52. *Unreal*

~Sexual content and some explicit wording~ POV change, minor backtracking, story extension

*****

The weekend had been eventful for Pat. He kept busy and tried to keep his mind off of Annette. She needed to be strong for her friend; Pat had no doubt she could and would. He was grateful Jess had thought to pack a bag for her and encouraged him to leave her a note. He would leave her little reminders and notes as often as he could; a cell phone was helpful, but sometimes, it made a difference to be able to hold something. As soon as she called, Pat took off to the bank as well. Annette was frugal, but if she felt she could splurge, she should. Within fifteen minutes, he was back at Noah's place. Tyler and Jess were just starting to load up. He pulled in behind them. "Don't go just yet. Give her this too," he ordered as he gave Jess the envelope of cash, his house key, and the note he wrote. "Let her know that I'm thinking of her, but she needs to do what she can for her friend. Annette's probably the best bet for somebody that is suicidal," he remarked. Jess grinned.

"She is. I'm sure they'll have a good time; Annette's always full of good ideas and cheer," she replied as she squeezed Pat's hand. "You're welcome to stay, you know. We'd love to have you over." 

"Seriously. You're always welcome, with or without 'Nettie. We do have that extra bed," Tyler confirmed. Pat nodded at both of them. 

"I appreciate the offer, but I'll be alright. I have some stuff around the house I've been meaning to do, but I've been putting it off to spend more time with Annette. Josh and I can tackle some minor house repairs later. I know there's at least one window that needs to be caulked again before winter hits, then there's a shutter that needs to be repaired, and the shed needs some major TLC. Not to mention, weeding around the house, mowing the lawn, and possibly a fresh coat of paint - on the deck at least. I think the only thing I have taken care of is that hole in my wall by the dryer," he replied. Jess and Tyler smiled at him. "Take care, guys. Call me if she calls you. I'll do the same." They nodded and Pat loaded up in his truck again and headed home. He tackled most of that list alone. After several hours his house was starting to look brand new again; Pat took great pride in the finished result. Josh joined him around dinner time Friday night. The next morning, Pat took off towards Mullan, Idaho to pick up paint supplies and other things he could use around the house. It was only about twenty miles away and the town contained everything he needed for his projects. As he was coming home that afternoon, his engine started sputtering, he was unable to accelerate, and when he parked it, he couldn't turn it over again. "Come on!" He hit the wheel as he tried to start it again. It didn't work. He got out and popped the hood and spent the afternoon figuring out what was wrong. Eventually, he gave up and headed inside. "Really?!" He exclaimed as he turned around and faced the door. 

"Sorry, man," Josh chuckled. "You should try it."

"I'm good," Pat replied.

"It's all about the connection and the lotion. It can be quite sensual," Josh teased. Pat shook his head.

"I could always give you a few lessons. You know, instruct you where your hands should be, how hard you should push, where the most arousing area is," the female in the room stated. "I'm decent. You really didn't have to turn around. Besides, you might like what you see. Let your eyes wander, sugar. I don't mind," she flirted. Pat shook his head again.

"This is my house. Josh, you're welcome to stay; I told you that yesterday when you told me about your house being fumigated. You need to keep that in the bedroom, or don't stay at all," Pat warned as he turned his head and walked around his couch through the living room to the kitchen. He continued to speak over his shoulder, not making eye contact with either of his guests until he could lean against the breakfast nook. "Amanda, if you want to flirt, do it with him. I told you once, and I'll tell you again. My heart's spoken for and the only one who can deter me from that path is her. I'm not interested in you or any other girl for that matter. Josh, I'm serious. Room or leave."

"No problem, man. We'll behave," Josh retorted. Pat looked at his company wearily as Josh grabbed Amanda's hand, looked up at her, and murmured, "shower, gorgeous?"

"Maybe later. Your pal here interrupted my massage. I'm covered in lotion. Once you finish your job, I'll shower. You are going to join me. Your hands aren't massaging me any more, but your presence is definitely needed. Now," she demanded as she walked down the hallway and ducked into Pat's old room. Josh stood up and wiggled his eyebrows.

"Final warning," Pat stated as he pointed his finger at him. "No more shenanigans in the nude outside of the bedroom. What if Annette walked through that door?"

"I'm sure she would've had a better opening statement. She's actually got a sense of humor. And we're not nude," Josh teased as he picked up the sheet they were laying on as he gestured to his shorts. "Chill. I'm not messing up your whole home. Any time we leave the bedroom, we have this sheet. The master suite and anything beyond that door is definitely safe. We won't go in there at all. I swear, I won't even have a makeout session against the door. Although, now that I think about it, that hallway hasn't gotten any action. The shower followed by-" 

"Joshua Wyatt Conrad," Pat spoke harshly, cutting off his friend from any more mental images. Josh grinned and winked at Pat.

"Okay, I'll work on keeping it to the bedrooms. Not Annette's. Well guess it's yours now too. So does that room get any action?"

"You disgust me," Pat remarked and washed his hands in the sink as Josh took off down the hallway. Pat opened his phone again. Still no word from or about Annette. He sent her another message but wasn't hopeful for a response. "Truck broke down doll. I'll probably spend all day tomorrow fixing it. Please dont call for a ride. I'm kinda stranded. If I dont answer when you call it's because my hands are covered in oil. I'll call you back as soon as I clean up though. Love you." He studied her picture again. "I miss you, doll. You light up my world," he whispered. "Stop it, Miller. You can't wallow right now. Dinner or truck? You also have some house maintenance items to put away," he chided himself mentally. He looked around the kitchen, then back at his hands. Daylight would be leaving soon. Down the hall, he heard moaning. Pat pursed his lips, huffed in indignation, and walked towards the front door again, noticing they didn't shut their door all the way as he walked past the hallway. "Truck it is. I'll eat after I take apart my motor. I think the spark plugs are my most likely candidate," he thought as he shut the door behind him. He took all the supplies he had bought in Mullan to the shed, coming back to the truck with his mechanical tools. Slowly he began working on his engine looking over everything instead of jumping to the obvious conclusion. He started with the oil; it was dark, but there was plenty of that. Then he checked all his belts and the filters. Finally, he took his engine apart. Sure enough, worn out spark plugs were the problem. The sun was beginning to set as Pat's stomach grumbled. He sighed and looked around, putting all his tools down. He walked around his truck, looking for anything else he may need to keep it running smoothly. Tire pressure was good, the step bars were held in securely, and headlights and taillights were working properly. "Tomorrow. I'll finish give you a complete look over tomorrow," he mumbled as he kicked his tire. He silently cleaned up his mess and looked at the setting sun. The normal vibrancy of the red and orange seemed kinda dull tonight. He smiled as he thought back to what Annette had told him Renae said. "The world is definitely brighter with you in it, doll," he chuckled softly wiping his hands on a rag as he made his way back to his door and his stomach rumbled. He gave a two knock warning before he walked in. 

"Stop stressing, man," Josh stated as he winked at Pat. "Amanda's taking a bubble bath and I'm taking a much needed break. Call of duty?"

"I need dinner first," Pat replied as he moved to wash the oil off his hands. He dished himself up some of Annette's leftover lasagna and warmed it up in the microwave. "I have to go to Missoula or Smelterville to get some spark plugs tomorrow. Can I borrow your car?"

"Sure. Smelterville is half the distance. There's an O'Reilly's car parts in both places but you probably want to go to Missoula; cheaper and no tax. It's the great thing about living in Montana! Idaho well, they have their high points too, but it's not in Smelterville," Josh reminded him. Pat nodded as the microwave beeped. He took his steaming hot food out, grabbed himself a pop from the fridge, and a fork. Then he walked over to the armchair and sat down, letting out a deep breath as he did. Josh smiled. "Long day?" Pat nodded, propped the leg rest up, and looked at Josh.

"Do you work tomorrow?" He asked as he took a bite of food.

"Yeah. At 3. It's no biggy if you aren't home by then since you live so close to work. Leave your bike out. I don't run. Cut me a piece," he ordered then reached over, took a corner of the lasagna, and popped it in his mouth. "I love your girl," he teased. Pat smiled and opened his mouth to say something, but his train of thought was cut off as a high nasally voice distracted him.

"Hey!" Amanda snapped from the hallway as she made her way out to the living room. Josh grinned at her as she sat in his lap. She looked over at Pat and winked. "If he loves your girl so much, are you up for a partner switch?" 

"Never," Pat huffed as he stood up. He finished his dinner in the kitchen, looking out the window as the sky grew darker. 

"Come on. It's no fun out here," Amanda pouted. Pat ducked out the back door. 

"How could Josh put up with her? She is so petty and selfish," Pat mused silently as moved out to the middle of the yard, sat down, relaxed into the grass on his back, and looked up at the stars. "No one can compare with you, doll. Your eyes shine brighter than even that star," he murmured as he located the north star. "I can't stand Josh's girlfriend. I hope you come home soon. That or I hope the fumigation people finish early. Blasted termites," Pat grumbled. The sky was clear and the stars flew across the sky. Pat rubbed the underside of his left bicep as he found what Annette described as a starburst - her hope. "I hope everything is going well, doll. I love you. No one can ever take your place," he thought silently

"PAT!" Josh hollered from the porch. Pat reluctantly rolled his head over and looked towards the house. He shook his head as he noticed Amanda following Josh and looked back up at the sky. "Pat," Josh repeated as he neared him. "Any word from Annette yet?"

"None. I've sent her a few encouragement texts and let her know what has been going on around here. I don't expect to hear back from her; she told me she was turning off her phone. She'll call when she can," Pat confirmed. He sat up and looked towards the porch. Amanda was sitting on the steps and twirling her hair. "Seriously? Her? She flirts with everyone. That's not the first time she's hit on me, but it is the first time in front of someone she's dating. I can't take it."

"I know she hits on everyone; it's what makes this relationship so exciting. You are the one person I'm not jealous of her flirting with because I know how infatuated you are with Annette. Amanda is downright sexy, hot, and fun. I'm just dating for the unlimited sex and to drive all those other guys crazy with my catch," Josh teased. Pat chuckled. "Amanda is f*****g good at, well you know, f*****g. How's Annette?"

"We're not having this conversation," Pat retorted as he put his head between his hands. "You're not supposed to kick me out of my own house."  

"I'll work on taming her and making sure she stops making you uncomfortable. Seriously though, you need to lighten up a little. Maybe I should call Annette!" Josh chuckled.

"Leave her out of this," Pat ordered. Josh shook his head.

"I was just letting you know that we're heading out for a bit, see if we can't catch a late show in Idaho. I'll leave my keys on the breakfast nook when we come back. I promise to try not waking you, but it's probably going to get rowdy," he snickered. Pat shook his head.

"If you're still around when Annette comes home, she has final say if you both get to stick around. Why don't you guys stay at her place?" Pat inquired, bobbing his head in Amanda's direction.

"No bed," Josh chuckled as he made his way back to the house. Pat shook his head again and looked up at the sky. Eventually, Pat made his way back to the house. Thankfully, it was quiet. He moved to the room he shared with Annette, shut the door, and got ready for bed.

"Love you doll. You hold my heart. You're in my every thought. Sleep well," he texted Annette before he took off his leg and went to sleep. The night was long and Pat hardly slept, but he got in a good five hours before he finally decided to wake up. He dressed for a run and enjoyed his morning exercise. At eight he came back home and took a shower. "Good morning beautiful. Hope to hear your voice today," he sent Annette as he looked up at the crown they had moved to his place. "I love you, m'lady. Take care. I'll be out of commission today, but my phone will be on," he murmured as he made his way to the door. He closed Annette's door again. He grabbed Josh's keys and made his way towards the city. After much debate, he finally got the parts he needed. He figured he should get the stuff to change his oil later too. Finally he was able to go back home. He stopped at a gas station long enough to fill up the tank and get some food and coffee. Then he pulled past a flower shop. He grinned and pulled in so he could buy two dozen roses. About 12:30, he pulled back into his driveway. He heard moaning as he approached the door. "F**k! Seriously, Josh?! I'm coming in, d****t," he yelled. He closed his eyes as he entered the house. Giggling came from the kitchen. He opened his eyes and moved in there. He dropped the keys on the breakfast nook and pointed at Amanda as she climbed off the floor, covered in random items from the fridge. Josh lowered his hands in front of his pelvic region and grinned at Pat as he sat up. Keeping his eyes on her face, Pat chewed her out; he could yell at Josh later. "Clearly, you don't need a bed. That was the only reason Josh gave me for why you two aren't crashing at your place. So you should go back there. Get the hell out of my house. No you may not shower. Put his shirt over body and go out the back door," Pat ordered angrily. She stuck her lower lip out and batted her eyes at Pat as her hands moved up and down her bare chest. "I said get out!" He repeated firmly, refusing to give her the satisfaction of looking. He glared at Josh who had slipped back into his boxers. "I told you that you were welcome. Your guest, has overstayed her welcome; you're pretty damn close. Kick her out and start cleaning. If you leave, I don't want you to come back ever," he snapped. Josh moved over to the sink and gave Amanda a wet towel. "Amanda, as for you, you had best be out of here when I return. I don't want to see you on this property. Do not ever come back. I'll be back shortly," Pat raged as he made his way down the hallway. He looked at the roses in his hand and took some calming breaths as he sat on the bed. He pulled up the picture he sneakily took the first time they watched the sunrise and grinned. "How do you stay so civil around everyone, doll? If you were here," Pat mused softly and paused as he thought about it. He stroked the picture on his phone. "Hell, I don't know how you would react to this. I'm sure it would be interesting and done with class and grace. I love you, doll," he whispered. He looked at the flowers on the bed beside him and moved over to the closet. He pulled out one of the vases her co-workers had gotten her. He arranged the flowers and filled the vase with water. Then he put the vase on the dresser. He took his bag of parts back out to the front room, placed them on the breakfast nook, and looked around. Josh was cleaning the kitchen and looked guilty. "You need help. Know any sex addict classes I can send you to?" Pat teased in an exasperated, yet friendly tone.

