Shock.

That's the only state of mind I was in. Total shock.

Sitting by myself on one of the benches of the hospital, staring out into space, looking high strung and covered in his blood. It definitely caught the eyes of people passing by but I didn't care, I was in the hospital for fuck's sake.

The EMS had to pry me from Andrew when they finally arrived, looking at my current state they thought I was the one who was injured. Andrew was alive, but barely. Suffering more than 7 stab wounds, blood loss, and blunt force trauma to his head.

From what I gathered, Hanson was released from jail from his bond being paid and good behavior. This didn't surprise me. After being released he sought out revenge as well as whatever he could collect for his debt.

Andrew must have had his back turned when Hanson caught him off guard, something that was unusual for Andrew's personality. Sitting here, waiting for him to come out of surgery, all I could do is blame myself for what happened.

He always worked on that stupid bike when he was frustrated or upset, it was the outlet that brought his spirits back. He'd get to thinking where he'd be able to travel once it was finished and then forget why he was even mad. To me that meant he cared, he didn't want to stay mad with me.

This, unfortunately only hurt me more.

If I haven't written about him in my blog he wouldn't have been surprised and so upset with me, and if he wasn't upset he would have never let his guard down enough to be attacked in his own home.

After stabbing him, Hanson took one of the parts to his motorcycle and beat him with it. Satisfied with his handy work, he then robbed Andrew but only got away with barely five hundred dollars from his wallet and jewelry...some of them was mine. The jackass didn't realize that all the camera equipment lying around was worth thousands, and he destroyed half of them in the fight.

A white coat and a part of shoes covered in blue sponged stopped in front of me. Immediately I jumped up, scared to death that he was going to tell me that Andrew was no longer among the living.

He had no family, getting to stay with him in the hospital I had to lie and state that I was his fiancé. Something that didn't make me feel good but at that moment I didn't give a damn about morals.

The doctor sighed and removed his glasses before speaking. "He's in stable condition for now, but he made need another surgery in the future if his blood doesn't circulate on its own."

"Can I go see him?"

"I'm afraid not, during the operation he slipped into a coma and is current in I.C.U"

"A coma?" my heart sunk, "It is very serious? He'll wake up in a day or so right?"

"We can only hope."

Hope. That's all I had to go on and that wasn't enough for me.

Hospitals wasted no time giving the grieving the huge bill right after the surgery. Grabbing some hot chocolate from the lounge, which was free thankfully, I went back to my bench and looked over the paperwork of expenses.

Andrew's insurance couldn't cover everything, the going rate for emergency surgery was 12,000 dollars per cut/stab. That was fucking insane! Not to mention his current state, if he remained in a coma payments had to be made to continue his treatment.

The more I read and the more upset I became, the more I broke down and cried. It was going to cost more than I ever made to keep him alive and I wasn't ready to just let him die. That's when the craziest thought hit me, was I that desperate to go back to that forsaken place.

Was Andrew Howell worth me facing my father one more time?

It felt so strange standing there. The last time I look at that luminous red-painted door of my white fence childhood it was laughing at me. Slamming in my face, I pressed my face against it, weeping into the wood and begging for a second chance.

Now it felt different. The door was just a door, but it was what lay waiting inside that scared me. Even that didn't feel the same. I wasn't trembling in fear of what my father might do or say, but merely what I walk away without.

I pushed the small glowing light on the side of the door, ringing the bell before I even had the time to collect myself. I was already wanting this meeting to be over with and it hadn't even begun.

Over thousands of comebacks, remarks and arguments passed through my mind as I tried to prep myself for what comes next. When the door finally opened everything I had plotted went straight to hell as I looked at the man I thought was the devil himself.

However, it wasn't him that crushed my train of thought. No, it was the slender, curly-haired blonde in her mid-fifties that threw me for a loop. She was not a relative, not a family friend, I had never laid eyes on this woman before in my life and even though mom was long gone - I felt like my father betrayed her.

My father smiled in satisfaction when he gazed upon me. I must have been quite a sight to him in my wrinkled clothes, the same ones I wore the previous day, messy hair and dark rings around my eyes from crying and sleeping less than three hours.

He probably thought he had finally won, that the little bird has returned home to the master. I let him think such things as he invited me inside, the woman kissed my father and went into the kitchen with her coffee mug. From the corner of my eyes, I watched her look at me as she left, I ignored her presence and focused on the mission at hand.

There would be no more banters, no more raging fights, and no more of my emotions controlling me. Instead, I took a breath and thought about Andrew.

"I want my money back."

"You're money?" He chuckled as he eased down onto the couch.

"Yes, MY money" I repeated. "The funds my mother left me along with all my savings."

"And what makes you think it is your money?"

"My mother started that fund the day she found out she was pregnant with me. It was in her name and transferred to yours after her death only because I was still too young to claim it in mine." I could feel my voice shake but I swallowed and moved on, looking him right in the eyes. "And the savings account I made the very day I started that shit hole of a company you've established - I need that back as well."

My father released a long sigh but held that cold restraint he always had, my words did nothing to him. " I see, you and that low life of yours have squandered your earnings on stupid shit and want more."

"No," I growled. "That lowlife is currently in the hospital on a respirator fighting for his life with a twenty-three percent chance of waking up on his own."

"That is unfortunate."

"Yes, I can practically feel your sympathy," I said as I fought the undying urge to call him out of his name. Mentioning Andrew only worsened this scenario and only angered me. Too late to turn back from it now, I decided to use the truth as my leverage...no more lying or beating around the bush. "I'm going to use my money for the surgery that can save his life, as well as pay for any expenses that may follow."

"So you're going to throw all your fortune away for some criminal?" my father scoffed. "I won't allow it."

"I sensed you might say that. If that's the case I'm more than willing...no, more than happy to legal action. I already have two close friends from England who are more than satisfied to help me obtain my savings. I don't care how experienced you are in the law firm because thanks to you shoving your work down my throat...so am I. I have a roof over my head, a steady job and a stable social life in society, witnesses and so many other forms that prove I'm NOT incompetent."

I sit two business cards on the living room table in from of him, huffed, and made my way towards the front door. "You have 48 hours to transfer all my funds and savings back to me to the bank listed or my lawyer will be giving you a call."

With that I left the house, slamming the door behind me as he did to me. It felt good not letting him get a word in, not letting him fight or yell. I said my peace and took my leave. I didn't look back even as I closed the fence gate behind me.