Parts 33 & 34

"How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face..."
-W.B. Yeats

*Part 33

In the days following Melissa's appearance at the cottage, nothing more was said of the threats against her, each of them knowing it was never far from the others mind.  Life at the ranch went on as usual and Melissa tried to adapt. 

Hayden started joining her and Kona on their morning jogs around the property before going to rehearsals or costume fittings.  Anytime she could be with him, he always insisted she come along, costume fittings being her favorite activity.  Having admired Trisha Biggar's work on the last Star Wars movie, it was a thrill to meet her and a privilege to watch her work.  The two seemed to get along well and when Hayden was scheduled for script readings, Melissa could usually be found somewhere with Trisha.

It seldom mattered where she went or with whom, she always seemed welcomed.  As each day passed, she became less aware that her days were anything but normal.  She was spending a fair amount of time with Cecilia who had the unenviable job of coordinating George's schedule.  Cecilia's sister, Mylene, also worked for George as the house coordinator; a special position needed with so many guests staying at the ranch.

While the days were busy, the nights belonged to each other and Hayden had never been happier.  He loved spending every evening with her, sharing a glass of wine under the stars.  They would make love by candlelight, fall asleep wrapped in each other and face the dawn of each new day knowing they had someone they could count on.  Life would have been perfect, except they both remembered what had brought her there to begin with.  They had lost track of the days, but not the reason.

"What's on the agenda today?" Melissa asked during their morning jog.

"Readings in the tech center I think," Hayden panted.  He still wasn't really good at keeping up with her, even after she had discreetly slowed the pace.  "You're coming down, right?"

"You know I don't listen to your readings, I want to be surprised when the movie comes out," she smiled at him.

"Where will you be?" he questioned, having relaxed slightly, but still cautious about where she was and who she was with.

"I should probably start thinking about packing.  My boyfriend has promised to whisk me away from his deprived life," she joked, causing them both to laugh.

Back at the cottage, Melissa was showered and dressed when Cecilia knocked on the door.  "I'm sorry to drop by," she explained, "but Trisha was wondering if Hayden could come to the tech center a few minutes early.  She needs to take a few quick measurements before rehearsal starts."

"He's in the shower right now so it shouldn't be a problem, let me go tell him," she said turning to walk down the hallway, but stopping.  "Are you headed back to the main house?"

"Yes, I have to pick up a couple of things. Why?  Do you need a ride?"

"If you have room for Kona and I, we would appreciate it."

"Sure, I'll wait here for you."

"Great!  Let me tell Hayden and I'll be right back," she said continuing down the small hallway.

Pausing just inside the bathroom door, Melissa couldn't help but stare at Hayden's showering silhouetted frame through the frosted glass doors.  Each movement was slow and deliberate as he ran his fingers through his wet hair and let the spray massage his back. 

"You tease me," she said softly.

He cracked open the shower door and leaned out causing her to gasp at truly handsome he was, a fact enhanced that much more by the drips of water running down his chest.  "There is no teasing involved," he grinned at her.  Dropping his voice and looking at her with a hint of devil in his eyes he added, "You know, you could always join me..."

Leaning closer to him, her face a mere fraction from his, she whispered, "Oh...now that's not an offer easily declined." 

Closing the small distance between them, Hayden kissed her so deeply that her head started to spin.  "So don't," he breathed through the thick bathroom steam.

"Hold that thought until tonight," she stuttered.  "Cecilia is in the hallway.  Trisha needs a couple of measurements, she'll meet you at rehearsal a few minutes early."

"How come she's never here to tell me to be late?" Hayden sighed at the loss of his possible shower companion.

"Maybe because they know I'm here and you'd never show up," her lips forming a fiendish grin.  "Kona and I are riding back to house with Cecilia.  I'll grab a book from the library and meet you at rehearsal.  I still won't listen, but at least I can be in the building when you take a break."

"Ok, but be careful."

"Oh, I will be - you owe me a shower," she winked as she turned to leave.

"I love you," he called after her.

"I love you more," she laughed as she followed Cecilia out, hearing a faint "not possible" as she closed the door.  Taking their places in one of the small golf carts that were used to move about the property, the threesome headed to the main house.

