Over the following days, Valentina had regained consciousness and was physically stable enough to walk again. And when she did wake up, she was greeted to the feeling of two small things on her back, so small that she almost couldn't even feel it yet, but it was extremely painful after a few days. As it was suggested she started doing physical therapy so when her wings were fully formed, they could focus on her abilities instead of her walking, and it was going well.

But her and Francis had yet to face each other.

Neither of them talked to each other about what happened that day and Valentina didn't intend to, although Francis had other plans. He wanted to talk to her, to feel her soft skin against his body, to be able to hold her, and for her to be okay with it, but he knew he needed to give Valentina time to forgive him, if she ever did.

Now, all the Francis could do was watch her from afar, both glancing each other's ways but still ignoring each other. And Xavier and Quinn tried to help this, but Valentina refused and said she never wanted to hear him again.

But everyone knew that she was going to have to face him.

Sooner or later.

I grunted to myself as I use Quinn for support on my left side.

Today in my therapy, I had to do some fast walking with a straight posture, my back was hurting like hell as I continued to take quick small steps and I could tell that Quinn was surprised about how much I was walking even if I was in pain, but I didn't care.

I don't want to be weakened by something like this and I knew with what, Fran- he did to me would amplify my strength so I'm going to use that to my advantage.

As I trudged through the large room, the female doctor was looking at my form very carefully and nodding to herself as she wrote something down on her clipboard. She put her hand up, signalling for me to stop and Quinn slowed me down, and eventually we both came to a stop.

I slouched more to her on my side and huffed out an angry breath.

It was stupid how weak I was from this; I'm not going to let this stop me though. Quinn and both the doctor ushered me to a seat, and I let out a breathily sigh, dropping my head back and the doctor laughed at my determination.

"It looks like you're doing well." she smiled, and I returned the gesture. "I sure hope so" I say before looking at the sheet of activities that we would do later and groaned to see that there were back stretches on it.

They were by far the most painful for me but 'I had to do them' quoted the doctor and I solemnly nodded before weakly getting up and hobbling out of the room, leaving Quinn to go do her own business.

She had been babying me for the past week and I know she needed some time to herself, and I wanted to give it to her as a thanks for her helping me. I walked through the grand hallways and got some weird but weary glances from passing gang members. I knew they thought of me as an outsider, but they knew what Francis had done to me, so none of them dared to approach me.

Except for one of them.

"Val!!" that annoyingly happy voice chirped, and I groaned as tried to slump past him but was stopped by his strong grip pulled me into a tight hug, making sure to avoid my back.

"You saw me yesterday, Xavier. Not years ago." I groaned and pried him off me as he looked at me with glee.

"Well, it feels that way." he sighs and slings my arm over his shoulders for support, because just like Quinn, he thought that I couldn't walk by myself and insisted he helped me now that Quinn was on her break. I make some weak attempts trying to get him off me, but he resists me.

I sighed and got the strength to get out of his grasp and walked a few steps without him before turning around and glaring at him proudly which he returned and laughed.

"Fine! You've proven your point but if you ever need help then I'm only one call away." Xavier says pointing to his chest before saluting himself away and I waved him off.

The halls of the mansions returned to their silent state, and I started to walk back to my room, knowing fully well I was still way too weak to escape now so I had to wait for when I was better. I could barely even walk properly, I kept tripping on my own feet, but I quickly caught myself before I could fully fall to the ground.

As I was just around the corner to the hallway of my room, I collided with a hard surface making me stumble to the carpeted floor. I cursed to myself from the pain since I had to stretch my back but was interrupted by a deep, tired voice.

"Watch where you're going." it snapped, and I froze at the instance recognition of the voice, and he did the same.

"Oh," he muttered, his intimidating voice instantly changing.

Hesitantly, I looked up at him to see that he was longingly eyeing me as he held out a hand for me. I refused to touch him, so I tried to get up by myself only to fall flat on my fore back again, making me cry out in pain. Again, I glanced up to see a pained expression that was changed with an unreadable face, hand still held out for me.

I reluctantly took it and he pulled me up instantly. The contact of his hand on mine send shivers all through my body and butterflies in my stomach. It was silence for a few moments as we held each other's hands, neither of us knowing what to do next. My gaze held on the floor as his eyes shamelessly continued to wonder on my face.

"Thank you... Francis." I say, mumbling out the last part and his face lit up, was he really that happy from me saying his name? But his expression morphed to concern as he looked around as I tried to move from my hand from his grasp but it quickly tighter as his glare returned to me darkly, sending different ropes of shivers down my spine.

