That One Night

I said I never wanted to see him again, and so far it has relatively easy to do so. Ever since that night when he called me Hypocritical and Judgmental as he said 'the list goes on and on', I haven't seen his face but I have had the feeling that someone has been watching me. It may just be me paranoid as usual.

Right now I am currently at home, cooking myself something for dinner. Ever since Don said what he said, I've cooking a lot. One night I couldn't sleep, so I made brownies. It's really weird but it's apparently how I've coped.

I had just put the chicken in the oven when there was a knock on my door. I dry my hands on a towel then I walk over to the door. Looking in the peephole, I see Flack standing out there in a suit which I assume to be his work attire. Before he can notice I'm by the door, I duck from the peep-hole and sit down on the ground with my back against the door.

"Annabel come on I know you're in there. I heard you walking by the door." I say nothing cause I don't want to have to see him and open the door.

"Fine, if your going to be this way..." I hear him mutter before speaking again. "Look I know I was a major jackass, and I know you want me to apologise. I can't apologise if you avoid me" I responded with more silence.

"Just know that this far from over, that your going to see more of me." After he says that, I hear footsteps walking away from the door. Thinking it's safe to get up, I climb up off the floor.

Well, he's wrong there. Cause I don't want him to apologise because I don't ever want to see him again. And when he said that I'll be seeing more of him, I have to admit that sounds really creepy. It doesn't matter because I will do whatever I can to avoid him.

I had continued on with my evening and just when I was about to fall asleep, Connor called telling me that he forgot to take inventory of all the alcohol at the bar and that he needed me to do it tonight. So that's how I ended in the bar at this hour. I love how he other employees that can do his dirty work for him, but I'm the only one he calls and wakes up in the middle of night. Or better yet, instead of calling someone in to do it he can get up off his ass and do it himself!

I know that is about as likely as the building catching on fire, it's just not going to happen.

I was currently writing down on paper what types of whiskey we had and how much we had of each type when I heard the bar door open. That's right, I forgot to lock the door when I came in.

I turn around to tell whoever came in that were closed, when I stopped in my tracks.

The guy had on blue jeans and a black hoodie. The hood was pulled up and over his head, shadowing his face and concealing his identity. His left hand was buried deep in the pocket of the hoodie. Very quickly, he had pulled his left hand out of the pocket and in his hand was a black handgun. SERIOUSLY CAN I GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM GUNS?!

The man aimed the gun at me, his hand shaking slightly as he held the gun up to my chest.

"Give me the money, all of it." He had asked in a quick, gruff manner. I raised my hands up to show my surrender then slowly started backing up to the register. Annabel, you don't think of something quickly, you are going to get a bullet in you and then your going to die. Then I remembered the alarm button Connor had installed under the cash register shortly after I started working here.

With the barrel of the gun still aimed at my chest, I quickly backed up towards the register. When I reached it, I slowly slid my left hand down from the air. I acted like I was going to open the register, but quickly I slid my hand under the bar and pressed the button. A loud ringing started going off, as I knew the police would be notified that the button had been pressed. I ducked to hide under the bar counter, but all along underneath the counter stuff had been stored there, making it impossible for me to hide there.

The man with the gun look at the ceiling and cursed. "Shit, just fucking wonderful." Then in the blink of an eye, the man pulled the trigger on the gun and a loud bang rang out. He then flung the front door open and ran off down the street. As I turned to walk, I felt incredibly dizzy and my stomach area was getting incredibly warm. When I walked towards the mirror to see what was going on with my stomach, I stumbled and fell to the ground. When I lifted my head slightly to see my stomach, there was blood seeping through my shirt on the right side of my stomach area.

My head was forced back down by the lack of energy I had, and my I started getting labored breathes out. As I started fading, I prayed that someone, anyone would get here in time before I died. Then everything went black.

-Don's POV-

Let me just admit that what I said to Annabel, was an absolute ass hole thing to say. I never, under any circumstances should have ever called her hypocritical and judgmental because it's not true. She had me backed up against a corner, and I just snapped at her. I hate to say this but part of what she said was true. That I shouldn't have overreacted in a way because when she hadn't responded when I kissed her, I jumped to conclusions. Also in a way I think I was right (though I doubt I'm right) in a way because she could have also picked a phone. Not everything has to be up to me to do. She was not kidding when she said she was going to avoid me. When I stopped at her house, I knew she was there so that's kind of why I said what I said while I was standing outside her door, but now that I realise it it's kind of creepy that I was just standing there saying that this was far from over. I just need to NOT AVOID ME so I can hopefully apologise and get back to where the both of us were before all this.

