To Protect Each Other ~ A Haleb Story

Happy Birthday

Hanna's POV...

"Calebbbb!" I squealed as I barged through his apartment door. The heart warming smell of Caleb overwhelmed me like it usually does when I enter his apartment. Instead of being greeted by Caleb's loving smile and strong embrace, however, I heard a loud crash.

"Shit!" I heard a mutter. I walked through the living room to see him stood in the kitchen with a pan in his hand, and another, larger one on the floor. "For fucks sake, Hanna." He continued to mutter as he saw me. He was clearly cooking breakfast in just his boxers. What a lovely sight... I thought.

"What happened?" I tried to sound concerned, but it was slightly laced with amusement at the sheer hot joy of Caleb's 'I'm really pissed off right about now' face.

"What do you think happened?" He replied, sarcastically.

"No, no, no." I repeated as I snatched the pan from his hand and placed it back on the stove to continue cooking, then I picked the other up and threw it in the sink, followed by shoving Caleb onto the sofa and heading back to the kitchen.

"Care to explain?" He asked, slightly less 'pissed' that the mess was off of his hands.

"No, not really. But... considering it's your birthday... you're not doing any work. Understood?" I flipped the pancakes in the pan one last time before serving them onto a plate, followed by his favourite golden syrup. "Breakfast is served!" I giggled. "I must say, your ratio between eggs and flour has really improved. Well done."

"Thanks." He laughed as he took a mouthful. He sectioned another piece and was about to put it into his mouth before he looked at me, "You need to eat, too. Here." He held out his fork with the pancakes on.

"No, no. I've already eaten." I smiled. I could easily tell he was assessing me.

"What did you eat?" He challenged.

"Two bananas." I continued to smile.

"Lie." He said, but I couldn't quite hear.

"Sorry, what was that?"

"You're lying. Eat." He passed me his plate and positioned himself of the sofa so he could watch me.

"Caleb, I've eaten."

"No, Hanna, you haven't. Now eat." He demanded, sternly.

"I'm not hungry!"

"Well poor you. But I really don't care. Eat."

"I don't want to!" I whined.

"Hanna Olivia Marin, I will feed you like a child if that's what it'll take."

"No." I said, put the plate down and got up, only to be dragged back down by Caleb.

Caleb's POV...

As I pulled Hanna back down, her sleeve rolled up and I felt an unfamiliar feeling on her wrist. I didn't dare look down; I had a horrible feeling of what it was. A scar. But not just any scar, a recent one. One that I would've known about since I know every inch of her body inside-out. Before I could look down at it, which I dreaded, she pulled away and hid it with her sleeve. I stood straight up and and grabbed it again, pulling her jacket back up. Much to my dismay, there layed a red, tender scar which looked as if it had been inflicted within the past two weeks.

"Get off me." Her voice was just above a whisper as she pulled away again.

"What- why- why didn't you tell me?" I asked, hurt that she didn't oblige by our agreement.

"What that I cut myself?"

"No, that you felt like you were going to! Did that whole conversation that we had just disappear from your memory or something?" I yelled, a little more louder than I intended and she flinched.