Note- I have no Beta assistance with this chapter. All mistakes are mine and mine alone!! Thanks for your reviews and comments!

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Deep Blue Water-Chapter 13

Despite Owen's warning, Julia did recruit Cristina to help with dinner. The two women moved easily throughout the kitchen while Owen manned the grill. They all three sat down for dinner on the deck. It was slipping toward evening now and Cristina could not believe how fast the day had gone by. She had started the day filled with so much dread. Dreading the pain that Owen and his mother were bound to go through. She was certain they both had, but the day had gone so much smoother than she had anticipated. She marveled at how easy Julia was to talk to. She felt like they had formed a bond. They both loved Owen and wanted nothing more than to see him get better and return to even a fraction of the man he used to be.

"Hey Mom, do you mind if Cristina and I take a walk?" Owen asked as he laid his hand on top of Cristina's knee under the table.

"Well of course not sweetheart. I need to call your sister back anyways. She has called my cell phone at least twenty times, I am certain of it," Said Julia.

"Tell her I will see her next weekend, ok?" Owen said while rising from the table.

"Sure thing honey. You kids go and have a nice walk" Julia said while gathering up their dinner dishes.

"Owen, I should help your mom with the dishes before we go. She was kind enough to…." Cristina began before Julia quickly interrupted.

"Oh nonsense. That's what dishwashers are for my dear. Go on now. You kids go on your walk" Julia's sentence trailed off as she rounded the corner into the kitchen.

Owen grabbed a blanket from a chair on the deck before taking Cristina's hand and heading off the deck toward the lake.

"Owen, it is getting pretty dark. Do you know how to find our way back?" Cristina asked with a bit of concern in her voice.

Owen laughed before responding "Cristina, you could blindfold me and I could find my way around these woods. My brother's and I spent hours on end out here in the daylight and at night. Trust me?"

"Of course I trust you. Lead the way nature-man" Cristina kidded as she linked her arm with his.

They walked toward the boat dock in silence. Cristina could feel a difference in Owen before they had even had a chance to discuss the conversation between him and his mom. She could feel the muscles in his arm seemed less tense and his shoulder's seemed more relaxed. She knew he had to feel better. The weight of that worry was now lifted. Another step toward his healing.

As they stepped up onto the boat dock, Owen released Cristina's arm to spread the blanket at the end of the small dock. He took Cristina's hand to help her lower herself. He joined her after kicking off his shoes. He pulled his jeans up to his knees before lowering his feet into the water which was now shrouded in moonlight. It was a peacefully quite evening but the humidity still hung in the night air. Cristina followed his lead and also discarded her shoe's. The water was amazingly warm and soothing. She let her head fall onto his shoulder and linked her hand with his.

"So, how did your talk go?" She asked without looking up at him.

Owen released a heavy sigh before responding. "It was good. It was painful and we cried a lot, but it felt good to tell her what happened over there. I think she understands why I needed some time. She told me that she thinks it would be helpful for me to see a therapist."

This time Cristina did look up to find Owen's eyes. "I agree with her. I think it will help you a lot to talk to a professional"

Owen looked away before continuing. "I know that, but when you're in the military, you don't ask for help. Once you do, that's it, your out."

"Owen, you're already out. It is not a weakness to talk to somebody that specializes in this. You need to talk to someone other than me. I can comfort you, but I am not a professional at this. You need someone who knows how to make you understand that none of this was your fault and that you are blessed to have survived it" She finished this sentence while turning his face toward hers.

Cristina continued "Will you do it for me? Please?"

Owen let himself flash a small smile before answering her "Yes. I will do it for you and for us."

Cristina returned his smile and leaned in to lay a simple and sweet kiss on his lips. Owen surprised her when he turned to rise. "Where you are going?"

"No where" he responded while unzipping and discarding his jeans. He then reached for his shirt and quickly discarded it as well.

She nervously laughed while looking around them. "What are you doing?"

"Want to skinny-dip with me?" he asked after kicking his boxer's to the top of the ever-growing pile of clothing.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes. There is no one around here Cristina. This is private property. Are you going to let me stand here naked on the dock or are you going to join me?" Owen asked with his hand outstretched to her.

She took his hand and rose to stand in front of him. She reached for the button on her jeans while Owen unbuttoned her shirt and let it fall to the dock. Once they were both completely naked, he gently pulled her into his arms and let his lips part hers with a passionate kiss. She wrapped both of her arms around his neck enjoying the intimate moment.

Owen pulled back slightly before speaking. "OK. The best way to do this is to just jump in. The faster we get in, the less shock we will feel from the water. You ready?"

Cristina found herself taking baby steps backwards. "No. You go ahead."

Owen laughed before stepping in behind her and gently nudging her forward with his hips. "No, no. It doesn't work that way. The next thing I know, I will be in the water and you will be running up the hill with my clothes."

"I would never do that to you." Cristina responded while turning around toward him.

"Cristina, you're stalling." He said while again, turning her back around toward the water with her back toward him once again.

"Owen, we can't go back to your mom's house soaking wet."

"Why not?"

Cristina responded in a whisper. "Because she will know what we did."

Owen leaned in close to her ear before continuing. "Cristina, I am 36 years old. Do you think my mother doesn't know I have had sex?"

She quickly whipped her head around to look into his eyes. "Are we going to have sex? Why didn't you say that before? We could have been in there 10 minutes ago." With that said Cristina grabbed Owen's hand and pulled him to the end of the dock. Still clasping hands, she stretched up onto her tip-toes and planted a final kiss on his smiling lips. "OK, here goes" And with that they both jumped from the dock at the same time, into the deep blue water.