"I'll give you guys a minute together," Kass offered, her gaze jumping around the waiting room as she held the coffee and bagged panini out to Ashlyn. Ashlyn tilted her head and smiled sympathetically. She knew hospitals made Kass feel uncomfortable and that she likely wanted a moment to compose herself before facing Abel. Ashlyn respected Kass' decision, and took both items from her, giving her a quick hug.

Walking down the corridor towards the CCU, Ashlyn found her pace increasing with each step that took her closer. Anticipation fuelled her. She was about to round the corner and enter Abel's room when she heard her name carry out the door. Stopping where she stood, Ashlyn moved closer to the wall and listened.

"...she's been through some difficult events in her life, and it's had a lasting impact on how she interacts with people." Abel coughed a wet, croaky sound. "She's always been kind and gentle, her father made sure of it. But when she lost her father, it was like a part of her spirit left with him. It broke her in so many ways, and she carries the fear of it happening again with her daily. It's why she pushes people away." Abel spoke with compassionate empathy.

A chair scraped along the linoleum. "She let you and Kass in," Derek retaliated, sounding almost defeated.

"And it took us years to get through to her, with a lot of persistence and tears." Abel chuckled as though recalling the memories. Ashlyn's shoulders shook in silent laughter at the memory of their efforts. If it weren't for their stubbornness and pride, she doubted they would have ever made her cave. She was indebted to them for their persistence.

"She wants to let you in, Derek. I can see it in the way she is around you. But she's scared." Somebody cleared their throat. "You need to show her that her fear is okay. But also, that you are here, and you're not going to leave her exposed." Ashlyn felt a knot form in her gut. She shouldn't be listening to this. It wasn't right.

"But how? How do I show her I care and that I'm not walking away from this?" Derek asked with desperation. "I can't let her go down the same path Liam did," his voice broke. Ashlyn froze. Who was Liam, and what was Derek afraid of? Try as she might, she couldn't stop herself from listening.

Ashlyn pressed her back against the wall and closed her eyes against the awakened ache in her chest. The desperation and concern that she felt in Derek's words hurt, a reminder of everything she'd sought to avoid. This was why she didn't let people in.

"She has you whether she realizes it or not, and I know that you will protect her." Derek, she assumed, sniffed. "Her mind and her heart are at war with one another when it comes to you, Derek. You challenge everything that she has stood by for the last twenty years. You make her vulnerable, and it terrifies her." Ashlyn rubbed her eyes on her shoulder. Abel was speaking things that even she didn't dare admit to herself. Was her confusion over Derek so apparent?

"Fragile things break easily. Especially human beings," Derek spoke after a moment of silence, his tone indicating concern. "I don't want to break her, sir. I just want her to start letting people in, even if it isn't me." His voice broke, and Ashlyn gulped, the discarded walls at her feet grinding down into a fine dust. She was losing control of her defenses. She was exposed to everything that sought to break her further than she already felt.

"Her walls are thick and strong, but not impenetrable." Ashlyn heard weight shifting on the bed, Abel no doubt moving to console Derek. "Just don't give up on her yet."

Her heart fractured further within her chest. She had never thought that her choice to push people away would cause another to hurt like Derek clearly did. Her mind raced to find a way to fix this, but every road led to the same conclusion; letting people in. And she just wasn't sure that she could do it.

Unable to hear anymore, and just a little concerned that she would be caught eavesdropping, Ashlyn pulled herself away from the wall and entered the room. Abel's face lit up the moment he saw her, and it took all her control to compose herself and pretend that she hadn't heard a word they'd said. He sat on the edge of the bed, his hand resting on Derek's shoulder, affirming what she had assumed earlier.

"Coffee? For me? You shouldn't have." Abel chuckled sliding back into bed. Smiling at Abel, she shook her head and stopped beside Derek. He glanced up at her, and she could see the red that surrounded his irises. He'd been crying, because of her. She wanted to say something, to do something to apologize, but she didn't know how. Instead, she held the paper bag and the coffee out to him, masking the guilt she felt.

"Thank you, Ashlyn." Derek smiled with gratitude and stood to offer her the seat he had occupied. "I'll give you guys a minute." Derek hesitated for a moment when he turned to pass Ashlyn, his mouth opening to say something. Ashlyn held her breath in expectation, hopeful that this time he would say what he really thought. But then he closed his mouth again, as he'd done in the corridor, and walked out of the room. She felt her hope plummet.

