"I wasn't kidnapped."

Dr. Quinlan didn't flinch or react with any amount of surprise, as I had thought he would. He just studied me for a few moments and then continued, "Why don't you tell me what happened then?"

I took a deep breath and told him about the ski trip to Frost Fire. I told him about my tire blowing out and that you stopped to help me.

"Why did you go with him?" He asked.

"I didn't have a choice. It was freezing and I couldn't drive my car," I told him.

So far, my story was true.

"So, how did you end up in Churchill?" He pressed.

"I asked him where he was headed and he told me that he had a cabin near Churchill. On a whim, he asked if I wanted to go with him. I don't know what I was thinking, but I was really stressed out from my first semester at college, and I liked the way he described the place – secluded and cozy. Sure, I wanted to ski, but the idea of relaxing in front of the fire all weekend sounded wonderfully inviting."

"So, you trusted a complete stranger enough to go with him to a remote cabin?"

"Yes. Like I said, I think the stress just got to me and all I wanted to do was escape for a few days."

"And you didn't think to call your family or friends?" Dr. Quinlan asked suspiciously.

"When we got to Winnipeg, I thought of it, but my battery was dead and my charger was in my luggage back in my car."

"Why didn't you take your luggage with you?"

Oh, my gosh! I wished he would stop asking all these questions! I felt like I was on trial or something when he was supposed to be a counselor. I was definitely liking him less and less as the conversation went on.

"I didn't realize that I would be going to Zayn's cabin when I first got in the car. I thought I would get someone to come and fix my car and be on my way."

"So, you didn't ask Zayn for a phone so you could call your family?" He said your name with such disdain that it hurt my insides.

"I did. I asked Zayn for a phone," I said, pronouncing your name delicately and reverently. "And he said he had a satellite phone at the cabin and that we could call once we got there."

"So, at this point, you still didn't think to let anyone know where you were?"

"I did! I just told you that!" I yelled at Dr. Quinlan.

"But the cabin was still several hours away, was it not?" He reasoned.

"Yes, but I didn't think everything through. I didn't really realize how far it was. I just told you that I had a momentary lapse of reason in going with him in the first place, and then I didn't think through all the ramifications until it was too late."

"What do you mean by too late?"

I was getting so frustrated. This "therapy" session was turning out to be less than therapeutic. But I didn't want to lose my temper or else I would have to stay longer in the hospital longer, and I just wanted to get out and get home so I could find you. And hopefully help you to get out of jail.

As long as I could convince everyone that this was all just a big misunderstanding. And as long as you hadn't confessed too much. I silently willed you to hear me – I was trying so hard to help you!

"When we got to the cabin, Zayn realized that the sat phone battery was dead, too."

"And he didn't have a charger?"

"He left it in Grand Forks."

"Very convenient, don't you think?" He sneered.

"What are you talking about?" I yelled again. "It was an accident. People make mistakes, don't they?! He went back and forth between the cabin near Churchill and his apartment in Grand Forks."

I just closed my eyes and tried to calm myself down. I had absolutely no desire to talk to him anymore. Finally I said, "I'm fine. I will be happy to talk to my counselor back home, but I am perfectly fine. I just want to go home."

"Very well," said Dr. Quinlan. "I'll file this report and I will communicate this to your therapist in Grand Forks, with your permission."

I nodded and he left. Thank God.

My mom and Nolan came back in immediately and my mom asked, "How did it go?" She sounded like she was talking to a ticking time bomb, trying desperately not to set me off.

"It was fine, Mom. But I have to tell you both something, okay? And please, please don't be mad." I had to tell them what I had just told the psychologist, and I would have to tell the police the same story, as they would be coming later in the day to question me. It had to be realistic, believable and consistent.

"What is it, baby?" My mom asked, sitting on the side of my bed.

"I...I wasn't kidnapped." I could see that neither Nolan nor my mother believed me. But I continued anyway. "My car broke down and Zayn stopped to help me. I went with him, but then he told me about his cabin in Canada. I was just so stressed out with college that I made a stupid decision. I mean it turned out all right in the end."

"What do you mean, it turned out all right in the end?" Nolan shot back.

"I really like Zayn. In fact, I think I'm in love with him."

"You can't be serious," he said, grimacing.

"I am serious, Nolan. I love him."

My mom took a deep breath and held it so long that I wondered if she was ever going to let it out. But then she said, "It's okay, River. As long as you're all right."

Nolan wasn't nearly as forgiving. "That was probably the most selfish and stupid thing you could have done! What were you thinking? He could have raped you, tortured you, or killed you!"

