So excited about the reviews and favorites! Please keep it up! Okay, fit aside, really, thanks for all the support. Here's the newest. Let me know what you think/like/don't like. You know the drill.

Four weeks passed with nothing eventful. Abram only stayed for the night. I had lunch with him in the terminal before he left the next afternoon. Sarah left a few days after the snake incident, but not before making up with Toll. He now flew out weekly to see her in L.A. Barney came around almost everyday, either to my house or the shop. He said he was just 'checking in'. But I had feeling it was more than that.

"I think you were right Sarah," I spoke into the phone while taking a relaxing soak in the tub. I had gotten the claw foot at an estate sale. It was by far one of my favorite purchases. I lit a few dozen little candles and basked in the glow. Constance, my Caucasian Ovcharka, lay on the floor at the edge of the tub. The tile was coolest in here. I felt bad about moving her to such a hot region, with all her fur. But I kept the basement at a steady 50 degrees just for her. She seemed happy enough.

"Of course I was. What was I right about this time?" That made me smile.

"About Barney. He's been coming by almost everyday since you left. He gives me this line about just checking in, but I can tell he wants something."

"Well duh! Man, you can be really thick sometimes. He's been watching over you since you moved in."
"What?" My shout earned me a snort from Constance. "No way. Your fucking with me."

"Nope."

"I don't know how I feel about that."

"Feel flattered, excited, happy...horny." I snorted out a laugh. Only Sarah. Just then Constance began growling. I leaned forward and watched her get up and move toward the door, sniffing under it.

"Is that Constance? What is she growling at?"

"I don't know..."

"Why are you whispering? Is someone in your house?"

I didn't realize I was whispering. I remained silent and motionless for a few seconds. Constance's growl got deeper and it made the hair on my arms stand up. She shuffled sideways for a moment and I saw shadows move under the door.

"There's someone outside my bathroom door."

"Crawl out the window." I watched in frozen horror as the knob on the door gently turned. I had locked it out of habit. It jiggled more forcibly.

"Avolene!?" Sarah was near hysterics.

"I'm here. Someone is trying to get in."

"Get out! Avie, get out!" There was a hint desperation in her voice. It forced me out of whatever reprieve I had been in. I quickly stood and pulled on my underthings. A loud bang on the door and Constance barking drew a scared scream from me. I dropped my phone and it slid into the dark. With just the candles, a lot of the room was left in shadow. Another thunderous boom, and more growling and barking from Constance. I grabbed my robe, slipping it on and tying the sash tightly ran over to the window. I opened it wide and crawled up onto the ledge. I whistled for Constance and she came to me immediately. I hoped down into the garden below, about four feet down. Constance was right behind me. I slowly crept around my house, trying to see if there was anyone else. I got to the edge and looked around. No one. I took one step out when a few things happened at once. Constance growled, I screamed and a fist connected with my face, ending that scream. I fell back on my ass, my face aching. I heard her attacking the man, her snarls and snaps as she fought to protect me. I got to my feet as fast as I could. The world spun and there were black dots dancing in my vision. There was only one man that I could see, and Constance was tearing into him. I could see rips in his pants where she had bit him. She lunged and her 200 pounds easily put him down. I took the opportunity she had given me and ran, whistling to her as I did so. She let go of whatever part of him she was violently chomping and trying to rip off and followed after me. I ran across the street and up the sidewalk to Barney's. I hopped up the stairs and banged loudly on the door. I could hear loud music coming from inside, and all the bikes in the driveway meant someone was home.

"BARNEY!" I banged even louder. The door opened suddenly and Barney was standing there.

"Avolene...what the hell happened?" I looked over my shoulder and pushed my way into his house, sure the man was out there, coming to get me.

"Avolene. Christ, who did this to you?" He was angry, I could see the cords in his neck standing out. His voice drew the attention of the others and the music went off instantly. Then the lights came on and I was temporarily blinded.

"Whoa, sweetheart. What happened?" Tool was at my side.

"I was taking a bath...I had to climb out the window. And Constance. Where's Constance?!" I began to panic.

"Constance?! CONSTANCE!" I heard her whimper outside the door and rushed over to let her in. Her big dark muzzle was slick with blood when I reached down to pet her. She had a large cut across her nose.

