Soft light entered through the window and made me open my eyes.

I didn't feel Calum in the bed behind me, and the bedroom door was shut. There were a few noises coming from the other parts of the house and I breathed out through my nose before rolling over in the sheets.

"Hold on, let me just check on Nessa." I heard Calum's voice.

I closed my eyes to make him think I was asleep as he opened the door and stepped in before closing it.

He came around to my side and I felt him lean in and press a kiss to my forehead.

"I love you."

He kissed my face again before he left the room.

I waited for awhile until I decided to get up and take a shower.

I stood under the hot water for a long time, not doing anything but staring off into space before I finally decided to wash my hair.

When I got out I dried off and put on one of Calum's tee shirts and my jean shorts before braiding my short hair back into little french braids.

But once I was ready I didn't leave the bedroom. Instead I grabbed my phone and went to sit on the bed, calling my Dad.

"Andrew Whitfield." He answered.

"Dad?" I said and I heard him suck in a breath.

"Abby." He said my name. "What are you doing calling me? It's not safe yet."

"I know that, I just- I just had a really bad day yesterday and I wanted to talk to you."

"What happened?"

I closed my eyes.

"If I told you, you wouldn't believe me."

"Why not?"

"Because it's about as far fetched as Aunt Denise showing up to Christmas sober."

He laughed at my joke.

"I'm serious."

The bedroom door opened at this point and I looked up to see Calum walking in.

Damn.

He furrowed his eyebrows at me.

"Dad." I mouthed to him and he nodded before sitting on the bed next to me.

"So tell me what happened." My Dad continued.

"Um, I was held up at gunpoint yesterday at work."

I said shakily.

"You were what?!" He then shouted and I winced.

Calum held out his hand for the phone but I shook my head no.

"Nessa, give me the phone." He whispered.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I said no!"

"Who's that?" My Dad asked.

"It's my boyfriend, Calum."

"Was he there? Is he the police officer guy?"

"Yes."

"Let me talk to him."

I rolled my eyes before handing Calum the phone.

"Mr. Rothchester. This is Calum Hood."

I internally laughed at Calum calling my dad by the fake name I was using.

"Yes Sir it's nice to finally talk to you as well."

I watched as Calum got up to walk around and talk, telling my Dad all of the details of yesterday's event.

"Yes sir she's okay now. Well physically. I took her to the hospital but she refused to stay so I took her home."

I rolled my eyes.

"Yes. We have a meeting today to discuss where to go from here. Sure. I can call you after."

"Oh my God." I whined as he went to write down my Dads number.

Calum gave me an annoyed look.

"Yes Sir i'll have her call you back. Okay. Yes we'll meet soon. Bye."

Calum hung up my phone.

"Because that's not rude." I commented and he rolled his eyes at me.

"It was going to be easier for me to tell him."
Calum said.

"That doesn't matter. And what do you mean by "we'll meet soon"?"

"He said he's coming to Florida soon and that he might stop by Atlanta and I said if he did to let us know so we could meet up."

I huffed.

"Why are you getting angry?" He asked.

"Because, Calum you can't just plan things like that. He's my dad!"

"Exactly! He's your Dad who i'd like to meet since i'm dating his daughter. He's your family, Nessa."

"Right. He's my family, therefore I get to decide."

"You never talk about him. I was just curious."

"No what you need to do is keep your nose out of places where it doesn't belong. If I don't tell you about my family it's because I have good reason. So just back off!"

"Nessa!" He snapped.

He only had to raise his voice a little bit for me to back down.

I sat back down on the bed but kept my jaw clenched in aggravation and embarrassment.

"You need to calm down." He crossed his arms. "I did nothing wrong and you know that. You're just agitated and are taking it out on me and in most cases I would be okay with it but you're getting close to a line that I don't want to cross so i'm stopping this before it goes too far."

I looked away from him.

