(Chapter One of Crazies) 

~Dr. Sean Green’s POV~

“Oooh Pookieee, I’m hoooome.” I hear her sweet giggles coming from the kitchen and I excitedly follow the cute sound through my apartment. I find her standing behind the island, cutting up an apple as Owen collects things for her from the fridge. 

“Hey,” Sang greets with that bright smile I love to see. I quickly drop my bag and coat on the table before moving around the island to wrap my arms around her as she continues cutting up the apple in thin slices. 

The greatest feeling in the world, I think as I rest my chin on her shoulder. Just taking a moment to enjoy the feeling of her in my arms. 

Our lives recently have just been so hectic with the mission at the school coming to an end. It’s become rare to find time to just relax and I've been craving a lazy day with my Pookie.

Owen steps into my line of sight as he sets a carton of eggs and a small bag of brown sugar on the island next to some jars of spices. The implication of the collective ingredients has my mouth watering in anticipation.

“Whatcha makin?” I ask not so innocently while fighting back a knowing smile. My Pookie pulls away from me just enough to send me her mock glare over her shoulder.

“Well, you see this really pushy doctor kept dropping these GIANT hints that he wanted a homemade apple pie for his birthday coming up tomorrow.” I give her this over-the-top offended expression that sends her in a tiny giggle fit.

“I have no clue what you’re talking about, Pookie.”

“Dr. Green,” Owen says to pull my attention to him as he holds up a sticky note that I left on Nathan’s kitchen table yesterday. On it, I made a crude drawing of two stick people holding a pie with little hearts surrounding them. “Mr. Coleman was very vocal about how horrible your artistic skills were and to please refrain from drawing Miss Sorensen as a stick person again.”

“Hey now, I spent a good ten minutes working on that,” I comment as I lean around Sang to grab my amazing drawing of us eating pie together from the Debby Downer. 

“I thought it was pretty cute,” Sang adds with a cheeky smile aimed up at me. I couldn’t help myself as I lean down just that tiny bit to kiss the tip of her nose which causes her to wiggle it in the cutest way possible.

“Dr. Green.” I roll my eyes, already wanting to dislodge that stick from his butt, and look back over to him.

Owen’s image dissipates into smoke as my arms grow cold and empty. 

“Pookie?” 

The color around me bleeds away as darkness wraps around me.

My eyes blink open to the bright image of the sun shining through the enormous diversity of the Los Angeles landscape. The sight is beautiful and Pookie would love to see the reddish-yellow beams of light peeking through the buildings. I made a mental note to add LA to our list of places to take Sang this summer.

“Sean.” Surprised, I roll my head on the headrest of my seat to look over at my stick in the mud partner in life with a wide-eyed look.

“We finally on first name bases dear Owen?” I tease then immediately chuckle when he cuts the famous Mr. Blackbourne glare of disappointment towards me.

“We’re about to land. You need to fasten your seatbelt,” he informs, completely bypassing my comment before swinging that hard gaze of his down to the book resting on his lab. I take the hint and do as instructed without any more remarks.

Using the guise of peering around the cabin, I sneak a closer look at Owen as the plane begins its slow descent. He’s trying for a calm demeanor but I’ve become an expert at noticing Owen’s tiny, little tics. 

Like the way, his fingers curling around the edge of his book are a little too tight. Causing the page to crinkle under the pressure.

Not many people know this, but the stoic Mr. Blackbourne despises the idea of flying. 

I once asked him why since he doesn't seem to have problems with heights, and he just responded with a simple ‘bad experience’. Of course, like everything dealing with Owen, I try bugging the better, more detailed answers out of him, but I never get what I want.

Maybe I should get Pookie to help me uncover Owen’s many mysteries. 

No one can say no to that adorable face of hers.

When Owen shifts just the slightest bit in his seat, I know I need to distract him or we’ll have to deal with a cranky Mr. Blackbourne later.

“Sooooo,” I drawl out as I turn to face him fully, “who do you think will cave first?”

I fight off a smile when he just gives me this side-eye look that’s questioning my sanity. You know, the one you might give to that weird person licking their toes across the room and don’t want them knowing you actually looking in case they decide to come over and lick your toes.

“What are you talking about, Dr. Green?” I wave my hand around us to indicate our brothers surround us.

“Who do you think will cave first and text Pookie the moment we land?” I clarify and he doesn’t even pause before answering.

“North.” 

“Wow,” I chuckle, “so little faith in our grouchy brother. Why not Gabe or maybe Luke? They seem more likely to pounce at the first chance to text her.” 

“Gabriel has been drawing since the moment we sat down and he wouldn't even realize we landed until one of us gets his attention.” Owen informs me, pointing towards Gabe as he speaks then changes direction to indicate the Taylor brothers seating across the aisle from us, "and Lucian is too preoccupied trying to hide candy from North while the latter is focussing on his phone." 

Sure enough, I catch Luke sneaking a look up at North, who's looking down at his phone, and pops a mini chocolate candy in his mouth.

"But that doesn't knock Luke out of the running completely. He still has time to text her before North does." I add, mostly to keep Owen distracted as the plane prepares to land. Any other time, I'd be in total agreement with him. 

North is a big softy when it comes to Sang, and since we left her this morning he’s texted her nonstop until we got on the plane. From the way he keeps turning it on then immediately off just tells me he’s waiting for the moment to use it again.

“How about a friendly wager then,” I say, bringing Owen’s full attention back to me as the plane finally touches down on the tarmac at LAX. “Whoever’s pick texts first gets to have Sang to themselves on our next dinner together while the other has to do this mission’s paperwork by themselves.” 

An eyebrow hikes up at the terms and after a few seconds of deliberation, he gives me a single nod.

“Deal.”

And so we wait.

The plane slows until the pilots can guide us towards the airport. The Captain comes over the speakers, giving us his prepared speech welcoming everyone to LA and that we were running a little early so we have to wait for a spot to open up.

I fish out my phone, switch off plane mode the second the captain gave the go-ahead, and wait with the group chat pulled up.

One new message: North Taylor

“Have fun with that paperwork,” Owen remarks.

The things I endure for my brothers.