45.

"Well Summer, I'm no expert at this, but I believe you're a Shifter. Similar to me in that you can change forms. The difference is I can only change into half-man half-wolf, and you fully change into any animal in existence." The worry Damien had a minute ago, subsided as the full picture was being shown to him. " If you ask me, I think it's pretty cool. And you shouldn't be worried about anything. Well, besides the pain you might have while morphing, but other than that, I think you're fine. "
 
[i]"Is the Pain... always this bad? It felt like my body was being torn apart and forced together into this unfamiliar shape. I had a moment there that... I thought I was dying. Havā didn't tell me that it would be so painful.. or that I would even change at all. I'm mostly Elf as far as I know... not that even matters really, I don't know my parents, or my grandparents for that matter."[/i] 
 
"Honestly, I don't know. From my experience, my first transformation was the most painful. But I gradually got used to it, and now it doesn't phase me at all to change. The difference again, is that you're a shifter and I'm a werewolf. All I can say is to hope for the best, but for now, I guess the question is how long do you stay that way. Can you shift on will right now, or is there a timer?" 
 
[i]"Um... I don't think I can shift right now... I mean, I want to but it's like... my body won't allow it just yet. It's a strange feeling, but... maybe you can teach me to fight while I'm like this? I'm sure size doesn't count for much if I can't use it."[/i]
 
"Hmm, the problem with that is, you're on four legs. My werewolf form is bipedal. I'm not entirely sure what I can teach you, and if I can teach it well. But I guess the least I can do, is maybe make you a little more comfortable. Follow me into the living space."
 
Damien then proceeded to the living room, so as to have more space for his larger werewolf form, and stripped down to nothing but his pants. After a few deep breaths, Damien started growling, as his transformation began. Fingers, hands, toes, and feet began to grow in length and size, turning into paws, as claws replaced his nails. His nose and mouth were replaced by a wolf's snout, and his canines became larger and sharper. His ears grew upwards and pointed outwards. The rest of his body grew larger as muscle mass was added, all the while, black fur sprouted all over. After the transformation was complete, Damien the man was replaced with Damien the werewolf as he let out a long howl. 
 
Damien stood in the center of the living room now a seven-foot tall were-beast, wearing nothing but ripped trousers. "So, what do you think?"
 
[i]"Honestly? If I wasn't stuck in this shape I would ask if I could touch you,"[/i] Summer replied, [i]"Um... your fur I mean... I... uh... not... oh dear..."[/i] She shook out her fur in a flustered manner and carefully approached Damien before nudging him with her nose. Though he was about Seven feet, Summer easily came up to his chest, so she just nudged his shoulder. [i]"Your fur is... soft. Does the condition of your Human hair affect the condition of your Wolf Fur?"[/i]
 
Summer felt equally soft against Damien as she jumped up to chest level. "Not really, my fur just seems to be like that. You however, feel as soft as a cloud." Damien stood there for a second, thinking of the next course of action. "So, uh, what should we do now?"
 
Summer was silent for a moment as she thought about what he said, though that didn't last long as the pain of another change rolled over her, causing her to let out a howl. [i]"Again?! WHY AGAIN?!"[/i] she cried out as her bones began to shrink and rearrange themselves back into her small elf form. By the time her shift finished, tears were streaming down her face as she tried her best to get over the pain.
 
"Oh... I'm... uh... you are soft," Summer sniffled when she noticed that she had gripped onto his fur.
 
Damien watched her morph back into her normal self again. This time it seemed to be worse as he saw tears in her eyes. He chuckled at her last comment before wiping away her tears with one finger, "Thank you for the compliment. I promise you, the pain will go away soon enough. When I cannot say, but soon." All this time, Damien couldn't get the fact out of his head that she was completely naked. If he was in human form, his face would have been red as a cherry, but the fur made for a good mask. He grabbed a nearby blanket, and threw it over Summer to cover herself up. 
 
"Now I think is a good time to rest and regain your strength after all the exertion that was put on your body, yes?"
 
Summer gripped the blanket tightly to her and looked up at Damien, shifting from foot to foot. "Um... I guess but I... can I just stay with you in here for a bit? I don't usually talk to people and... I like talking to you," she murmured softly as she looked at her feet, a light blush on her cheeks, "I mean... you don' t have to talk to me... you are already so kind, I don't want to be a burden to you."
 