"Now. We have to go meet Captain Sutherland at the FBI station a few towns over, so if you're ready then we can go somewhere for lunch and then head that way."

I nodded before standing up to put on my shoes.

"Hey." Calum pulled me back."I just don't want to fight with you, okay? We don't need to be fighting right now, we need to stay close."

"I know that. I'm just in a mood." I whined.

"I am very aware, and i'll be your punching bag if you need me to be, but we're not going to fight about stupid little things just because we're both stressed and still high on emotions."

"Okay." I nodded.

He kissed me before letting me finish getting ready and then took my hand to lead me from the bedroom.

His parents were there with the kids, Eli and Cade playing on the living room floor.

"Momma!" Eli ran towards me when we walked in and I stopped to pick him up and hug him.

"Hi baby." I kissed his cheek.

"Did you sleep in late?"

"I did." I smiled. "Were you up early?"

He nodded with a smile.

I then hugged Cade who came over to me.

"Well hello to you too." I laughed as he gave me a kiss.

"Are you and Daddy leaving?" Eli then asked.

"Yes, we have to go somewhere but we'll be back by dinner." Calum told him and Eli then looked back at me.

"Can you make your famous spaghetti for dinner?"

"Sure." I smiled. "But only if you help me."

"I will!" He grinned.

I stood back up and moved towards Calum.

"Okay, Nessa and I will be back. Tell me bye." He said to the kids so they came up to him so they could hug him goodbye.

"Bring Momma back home." Eli said to Calum after he hugged him.

"I will. I promise." Calum laughed before saying goodbye to his parents and leading me out the door.

He drove us to the taco place he had taken me to the day he had gone with me to buy a car. He ordered our food and I got us a table while he made our drinks and then came back over to me.

"So today, they are going to ask you about what happened yesterday in full detail. I'll have to do the same. They are going to make you talk to a trauma counselor because it's protocol. I tried to get them to not do it but they have to do it so
please don't get mad at me about it."

I sighed.

"Then after you talk with the trauma counselor they will see where to go from there."

"Okay." I replied.

He seemed relieved that I wasn't arguing with him on this.

After lunch he took my hand and led me to the car where he began to drive to the local HQ for the FBI.

He told me Captain Sutherland would meet us there and so when we pulled up to the building I saw the man who had helped save my life standing there waiting for us.

When Calum parked I waited until he opened my door for me and then took my hand as he walked me up to Captain Sutherland who I immediately went to hug.

"You saved my life yesterday. Thank you."

"We are all so happy you're safe, Nessa. There's nothing we wouldn't do to save one of our own."

I gave him a smile after I let him go, and then the two of them led me inside.

I gripped Calum's hand tightly, and he didn't let go as we were lead to a conference type room where we took seats across the table from the FBI investigators.

He continued to hold my hand under the table and stroked his fingers over the skin, trying to get me to relax.

I had to relay all of the events from the day before while they were still fresh in my mind, and then Calum and Captain Sutherland had to do the same.

Once we were done with our statements it was time for me to speak with the trauma counsellor.

Calum walked me there and once we got outside the room he stopped and took me
into a hug.

"I'll be right outside waiting for you, okay?" He spoke in my ear.

"Okay."

"I love you."

"Love you too."

I moved back and he kissed my forehead before I went into the room with the counsellor, the door closing, separating me and Calum.

The woman who I would be speaking with motioned for me to sit on a sofa while she sat in a chair.

"Nessa, I'm Christi and i'm going to be your counsellor." She introduced herself and I nodded. "Why don't we start with you telling me what happened yesterday."

I took a deep breath.

"Um, I was at work, and this guy came in asking for a police officer who wasn't there, and he was upset and decided to take me hostage. He had a gun to my head and the SWAT officers had to take him out because he wouldn't let me go."

She nodded.

"You don't seem upset about it." She commented.

"I'm upset, but I've already cried about it and have come to terms with what happened."

"You're not a very emotional person, are you?"

