Felt like a Mack truck hit her. Even though the bullet went through her side and didn't hit any major organ, she felt pain all over her body. They had to keep the pain meds coming. She wanted to sleep all day. They said she would be there a few more days, but she wanted to be home in bed.

Not at her home. She didn't think she would ever want to see the home she loved so much. No, not when her last image of it was Matthew laying on the floor dead.

She needed to clear all thoughts of that man from her brain. Erase everything about him. Move on with her life. And that life now included the man she loved, Hook. She wanted to be home in bed next to him. And home was wherever he was. If that meant his tiny little apartment well, so be it.

Too bad her parents had other plans for her. They could not wait to get her home to them. They were there every day fussing over her and asking the doctors many questions. After four days, she was finally released and they drove her right to their house.

"Now you need anything, my little Angel baby, take your phone and just text me. I'll come and get you whatever you need," her mother said, kissing her forehead as she lay in the bed.

"Mom, I can do things for myself. It's one little wound that is healing just fine."

"Oh hush now! You're my baby and I'm going to take care of you," she said, kissing her forehead again.

"I'm thirty-two."

"What's your point? I gave birth to you, you are my baby," she said, "You would understand that if you gave me a grandbaby."

She groaned and slid under the covers a bit.

"I think you and Hook would make nice babies. His dimples, your-"

"Mom! He already has two kids."

"I know, but none with you, and that man loves you!"

"I love him too," she said with a smile. "He's different. I didn't think I would ever fall for someone like him."

"Love is love honey, we can't control that," she said, rubbing her forehead. "You're a little warm. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. I'm thirsty. Can I have some wine?"

"Now you know you can't with the meds you're on. I'll bring you some water," her mother said and then walked out of the room

"Fine," she said, grabbing her phone. She called Hook even though she knew he was at work.

"Hey baby," he said.

"I miss you."

"I miss you too. You home now?"

"At my parents. Will you come out to see me tonight?"

"Now you know your parents live even further out than you. That's a long ass drive."

"I'm not worth it?"

"Baby, you're always worth it. I'll call you when I'm on my way."

She had plenty of time to take a nap and rest before Hook got off work.

When she finally woke up, her mother was hovering over her and it was kind of creepy.

"Mom?"

"Hey Angel, you feeling okay? That was quite a nap."

"I don't know," she said, stretching but had to stop herself from that. It hurt. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Oh, close to five hours."

"Five hours? That's not a nap, that's deep sleep. Ugh! I'm so tired," she said, trying to sit up and her mother helped her.

"I know you're hungry. I have some dinner waiting for you. And you have a guest."

"Hook's here!" That made her move quickly to get out the bed. Too quickly, her side was killing her.

"He's been here a few minutes, so calm down and take your time. I told him I would come to check on you."

"Okay, great," she said, looking for some cuter clothes to change into. "Crap, I look like crap mom. Let me at least comb my hair so I don't look like a zombie."

"I'm sure that man does not care about what you look like."

Still, she ran her fingers through her hair, it being a tangled mess. She needed to get a new sew-in real soon. Not combing it out and wrapping it with a scarf every night was taking its toll. She changed into a simple t-shirt and jogger pants with her mother helping her and fussing with her the whole time.

She made it into the living room where Hook was sitting and talking with her father.

"Hey, guys."

"There she is, Miss America," her father said, getting up to hug her. "You look like crap."

"Dad!"

"I think she looks beautiful," Hook said with a smile at her.

"Ok, Hook's trying to stay on my good side," she said. "And dad is just being mean. If a woman is looking like hell, the proper thing to say is, you look nice, lie, but not overkill."

"Angel, you need to eat something. Want me to fix you something?" her mother asked.

"I'm not hungry."

"But you need to eat. You haven't eaten anything since you left the hospital."

"But I said I'm not hungry," she said, sitting down by Hook.

"You really should eat something," Hook said.

She rolled her eyes. "Fine! Bring me whatever." She snuggled against Hook.

"Hook, I was just about to watch the Cardinals game, you want-" her father started.

"Yeah, you know that's my team," Hook said.

