*Previously on Crazy Stalker Love– Read Chapter 18 HERE

Hunter walks into the hall of the hospital as Henley paces back and forth.

“Hey how is Leo?” she says nervously.

“He’s gonna be ok, just a little bump on the head and thankfully the bullet went clean through his shoulder so they are just bandaging him up.”

Henley nods, “Oh Thank god!”

“Hey, are you ok? That was all a lot to handle,” he says looking her over.

“Yea, I’m ok, all things considered.”

“I want the doctor to check you out too.” Hunter says stroking her arms in an attempt to comfort her.

“Yea that’s probably a good idea.” Henley says smiling slightly.

Leo comes walking out of the exam room, a bandage on his head and on his shoulder.

“Oh my god Leo, I’m so sorry!” Henley says rushing over.

“Hey…none of this is your fault,” Leo says shaking his head.

“Are you ok?” she asks.

“Yea, I’ll be fine. I’ve recovered from worse,” he chuckles.

“Leo, I can’t thank you enough. You and Hunter both saved my life,” she says looking from Leo to Hunter.

“Hey you held your own too, you should feel proud.” Leo says with a grin.

“I don’t know if proud is the right word. I just can’t stop thinking about the fact that because of me, someone is dead.” she says her eyes glazing over as she drifts off into a daze.

“Hey…you were acting in self defense. You did NOTHING wrong. You hear me,” Hunter says cupping her face as he wills her to look into his eyes.

“I’m going to go see if the Doctor is ready for you Henley.” Leo says giving the two a moment.

“Hey, look at me. I know that is hard to handle. It’s not in our DNA to kill. Or want to kill. But you have to know, that it was either going to be him or me.”

“Oh god, Hunter I can’t even think about that,” she says cupping his face.

“Well, it’s true. I didn’t have a weapon to defend myself. You saved me too. But I know it’s heavy. You have a good heart. And it will probably weigh on you at times. So when it becomes too much, I need you to come talk to me.”

Henley nods.

“Hey, the doctor is ready for you,” Leo says with a small smile.

***

“I’m so glad your ok,” Hunter says hugging Henley.

“Yea me too,” Leo says smiling.

“I’m going to just radio the station to get an update. You guys need a ride?”

“Yea man that’d be great.” Hunter says smiling his thanks.

“And Leo, thank you…for everything.” Hunter says.

Leo nods and smiles as he holds out a fist bump to Hunter.

“Hey…can we talk for a minute?” Henley says turning to Hunter as Leo heads outside to make a call.

“Of course,” he says tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

“It’s about what Blake said…”

“You have to know I didn’t believe a word that psycho said,” he says grabbing her by the shoulders gently to calm her.

“I don’t know how he knew, but…” she says her eyes watering as she looks up at Hunter.

“What are you talking about?” Hunter says confusion setting in.

“Can we go somewhere else, please.” she says looking around as people pass by.

“Yea, come in here,” he says taking her hand and leading her into an empty waiting room.

“What are you talking about? What did Blake know?”

Henley’s tears begin to fall as Hunter’s heart beat quickens, his mind a worry haze.

She reaches out, cupping his face, she kisses him.

Hunter looks down at her confused, “What was that for?” he asks his heart beat quickening as his eyes fixate on her lips.

“I just wanted to do that one last time, before you hate me forever.”

“Ok, now you’re really starting to scare me, Hen. I could never hate you.  You know that. Please just tell me, what’s going on.”

“Look, before I tell you this, you have to know, I never meant to hurt you. Everything happened at once and you were away and I just I-“

“Ok Henley, you’re not really making any sense here, just talk to me,” he says taking her hands in his.

“About a month after you were checked into rehab, I found out that I was pregnant,” she says looking up at him through tearful eyes.

Hunter stills, as his eyes focus on her.

“What?” he says as if the wind had been knocked out of him.

“I was so scared and still so young and for a fraction of a second I thought about not having it.”

Hunter’s eyes begin to water.

“You weren’t in the right frame of mind to be a father and I was a mess. But I swear to you it was a fraction of a thought, because then I realized that I could never do that. Even though it wasn’t ideal. And we certainly weren’t perfect. I knew I loved you so much and having something good come out of all that we went through could never be a bad thing. Like no matter what, we would always be connected in some profound way. I was fully committed to being a single mother. But…about a month later, I started getting these really bad pains and I started spotting and by the time I got to the hospital, they told me I lost the baby.”