"Dude! I'm sorry. I can explain. I might have offended her last night when I told you I loved your girl. I swear I was only talking about her food. I would never do that do you, even if I do wrap her up in my arms or kiss her cheek now and then. Annette belongs to you; you're like my brother. She's family. I swear, I would never come between either of you," Josh explained rapidly. Pat nodded and motioned for him to continue. "So I had to make it up to Amanda all night and all day. You were gone by the time we woke up. She got bored in the bedroom. We moved around. She started whining that I had affections for another girl. So I went off on a tangent about how great Annette's food is. Amanda convinced me to show her. Okay well it didn't take much convincing at all. We dug through your leftovers and began licking them off each other's bodies. Let me tell you, man! You need to try this-"

"-Josh!" Pat snapped. 

"Right. So anyways. We did multiple course and had just gotten to the cherry strudel. And you know how I'm a sucker for that. Oh my gosh! Seriously, Annette is a baking goddess. So anyways, Amanda topped it with chocolate sauce and whipped cream," Josh continued. Pat glared at him. "Irrelevant. Sorry. But seriously. Probably some of the best makeup sex I've ever had."

"Where else?" Pat snapped.

"We were everywhere. Mainly the front room, but we didn't take off our pants until we got to the kitchen. Don't worry. It couldn't have been more than an hour. I swear! We stayed on a sheet or towel. I moved those items to my room. I'll take them to work later and dump them in dumpster because I know you won't ever feel like they're clean even if one wash is sufficient. I didn't mean to disrespect you. I threw away all the food we used. I'll dump them too," Josh explained rapidly. Pat sighed and moved to the front room. He rearranged, sanitized, and wiped everything down, thankful he had sent the bean bag chairs to Josh's house a few weeks ago. As he moved to the closet to pull out the steamer, he noticed the bag tucked by the door. He picked it up and moved to the kitchen. Josh was scrubbing the floor. He met Pat's eye. "I've never seen that. Where'd you find it?"

"By the door. Do you know how long it's been there?" Pat asked. Josh shook his head. Pat opened it up and dug through it. He pulled out tangerine colored top and grinned. "Annette!" He hollered as he made his way through the house. "Doll!" Josh followed.

"That's her's?"

"She wore that top on Friday, paired with a grayish jacket thing. I never saw the bag Jess packed for her," Pat insisted. "Search the house please," he begged. Josh nodded and split off, Pat went straight for their bedroom, Josh searched the other rooms. Pat picked up his phone and tried ringing her phone as he looked around the untouched room. The bathroom and closet was empty too. Her phone went straight to voicemail. It was still off. Pat moved his way back to the hallway. 

"I didn't see her anywhere. Not even the back porch. Go find her. I'll finish cleaning. I'm sorry for bringing Amanda over and causing problems. You just need to lighten up; she's the best bet for that. Go find your girl. I'm sure she'll help calm the situation," Josh stated. Pat nodded and headed out the front door.

"Annette! Where would you go?" He thought as he looked around. "If you came home after I left but before Josh woke up, and saw my truck. Hmm. The messages on your phone would tell you that we had company." Pat looked at his messages again. "D****t. I forgot to mention Amanda. So you would be thinking that Josh and I usually do things together. So... hmm. You would have thought the house was empty," he pondered out loud as he heard Dalton giggle next door. He headed over to Olivia's house. That was his best bet; Annette was drawn to laughter, especially kid's laughter. After playing with Dalton for a little bit and confirming that Annette hadn't been over there or talked to Olivia at all, Pat headed back to the house. "Josh! I'm taking your keys. I'm going to run to the restaurant really quick. She's stubborn enough she just might," Pat explained as he came back in the house. Josh nodded and threw him the keys.

"I'll call you if I see her," he promised. Pat nodded and took off out the back door, looking thoroughly over all the chairs to see if they were recently sat in. He sighed and moved around the house and loaded up in Josh's car. He drove to the restaurant and checked in with everyone. No one had seen Annette. Pat pursed his lips and drove around the neighborhood hoping for some sign. Five until three, he came back to the house. He looked at Josh hopefully as he came outside with his phone to his ear. Pat looked up at him hopefully as his own phone began to ring. Josh shut his phone and Pat's stopped ringing. "Sorry, man. I haven't seen or heard anyone. I just need to go to work. I take it you came up with nothing either? S**t. Sorry," Josh stated glumly. "What have you eaten today?"

"Two hot dogs on my way back home after I picked up the car parts," Pat admitted as he stuck his hand out so Josh could grab his keys.

"Drop me off at work, then I'll make sure you eat. Annette would freak out more on you if you don't take care of yourself. She might have made her way that direction by now," Josh stated. Pat nodded, got behind the wheel again, sighed, drove back down the road, and pulled Josh's car into the employee parking lot. 

"Keep your keys. I'll walk home. I honestly don't care who you date, even if it's Amanda. Just don't bring her by again," Pat insisted. Josh chuckled but agreed. Pat went inside and ordered the soup and salad combo with a Dr. Pepper. If Annette was home, she liked to have dinner ready by 18:30 at the latest. He didn't want to spoil dinner time with her. When he had finished that, he walked home. He tried calling Annette again. It still went to voicemail. Then he tried Noah's number; he hadn't heard from his sister either. 

"So her bag's there but she's nowhere to be found?"

"Correct," Pat confirmed.

"Okay. Just give her space. She always comes back. If I had to bet, I would just say that she's overwhelmed and just needs a minute. I've never figured out where she goes, but she always comes back," Noah stated. 

"Thanks," Pat said glumly as he hung up; Noah was no help. Pat sighed and finished the walk. He opened the door and looked around. It was still quiet. He moved towards the kitchen to get a glass of water then he would work on his truck again. That's when he noticed her bedroom door was shut; he was certain he left it open. He walked down the hallway and listened. He heard scuffling and he grinned. He opened the door and grinned when he saw her leave the bathroom. "Doll!" He beamed, taken back slightly at her new appearance.

"No. Out," she insisted as she pointed towards the door with her left hand. Pat studied her and nodded. She was in rough shape; her eyes were blotchy, swollen, and red. She was unsteady and her knuckles were turning white with how tightly she was grasping her crutches. He didn't think that she would be so emotional after caring for her friend. When he didn't make an effort to move, she hopped over, used her crutch, pushed him towards the door, and shut it on him. Pat leaned his head against the door frame as Noah's words echoed in his head. 

"Why would you be overwhelmed, doll?" Pat thought and lowered his head to his chest as it clicked in his head. She lost; her friend committed suicide. "Annette, talk to me, love," he pleaded softly as he heard her crutches bounce off the oak flooring. "You don't have to go through this alone. Please don't hurt yourself too," he added mentally.

"I'm sorry. I have homework. I just want to be left alone," she stated. Her voice cracked and Pat thought she was crying. He didn't blame her.

"Alright, doll. Stressful weekend for you, I get it. Charge your panels. I'm here when you're ready," he murmured against the door. After half an hour of with his ear against the door, he couldn't do it anymore. Her cries, while soft, were breaking his heart. It broke his heart even more that she was so close but had kicked him out; she didn't want help at the moment. Dealing with grief was new for her. He moved across the hallway, sat down, and leaned against the wall. He pulled his right leg up and braced against it. He watched the only thing he could: the seconds turning into minutes that turned into hours on his watch since the shadow under the door didn't move. He jumped when he heard several loud knocks, unable to place the sound. "Come on, doll! Open up," he pleaded mentally, looking up at the door. He couldn't see her shadow move under the door either. He jumped up when he heard the shattering of glass and placed his hand on the door knob. He pulled his hand back and bit it instead, moving back to his spot across the hall. "I'm right here, doll. Let me in," he pleaded internally as he looked at the door. He heard movement on the other side of the door but refrained from jumping up again. Finally, the door opened. He eagerly looked up at her as he lowered his foot. She was studying his feet. When she finally met his eye, he smiled warmly at her. She rolled her eyes and moved towards the kitchen. It looked like she was struggling. Pat was on his feet and ran down the hall. Annette was looking down and shying away from his touch. He was confused. Not one person he had met dealing with grief liked to be alone, especially when they were in pain themselves. Then again, she didn't react like most people. "Doll! Please look at me," he begged. She shook her head and moved to get around him.

"I might have the energy to talk after dinner. Excuse me," she replied. Her voice was void of any emotion. It didn't escape Pat's notice that she was wincing in pain. And what was this might have the energy? Was she that drained? Of course she was, and she was stubborn enough to refuse help. He sighed and picked her up, carrying her to the kitchen. "Put me down!" She yelled. Pat listened and looked at her in shock. The only other time she yelled at him was when she time jumped and thought he was trying to hurt her. What type of mindset was she in now? More importantly, where? She finally looked up at him. His breath was caught in his throat when he noticed there wasn't even a spark in her eyes right now and they were almost silvery gray. He had never seen her eyes that light. Grief drained everything and Pat hated it. "Out!" She put all her weight on her left shoulder as she leaned into her crutch, pointing with her right hand towards the living room. Pat refused to move; she was swaying and he feared she would pass out. However, her gaze was fierce and her arm and hand were not shaking; those were his first clues to her being ready to pass out. He could read the pain in her eyes, but it was not on her face. She was upset, but not on the verge of passing out; he could work with that. A knock surprised him, but she didn't seemed fazed by it at all. He needed a smile or something to let him know she was okay, but her gaze remained hard and her face emotionless. He reached out and stroked her cheek. Again, she shied away from his touch and turned around, finally dropping her arm. Pat looked at her in concern before moving away in defeat towards the door as another knock rattled it.

"Tyler?! I wasn't expecting you," Pat stated, still recovering from the shocking blow he was given; the person in his kitchen was not his girlfriend and he was at a loss of how to reach out to her.

"No? Oh. Okay. Well 'Nettie called, she asked me to pick up some items for dinner. Then Noah said it'd be best if one of us came down after you talked to him. Jess already had plans and 'Nettie only asked that I come down," Tyler explained holding up a grocery bag. Pat nodded and moved to the armchair. He turned it so he could watch her from his spot and still give her the space she requested. Tyler joined him in the living room and looked over at Pat. "What's going on? Has she said anything? She looks pretty rough," Tyler stated.

"She's asked to be alone. She won't let me touch her or be in the same room. She hasn't said much," Pat confirmed as he looked back at Annette. She was chopping something and seemed lost in her own world. "I think she lost. I think her friend was successful with the suicide," Pat offered. Tyler pressed his lips together and looked down.

"That doesn't make sense, Pat. She asked me to bring mushrooms and swore she wasn't going to eat them but she wanted to cook with them," he stated. Pat's head shot up. He was going to be given whiplash if anything else shocked him tonight. He stood up and moved to the kitchen as she washed her dishes. Her body seemed to shake as she let out a long hiss of air. She grabbed a dish towel and turned her back towards them. Pat pursed his lips and took several steps back; he was now even with the breakfast nook afraid that this small girl in front of him was acting out of character and every fiber of his being was saying she's a threat - keep your distance. It was wrong, but Pat couldn't figure out why he was suddenly getting that read from her.

"Doll, can I help you?" Pat offered, trying to get her to talk. She shook her head and still refused to look at him. "So I like the hair. You could have told me you had a surprise for me," he teased. She slammed the cutting board down and glared at him harshly. Pat froze and had to brace himself on the breakfast nook, feeling like he was going to pass out. He did not like this side of her, but even more, he hated being away from her in this moment.

"Like you told me about the surprise had for me? Totally what I wanted to come home to," she yelled. Tyler came into the kitchen and moved her away from the sharp knife. Pat watched as she looked up at Tyler and sighed, her demeanor instantly changing. "Sorry. Excuse me. I have some dinner to finish up." She hopped around him and flipped the meat. Then moved over to the counter and grabbed the tomatoes, onions, and head of lettuce. Satisfied, with how they looked, she put them back in the bag, hopped over to the far counter -as far away from Pat as she could be- and began slicing them. Pat sat down on the stool, feeling like his legs were going to fail him, as he studied her. He never thought he would see her angry, especially at him. There could be no other explanation for it; she was trying to be normal around Tyler, but with him, she was just different. Pat thought back to her actions and words. 'Like you told me about the surprise you had for me?' Surprise? Josh as a roommate? Broken down vehicle? Pat thought he had been specific enough in those messages. What else didn't he tell her about?