"I am about certain things, but I just...." I trailed off.

"You just what?" Christi pressed.

"I mean, I don't know what to tell you. I'm sorry i'm not a sobbing mess right now but I don't want to cry anymore. I want to move on with my life."

She nodded.

"That's understandable."

I looked down at my hands.

"What about your boyfriend? He was there too. He helped save you. How is he handling it?"

"He's upset. He's taking it worse than I am I think. He cried yesterday. I had never seen him cry before."

"How did that make you feel?" She asked and I tried not to laugh at the stereotypical question.

"It hurts to know i'm the reason he's so upset, and I don't like seeing him like that. It broke my heart. But I mean he saw me almost die, so I understand why he's like that but I wish he would've just left when I told him to."

"You told him to leave?"

I nodded.

"But he said he wouldn't leave me and stayed there trying to get the guy to let me go. And when they shot the guy he caught me and then ran out to the ambulance with me in his arms."

"That sounds like a very loyal boyfriend."

"Maybe too loyal." I sighed.

"And he has kids too, right?" My body froze.

"Yes." I said through my teeth.

"What is your relationship like with them?"

I swallowed.

"It's good. I was supposed to take Eli, he's the oldest, back to school shopping yesterday and then everything went down."

"Did you think about them when you were being held hostage?"

I nodded.

"I have a picture on the wall above my desk that they drew me that says I love you Mommy on it, and I kept looking at it. I thought I wouldn't see them again."

"And that upset you."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I love them. I didn't want to leave them like that. I would've never gotten to say goodbye."

She nodded.

"I really don't want to talk anymore." I said and she tilted her head.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to rehash this. I just want to go see my kids and go home with my boyfriend and make Eli my famous spaghetti like he asked me to and rock Cade to sleep and go to bed. And then tomorrow I want to take Eli shopping for school clothes like I promised I would, and go to work to see my friends and go back home to my loving boyfriend and live the picture perfect life I want for us to have."

Christi nodded.

"I can't make you stay, Nessa." She said and I sighed in relief. "But I want you to know that if you leave now, i'm going to recommend you continue coming to counselling."

I groaned.

"Whatever. I just want to go home." I said.

"Okay then." She stood up and I followed her, leaving the office where Calum was sitting in the waiting room outside, his head snapping up to look at me.

"Well it was nice talking with you Nessa." Christi said and I gave her a fake smile before walking over to Calum.

"Let's go." I said softly and he stood up.

Calum took my hand and led me from the building and to the car.

"So what did you talk about?" He asked me as he drove us back towards Dahlonega.

"Yesterday." I shrugged.

"I know that. But what about yesterday?"

"Just about it." I said in an annoyed tone.

Calum nodded.

"I need to go to the grocery store so I can make spaghetti tonight."

He drove us to the store where we got all of the ingredients I needed, and then we went back to his home where both boys were waiting at the door for us.

When I saw Eli and Cade my attitude changed and a smile took over my face.

"I have stuff to make spaghetti." I sang as I walked in the house, Eli jumping at me.

"Yes!" He exclaimed and followed me into the kitchen.

Calum's parents left at this so they could go back home, and as I was cooking with the boys, Calum's phone rang so he left to take the call in the bedroom.

I sent Eli to play in the living room while the sauce cooked and soon Calum came back in, his face one of displeasure.

"I just got off the phone with your counsellor." He practically slammed his phone down on the counter. "What the hell Ness, I thought you had talked to her."

"I did." I said and he scoffed.

"She said you wouldn't tell her anything about what you were really feeling and how yesterday had affected you and then decided you didn't want to talk anymore."

"I talked." I pointed out.

"Not about the things you needed to talk about!" He exclaimed. "Now you have to go back."

"I'm not going back." I rolled my eyes. "They can't force me."

"They can actually. If you don't go then they will find you and commit you until they clear you."

