Andrew stood by anxiously as he watched the doctor attempt to wake up Nicole with drugs. His pheromones were all around him, coating the room and everyone inside. The Doctor was right.

Her team were all wearing masks similar to what Andrew had worn when they raided the Abraham mansion. They all appeared to be either betas or alphas as well. Andrew would have made some noise about that if it wasn't for the fact that this was not the situation that one should be worrying about equality in the workplace.

He was intentionally flooding a room with his pheromones, having an omega doctor here would do no one any good.

Andrew took a deep breath, realised he was panicking and worrying about Nicole and was therefore thinking about pointless things, and took a deep breath. They just had to wait for the medicine to work. Once it worked, Nicole would wake up, and then it was his time to shine.

His time to tell her that she was out of hell, and somewhere safe.

He took that time to examine how Nicole looked in the bed. She was tucked in, blankets around her, with her arms and legs tied down. This was standard procedure for patients that could be considered violent when they awoke. The police had made sure that they did that because despite her looks, Nicole was strong. All true alphas were.

It took about 15-20 minutes for her to wake up. The Doctors monitoring her knew that she had awoken, but that was different from her actually opening her eyes. She was slow to wake, and when they knew that the time was drawing closer, they ushered Andrew to the front. That meant that Andrew was there when she opened her eyes.

At first, her gaze was dazed, confused. It took her a minute to realise that she was awake. When she did, alarms started going off. She was freaking out.

Her pheromones began to lash out again, but Andrew was not going to let her hurt anyone again. Reaching out, he gripped her upper arm and was glad that her wrists were tied. He could feel how strong she was tugging on the ties, her muscles flexing.

"Nicole." Andrew said firmly, but kindly. "There is nothing to fight against. I'm right here. Listen to my voice, Nicole. It's me, Andrew." She didn't calm down, at least not at first. Andrew wasn't the greatest at controlling his pheromones, he simply hadn't had as much time as some alphas out there, so he let instincts take over. He wrapped his pheromones around her. Not smothering her, more like cocooning her in them. It took some time, but slowly Nicole's vacant gaze became sharper, more herself, and the other Doctors felt safe enough to approach her.

They began checking her levels and things as Nicole turned her gaze to Andrew. It was the first time in 48 hours he'd been able to look into Nicole's eyes and see her looking back. He wouldn't lie and say that it wasn't an emotional moment for him, but he had to keep cool. For her sake.

His eyes watered, but he refused to sob like the baby that he wanted to be.

"Andy? Is that you?" Her voice was raspy, raw. Andrew looked around and already someone was there with a cup and a straw. He moved, putting the straw in Nicole's mouth.

"It's me. Take a sip. It's to help your voice." Andrew told her softly and Nicole greedily drank down whatever Andrew had given her. She didn't even ask a further clarifying question about his identity and that broke something deep inside of Andrew. This sweet girl had been abused, and she still trusted him.

She deserved to make it through this. She'd earned it.

"The restraints are just so you don't hurt yourself." Andrew told her as she was drinking. "Once you prove that you won't, they'll be removed." Andrew watched her gulp until there was nothing. He passed the cup back to the void behind him and was grateful someone took it again. Nicole was staring at Andrew the whole time he moved. Even as she drank. Her gaze was unmoving.

"How did I get out?" She asked, her voice sounding better, but not perfect. Andrew smiled at her.

"Noah called me. I got there and we, the police and I, got you out." Nicole's eyes went wide and her heart monitor started beeping again.

"Noah was there? Is he okay?" She asked and Andrew had to smile through the pain of this woman, who had just gone through so much, worrying about others being in the same situation that she had been over herself.

"He was with Elijah. Keeping him company and keeping him safe while you are gone." Andrew told her carefully and watched as her facial features relaxed. She nodded, her eyes closing for a second as her body relaxed against the bed.

"He's safe too, then?" She asked quietly and Andrew nodded.

"Yeah. You have the whole Beckett clan making sure he's okay. Luis and Jenny are going to bully him into being used to getting coddled, so you're going to have to step up your game." Andrew teased and watched as Nicole's lips twitched before the amusement faded. Her skin went a shade lighter, her throat working as she took in a shaky breath.

Her hand shook, and Andrew, sensing she needed comfort, slid his hand into hers, tossing the blanket out of his way so he could access it. Her hands, wrists and lower arms were covered in bandages from her self-inflicted bite marks.