"You didn't like the roses?" Pat asked. "Doll? Talk to me." She looked up at him in anger, dropping her knife on the counter and bunching up both fists.

"You think this is about the roses?! How dare you! Pure as snow, just waiting for that first boot print so I can become all muddy and gross? Trampled on, beaten down, and packed to the ground? So nobody wants me? Sweet as chocolate? So I can melt in your hands and be thrown away?" She hollered.

"You know that's not how I see you," Pat whispered as he choked on a sob. What did he do? Was this residual anger from losing her friend? Because he wasn't there? He couldn't place it; nothing was adding up.

"Say one more word -I dare you- and I walk out that door. Never to come back again. I won't look back. I won't answer your calls," she challenged, meeting Pat's eye as she grabbed her knife again. Tyler assessed the situation and wrapped his hand around Annette's right hand as she grasped her knife tighter. He picked her up in the air, as her crutches clamored to the ground. "LET GO OF ME," she screamed as she kicked her legs and pressed against his arms, trying to break free. Tyler took the knife out of her hand and folded both hands in front of her as he held her securely. Gently, he turned her around so she was leaning into his chest. Sobs shook her body again as she hid her head. Tyler looked over at Pat and shook his head.

"Please," Pat mouthed, feeling like his heart was being ripped apart, but respecting her wishes as not to say another word. Annette was responding to her brother, not her boyfriend; so obviously the one who was being able to reach her needed to get answers for both of them. Tyler gave him a curt nod. Pat returned his gaze upon Annette as tears filled his eyes.

"I'm not letting go until you calm down and you start talking," Tyler ordered. Annette shook her head and sobbed loudly into Tyler's chest. Pat could tell she was trying to move away but Tyler held her in place, to which he was grateful. She looked ready to hurt someone; hurting herself wouldn't be that difficult either. Pat sniffled as he continued to stare at her, causing her to return her icy gaze upon him. She took a deep breath and looked up at Tyler. 

"My food's going to burn. I said I would talk after dinner. He should have been able to tell you that," she replied haughtily. "I don't want to freak out for like another ten minutes. So back up, shut up, and give me ten minutes. Hell. I'd settle for five. Then I'll give you all the explanation either of you will ever need." 

"How's your pain?" Tyler asked as he stood back so she could move to the stove and flip her food.

"I'm fine," came the terse reply. 

"That's not what I asked," Tyler said calmly. She looked down at her feet and bit her lip. After a moment of thinking, she picked up one crutch, moved over to the medicine cabinet and took half a pill. She swallowed it without any liquid and seemed to be giving Tyler an icy stare too. "Annette! What happened? You're not washing it down? You aren't alright," Tyler noted. She shrugged her shoulders and turned towards the fridge. After she pulled out the sliced cheese, she moved back to the stove and put the mushrooms on the heat and flipping the burgers again. Then she switched spatulas and began breaking the bacon into smaller pieces. In silence, she pulled out four plates and began assembling the burgers on one of the plates. She started with the plain burger and set it aside on it's own plate. Both men noted it was the only one. She wasn't planning on kissing either, Pat acknowledged as he lowered his head and watched two tears splash onto the countertop. That piece of information stung and in this moment, he didn't care if he was perceived as weak. "I don't like seeing you so torn up. Start talking," Tyler ordered. 

"I would like to leave after dinner. So, Tyler, whenever you're ready, we can leave. I don't need to come back," she mumbled, not making eye contact with either of them. Both men inhaled sharply. Pat began to crumple in his seat as tears flowed freely. Annette threatening to walk out the door if Pat said anything else was one thing, but stating she's leaving and didn't need to come back was a different thing completely. His mind was reeling and he was tailspinning. He was trying to think of anything he could say to bring her back to his arms. He tried to clear his head and focus on the moment again as Annette removed the pans from the heat and turned off the oven; the clamoring made him look up again and watch her. Then she pulled some french fries out of the oven. Slowly she looked up as tears ran down her face and met Pat's eye. All the anger seemed to be gone and just finally looked broken to him. "After being shown what it means to be chosen first, I won't be a second place anything. I won't be a side. There's nothing for me here any more." He nodded and left, disappearing down the hall. He wiped his eyes and made a plan. If she wanted to go, she could go, but not without him. He promised her that he would always fight for her. He ducked into his room and found his duffel bag. Then moved to her room. The mess on the floor made him want to chuckle; he could see how Tyler continually called her a toddler. Her tantrum was a bit overboard, but he didn't laugh; he couldn't. His heart was bleeding and leaving a trail; the pain was almost crippling.

"If you run from grief every time it hits, doll, then it'll be my daily task to make sure you can't wallow in it. I'm not losing you," Pat mused silently as he packed his bag. He picked up her bag as well. He wasn't surprised to see it was heavier and made his way back towards the kitchen. Three tears fell from his eye and he didn't care. Annette was worth every little thing he could give her. He paused in the hallway as he overheard Tyler reasoning with her.

"There's more to the story. What aren't you telling us? I won't take you away until we get the whole story," he stated. Pat wanted to hear her response so he dropped both bags on the counter - covering her school books, sat down on the stool, and looked at her. She had a plate of food beside her with a few bites missing. She glared at him as her eyes demanded an answer for the bags.

"If I speak will you still run out that door, doll?" Pat asked.

"No, she won't. She can't get by me. We both deserve answers and you know it, Net," Tyler remarked, folding his arms and widening his stance. Annette kept her icy gaze on Pat. 

"I can't run without his help. You have your damn answer. Now explain the f*****g bags and don't you dare say my name or doll ever again," she demanded in a harsh whisper, hardening her gaze. Pat nodded and tried to swallow the lump in his throat.

"You once told me to never let the girl of my dreams slip through my fingers. If you leave, then I'm leaving with you. I'll chase you until the sun falls out of the sky. I told you that I would always fight for you. This is me, fighting. I'm not ready to give you up, do-" he explained cutting off his words to respect her wishes. There were tears in his eyes and his voice cracked. "What did I do? How can I fix it? Please tell me." Annette looked down at the plate of food beside her. "Talk to me," Pat pleaded mentally.

"This is why I wanted to talk after dinner. At least then I would have eaten something," she whispered as she played with her food and put it down as she looked up at Pat again. She looked angry and must have realized this so she looked at Tyler instead. Her face relaxed and she took a deep breath. "I was dropped off around 11. I walked in the door and saw two people copulating on the couch, neither with clothes," she explained as more tears fell down. Tyler looked over at Pat with wide eyes. Pat began laughing and let out a sigh of relief as he dried his eyes. Annette turned her hardened and fierce gaze back upon him. "Why the f**k are you laughing? You think it's okay to mess with my emotions like that?! I go away for a weekend and you bring someone over to fill your time? I refuse to sleep with you so you go and get some side action? I thought I meant something to you. I thought," Annette trailed off and looked to her right for a minute before she turned her gaze back upon him; the fierceness cut through him and he heard his heart shatter. "I thought that you were different than all the other guys I've come into contact with. Tyler, can we go now please?" She whispered. Pat's mouth dropped open and more tears fell down.

"Doll," he whispered.

"DON'T YOU DARE!!" She screamed. Pat froze and blinked rapidly; his world was crashing down around him and the one thing that constantly brought him joy was ready to say good-bye forever. 

"Let me explain. Please," he begged. Annette took a calming breath but kept her gaze on him.

"I'm sorry, but the way both of you are acting, I need more answers," Tyler murmured. "So you saw a couple on the couch? You've seen Noah and Jess cross the line several times." 

"He only had one leg. Only the right leg," she accused and Pat went ashen. Of course. It was fair of her to jump to that conclusion; no wonder she was so upset with him. Tyler pursed his lips and looked back at Annette. If her stance could get any colder, she would have easily created freezer burns in a fifteen foot radius.

"Fair enough. You said your piece, now you need to listen. Pat, you have a minute to explain and change her mind or I'll take her away," Tyler warned.

"Did you read any of my messages?" Pat asked. She shook her head and looked down. "D****t, Josh!" He thought as he pulled out his phone and dialed his number. "Don't leave me, doll. You mean everything to me," he thought sadly as he put the phone to his ear. "Pick up. Pick up. Pick up," he whispered impatiently. Tyler cleared his throat and gestured to the phone. Pat nodded as he got the memo; Tyler was asking who he was calling and why. "I know you don't want me to say your name, but I have to right now. I'm sincere when I say I love you, Annette. You. Nobody can replace you or how you make me feel. I love you! You are the only one I want a future with and I wouldn't jeopardize it for anything. Right now, I'm going to get you answers. I know it means little coming from my lips, but you are enough for me. I could never hurt you like that. Hearing it from me won't be enough; you need to hear it from the source," Pat explained softly but quickly as the phone next to his ear continued to ring. "Pick up the goddamn phone, Josh! I know you have it on you," Pat thought as it went to voicemail, so he hung up and dialed it again. Annette dropped her remaining crutch and held onto her right elbow and left shoulder as tears trekked down her cheeks. She didn't look up, she didn't say anything, and she didn't move. Tyler kept his arms crossed but within reach of Annette. His eyes kept shifting between the two of them. Pat let another tear fall down. "Look at me, doll. I'm right here. I wouldn't hurt you!" Pat thought.

"Dude! I'm at work. You could have just sent me a text," Josh finally answered.

"Shut up. You owe me thirty seconds," Pat demanded harshly.

"Fine. Fine. You got it. Just give me a second. Alright, now I'm in the break room. So if you need more than 30 seconds, it's all good I guess. Our new trainee is here too, day three so she should be able to step up. So if Christy needs help she has Harper. What's up? Why do I owe you?" Josh replied. 

"Actually you owe Annette. You wanted her response; you got it. For starters, it's the first time I've heard her cuss and it's not as hot as you claim it to be," Pat explained. Josh started to laugh. "I said shut it. My girlfriend is ready to bolt and dump me all because of what she walked in on." Pat kept his eye on the girl in the corner while he spoke. She was trying awfully hard to make herself seem smaller than she was; if he had to guess, she was trying to disappear, not that he could blame her.

"So she didn't respond with really? Our little Net is growing up," Josh snickered.

"You f*****g think this is a time to joke around, you f*****g dipshit? GAH! Just. Damn you," Pat spat. He bit his tongue and cursed himself mentally for letting his words slip in front of Annette. He took a calming breath and let it out slowly. "She thinks I cheated and I have you to thank you flipping b*****d."

"Ah! Gotcha. And you're losing your temper too. Okay. Okay. I promise that I'll talk to her whe-"

"-NOW or we're coming down there. I have no doubt she'll cause a scene though. It's pretty damn frigid in here right now. She's not smiling at all," Pat interrupted getting more upset by the minute. How could his best friend do this to him?!

"She's ah what? That's not like our Dimples! Fine. I'll talk to her now," Josh confirmed with a sigh. Pat held the phone out to Annette. She was still rigid, but she looked ready to collapse. She was looking at the floor cabinets; her eyes were still downcast, but Pat could at least see some color, not just her eyelids. 

"Annette, look at me," Pat begged. Aside from wrapping her arms around herself tighter, Annette didn't move. "I told you I'm getting you answers. Please take this call. Or like I said, I'll take you there to talk to him in person. Please," he pleaded. He held his breath when she still didn't move. Tyler moved across the room and grabbed the phone. He handed it over to her. Annette looked up and shook her head. Tyler sighed, pressed a button and held the phone out; there was only silence on the other end. "I swear to God, Josh, if you hung up, I'm coming down there to pound on you," Pat thought bitterly. 

"You're on speaker. You better speak up quickly because Annette's begging me to take her away. I don't think she can hold out much longer," Tyler said softly after a moment of studying Pat's expression.

"Net! It's Josh. I don't know what you saw but please just take a chill pill. I'm so sorry. Nothing happened really. Not with Pat. I know you think I'm lying, but I'm not. Please. Just listen to me. Pat's not cheating on you. He never has, never will," Josh was speaking rapidly. Annette reached over, took the phone out of Tyler's hand, turned it off speaker, and put it to her ear.

"I don't want to listen to incessant babble. 15 seconds or less," she demanded gruffly, interrupting Josh from speaking further. She rolled her eyes and huffed, "10." Pat kept his eyes on her. Slowly, her eyes raised and met his again. Her eyes lost their harshness and became soft again full of guilt. She nodded and handed the phone back, but she didn't say anything. Tyler handed the phone back to Pat. Pat put it back to his ear.

"Annette, you can't dump him. You're so good for him; the best I've ever seen. He would never betray your trust. Really he's just got an idiot best friend who wasn't thinking of anyone but his own desires," Josh was rambling rapidly. Annette braced herself against the corner and looked guilty and pitiful as she lowered herself to the ground and cried into her lap.

