The Wall and The Flower

Chapter 24: Rise & Shine.

The hardest parts are the beginning and ending, please bare with me with updates I will be doing another chapter and maybe an epilogue.

Edited to the best of my abilities.

On with the reading!

I was sitting across from Dr. Quinn, my therapist trying my best to read his thoughts after telling him what Stefan tried to offer but his poker face was unmatched.

"Well?" I shrugged.

"Well?" He asked back, a ghost of a smirk playing on his lips.

"Say something!" I was starting to get agitated with this game.

"I'm listening to you." He smiled calmly.

"You suck as a therapist you know that?" We argued all the time, Dr. Quinn said it adds chemistry and dramatics to our therapist/client relationship. For some reason he found me amusing.

"Do I? How so?" He said scribbling something on his notepad, I'm pretty sure he was just doodling but he liked to play these type of games and although I didn't take it very serious it could be annoying, and he knew that.

"What are your thoughts?" I elevated my tone of voice.

"Crystal," he chuckled, "you haven't even told me yours yet."

"It's too much." I shrugged again.

"Okay, how does he feel?"

"He understands and respects it but he still stands by what he wants."

"So do you think this could affect you two?" And that's something I truly pondered, will I feel pressured to be on the same page as Stefan? Is it even best for me to even try with him when I'm not ready for what he's ready for? How is that fair?

"I see what you're doing. Does he get a say in it?" Silence.

"Okay Crystal, ask Stefan how does he feel about therapy see if you can get him in I want to talk to you two together." Dr. Quinn sighed.

"What?" What was that supposed to mean? He's a therapist surely he's dealt with worse or crazier?

"I'm not passing judgement on you two, but you have got to stop over working yourself with this thinking you do. Or at least learn how to mask it." He got up from his seat and circled around his desk. Writing me another slip for an appointment.

It seemed that Dr. Quinn really cared for my mental state. I assumed he was just really good at his job.

"I'll see you next week?" He looked up at me, in hopes of a promise.

"Yes, do I ever miss?" I snatched the appointment slip from his hands, it felt as though we were like friends.

"See you then Miss Smith." He pushed his glasses up.

"See you then Dr. Quinn."

After confirming my appointment with the receptionist I hopped in my car and headed downtown for something to eat. I called  since Melanie wasn't taking my calls.

"Hey!" He greeted as soon as he was on the phone.

"Did you tell her what I said?" I asked Jaheem to tell Melanie to stop being so dramatic and answer the damn phone.

"Do you want us to break up?" I knew he wouldn't do it.

"I get where she's coming from." Jaheem sighed into the phone.

"Damn stop blowing your joy ass breath through the phone!" I joked.

"I've never liked you." Jaheem and I always had a love/hate relationship.

"No for real I understand but she doesn't understand, and if she'd talk to me maybe I could put things into perspective." I explained as I made a right at a light.

"You're going to do what you want at the end of the day, just give her some space and time to cool off." Jaheem offered.

"Okay." I agreed.

"Alright I gotta go, we love you okay?" I smiled to myself.

"Love y'all too." I said before disconnecting the call. I pulled into
the parking lot of a small deli spot that I'd discovered a few years back with Melanie. It had been a few days  since the blow up between her and I and a few days since Stefan asked me to move in with him and ever since things were starting to feel a bit dry between us. Everything was feeling out of balance, and I was starting to get anxiety from it. I didn't like fighting with my sister especially over something delicate like this.

I ate at the deli shop since it was pretty empty and I was really hungry. It definitely gave me a chance to get my thoughts together, I needed to slow down, Dr. Quinn said that I needed to stop overthinking, that it wasn't good for me especially with my trauma because I built off of each and every thought. I sighed, rubbing my temples I cleaned up my mess and returning a farewell to the cashier before leaving the deli.

Stefan's POV

Things felt awkward between Crystal and I, but I was a bit too occupied with storing Michael somewhere no one could find him, I didn't know when would be the right time to tell her. I didn't want to trigger her that way for sure.

"So you won't bring her is what you're telling me?" My mother asked over the phone.

"Yes mother, for now I'm telling you no it's not a good idea."

"I'll live. What are you up to?" I queried.

"Yes, you will and I'm actually pretty busy with business so I'm gonna have to let you go." After we exchanged 'I love you's' I pulled up to where I had Michael located.

It had been at least a week since capturing Michael ad we made sure to make his stay as uncomfortable as possible.

"What's he been doing?"

"Same as usual talking shit in Russia." Derek a guy that was apart of my P.I. team shrugged.

I smacked my lips as he lead me through the abandoned warehouse. We finally came to a stop, Michael was tied to an old wooden chair, he reeked and looked absolutely disgusting as his head hung.

I looked over to Derek, "leave us alone for sec will ya?" I said patting his shoulder. Although it was a question it wasn't at the same time.
Derek only nodded and left the two of us alone.

"God, you fucking stink." I pinched my nose.

"Let's chat Mike." I said smacking him awake.

He grumbled something in Russian but I only rolled my eyes cause I didn't wanna hear that shit.

"Why did you kill my father?"

"Yest' der'mo." He grumbled, before I knew I kicked him hard in the middle of his chest causing the chair to fall back with him in with a loud thud.

I stood over him as he gasped deeply for air, "English motherfucka!"