Chapter 4

A few hours past since Griffin had woken up from the coma, and the death of his brother. To Griffin it still felt like a dream. He was still unaware that Lenny is dead. Monica smiles and was so happy to have him back. Monica strokes her husband's arm as he looks to her,"How…is everyone?"

Monica looks into his eyes, "Fine."

Griffin looks at Monica's belly, "The baby is it.."

Monica smiles, "It's fine Griff…I'm fine, Sarah's fine, the baby is fine…we're all okay."

Just then there was a knock on the door, as Chris stood there with tears in his eyes. Monica turns to look at him and notice the look on his face that something bad has happened. Chris looks to her, and then notices Griffin was awake. "Son of a Bitch…" Chris strolls over to where his best friend is. Monica moves off the bed to have her husband reconnect with his best friend.

"You fucking bastard…you scared the living shit out of me! Don't ever do that to me again Roan…I thought I almost lost my best friend!" Chris stated.

Griffin looks to him, "Believe me, I'm not planning to go through that again." As he said that he looks at his wife. Monica gave a little smile to him.

Griffin then looks back at Chris, "So…where is the rest of my family..Dad, Kurt, Lenny?" As soon as Griffin stated his brother's name Chris's face fell. He doesn't know that Lenny had died. Griffin soon caught on to it, "Chris?"

"Roan…" Chris started to say, but the nurse came in and interrupted what Chris was going to say.

"I'm sorry, but Roan Griffin needs his rest. Visiting hours are now over." The nurse stated.

Monica looks to her husband, and then to Chris. She knows something had gone wrong as she looks at Chris. Chris however dismiss Monica's concern eyes as he gave his best friend a hug goodbye. "Don't ever…ever pull a stupid stunt like that again Roan..even if you want to be the hero. I need you in my life..and if you.." Chris couldn't say the last words.

Roan looks into Chris's hazelnut eyes, "I promise I won't."

Chris then takes a step back and looks at Monica. Then he said goodnight. Monica smiles to her husband and told him in a tender voice she'll be right back. Monica then leaves Griffin's side, and follows Chris out of the room. "Okay Chris..what had happen?"

Chris looks at her and then tears started to well up. Monica has never seen Chris fall apart before, and seeing him now she knows something really bad has happened. Chris looks into her soft brown eyes, "Lenny..he um…he died a few hours ago. He went into an cardiac arrest..and the doctors did everything they could..but..they could bring him back. I watched him die in front of me..and seeing my so call father break down and cry..And the fear of losing my best friend in the same night..I…I..Monica.."

Monica came to him and pulled him close to her. She knows that during Griffin's almost threat of dying in front of her was the switch off. Lenny gave his own life to save his brother. After a moment Chris pulls back from her and looks at her, "I don't know how I'm going to tell.."

"I will." Monica stated.

"you what?" Chris asks.

"I will break the news to him. I'm going to say with Griffin tonight, so that he will be comforted." Monica stated.

Chris gave a sad smile to her, "You know..he is lucky to have a woman like you." Chris then walks off to the elevators and heads home.

Monica took several deep breathes before going back to Griffin's room. When she walks in she sees Griffin half asleep on the bed. As soon as she approaches his bed his eyes slowly opens and a smile crept on his face. Monica slowly returns his smile as she felt his hand in hers. Griffin was guiding her to lay beside him, and Monica follows his lead. As soon as Monica was in a comfortable position, she looks at him. "I..I missed you so much."

Griffin strokes Monica's face and nuzzles his nose to hers. "I promised I wouldn't leave you again."

Monica smiles and puts her hand on top of Griffin's hand that was touching her face. "Roan..there is something I need to tell you."

Griffin pulls back just a bit as he senses Monica's serious tone, "What? Monica is something wrong?"

Monica closes her eyes because she knows what she is going to say will crush her husband's heart. As soon as Monica took a moment, she then refocuses her gaze back into her husband's deep blue eyes. "Roan..your brother..Lenny..I'm so sorry honey..but he died a few hours ago."