Melissa combed through the extensive library and found a book that looked interesting.  She was just about to leave for the lengthy walk to the tech center when Mylene called to her, pulling up in another golf cart.  "I'm headed to the vineyard to grab some wine for tonight's dinner," she told her.  "Where are you two headed?"

"Rehearsal at the tech center."

"If you don't mind the detour, I can drop you both off on the way back," she offered.

Knowing that the faster she arrived the less Hayden would worry, she thanked her and climbed into the cart.

"Are you excited about Australia?" Mylene asked, struggling to make conversation.

"A little - but I've never been away from Kona for very long," she said rubbing her partners ears in the back seat.  "I'm sure I'll be making several trips back to see her.  How about you?"

"Oh, only Ceese is going, no need for house coordinator anywhere but the house."

"That's too bad," she fumbled, unsure of what to say in this sort of situation.  "It seems like there are a lot of things to do around here, is there anything else that interests you more than what you're doing?"

They pulled up in front of the vintage building just as Melissa finished her question.  Kona jumped out and ran ahead, chasing birds off the nearby vines before going into the building just before them, sniffing the distant areas of the floor.   

"I would love to be you," Mylene smiled once they were inside.  "Great guy, demanding career...seems like kind of a dream." She paused while she opened the doors to the cellar.  "Can you help me bring up a case of wine?" she asked motioning toward the cellar.

"Sure," she answered, walking down the narrow steps, "and believe me, I don't think you'd want to be me at the moment."

She heard the cellar door close behind her as the lights turned.  "You're right about that at least..." Mylene answered back before everything went dark again.

*****

Down at rehearsal, Trisha had seized the opportunity to measure a few people again finding them all conveniently in one spot.  Cecilia prepared to head back to the main house, realizing she had forgotten the new script revisions.

"Would you keep an eye out for Melissa?" he asked as she was leaving.  "I expected her to be here by now."

"She's probably had to fetch Kona out of the lake again," Ewan laughed.  Kona had really come to enjoy swimming after the ducks in the week they'd spent on the property.  Her antics had become a bit of a joke for everyone.

Cecilia assured Hayden that she would check the lake before leaving.  "You're probably right," he tried to laugh; silently reminding himself that Kona was with her.  "Lets get started."

She had kept her word and looked for Melissa on her way back to the house, finding no signs of her.  Mylene was in the kitchen unloading groceries when she arrived.  "Have you seen Melissa?" she asked her sister.

"No, but I was shopping," she explained, motioning to the bags of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Satisfied, Cecilia left the house and headed back toward the tech center, but decided to make a pass by Hayden's cottage to offer them a ride if they had gone back there for some reason.  While she didn't find them, she did see muddy paw prints all over the small porch, windowsills and front door.  It was obvious that Kona had been there.  She called a few times for Melissa and tried knocking, but decided she wasn't in the cottage and continued her drive back to rehersal.

*****

Trisha was still in the building, finishing up her notes while the cast continued their readings upstairs.  She was in the process of copying numbers over to sketch pad drawings when she thought she heard barking and went to investigate.

The crew upstairs was caught up in their dialogue, but George heard the barking.

"Sounds like Melissa is here," he smiled to Hayden, knowing that would relax his young stars tensions.

"What?" Hayden questioned, having been reading at the time.

"I heard barking, Kona and Melissa must be here."

"Barking?" he said going noticeably pale and listening intently, growing paler when he heard the barks for himself.  "Kona never barks.  In fact, the only time I have ever heard her back was when..." He stopped himself unable to fathom what he was about to say.  Bolting to the door as he finished his sentence, "was when someone was dying..."

Flinging open the door he ran into Trisha who had Kona beside her.  "I'm sorry Hayden, she seemed intent on getting up here."

Kneeling down he took the dogs head in his hands.  She looked terrible with muddy paws and what looked like bloody slices across the top of her head.  Running his hands down the sides of her face he searched her eyes for answers, getting them instantly.  "Good girl," he told her gently.  She moaned a soft cry in return, as if pleading to him.  "She always said the problem wasn't you understanding, it was us, but I understand girl.  Take me to her."

That was all the encouragement Kona needed to hear, turning and running from the building, Hayden doing his best to keep up. No one in the room had any idea of what had caused Hayden to act the way he did but George, and now it was going to take some explaining.

