The First Catch

Chapter 18: A Warning Or A Promise?

It had been a week since the incident, and Melanie so far had made no moves to call Anthony back. She had seen that he called a few times and left a few messages, but she ignored them. She didn't want to speak about what had happened. She stayed mostly in her room keeping to herself unless she needed to be at work. She was afraid if she was surrounded by people, they would ask her what happened, she would continue to break down, and she was getting tired of it all. Perhaps I should just move and start somewhere all over. That way she wouldn't have people nagging at her to do things twenty four seven. She wouldn't have expectations. She knew her friends were concerned of her, but she needed time alone still too. She closed her eyes at the thought. It was about time that she had gone on her own anyways.. This was only supposed to be temporary. And she had been here for almost a year. Surely Levi and Vic weren't going to want her to be at their house forever.

Once Levi was ready, he had let Victoria know that he was heading to work. When he got to the station, he got things settled in his office before paying a visit to Anthony. He wanted to find out what had happened on the date. He knew that Melanie wasn't going to tell him, and he could only hope that Anthony would. As Levi approached Anthony's office, he knocked at the door before stepping inside, not giving Anthony a chance to answer. Anthony glanced up from his case files as he heard the knock and was surprised to see Levi suddenly strolling in like he did. Not even giving Anthony a chance to invite him in first. He cleared his throat a little feeling suddenly awkward. "Levi.." "I am assuming by your expression you know why I am here.." He said in a cool voice. Anthony took a deep breath and stood up from his desk. "Look. Levi.. I don't know what Melanie told you." He walked around from his desk and suddenly felt a direct punch towards his right cheek from his friend as soon as he did so. He stumbled back a few feet as he didn't expect it, and looked up glaring at Levi shocked. "What the hell?" He growled.

"What did you do with Melanie?" Anthony gave him a glare right back. "I didn't do anything!" Levi grabbed him by the arm even though Anthony was quite taller than him, but at this point he didn't exactly care, he was only worried about Mel. "Then why did she come back to the house crying? You had to of done something." Anthony quickly pulled his arm away, easily able to get loose from Levi's grasp. "Perhaps you should ask what happened first before coming to conclusions." He hissed. He wasn't all that surprised that Melanie didn't tell him anything. "And you should be very careful about who you are insulting. I am an officer! A detective! You are my partner.. I could write you up and get you fired on the spot if I wanted.." Anthony of course wouldn't do that.  Levi was his best friend.  Unfortunately he was letting his anger get to him again, when he was angry, he didn't think things through before he chose to speak.  Levi stayed where he was keeping his stare on his friend. "I don't care.." He muttered. "Right now, my concern is Melanie.." Anthony looked at him crossing his arms across his chest. "Really? Because you should..."

Levi sighed making an attempt to calm down. "I'm sorry.. It's just. Melanie is a very close friend of mine too. I consider her like a sister. When she came home upset it got me worried. She wouldn't tell me what went wrong, and I was hoping you could. I had only meant to come here to ask, I hadn't expected to have punched you.." Levi muttered before taking a seat. Anthony shook his head before taking his own seat back, sitting across from Levi. "It's fine.. To be honest, I am not quite sure what is wrong. Things were going fine.. Until.." Anthony grew quiet not sure if he should tell him. He wasn't really sure what was wrong with her either. The night had been going quite well he thought until Melanie had to take care of that woman.  Then there was something that seemed to trigger her.

Levi raised his eye a bit curiously. He held up his hand before his friend could continue. "Wait.. If you and her.."  Levi had no idea about the scenario that happened at the bar.  When Anthony stalled his sentence, Levi's mind just automatically assumed to go in that direction.  He of course trusted Anthony, at least he thought he could.  But he still couldn't help think that thought.  Anthony glared at him wishing he was close enough to smack Levi in the back of his head with what he was insinuating. "We did no such thing!" He hissed. "You know I wouldn't.. We haven't been together that long." He rolled his eyes. "I.. I may have gotten mad at her for something.. Something that was not of her control.." Levi stayed where he was and watched him, waiting for him to continue with his story. "I really did try to call her, to try and make it up to her, I want to apologize.  But she won't return my calls, and for how I acted, I wouldn't blame her." He said once he had finished filling him in on the details of what happened. He told Levi about what happened with the woman, telling him that he felt Melanie seemed off since the incident began.  He left out about the part for getting mad at her for being a nurse. Which he knew that he shouldn't of. He hated all nurses because of what happened to his sister Greta. They had a chance to save her and didn't. Though he knew that Melanie wasn't there when it happened, it wasn't her fault, he still couldn't help but feel mad.