"Tell her that later. Thank you. Gotta go," Pat stated, cutting Josh off from saying anything else as he snapped the phone shut. "Do I have permission to use your name again?" Annette nodded. "Can I touch you?" Again, she nodded. Tyler shot Pat a relieved smile; Pat returned the notion, but kept his eyes on the girl balled up in the corner. He moved over to crouch in front of Annette and rubbed her arms. "Look at me. Please, doll," he begged. Slowly she raised her head and met his eye. "I came home about twelve-one-ish from the parts store. Josh and his girlfriend had made a mess of the kitchen. They were covered in food and were licking it off each other. I kicked her out and told her not to come back. Then I made Josh clean up the house. Every room. Top to bottom. I helped and I came across your bag by the front door; Josh confirmed it wasn't his girlfriend's clothes. I hoped that meant you were in your room; you weren't," he explained as he rubbed her cheeks.

"She called me about 2:35ish" Tyler admitted. 

"There was someone in your room! I came back shortly after I got off the phone with Ty," she confessed.

"Josh had to work at three, doll. He's sleeping in that room until he can go home again. I was out looking for you. I even asked Olivia if she had seen you. Doll, I was so worried," Pat whispered.

"I'm sorry. I went to the tree line until I could figure out what to do. I spent most of that time crying into my arms or knee. I couldn't fathom the thought of you not wanting me," she blubbered as she moved to hide her face in her knees again. Pat pulled her into his arms instead.

"Sweet and foolish girl, when will you learn that I only want you? I will tell you over and over that I love you and that you've stolen my heart. I understand why you're so upset. If I was in your position, I would have jumped to the same conclusion. Only I wouldn't have run, I would've hurt someone. If I ran, I wouldn't have come back," he whispered as he stroked her back. 

"I needed a ride. Nobody would come unless I said I needed groceries for dinner," she replied wearily. Tyler and Pat looked at her in shock. To go through the mental trauma like that and still think clearly was beyond impressive to both of them.

Not trusting his voice as reality sunk in, Pat whispered softly, "is that why you're cooking with mushrooms tonight? Because you're making a point: I will never kiss you again?" His heart stopped as she confirmed it, but it began beating again as she leaned into his shoulder as her body shook with a sob. "You can be devious, doll. It's the perfect revenge," he teased hoping to get her to chuckle. She leaned into him and if he had to guess, she was smiling. 

"Remind me to never tick you off, little sister," he teased. Both men smiled as they heard her chuckle softly.

"There's my girl," Pat thought as he looked back at Tyler who was smirking."Can I kiss you before I eat?" Pat begged turning his attention back to her. She nodded again and he brought his lips to her's softly. "I missed you, doll," he whispered as he embraced her.

"Missed you too. I'm so sorry," she cried and buried her head in his shoulders again. Pat looked up Tyler who offered him a helping hand. Pat kept his left arm wrapped around Annette's waist as he grabbed Tyler's hand. Tyler pulled them both up to a standing position. Pat held onto her tightly and rubbed her back as Tyler moved around them and dished up his food. Suddenly, Annette pulled back and looked at him in shock. "I need to go clean up the room. I threw your mother's gem. I did everything short of setting the place on fire, taking a sledgehammer to the dresser, and dissecting the bed and pillows," she wept. Pat chuckled.

"We'll clean up later. I am sorry that we upset you, but I'm glad you're willing to be in my arms. I'm flattered that even though you were mad at me, you still thought to cook for me. Granted, I understand it was also your ticket out of here," he murmured.

"Angry or not, your food is delicious, Net," Tyler praised around a mouthful. Annette smiled weakly and leaned into Pat's chest. He happily pulled her in tighter and rubbed her back.

"And you guys almost let me burn it. Guess I better make you something else to eat," she murmured as she looked at the food she had prepared.

"I can eat this, I just won't kiss you again tonight," Pat replied. "I just want to hold you in my arms, assuming you still want me to."

"Okay," she whispered. She looked up at him and had a look of bewilderment on her face. "Did Josh say he is dating Amanda? That girl from breakfast," she gasped. 

"Apparently, it's quite recent. She moved in with him. She doesn't like to be left alone. Her apartment hasn't been used much I guess," Pat explained kindly.

"Yeah, but she wants you," she whispered. He laughed as he met her eye. Her spark was starting to come back, but her eyes were still dull, a faded gray in color. "She practically took her clothes off in front of you that first day we met! Not to mention, she always scowls when you fill up the truck but I head in to prepay. She would pretty much do anything to get you to notice her."

"Told you, doll. I only have eyes for one girl," he murmured as he stroked her cheeks and smiled affectionately at her. "And she's right here in my arms. Definitely the most beautiful creature I've ever seen. After kissing you, there's no way any other girl will ever catch my attention. I will only ever want you, doll. I have a lifetime to prove it." He grinned as bright pink flooded her cheeks and she looked down again. "There's my girl, my Sarah," he whispered as he placed a single finger under her chin and lifted her face until their eyes met. "I was busy with several side projects this weekend. I wasn't alone with her, ever. She was preoccupied with Josh. I'm not sure how long it'll last, but it keeps him out of trouble. Well, mostly. You missed the part about him claiming to be an idiot." Annette let out a soft snicker and dropped her gaze, looking at her food. "I need you to eat, doll. You've been swaying all night, but there could be another reason for that." Pat tenderly rubbed her cheek. She bit her lip and looked down at her feet. "How's your friend and her family?"

"She's fine. Esther and her mom finally reconnected after six years of an icy wall between them. Things are looking up," Annette admitted as she moved her gaze back to the mushroom free burger. "You can eat that. My appetite left some time ago, probably when I heard her beg for her his lips and mouth to work more. I'm sorry," she wept. Pat pulled her in tighter. 

"Don't apologize, doll. Baby, the only person my lips will work for is you. And right now, the only thing you want my lips to do is this," he whispered as he pressed his lips against her's. She grinned and he kissed up her jaw. "I love you. I love kissing you and up your jaw. I love how you lean into me and shiver under my touch. Sarah, I don't need to do anything else because I follow your lead and I've stopped myself several times because I don't want to ever scare you off. You are the most precious thing that has ever come into my life. Scaring you, hurting you, and losing you. Those are my biggest fears." She kissed his cheek and wrapped her arms around his neck and he rubbed her back tenderly as he gazed upon her. "I'm just happy you came back. Why did you come back? If our positions were reversed and assuming I didn't charge in and break who I thought to be my girlfriend and her lover apart, I would have run and never looked back. I probably would have hurt somebody severely. You had every valid reason to not come back. Why did you?"

"I wanted to talk to you first. I highly considered just leaving and not looking back. I needed a ride away though. That's why I needed you here, Tyler," she confessed as she shifted in Pat's arms. Pat turned and looked at Tyler. He was working on his second burger. He smiled at Annette and nodded as she continued. "Jess would have brought someone and more clothing. Not helpful if I thought that leaving was my best option. Noah would have asked a bunch of questions and not come until I told him everything. Nor would Noah have waited until dinner time; he would have sped down here. You would have been pulverized, dear," she explained as she gave Pat a squeeze and tried to pull herself closer to him, not that they could get any closer. Pat nodded and rubbed her back with one hand and stroked her hair with the other. "I couldn't call Josh; you two are too close. Renae works on Sundays and she's never been here. Esther had to work at two. So Tyler was my option. I know he wouldn't have come just to come over, so I asked him to bring me stuff for dinner."

"I'm glad you called. By the way, 'Nettie, I'm all down for casual visits. I would've come anyways. However, if you asked me to come right then, I would have. They way your voice cracked, I knew you had been crying. I had my keys in my hand and was heading out the door when you told me to not worry about it. I admire your strength. Not many people would have the courage to stand in front of the person who they thought they were betrayed by. I'm exceptionally happy that you gave him a chance to explain. With what you saw, you had every right to want to leave, but since he laughed at it and seemed to be shocked by your exclamation, you needed him to explain too. You belong in his arms. I'd hate to see you broken, sister dear," Tyler stated. Pat smiled as he met Tyler's eye. Pat picked her up and sat her on the counter. Then he bent over, picked up her crutches, and moved them to the far side of the kitchen. There was no way he was letting her hop around tonight. Tyler nodded at him then looked back at Annette. "I like the hair. It's looks good," he praised. 

"It does look good, doll. Are you still mad? You have every right to be," he whispered as he stood in front of Annette again. He smiled as he saw that spark start to gleam and glow again in her eyes. He peered into her eyes and was mesmerized. By the pupil, was a ring of bright blue; he had never seen that color in anyone's eyes before. It reminded him of the neon blue open sign in the window of the restaurant and surrounded by the slate gray iris and black pupil it definitely drew him in. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, refusing to be pulled in right now; it would be selfish of him. He ran his fingers through her hair and held onto left hip. "What are you thinking, doll?" 

"It's not some story?" 

"No. It's not a story. Josh isn't covering for me. I would never lie to you again, doll. I learned my lesson last time when I kept the truth from you to take that guy down in court," he replied. Annette's eyes dashed back and forth as they searched Pat's. "I wouldn't lie to you," he repeated. Still doubting, Annette bit her lip and Pat smiled. It was one of his favorite traits of her's. "Can I seal it?" He begged and was rewarded with a half smile and a nod. He cupped her jaw with both hands and kissed her slowly and passionately. Tyler sat back and watched as they both closed their eyes and wrapped their arms around each other. He grinned when he noticed Annette sigh and arch her back as Pat pulled her in. Tyler looked back down at his plate and tried not to intrude on their intimate moment. Neither seemed to care that he was still here so he made his way to the living room and turned on the tv. Annette pulled back, closed her eyes, and gasped for air as Pat studied her again. He pulled out his phone and showed her. "Read the messages, doll. I was trying to keep you informed. I also know that when you're dealing with a suicidal friend, distractions aren't welcome. I wasn't expecting a response back." She nodded and took his phone. He put some more fries on her plate and snacked while she read. He sent her sixteen messages since Friday morning, and Annette took them all in. Her face drained in color and she looked guilty again.

"I don't deserve you," she wept. He happily wrapped her back in his arms.

"Shhh, doll, shhh," he murmured. "You're just fine. Told you, had I walked into that scene, I would have thought the same thing you did. I'm just glad you came back." He smiled at her as she looked back up at him. He gently rubbed under her eyes. "You haven't been sleeping well, doll," he noted. 

"I didn't sleep much. I definitely over did it. I didn't nap once; I should have though, at least two or three times. Esther needed me. She wouldn't keep the bandages on. The cuts weren't shallow, but they weren't deep enough to let her bleed out either. She's going to have nasty scars. I wish I could have done more. She's too beautiful to think that she needs the pain to know it's real and she's alive. I'll never understand that reasoning," she cried. Pat pulled her close to his chest again and rubbed her back. "I wanted to run away from you. Why are you still holding me? Isn't that cowardly and despicable? Not exactly top notch girlfriend material," she snapped and tried to push him away. Pat refused to let her go. It would take a lot more to scare him away.

"Yet you came back. You still hold my heart, doll. That's exactly what makes you girlfriend material," he replied. Another sob escaped as Annette shook in his arms. He lifted her chin again so he could gaze into her eyes. They were now a bright periwinkle and the bright ring he noticed earlier by her pupil was gone. They still had a ways to go before they were the deep, dark, royal blue they usually were and Pat would do whatever it took to coax it back. "I promised you I would protect your heart. I could never hurt you; especially like that. I'm sorry you came home to that. Why didn't you call?"

"I gave Esther all my attention. She chopped off her long caramel locks. It was down to her hips. She cut it up to her ear and dyed it black. She was really depressed. I didn't dare turn on my phone. We left her house about 9:30 this morning. Then we went to a place to fill her joy well. When we were on the road again, I didn't think to call you. I thought it would be disrespectful towards her," she said apologetically. Pat nodded. That was a drastic change.

"I understand, doll," he repeated. He pushed the plate of food again. "Please eat, darling. Based on what you've told me tonight, I'm assuming you only ate breakfast. So please finish your dinner," he begged. Annette nodded and kissed his cheek again; Pat's heart soared. "I love you, Sarah."

"Love you too, Benji," she whispered in his ear before planting small kisses down his jaw. Pat smiled, met her lips with his, and elongated the kiss for as long as he could. He kissed her forehead, wistfully pulled himself away, and dished up his own plate of food. Annette looked around the room and her gaze fell on Tyler in the living room. "Tyler!" She called. He stood up and came back to the breakfast nook. "I'm sorry to cause you any distress."

"Don't worry about it, sister dear," he replied. "You are much better off now than when we left the complex. I was definitely worried then; none of us were sure if you would wake up again. This, this is a completely acceptable reaction though. Do you need anything else?"

"No. I don't think so. Thank you. I have her and that's all I need," Pat responded as he took a bite of the burger. 

"We're good," Annette confirmed, turning bright red. "Pat's a good man."