As soon as she said those hallow words Griffin's body went cold. He knew that what had happen wasn't a dream, it was real..His brother sacrificed himself to save him. "What? No..It didn't feel real..It wasn't real.."

Monica looks at her husband in confusion, "Roan, what isn't real?"

Griffin looks to her, "Lenny. I saw him…he..No I was going about to walk through this…white heavenly light when I saw him approaching me with a beautiful woman who was glowing like you did the night you confess your love for me…." Griffin pauses as he tries to remember what happens. He looks to Monica, "He sacrificed his life for mine. I was going to die but Lenny…He saved me. Why do I remember this Mon?"

Monica looks to him, "I don't know." Monica sense Griffin's pain as she pulls him in her arms and listens to her husband's sorrowful cries as Griffin mourns for the lost of his brother. It was the hardest thing that Monica had to hear, was hearing her husband's crying. She knows that no words will ease his pain right now. But her love for him was all Griffin needed.

…...

Back at the Parker's residents Seth was in a daze. He stares out of the window where his dead son was living at. His good old friend tries to get him to leave the room but she had no such luck. She knows how devastated he was by losing the love of his life, and losing a child. At age 32, Kathy and her husband had a still born. What brought her out of her grief was Seth's wife Ruth. Even to this day it still hurts Kathy to lose the only child she could conceive. Kathy looks at her good friend and moves closer to him. "Seth…Seth, you been in this room all night long. Why don't you come down from here and I'll make you some cameral tea."

There was no answer from him. He just gazes out of the window watching the pouring down rainfall, as he holds onto Lenny's old leather jacket. Kathy stares at him and tries to encourage him to leave this room, "Seth..please. Being in here won't help your pain."

Seth just stays where he is as a mute hermit. Kathy has only seen him like this only once, when his wife died. But he soon snapped out of it, because of his kids. Kathy soon leaves his side and goes back downstairs where her husband and Kerry and Crystal were waiting in the living room. Kerry looks to her, "How is he?"

Kathy look to her, "Not good. I can't even get him to come downstairs…it's like he is lost."

"Honey..he just lost a child." Henry stated.

"I know that!" Kathy shouted. Tears started to form in her eyes. "Just hurts to see my best friend hurting this bad. He's a good man. I don't know how I'm going to pull him out, the way Ruth did to me."

Henry goes near his wife and embraces her. Kerry was about to go into the kitchen but there was a knock on the door. Soon her brother came there to check up on his best friend's father.

"Kerry how is he?" Kerry looks to him, "Not good..he's not even coming out of Lenny's room. How is everything with Roan?"

Chris looks to her, "He's awake, and conscious."

"What?" Kerry asks.

"Yeah.." Chris stated.

"When? How?" Kerry asked once more.

"A few hours ago…I went to check up on him, and found him talking and well making out a little with Monica…" Chris smiles.

"What? Roan Griffin is awake?" Kathy stated as she moves out of her husband's embrace and goes to Chris.

"Yeah. That's why I came here to tell Roan's father." Chris stated.

Kathy looks to him, "I might be good I don't know..he is in a lost state right now Christopher..I don't know how well he will respond."

"It's worth a shot." Kerry suggested.

Kathy then looks to Chris. "All right. Come with me." Kathy stated as she guided Chris up the steps to the small attack where Lenny's room is at. Kathy slowly opens the door and goes to Seth who was still perched on Lenny's bed still gazing out the window. Kathy slowly merges from the door to allow Chris in, as she softly calls out to her best friend, "Seth..honey..you have a visitor."

Again no response from Seth. Chris looks to Kathy who gave the nod for him to continue. Chris has never seen Griffin's father so devastated in his life. Chris slowly moves closer to him as soon as he reached the bed post he stops and slowly looks at him. Then with a gentle voice Chris spoke out, "Mr. Griffin sir..um..about your son. Roan..my best friend."

Just then Seth turns to look at him. His eyes were so dull there was hardly a hint of golden brown in them. Just then he spoke, "Let me guess..God let my Roan die too? Is that it!"

Chris looks to him, "No..Mr. Griffin..he is awake..He's alive."

