Chapter 63

"You still need to go back to the hospital," Sean said, releasing her from his hold. Athena was surprised, they had just confessed their feelings to each other, shouldn t the thing they would want to do the most be to stay together and enjoy each other s presence? Why does he want to push her away? She looked up at him but before she could say anything, he placed a finger on her lips, "I know what you want to say and no, I am not pushing you away, Athena," he let his fingers move to her cheek and traced her face with his fingertips, "that is the last thing I would ever do again, but, in as much as I want to keep you here with me, your health is important."
"I m fine, Sean, thanks to you. TB said with how you protected me, you kept me from sustaining any wound apart from this little cut on my forehead," she touched the plaster, "you need help more than I do, Sean, and since you have refused to go to the hospital, let me take care of you. Ever since I have met you, you have been the one taking care of me, looking after me, let me help you this time, let me be the one to take care of you," she grabbed his hand that was caressing her face and kissed his palm while still looking at him, "please."
Sean sighed and smiled softly then, "okay."
Athena smiled, she walked behind him to pick up his bowl of cereal, then turning, she discovered he was already facing her. She smiled once more and walked back to him, "to the bedroom."
"You first," he said.
Athena frowned, wondering why but then decided to let it be as she walked past him and entered the bedroom. He followed her but rather than sitting on the bed where she sat, he sat on the chair, giving her his full view. "Your cereal?" She raised up the bowl and he smiled and stretched his hand out to her. She stood up and approached him, placing the bowl in his hand. She stood beside him as he scooped spoonfuls after spoonfuls into his mouth. A knock on the door startled them and Sean looked at her, silently asking if she was expecting someone and it was only then that she remembered Leo. "Could he still be waiting for me?"
"If its Leo, then yes, he will never leave until he is sure you are okay," he smiled, "that s one of his good traits."
"I better go tell him I m okay, then," she smiled, "coming with me? Don t you want to see him?"
Sean smiled and nodded, "you first," he said as he stood up. She walked ahead and he placed the bowl on the table before following. She might not have noticed before but she couldn t help but feel like Sean was purposely avoiding her to see his back. The thought alone surprised her and she played the scenes since she came in her mind. Even when he was throwing her out, he made sure she was in the front. She frowned, wondering why and it was then that she remembered she did see a wood fell on him and he walked through fire with nothing but his singlet, after giving her both his shirt and blazer. As she opened the door, all she could think about was getting him to turn his back and let her see.
"It s good to know you two finally made up, but forgetting about me?" Leo said.
Sean smiled, "since when do you start whining like a child?"
"Really, that s what you are going to say to me, after everything? Fine then, come on, Athena, let s go," he reached to grab her hand and it was then that she was pulled out of her thought, looking from Leo to Sean. "I came with you, I am leaving with you," Leo added, seeing her shocked expression.
Sean chuckled, "fine then, I will just drive down to the city and pick up Gloria, how about that?"
Leo laughed, "that has a nice ring to it, I would like to see how things would turn like that," he grinned.
Sean rolled his eyes and in the next minute, he got serious, "have you found who?"
Leo turned serious as well, "I m getting close but you are not going to like who it s pointing at."
Athena looked from one man to the other, wondering what they were talking about. Sean nodded at what Leo said, "I don t care, I just want to know who."
Leo smiled then, "have I ever let you down?" he raised an eyebrow, "don t worry, I will have what you want soon." He looked at Athena, "enjoy your stay but I m sorry I have to leave now, got to make it home before the storm," he looked at the already cloudy sky, "see you soon," then he looked at Sean, "Tobias is going nuts."
"Bring him with you next time. And Smith, how is he?"
"Well, he is recovering," he shrugged.
"Next time you hit my bodyguard, I will kill yours," Sean said but that only made Leo laugh.
"I will be looking forward to it," he chuckled and winked at Athena before walking back to his car. They watched him get in and he waved at them before making a turn and speeding off.
Sean closed the door and turned to Athena, only to see her watching him, he raised an eyebrow, "what is it?"
"Turn around," she said.
"Let s go to the bedroom," he grabbed her hand to push her forward but she snatched her hand away and faced him.
"Turn around, Sean."
"Athena…"
"Turn around, I don t see anything hard there."
Sean sighed and kept his gaze on her, seconds passed and he sighed once more, "it s nothing, it would heal."
Athena didn t miss the fact that he just agreed that he was hurt and that her speculation was right, she gulped and repeated, "turn around, Sean."
He bit his lower lip and sucked in a deep breath before letting it out through the mouth, he reached to caress her face but she backed away and he could only let his hand drop with a sigh and slowly but steadily, turning to back her.
Athena gasped when she saw his back, but due to the lack of light in the room, she couldn t see clearly. She quickly flipped on the light switch that was beside the door. She covered her mouth with both hands when she took a good look at his back. From his shoulder blades down to his waist were patches of burnt marks. At the center of his back, was a bigger burnt mark, without being told, she knew that particular wound has to be caused by the wood that he took for her. Tears trailed down her cheeks as she watched them. She knew how his back looked like before, it was flawless, spotless that whenever she sees him working out, she was always overwhelmed with the urge of touching him, caressing him and now, it was hard to compare the skin before her to the one in her memory.
She slowly approached him and then softly and tenderly let her fingertips touched his back, he didn t make a sound but she saw him stiffen and that made her withdraw her hand immediately. The more she looked at him, the more tears run down her cheeks, "I m…I m so sorry, Sean," she whispered, "I m so sorry," she sobbed.