"I can't remember most of what happened as soon as I was put in the room. Did I…" She trailed off, swallowing again and Andrew stayed silent for a moment. He could only tell her what he knew, and that was it.

"As far as I know, you only bit me and you." Andrew told her and Nicole's eyes flew open as she looked at him. Andrew held up the hand that wasn't holding hers, giving her a little smile. She looked horrified.

"I bit you?" She asked and Andrew nodded.

"I'd rather you bit me than anyone else. If it was a police officer, you could have been charged." Andrew joked and Nicole didn't smile.

"How could I hurt you? I-I wouldn't have done that." She whispered brokenly and Andrew's jaw tightened.

"You bit me for that exact same reason. You didn't want me in there, Nicole, but there was no fucking way I was leaving you in there alone. Not for a damn second more." Andrew told her. There was not a second he regretted what he did. Not a damn second.

Nicole seemed a little surprised by the force behind his words. She lay there, stunned for a second. Andrew shifted, giving her hand a squeeze.

"I would do it again in a heartbeat. In a damn heartbeat, Nicole. I don't care if you bit me, it's not like you can mark me in a way that matters. So what if it scars? All I will remember is that I saved my baby sister." Andrew's voice caught on the last word and he wanted to cuss again. He told himself that he would control his emotions, but he was two seconds away from crying again.

He looked up at the ceiling, not catching the way that Nicole was looking at him, so sad, emotional, and thankful all at the same time.

"I'm your baby sister?" She said and all bets were off the table. Andrew dropped his gaze, letting the tears spill over. He wiped at them with his hand without a care. As soon as they were out under his glasses, he was wiping at his cheeks.

"Of course you are. I'm the oldest. It's me, and then the rest of you." Andrew said with a wobbly smile. "I've got to take my duties seriously." Andrew told her and Nicole's own tears started spilling from her eyes. She couldn't wipe them away, and instead the tears fell and soaked into the pillow her head was resting on.

The doctors were still moving around them, watching them. From Andrew's spot by Nicole's side, he could catch William staring at them from the doorway. Through the window, without a mask on. Andrew wondered for a brief second if he could overhear them, or if the words had an impact on him?

Andrew turned back to his sister.

"I'm sorry you had to come save me." Nicole sobbed, her shoulders' beginning to shake as she cried. "I'm sorry you had to get involved. I know you hate the family. I know you do." Andrew was about to get mad that she was apologising before Nicole really lost it and loud, heart-breaking sobs left her. "And t-thank you. Thank you for sa-a-aving me, Andy. Thank you." There was no way anyone could hear those words and keep a dry eye.

Andrew bent, sliding his arm under his sister's back and pulling her against him tightly. He felt her sobs, felt her body shake and just held her. His tears and her tears mingled together on the pillow as he held her.

"You're welcome, Nicole. I would do it again in a heartbeat. No questions asked. I will always come to save you."

~

Andrew took his time comforting Nicole but eventually she passed out from how much energy crying took from her. Andrew promised her that others would be coming to visit her now that she was okay as she was drifting off. He swore he heard her call Elijah's name, and to Andrew that was a cue that he could let her fiancé come now.

When Andrew finally had composed himself enough to leave her side, his eyes were rimmed red, he'd looked like he'd been crying, and he felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of his back.

They weren't in the clear yet, but this felt like a big hurdle they had just jumped. They had worried about Nicole and how stable she would be when she woke up. They had doubted her, a woman who had held off from biting any omegas in sight, and only biting Andrew. She could make it, she had made it, and she would continue to make it with the support of everyone else around her.

Elijah was going to be her number one champion. Andrew would have said himself, but he knew that the tiny man who had sobbed with relief and nearly collapsed hearing she was okay would fight him for that spot. Andrew had no doubt that the man he had been unable to meet thus far would let him down.

He didn't think his sister would go for someone who couldn't support her. She saw how he was with Maxwell, he knew she knew what she deserved, what she was worth, and honestly, she was willing to defy her family for this man. There was no way Elijah wouldn't meet Andrew's high standards.

Andrew sighed, ran his hand over his face and then pulled out his phone.

A shiver ran down his spine.

He had 38 missed calls from Maxwell.

Uh oh.