of Alessio, she used to wish she was him, to not have to worry about having to put so much effort into looking good. That she could have just rolled out of bed and be perfect like him. As they grew older though, Alix gave up that notion, and she was sure that he could sense that in Alix as well because they weren't quite best friends until the beginning of middle school when they actually clicked and were attached to the hip.

Now, Alix couldn't see past the blood. The violent act of beating a man unconscious on the ground. The power it must have taken to get the blood splattered on his six-foot-something frame. A soft sob escaped from Alix at the thought. "Alessio, let me go!" Alix cried out as she struggled to get out of his hold, her hands wiggled as she tried to press against his chest. She ignored his words as she wiggled, her legs trying to kick him off, but she couldn't. "Y-your not you! I can't do this, not if you're with them!" Warm liquid started to slowly trail down the back of Alix's head and down her neck/ She could feel her head starting to slightly throb.

"We-we need to call the cops Alessio! We need to call them." Alix mumbled quietly as her voice started to become gravely with sobs trying to escape. "We-we can hide that you were there, but those men. Alessio, they're monsters. Killers, psychopaths! Do you realize how dangerous they are? We've seen them on the news all the time at home, they're bad people. You're a good person Sio, you're not like them!" Alix let out a small sob, hoping she got through to her best friend. That she could possibly save him from going to jail and being afraid to drop a bar of soap. "You won't survive in prison." Alix tried to reason a little more, hoping, praying that he'd listen to her.

@ FallenHope95

Pain. disbelief. Fear. Anger. It all flashed across Alessio's face. The more that Alix spoke, the more the panic in him started to set in. What was he going to do? Letting Alix go, never seeing her again, losing her. That was not an option. Not for him. There was no doubt in Alessio's mind that Alix was meant to stay by his side until one of them died. She was his love, his soulmate. But what was he to do? Her words were so horrid.

There was also the fact that he couldn't allow Alix to ruin this before it even started. Alessio couldn't go home in disgrace because he failed setting up their new base. More than that, Alessio couldn't allow her to blow up his family and their business. The people that have been in his lives since the day he was born.

Fear was setting in harder than ever as he looked down at Alix beneath him. He never wanted it to be like this, to scare her, to be pinned on top of her like this. Everything was happening so fast. Everything was getting out of control. Out of his control. "It's not like that Alix! It's not! You just don't understand. You aren't going to let me explain everything to you?" He let out a small growl. "I told you to call the cops! Why couldn't you just listen! Just trust me! Now look at us! Goddamn it, why, Alix! Why couldn't you just-"

Alessio's words left him as he realized what he had to do. He couldn't let Alix go now, for the good of the gang. She would say something, ruin it all. But he couldn't hurt her, Alessio could never truly hurt her. If she couldn't leave, and he couldn't hurt her, there was only one thing he could do. Tears started to fall from his eyes and cheeks, already feeling horrid about what was about to happen.

"It was never supposed to be like this. I never wanted to do this. Please, believe me Alix, I never wanted to do this to you." Alessio leaned into her hard and wrapped an elbow around Alix's neck to choke her out. It would only knock her out for a few moments, but it would give him enough time to shove some pills down her throat. He just needed Alix to be passed out for the next few hours and this was the only way he could do it.

@ BearGirl
Everything happaned so fast. Alessio was on top of her, tears were falling from his eyes and he was apologizing. Saying that he was sorry and some other things. Alix couldn't remember what, but she remembered pain. Her lungs struggling for air and squirming against Alessio's strong chest. Trying to claw at him, kick him, anything to try and getaway. To breathe, but she couldn't. She was suffocating. She couldn't breathe. Then, darkness.

It was like floating on a cloud, except, it was cold. Like Alix forgot to turn the AC off in the house at night and it got really cold in the house. Her toes felt numb, oh how she'd do anything for her fuzzy socks right about now. A cup of hot chocolate would be amazing as well, maybe she could talk Alessio into coming over and making her a cup. For some reason, it always tasted so freaking good when he made it for her. Yeah, that's what she'll do in the morning. She'll call Alessio.

Alessio.

A loud gasp escaped from Alix as her eyes shot open. Waking her from her sleep. Warmth surrounded her, and her lungs. They could expand, she could breathe! Reaching up, Alix let out a couple of loud coughs as she felt her body trying to catch up with the sensation of oxygen coming in and out of her. Of moving away from deaths doorstep. Clenching her eyes closed, Alix rolled onto her back and pressed her right hand into the soft mattress to help hold her up as she looked around her surroundings. Her bright green eyes looked around nervously, taking in the strange room that she was in.

In front of Alix, through the large windows that took up most of the walls. The light was light blue. Meaning that it was the early morning hours. "Wow." Alix breathed out quietly, still holding onto her sore neck, and then slowly started to rub it to help ease the pain. The view was spectacular, the way the sun shined over the buildings in the distance. Not to mention the ability to look out into the distance. Alix could do this for hours, sit and stare at the scenery. Then, it was like a light switch went off in her mind and Alix's bright green eyes widened as she jumped out of bed. Alessio was part of the Mafia, he was choking her. He choked her, her friend. Choked her.

