Only Human

Apologies

I felt his lips press to my forehead. "Oh Princess." He murmured before tilting my head up to look at me. "Don't you see? It's the best thing they could have done." He said, the fire in his eyes at such an intense level.

"I don't see... what am I missing?" I asked, my eyes locked on to his.

"If they'd loved you the way they should have, the way that you needed them to..." His hand ran down my back, fingers tapping out a melody along my ribs. "You wouldn't have needed us the way we need you."

I frowned slightly before blinking. "Oh..." I murmured. "You're right. Things would be completely different and maybe... well, maybe we wouldn't even be here." I said. He smiled slightly and gave me a soft peck on the lips. "I get it now."

He folded me tighter into his arms again. "Do you want to change or do anything else to go to bed?" I shook my head into his chest. "Okay then Princess, let's go to bed. You seriously need sleep. When you wake up in the morning, Mr. B and Doc will have everything lined up with what they thought you were headed into wanting." He said, walking me back over to the bed and laying me down gently before he turned off the lights. He got into bed with me and pulled me into his arms again. "It was so smart." He murmured. "Getting the notary involved. I think they'll probably have a few ideas about agreements you can have him sign."

"Okay." I murmured, my eyes feeling heavy with the lack of sleep and I sighed softly, burrowing into him as my eyes closed completely and I fell asleep.

When I woke up, it was clearly morning and the air was filled with ginger and citrus. "Morning Dr. Sean..." I murmured, stretching against the arms that were holding me.

"Well, good morning to you too, Pookie." He said, a hint of amusement in his voice because I hadn't even opened my eyes to greet him. He pressed a quick kiss to my forehead. "Are you ready to take control of the rest of your destiny, Future Mrs. Green?"

I giggled and cracked open an eye to look at him. "If someone's going to finally feed me pancakes this morning, the answer's yes."

He chuckled and took a finger to beep my nose. "I believe Luke is planning on shimmying up the drain pipe with chocolate chip pancakes for you. A side of bacon, some oj and milk along with it."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

He nodded. "North's contribution." He said. "Owen will be back in a few moments..." He said. "We have some things to talk to you about and go over just to make sure that everything is set up the way you want it to be."

I sighed softly. "Okay. I should get up and change then... it'd be nice to feel like myself again." I said.

"You're beautiful." He said before letting go of me enough to let me sit up.

I rolled my eyes at him. "You have to say that." I said, getting off the bed and going over to find a comfortable outfit in the attic. His voice followed me through the doorway.

"No, I don't." He said as a rap on the window was heard and I heard the window go up. "I only ever say things to you that I mean." I smiled as he moved over to help the person in. "But you better hurry because I will totally eat your breakfast."

I poked my head out and smiled at Luke. "No you won't. Even if you do mean it, you wouldn't be that mean to me." I ducked back in and pulled on the yoga pants I'd selected, pulling on a tank top and layering another one on top of it before I crawled out of my attic to join them. "Morning Luke."

"Morning cupcake." He said, busying himself arranging my breakfast on the desk. He came over and kissed my forehead. "I was told to tell you that we are watching from Kota's today. Cameras and with wired... I placed a few listening devices in the living room last night after everyone went to bed."

"So I don't have to keep a phone in place today?" I teased. Sean and Luke both laughed but nodded as the window slid up and a scent of spring soap drifted in ahead of Mr. Blackbourne. I paused with a bite of pancakes already on the way to my mouth to look at him. My gaze went admiringly down his body as he straightened up, clothed as always in his gray suit, white shirt crisp and maroon tie completely in place. "Good morning." I murmured softly, averting my eyes when he looked at me and ducking my head slightly to look at my pancakes.

I hadn't seen him since I'd been tucked into his sleeping bag after crying all over him in the woods and it felt a little awkward.

Sean and Luke both cleared their throats and greeted him.

"Good Morning." He greeted both of them and Luke made an excuse about going over to Kota's before North threw away his pancakes.

"Thank you Luke." I said and he winked at me before he escaped through the window. I chewed my pancakes thoughtfully for a moment as Mr. Blackbourne made himself comfortable sitting on my bed, Sean next to him. I glanced at him for a long moment, receiving a wink and a nod of his head towards Mr. B. I swallowed, took a sip of my milk and faced Mr. Blackbourne. "I'm very sorry that I cried all over you the other night." I said, willing my gaze to remain steady and for my body to not tremble with the nerves I always felt at the possibility that I was disappointing him. "I'm also very sorry if I disappointed you and did not react the way you expected I would in giving all consideration to all options that would have been made to me." He looked as though he was about to speak and I shook my head slightly. "I am. I am truly sorry. But I did want to thank you for making me tell the story that night. I don't think yesterday morning would have gone the way it did if you hadn't." I dropped my gaze, blinking away the silly tears that had popped into my eyes.

Owen looked at Sean for a moment, receiving a blank stare and a shrug of the shoulders in return to the inquiring gaze. "Miss Sorenson.... Sang..." his voice softened as he spoke my given name for what might have been the third time ever since I've known him. He moved, spring soap scent swirling around me as he crouched in front of me, peering up at me on my level instead of using his touch to command my attention like he usually did. "You have nothing to apologize for." He said. "We... I ..." He touched his chest. "I should have realized that you were uncomfortable with the distance all week and I should have also already known about the shower and the hugging and ..."

I shook my head. "Victor was the only one who knew at my request, I'm sorry for keeping that from you and for making him keep it from you."

He tilted his head. "I still should have known." He said softly. "But that is in the past, it's a new year and you're part of us now. So we need to focus on what has to happen today." He said, touching my knee for a moment. I studied him. "Your apologies are accepted, it's forgiven and for the most part forgotten as long as you can forgive me for putting you through all of that when it certainly would have been better and wiser for us just to keep you with us."

I gave him a slightly wobbly smile. "Agreed. We are only human after all." I said, reaching out hesitantly towards him, pulling my hand back before I touched his face in a far too familiar and unusual manner. Sean cleared his throat behind him and Mr. Blackbourne smiled at me and went to sit down again.

"So, about today..." Sean started the conversation while I ate and the three of us went over the things that I needed my father to sign, the agreement that Marie and I would sign and what I was wanting and needing to do with regards to the cashier's check I'd requested.

I'm only human

I'm only human

Just a little human