"Yes he is; he has one of the best hearts I've ever seen. Annette, you know I don't say that about just anyone, but Pat, his heart and intentions are true. He respects and loves you as much as you do with him. You deserve to be happy and he makes you very happy. I'm glad you didn't just try to throw it away immediately," Tyler replied. "You really should eat that, Annette. You look ready to fall over. Get some substance in your body." He watched her twirl her own burger in her hand for a minute before she finally took another bite. Both men smiled encouragingly at her. She was in a trance and slowly ate her food, her eyes fixed on the lower cabinets again. Only when she finished half of her burger is when Tyler spoke up again, "I'm going to take the rest of the mushroom burgers home with me. I understand why you were so upset, but I think it's just wiser for food that can hospitalize you to stay out of your kitchen. Plus, Jess will love some. She's been begging for your food." Tyler smiled as Annette nodded in agreement. "We love you," he insisted and looked up at Pat. "Both of you. We'd hate to see either one of your hurt. You're family." Pat grinned.

"Glad to hear it. Thank you," he replied and looked back at Annette. "The food is delicious, doll. I don't miss the mushrooms, surprisingly. Finish your dinner. You're not allowed to faint on me. I will hold you captive in my arms after dinner; you promised I could when you got back from school. Just holding, no kissing," he promised. Annette smiled but put down the rest of the burger in her hand. Tyler walked around and gave her a hug.

"Thank you for calling for help. Take care of yourself, kiddo. I'll tell Jess and Noah that you were just emotional from the weekend and that it took a toll on you; they're concerned too," he stated. She nodded and embraced him. her food forgotten about again. He grabbed the remaining burgers and put them in a ziplock bag. Then he packed the rest of the burger toppings and put them in the fridge. "See you guys around," he stated as he left. Pat finished his burger and began cleaning up. 

"Can I help?" Annette asked. Pat shook his head and rested his hand on her leg as he filled up the sink with water.

"No, beautiful. Just sit there. I'll clean up tonight," he whispered, taking her plate away and throwing the food in the garbage. She leaned her head on his shoulder as he did the dishes. "I love you, Sarah. Welcome home," he murmured as he reached around her and put the pans in the sink. 

"Love you too, Benji," she murmured as she kissed his shoulder. He smiled and gave her a hug. "I trust you completely. You have my whole heart. I'm sorry I ever doubted you," she whispered.

"You're fine. That's why I ate the mushroom burger. I deserve to be punished. Not kissing you will be rough, but I should have known better with Josh. I'm sorry you walked into that," he replied as he turned back to the dishes. Annette pulled the remaining dishes from the stove and held onto them for him. "You're amazing, doll."

"You might not think that when you see the damage in the room," she replied crossly. Pat chuckled, drained the water, dried his hands, and embraced her warmly. He remained in that position for a while until Annette began to shift under his arms. "I'm sorry for creating another mess," she wept. His arms moved to her side as he gazed in her eyes. Silently he picked her up and cradled her in his arms. 

"I saw the mess, doll. Remember? Really, it's not that bad," he stated as he carried her to the bedroom. He set her on the bed. "See this?" Pat pointed toward the door where all her clothes had been thrown. She looked down sheepishly. Pat grinned and began picking up and putting them away. "Done. It didn't take much effort at all. At least you left the clothes alone in the closet. Jess would have my head on a silver platter if I didn't hang the correct shirts again," he murmured, causing Annette to grin. He looked around the room. "The rest won't take long either." She nodded as he made his way to the end of the bed, took of her shoe, put it away, and pointed to his right. She looked over her left shoulder and followed his finger. "Most of the mess is just over there. The bed is still made. It's not bad at all. With the tantrum I heard, I expected it to be much worse." She snickered and looked at her lap. He crouched in front of her and rubbed her knee tenderly. "You have every right to be upset and get mad every now and then. Next time, will you please let me in the room with you?" She bit her lip and a tear fell. He caught it and lifted her chin. "I don't care if you're mad at me. I'm not letting you go through any pain, grief, or anger alone. I expect the same treatment, doll," he remarked kindly. She nodded and pulled him in for another hug. He climbed up on the bed, laid both of them back, and held onto her until her cries subsided. When she had been calm for ten minutes, he slowly pulled them both up, rubbed his nose against her jaw, and stood up. "I'm going to get the stuff to clean the room. Do you need anything, doll?" Annette met his eye, shook her head, and gave him a small smile. He smiled and left the room. "Sit!" He yelled from halfway down the hall as he recalled that she had a bad habit of not sitting still. He came back into the room with both of their bags and the broom and dust pan. He put the bags on Annette's dresser and began sweeping up the broken glass. He smiled at Annette, pleased she didn't move. "You said you threw the necklace? Where, doll?" She pointed beyond the lamp and looked down. Pat looked over at the area and grinned as he found the gem right away. He bent over and picked it up.

"I think I broke the chain," she confessed. "I was foolish. I'm sorry. That gift was very special and I love it."

"Stop, 'Nettie," Pat ordered sharply as he looked at her lovingly. His heart fluttered as her eyes met his. They were soft and kind, not fierce, yet laced in guilt. "I'll find it. It's your's. I won't give it away to anyone else, ever. I understand why you threw it. Like I said, I'm not mad. Okay?" She smiled weakly and he beamed at her. He looked down at the roses at his feet and began picking them up individually and set them on the bed, making sure there was no glass in the petals as he watched Annette. She picked up one of the flowers and smelled it, closing her eyes and savoring the sweet smell. Pat smiled at the beautiful sight and vowed to cherish the moment forever. As he picked up the final rose, he stood up, whispered and was rewarded with her opening her eyes. "Sarah, you are my rose. You're full of life and color. You brighten any room. You definitely bloom amongst adversity. You are the most sought after flower, but overall my rarity." She blushed and looked down. Not ready to be done gazing into her eyes, Pat sat down on the bed and twisted the rose in his hands between his fingers. He smiled as he came up with an idea, refusing to ask her if it was allowed. He raised the rose to her face, her eyes followed the flower and met his. He smiled tenderly at her as he barely let the petals brush her skin. He started across her forehead and moved down her cheek. She shivered but kept her eyes locked on him. He moved the flower to her lips and she closed her eyes. Pat moved the flower down to her neck. He traced her shirt, her lips parted and her teeth grazed her bottom lip. He loved that she chose something that revealed her whole collarbone today, it definitely made this moment more exciting. Her eyes opened again and twinkled and danced mischievously. Pat grinned. She was back.

"Do you want me to take my clothes off?" She whispered in a teasing manner. He chuckled and lowered the flower into her lap. She grabbed it and covered his hand with hers.

"No, beautiful. I don't," he stated. She looked at him skeptically. He pulled his hand off her lap and rubbed her cheek. "I'm a guy, so of course it's on my mind. I'm not ready to go there yet, sweethe-" 

"Don't call me sweetheart, dear. Please," she begged. Pat nodded; it was a simple enough request. 

"I can do that. I was just trying to find another nickname since you didn't want me to call you Sarah, 'Nettie, Annette, or doll," he replied. He smiled as she leaned into him. "I love having you in my arms, and that's enough." Annette looked down and bit her lip - her tell that let him know she was nervous and/or doubting. "Sarah," he breathed and paused until she looked up again. "It's enough."

"I love those names rolling off your lips," she whispered as she sat up again. She met his eyes and held his gaze. He tilted his head. "Holding me is enough? How?"

"It just is, doll. I can't explain it. I love having you in my arms. You told me Friday morning that being in my arms made you feel cherished and loved; that's all I want for you. As long as you're happy, it's good enough for me," he replied softly.

"So you don't want to," she she trailed off and lowered her gaze. He smiled and let her figure it out. She met his eyes again and whispered, "you don't want to goof off like Josh was? You don't want to go there with me?"

"One day. Not today, doll. You aren't ready, which means I'm not ready," he insisted; he knew his words were true because she couldn't even say it plainly. Annette smiled and Pat's heart seemed to be trying to fly away. He felt like he was on cloud nine. She leaned into his arms and kissed his cheek. "You look ready for bed," Pat mused as he stroked her cheek and stared at her drooping her eyes. Annette giggled and sat up again, shaking her head. "So stubborn. That's okay. I'm not done looking into those eyes," he thought. He opened his hand and grinned as her gaze fell upon it. "I'll get you another chain," he promised as she gasped and reached over to pick up the sapphire charm. He would have to find a jeweler to fix a minor flaw in the silver heart too, but he didn't mind; she was worth every penny and if this was the only thing he was allowed to spoil her with he would buy it a thousand times over. Her hand clasped around it tightly. He squeezed her arm affectionately. "I'm going to finish sweeping up this glass. Stay put," he ordered. Annette grinned as he went back to work. He swept the glass into a single pile and was getting ready to pick it up when Annette called out.

"Darling?" He happily looked over at her and smiled. "Can I have the crown please?" She requested. Pat gave her a confused look but moved over to the dresser and grabbed the crown from the mirror. He hoped she would put it on again so he could bow to her and bend to her every desire. He curiously watched her as she gathered all the roses and put them in the crown. She pursed her lips and looked around the room. "I need a sock or something. Am I allowed to stand up and get one?" Pat shook his head then dug through the closet and came out with one of his mom's embroidered hand towels. Annette smiled. "That's perfect. Thank you, darling," she whispered as she rolled it up and tucked it between the roses and the edge of the crown. She picked up the crown, held it with two fingers as all the roses pointed down, and shook it. The crown held them snuggly. She beamed and handed it back to Pat. "Thank you, dear. You can hang the crown back up. I'm going to save your roses forever," she explained. Pat grinned and kissed the top of her head. That was the best thing he could have ever hoped to have heard.

"Thanks, 'Nettie," he whispered as he put the crown back carefully, making sure the towel was on the top, the long stems of the roses hid the towel from view.  He walked back over to the side of the bed and cleaned up in the glass. He walked into the bathroom and threw it away. While he was in there, he thoroughly brushed his teeth twice, rinsed it out with fluoride, then brushed his teeth again. He picked up the mess in the bathroom too. All the towels he didn't mind washing, so he just put them in the laundry basket outside the bathroom door. He looked at Annette again before he finished tidying up. Her brow was furrowed as she looked at her hand. He smiled as he watched her; she was clocked out mentally. This weekend was definitely more stressful on her than anyone else. He moved back to the bathroom and hung up fresh towels, all identical to the ones that were hanging up already. He smiled as he praised himself for buying more than one set. She was definitely comparable to the sun and loved the little reminders. He would always do what it took to remind her of that warmth the emanated from within. He looked at the note he had hung up before she moved in. She had crumbled it and thrown it in the shower. He wouldn't be surprised if she was going to run water over it later. He flattened it out and put it back on the mirror. After today, he would make her another one; a more personalized and romantic one that brought sunshine, sapphires, and roses together. Finally he grabbed one of the older and dull colored towels from the linen closet that came from his bathroom; she must not wanted to separate the towels last time she did laundry. He paused long enough in the doorframe to study his girlfriend again. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen and he almost lost her. "Never again, will I give you the impression that I don't care," he thought. She was studying the charm, still oblivious that he was watching her. He moved over to the side of the bed and laid the towel down so it could soak up the water. Then he moved to the side table and pulled out the black velvet pouch out of the drawer. He moved around the bed and crouched in front of her. She jumped when he rested his hand on her knee, looked at him, and smiled. He grinned. "Tell me," he whispered. He didn't finish his thought, he just wanted to know what was on her mind and she never disappointed him when he uttered those words. She studied him for a second before looking back at the sapphire in her hand. Pat kept his eyes on her face, completely entranced.

"When you gave this to me, you said I reminded you of this gem. It's breathtakingly beautiful. Even in my anger, I didn't chip it. I think your comparison is off, but if I can see you as remarkable and see strength, hope, and love etched permanently on your skin, then I can make an effort to see myself as a precious gem like this. I don't see how you see that, but I will try," she told him softly. Pat grinned.

"That's my girl. I'm so proud of you, doll. I'll show you everyday how you are just like that gem if you'll let me. Now, may I hold onto that for you until we can put it back where it belongs?" He asked as he held up the velvet bag and traced her collarbone. She smiled again and put it back in his hand. He dropped it into the bag. Then he stood up and put it in his dresser that he had tucked into the corner of her room. "Does having my dresser in here bother you, Sarah?" He asked as he looked back at her. He knew he should have asked, but once Josh told him he had a roommate, Pat moved his dresser so two beds would be open for use, not knowing it was actually a girlfriend not just a roommate. Annette grinned and shook her head.

"No. You don't have to disappear as long any more. You could probably cut our separation time down to two minutes now or less or something. I hate leaving your side, leaving your sight. So now I can have you close all the time," she told him warmly. He grinned. 