Panic started to set in as Alix climbed out of bed. Her breathing becoming ragged as she looked around the room. She ignored the slight chill of her bare feet as they touched the floor. "I need to get out of here," Alix muttered to herself, except when she went to take a step towards the door, her legs gave out. The dizziness started to wash over her, she couldn't breathe. It was like she was being choked again. Fear, panic, what was going on? Where was she, and what is Alessio going to do now that she knows he's part of them?

@ FallenHope95

Before Alessio had left Alix alone in her new bedroom, he had turned on the sensors in there to know when she were to wake up. Something that his father added in case he needed to...host some people at his apartment. It was just that Alessio never thought that Alix would be one of those people. And he definitely wanted to get in there the moment that she was awake, to not make Alix sit there in fear as she tried to piece everything together. So when his phone went off, telling him that the sensors had been activated, Alessio woke and rose from his bed.

He did give himself a moment to freshen up just a bit, to wash his face and make himself put a little more together. At this point, Alessio definitely did not want to walk into that room looking like a crazed mess...especially with how Alix must already think of him. Just the thought made the man wince. Though he had to bury any of his worries down. First thing was first, and that was to just talk to Alix...to at least get her on the same page of what was happening, as to why she was here. He knew she was going to be furious but if she at least knew the truth, that would be an improvement.

Now that he was put together a bit, Alessio headed over to the 'guest room' and unlocked the door with his key. Though when he swung it open, panic started to set into his chest. Alix was on the floor, and struggling. Alessio was quick to rush over to her side and wrap his arms around her waist, wanting to help Alix up onto her feet and back into the bed. But when just getting her onto her feet didn't seem like enough, the man lifted her off of the ground completely and carried her back to the bed, no matter how much she tried to fight him. Alessio set her down gently.

The man grabbed onto a chair and pulled it besides her, but made sure to keep his distance from her. "We need to talk."

@ Sweet.Persephone
A scream escaped from Alix's lips as the door to the bedroom she was in opened. Alessio's tall figure filling the doorway. In the past, it would have comforted her somewhat. To know that her friend would come to her rescue. Now, she was terrified. She didn't want to be near him anymore. Not since he reveled what a fucking monster he was. Part of the freaking Mafia. Part of the group that terrorized their hometown and ruined so many families. Families of people that they knew.

As her now ex-best friend came into the room, it took all of Alix's will power to try and scoot away from him as he approached. Kicking and screaming when he picked her up and carried her backward. Then, she scooted as far away from him as possible on the bed. Her bright green eyes on him the whole time. Scared that he'd pull a gun or something on her and shoot her from the back. That would be one terrible way to go, a way that she didn't want to think about now that the idea ran through her mind.

"Talk?" Alix repeated what she had heard Alessio say, followed by a nervous chuckle. "Y-yeah let's talk Alessio. Let's talk about what a fucking monster you've become. Are you INSANE!? How could you get tangled up with those guys?" Alix asked, disbelief obvious in her voice as she slowly shook her head, still struggling with the concept that her best friend since childhood was a freaking murderer. "You know what they do! What they are!" Alix shook her head, not able to bare what's going on at the moment. "I want to go home, Alessio. You can't keep me here!"

A staggered breath escaped from Alix as she slowly shook her head. Her hands raising and running through her hair, pushing the tangled mess behind her. "God, what the hell are your parents going to think when they hear you're one of those monsters. It'll break your mother's heart!" Alix brought her knees up to her chest and then wrapped her arms around them, slowly rocking her body as she tried to comprehend all of the shit that's going to go down now.

@ FallenHope95

Alessio let her scream. He allowed her to scream and say whatever she wanted to say. Though it did make his blood boil how fast she was ready to turn on him. Especially when Alessio was, no, still willing to stand by her side no matter what. Alix can pull any secrets out from any deep dark cave and Alessio would make it work. He would help her or do what he needed to do for them to still be together but it seemed that Alix wasn't. No, it wasn't that. Alix had just lost her way and it was his responsibility to help her back on the right path. The path to him. So he waited to speak until she was done, now rocking her body to calm herself down.

"It's not exactly what you think." Alessio said, his voice gentle as though he was talking to a wounded animal. Well, she was wounded. It seemed Alix was breaking. "I am aware of who they are and what they do, more than anyone. It is you who doesn't understand. All you see is what they put in the news and half of that stuff is not true and-" Alessio let out a sigh before continuing on. "We'll talk about it later but here is the truth. I have been apart of the mafia from the moment I was born. My parents don't just already know but are apart of it. My father is the leader and I am to inherit it all one day. "

The man leaned in closer to her. "I am the same man you thought I was. This has always been me and nothing has changed. Nothing has to change between us. I will show you, and I will explain it all to you. You will understand why and why it is important. But you have to see now that I am the same person. I only kept this from you for your own safety and once I was ready to. But this is me, Alix. This has always been me. And this whole time I have been your friend. And you don't understand yet but you will. You will see how this news is actually a good thing. You'll see how much I have done for you behind the scenes thanks to my family."

"I know it is going to take time for you to understand it all. But I am going to show you the truth and you'll see that this is a good thing. That, because of this, the both of us are protected. You are protected." Alessio reached out to take her hand into his. "Alix, please just hear me out and give me a chance. Nothing has to change. It has always been like this, you just didn't know."