"Oh baby. Look at you." I was almost crying.

"Who did this?" Barney asked again, crouching down next to me. He tucked some hair behind my ear as I pet my faithful friend. I felt something cold sting my cheek. I hissed and Constance let out a deep growl.

"Easy girl, I ain't hurting her." Barney rumbled out to calm her. She stopped growling, but watched him closely.
"I don't know who he was. I got out through the window but he was out there. I rounded the corner of the house and he punched me in the face, put me down. If Constance hadn't have been there..."

He was gone quickly along with some of the others. Tool bent down and gave Constance a few pats.

"Good girl," he cooed to her as he rubbed behind her ears. When he was done, he held a hand out for me. I took it and he helped me to my feet.

"Let's go take care of that cut. Then we can have a look at her nose." I wanted to help Constance first, but I let him lead me further into the house, with her trailing behind me

The bathroom was all male, very spartan in it's décor. Just the essentials. I got a look at my face in the mirror and sighed. He must have been wearing a ring or something, because it opened four small cuts along my right cheekbone. They were spread about my pinky's width apart. It was already swelling and bruising. I sighed, I probably wouldn't be able to see out of my right eye come tomorrow.

"Come here honey, let me take a look." Tool slipped on his glasses and had me sit on the toilet. I hissed and stood back up. I pulled up my robe and looked at the back of my thigh, right under my ass, curving around and up to my hip. There was a massive bruise with a few deep scratches.

"Ouch...Baby, that's gotta hurt like a bitch."

I nodded my head and turned so he could clean it. He had to pull down the edge of my underwear when he got around toward my hip. I bit my lip as the astringent stung and bubbled on my skin. Tool grabbed a pair of tweezers.

"What's stuck in there?" I gritted out, not looking forward to him digging in my leg.

"Looks like some little pebbles. You okay with me getting them out, or do you want me to take you to the hospital."

"You know what your doing?" I asked.

"Done it a time or two."

"Do it." He handed me a towel and I rolled it up and put it in my mouth. I bit down hard as I felt him spread one of the cuts open to get all the debris out. I screamed into the towel, tears pouring down my face. I felt myself getting faint when he opened the second one, but held fast to the wall.

"Done." An ABD pad, some tape and my leg was done.

"Thanks," I said as I wiped my left eye carefully. I used the towel to dab at the right. I moved toward the mirror, to get another look at my face. I sighed. With the amount of swelling, it had to be fractured.

"I think my zygomatic bone is fractured, maybe the orbital bone as well."

Tool gently prodded my cheek.

"Sure looks like it."

"That guy had a hell of a punch."

Just then I heard footsteps and voices. Barney was the first one into the bathroom.

"What's the damage?" He was talking to Tool, but looking at me. I smiled weakly at him, but he didn't return it. He was still angry.

"Massive bruising with contusions on her lower left hip, stretching all the way around to under her ass. Hit her so hard she slid a little when she fell. Her face is the worst. Recognize the pattern. Son of a bitch was wearing dusters when he hit her. We think the zygomatic bone is fractured, possibly the orbital bone as well."

"You don't want the hospital?"

I shook my head no. I was pretty sure I wasn't bleeding into my brain, which was the worst case scenario in this situation. I was mildly concussed, and getting sleepier by the minute.

"Did you find him?"

Barney looked at me and shook his head.

"The shithead was long gone. But he left a few things behind."

"Like what?"

"Three of his fingers."

"Gross."
"He might be missing more, who knows how many Cujo over there ate," Hale said from behind Barney.

"Constance is a lady Hale. She would never eat a human. Right Constance?"

She let out a soft half bark and I smiled. Hale and Tool laughed but Barney remained stoic.

"Come on, let's get you laying down," Tool chuckled out, still amused with Constance. My first few steps were fine and then I got rubber knees. I started to go down and Tool caught me.

"Easy girl," I wasn't sure if it was directed at me or Constance at this point. I was having a hard time staying awake.

"I've got a concussion Tool," I slurred my words out like I was drunk. I was so tired I couldn't even talk right. "Two hours...two...hours." And I went out like a light.

