Save The Smart Angel

15

(Owen's POV)

I went back to work and asked Tyson to keep me in the loop, if anything changed. He had rolled his eyes and said whatever, and I walked out. My office was doing better, giving us a decent living, like I said I had friends and because I worked close with them I had their support when I moved. I buried myself in my work and thanks to James I was able to complete the things I needed to do.

But my mind went back to Melissa, how can this have happened to her? What I was feeling was sick, she was my sister, I shouldn't have these feelings for her, but the more I pulled away, the more wrong it felt. Like I was betraying and lying to myself. I had meant to talk to my mother, but I didn't dare bring it up to her, she had adored Melissa and to find out she was a product of my father's affair, she would end up hating her.

"Damn it!" I shouted thinking I was alone, but soon found James peeking into my office.

"Everything alright sir?"

"Yeah, I'm just stressed."

"Tyson, told me about Melissa, that's horrible."

"Yeah it is."

"Have they caught who did it?"

"No, or at least I don't know."

I put my hands to my face, frustration was heavy on my shoulders, and I guess everyone could tell, but nobody knew why. After a while I put my hands down and found James looking at me.

"Sorry, sir and I don't mean to over step, but I honestly couldn't help noticing how less stressed you are when you're with Melissa, even she seems to carry a smile more when she's with you, and you've been taking things slow but I'm surprised you two aren't a couple."

"Things are complicated, James, in a perfect world, everything would be easy but not in the real world."

"There's an answer for everything, sir, you just need to find them."

I have no idea why that actually sparked hope into me, but it did.

"Thank you James."

With that he nodded and walked out back to his work, I guess I had my answer.

(Melissa's POV)

I heard the sounds first, but my memory was what made my eyes fly open, the echos of the gun shots rang through my mind. When I saw where I was my heart beat went down, and I calmed down. The steady beep-beep of the monitors let me know I had lived, I took in some deep breaths, and looked around slowly. There was my dad sleeping in a chair.

"Dad?"

He got a little spooked, but looked in my direction and quickly got to his feet.

"Mi hija, how do you feel?" he asked kissing my hand.

" A little fuzzy, I'm guessing it's the drugs doing their job." I laughed softly but regretted it as I felt the pull on my side, and it hurt.

"I'm glad you're awake, when your friend called me, and told me to get to the hospital, I was worried. What happened?"

"Owen's crazy ex, she came after me with a freakin gun, and started shooting up the place."

"Then how did you get away from her?"

"She was drunk, so her aim wasn't the best, neither was her judgement."

We sat there and spoke for a bit, but soon the drugs were hitting heavy again, and I was soon asleep again, the next time I woke up, Tyson was there and so was James.

Tyson came over to me and hugged me tightly.

"Woman, you have no right to die on me!"

"Next time I get shot at, I'll tell them to ask your permission, Ty!"

He went real serious and hugged me, kissing my cheek.

"You really did scare me, Mel, I thought I had lost yeah when I got there."

I hugged him back, after a minute he sat back, and I looked as someone knocked at the door it was Owen, and the police. Everyone made room and the officer came closer to me.

"Morning Ma'am, I'm here to take your statement, what happened?"

I took a breath and told the police how Roxanne had snuck in when I was opening the center, how she blamed me for her and Owen separating, and her saying I was always in the way and it was about time she did something about it. The whole time I was looking at the sheets that covered me, but I could feel the tension in the room, and it was mostly aimed at Owen.

The officer told me if I could describe her and that's when Owen, and Tyson spoke up. Owen had a picture of her and Tyson had shots of the tapes, and they both showed her perfectly. The officer took them and told us he'll let us know what happened, and excused himself.

Then Tyson pushed a button, had he been recording the whole conversation?

He didn't show me anything but I had a feeling i was right. Then I settled back into my bed. I opened and closed my eyes and looked around at everyone.

"Thanks for coming you guys, I appreciate it ."

"You kidding I wanted to make sure you were still alive, girl!"

We all laughed but soon a doctor walked in and checked my wounds, and explained, how bad it was. I got shot twice, one ripped right through my hip and the other went in through my calf and fractured my shin bone and sat there. Now I was the one that was going to need therapy. great. The doctor actually voiced my thoughts and I nodded and said he thought the center was great and thanked both Tyson and me for our hard work. He said he's be back to check on me later, but that if I needed again just push the button, I thanked him and he went about his day.

"Girl, I would love to do your sessions but I'm going to pick up the slack with you gone."

"Tyson, you always gave me the harder cases, now it your turn to handle them, anyway, I'll be fine in my apartment."

"No, you're not going back there when they know where you live, but your Dad can't be carrying you up and down the stairs at his place and I'm going to be swamped with patients."

"So glad everyone just drops everything and comes to my aide, but like I said I'll be fine at my apartment."

"Tyson's right you can't go back there while you're hurt and alone, Melissa, you'll be coming to stay with me."

I looked at Owen as he spoke for the first time, he looked serious but I also feel like he was doing it out of pity.

"I thank you for the offer but like I said I'll be fine at home, I hate to interrupt anyone's lives."

"I can work from home, James can run the office side of things right?"

"Yes, sir."

I looked at James then back at Owen.

"You sure Mrs. Owen Blackner won't mind, you bringing in an other woman into you condo?"

He looked a little surprised I knew he was dating again, but did a little eye roll, but looked back at me.

"No, because she doesn't exist and even if she did you're like family."

