"A Lover's Dispute"

Weeks have flown by and Hunter was growing to love Nathan each and every day that passed. All those nights, rocking his child to sleep and reading him bedtime stories made up for the long hours he spends just thinking about Tori and reminiscing the many great times they had together. He just could never stop loving her, and everytime he stares at Nathan--thoughts of their lost child clouded his mind, wondering what it would be like if Tori didn't have a miscarriage. Perhaps they would finally be together again with a family of their own. He sighs wretchedly, thinking about it as he shook his head and continued on fixing his bike that he ignored for weeks now since Tori's unexpected arrival. With Tori in his mind, the blonde beauty surprisingly came walking in Natalie's garage from across the street--staring down at Hunter. He looks up and immediately drops his wrench while rising to his feet. Tori was wearing denim blue jeans with a cute white tube top. Her face was less pale from the light make up she applied onto herself. As for Hunter, he was wearing a crimson shirt and black windbreakers.

The two stared at each other in awkward silence before Tori remembered what to say. But before she said anything, Hunter had to greet her as if he hadn't before in a long time. "Hey." He smiles breathlessly.

She too formed a smile. "Hey...How are you?"

Hunter sighs as he quickly glances down at his bike. "Well, you know...took a little spill."

Tori looks down and smirks at the wreckage. "Yeah. I can see that." She says while releasing a small chuckle; one he hadn't heard for such a long time, which did brought a smile to his face. Tori turns away from his gaze as she pursed her lips and meet his eyes again. "Well, sorry if I'm intruding here."

"Oh no, Of course not. I'm actually glad to see you." He says nervously.

She looks down and smiles. Hearing that did brought butterflies to her stomach. It felt overwhelming just to see him again, but even more compelling just to hear him say those words after what he said the last time he spoke to her; which were words that brought her to tears and sleepless nights. "Yeah, umm...I came here just to--" Tori trails off. "To see how y-you were doing." She stutters for no apparent reason. Standing in front of Hunter was making her feel weak all of a sudden. "Well yeah...I should leave you alone now." Before she turns around, he immediately grabbed a hold of her shoulder as Tori looks up, and searches his pleading eyes.

"Wait." Hunter pauses as he slowly lets go of her and stuffs his hands into his pockets. "Have lunch with me...that is if you want to..." He adds, hoping she'd say yes. "We really haven't hung out since you came back, so umm--"

"I would love to, but I can't." Tori answered truthfully before he went on.

Hunter frowned upsettingly. "Oh."

"Yeah, I have an appointment with Dr. Evans in less than an hour."

The dirty blonde could feel his blood pressure rising just by the sound of his name. He felt angry, hurt, and betrayed--and although they weren't together, Hunter could no longer take anymore of the jealousy. Yes, he was jealous--extremely jealous for that matter. Hunter wasn't going to give up, but with the continuous relationship he was sensing between a patient and doctor, he feared that he probably lost Tori for good. "Well then, you should get going; don't want to be late." Hunter chuckles quite sarcastically as he lays back down on the garage cement and continues to work on his bike.

The saddened blonde sighs. "Hunter, don't be like this."

"You know what, Tor? I don't care anymore. If this Dr. Evans is what you want than fine by me." He replies in an angry tone.

Tori looks down as tears slowly began to form in her eyes. "You don't understand--"

"Of course I dont! Why would--" Hunter chokes on his words as he pauses to calm himself down. Once again, he rises to his feet, facing her. "Why would you want to suddenly give up on what we had and move on to something totally different?"

Tori groans. "Dr. Evans is the only person who can help me right now! Can't you get that?!"

"Why can't I help you?" He questions with his voice raised up. "Why him?!"

"Because you're not a doctor!"

"Oh, so you're going for doctors now? Since when do they actually turn you on--"

Tori covers her ears in frustration. "Hunter! Please! There's nothing going on between us if that's what you're thinking."

"Then why can't we be together?!" He cries out, on the verge of tears.

