Chapter 14

A rooster's song welcomed the sun as it started to rise behind Pikes Peak, warming the trees with its beams on this chilly winter morning.

Taking in a deep breath, Atlantis rubbed her right eye and slowly blinking, she opened her eyes, not knowing where she was right away. It was so warm and nice that she didn't want to get up and find out that it was only a dream and would instead once again wake up slumped against the wall, her whole body aching from the kicking.

But, the more she woke up, the more her mind cleared, the more she realized that she was safe.

She swallowed, grimacing the next second at the soreness of her throat. I need some water, she thought, getting up.

As her feet touched the floor, she ran her right hand through her long brown hair as she looked for the slippers. She found them next to the bed, and it was then that she noticed a pitcher on the nightstand, with a cup beside it. It was there, already prepared for her.

"Oh, Matthew," she whispered as the tears started to rise. Letting out a breath, she turned around to look where he was… and then she saw him.

Matthew was fast asleep sitting on the chair at his desk, books scattered all around the table. Creasing her eyebrows, Atlantis slowly approcahed the table and glanced at the books he had obviously been reading the whole night.

"Violence in the Family" she silently read in one of his books. Her eyes stopped at the handwritten papers. Slowly taking one of it, Atlantis read about several cases where women and children had been physically abused and how the Court punished the abusive men.

The tears in her eyes became heavy, and she let them freely run down her cheeks, putting the paper and the glass of water onto the table. Her hand brushed gently over Matthew's palm, and she bit her lower lip to stop her sobs. He hadn't slept at all; he had been trying all night to find a way to help her. She took in his face, his peaceful features in his sleep, and she was sure that it was the most beautiful sight she had ever laid her eyes on.

"Matthew," she softly called his name, her hand gently squeezing his shoulder. "Matthew, come on. You should get some sleep."

Through the veil of dreams, Matthew heard a soft female voice calling his name and felt a light touch of her hand on his shoulder. Blinking slowly, his eyes fluttered open and the warmth flew through his veins as he saw her.

"Matthew, come on, you'll catch a cold like this," Atlantis gently pressed, but Matthew didn't feel the chillness of the room as his eyes got lost in her big brown eyes. She was like a dream, so beautiful in the early morning, her face still wearing a shade of sleep, and he wondered how it would be like to see these beautiful eyes first thing every morning.

"Come on," she held out her hand to him and he accepted it, slowly straightening in his chair before he got up. She was so close to him that he could feel the scent of her chamomile shampoo, and he couldn't look away from her eyes.

Atlantis felt her heart skip a beat at the intense look of Matthew's blue eyes. He didn't say a word to her, just stared at her face, his hand not letting go of her hand. She felt her lips getting dry despite the glass of water she just had. He was so close to her that she could feel the warmth radiating from his body and she couldn't move…

"I should get ready to go back," she whispered, her voice shivering.

His fingers held her hand more tightly and she inhaled a sharp breath to chase away the butterflies in her stomach as she heard him whisper, "Why don't you stay?"

Time stood still when she felt his breath warming her face as he leaned his head down and placed a soft kiss under her left eye onto the still visible bruise. It caused her to let out a shivering breath, instinctively laying her right hand on the left side of his chest, feeling his heartbeat. Her eyes never left his eyes as she whispered his name. It felt like music to his ears and he placed his palm over her palm on his chest, inching even closer to her face. Atlantis felt her breath getting caught in her throat as Matthew closed the small distance between them, kissing her lips gently for the first time. A soft moan escaped from her lungs at the touch of his lips on hers, and she closed her eyes. Their fingers intertwined on his chest, and Atlantis moved her other hand to touch his palm. It was Matthew's undoing and he released her palm only to wrap his arms around her waist, feeling her hands travelling up his chest and hugging him around his shoulders. Careful not to hurt her, he slowly deepened their kiss, pulling her closer into his arms, making her for once in her life feel like she was the luckiest woman alive.

"Mummy?" a little, quiet voice came from the other room, causing Atlantis and Matthew to rapidly break the kiss. Breathing hard, Atlantis opened her eyes and looked up at the man she loved with all her heart, her palm touching his chest again. The smile that showed on his face mirrored hers.

"I should check on him," she breathed and Matthew nodded, not being able to say a word. With the fingers of her other hand, she softly caressed the lips that kissed her few seconds ago and her heart quickened as Matthew kissed her fingers and whispered, "Go on, I'll make us some breakfast."

Not being able to utter one word, Atlantis nodded and went toward the curtain that separated the rooms to get her son.

~*~

"Good morning, Dr. Mike, how is my daughter doing today?" Heart's voice startled Michaela as she claned her instruments at the clinic.

"She's…fine," replied Michaela, not looking at Heart.

"Oh, good, I'll go to see her," smiled Heart. She already reached the door that led to the recovery rooms when Michalea stopped her by saying, "She's not here, Heart."

Frowning, Heart turned to look at the doctor.

"What?" she asked, not quite believing what she heard.

Michaela watched the woman that stood in front of her, contemplating what to say, Atlantis words echoing in her ears, "Please, don't tell my mother where we are."

"She went for a walk," Michaela curtly said, cleaning the instrument in her hands with all her concentration.

"For a walk?" Heart frowned even more. "But, is she…"

"A walk would do her some good," Michaela was short on words.

"But what if she gets sick, what if she falls? How could you let her go by herself?" hissed Heart. This wasn't fitting in her plans.

"She's not alone, Colleen went with her," Michaela swallowed hard.

"Oh," Heart looked away from the doctor. "Oh, I guess it's all right then. I'll be back later to check on her. Have a good day, Dr. Mike."

Michaela just nodded, and as the door slammed shut behind Heart, she let out a breath.

Heart walked down the street, trying to calm down. It's all right. She just went for a walk with that silly girl. Nothing can happen.

"Morning, Miss Heart. Wanna have breakfast with us?" Katie's voice brought the red-haired woman out of her trance. She looked up from her feet, seeing Dr. Mike's three children in front of her: Katie, Brian and… Colleen!