"Where is Quinn?" he asked slowly, knowing fully well I could've trapped her, and my eyes widened but quickly defaulted, knowing I had nothing to hide. "I don't know, she isn't my baby-sitter." I say smugly and shrug my shoulder, but was quickly pulled forward by my hand, falling on Francis's chest.

My head shoots up and his jaw is tightened, his dark stare still based on me. "Where?" he hissed, and his grip tightened on my hand making me scrunch my face in pain.

"I said I don't know." I grumbled lowly, matching his glare before snatching my hand out of his grasp and rubbing it tenderly, still glaring at Francis whilst he returned the face. "Go find her yourself," I snap before turning around and limping away, hearing Francis groan.

Before I'm able to respond to his reaction, an arm is snaked around my waist and supporting me to walk properly. My head snaps to him and I scoff as he was already looking at me with a smirk.

"Just for the record, I didn't need your help." I mutter and he nods his head in sarcastic agreement as we walk into my room, and when we enter, he stands me next to the bed.

He doesn't lay me down and instead just stand there as I wait for him to let me go. His body and grip became tense around me as the room was engulfed in silence, us both just standing there awkwardly, but I could tell that something else was on Francis's mind.

"Do you really care for me?" he blurts out, and I tilted my head.

"What?" I questioned not knowing but he explained quickly.

"When I confronted you, of why you left." he continued "you said it was because you cared about me." Sadness but a gloss of hope dripping over his words, as he looked to me. "Did you mean it?"

I looked to the floor for a few moments, truly wondering that myself. I faintly remember the moment, but when I said it, I was emotional and speaking from my heart. I did mean it, I didn't say it to stop him from hurting me, or so I could manipulate him, I did it because I needed to admit that to myself and now I had

"Francis-" I start and try to turn to him, but before I can, I'm pushed against the bed and before my mind can even comprehend what is going on...

His lips are on mine.

I stood there for a few seconds, thinking what he was doing was fake, he was just doing it out of spite, so I forcefully tried to push him off me, laying my hands on his chest but either I was too weak, or he was too strong and passionate to say the least, his contact with me remained.

Trying so hard, I didn't want to let my guard down with, not with him, but before I knew it, I was kissing back. Pushing my lips and body my against him. The reaction surprised him, but he smirked more into me.

His hands slid from holding my arms to hugging my waist, pulling me closer to him and allowing me to wrap my arms around his neck. We remained kissing for so long I lost my thoughts and before I knew it, I was running out of breath, so I pulled away from the kiss making him grunt, as I breathed in and out harshly feeling the blood rush to my cheeks, trying to keep my breaths of the warmth I had bundled up inside me.

"I've been waiting to do that for too long." he whispered huskily and hugs me closer by the waist, forcing my body to lay over his perfectly, and I buried my head into his chest to hide from the embarrassment I was experiencing, and he rested his head on the crook of my neck.

"Really?" I mumbled and he smiled against my skin. "Ever since I laid my eyes on you." he stated, and my heart fluttered like a butterfly.

I guess it took me a while to realise it too, but I guess I just thought that I cared about his health, but now I realised that I cared for him, I wanted to be there for him if something bad happened, I wanted to spend my time with him.

I smiled and sighed contently as he held me.

This all felt like a dream though.

Him holding me tightly and me resting my head, I felt dazed and confused with my feelings for him. When he let a breath out on my neck, I could feel shivers go up and down my spine, but also made some pain in my body relive itself and I smiled.

Francis's grip had weakened do I stepped out of it and tried to walk to my bed only to stumble down to the floor, cursing to myself. It had only been 2 weeks and I know I wouldn't miraculously get better, but I would keep trying to improve.

Francis was surprised by my sudden movement and appeared to my side in a second. He grabbed my chin and forced me to make eye contact with him and when I did, his eyes were filled with concern from my slight fall, and he check me to make sure I was okay.

"I'm fine" I say softly with a weak smile, still in slight pain but I use his strong figure for support to get up on my bed. He nods solemnly with, giving me a small smile back. "Good."

I sigh under my breath, just enough for me to hear him and I chuckle to myself as he cocks an eyebrow. He offers to get me food which I decline since I wasn't hungry, but he insisted on leaving me a sandwich in case I got late night cravings, and with that he left me by myself but not before planting a peck on my forehand and walking off without another word.

I flopped back onto my bed, onto my stomach, not believing what I just did. The top gang leader, a criminal and my ex-patient kissed me, I kissed back and admitted my feelings for him, and soon enough I'll be like him with my wings. It walls all so fast.

But I needed to think with my head, not my heart. He was like poison for me, he could get me killed and I can't live with him like this. It was the Stockholm Syndrome speaking.

I couldn't stay here and as soon as my wings are formed, I couldn't catch feelings for him now...

It would be the breaking point of me.