I remember being woken up, I remember being cranky and mean about it. I remember hearing a deep voice talking to me as I swam in and out. I remember waking up of my own accord because I left the candles burning in my bathroom.

"We blew them out when we went looking for the guy."

"Thanks..." and I was out again.

When I opened my eye, I could see sunlight streaming in through the closed blinds. The pain hit my all at once, my face, my hip and ass. I groaned and rolled over, trying to find a position to make it go away.

"Take some of these, it'll help."

I looked up with my good eye and saw Barney standing next to the bed. I slowly sat up, winching as I gently pulled the sheet off my face. It must have dried on with the blood.

He handed me a glass of water and some pills. I looked at them closely with my good eye.

"Where'd you get Oxycontin from?"

"A friend."

I nodded my head and took two."

"I called your brother, found his number in your phone. He's on his way down. Sarah is already here. Want me to send her in?"

I shook my head no. I wanted quiet. And Sarah was anything but.

"Thank you, for everything."

"Don't worry about it."

"How's Constance?"

"Tool brought her to a vet, got her nose fixed up. We had to keep her locked in the bathroom because she kept pushing her way in here when we came to check on you. Thought she was gonna smother you."

I smiled at the thought. It would more likely be the other way around. I pretty much used her as a body pillow on the nights she chose to sleep with me.

"She's a big teddy bear."

"She's a good dog. A big fucking dog, but a good one."

It fell silent again, and he shifted back and forth between his feet. I felt sleep calling to me again, and slid down so I was laying on my right side. The sheets were a soft material, probably 800 count, and deep red. He moved like he was going to leave and I spoke,

"Please don't leave."

He stopped and looked back at me.

"I don't want to be alone."

I had nightmares that I was in the bathtub again, only this time he got through the door, through Constance.

He sat down on the edge of the bed.

"He can't get you here, your safe."

"What about when I go home?"

"You go back there when your ready too."
I nodded. Then I slipped my hand over his on the bed. I felt him freeze for a second before he gently squeezed it. I smiled and closed my eye.

I woke up to a gentle rousing.

"Hey, wake up sleepy head."

A lamp was on in the room, so it must be dark out. I looked up to see Abram looking down at me.

"Hi."

"Oh bug, look at you." He gently pulled me to his chest for a hug. I gripped him like it was life or death.

"I'm okay, just some cosmetic damage."

"Thank god you had Constance."

"Yeah, Mark trained her well." He nodded his head, his thoughts not doubt following mine to think about our brother. Mark raised Russian Ovcharka's.

"And thank god for your good neighbors. That Barney is a good guy."

"Yeah he is."

Abram gave me a serious look and I knew what was coming.

"You and him a thing?"

"No."

"Why the hell not?" I did not expect that response at all.

"Well, first of all he's much older than me..."

"Your the one who always say age is just a number."
"And well honestly, he hasn't asked me."
"Ask him then."

"I don't want to talk about this now. I've got a headache, I still can't open my right eye..."

"Alright. I've got a morning flight back. I had a alarm system installed, Barney's got all the information. Try to be careful, alright. Ma nearly had a heart attack, and it took all four of us to stop Dad from getting his shotgun and coming down here."

I giggled and the urge to use the bathroom came on so strong that I propelled myself out of bed and into the en suite bathroom. I dribble a little bit, but I made it.

"Hey, you alright in there? Want me to send in Sarah?"

"I'm okay. Just had to pee really bad."

I heard him chuckle before flushing and washing my hands. I peeked at my face in the mirror. The swelling had gone done considerably. I glanced down and realized I was wearing nothing but my bra and underwear. Mortified, I searched around for something to put on. A black t-shirt was folded on top of a pair of pants on the hamper. I slipped it on and opened the door. Abram was talking quietly with Barney. When he saw me he froze.

"I hope you don't mind, but I didn't realize I wasn't wearing anything. I can have Sarah go get me some clothes from my house if..."

"It's fine."
Abram looked from me to Barney and back to me again.

"Well, I'm gonna head out now bug. Call me." He pulled me into a gentle hug, and kissed my good cheek.

"Bye Abram."

"Bye bug."

