Good Intentions

Ch1: Beauty Sleep Theif

Owen POV

Turning the key to unlock Sean's door I replayed the evening's conversation through my mind again, just as I had done since I dropped off Mr. Taylor Junior. The condo was dark, and I was sure that Sean was passed out in his room. He had been working so much lately that he rarely got more than four hours of sleep at a time. Between the hospital, the Ashley Waters job, and the crazy that is Ms. Sorenson, Dr. Sean Green was in high demand. Not wanting to disturb Sean, I quietly shut and locked the door behind me, and took my shoes off by the door. I padded my way into the kitchen to make myself a cup of tea. It was late, and I should really be going to bed myself, but I knew that my brain was not done analyzing the events of the past couple days.

I was pulling the kettle off the flame just as it started to whistle. I did not want the whistle to wake Sean. I moved around the kitchen as quietly as I could putting together my tea and made my way over to the kitchen island to sit and think while I sipped. Thinking back to the conversation with Mr. Anderson I could not help but continue to replay a few of the things he had said to us. He told us of some of the mistakes that he and his team had made regarding Lily in the beginning. Much of the story he told was very similar to our own situation with Ms. Sorenson. Just like the Anderson team, I had instructed to boys to keep their distance from her and maintain a platonic relationship.

At the time the only motivation driving that decision was my fear that Ms. Sorenson was not in the right mental state to deal with so much male attention, again quite similar to Mrs. Anderson's situation. It was obvious to both Sean and myself that she was a very sheltered and naive girl, that was dealing with a very difficult and confusing situation. I only ever wanted to make sure that she was not being pressured or persuaded into anything that she did not want or did not really understand. I thought that by creating the rule that put her in the driver's seat, so to speak, I would be protecting her, and by extension, the team. However, after the way Mr. Anderson had phrased it, I now realise that what that rule essentially did was create an environment where everyone was growing closer emotionally, but no one was able to stake any type of claim. I had been exceptionally short sighted in that regard.

Now as it stands, I am almost positive that many, if not all, of my team is head over heels for the amazing Ms. Sorenson. And it would seem that she has growing affections for them all as well. With a deep sigh, I began to think about how very confused she must feel. She was raised with almost no kindness or affection, and is used to being completely on her own. Now she is surrounded by eight men, all of which are battling for her time and attention. I can't be sure, but I would bet that she is not even aware that their feeling for her are more than platonic. She may wonder about a few of them that have been slightly bolder with their interests, but being that there has been no physical escalation in any of their relationships, she must not fully recognize the interest. I could not stop another deep sigh as I picked up my cup to sip my tea.

"What, pray tell, has the great Owen Blackbourne so frustrated this late at night?" I hear Sean as from the doorway of the kitchen. The lights are still off as he walks to the stool next to me and takes a seat.

"I'm sorry I woke you Sean, I tried to be quiet." I really did feel badly for disturbing him.

"Nonsense Owen. If you didn't want to rob me of my beauty sleep you would have gone to your own home for the evening rather than breaking into mine." He replied to me with a small smirk I could barely see in the dark. Pushing my glasses up my nose I replied quickly.

"It is not breaking and entering if I have a key. Which I do."

"Right, right. Of course. Well, why are you sitting here in the dark like a serial killer then? Only criminals lurk around in the dark. You might not have broken, but you definitely entered, skulked around, and if I am not mistaken, even pillaged my tea supply?" He drawled with a devilish smirk. "I feel completely vandalized I tell you. And robbed!"