"Nooo! Hook, you came to see me, not suck up to my father. Daddy, no, can me and Hook just hang out?"

"Fine, fine, I'll let you lovebirds be," he said walking out.

"You're grumpy when you're hurt...I mean, grumpier."

"I feel better. I think I can come to stay with you," she said.

"Stop lying. You know you need them to look after you. I'm at work all day, they can be here with you."

"We'll see how long this lasts," she said, kissed his neck. "You smell fresh. You showered at work."

"I'm not coming to see my girl smelling like dirt and grime."

"Wanta make out?"

"Here? Right here in your parent's living room?"

"It'll be like when I was in high school or something," she said, kissing his neck. "Stealing kisses."

"Oh, you were like that, huh?"

"No, not really. Not the boys at my high school. The five-ten skinny Black girl, pfft! I got no play."

"Their loss," he said, pulling her in for a kiss that was so soft and tender it made any pain she was feeling melt away.

"Ahem!" her mother said, walking into the room holding a tray with food on it.

"Sorry Mrs. Hamilton," Hook said, pulling away.

"Don't mind me, Angel's grown and I know she misses you," she said, putting the tray of food on the coffee table. "Some chicken noodle soup. From a can. So I didn't make it."

"Mom, I don't have a cold or anything," she said, still chicken noodle soup was one of her favorites to have when she was younger and not feeling well.

"I'll make sure she eats it, Mrs. Hamilton."

"Stop calling me that, it's Clarissa. I won't disturb you two."

Angel ate all the soup and the crackers. She was hungry after all. Then she lay back on Hook's lap while he rubbed her face.

"What did he do to you?"

"Why are you asking me that? It's over. I don't want to talk about it."

"I wanna know what he did...before you shot him."

"What he tried to do. I could have just felt helpless and let him take advantage of me, or I could fight. Personally, I didn't think I had it in me," she said, holding his hand. "I think being with you made me think I was a tough girl."

"You are."

"I want more gun lessons. I want to get my gun permit. I aimed for that fuckers head and missed."

He chuckled. "Still a pretty good shot."

"Have you gone back to the house?"

"Yes. Crime scene tape everywhere. I went with your father. I got some of my things, he got some of yours. You know you can clean all that up, get it repaired and-"

"No, I never want to go back there."

Hook kept caressing her hair, looking down at her. She smiled at him.

"What are you thinking about?"

He held out a lock of her hair.

"I want to know what you look like without this?"

"Boy!" She sat up from his lap too fast, but this man was playing too much. "You don't ask a Black woman about her hair. And if you know it's a weave, act like it grows from her head, even though I know you know it's not. And boy, this is my hair! I know it looks a hot mess right now, but I'm going to the salon to get it done over."

"But why? I saw pictures of you when you were younger and you had a lot of nice hair."

"And I still do!"

"Then stop with the weave."

"Look, let me tell you something-"

"Stop getting so defensive baby, I'm just saying, the weave looks nice, real nice. You fly, you know that. But I just wanta' see you."

She rolled her eyes, laid back down on his lap. Men were something else. She didn't wear her weave to impress a man, she wore her weave for her. It was easier to take care of than her own hair. Well, least till lately. Her own hair took more work to look really good.

"Let me think about it."

"I bet you it's beautiful."

"Shut up and stop sucking up."

"You know I can't stay long. I have to get back. Long drive and I need to get up early in the morning." He leaned down and kissed her. "I want to stay and be all up on you."

"I'm healed! We can go to my room, lock the door, and if we're quiet-"

"No way, girl no," he said. "You can hold off on some D."

"But it's some really good D," she whispered at him and they laughed. "Stop! I told you I couldn't laugh."

"Come on, get up, let me take you back to your room so you can lay down. I'll call you later."

He walked her to the room and neither wanted to say goodnight. They held each other and kissed for a long time. Every time Hook tried to pull away, she pulled him back for more kisses.

"Girl, stop. I gotta go."

"You don't have to."

"Yes, I do."

"One last kiss," she said, kissing him. "I love you."

"I love you, girl."

A/N: Looks like these two are going to make things work. What else could possibly go wrong now that Matthew is out of the picture?

XOXO
Kimberly