I smiled as he left the room. I didn't realize how much I missed all of them until right now. I sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"You got a good brother."
I nodded my head.

"I've got four good brothers."
"Big family. You miss them." It wasn't a question.

"All the time."

He nodded. I was once again given the impression that he was stalling, hanging around for something.

"What's up Barney?" I decided to just ask him. He was apparently not going to just come out with it.

He looked at me, and it was the same, intense look he gave me back at my store. I broke eye contact first, not able to stand the heat behind it. I had never had anyone look at me the way he does. It scared me and thrilled me at the same time. I felt my cheeks burning up.

"Please stop looking at me like that." I begged him. It was awkward enough as it was, me sitting here in...this. I was not a prude, not by a long shot. I wore simple, cotton night dresses to bed. They weren't risque, hitting about mid thigh and having thicker straps. But I was sitting here, in his room, wearing his t-shirt.

"I will if you stop being so beautiful." I turned to look at him. Was he crazy?

"I look like Quasimodo right now." He laughed and I shook my head, feeling more uncomfortable. His laugh was deep, resonating. It sent shivers down my spine.

It did not go unnoticed by him. He walked over to me and in what I was guessing was a moment of bravado, he leaned down and kissed me. I wasn't really surprised, not really. More like startled disbelief. He was soft, and gentle, but persistent. When we broke apart, I was breathing hard. Our eyes met before he moved in to kiss me again, this time pushing my back against the bed. I was coming undone, this man was unmaking me. I had never felt this turned this quickly before. And all he was doing was kissing me. It was getting heavy when his had slid up my left thigh and ran right over my abrasion, causing me to gasp out in pain. He cussed and sat up quickly, moving so he could get a better look.

I hissed as he pulled off the bandage. His look darkened for a moment.

"How's it look?" I asked, curious about both my wound and his sudden mood swing. The door flew open, revealing Tool. He took one look at me, laying on my side, wearing Barney's t-shirt, my hair a mess, my lips swollen and Barney behind me, looking at my very nearly naked ass and grinned.

"Well it's about fucking time you two," he exclaimed as he shut the door. I assumed it was for proprieties sake, as I was wearing almost nothing.

"Did everyone know about this but me?!" I exclaimed in annoyance.

"He's just a nosy old bastard," Barney rumbled out from behind me. He finished pulling off the last ABD pad. Tool walked around to get a better look.

"Get out of here," Barney warned.

"Brother, it ain't nothing I haven't already seen."

"He's got you there," I said, not in the slightest bit uncomfortable with Tool having a gander.

"Looks good. Healing up nice."
"Good."
"Bet that made things difficult."

"What?"

"Nothing," Barney replied as he slid off the bed. He the sheet over me entirely, and it made me giggle.

"Have mercy girl," Tool said.

"What's up?" Barney asked Tool. I was still under the sheet, content to stay here all day long.

"Got some info on our friend."
"Okay, be down in a minute."
"I wouldn't be."

The door opened and closed before he pulled the sheet off me again. He climbed back into the bed and lie down next to me.

"What does this make us now?"

He shook his head.

"I'm not going to just have sex with you. I don't do that."

He laughed before shaking his head.

"Dating, lovers, fling, relationship. I don't care what you call it. As long as it's you and me, I'm good with it."

"Why didn't you just ask me out?"

"Like you would have said yes. I had to wait until you were hopped up on pain killers before I could even have a real conversation with you."
"What!? I would have totally said yes."

"Really?"

"Well maybe not. It depends on when you asked me. If it was in the first few days after we met, then I would have thought you were crazy and said no...but later, after the barbeque. I would have probably let you take me out."

"Well shit."

I laughed.

"You can still take me out."

"Anywhere particular?"

"Surprise me."

"Alright. First you gotta get healed up."

"Working on it."

"Come on man!" we heard Hale yell from downstairs.

"Assholes. Alright, I gotta go..."

I smiled and nodded my head.

"Tool's gonna be downstairs, yell if you need anything."

"Okay." He leaned over and stole a kiss, before getting out of the bed. He looked at me from the door before sighing and heading out. I grinned and snuggled lower into the bed, reliving the past half an hour with a goofy grin on my face.