Falling

Chapter Twenty-Five

Sarah half expected Owen to leave at any moment that first week they were back in New Mexico. As she told him more and more about that year he was away she always felt like a piece of him was disconnected from her, and while he got angry, it was never at her.

It was different this time, this time it wasn't about admitting they loved each other after years of buildup, this time it was just returning to what felt natural.

In the second week, she was afraid if they were ever apart again, her heart would be so devastated, it'd never be put back together. She kept him at arms length because it was terrifying.

Then they were out at the supermarket and they were stopped by an old lady desperate for conversation, and Owen introduced Mica as their daughter, and Sarah decided she was never going to let him go.

The third week Owen spent everyday watching movies with her when she was too sick to even consider standing up. She accidentally gave him her illness, but he said he didn't care - until he started hacking up a lung - then he half cared. Half, because then Sarah started looking after him.

In that week they lay together on the couch and took turns choosing what to watch. Amelia eventually kicked him out to go home, but he came back as soon as he woke up the next day.

In the fourth week everything changed. They spent the day at the range with Mica in tow and it was gorgeous and Sarah forced Owen into pictures. She almost cried as she got a shot of Owen holding Mica in the air and kissing her stomach in front of the setting sun.

She and Owen got into a water fight and Sarah was sure she was winning, until Owen emptied a bucket filled with pegs, filled it with water, picked her up under one arm and doused her head with liquid.

She screeched and clung onto him, sure she would fall, but he wouldn't let that happen.

Sarah was still trying to dry her hair when they pulled up to the curb outside her house.

She ignored her memories of the spot and let her lips linger against Owen's. She let him deepen the kiss but it stayed gentle and loving, like running through rose fields or something.

Owen wasn't pushing her, he didn't think he'd ever push her boundaries, not even a tap, Sarah was going to have to lead. He would never be Spencer.

No, instead, Spencer was Spencer and smashed on the window startling both. The moment Owen saw him he flung open the door and decked him.

At the sounds of shouts from outside Vic sprinted to the front door. Following her normal attitude towards violence she pulled Owen back and he listened, unwilling to hit her in the crossfire. He grabbed the shaking Sarah and pulled her behind him.

She let out a whimper as Spencer grinned with bloody teeth until Vic too punched him. This time he fell on his arse on the ground but that didn't stop him from starting to laugh.

"Great people around my kid Sarah." Spencer congratulated, slowly getting to his feet, keeping some distance from the protective group.

"Mica is not your 'kid!'" Sarah snarled, taking all three by surprise. "She is nothing to do with you, you son of a bitch. You're going to jail, I'm going to make sure of it. You're going to pay with your life for what you did to me."

Owen clutched onto Sarah's hand for dear life, more for his sake than for her's. She could feel the blood piled on top of rips across his knuckles and it sent fear into the pit of her stomach.

Mica was grisly as Vic got her out of her car seat and, after stealing a glare at the man in front of her, took her inside. Mica reached for her mother and started to cry but all did their best to ignore it. 'Sorry Bubs.' Sarah thought as she instinctively tightened her grip on Owen.