"That's the plan. Thank you, beautiful," he murmured. "You'll still get your privacy. Like I said, you don't have to take your clothes off for me. You have nothing to prove." With a smile still plastered on her face, Annette moved to stand up. He was by her side in an instant. "Trouble," he teased as he helped her stand up. She smiled warmly at him and grabbed both of his hands. He grinned and got the memo. He pulled her arms up to full extension. He held onto both hands with his left hand and held onto her back with his right arm. She closed her eyes, and leaned back. Pat released her hands and picked up her leg as she extended until she was able to touch the bed bent over backwards. Her right foot was up by his shoulder. She was getting more flexibility everyday. He guided her back to an upright position and tilted her to her left and held her leg off to the side. Once again, he stood her up and did it on the other side. Slightly more tricky, he traced the backside of her left thigh, grabbed between her legs and held onto her right thigh as she pointed her right leg to the left. He loved watching her stretch all her muscles, he just wished she didn't keep her eyes closed as she did it. He loved the fact that she trusted him enough to allow him to hold her while she did it. He never touched her inappropriately, but he never removed his hands completely. He completed the same moves two more times. When he pulled her to a standing position again, he looked down tenderly at her. "Will you dance with me, doll?" He whispered when she opened her eyes again. It had always been something he loved doing with his mom since he was little. Now he cherished swaying around the room with Annette in arms. She smiled warmly at him as she brought her left hand up to his shoulder and he held her right hand. He dug into his pocket and pulled out his phone, finding some music to play. He threw it on the bed and smiled down at her. With his right hand on the small of her back, he guided her around with ease. She kept her eyes locked on his face as she smiled, causing him to smile too. They didn't need to speak during this time. Pat loved how Annette trusted him completely and even allowed him to spin her frequently on her solo leg. On a final spin, he tucked her into his chest, releasing her hand so he could rub her back with both his hands. She was panting, but still wrapped her arms around him tighter as she snuggled into him. He kissed the top of her head as he too tried to regulate his breathing again. "Can I sleep with you tonight, love?" Pat breathed in her ear. He smiled as she nodded. 

"Where else would I sleep unless it was beside you?" She asked sincerely. He grinned, picked her up, carried her into the bathroom, and kissed her cheek again as he put her down again.

"Well, I don't know honestly. You would still sleep in your bed I guess, and I would probably crash on the couch with a broken heart if you didn't want me near you. I love being by your side. I just thought I'd ask. Get ready for bed. You're going to take a pain pill and not leave my side again. I refuse to let go of you. I'm happy you're home. I missed you so much. Take all the time you need in here," Pat ordered. She pulled away from him, faced him, and saluted. He chuckled, grabbed her hand, and kissed her fingers. "If you only knew what you did to me. I love how crazy you make me. And I love how you say 'yes, sir' to me. I love how we don't need words to communicate," he thought happily as she sent shivers down his spine and jolts of electricity throughout his whole body. "I love you," he breathed. 

*Author's note - switching back to Annette's POV, but not creating a new chapter. Pat's third person thoughts will be in parenthesis and underlined for that moment. I wanted to make sure that the emotion was captured and didn't feel it would be captured appropriately in third person. I will end the chapter the same way I started. I apologize for this inconvenience and confusion ahead of time.*

"Love you more," I replied as he wrapped his arms around me.

"That's debatable," he teased. I leaned into him and looked at the cleaned up bathroom. My note was back on the mirror, the hand towels displayed the embroidered sun, and the bright yellow towels were hanging up again.

"You're right. You win," I whispered. He leaned his head on mine. I studied him in the mirror. He folded me in his arms; pressing my body against his, my arms wrapped under his and around his waist. Our bodies seemed to meld into one. His eyes were closed and he rubbed my back. I smiled. His neck looked like it was bent at an unnatural angle, but he looked content. "You're going to get a terrible kink in your neck hunching over like that," I teased. He chuckled and opened his eyes as he stood up tall. He pulled me in tighter and rested his chin on my head, no slouching or bending. Just the right height. 

"Better, doll?" He asked as he met my eye in the mirror. I grinned, he returned it. "Why do I win?" He whispered.

"Because if you told me that you wanted to leave, my first reaction wouldn't have been to pack a bag. I would have accepted it because I have a hard time believing you would really want me. There's too many things wrong with me. It's hard for anyone to stay close because I'm not always sunshine, smiles, and unicorns. I'm much darker," I admitted softly. Pat pursed his lips as he turned away from the mirror. He looked down and kissed the top of my head. 

("Guess I'm going to have to work on that recording in your head again, doll," he thought tenderly. How could she not see her worth? Did she really doubt him that much? He sighed as he remembered one of her biggest fears - the one that she felt he would leave her if someone else came along.) "My sweet, sweet girl, I definitely want you. Every part of who I am wants you. I want to be intoxicated by you. You have pulled me into a whole other realm, and without you, the blood sludges in my body. Life seems dull. I watched the sunset last night, did you?" He murmured. I shook my head. Esther and I had just started to drive back home after the sun had just set. Oranges and purples that filled the sky was quickly taken over by the shadows of the mountains. "I did. The oranges in the sky are more comparable to a pumpkin usually; last night they were much darker, like yams, or maybe like tiger's fur. It was pretty sure, but it just seemed dull. The same with the red. I've seen vibrant pinks and scarlet and cherry red across the sky, last night, they looked closer to the color of I don't know, maybe salmon?" I giggled.

"Technically that's not red," I teased. He grinned. 

"Maybe I need to go back to school; I'm sure you have a whole new color spectrum you live by. I know that my color wheel is different since knowing you. Life just doesn't seem as bright without you in it. It's like you took off the dark tinted glasses on my eyes. Best part is, you don't even try." He bent his head towards my ear. "You are my shining star, my morning beam, my whole world, my breath of fresh air. You do more for me than any flavored water. Doll, you are my sunshine. There is nothing dark about you. You have a horrible past but not once have I seen it define you."

"You are very sweet," I whispered. He grinned and played with my hair. 

"You promised I could hold you captive when you came back from school. Is that offer still good?" He breathed. I nodded as I kissed his neck and made my way up his jaw to his ear. (Powerless he gave into his desire. She really had no idea how amazing she made him feel or how much he wanted to show her.) He took a deep breath and let out a small moan as he picked me up and pinned me against the wall. He began kissing my neck fervently and rubbing his hands up and down my side softly and slowly. I moved one hand behind his shoulder blade as he lifted my feet off the floor and wrapped my legs around his waist, my right leg resting on top of my left ankle. He took another step closer and supported my weight with his hips. I grabbed his hand on my waist and brought it to my chest, under my shirt as he moved his kisses around my collarbone and back up my jaw. "Babe, really?" I nodded. I wanted this. I needed him to touch me. (He couldn't pull away. Everything was pulling him to this moment. He was surprised as she took his hand and allowed him to touch her. He pulled back momentarily and made sure he wasn't dreaming but Annette bit her lip, nodded, and tilted her head back with contented sigh, he continued. He paid attention to her for any sign that she didn't want to do this, but didn't find any. He grinned and kept kissing her neck as he began to explore her body with his hand.) I began to pant as I closed my eyes. His hand traced my bra, his other hand rubbed my thigh, his kisses started to come with a little sucking, I leaned back into his neck and nibbled on his earlobe. Causing him to moan and crash his lips into mine. Almost immediately he pulled back and set me on my foot. "Oh God! I'm sorry, Annette," he exclaimed. ("IDIOT!" He chided himself as ran to the sink. "You can't lose her!") I shook my head and tried to focus. He met my eye in the mirror as he wet a towel. He came back over, rested one hand by my ear as he stroked my hair over it, began scrubbing my lips with the wet towel with his other hand, and looked guilty. "I'm sorry, doll," he whispered.

"Sorry? For what? More of. I mean for making me feel excited and loved? Getting me drunk off your kisses?" I inquired. He shook his head and grinned. I gave him a confused look as he pulled on my chin. I obediently opened my mouth and he looked in it. "Pat?" I asked pushed his hand away and closed my mouth.

"Mushrooms, doll. I'll gladly steal your breath, but I won't be responsible for your throat swelling shut. I need you," he whispered. I giggled. 

"Dinner was well over an hour ago. You should be fine. And you smell minty fresh with a touch of cinnamon. You brushed your teeth, with both toothpastes? That couldn't have been a good combo. I think we're golden," I stated. He smiled but continued to dab at my lips with the wet towel. "I rather enjoyed that," I mumbled.

"Me too, doll," he grinned. (Pat considered for half a second picking her up again and continuing where they left off. He looked at her. She was dazed and seemed to have a hard time breathing and focusing. He could also tell most of her weight was against the wall. If they continued, she would faint. "One day," he thought. "Just not now." He refrained from touching her again and forced himself away.) He moved back to the sink and hung up the hand towel. "Get ready for bed, doll. Take your time. I'll get you a pain pill and meet you in bed," he whispered. I grinned and closed my eyes as he kissed the top of my head on the way out the door, closing it behind him. (Pat made his way out of the room towards the kitchen. He splashed his face with cold water and looked around. Nothing was left to clean. He grabbed a water glass and half a tablet of Annette's pain pills. He carried them back to the bedroom and grinned as he heard the shower running. He put the pill and half full water glass down on the side table and cleaned up the wet towel on the floor and grabbed her hamper full of dirty clothes. He took them to the front room and started a load of laundry and took the wet towel to the porch and draped it over the railing. He would shake the glass fragments out of it when it dried. After locking the back door and turning off all the lights with the exception of the lamp in the front room, he made his way back to their room and sat on the bed. He picked up his phone, turned it off, and plugged it into the charger. He looked over at the crown and chuckled. Of course she knew how to preserve flowers. Roses. Fitting for one of royal stature like her. "My sweet and beautiful, 'Nettie, you surprise me yet again. You are definitely a minx. I love you and all of your quirks," he whispered. He grinned and looked down. He began unpacking both of their bags again. It didn't take long for him to finish. After he put the bags away in her closet, he moved back to the bed and closed his eyes, listening to the water run in the bathroom. Resting his hands over his eyes, he tried not to think about what just happened in the bathroom, but he knew he loved the sparks. He sighed and sat up again. "You're hopeless, Miller," he rebuked himself in a soft whisper as he looked at the bathroom door as Annette called for him. "Completely hopeless. She has you wrapped around her fingers." He smiled and stood up. This was something he was completely okay with.)

I stayed against the wall as I tried to regulate my breathing again. The room spun. I moved over to the sink, brushed my teeth, and sat on the floor. I pulled out a bag, a towel, and the duct tape from the cupboard under the sink and covered my cast. "A shower will do you loads of good, 'Nettie," I muttered under my breath. I pulled myself up on the sink and undressed. I threw my dirty clothes in a pile by the door then moved to the toilet. When my business was finished, I moved to the sink and washed my hands. Finally, I moved to the shower and turned it on. After my reaction at the cabin, Pat agreed to keep chairs out of my showers as long as I promised not to try and hurt myself. I pulled the cream colored curtain back and let the water run down my back. It felt good. I lathered up then washed my hair. After I rinsed it all off, I put conditioner in and grabbed my razor. Carefully, I leaned against the wall so I could shave my leg without falling over, then I stood up and shaved my armpits too. I put everything away, rinsed off again, and faced the corner, letting the warm water hit my back. "Pat!" I called.

After a short delay, he finally responded, "yeah, doll?" His voice echoed. He was in the bathroom with me. I smiled.

"Did I cross the line?" He chuckled. 

("No more than I did," he thought. He leaned against the sink grateful that she wasn't having relapses with the water again. He wasn't sure why she called him, but he would do anything for her and he loved being close to her.) "No, doll. You might if you do it again though," he replied. I bit my lip.

"Would that offend you?"

"What do you mean, love?" (Pat looked up at the curtain and waited for her response. His breathing hitched as he feared the worst. Annette often pulled back before he wanted things to end, but he told her she was in control. He respected that. He would never keep going for his own selfish reasons.)

"If I crossed the line, and you haven't asked me to marry you. You said you won't consider that path until you put a ring on my finger, but it didn't grant you access. I want to respect your boundaries too. I was just wondering how wide is that line? Because I don't want you to do anything you didn't have plans of doing in the first place," I admitted. He was silent. I bit my lip again. (Pat smiled. His girl was definitely back. Concerned about everyone else, never herself. She confounded him; no one had ever made him so confused, happy, and carefree at the same time. She was the only one he would want to do anything with. No one else had even come close. As far as he was concerned, they just had to pick a date; he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her by his side and everything that came with.)

"Ask," he ordered. I turned off the water and held onto the wall. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. ("Ask me to marry you. Ask me to pick it up where we left off. Ask me to do it again. If you want it, ask for sex. Ask me to forget about that line, because truthfully, it doesn't matter. I won't be able to say no," he thought. "I want this too, doll. It's okay. I want you. You just have to ask. Whatever you want, I'll give you." Admitting it to himself caused him to grin; he loved the prospect of touching her. His mind began to run away with the possibilities of being with her. He shook his head; she was in control and he didn't need sex. He heard her take a deep breath, the shower head dripped several droplets of water. He heard her hop around the in the small cubicle. "Don't hurt yourself. Don't hold back. Ask, doll," he thought.)

"Are you afraid of being intimate with me? Is now a bad time?" I asked hesitantly as I peeked around the curtain, holding it with my hand so it covered my body. He was leaning against the sink with a smirk, looking at his feet. He wasn't expecting that question. I bit my lip in embarrassment. "Sorry," I whispered.

