If Only Tonight

Unfamiliar Territory:
Chapter Twenty Five: Keeping The Dogs At Bay

A shrill whistle sounded from behind Mia. Quickly walking in to her office, Mia closed the door. There were only two ways anyone could open the door. With a push of a button to the right over top of the locking mechanism, the door could be opened from both sides. Pushing the button to the left, made it open only from the inside. Mia had made sure that the button was on the left this morning.

She couldn't believe four months had passed so quickly. Jason was back, and he was making sure his presence was known to her.

Mia had seen Drake leer at her as she walked past him to go to her office. With the occasional 'Looking for someone?', Mia hadn't heard anything from Drake.

It finally made sense why the players on her roster had been coming in early and leaving late. They were making sure Jason had no chance to catch her alone.

Having been forbidden to come near her, the dorm room, or her office; Jason was around every corner. His whistle always sounded before she could figure out where he was. Not only was he around, but Drake seemed more present than ever.

Whenever she thought she was alone in a hallway or while walking to the gym, Drake would pop up out of no where and watch her walk away in a hurry. The last two weeks had made her feel harassed to be under such scrutiny.

Sitting down by her computer, Mia glanced at her wrist watch. She had two more hours and then she would have to scurry back to the safety of her room. Opening up another research paper, Mia started reading as she waited for her next appointment.

When a knock sounded on her door, Mia minimized the paper and pulled up her schedule. Matthew was supposed to be coming in, he was her last appointment for the day.

Hesitantly opening the door, Mia was relieved that it was Matthew standing on the other side of the door.

"Hello." Mia said, more than happy to see her former source of grief present at the appointed time.

"Hey." He said with a small smile, stepping in to her office. She closed the door behind him.

As she walked over to get his file, her mind wandered over to that dinner...the 'Autism Awareness Dinner'. He had looked amazing. She could feel her heart flutter at the memory. There was one other memory that made her heart beat quicken. It was when he had asked to talk to her. Leading her to the side of such a grand staircase, Mia had thought maybe he would be telling her...Nothing, finding out about Jason was great, Mia thought darkly. It had been a rather deceptive moment.

"So how has the day been?" Matthew asked, sitting in his usual place on the examination table. It looked like he had come from the gym, since he was dressed in shorts and a t-shirt.

"Eh..." Mia shrugged. "It's been pretty much the same as yesterday and the day before that and the day-"

"I get it. It's been the same." Matthew said shaking his head, the smile a little bigger.

"If you get it, then why do you ask?" Mia asked him, an eye brow raised. Since he had told her about Jason, he kept asking her how the day had been as though expecting some strange occurrence.

"It's how most people start conversations." He retorted, grinning at her. It was hard to think that only a month ago they were at odds.

"Fair enough." Mia laughed. "So how are you?"

"Not bad."

Looking in to her file, Mia read through what needed to be done.

"So have you heard from Ryan?" The question came out of no where. Mia looked up to see him watching her curiously.

"Does it matter if I have?"

"Nope...just making conversation." His face didn't give anything away.

"You don't sound like you approve of-"

Mia was interrupted when another knock sounded at the door. She was sure she hadn't double booked. Perplexed, she went to open the door.

-----

Having been interrupted in their discussion of Ryan, Matthew couldn't help but feel a little disappointed with his lack of tact.

Watching suspiciously, Matthew frowned as he saw who was on the other side of the door. He heard Mia gasp. Quickly, Matthew got off the table and crossed the room to stand in front of Mia.

Jason stood grinning at him.

"What do you want?" Matthew asked through gritted teeth.

"Just wanted to chat with my former doctor. Lever wants my file."

"He has a copy of your file." Mia told him.

"Besides, Jon would never send you, he would come to get it himself. Felix told you to stay away from her." Matthew said, Jason knew better than to disobey Felix.

"He wanted your notes and he said something about being pressed for time. He thought it would be faster if he sent someone to get it." Jason sneered. "That someone just happens to be me."

Hadn't Felix told Jon to keep Jason away from Mia? Matthew was sure Felix would never forget something like that.

"Mia, call Jon and ask if he sent Roberts." Matthew told her, nodding to the phone on her desk. As Mia walked away, Matthew stepped outside, closing the door behind him.

"You know Felix told you to stay away from her." He said, trying to keep calm.

"Oh I know...but apparently Jon seems to have forgotten. Besides, what Felix doesn't know, won't hurt him." Jason told him with a smirk.

"You make one wrong move, just watch what I'll do to you." Matthew growled.

"What Matty? What are you going to do to me?" Jason stepped closer. "You must like her a whole lot more than I thought...it's got to piss you off that I could get her before you."

Seeing red, Matthew had his hands clutching Jason's collar and shoving him against the opposite wall.

"Screw up one more time...just one...I will have your ass handed to you." Matthew threatened. "Remember what Felix said. Three strikes and you're out."

"We'll see." Jason said, pushing Matthew away.

Before either of them could say anything more, Mia opened the door with a file in her hand.

"Jon forgot...here." She said, holding out the file.

"Thank you." Jason said, walking past Matthew to get the file.

Matthew was too slow to stop Jason from going to Mia.

"See you later." He sneered, making Mia face him by lifting her chin. Mia forcefully pushed away.

"Get away from me." Mia warned, moving towards Matthew.

"Feisty...just how I like them. Later Rossi..." Jason winked at Matthew.

Matthew couldn't help but bare his teeth at him, how dare he touch Mia!

Prodding Mia back in to her office, it took a few deep breaths to calm Matthew down. It was then he realized that he hadn't paid any attention to Mia.

He saw her sitting on her chair, looking visibly shaken.

"Are you okay?"

"Yea..." But as Mia took his file in her hands, Matthew saw how badly they shook. Moving towards her, Matthew took it from her and put it on top of the filing cabinet.

"Re-schedule me. I'll come in tomorrow." He told her.

"No...I can't let him get to me." Mia argued.

"You're not. You need a break." He told her.

When Mia didn't say anything, Matthew pressed on.

"I'll call Nathaniel and we'll go out and watch a movie." He said, hoping it would take her mind off Jason.

"I should finish..." Mia trailed off, sounding weary. She was giving in, or so Matthew thought.

Instead he saw tears start to stream down her face. Jason had gotten to her. Not knowing what to do, Matthew slowly put an arm around her shoulders, hesitantly he pulled Mia towards him. How many times had he witnessed her tears? How many times had she let him console her? He had been less than nice to her, but there was something between them. Something he couldn't walk away from, no matter how hard he tried.

"Come on. Let's go." He told her, letting go despite his feelings for her.

"Okay..." She said, wiping the tears away.

"So...you were asking me how I sound like I don't approve of Ryan?" Matthew changed the subject as she locked her office and they headed down the hall.

It had the effect he had been going for. She gave him a watery chuckle.

"See! You don't like Ryan...do you?"