My Baby, My Darling.

I waited in the car for a good ten minutes. Every time I heard even the smallest noise, I jumped in my seat and scanned around the car for anything suspicious. I pulled out the pepper spray in my purse and fiddled with it until Dexter came back. I had no idea what was happening, or why he sprinted into the apartment complex the way he did. All I knew was that I had to close his door immediately and lock all of the doors. The neighborhood surrounding me screamed danger. Nearly no street lights were operating and the only form of light on the street was from a far off street light that flickered every ten seconds. I looked around in Dexter's car in search of a larger and more practical weapon, but only found a bunch of receipts and empty vitamin water bottles in the back seat. I let out a puff of air and combed back pieces of hair that fell onto my face. When Dexter finally exited the apartment complex fifteen minutes later, I was leaning against my door with my knees against my chest, still fiddling with the pepper spray, wondering what really was in a bottle of pepper spray.

He knocked on the window abruptly and I jumped, startled by the sudden noise. I looked out his window and saw that he was carrying a petite girl in his arms who looked to be passed out. I furrowed my eyebrows and unlocked the doors, jumping out of the car and running around to his side, opening the door for him.

He placed her in the back seat of his jeep and hastily buckled the middle seat belt around her waist as she sprawled out on all three seats. I faintly heard crashing noises and yelling from a window three floors up the apartment building. I looked up to meet Dexter's eyes and he let out a huge breath of air and gestured for me to get into the passenger's seat. I ran around to the other side of the car and buckled my seatbelt.

"What the hell is going on?" I yelled, demanding answers.

He quickly put his car in drive and continued driving at a dangerous speed.

"Dexter, I swear to god if you don't tell me what's happening I'm going to pepper spray your ass." I hissed, shaking my head warningly.

"This is my sister, Annie." he sighed gesturing his head towards the wasted brunette in the back seat.

I nodded, taking in his words, "Is she going to be okay? What happened in there?"

I looked at his hands, which increased their grip on the steering wheel. More importantly, I noticed that his knuckles were bleeding, as if he were punching someone or something with great force. "Are you okay?!" I panicked, "Did someone get hurt?"

"I'm fine," he snapped, "But I need to take Annie back to my place and make sure she's okay. When I found her, her vital signs were low, but prevalent. I didn't have time to check if she's still conscious or not when I put her in the back, so I need you to make sure she stays awake while I drive."

I nodded and unbuckled my seatbelt, stepping over the middle console to move into the back seat.

She mumbled something incoherent as her head moved from side to side as Dexter drove over potholes. Her features were feminine, but distinguishably similar to that of Dexter. However, her lips were fuller, where as Dexter's were significantly thinner.

I checked the pulse on her wrist and saw that her heartbeat was faint, but present. I moved her so that she was sitting upright and she continued to mumble something.

"Annie? Annie, can you hear me? I'm going to need to you stay awake for me. Can you do that, sweetie? We're almost there and I just need you to keep talking to me. We're almost there, honey." I cupped her face in my hands and moved her from side to side o make sure that she kept moving. Her eyes would flutter open and close again and she continued to mumble incoherently.

Dexter pulled up to a brick-walled apartment building on a well-lit street and put his car in park. I hastily unbuckled Annie's seatbelt as Dexter opened the door behind his own. He swiftly lifted his sister and cradled her in his arms. I followed closely behind and made sure that the car was locked up before entering the building. I followed Dexter up flights of stairs and took his keys to unlock the door he said was his own. He walked in and placed her on the couch, disappearing into another room and coming back with a first aid kit the size of a tool box. He furrowed his eyebrows in concentration and asked me if I could get her a glass of water in the kitchen and a few blankets in the linen closet by the bathroom. I nodded and quickly set off to get what he asked for. When I came back, he had set up an IV with tubes connecting to her arm. She was lying down on the couch and he gripped her wrist, checking her pulse. He seemed to be in such concentration. How did he know all of this medical terminology and strategies? Clearly he was too young to be a doctor and I highly doubt this was also another thing he discusses over dinner with his father.

"Where should I put these?" I asked quietly as not to startle him. Without looking up at me, he checked his watch and mumbled to me that the table was fine. I set it on the table and sat next to him on the coffee table beside the couch, careful not to invade his work space. After a few minutes he let go of her wrist and stood up. Annie was now breathing normally and seemed to be in a deep sleep.

"She's going to be okay?" I asked, never removing my eyes from her face.

He nodded, walking over to the kitchen to get himself a glass of water. "She'll be fine. She won't remember anything, but she's going to be fine. Her vitals are normal and I have her connected to an IV with fluids inside."

"What do I do with the water and blankets?" I asked quietly, looking behind me at the items he asked me to bring him.

"Those are for you," he mumbled after taking gulps of water and placing his glass in the sink. "I needed to keep you occupied while I stuck a needle in her arm. I get a sense that you would have panicked." he stated calmly as he walked back over to the living room to stand in front of me.

I nodded, I most likely would have freaked out. That was a good call on his part. "I can't stay here," I whispered. "You need to watch her, and I'd just get in the way."

