One unfortunate part of living in a tiny town with a small crime rate was becoming complacent and forgetting how easily everyday situations could become dangerous. Take walking home at night by yourself. You'd never do that in the city. Too easy to run into trouble and get yourself hurt. In a small town, though? Ehhhh... You could maybe get away with it.

You didn't get away with it. Instead, you found yourself in a hospital bed, hopped up on painkillers with a lovely new stab wound and a story to tell your children, nieces, nephews, and/or cousins. Congratulations, you are now the bad example for going home at night.

As you sat there in bed, contemplating the choices that led you there, your boyfriend came stumbling through the door, a little clumsy in his efforts to get to you. He scanned you up and down as he moved to your side, assessing the level of hurt you were in. Upon finding nothing actively causing you to bleed out, he pulled you against his chest and kissed your head.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect ye, love," Alec whispered. "I'm so glad ye're okay." He released you and backed up a step. Uh-oh. Now you're in for it.

"What were ye thinkin', love?" he asked harshly. "Walkin' home alone in the dark, have I taught ye nothing?" He pulled you close again with a heavy, shaky sigh. "I'm happy ye're safe, but that was daft, love."