Seth turns his attention back to the window. Then he mumbles something, "He spared Roan..for now..but sooner or later..he or Monica will die in due time. See God is funny..he likes to mingle in with love lives..and then take them away as soon as you cross him. He is punishing me because I did something terrible."

Chris now stands in front of him, "Mr. Griffin..What do you mean..Roan your son is alive..I thought you will be happy to hear that."

Seth just gazes out the window with no reply. Kathy knows what Seth is referring to. Kathy spoke out, "Come on Chris."

Chris took one look on Griffin's father and then follows Kathy back down the stairs. As soon as Kathy closes the door Chris looks to hear, "You know what he is talking about don't you?"

Kathy looks to him, "No I don't actually." Kathy lied because she promised Ruth to keep her secrete from her kids.

Chris now getting angry, "I know you know something Kathy..so what is it? What the hell is Seth so angry about, and why isn't he thrill about Roan being alive."

Kathy spun on her heals. "Christopher Joseph Heart, I don't know a damn thing what you are referring to. So quit asking me. Alright!"

Chris looks to his once adopted mother, and for the first time actually sees her in pain, "You know something so tell me."

Kathy looks down, "I can't..even if I could."

"Why not? Mrs. Parker..I saw my best friend in the world got shot in front of me..and watched him almost die..so please." Chris begged.

Kathy looks down, the refocused her blue eyes to him, "I can't because it's forbidden to share..I made a promise long ago to a dear friend of mine, that I won't speak of it. I kept it for 47 years Christopher..And it's going to stay a secrete….Are we clear!" Kathy barked at him.

Chris nods, and he felt her evil glare, "Yes ma'am."

"Good.." Kathy sighs and goes downstairs to where everyone else is at.

Chris stays at the top of the stairs for a moment, and knows something suspicious is up. Chris soon follows suit after Kathy and rejoins with his sister and his best friend's ex-wife.

…...

The night past and soon the nurses and doctors came to check up on Griffin. One of the doctors pulls Monica out of the room to ask her some standard questions and see if he is ready to be released. "Did he remember anything from the past?"

"No. not that I recall." Monica answered.

"Had no amnesia?" The doctor asked again.

"Nope. He knows his birthday, when he was born, knows his family, what year it is, and who is president." Monica explained.

The doctor nods his head, as he continues, "That's good."

Monica looks into his soft hazel eyes, "Is my husband ready to come home?"

"I would like to run a few more tests and see if he is ready, but if he doesn't have amnesia than it looks to be fine. But I would rather go through procedure and make sure everything is fine before I release him. Some coma patients need lots of time of recovery and lots of therapy to bounce back." The doctor explained.

"So what you're saying is my husband needs physical therapy?" Monica asks.

"I'm not stating he should, but possible, but your husband has only been in a coma about 2 weeks. If he stayed in longer, he defiantly would. I would recommend that your husband should take at least a 6 month absence leave from his work. He may seem fine right now, but he is in no shape to go back to active duty." The doctor suggested. The doctor's pager beeps right then after he finished his statement, "Excuse me."

The doctor took off at a jogging pace as Monica goes back into Griffin's room. The nurse just questioning him and then looks to his wife as she smiles then she leaves to join the rest of the hospital crew. Griffin then looks to Monica and sighs, "Just want to get out of here and go back home."

Monica smiles to him, "I know Griff..I know. The doctor told me he wants to run a few more tests to double make sure you're alright before he releases you."

Griffin nods to her, "So how about you? Kerry told me you took a 3 month absence from your job."

Monica looks to him, "Yeah. The stress of losing you to a coma, and with my trauma that I went through. I don't want everyone at the school to think I'm crazy and losing my mind. My boss even suggested I should take a few months off. I've been seeing a therapist for the past 3 weeks, since it happened."

Griffin holds his wife's hand, "And Sarah?"

"She doesn't remember it. The only thing she was remembers is you bleeding out. I had her in for a few sessions and she wouldn't say anything. The only she recalls is me apply pressure to your wound." Monica explained.

"Does she have amnesia about it?" Griffin asks.

"Maybe. I guess Charles Norman didn't do anything bad to her except drug her, and hold her in a holding cell or something." Monica explained.