The blonde stares at him and nods her head in dismay. "I can't interfere with you and Nathan. Your son needs you and so does Natalie."

"What? Why are you letting that stand in our way?"

"Argh! Why are you being so selfish?!" Tori blurts out in disbelief. "I'm giving you some space, so you can take care of this child! God, why can't you just accept that?"

Hunter groans. "B-Because!--" He stops dead in his tracks as he thinks of the right words to say. "Because--"

"Because?"

"Because I still love you! There! I can no longer keep your stupid promise!" Tori raises her brow, bewildered with his sharp response as Hunter continues on with his guilt confession. "Why would you ever think I'd stop loving you after all we've been through? I'm crazy about you, Tori."

He waits for a reply as she shuts her eyes, broken hearted. "Damn you, Hunter." The blonde hisses with her teeth clenched together as tears stream down her cheeks. "You can't love me."

"Well you know what? You can't tell me who or what to love, and I know in your heart and soul...you still love me too."

Tori looks down, defeated. She knew she still love him despite everything that was going on, but she refuses to cause Hunter anymore pain and suffering. He has plenty to worry about now, and adding more to it was the last thing Tori wanted.

As the two stood by each other in uncomfortable silence, Hunter gazes at her suspiciously once a light bulb turned on in his head. It didn't make sense to him that Tori would give up on their love just so he could be 100% devoted to his son. Yeah, having Nathan enter the world made a huge impact in his life, but what does that have to do with their relationship? Can't he also be devoted to Tori as well? Regardless of not having a child of their own together, should they be able to conquer the love they still have for each other despite such dilemma? Or was not being the mother of Hunter's child affecting her feelings towards him? Either way, something was missing. Tori spots this from the corner of her eye and meets his gaze. "You're hiding something, aren't you?" He assumes with his brow raised.

She wrinkles her forehead in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"It's that look that tells me there's more to it than just the baby that's keeping you so distant from me." Hunter stated reassuringly.

Tori rolls her eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Hunter steps in her way as she attempts to walk off. She stops and looks up at him with a groan. "I'm right, huh?"

"Look, I'm going to be late for my appointment."

"Why aren't you telling me the truth?" He moves in closer to Tori, searching her secretive eyes for the answer.

The blonde folds her arms and averts from his gaze. "There's nothing for you to know."

"So you are hiding something from me." Hunter retorts back. "And whatever it is, it's definitely killing you."

Tori's heart dropped. Does he know? She thought worriedly as she stares right into his eyes with a straight face. "Think all you want, Hunter. But I gotta go."

"Wait. You have to tell me. If there is something or perhaps someone else that's stopping you from even being with me, I have the right to know." He exclaims while waiting for her answer. Tori nods her head in disapproval and seals her lips. "Dammit, Tor! Why can't you tell me?!" Hunter yells furiously as the blonde jumps up, feeling startled. "Are you in love with someone else? Is that it? And if you are," he goes on, "It sure can't be Dr. Evans since you proclaimed that there's nothing going on between you two."

"Hunter--"

"Or maybe, it's Blake."

Tori's eyes widened. "Oh my God. Keep him out of this! You know this has nothing to do with him."

Hunter scratches the back of his head. "Really? Because just moments before the accident you were definitely all over him."

"Please don't do this."

He covers his face in utter frustration. "Then just tell me what's wrong!"

"I can't!" She screams.

"Why not?!"

Tori brushes her tears off before answering between sobs. "Because it would hurt us too much!"

"How?! Being apart is hurting the both of us already!"

Tori grunts hurriedly, "I gotta go." Without giving a straight answer, Tori turns around and walks off--leaving a heart felt and puzzled Hunter behind. He gazes over to her direction as he thinks long and hard about the one thing that could hurt him the most other than not being with Tori. The only thing he could think of at the moment was losing her over to someone else, or Tori falling out of love with him. But could that be it?

He sighs, "If only I knew…"

A/N: dun dun dun! I hope you guys like! Don't forget to leave a REVIEW!