"I know," I said, fighting back tears. I felt terrible lying to them, and I felt even worse telling them that I made some stupid decisions that led them to be worried sick for the past month. "I know, but he didn't. He was very kind and gentle and he never, ever touched me."

"Then what about your bruises?!" Nolan shouted.

"Two bruises, Nolan, two! I was carrying wood in and a piece fell and hit my leg; and the other one was from falling on the floor when the police officers came in. I was in such a hurry to get my purse that I tripped and fell."

"And he didn't do anything else to you?" Nolan asked.

"No, we did not have any sexual contact of any kind. I'm sure they checked that out when I was brought here."

My mom nodded to confirm that they had examined my entire body. "There was no evidence of..." She stopped as her throat went dry.

"Exactly! I'm still a virgin, and if Zayn wanted to, he could have raped me, but he never laid a finger on me. He loves me, too."

Mom and Nolan just nodded but the confusion was evident in their eyes.

"I think it will be good to talk to Dr. Conyers when we get back," my mom said in a hoarse voice. Dr. Conyers was my therapist from the summer when I was 14, the worst summer of my life.

"I'm already planning on it," I said.

I spoke to the police later in the day, and I told them exactly the same story as I had told Dr. Quinlan and my mom and brother. Then I was discharged. When I went to put my clothes on, I had to choke back my sobs. They were your clothes.

And they smelled like you.

When we got home, my uncle Brandon squeezed me in a bone-crushing hug.

"You're hurting me," I teased.

Uncle Brandon didn't seem to care, he just kept squeezing and whispering, "I'm so glad you're okay. God, I'm so glad you're okay."

And then Coach Freeman showed up not ten minutes after I got home. I was surprised to see her, but I was even more surprised to see her kiss my uncle.

My mouth dropped open in shock.

Uncle Brandon just said, "Yeah. We've been together for a while."

"Well, that's awesome!" I laughed, giving Coach Freeman a hug.

She hugged me back, telling me that she was thankful I was okay, too. 

It was hard to adjust to being home. I'd only been away for a month, but everything had changed. I was in love with you, and I couldn't tell anyone. I only dared to ask about you a few times, but no one was willing to give me any information.

I'd been home for three days when my first appointment with Dr. Conyers arrived. When I walked into her office, I gave her a hug, which she warmly reciprocated.

"Oh, River. You've been through so much! I'm so glad you've come back to talk to me."

"I'm doing okay, really," I told her. "I think I just need to work on handling stress. Obviously, I can't just take random vacations whenever I feel like it," I said, laughing nervously.

She gave me a very odd look.

"Did the doctor from Winnipeg give a report from when I talked to him?" I asked cautiously.

"Yes, he did. I just...I umm...I guess he didn't tell me everything."

"What do you mean?" I asked. "What exactly did he tell you."

I could see that Dr. Conyers was very reluctant to tell me anything.

"I'm the patient here! I have a right to know what he said about me!"

She finally told me, "He said that you were in denial about the whole situation and that you had been brainwashed into thinking that you chose to go with the kidnapper."

I burst into tears. Why wouldn't anyone believe me?

Dr. Conyers let me cry for a while and then gently questioned me. "Do you want to tell me about it?"

"You...won't believe me," I said, choking on sobs in between my words.

"Why do you think I won't believe you?"

"Because I told Dr. Quinlan, I told my family and I told the police and they all think I'm in denial. I'm not in denial! I made a foolish decision, that's all. But I don't regret it."

I could tell that Dr. Conyers didn't believe me, but she gently urged me, "Well, why don't you start from the beginning?"

I sighed and I started from the drive to Frost Fire, being careful to include every detail as I had before, right down to the cell phone chargers.

She just nodded and listened the whole time, not interrupting.

As I finished, I said, "Please, I need someone to believe me. Zayn has been wrongfully imprisoned and I have to help him. I told the police but they haven't let him go yet."

"How do you know he hasn't been released?"

"Because he would have come to find me!"

"Why do you think he would come to find you?" Dr. Conyers asked, sounding legitimately curious.

"Because he loves me! And I love him!" I started crying again, feeling so helpless. "I don't even know where he's being held, whether it's in Canada or here or somewhere else completely. Please, can you help me?"

Dr. Conyers hesitated and gave me a very sympathetic look. "I'm afraid I can't do that," she said.

"Why not?!" I demanded.

"Because I agree with the doctor in Winnipeg. I think you're not clearly understanding what happened."

"Then tell me why, for the first time in my entire life, I love someone more than I ever thought possible! Tell me why I can't stop thinking about him and getting to him so that we can be together!"

"Well, River, I think you're suffering from a complex psychological phenomenon. In fact, your case seems to be particularly severe."

"And what is that?!" I asked sarcastically.

"It's called Stockholm Syndrome."