"I'm not mentally unstable, Calum! I was taken hostage by a lunatic yet here I am! Not even a scratch! I'm not in shock! I'm not going to break down! I just want to forget!" I shouted.

"You don't get to make that decision!" He yelled back.

"Why not?! It's my life!"

"It's not just your life, Nessa! It's my life! It's everyone else in that rooms life! You don't get to just decide this didn't happen!"

"Like hell I can't!"

"Nessa just go to the fucking counsellor and talk about your damn feelings!"

I was about to yell back when the front door opened and Calum and I snapped out of our fight to see Luke walking in.

"What the hell is going on in here? I can hear you guys from next door."

I crossed my arms over my chest and rolled my eyes as I went to go stir the sauce.

"She ditched counselling." Calum said and I huffed.

"Why?" Luke asked.

"Good question." Calum said and looked at me.

"There nothing to talk about!" I exclaimed.

"I think there's plenty of things to talk about Nessa, you just don't want to!" Calum fired back.

"I'm fine, Calum! Why can't you see that?!"

"Because if i'm not fine you're sure as hell not fine. And I'm not even the one who had the gun to my head!"

"I just want to move on from this! Why is that so hard to understand?!"

"Woah!" Luke stepped between us. "You both need to calm down."

I huffed as I leaned against the counter.

"Calum." Luke began. "Yes, yesterday was traumatic, but you're going to cope in your own way and Nessa is going to cope in her own way. You can't force her to cope the same way you do."

Calum looked down at the ground.

"Nessa. We almost lost you forever yesterday, Calum almost lost you forever, so you have to understand that he's worried about you and so is everyone else. The matter of the fact is that until you get cleared by the counsellor, you can't go back to work. So for everyone's sake just get it over with."

I sighed.

"Fine."

"See. You both just need to take a breath and calm down."

Luke left after this so I went back to cooking, Calum and I both silent.

Eli helped me finish dinner and then everyone ate, Calum and I not speaking.

I gave the boys a bath while he cleaned up the kitchen, and then I went to rock cade to sleep. I was watching his little eyes flutter closed when I heard Calum come sit on the floor in front of me.

I bit the inside of my cheek.

"I don't want to fight with you Nessa. I don't." He said quietly. "I'm just out of my mind right now. Seeing you like that yesterday...it just broke me. I've never experienced anything like that before, and I don't think my reaction is so unusual. And I wish I could pretend it never happened but I can't, because all I see in my mind is you with that man holding a gun to your head. This," he gestured towards me and Cade, "I thought I would never see this again."

I took a deep breath.

"All I want to do is forget about it because if I don't i'll just think about it until it makes me sick. And I want you to forget because it hurts me to see you so distraught over this. I don't like this place we're in and I want us to go back to the way it was before."

"Baby I don't think we can." He said and I sighed. "We can forget about it all we want but that won't mean it never happened."

I nodded.

"I only want to do what is best for you, and you can't back to work unless the counsellor clears you. So please just go and get it over with. You don't have to talk about your feelings, just tell her what she wants to hear. Then you and I can work on moving forward from this."

"Okay."

"Okay." He gave me a small smile.

I went to put cade in the crib before following Calum to his room.

We got into bed and Calum turned out the light before rolling over to put his arms around me.

"I know you don't want to talk about what happened, and I get that, but if you ever do want to i'll be here."

"Thank you." I squeezed the hand he had over my waist. "I love you."

"I love you too."

It was quiet as we both laid there, and finally I spoke again.

"Are you awake?"

"Yes." He replied.

"...Do you think we'll ever get past this?"

"I think so."

I nodded.

"Hey." He moved up to lean over me. "I know we'll make it through this in time. It may not be as quick as we want it to be, but we will."

I looked up into his eyes and he gave me a small smile before leaning down to attach his lips to mine.

"I love you, Nessa." He pressed his nose to mine.

"I love you too, Calum."

--

Aw, poor Calum and Nessa :(

I'll update soon!

Much love xx-m