"Lets go," he said simply and as they made their way out of the buildings just as Cecilia pulled up, pausing only long enough for them all to jump in.  With Cecilia doing her best to keep her eye on Hayden and Kona, who were barreling across the property, George briefly explained to Natalie, Ewan and Cecilia what had been going on.  Trisha wasn't far behind them in another cart, deciding that when they found Melissa, they'd need the extra seats to get everyone back.

"I think they're headed to the vineyards," Cecilia noted, still looking ahead.

Kona and Hayden reached the building just before George.  Finding the front door locked, Hayden followed Kona around to the back of the building where a broken sprinkler had left the area muddy.  Looking up he saw a small window jutted with broken glass, but there was no way he could get up there to get in.

"Melissa!" he started to shout only hearing silence in return.  He went back to the front and found Cecilia fumbling through keys and opening the lock.  Kona nosed through first, leading Hayden to the cellar door, now littered with claw marks.  As he flung open the doors, Kona raced down the small steps into the darkness.  Feeling his way down, his eyes adjusting painfully slow, he saw her laying on her stomach as if she had fallen down the steps.

"I see her!" he called up the stairs.  "Call an ambulance!"

Cecilia immediately dialed her cell phone as George looked for the light switch.  They could all hear Kona whining, Hayden following the sound over to Melissa and kneeling next to her.  "Melissa?" he said stroking her hair.  "I'm here beautiful, you're going to be ok."  He ran his fingers down her cheek.  "You're cold down here, but we'll get you warmed up..." his speech stopped by an odd feeling on his knee.

George was finally able to find the small light switch at nearly the same moment, flicking it on and joining in the gasp of horrors emitted by all who where looking in.  Melissa was as pale as a sheet and Hayden was kneeling in a pool of blood. 

Looking at the ground, the details organizing into thoughts, Hayden began to panic.  "Oh no...please..." he cried, laying his face against hers.  "Fight for me Lissa...please.  You can beat this - I know you can..." Moving his hand down her arm and under her, he covered her bloody hand with his.  Wrapping his other arm around her head, he held her as close as he could, trying to will her along.  "Oh beautiful please," he whispered,  "I love you..."

There was nothing anyone could do but wait for the ambulance and watch as Hayden held Melissa and tried to coax her back to him.

*Part 34

Hayden could hear the ambulance sirens in the distance, but they seemed like they were still a million miles away.  Melissa was slipping away from him and he was powerless to stop it. Knowing she would never give up on him, he continued to talk to her.  Keeping his tone light and not allowing his panic to come through, he hoped she would remain calm despite her declining condition. 

"Maybe we should move her up where it's warmer," Ewan suggested putting his hand on Hayden's shoulder.

"No," he answered quickly.  "I don't want to hurt her..." His reasoning was cut short when he thought he heard her whisper.  Looking down, he saw her eyes open and his hopes soared. "Tell me again beautiful," he said putting his ear closer to her mouth.

"Kona..." she said with a soft moan.

"She's right here, right next to you."  Hearing her name, Kona crawled the foot that separated her from her friend and laid her face against Melissa's.  "She brought me to you.  I understand why you run so fast now," he smiled to her.  "You have to keep up with her."

She tried to return the smile, only managing to slightly curl one side of her mouth.  Her face had become a series of inconsistencies.  Wanting to smile, but with tears welling in her eyes, she was still the most gorgeous woman Hayden had ever seen.  "Hurts..." she whimpered.

"I know," he said fighting his own tears.  "Help is coming, you're going to be ok.  You're safe now.  I promise."  As if on cue, the ambulance pulled up and started to stabilize and prepare Melissa for transport to the hospital.  It wasn't until they rolled her onto her back that Hayden began to feel sick at the sight of her injuries.

He held her hand as they worked on her and wiped away the few tears that rolled from her eyes.  When she started to look scared, he assured her he would stay with her.  "Kona..." she wheezed.  "Call Karen."

"I'll take care of her," Ewan stepped in, knowing there was no way Hayden was going to leave her.

Again hearing her name, Kona walked over and licked Melissa's cheek.  "Good girl," she struggled to speak, "good work...it's ok." 

Everyone had lumps in their throat as they carried her out and into the ambulance, Hayden riding in the back with her.

"We'll meet you there," George assured him, looking down at Kona.  "Right after we call Karen."

