Chapter Thirty-Six

Just like that, the date was over. We headed for the hospital.

"What the hell do you mean you're discharging yourself old man, get your ass back in that bed and do what the doctor tells you. Only hours ago, you were near death!" I shout at my father who has been causing chaos, shouting, and throwing food, and whatever else he can. Demanding they discharge him against doctor recommendation. When Ren told me, we needed to get to the hospital right away, I was so anxious. Worrying something had happened to my father. That he had taken a turn for the worse. Instead I was led to his room by a hysterical nurse on the brink of tears because of my stubborn, pain in the ass old man, who, suddenly decided, he had all the strength in the world and wanted to go home.

"I said I'm fine now, I can take care of myself from home. We have the same equipment with capable people that can-do the same shit at home that they're doing here. I don't need incompetent nurses looking after me and crappy food to eat."

"Dad." I shout watching him freeze in shock, his eyes wide. He chuckles a little "Guess, I didn't dream that earlier after all." He sits down on the bed. His hand messages his neck. I watch as he sighs and then coughs a little. Worried I race to his side. He grabs my hand then looks up at Ren who had perched himself against the door frame.

"You going to give me a hand here Feng? You'd do the same thing." He quirks a pleading smile Ren's way. I look back over my shoulder glaring at Ren.

"You want me to argue with the one person who can kick my ass, and worse, make me sleep on the ground outside like a dog?" He chuckles at his own joke.

"Ren, I did bring those daggers with me." I bat my eyelashes sweetly back at him. His smile fades into a scowl.

"There's the deal breaker, no can do, your daughters bat shit crazy. I'm not fucking with that. She thinks you should stay then that's what you're doing even if I got to tie you down myself to make her happy." I notice Ren grin mischievously. My father is now frowning.

"Great, I get the daughter I always wanted, and the son-in-law, I always dreaded all at once." He groans putting his head in his palm and coughs harder.

"You need to rest and need monitoring. If you're not comfortable here, I'll stay with you tonight." He glances at me from the side.

"Don't force yourself Anna. I told you, I don't expect you to call me father, or have that kind of relationship after so long. Don't do it just because I look so pathetic." My father pets my head.

"I wasn't, but fine, if you want to think that way, I will just let you do what you want. Get yourself killed, see if I care." I stand up and storm out, slamming the door behind me.

****

I almost want to slap Silverman, but looking at how pathetic he was, I understood. "You know if you're happy about the change in her attitude toward you, then you could have just hugged her, and told her so." I don't miss his skepticism look. Yeah, yeah, I get it, don't show your feelings. Honestly, I really hate that rule since meeting her, and tend to break it often, in the past and even now. No matter what I'm feeling, when it's just us, I been starting to remember what my father always said have two faces, one you show to the world, and one you show behind closed doors to the one that holds all of you, good and bad. "If you think I would have held it against you, for showing your daughter love, you got me all wrong Silverman." I watch him sizing me up.

"So, you changed your mind about our family feud?" I glare at him. Was he trying to pick a fight?

"You're not well, and are having trouble breathing still, I can see it. Lay down, let the nurses hook you back up, and shut up, before you make it worse." I watch as his eyes sharpen into a knowing stare.

"You haven't? Does she know?" He sneers his breathing getting heavier.

"I run my hands through my hair and walk over to him I grab a chair next to the bed and sit across from him my elbows on my knees my hands clasp together. "Look, I don't know what to think. Fact is I love her, only god knows why. Whether it be fate, divine intervention, hell maybe even punishment to mock me, but I do. She knows what I think, she's hell bent on finding proof." I watch his face darken.

"How bad is it."

"Bad enough to start movement against the both of us. I sit back wrapping my arm behind the chair. It's actually intriguing how every clan seems to be hell bent on keeping us apart. Makes me really curious as to why. I might have turned down marriage proposals, but that was nothing new. I did that even before Anna came along." Silverman's face got paler. I stood pushing the nurse's button on the bed. "Come on Silverman, if you cause trouble, she will worry more." I help him back into the bed. I grab the oxygen mask and hand it to him.

"I just want to be home." He sighs. The nurse comes in, a look of surprise on her face. I step aside as she begins to check his vitals and starts to hook up the monitoring equipment. I step out. Anna is leaning her back against the wall.

"So, which is it?" I raise and I brow quizzically wondering what she means. "Am I fate, divine intervention, or punishment mocking you, because we should have never fallen in love?" I frown, she heard us. For a Second, I thought she was upset, when she smiles up at me.

"You're not planning to cut my balls off tonight, are you?" I ask looking at the evil little grin. "Because then it is defiantly punishment."

"Not yet, I have other things in mind. She winks at me and walks passed me back into the room. I glance in, just in time to watch her smack Silverman gently on the shoulder, and lecture him about taking my advice. My heart aches a little watching them. After my mother passed my father was cold and ruthless. The love in his eyes faded.

Driving her home, the only thing I can think of is, being alone and holding her. So, when we get back and she asked me to spar with her for the fun of it, I grumble a little. Not the type of holding I had in mind.

"We could make it interesting if you do." Looking at her curiosity is intrigue; the angel has become a witch. She doesn't explain. "If you want to know you should change and follow me to the dojo and you'll find out." I change quickly, no way in hell was I going to pass up whatever she has planned.