Cross Fire (Part II)

Prologue

It has been 6 months since the incident. My wounds have completely healed and if it wasn't for the small, almost invisible marks on my wrists, I would do better at forgetting what had happened.

Shawn has been trying to get me to see a therapist, but I refuse every time. Partly because I don't believe in shrinks and secondly, because I believe I am strong enough to get through this on my own. I wish he could just understand and let it go.

"Ready?", says Shawn and interrupts my train of thought.

"Yes, sorry I got carried away.", I explain as I move away from the mirror I've been staring at myself in.

I look good. Better than good. I wear a tight, white dress that comes halfway down my calves with a little pick-a-boo lace in the cleavage. It is a very sexy dress that leaves nothing to the imagination, and I picked it out just for that reason. I wanted to look my best for this party. It was my first appearance and it was for some album release. Everyone in the show business was going.
I haven't been out or seen in public since the news about my kidnapping broke. It was all over the TV and papers and I couldn't bare it, so I locked myself in. I was staying at Shawn's house for the past six months, because he refused to let me be alone at my apartment. I tried to protest a few times, but he wasn't having any of it. I was actually glad to have him around, he helped me stay sane. I loved hearing him sing, and I loved hearing him play the piano and guitar. I could stay for hours watching him work.

I got back to my work two weeks after I left the hospital. Mr. Porter was kind enough to allow me as much time as I wanted, but I wanted to get back to work as soon as possible. The Viaduct project started without me, and for those first two weeks there was another Lead that filled in for me. I was really grateful, but I wanted to do this on my own. I wanted to be in charge on my first project, so I left no room for argument with Shawn, my parents, Jesse or anyone.

I was glad to see Kristen and Brian at work and we kept hanging out even after I was on site most of the time. I made sure I had time for them, because they were my only friends here, and they were here for me the entire time I was in the hospital, as well as when I got out.

Sam, as I understood, was in big trouble with the law, but he was out on bail, partly because the women he coerced into sleeping with him didn't press charges. I didn't understand them to be honest. I know it was consensual sex, but he held something over their heads. I think part of it was that some of them were married and felt embarrassed to testify publicly.
One good side is that he was no longer employed at Via Global and I wouldn't have to see him anymore.

Kate. I thought about Kate the most. I was driving myself crazy some days, to be honest. I didn't understand how she could hate me so much in such a short amount of time. I didn't understand how I, or anyone else for that matter, never noticed how unstable she was. Could I have helped her had I known? I almost asked Shawn this question and he got really angry. He yelled that it wasn't my place to help her, that she almost killed me, that someone at the firm should have run a background check and so on. I zoned out, honestly. I felt like he didn't understand what I was trying to say, and I had little to no energy for fights. It wasn't his fault, he just cared too much. I understood the protective place he was coming from.

He was so patient with me all this time, and I decided to attend this party with him. He has not been making many appearances, to the huge protestations of Andrew. He didn't want to go without me, and I saw that he was beginning to feel a little nervous for staying away for so long. So, I decided it's time I did something for him and told him that we should go to this party. Honestly, I was miserable at the party. I hated the looks of pity and the disingenuous words of kindness, but I didn't show it. I smiled and thanked everyone and expertly avoided delving into the topic.

In the following months I did a few appearances, and told Shawn that he should be going without me. He didn't try to fight me much and I understood that he missed it; being in the center of attention, attending parties, being among people. I told him that I wasn't ready and that I needed more time, and also that I wanted to concentrate on work.

My worksite was closed of, but there were paparazzi there in the beginning. After they realized that they will be taking the same pictures every day and that nothing remotely interesting happens on a work site they stoped coming. That was a huge relief, and honestly my work was my escape from the glitz and glam life that accompanied Shawn.

Of course there was another reason I wanted to stay out of the public eye. I had my own secrets that I was afraid of getting out. And I knew that at some point, someone was going to go digging. And was I right.