Hayden nodded as they slammed the doors closed, sirens blaring as they drove away.

*****

Everyone piled in the carts and went back to the main house where George had Karen's number in his personal address book.  "She gave me this just in case," he muttered, holding the page open and dialing the phone.  "I never thought I'd need it..."

Ewan, Natalie, and Trisha sat with Kona in George's office and listened as he regrettably told Karen what had happened and that Kona needed medical attention for the cuts on her head.  Cecilia, still dumbfounded by the whirl of events, made her way into the kitchen for a glass of water, finding her sister with her headphones on, starting to prepare sandwiches for lunch.

"Oh Mylene," she said tapping her shoulder before collapsing into a chair, "the most dreadful thing has happened.  Melissa's been hurt."

"That's awful," she feigned sympathy, still continuing to make sandwiches.  "What happened?"

"Poor Hayden," she continued, her train of thought differing from her sisters.  "He's gone with her to the hospital..."

"Hospital?"  Mylene questioned.  "Is it bad?"

"I think so," she sighed, "if it hadn't been for Kona finding Hayden, I'm sure she would have died before we could find her."

"That dog," Mylene growled under her breath.

"What was that?"

Changing her tone, Mylene added sweetly, "That dog is really something else."

"She's hurt as well.  George has her in his office calling one of Melissa's friends to come get her."

"Kona is here?  In the house?" Mylene's face started to flush when Cecilia simply nodded in reply.  "Well, I'll go get the car," she offered, trying to put some distance between she and Kona.

"My?  You ok?  You look a little pale."

"Of course I'm pale.  I'm scared," she tried to cover.  "Someone gets shot and you expect me to stay calm?"

Cecilia's mouth dropped open and disbelief consumed her thoughts.  "Tell me you didn't just say that..." she stuttered.

"Say what?"

"I never said she was shot.  Oh my god Mylene, what have you done?"  Cecilia wanted to cry but she was far too angry.

Oh, well it's a fine day when you can even THINK your own sister could do something like that!"

"Do what?" her voice growing firmer with each word.  "What do you know about this?"

"Maybe Miss Perfects life wasn't so perfect?  Did you think about that?  Maybe she shot herself."

"And maybe you did it," she said through clinched teeth.  "Please give me a reason to believe it wasn't you..."

They heard George's voice down the hallway and Mylene tried again to leave.  "I have no time for your stupid accusations.  I need to get the car and we need to get to the hospital."

"For what?  So you can finish the job?"

"Hey," George said as he entered the kitchen.  "Karen is sending over someone who was close by and I've called the detective who has been working on Melissa's case," The tension between the sisters was undeniable.  "Everything alright in here?"

"No..." Cecilia glared at her sister, only to be cut off.

"Ceese was just telling me what happened - how horrible!  I was going to go get the car since I'm sure you'll want to head to the hospital."

George watched Cecilia.  As his assistant he had come to be able to read her face and he had never seen her this angry.  "How about if we all walk down together?" he suggested.

Mylene had passed the area of rational thought and was having difficulty hiding her anger.  "No," she said firmly.  "I said I would go," and she turned to walk out.

"Don't let her George - you'll never see her again," Cecilia told him.

"You bet you won't," was all she was able to get out.  With nails silenced by the carpeted hallway, Kona appeared in the kitchen.  Running full out, she leaped at Mylene, knocking her down.  Her front paws on holding Mylene on her back, she stood over her head and growled, curling her upper lip up and bearing her large white teeth.

"What in the bloody hell is going on around here?" Ewan exclaimed in his heavy Scottish brogue.  "One minute we're talking and the next, Kona is racing in here like flies to dung!"

"Cecilia?" George looked to his assistant.  "Any idea?"

"Kona is just making sure the person who hurt Melissa doesn't get away," she said, her own teeth still slightly clinched.

"Oh please!" Mylene was still trying to talk her way out of the allegation.  "The dog is distraught.  Look, I have a cookie in my pocket for her..." As she started to move her hand toward her pocket, she felt Kona's teeth digging into her wrist.  The dog had wasted no time reacting to the threat and, while she could easily break every bone in Mylene's arm, she held it firmly and growled.

