Lost and Found

Chapter 32

A/N: Thanks for reading!

Here we go!

"I thought you were taking me home," Amelia asked before she realized she didn't even really know where home would be, now.

"We're just taking... a little detour," Owen said as they drove down a quiet dark road.

"Where?" she peered into the darkness.

Owen remained silent as the truck climbed a hill.

"Oh," Amelia sighed as she saw the sign for the cemetery

Gravel crunched under the tires as they slowed down, and finally stopped.

"Umm, you don't have to... I mean-," Owen gripped the steering wheel and stared ahead. "I-," he gestured futilely, before letting out a breath. "We can go if you want."

She stared out at the stone-marked field, considering it. "What should I do? Just..."

"You can talk, yell, kick scream... cry... any of it. All of it. Just... let it out, Amelia."

Slowly... achingly slow, she slid out of the truck. For a minute or two, she just stood there, staring. "Owen?" she called. "I don't even... I don't remember where-," She hadn't been here since the funeral, and she'd never even considered coming again.

He appeared right beside her with a flashlight. "I can take you." He slid his arm into the crook of her elbow, and she found herself being pulled gently along the grassy path until they came to her brother's gravestone.

She swallowed. "I-," she started.

A warmth came over her back, Owen, rubbing her in small circles between her shoulder blades.

"Oh," Amelia gasped, "Oh... Derek!" It hit her all at once. The pain. Everything. Her last memories of him before he died, her last thoughts...

"He's getting married, you know..." Nancy droned over the phone.

"What?" Amelia almost choked.

"Mom gave him the Ring. The Ring, Amelia"

"Oh," she whispered.

"Ugh, I can't believe it either, but well... he's Derek. And you know how lovesick he gets..."

"Yeah," Amelia supplied.

"Well, I've got to go pick up the kids... Ciao little sis. Take care in LA."

She sat there for a long time, staring at her phone. She could call him... just say 'congratulations.'

Would he even answer?

And then she imagined his voice, full of snark. "What do you want now Amy?" Because she'd used him before. Taken advantage of him, pulled him into the deep end with her. She'd hurt him, damaged his psyche on more than one occasion. He didn't want to talk to her.

Still... she picked up the phone and dialed, pressed talk, and... before it could ring she hung up.

She couldn't do it. She wasn't strong enough.

She would end up regretting it, because the last time she heard about him was from her mom, informing her that he'd been shot to death in a freaking OR.

She tried to bury it, but it was too much. Her baby too. Her unicorn baby...Her hands wrapped around her stomach in a protective gesture, and she sank to her knees, a blithering mess.

But through it all, Owen was there. His strong arms wrapped around her, his hand on the top of her head, pulling her to him, and they rested against the gravestone.