"A burden?" Damien asked in confusion, "You're never a burden on me. We can talk for as long as you feel like, but all I ask is this; from now on, never believe that you would ever be a burden on me or anyone else for that matter. If you agree, then we will talk whenever you feel like it." Damien then picked her up and carried her to the couch, opting to stay in wolf-form. It seemed to make her feel safer, at least, that's what Damien thought. He sat down on the couch and sat her down on his lap, with her head resting against his chest.
 
Summer was initially startled by Damien's action, but she relaxed against him and couldn't help the small smile that crept onto her face. "I'll try my best," she finally said, "I promise. Thank you... for helping me. I'm not used to people being so kind... what with me having been a slave an all, people used to look at me with disgust. Thank you for not looking at me in that way, I can't place [i]how[/i] it is you look at me... but it's not disgust." Summer leaned up slightly and kissed Damien's furry cheek and smiled up at him.
 
Damien would have been as red as fire thanks to that, [i] Thank the gods for fur. [/i] Damien cleared his throat, "Yes, well, some people in this world may be cruel, but I do not believe that everyone is inherently evil. It's the society we live in, I'm afraid. Slavery is the norm, and until it is outlawed, some people will get the short end of the stick. I do believe, however, that times are changing, and slavery will soon go away. Jade Fist's cause is admirable, but I'm not entirely sure if violence is the only answer. Either way, you're not in the life anymore, you're among people that like you for who you are, not your race."
 
"Until now, I wasn't even sure if anyone really liked me at all," Summer admitted before letting out a small yawn, "It's nice to have someone who likes me for who I am... even if I am a timid little Elf-Shifter." It was obvious that Summer was both joking, and terribly tired at that moment. "You know... you are oddly comfortable... I can't figure out if it's because of the fur, or if it's just you."
 
Damien chuckled and started petting her head, "thank you for the compliment, and I bet this timid little elf-shifter will become a great and powerful elf-shifter. One who will stand tall and show everyone that anything is possible, no matter who or what you are."
 
Summer just smiled a bit before resting her head on his chest once more, content with listening to his beating heart as the rhythm eventually caused her to drift off into a dreamless slumber for the first time since she arrived at the University.

Damien sat there for a second to make sure Summer was asleep, before picking her up and taking her back to her room. "Good night Summer, hope you're transformations get easier." He quietly walked out and shut the door, before walking to his own room. 

At some point during the night after Damien left, he was awoken by her frightened cries yet again. This time though, they seemed pained more than scared like the others, pained and a lot louder which made him wonder how it is that no one in the other Towers ever came to see what was going on.

Damien shot out of bed, startled and almost tripping over Ember. He burst through his own door, and ran to Summer's. Damien checked to see if the door was locked, and indeed it was. He took a step back to get good footing, and brought his foot into the door, breaking the top hinge and handle. He ran over to Summer and gripped her tightly, "Summer, wake up! It's justs a nightmare!"

Summer let out a louder scream and started to thrash about, not realizing that it was just Damien who had a hold. Despite his best efforts, Summer continuously screamed to be let go until her voice went hoarse and she slumped into him, crying. She finally realized that is was Damien who had a hold on her and she tried to stop her tears, she didn't want to seem weak in front of him, though she had a feeling that her worries were too late.

Damien sat down with his back against her bed, and Summer still in his arms, "Summer it's ok, it was just a night terror, nothing is really happening. I'm right here, no one else." Damien wiped away Summer's tears for her, trying to calm her down anyway he could. 

Summer slowly calmed down as she rested her head against his bare chest, trying to focus on his heart beat to help her slow her breathing. "I'm... I'm sorry... I... I wake you up every night... I'm sorry..."

"Hey, hey, it's ok. I know it's gonna take some time for you to get over your past, and everything else. I've already accepted that. Don't ever feel sorry for something that's out of your control. I promise you will get over it, ok? I'm not that far away," he said looking towards his room and the broken door, "and now, I'm even a shorter time away. If you ever need me, just call."

Summer just stared at her door, or rather lack-there-of, and then looked up at him before giggling a bit. She had no idea why, but she found the idea of him breaking her door rather amusing, but that only lasted a moment until she gently gripped his shoulder. "Would you... um... will you... can you stay with me tonight please?" she asked with a light blush on her cheeks.

Damien was a tad startled, but he didn't show it, "Sure, I'll stay with you." Damien lifted Summer up and tucked her into bed. He made a pile of pillows on the floor and Summer handed him the top blanket on the bed, "Thank you." He gave a sharp whistle for Ember to wake up and come into Summer's room. He motioned for Ember to jump on the bed with Summer, "Maybe that'll help. Good night Summer and Ember." Damien then got on his little makeshift bed, and lulled to sleep.