He shook his head slowly, "It's already late. I wouldn't feel comfortable with you driving alone at 1 AM. From what I hear, you're not the best driver." he didn't say it in a teasing manner, but with solemnity.

I winced, Gabe must have told him about all the times I've crashed his car. I nodded slowly and stood up from the coffee table, reaching for the blankets I had put on the other end of the table earlier. "I'll sleep on the floor."

"No, I will. I need to keep an eye on Annie." he spoke quietly. "You can take the bedroom," He gestured toward the wooden sliding door on the far end of the room with his head, crossing his fairly muscular arms.

I nodded and bit my bottom lip, "Alright, thanks." I walked towards the wooden door and switched on the light.

"Chelsea?" Dexter called from behind me.

I spun around slowly and furrowed my eyebrows, "yeah?"

He nodded slowly and licked his lips, "Goodnight."

I smiled lightly and closed the door behind me, moving onto his unfixed bed and resting my head on the pillow, falling asleep almost immediately.

---
I awoke the next morning to someone jumping loudly beside me on the bed. I groaned and rolled over, slamming a pillow over my head. How early is it? And why is someone jumping on my bed. Shit, I'm so tired.

"Nicole if that is you, I'm going to kick your ass." I mumbled, wincing at the overwhelming sunlight streaming through the windows. I shot up in bed, coming to realization as to where I was.

"Shit." I mumbled, looking around at Dexter's messy bedroom.

"Oh, Dexter's new gal has language," a feminine voice cooed, continuing to jump up and down on the bed, her long brown curls bouncing up and down.

I shook my head and rubbed at my eyes, "Dexter's new what?"

Annie giggled loudly and plopped down on the bed with a thud. She sat on her knees and smiled brightly at me, "New gal, You're Dex's new gal. You're ten times prettier than Monica by the way. I approve." she smirked.

I reached up and tied my hair in a ponytail, swinging my legs to the side of the bed. I yawned and reached up, stretching my back. "I'm not," I turned to face her, "his new gal."

She merely shrugged and hopped off of the bed, "Well, not yet anyway." She sent me a familiar smirk and scurried off and out of the room.

That girl is unusually chipper for someone that was unconscious no more than eight hours ago. I stood up from Dexter's bed and smoothed out my now wrinkled dress. I stumbled into the nearby bathroom.

I furrowed my eyebrows, still straining my eyes because of how bright the room was. Looking up at the mirror, I saw a post-it note greeting me good morning and pointing to an unopened toothbrush packet. I winced at the cute little note and pulled it off of the mirror, throwing it in the trash can.

I did the whole morning bathroom routine and shuffled out of Dexter's bedroom. I looked in the living room and saw that Dexter was still asleep in the floor, wrapped in blankets and shirtless. I marveled at the image for a moment before glancing towards the kitchen to see Annie flipping pancakes by the stove and littering the kitchen floor with flour and butter wrappers. I walked into the kitchen and leaned against the counter.

"Morning." I muttered, smiling lightly at the previously intoxicated, petite brunette.

She spun around and plastered a huge smile on her face, "Good morning! I made coffee." she gestured toward the kitchen counter where three mugs were sitting. I reached for one and took a sip.

I widened my eyesin utter amazement, "Oh my god. This coffee is fucking delicious! What did you put in this, crack?"

"Heavens no," she imitated an unnatural southern accent, "I steered clear of that stuff after last December's debacle." she waved me off.

I narrowed my eyes at her and smiled, taking another sip of my coffee. This girl was sure as hell entertaining. "I'm Chelsea, by the way." I nodded at her.

"Annie," she smiled, turning back to her pancakes, "but you probably already knew that."

I nodded slowly, "Yeah, you had quite a night last night, huh?"

Her lips pulled into a tight line as she nodded, still staring down at her hot cakes. "Dex is always saving me like that." she smiled lightly, her mind drifting off somewhere else for a moment. "But anyways, tell me more about you. I'm sure you've already had your fill of my drama from last night. What's going on with you and older brother?" she placed three more pancakes on the already towering stack of hot cakes next to the stove.

"Nothing," I muttered nonchalantly. "I've literally only known him for two days. He was pretty much a prick the first time I met him, no offense."

She nodded slowly, listening to my every word. Annie picked up the plate and walked over to the side of the counter where the barstools were. "Yet you're still here. Two days is all it takes, you know?"

I pursed my lips and took another sip of my coffee, spinning around to face the counter. "All it takes for what?" I questioned.

She sat down on a barstool and moved around until her butt was comfortable enough as if she were a six year old child. Annie then pushed all of her hair back, behind her ears and proceeded to dip a whole pancake into a bowl of syrup, shoving the whole thing into her mouth.

"Fuck, Annie! Did you take your IV out on your own again? You need to rest." Dexter's voice echoed from the living room. He stumbled into the kitchen, pulling a shirt over his head.

I took another sip of my coffee and sent him an amused expression. His eyes widened and looked between Annie and I mingling over the kitchen counter.

"Relax, older brother." Annie waved him off, "I feel perfectly fine, I'm just super starving. So I made your gal and I some pancakes. Coffee's right here if you want it." she gestured toward the huge, orange coffee mug that read Gemini on the side of it. It was slightly girly for my taste, and I was surprised he owned such a feminine article of foodware.

