A Different Kind of Family (ADOPTED)

Chapter 3

             Staring into the most beautiful and most cold gray eyes that I'd seen in my life, I felt my blood chill. With perfectly coifed dark brown hair, this man was not someone that I wanted to mess with. My body, realizing this, reacted and I pushed away from his chest. Panic started to take over and I felt the man set me on my feet. I immediately knelt on the floor, memories ripping through my mind. Lemon and vinegar. Picking glass out of my knees. Blistered skin that I liked to pretend was from a sunburn. Claws-fingers- gauging my arm as I tried to get away. The list was endless. 

            "-okie. POOKIE! Please answer. You're safe here. You're okay. Please come back." I recognized this pleading voice, and looked up into eyes clouded in fear. As I start to slow my breathing down, I see that the intruder is backed up to the fridge now, taking the scene in, and that Sean is kneeling in front of me, now dressed in a short sleeved purple shirt with black sweatpants. A warm hand grabs mine, and I look to the doctor once again. I've seen many different sides of this man in the short time we've spent together, and not once have I seen such a hopeless look in his eyes.

            It kills me and before I know what I'm doing, I reach out and pull him into hug, resting my chin on his shoulder. I try to smile, to convince myself, "Dr. Sean, I'm fine. I'm back. Please don't look like that. I just had kind of a freak out moment." He wraps his arms around my back and squeezes me a little. He hasn't spoken, so I just let him have this moment, because I need it too. 

            My eyes have closed, but snap back open as intruder guy clears his throat. I flinch and back away from Dr. Sean slowly, not really wanting to let go of my new safe haven. I shift my attention to him and see that he looks better. The shadows finally leave his face as a flirtatious grin takes over. He looks over his shoulder at the other man, "Really Owen, you have to stop being so jealous of me. You know I can't help how all the ladies fall for me." 

           Mystery guy's-Owen's- eye twitches and I can't stop the giggle that leaks from my mouth. Dr. Sean whips around back around to me, his eyes darker than before, "Pookie, if you don't stop those giggles, then I'll have to give you the cure." This does stop my laughter, but only because I'm confused. My brows furrow as I cock my head at him. He stares at me before shaking his head and muttering to himself. He stands up and offers me a hand. I take it, appreciating the help now that my senses are coming back to me. Really shouldn't have kneeled, my legs are still pretty sore. 

           I wince as I rise, and Dr. Sean looks at me with narrowed eyes and opens his mouth when Owen speaks, "Dr. Green, I am most certainly not 'jealous' as you have claimed. I am mearly anxious to know who this girl is, and what she is doing in your apartment." His glacial eyes freeze me in place. 

          His tone is stern and I start to worry about what he might do to Dr. Sean. Taking a deep breath, I slip in front of him, trying to block Owen's view, "I-um. It's not his fault! I got knocked out and someone brought me here so that he could see if I had a concussion or not and-" My rambling is cut off by the good doctor's deep laughter and I turn to see him wiping a tear from one eye. 

         "Pookie, Pookie, Pookie. That was great! Thank you for defending me." He looks into my eyes and the seriousness in them compels me to listen, "Thank you Pookie, but Owen isn't going to hurt me. And he certainly won't hurt you! We're friends now aren't we?" His puppy dog look makes me relax, while I ponder what he said. Every time that I've heard a tone like that, it ended up with someone getting hurt, the someone usually being me. But looking at Owen's face, there wasn't malice like 'mother's',  just concern and suspicion. They must be close for him to care so much. I guess it would be a surprise to see a stranger in his friend's house. Wait-did...did Dr. Sean just call me his friend? 

           I look back up to him, "We're...friends?"

          He looks back, slightly hurt, "Of course Pookie. I mean, unless you don't want to be."

         "No! No, that's not what I meant, I just- I've never really had a friend before." This confession has me looking at the ground in shame.

          Gentle fingers grasp my chin, lifting my face up until I can see Dr. Sean again, "Pookie, Sang, I am honored to be your first friend." He leans forward and touches his lips to my forehead. He pulls back and my hand flies up to where his lips just were. HE JUST KISSED ME. I mean not kissed-kissed but he still kissed me, and is this what friends do? What? What just happened? 

           He chuckles and I groan, hiding my now tomato-red face in my hands. Friends...are hard work.

Sorry guys, not a really big chapter, but we've finally met Mr. Blackbourne! Thanks to @NaomiPayne6 for jump- starting my writer's brain.