"That doesn't make much sense. The man is a serial child rapist and murder." Griffin shook his head out of confusion.

Monica lowers her eyes to the floor, "I guess he wasn't into torturing Sarah as much as he was with me."

Griffin looks to her, "What do you mean?"

"Charles Norman knows who I really am. He knows that I once was an.." Monica refocus her gaze to her husband's eyes.

"How can he know? Your secret was very well kept." Griffin asks.

Monica gets up from her seat and walks to the window that was looking out at the pouring rain, "My twin Griff..Monique was there in the room where I was kept. It was all her doing to make me vulnerable and see me suffer so she can steal my soul." Monica pauses as she looks to her husband, "She is the one who got that animal out of his cell in the prison where he was suppose to be dead 4 days after what had happened."

Griffin leans forward, "Andrew told me that every angel in heaven has an evil twin working for the devil. And why it is forbidden for angels to be human because it makes you extremely vulnerable for evilness to prey on."

Monica stares at him as she walks closer to him until she was at his side, "You were Andrew's assignment?"

Griffin nods, "Yes."

Monica looks to him and looks down. Griffin senses his wife's hurt from her one best friend and he puts his hand with hers, "Mon, Andrew still cares for you. He just wants to see you be happy. He saved me because he loves you that much. You have a really good friend in heaven Monica. He took care of me."

Monica smiles but it was a sad smile, "He will always be in love with me Griff…that is what hurts me because he will always carry that hurt with him."

Griffin looks to her and softly strokes her arm, "Well….when I was with him, he didn't seem hurt."

Monica tilts her head, "Really?"

"Yeah..he actually seemed to be contempt with someone else." Griffin smiles, "I can't remember anything because it is fading the more I'm conscious, but he seemed to be happy."

Just then there was a knock on the door and it pulled Monica and Griffin out of their intimate moment. Monica turns to see a blonde hair woman in a business suit holding a piece of paper, "Are you Monica Griffin?" she asks.

Monica looks to her, "Yes. Can I.." As Monica slowly approaches the woman.

The woman came near her and handed Monica the piece of paper, "This is for you."

Monica looks at the paper that was concealed in a blue envelope. Then the blonde haired woman walks out of the hospital room and to the elevators. G

riffin looks to her, "What is it honey?"

Monica shakes her head, "I don't know."

"Open it." Griffin instructed.

Monica looks to him as she moves to be next to him as she opens the envelope. After the envelope was open Monica unfolds the paper and reads it. It was a family court haring motion to be scheduled for Monday November 21st, 2011. Monica mummers "Oh my God."

Griffin looks at the paper, "Monica what does that mean?"

Monica looks to her husband with tears almost in her eyes, "It means Crystal is dropping her claim on Sarah and having me to be Sarah's official mother."

…...

Later on that day that morning the doctor that had talk with Monica came back to Griffin's room with his results from this morning testing to see if he was in the clear to go home. Monica looks at the doctor as she held her husband's hand. The doctor looked at the married couple and smiles to them, "As I looked over the tests, Roan seems to not have any brain damage due to being a coma. Which is what I was mainly concern with."

Monica looks at the doctor, "So what does that mean exactly, that the tests are negative?"

The doctor continues, "Yes..your husband is free to go home. However I do highly recommend that he stays off duty, and takes his antibiotics for bullet wound."

Monica smiles and looks to her husband, as Griffin returns a smile back to her. Then Griffin looks up at the doctor, "Thank you doctor." "

You made one heck of a recovery Griff..I got other patients. I'm sure you know the routine of checking out." The doctor smirks.

Griffin chuckles and nods, as a nurse pulls up a wheelchair for Griffin to go into. Monica helps her husband in the wheelchair as she gathers the remaining items of Griffin's personal things as well as some get well items from his co-workers and friends. Griffin goes through the procedure of checking out of the hospital as Monica pulls up her red Cadillac and Griffin gingerly walks out of the hospital and into Monica's car. Then he looks to her and stated, "Let's go home." Monica smiles and puts a hand on her hand's hand and nods.