Going over to her, George patted the pocket she had been reaching for.  "Gun," he said simply.  Taking Mylene's free hand, he placed his hand on Kona's back, amazed at the dogs self control.  "I've got her.  You can let go," he said softly and Kona released her and stepped back to stand with Natalie.  She never stopped growling and never took her eyes off Mylene.  "You're lucky she's trained to save people," he told her.

"I'll get Trisha and we'll take her out front to wait," Natalie offered, taking Kona's collar, not knowing her well enough to trust that she would remain under control.

"And we'll be waiting right here for the detective," he motioned to Ewan.  They sat down and waited, positive it was going to be a while, but unwilling to take their eyes off her for a moment.

*****

The ambulance pulled up to University Hospital and the ER team was standing by to take over from the paramedics.  Melissa had slipped back into unconsciousness during the trip and Hayden would have given anything to hear the faint whisper of her voice.  The silence was almost more than he could handle.

As they wheeled her in, the paramedics yelled out her vital signs to the attending staff, updating them as best they could on her current condition.  Hayden tried to follow them in, but he felt hands on his chest stopping him.

"I'm sorry sir, you'll have to wait out...Hayden?"

Looking down to see who had stopped him, he saw a terror stricken Beth.

"Oh no..." she stammered looking into the room and seeing the doctors working on her best friend.  "What happened?"

"She was just going to get a book and meet me at rehearsal," he choked.  "Next thing I know Kona's barking and taking me to her.  She was so cold, Beth...." His voice trailing off, he fought back the tears that begged to fall.  "I promised her that she was safe, that she'd be ok.  She HAS to be ok."

"She will be," she assured him.  "She's a fighter, you know that.  Is anyone coming to stay with you?  I need to get in there."

"Yes," was all he could say, looking past Beth and trying to see how Melissa was doing.

"Good.  Let me go check on her, and I'll be back to check on you," and before Hayden could tell her not to worry about him, she was gone.

Alone in the waiting room, Hayden pulled out his cell phone and dialed the one person that he knew could talk him through this.

*****

At the Christensen house in Toronto, the family had gathered for an unusual early family dinner to celebrate Kaylen's exceptional final report that semester from school.  Everyone was pitching in when Henjsa brought Tove his ringing cell phone.  "No business before dinner," she scolded.

Flipping up the phone to see who was calling, he began to laugh.  "It's not business, it's Hayden," and in true sibling form, he stuck his tongue out at her before answering the call.  "Hey little bro!  Good timing, we're just about to eat!"

"Tove," he replied, now unable and unwilling to fight his tears.  "Melissa's been shot."

Still working in the family kitchen, Tove dropped the bowl he had been holding and it slammed to the table with a thud.  "Is she going to be ok?"  Hearing only the sound of his brother's labored breathing on the phone, Tove shouted getting his entire families attention.  "Hayden!  Talk to me!  Is she ok?"

"I don't know.  They're working on her."  Trying to calm himself enough to speak he told his brother the one thing he didn't want to admit to himself.  "Tove, I think it's my fault - I think she was hurt because of me."

"That's nonsense.  You stop thinking that way.  Suck it up Hayden, she's going to need you to be strong for her - to take care of her.  Do NOT let her down, do you understand me?"  Over the years, Tove and found getting directly to the point with his younger sibling the fastest way to get results.

"But you don't know...you don't understand..."

"I'll tell you what I do know.  I know you love her and she loves you, there is nothing else to know or to understand that could possibly be more important than that.  Now, where are you?"  Finding out which hospital his brother was waiting in, Tove said exactly what Hayden had hoped he would say.  "Sit tight - I'm on my way."

Back in the waiting room, Hayden closed his cell phone and sat it on the chair next to him.  Looking down at his hands, he saw Melissa's blood on them, some dried onto the stones of the bracelet she had given him.  Staring blindly at them, he remembered Melissa's words to his cousin. 

"A hand that just the day before, had held a baby, combed a child's hair, or hugged someone goodbye..." he said softly to no one.  "My hands that held you and wiped away your tears...I never thought they would look like this."  His mind flashed back to that night at his parent's house, the way she had told him the story of the bracelet, and how he'd asked her to be his girlfriend.  Twisting the stones around he closed his eyes and remembered her smile.  "When I told you it wouldn't be easy, I didn't mean like this," he whispered.  "I'm so sorry..."

Alone in the waiting room, Hayden put his hands on his head, buried his face into his arms and began to sob.