He shook his head slowly and reached for the mug, rubbing his tired eyes. "She's not my gal, Annie. And look at the fucking mess you made in my kitchen." he gestured toward the floor where garbage was littered all over the place.

She merely shrugged and dunked another pancake in the bowl of syrup. Dexter rolled his eyes and fixated his eyes on me. "I called Gabe last night and asked him to cover for you. You don't have to worry about your parents getting on your case or anything."

I nodded slowly, reaching past him to grab a pancake and dipping it in syrup the way Annie did. "Thanks," I mumbled before shoving half the hot cake in my mouth. Holy hell, this sister was an amazing cook.

My eyes widened as I faced Annie yet again, "I don't suppose there's crack in your pancakes either? These babies are fucking amazing."

She smiled with a mouthful of pancakes and shook her head, gulping the pancakes down, "I attended culinary school for a year. Didn't suit me." she reached for her mug of coffee and took huge gulps of that as well.

"Annie! Careful not to eat so fast. Your stomach may be a little uneasy after all the alcohol you drank last night." Dexter urged, staring at his sister worriedly.

"Geez, Dex. I'm fine, go doctor someone else!" she muttered, putting another pancake in her mouth.

I turned to face Dexter, "Yeah, how do you know all this stuff. You're spitting all this medical terminology like its your job."

"It is," Annie mumbled, swallowing another mouthful, "Dex works at St. Mark's over on Freeman Road. He's almost done with his residency, too."

My jaw dropped to the floor and I spun to look a Dexter who was rubbing the back of his neck and pulling his lips into a tight line, glaring at Annie who merely continued eating.

"I'll drive you home now," he mumbled, walking out of the kitchen and into the living room, "Annie, stay here until I get back. I still need to make sure you're okay. Drink plenty of water, and lay off the coffee! Your hyper ass drinks too much of that shit."

I narrowed my eyes and followed him into the living room. He handed me my purse and gestured for me to follow him out the door. I walked outside and he closed the door behind me, "Are you going to explain to me how the hell that is possible? How old are you, really?" I demanded, careful not to raise my voice and wake up neighbors.

He walked past me and continued down the stairs at a fast pace, keeping his lips in a thin line. "It''s exactly as she explained it."

"Well, I understand that part," I rolled my eyes and followed him out the lobby doors. "How fucking old are you because there is no way you are twenty-eight years old?" I hissed as he approached his car.

"I'll be twenty-three in a few months," he muttered as he unlocked his car and closed the door behind him. I pulled on my heels and stumbled into the passenger's side of the car.

"Then how are you almost a doctor? Med school takes at least 4 years on top of your undergrad. I'm barely applying to transfer to an Art Institute and you're about to be a doctor?"

He winced and put his car in gear, driving towards my house. "I skipped a few grades in school," he explained.

I scoffed, "A few? More like ten!" I raised my eyebrows at him, demanding he explain more.

"Only five," He shrugged, making it seem like a it wasn't a big deal. "And I was part of an accelerated pre-medical program so it didn't take me that long to get my degree."

"Well that's fucking beautiful," I threw my hands into the air. "You have the brain of a forty-year-old college professor."

He furrowed his eyebrows and smirked lightly, "That's an interesting way to put it. You're actually handling this information pretty well."

I scoffed. "Pretty well? What is the general reaction?"

He shrugged. "Most girls can't stand the state of my intellect. I don't know. They feel like they need to constantly quote Tolstoy or use words that are larger than life. It's really not that serious. I just memorize things, and the things I do memorize I don't exactly recite 24/7. The brain thing is usually a deal breaker."

"Seriously? The brain thing is a deal breaker." I raised my eyebrow and turned to face him, "Girls break up with you for that?"

He nodded slowly, "Usually yes. They can't stand to be around a genius."

I laughed, "That is the stupidest shit I have ever heard. Oh, and by the way. You're not a genius, you're a prodigy."

He shook his head slowly as a huge grin spread across his face, "Trying to correct a genius, that's cute." His Jeep then slowly pulled up and into my driveway. It was only about 9 in the morning, my parents usually don't wake up until 11 on Sundays.

I narrowed my eyes at him, "You know, it's actually very annoying how you always think you're right. If you're not careful, people might mistake your IQ for an excuse to be an arrogant asshole."

"I am an arrogant asshole. I just so happen to be a genius as well." He smirked, taking off his seatbelt and making a move for his car door.

"Don't even think about coming to open my door for me." I unbuckled my seatbelt and hoisted myself out of his Jeep. "Have you not learned yet?"

"I guess not. I'll see you around, sweetheart." He grinned before I shut the car door. I couldn't fight the smile that made its way onto my lips as I spun around and made my way up the driveway.

I rolled my eyes jokingly and gave him the finger over my shoulder. I couldn't help but remember how different my words were the last time I had said them to him, how angry I was. After seeing a different side of Dexter, I had to say, the guy was growing on me. However, I had to remind myself to proceed with caution. Something about him made me think that there were a lot more skeletons in his closet.