As soon as Monica pulls into the drive way Griffin exhaled. Monica soon caught onto Griffin's hesitation, "You okay Griffin?"

Griffin nods, "Yeah..just the reality of losing Lenny..it's hitting me."

Monica looks to him, and squeezes his hand, "I know..it's going to."

Griffin nods as he climbs out of the car. Monica was beside him as she hands her husband his crutches that the doctor provided for him. Griffin smiles and places them under his arms as he walks gingerly to the side door of the house that was connected to the house. Monica helps Griffin up the small stairwell and into the house. As soon as Griffin was in he heads for the couch as he slowly lowers his body onto the sofa. As soon as Griffin was comfortable Monica moves the crutches and places them beside a small end table. Griffin looks to her and grabs one of her hands. Monica eyes him and a soft loving smile came upon her face. Griffin slowly guides her to him and in a tender voice he states, "I may be injured Mon..but I'm still am willing to have you curl up on me."

Monica lets out a small laughter and for the first time since Griffin awoke from a coma, he lowers Monica on his chest where they sort of made out. After a moment of the two lovers gain control over themselves Griffin cups Monica's face in his hands and gleams into her eyes, "Thank you."

Monica gave a curious smile, "For what?"

"For never giving up on faith and on me, for coming back," Griffin smiles.

Monica kisses Griffin's neck and places her wedding band hand on his wound and smiles to him, "Your welcome, and thank you for not dying on me."

Griffin gave a smile to her and she smiles back. Monica lays with her husband as he strokes her soft reddish brown hair, "So how is the baby."

"It's doing fine." Monica replies.

"Still don't know what the sex is yet?" Griffin asks.

Monica shifts her head a little to look at her husband, "No, not yet. The doctor who examined me told me to come back in for a checkup in a few weeks from now. We'll know if it's a boy or girl by then. In the mean time while you were in a coma I was going through baby books to try and find a name for him or her."

"Really, did you decided on a name?" Griffin asks as Monica moves off of his chest as he sits up.

"No." Monica pauses as she looks to him, "I..I was waiting for you to wake up. I want my husband with me to name our son or daughter."

Griffin notices a hint of sadness in his wife's voice, "Well I'm here now." Griffin moves closer to Monica and wraps his arms around her waist, but he felt a her a bit distant. Monica soon slips out of her husband's embrace and moves away from him. Griffin looks at Monica and notice she was terrified. "Babe what's wrong."

Monica looks away from him as tears formed in her eyes, "I love you honey..you know that..but part of me seeing a therapist is because…" Monica couldn't finish her sentence.

Griffin nods, "Because you were sexually assaulted by him."

Monica nods, "It's going to take me a while before I can become intimate with you again honey. I love you..and love to go back to the way things were before this whole nightmare happened."

Griffin looks to her and places his hands to hers, "Babe..take as long as you need to."

Monica heard a hint of sadness in Griffin's voice, "I know this hurts you. It hurts me too, that I can't be close to my husband, because I feel that monster's hands on me that made me feel so ill."

Griffin looks into Monica eyes and asks her his worst fear, "Monica..Did Charles Norman rape you?"

Monica closes her eyes as tears formed, "No….he never got a chance to." She looks at her husband, "He was going to, but stopped when he heard police sirens outside. But it feels like he did. Which is why…it is very hard for me to.."

Griffin nods and backs away from his wife, "I understand."

Monica looks to him and she places her wedding band hand to his right hand, "I will still give you my love which you deserve. And tell you when it is getting too personal for me okay. Just the hot sex that we experience in our first few weeks as a married couple can't happen at least for while till I work out this fear from what happened." Monica places a hand on her husband's face, "You will still have my heart darling. And no one, not even Charles Norman can take that love away."

Griffin smiles to Monica's statement and smiles he was about to pull her into a kiss when he stops himself, "Is it all right to kiss you now?"

Monica smiles and nods, "Yes..just no sudden surprises like you did before..not ready for that yet.." Monica trails off when her lips collide with her husband's. Monica soon pulls back and gleams into her husband's blue eyes and tenderly she stated, I love you.