"Don't apologize, Sarah. I'm not afraid of being intimate with you at all," he replied. "Just so you know, anytime I can hold you and kiss you is intimate enough for me. I look forward to it. You get my blood rushing plenty, doll. I don't have to have sex with you to be intimate. I don't want you to think that you somehow owe me and that the only way you can pay is with your body. I want to lay with you but not sleep with you." 

"Even if I want you to?" I inquired. He met my eye and smiled warmly. 

"If I were to pull that curtain back right now, would you feel like you had to cover up?" He asked. I bit my lip and looked down. ("That's a yes," he noted. Surprisingly though, the thought didn't upset him one bit; she wasn't ready and he wouldn't force her.) I wasn't sure. I looked back at him and leaned against the wall. He stood up and came closer. He grabbed a towel off the rack and stood just out of reach. I flung back the curtain and dropped my hand to my side. His eyes stayed on my face, soft and loving. Not once did they stray and look my body. Not once did I feel uneasy and like I had to cover up. ("Curse you, woman! So tempting. So amazing," he thought. She wasn't hiding, but he could read the reluctance in her eyes. He took a calming breath and focused on them. He grinned as she smiled warmly at him. "I could spend a lifetime staring at those beautiful eyes and never get bored.")

"Come here, dear," I coaxed. He seemed to be in a trance. He smiled and took a step closer. I grabbed his shirt and pulled him to me, his hands draped the towel over me and rested on my hips. "Is this crossing the line?" I whispered. He looked down at me and grinned.

"You're definitely right on the border," he whispered as he pressed his lips to mine. I tilted my head back and looked at him as he pulled back.

"Will you look at me? I want you to touch me," I begged.

"Now you've crossed the lines," he teased. "But I don't mind." He leaned in and braced himself on the wall as he peered into my eyes. (He couldn't place her actions. He loved being so close to her. He fought his internal demons back as he focused on her demand. He stroked her cheek and leaned in closer.) "Why, doll? Why now? You don't have to prove your affections for me just because you were afraid of losing me," he whispered.

"Because I want to know I'm beautiful to you. Not just with the clothes I wear-" I started to explain. Pat pressed his lips against mine.

"Shut up, Sarah," he teased. I grinned. "Try again.What was it you said that first night you were here? About being attracted to the body?" 

"If I'm only in it for how they look, I've lost," I recollected. He nodded.

"I don't care about how you dress or what you wear, doll. I don't need to touch you to let you know that I care. I don't need you to take off your clothes to love you more. I love you for you. Inside and out. Your personality is beyond attractive. Your humor and caring spirit are what draws me in. Even if I was blind, and you never let me touch your face, I would still think you are the most beautiful person. Your joy overflows and is contagious. Your kindness, love and devotion are some of your best qualities. You have always been the most attractive person in my eyes. I'll happily do whatever you want me to, especially if it makes you happy. Are you sure you want to go down this path tonight?" He asked as he stroked my hair behind my ear. "You're worth waiting for," he whispered as he kissed my nose. I blinked rapidly and gazed into his eyes. ("Silly girl," he thought. He smiled warmly at her as he stroked her cheek. Once again, she was dazed and seemed to be losing focus, but she kept looking at him searching his soul. He traced down the right side of her body and lifted her leg. It didn't escape his notice that her lips parted and she was taking shallower breaths. He took half a step forward and braced his hips against her's as he removed the bag off her leg. She began to tremble under his touch. "Come on, doll. Focus. I need you to talk to me," he begged mentally.) My lip quivered and my eyes closed as he moved his hand back up my leg. He pressed his lips to mine softly and pressed his forehead against mine. "Sarah," he breathed. "You haven't answered my question." I opened my eyes and looked at him. "Are you sure?" He repeated. I grabbed his right hand with my left and moved his hand to my chest as the corner of the towel fell. (Pat's heart soared as she granted him permission to touch her body again. He looked at her in concern as she started to sway. "I wish you waited until you weren't in pain," he rebuked her mentally but didn't voice it. He was loving where this was going.) He leaned in and kissed me as he picked up the towel and dried me off. "You have nothing to prove to me, Annette," he whispered.

"Pat, touch me! Please. I don't want you to hold back. I want to feel your fingers caress my body. No! I need that. Please. Or do I need to see if Benji is around? Please," I begged as my bottom lip quivered. I closed my eyes and leaned back as he pushed me against the wall and stepped closer. 

"He's here, darling," he whispered before crashing his lips against mine. I wrapped both arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. He bit my lip and I leaned into him as I let out a soft moan. He pulled back and looked at me tenderly.

"Benji! No," I gasped as I tried to pull him back toward me. He chuckled and shook his head.

"I'm not done with you, doll. However, if your body decides to malfunction, you're not going to pass out in here," he ordered as held onto my hips and carried me to bed, the towel draped across my waist. I smiled at him and rubbed his ear. I didn't feel faint; I felt enamored. I trusted him and that's exactly what I told him. ("Enamored? Trust? I love it. That's exactly how I want you to feel with me, baby doll," he thought. He took several deep breaths as he laid her back and covered her with his body. Her eyes closed, her head tilted back, and she shivered, but not once did she seem afraid of his touch or push him back. Pat grinned. "Oh so beautiful," he thought.) He lifted my right leg and had me drape it over his left leg. I gave him a confused look. He smiled tenderly and kissed my nose. "I will touch you, as much as or as little as you desire, but if you start to move too much or if I do, I need to make sure that my fake limb won't injure you further. If you have that leg pinned, it'll keep me from getting too wild with it," he explained kindly. I nodded and he smiled again.

"Will you take your shirt off please," I begged in a breathy whisper. He sat back and took it off, throwing it behind him. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Like you said, when you have Benji, all you have to do is ask," he whispered as he covered my body with his again. I grinned, wrapped both arms around his neck, and rubbed his back tenderly.

"Pat is the protector and gives me whatever I ask for too. He takes care of me and loves me unconditionally. Benji is the one who ignites my heart and keeps the love bar high, but he's more too. Both hold my heart," I whispered. He smiled at me and pulled both my hands down.

"You're rambling, doll. I will always ignite your heart and love. And I will always give you what you ask for. Tonight, I need you to behave and help me not cross the line," he murmured as he kissed me gently. I tried to wrap my arms around him again and he grunted. I giggled as he broke our kiss, rested on his left elbow by my head then he put his right hand under my left hand again. "Only the one hand will touch you right now unless you want both. Guide me, doll," he ordered as he kissed my jaw. Once again, I moved his hand to my chest. I rested my right hand on his side and traced his scars. Gently, he squeezed my breast and cupped it in his hand. I tilted my head back, arched my back, and sighed as he moved his mouth down to my collarbone. I moved my right hand to his head and pushed and pulled him around my chest. Slowly, I allowed his head to get lower on my body. (He paid close attention to her reactions. She wasn't showing fear. Her body was covered in goosebumps, her pupils were dilated. She smiled at him and he returned it. Even though she squirmed under his touch, he never took his eyes off her face. It brought him joy to see her enjoy the moment; and he loved being able to do that for her.) I squeezed his hand as his lips grazed my breast, causing him to apply a little pressure with his hand to the breast he was teasing. I shifted my hips, moved my right leg off of his, brought both hands to his head, and pulled him back up to my lips. Soon, I was gasping for air and he pulled back. I opened my eyes and looked at him. His eyes twinkled merrily. ("If that was just a preview of how I can make her feel, I don't want to stop! Now, she forgot about the guidance part, but she clearly enjoyed that. I need her to let me keep going, but her brain won't let her hands work," he mused silently.) "Do you trust me, 'Nettie?" Pat whispered as he grabbed both my hands and put them by my head. I nodded. "Good. Don't move those unless you need me to stop because it's too much or because you're uncertain or scared suddenly. And stop me immediately; don't wait to see if the fear passes. Understood?" He asked. I nodded again. "Good. I love you. You're in control, baby," he stated plainly and he covered both breasts with his hands, squeezing gently as he began kissing down my torso again. He moved down to my bellybutton and my breathing came in short gasps. Then he moved to my hips and continued with his soft kisses. Finally, he moved his way back up my body and paused when he came to my breasts. My eyes rolled in the back of my head as he wrapped one arm behind my back and he began to suck on my breast while his fingers pinched the other n****e. (He grinned as her eyes closed and a small smile was starting to form on her lips. She was gasping for air, but not out of breath. She really was perfect in every way, and currently fully aroused; all because of him. It was an intoxicating thought. She tried to keep her eyes on him but he was taking her to another level and they often closed or rolled back. Pat didn't mind; she was here in his arms and that was all that mattered.)

"Oh!" I exclaimed as I felt like I was riding a wave. I grabbed the pillow by my head and scrunched it with both hands. (He hated seeing any part of her tense, even if it was in pleasure, so he worked on helping her relax.) His hand moved from behind my back and reached up and grabbed my right hand, rubbing it softly. He moved his mouth back to my left breast and squeezed and sucked simultaneously. "AH!" I pressed down on the bed with my left leg, squeezed his hand, and gasped at the same time. He sucked hard one last time then kissed his way up to my neck. I closed my eyes and bit my lip. "Mmm!" My left hand moved around his arm and I pulled him closer. He shifted his hips and I drug my nails across his back. "AH!!" (He loved the sensation her hand created on his back, but he needed to be in control of his emotions; he didn't want to go too far and if she continued to touch him, it wouldn't take much for him to go over the edge. So he reached around and grabbed her left hand, pulling it back up to above her head. She opened her eyes for just a moment as he moved his hand back to her breast. Her head tilted back and her eyes closed again as he gave it a gentle squeeze. She bit her lip again trying to stop the sensation that was overwhelming her senses.)

"Ride it out, Sarah," he ordered as he kissed my jaw. ("You're going to climax, doll, and I'm barely touching you," he cheered mentally. "Don't you dare try and run away from this emotion. I want to give you this euphoria for the rest of you life.") I opened my eyes and kissed his cheek, trying to find his lips.

"Please," I begged as a wave of dizziness hit me and I closed my eyes again. Pat continued to rub my right hand and I squeezed it back. He stayed by my ear and slowly kissed around it. I kissed his jaw, rolled my head back as I opened my eyes again. "Kiss," I mumbled.

"Stop. Just ride the feeling out. You don't need to kiss me right now. I'm going to take care of you, my little minx," he whispered. ("Just enjoy this. I can tell you are. Don't you dare stop. Be selfish; take care of yourself first," he thought as he kissed up her jaw again. He grinned as he realized that she was most reactive as he kissed and nibbled the spot just behind her ear. As long as she wasn't pushing him away, that's where he would focus on. Slowly he moved back in that direction as she arched her back, pressing her bare chest against his. "Oh my God! Doll! I love this. Touching you, letting our skin brush, and holding you like this. Well worth it! So perfect," he thought as he sucked on the point behind her ear and she moaned softly again. "This is heaven! God! I could get used to this!") His right arm snaked behind my back and rested between my shoulder blades. I was panting and unable to keep my eyes open as he blew softly in my ear. 

"Ah! Ah!" I breathed as I gasped for air. I intertwined our fingers, grabbed the pillow again, and shifted my hips into his, as he gently squeezed my shoulder blade. "Oh! Pat!" I sighed as I leaned into him again. I felt him grin against my ear before he nibbled it softly. My body went rigid and I felt like I was floating. My toes tingled, my body quaked, and my lips began to tremble. I brought my left leg up pressing against the bed, turned my head towards our hands, closed my eyes, and let out a delighted cry. I clenched the pillow with my left hand and squeezed his hand until the feeling passed; he continued to nibble and kiss my ear. 

("There you go," he thought happily as her whole body shook under him and she cried out in exhilaration. He grinned and focused on carrying her through it. He loved hearing her say his name as she reached her tipping point. He loved that even though he was just focusing on her upper body, her whole body reacted as her left leg moved to the side and she brushed his leg with her toes; the action sent shivers down his spine. Her hips grinding against his was creating a major focusing distraction, so he used his hips to apply a little more pressure against her but moved with her. She leaned against his left hand, pressing her lips against it as she released her death grip on his hand. He rubbed her back softly, trying to bring her down from her high gently. Her leg was the first to go down and the relaxation moved up her body, part by part. He moved his kisses down to her collarbone, pleased that she lowered her body back into his right hand. "Oh, 'Nettie! I loved this," he thought.) When I was able to open my eyes, I felt like I had melted into the bed. I smiled and kissed Pat's shoulder. He pulled back and stared at me. "Now you can kiss me," he whispered as he moved his lips to mine and released my hand so he could cup my face. I wrapped my arms around his neck and deepened the kiss, sighing softly around a quiet and content moan. Pat pulled back and smiled at me. "How do you feel, doll?"

"Relaxed! That was something else!" I gasped. He chuckled and kissed me again.

"It was," he agreed as he smiled warmly at me. "You're kinda breathless, doll. Are you alright?" I nodded and he rubbed under my eyes. "Ready to go to sleep now?"