Tyson snorted and now I rolled my eyes.

"I'd hate to be a part of your family, man."

We all laughed so did Owen, but he didn't take it back, he was serious about me coming to stay with him again.After a while everyone left and I went back to sleep.

Six days later after they helped me stand and I asked to use crutches, they tried it... it hurt so bad at first, but then I got use to it, the doctor warned me not to stand so much at first, and not to push myself too much either, everything was healing fine but not to over do it. He gave me some pain killers to take when ever the pain became too much. I thanked him and Tyson helped me into the car. followed Owen to his condo and helped me into my room which had a few things from my apartment, my toiletries, and a whole suit case of clothes.

"I locked the apartment down good girl, so no one is getting in without a key."

"Thanks, Tyson."

I walked into my room and sat down. I loved the window in this room the sun came in perfectly and there was a bit of a view. Well, now it all looked like a snow globe and with Christmas on it's way, I had thanks giving with Owen and his mother but now, she was gone and it was just me and Owen. I had a feeling he was going to be avoiding me at all times, and I guess that was fine. I found out Tyson had cornered him into agreeing, more like he guilt him into it, but he had a live and I would leave him to live it.

"Hope this is still a comfortable room for you?"

"Thank you , it's fine."

"Call me if you need anything."

I nodded and sat back on the recliner in the room, Tyson scuffed and shook his head, but went and closed the door. Then came back and looked giddy.

"Okay so what's the plan?"

"For what?"

"Operation seduction, what's next?"

"You seriously think I let myself get shot at to get back into Owen's condo?"

"No, but don't miss this chance, he's still single and if he's here he'll be having his hands all over you."

"I've never been good at that, Ty."

"You always say that and you always are, just be confident."

"No, I'm just going to go about my business as usual and if he's interested then he'll let me know."

"Aww, girl, you're so naive sometimes."

"Hey!"

"I'm not saying strip down and get into bed with him, be subtle glances, small touches, and the like, and see if he doesn't come to you."

"Fine, but don't come crying to me when I tell  you he's engaged with some other chick."

"Right back at ya."

I thought about what I said and laughed. After he made sure things were comfortable, he left and I was left to rest. I laid down and watched the sun set, it was beautiful. My eyes became very heavy and I finally gave into sleep.

Over the next days I did my own therapies with a lot of awareness of my limits and pains, Owen spent his time in his office and only came out to see if I needed food. I mean when the man wants distance he made it happen, was he still mad at me for not letting him explain what Roxanne was doing in his office buck naked? If he was he had no right to be mad, that right fell to me, but whatever. Once I could I would make dinner and at first he scolded me for over doing it, but then I paced myself so I wasn't in pain and I was making big dinners either, so it wasn't a problem.

One day I was sitting outside looking at the snow fall, I had my blanket and a cup of tea. When he came out and saw me.

"What are you doing, you'll catch your death out here."

"Just enjoying the snow fall, I'm fine."

He didn't seem so sure, so he went inside and brought out an other blanket and covered me. I caught his hands and he froze why did he react like that?

"Owen, why are you so distant from me?"

He carefully pulled away and looked at me.

"Things change, Melissa, things that can't be changed back."

"Then if you want to move on why bring me here, you're sending me mixed messages, if you don't care about me anymore then why bother helping me?"

"I'm repaying you for taking care of my and my mother."

"Owen, I was doing my job!"

"Yeah, but you could've said no, and given us a different therapist, but you took both of us on, and I'm walking because of you, so this is me just returning the favor."

I got up and started walking away slowly but I was, but he caught me by the waist  and pulled me firmly to him, his eyes burning into mine, I could see he was fighting with himself.With Tyson's advice in mind, I slowly got closer to Owen, our lips just inches from each other. He was breathing heavy and his grip on my waist got a little tighter.

"How can you do this when you know what we are?"

I stopped and pulled away, looking at him in the face. Now I was confused.

"What do you mean?"

"How can you kiss me, knowing we can never be together, Melissa, you have serious issues!"

With that he walked away leaving me stumped in the cold.

That night I text Tyson, if we as in me, him and James could have breakfast, he agreed and the next morning we met up in our favorite diner.

"I think something is wrong."

"You bet your ass there is, what's going on with you and Owen?"

"That's the problem, he said something to me last night, that got me thinking."

"Like what?"

"He said how can I kiss him, knowing we could never be together."

"Does he mean the money side of things?"

"I have no idea, I thought he was still mad about me not letting him explain what Roxanne was doing at his office."

"So between then and now something happened, but what?"

We both looked at James, he smiled.

"Don't look at me, I've tried to get something out of him and I got nothing, he just said it was complicated and that in a perfect world, everything wouldn't be."

Tyson and I looked at each other, all that gave us that something did happen, but not what.

"So what next?"

I thought for a second and remembered Dad said he and Owen's mom were seeing each other again, I wonder if she even really left the city at all?'

"Time to call in the big guns."

"Who would that be?"

I pulled out my phone and pushed a button.

"Hey, Dad." I said all in spanish so the guys couldn't understand," Is she with you right now?"

Dad sounded shy but he said she was and I asked if I could talk to her, and he handed Darlene the phone. I explained the situation and asked her if she could talk with her son, she agreed more because I told her I was willing to give him a chance, and that's what she had wanted. She disconnected with me and was going to head over to the condo to talk with him.

I looked at the guys and we ordered our food, we talked more and just enjoyed each others company.