Hunter’s face falls.

“Henley,” he says reaching for her.

“For a really long time I blamed myself. I thought that I did something wrong or maybe that fraction of a thought about not having the baby made it happen. Like it was some kind of punishment.”

“Oh Hen, sweetie it doesn’t work that way.” he says cupping her face as he wipes her fallen tears away with his thumbs.

“Anyway that’s what happened, and I know I should have told you, but the next time I saw you at the rehab center you just, you looked like you were doing so well, and I didn’t want the news to send you into a relapse. I’m so sorry. I never meant to keep it from you for this long or for Blake of all people to be the one to tell you. I still don’t know how he even knew.”

“Who cares how he knew, he was a psycho. But I do really wish, you could have trusted me enough to come to me. Does Piper know?” he asks.

“No. I could never tell her. I knew she wouldn’t be able to keep something like that from you and I couldn’t expect her to. No one aside from my parents knew and well my doctors.”

“I still really wish you would have told me. I get why you did what you did. But I can’t deny the fact that I am upset. Knowing that you were dealing with that all by yourself, it just, uh, I hate it. I feel like once again, Hunter fails Henley.”

“Hey,” she says cupping his face as she looks into his eyes. “This is exactly why I didn’t tell you. Do not blame yourself for this. The doctors said my body just wasn’t ready. I was young. It wasn’t our time. Besides, you…are supposed to be marrying Elena,” she says smiling up at him as she wipes his tear away and brushes his lapels.

“You still don’t get it, even after a day like today?”

“What?” she says looking up at him confused.

Hunter pulls her by her waist as she loses her balance from the sudden jolt of his arm, he steadies her, cupping her face he places a long, passionate kiss on her lips.

Henley’s hands wrap around his waist as she deepens their kiss, their hearts both racing. Hunter slides his hands up into her hair, deepening the kiss with every passing second.

Footsteps approaching, jolt them apart.

“Hey…” Leo pokes his head in. “Everything ok?” he says.

“Yea,” Hunter says clearing his throat and wiping his mouth as Henley stands there frazzled.

Leo smirks slightly, obviously confused, “Ok well, we just need Henley to give her formal statement down at the station, so I pulled the car around.”.

“Ok we’ll be there in a second.” Hunter says nodding.

“Sure,” Leo says walking off.

Henley and Hunter’s eyes lock, as her anxiety kicks in yet again she looks down at her hands.

Hunter looks her over, stepping in her path, blocking her escape route.

“We should probably talk about what just happened, Hen.” he says looking up at her.

“Look, it’s been an emotional day and-“

“Yea, and I realized I could have lost you.” he says gripping her waist.

“You’re marrying Elena. You love her. She loves you. And it’s simple.”

“Simple’s overrated.” he says staring at her.

“Don’t be that guy.”

“What guy?”

“The guy that cheats.”

“Sadly it may be a little late for that.”

“Those kisses were just in the moment. Ok? It doesn’t have to mean anything. Let’s just call it our goodbye,” she says trying to move past him.

Hunter stops her again.

“Henley.” He says staring at her. “I’ve been lying to myself, thinking I could move on from you. You’re the love of my life. And yes I care about Elena and no I do not want to hurt her. When I proposed to her, I meant it, but hearing that you were in trouble it just put everything into laser focus. You are it. And you always have been. And you always will be. And I really need you to get that. Please Henley, because I am so tired of fighting you, and this and us. We’re inevitable and I know that you know it. I know you weren’t happy about me getting married. I know you were going to show up and be supportive, but deep down a part of me was always hoping you’d finally come and tell me how you feel. I know you’re scared. And I know now why that fear is so much more real to you. I know losing our child has probably made a huge impact on why you’ve always kept me at arm’s length. I never understood it. But it makes a lot of sense now. But Henley, we have a chance to really give this thing a shot. One real, last shot. I’m talking all in, no half ass attempts. No walls. No fear. Just give it one more shot. And if it really doesn’t work then I will walk away with no regrets. And you can too,” he says laying it all out on the line.

Henley looks up at him, “And if it does…work?” she asks a small smirk lying on her lips. “I already know it will,” he says smirking as he hugs her lifting her up.

To be continued…

*I do not take credit for any images used in my edits or otherwise.*

-<3-