I am currently sleeping in bed, thankful that I actually got home at a reasonable time for once. I turned over in the bed when my phone started going off on the bedside table. I let out a groan as I put the pillow over my head, hoping to block out the noise. Instead, it kept going off and I knew I had to answer. Taking the pillow off my head, I swung my arm out to the bedside table and grabbed the ringing phone. I quickly answered it just so I didn't have to hear it go off anymore.

"Hello?" I asked with a sleepy tone in my voice.

"Flack, did I wake you up?" I hear Danny ask on the other end.

"Yeah you did, now why did you call?" I leaned my head back against the head board.

"How are things with you and Annabel?" He called just to ask me that? Seriously?

"It's... complicated, why what's going on?" I sat up in the bed as I responded to him.

"Don I have some news.. about Annabel." Woah, what does he mean by news exactly?

"Messer, what's going? Don't even TRY telling me everything is ok." I completely got up out of bed as I started to slightly pace.

"She was at work when something happened, no one's quite sure what happened yet when the owner of the place had stopped by and saw her on the ground..." He paused as if he was trying to find the right words.

"What do you mean he found her on the ground?" My voice raised a noise level higher.

"Man I was hoping I wouldn't have to be the one to tell you this..." Danny muttered as I imagined him running a hand through his hair. "Don, someone shot Annabel." What? SHE WAS SHOT? How the hell could that even happen?!

"Danny back up, SHE WAS SHOT?! How the hell could that happen?" I asked as I roughly started running a hand through my hair.

"Flack as I said before, we don't know what happened yet. All we know so far is that her boss Connor came in for some reason and saw her in a pool of blood by the counter of the bar... Don it doesn't look good. They just took her to the hospital."

"Danny you NEED to tell me what hospital she's being taking to." I asked as I started to put a shirt on over my head.

"I thought you said things were complicated?"

"The last thing I said to her face was that she was hypocritical and judgmental, there's no way in hell I'm letting that be the last words I ever say to her." I scrambled to put on a pair of jeans. He gave me the name of the hospital and the address then he said "I'm sorry Flack, I really am." I had thanked him then hung up. In record timing, I got my jacket then ran out the door to the car because in this situation there is no time to spare and in case it doesn't work out, I will not have those words be my last ones to because I never would be able to forgive myself if they were.

I raced to the hospital, unbelievably getting there within 15 minutes. Those 15 minutes were the worst 15 minutes I will ever experience in my life. I didn't know if her condition worsened or even worse than that, she had died.

When I reached the hospital, I ran all the way up to the front desk of the hospital.

"Excuse me.." I stopped to take in a few breaths. "I'm looking for a woman who was brought here within a few hours, gunshot wound." The receptionist gave me a wary look as she typed a few things into the computer. When I said gunshot wound I almost got sick because the thought of that...

"We had an Annabel Stevens come in with a gunshot wound to the right side of her stomach, does that sound right?" She had asked me.

"Yes, that's her. I need to know what room she's in."

"Are you her immediate family?"

"No I am not."

"Then I'm sorry sir, but you can't see her." I CANT WHAT? I can't see her because I'm not family how the hell does that work?

"Why can't I see her?" I asked, with a harsh edge in my voice.

"Ms. Stevens is listed under critical condition. When a patient is in critical condition, only her immediate family may see her until she is listed as stable." Ohhh hell no.. There is no way I'm not going to see her just because of some fucking technicality.

"I don't think you understand, I'm with NYPD." I took out my badge and showed her it as proof. "I'm the lead detective in her case."

"Detective you still can't see her unless you are her immediate family."

"Listen here..." I was going to say more when I felt a hand tugging at my shoulder. I looked behind me and saw that it was Danny pulling me back gently from the desk. He continued pulling me back until I was away from the desk completely.

"Flack, I get your pissed. It sucks that you're not allowed to see her just because she's family, but I'm sure she's going to be fine." I ran a hand through my hair, something I have done quite often since I found out tonight.

"Danny, I just want to make it right..."

"And you will get the chance to, your just going to have to wait." I looked at Danny and knew that he was right, that I just had to wait. And that's what I did, I sat down in a chair and started the long, agonizing wait.

So I know you guys are probably going 'WHY WOULD SHE DO THIS TO US?!' But I promise you this all for a reason. This little 'angst' is intended because I think we all needed some die-hard Flack day (or night lol)