"No. I have questions! Have you done that before? If so, on who? Do I need to worry someone will steal you away? Why haven't we done it before? Can we do it again?" I asked as I ran my fingers through his hair. He shook his head and kissed me softly. 

"Shhh, doll. I'm glad you're happy, but calm down. You're words are coming out a million miles an hour; I can't keep up but I'll try and answer your questions. For starters, army barracks aren't exactly private. Even if you didn't want them, you got lessons. You are the first person I've done this with, 'Nettie, and the only person I hope to do anything close to this with. You were the guide, darling. I just took your lead. Baby doll, I will do that for you as often as you like. Just say the words," he murmured and bopped my nose. I rubbed down his side and he inhaled sharply before kissing me again. He grabbed my hand and put it above my head again as he pulled back. I closed my eyes and sighed happily. (He studied her face. She was content and glowing. "I've never seen something so beautiful. Mine," he thought. He smiled. "MINE!" He loved the thought of that. He kissed her cheek as she sighed again and slowly opened her eyes. "M'lady, a queen never takes care of a peasant boy," he thought as he saw the question brewing in her eyes.) "And no. You don't need to do the same for me. Come on, doll. I'm tucking you in," he remarked softly. I giggled and tried to sit up. He moved to the side and let me. I sat up slowly, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. He pushed me back down. "Not happening, 'Nettie. You're swaying again. You haven't done that in a while." I giggled and looked at him. "Clothes?" He guessed. I nodded.

"Unless you don't mind me sleeping like this?" I giggled. He kissed me again and stood up. 

"I love the thought of that, but for tonight, you can have some clothes, doll. We have company, remember? And you are really giggly tonight. You're unbelievably drunk," he replied. I blushed and nodded. He moved over to his dresser and pulled out a t-shirt. Then he walked over to my dresser and pulled out a pair of underwear. He tossed them both at me and headed to the bathroom. I heard him scurry around a bit in there, so I assumed he was cleaning again, spraying the tiles down with Tilex and squeeging it dry. I put the underwear on first, sat up, and was finishing putting on the shirt when he came back out. He had my brush in hand. I threw the yellow towel at him and he chuckled, disappearing yet again. He came back out and sat behind me and began brushing my hair, handing me a glass of water and my pain pill. I took them both obediently even though I was confused as to where they came from. "I love your body, Sarah, but not as much as I love who you are as a whole," he whispered. I giggled again. He pushed me down on the pillows and kissed me deeply. "Now stay put," he ordered as he got out of bed again, taking my glass with him. He turned on the lamp beside the bed, stood up, turned off the main light, put my brush and glass away in the bathroom, and came back to bed. He took off his leg, turned around, and tucked me under the sheets. I spread it out and opened his corner as he looked at me in surprise. "Doll?! We don't have to rush into things. I'm perfectly content taking it slow. Don't you want to sleep under separate blankets, like we always have?" He inquired as he untucked my right leg. I shook my head and threw a pillow down by my feet so I could rest my leg on it. I turned my body to the left and patted the bed in front of me.

"No. I want to be able to snuggle next to you without the sheet bunching up between us. I think you've earned the right to snuggle barrier free. If you want to. I kinda liked it just now. I mean chest to chest doesn't just have to be then," I replied. He smiled, adjusted my leg -propping it on the pillow- then crawled under the sheets too.

"Sounds good to me," he whispered. Then he pulled the comforter around us both, tucking it under my back, kissed my head, and propped up a couple of pillows behind his head. Finally, he laid down on his back and pulled me to his chest. I gently traced the curves of his chest as I yawned. ("Thank you for breaking down your walls, doll. Thank you for this honor. Most of all, thanks for not asking for sex. I want it but I can't. Besides, I hear that a climax due to sex is much more intense; you would definitely have passed out on me," he thought as he looked at her again and he rubbed his left leg. He smiled as her eyes blinked slowly and drooped again.) He rolled over and wrapped both arms around me completely. Once again, he kissed my head. "Good night, my sweet rose," he murmured.

"Good night, my mighty shield," I replied around a yawn. He rubbed my arm tenderly and drew circles on my back. "You're giving me back a nightlight tonight?" I teased as the light cascaded around him and into my eyes.

"No. I was just enjoying looking at you. I'll turn it off before I go to sleep. Were you satisfied, doll?" He asked as I snuggled into his side and used his head as a light blocker. I nodded against his chest. "Good," he whispered as he pulled me with him, rolling to his back so he could turn off the lamp. He moved back and allowed me to get comfortable again before kissing my forehead. "I can sacrifice gazing upon you so you aren't blinded any more. I will never touch another person. You complete me. That experience was wonderful, doll," he murmured. I smiled.

"I love you, Benji. Thanks for making me feel special. I don't want to leave your side," I replied as I kissed his chest and stroked his scars. 

("Never," he thought as he gazed upon her and tucked her hair behind her ear. "The only way to insure that is to...") "Marry me," he whispered. I leaned in and rubbed my nose against his jaw.

"I would love too, but that doesn't count as a proposal," I countered before kissing his neck. He chuckled and traced my jaw with his fingers, tickling me gently. "I'm yours for eternity. You are my strength and desire. Don't break my heart," I whispered, my voice faltering as his fingers created hot sparks to fly through my veins. I closed my eyes and grinned. 

"Wouldn't dream of it," he replied as he kissed me again. "You would be a dangerous woman with a broken heart. I got a glimpse of that tonight. I will never be the reason behind that," he swore. He rolled me to my back and kissed me deeply yet again. "Sealed," he whispered. I kissed his jaw and opened my eyes again.

"Sealed," I confirmed. "You do so much for me. I feel inadequate. Why wouldn't you let-" he put his hand over my mouth. I licked it and he chuckled, slowly removing it away from my mouth and wiping it on the comforter as he spoke.

"Hush, 'Nettie. You are definitely good enough for me. You love me, come home to my arms, and cook for me. When you look at me, I'm made new. I feel like the luckiest guy in the world. No. I know I am the luckiest guy in the world because I hold your heart of gold. I wouldn't let you do anything for me because you're about ready to pass out on me for starters. Second, my world revolves around making you happy, so I don't need a release. I'm not saying you need a release either, but I loved giving you that outlet. Tomorrow we'll work on channeling your anger so you stop breaking things. While it's rare and few between, I'd hate to see you self destruct," he remarked and kissed me again. "You are everything to me. You jump, I jump. I'm never going to stop loving you," he stated. I smiled again. He rolled me back to my side and rubbed my arm again. I thought about his words and bit my lip as I rubbed my anchor on his side.

"I'm afraid I am a bomb. I love you so much but fear I'll shatter both of us," I voiced, shuddering as I finally realized the truth. I was a ticking time bomb and I would do nothing but hurt those I love.

"If that were true, you wouldn't have come back at all. You would have called Tyler and just gone home with him. Or a month and a half ago, you would've gone with Mom," he replied as he rubbed my back. "Love takes work. I'll keep nurturing you as long as you keep coming back to my arms," he promised as he pressed his lips against mine softly. "Sarah Annette Gibson, don't you dare feel guilty. You nurture and care for my heart too," he chided. I smiled and kissed his jaw up to his ear. He pushed me back down with his head and kissed me passionately. "I'll put you on restrictions, missy. Because you are driving me wild," he teased. I giggled and buried my head in his chest. "You make me feel alive. There's nothing better than sleeping next to you or waking up to your smile." I kissed his chest and he held me tighter.

"I love you, Patrick Benjamin Miller. You keep my joy well full," I replied softly as I closed my eyes.

"Sleep, doll. You're starting to slur your words," Pat ordered as he kissed my head again. "I'll be here when you wake up again," he promised. He moved his left hand to my head, tucked all my hair behind my ear, and tugged my earlobe gently. It was a soothing notion and I found myself drifting off quicker than I wanted to. "Welcome home, baby doll," I heard Pat murmur before I succumbed to sleep. 

***

After making sure she finally was sleeping, and had been for a while, Pat checked the time on his watch 22:13. It was still early for him to go to sleep for the night. He leaned over and kissed Annette's head. "You're amazing, doll. I wasn't expecting that. I can't get enough of you. We played for half an hour but I could easily do that more. You are outstanding. I love you so much," he whispered. He rolled to his back and turned on the light. She was sleeping peacefully. He tucked her hair behind her ear again and sighed. "Bangs, doll? Ugh. They're blocking your beautiful eyes. I'll get over it. It's a great style on you." He reached down and grabbed her hand. "I'm not going to lie, doll. I've been yelled at a bunch. You were the only one I was scared of though. Mom never scared me that much. Nor did any of the COs at basic. I'm sorry you were hurt today. Thank you for coming home to me. I owe Josh and Amanda an apology. I'm a monster without you," he confessed as he kissed her fingers and placed her hand back on his chest. Then he reached back and turned off the light. A light knock on the door startled him. "Who's there?" He asked softly.

The door cracked open and Josh peered in, his shadowed form blocking the light from the hallway. "I heard you talking. I just got in. Are we good, man? Or is she still mad?"

"You're good with me. She might freak out on you later. I hope she does and gives you a chance to see a whole new person. I was legitimately scared. She cooked with mushrooms to make a point: I would never kiss her again. Here I was just thinking she was only acting this way because she finally lost something," Pat stated. Josh grinned.

"She's so good for you. I was thinking you were about ready to decapitate me," Josh teased. Pat chuckled and and stroked Annette's cheek tenderly. "Seriously though. I'm glad she's still in your arms," Josh said sincerely.

"Thank you; I am too. Easy cleanup tonight?" Pat inquired.

"You can say that. Our last table was at 9:30. Odd for a Sunday. We usually have three tables five minutes before closing. With three of us, clean up was quick," Josh replied.

"Gotcha. You can come in. I won't decapitate you but I will cut you if you touch her though," Pat warned. Josh chuckled but remained by the door. "I'm sorry for blowing up at you. You're a good friend. You've earned your own slice of happiness too. I didn't mean to mess up whatever was going on with Amanda. I mean it. I want to see you happy. I'll call her if you like. I don't want you to suffer because I'm ignorant without Annette. I like seeing you happy. You're more fun to be around when you aren't-"

"-you're rambling, dude," Josh interrupted with a chuckle. "Apology accepted. Thank you. I am sorry about bringing Amanda over; we weren't planning on doing anything but things got carried away quickly. By kicking her out, you did me a favor," he admitted. "I needed a break. She's sure demanding and I couldn't keep up. The sex is great, but I don't think I'll continue to date her. I want a life partner. I didn't realize that until you told me that Annette was thinking about running away from you. I'm truly sorry for whatever she saw."

"To quote her 'two people copulating on the couch. He only had one leg and she was begging for his mouth to work more.' I laughed at her at first," Pat admitted as he looked down at Annette again. She had buried herself under the blanket. Pat tenderly stroked her face. "Care to explain how there was only one leg?"

"I was sitting on my foot for like twenty minutes. I'm sorry she walked in on that," Josh admitted. Pat looked up; Josh was leaning against the doorframe definitely looking guilty as the light washed around him and poured into the room. Pat smiled and pressed his lips against Annette's forehead.

"I'm sorry that you feel guilty, but you had it coming. I asked you yesterday to keep it to the bedroom. I'm going to have to burn my furniture now."

"No you won't. We still had our underwear on while on the couch. Okay, well I wasn't in the nude; I couldn't keep my mouth off of her chest. It didn't get wild until we moved to the kitchen. I swear. Trust me, when you guys take the plunge, you'll do it anywhere and everywhere too," Josh chuckled. Pat looked up and grinned.

"I think I finally found someone that I've even considered the possibility of taking the plunge with. I'm going to marry her. I want her by my side forever. Annette is crazy and fun and I need to touch her, hold her, and love her," he admitted then added mentally, "you're right, of course. I don't want to keep my lips off Annette's chest either. God! Such a great feeling!"

"NO! You did the deed? YES! Pat, my man! Awesome possum! I'm so proud of you," Josh praised as Pat shook his head and Annette shifted closer to him in her sleep with a soft sigh. Josh lowered his voice and teased in a baby-sing-song voice, "sorry. Seriously though, Pat! I'm proud of you. You're finally growing up!"

"Nope. We haven't crossed that line, but she is the only one I have thought about that with. Good night, Josh," Pat stated before he could say anything else. Josh waved and shut the door as he retreated to his room. Once Pat's eyes adjusted to the dark room, he studied Annette. She kept the black out curtains open so the moonlight gave him a little light. "Ignore him, doll. He's a little crass. I love you. I love that you're mine. I love that offered yourself to me tonight. Having your fingers trace my side as I pleased you shot fireworks through my veins. I never knew it was possible. That was one of the best experiences I've ever had. I hope you enjoyed it too. Good night, beautiful," he murmured as he kissed her cheek. She smiled and brought her hand to her face as she snuggled in closer yet. He closed his eyes and wrapped his arm around Annette's waist and held her securely as he drifted off into a blissful slumber.

*****