Levi gave a small nod of his head. He knew that Anthony needed to know the truth, and he knew that Melanie would never tell him, Levi knew she would hate him if he told Anthony. He took a deep breath. "Unfortunately I can't say for Melanie. But perhaps if you went to speak to her."  Levi didn't think it was possible. It was a long shot.  As Melanie no longer seemed to be telling him or Victoria anything anymore either. Anthony sighed. "She won't tell me anything. I know that you said she has some things going on.  We haven't been friends long enough for her to tell me anything. I want to help her, I just don't know how." Anthony stated. Levi stayed quiet a moment trying to think. "If she can see she can trust you.  Find a way to get her to trust you, and she might just open up to you." "I don't think she will want to speak to me.. I don't blame her.." "I will try to talk to her, or I can try to find a way to get her to meet you someplace." "I think I can work with that.  Say Levi?' Levi glanced at him. "Yes?" "I'm curious.. If you knew my input, my views on what I thought of nurses and doctors or anyone in that profession, why did you work so hard to get her and I to meet?" So that was the issue. When Melanie had helped that gal, Anthony learned who Melanie was, and had yelled at her for not telling him. Thinking that she had known beforehand about his situation, and had chosen to keep it a secret. "Because. Victoria and I thought the two of you would get along well. Now I'm not so sure.  We wanted the two of you to at least meet. You're friends with Victoria and she's a nurse. What makes that different? You didn't like the idea at first, but now she is one of your best friends." Anthony considered the question for a moment. "It's different.." Levi crossed his arms across his chest staring at his friend. He wasn't sure some days of how Anthony's way of thinking was. It confused him sometimes. "How so?" He asked. Anthony hesitated. He didn't quite know if he had a true answer. "I'm not sure..  It just is."

Levi shook his head. "Anthony, if you are very certain you don't want to be with her for that reason, then it is best to keep away while you can, while she's giving you the easy way out. Because she has been through enough, I did believe that you and her would be a good match, but she also deserves a lot better if that is the case. You both have been through quite a bit, I know. But if you don't think it will work out, I won't go through all the trouble in continuing for to get you guys to meet if you're only going to hurt her in the end.." Anthony took a deep breath listening to Levi speak. He did care for Melanie, and he missed hanging out with her.  It had been a week since they had last seen each other. Or that he had heard from her. If it didn't work out, he hoped they could at least remain friends in the long run, but he was hoping for something more with her. He may even be starting to fall for her, but he couldn't say yet, it was too soon.  He didn't want it to be completely the end, he wanted to continue to keep trying, fighting for her to give him a chance.  However, Melanie seemed hellbent in not even attempting to give him a chance, or let anyone in.  She was still hung up on whatever she was hung up on.  He opened his eyes realizing he had taken longer than he needed to to reply, and noticed that Levi was staring at him impatiently waiting for him to respond. "I don't want to hurt Melanie.  I hadn't meant to the other night. I tried to call her because I was worried about her. I saw what the incident did to her. I tried calling a few times to see how she was doing, but she won't answer my calls. If she is willing to give me another chance, we can meet at Overton Park by the bench. She will know which one." Levi raised his eye at Anthony's comment, but he let it pass. "Just let me know if she is willing to meet me and we can take it from there. Now.  I have some work to do."  Levi nodded and stood up as he watched Anthony grab his pen to continue working on the paperwork. Taking it as a hint that he was dismissed. He had wanted to speak with him a little longer to figure things out. But he knew when it was his cue to leave. "I will let you know either way." Seeing that Anthony wasn't going to say another word to him, Levi turned and took his exit from Anthony's office, shutting the door behind him before making his way to his own.