Abel patted a spot on the bed beside him. With a smile, Ashlyn climbed up on the bed and sat cross-legged beside him, her hands resting in her lap. Neither of them spoke for a moment, both uncertain what to say. Ashlyn picked at the emerald polish on her fingernails as she tried to think of a way to bring up the conversation she had overheard. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. Instead, she looked at Abel from beneath her lashes.

I was so scared I was going to lose you. Her hands trembled. Abel took her hands in his and squeezed.

"I'm sorry, Tochter. I would never want to hurt you," he apologized, kissing the back of her hand. She nodded her head. She knew that he wouldn't intentionally. But that didn't mean that things wouldn't still happen that broke her. Her lower lip trembled as she looked up at him.

Do you think there's something wrong with me? She asked, her eyes beginning to water.

"Oh, sweetheart, no!" Abel spoke with conviction as he leaned forward and pulled Ashlyn into his arms. Silently she wept, finding solace in his arms. The conversation she'd overheard weighed heavy on her heart. She was fragile, susceptible to break at the first sign of an emotional connection.

"You are a kind and beautiful woman, with a heart of pure gold. There is not a thing about you that I don't adore." He smiled, tapping the end of her nose. Ashlyn sniffed. She felt like a child wrapped in her fathers' arms, and she never wanted the moment to end. This moment, this feeling, was all she had ever wanted.

"Knock, knock." Kass poked her head around the doorframe and smiled sheepishly. Derek stood behind her, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Mind if we join you?" She asked, looking to Abel. Though she wore a tough exterior, Ashlyn knew that beneath the masque Kass was anything but composed. As much as Abel meant to Ashlyn, hers wasn't the only heart he had touched. Ashlyn wiped her cheeks and nodded, as Abel shuffled to the side to make room on his other side for Kass. Kass smiled and all but ran to him, sitting on the bed beside him. She rested her head on his shoulder. 

Derek followed quietly behind her and occupied the armchair on Ashlyn's side of the bed. Composing herself, Ashlyn readjusted herself on the bed so that she could turn and invite Derek into the moment that was being shared.

She smiled shyly, remembering all the things that she'd heard him say earlier. For some reason, he cared, and after all he'd done for her, she owed it to him to at least try. Derek returned her smile and shuffled the chair closer to the bed. His bandaged hand rested on the bed in front of her.

"I'm glad you're okay, old man." Kass smiled playfully, humor her best defense against the strongest of emotions. Abel chuckled placing an arm around Ashlyn and Kass' shoulders.

"How did I ever be so fortunate to have two guardian angels such as yourselves." he smiled. "And a knight in shining armor too," Abel added, tossing a wink in Derek's direction. The four of them chuckled, and Ashlyn pressed a kiss to Abel's forehead. It was they who were truly blessed.

Not one to dwell on the sappy moments, Kass launched into a funny story about a customer she'd served that day who'd tried flirting with her, using some of the cheesiest pickup lines she'd encountered yet when a nurse entered and advised them that visiting hours were ending and that it was time for Abel to get some rest.

Grudgingly they each stood and hugged Abel goodbye, each promising that they would be back again tomorrow. Kass was the first to embrace Abel and vowed to take good care of Bumper until Abel could return home. Derek was next to step forward, rejecting the offered handshake, and instead hugged Abel, patting him on the back.

"Take care of my girls." Abel smiled appreciatively, patting Derek's back in return. Derek stepped back and nodded. Ashlyn watched their exchange with admiration. In just one day Derek had earned Abel's respect. He was a good judge of character, and she knew that Abel's display of acceptance supported what the two gentlemen had discussed earlier. The only thing that stood in the way now was her.

Abels gaze shifted to Ashlyn as she stepped forward and pulled him close.

"Vertraue Deinem Herzen, Tochter." Abel's whisper brushed her ear, a secret shared between the two of them. Trust her heart, he said. The hint he was making was not lost to her. He knew that she'd been listening earlier, she was sure of it. A warm flush spread across her cheeks, embarrassed at being caught. Deep down, she knew that Abel spoke the truth.

From the corner of her eye, Ashlyn watched Derek, observing the tender way he looked on, recalling the gentleness of his hands as he'd sought to calm her earlier. But most importantly, she reflected on the selfless kindness he'd shown everyone, so much like her Fathers.

Was Abel right? Could she trust her heart when it had already broken her once before?