To be loved again

Melbourne, Australia British Airbase

Owen McGuire has been sent to train a group of young men to be ready for combat in Melbourne Australia. After one of his best friend Jared Michael got married he didn’t feel to be on the front line without his commending best friend retired to have a family life. He decided to be a teacher to future young men that will protect their country. He wanted to stay close with his friend in England but there wasn’t an opening that requires him. So General Osborne told him there was a job opening in Australia instead. He didn’t mind the distance since he needed to revaluate himself about what he needed in his life. Seeing Jared happy made him think if there was any chance for him and his other best friend Ian Westwood. Time will tell he told himself he didn’t want to be alone anymore but the harsh life in the military kind of change the course of his life. He kept in touch with his best friends of course, he didn’t know if he wanted to live in Australia or go back home. He went on some occasional dinner date but nothing serious with any one yet. He had been pleased so far of his new career choices, he has been leaving in Melbourne almost a year now, he got e-mail and calls from his best friend telling that they missed him he told them he will come visit during the holidays.
One day he got a call from England he thought it was probably his best friend calling to tell him the news that the baby finally came since the last times he talk to Jared he announced him that Gwen was pregnant. Owen tried to remember when the due date Jared told him. But on the phone line it was someone else, it was a doctor from London England calling him. He didn’t understand why a doctor will be calling him it must be something very wrong and grave has happen. The only people that he though of was his best friends since his parents moved with him to Australia. Suddenly he was in stay of shock what the doctor has told him. The doctor said “Are you Owen McGuire.” “Yes.” “I’m Doctor Wilson from Victoria general hospital in England. There is some important news to inform you of the condition of Miss Juliana Austin and your daughter”. Did he say your daughter can’t be? “Are you still there Mr. McGuire?” “Yes, can you tell what is happening”? The doctor said “Well, there was a big car crash and Miss Juliana and your daughter got severely injured. They will need you be there for them since her parents had past away for some years now since she has no siblings and any relatives except you.” “How do know how to reach me and where I was.” “Before she went for her operations we asked her who to call we called for you but we got your General to answer our questions instead, you are a hard man to find.” “She just came out from the operating room but still in a coma and your daughter will need you. Your daughter got some broken ribs, a broken arm and a lot of bruises; she will need someone to be there for her when she opens her eyes.” “Yes, doctor I will be on first flight to England after I rang up with you if any thing serious happen feel free to call me on my cell.”
He got a special flight from the airbase it was quicker and faster than taking a regular airline flight special help from Gwen’s family connections he did of course explain to them what was happening, and to his parents too. His parents will join him by taking a regular flight to England they were too old to flight on a military airplane.
One the flight he tried to remember Juliana she wasn’t someone he couldn’t easily forget, he had a serious relationship with her before he had joined the military. Their break up was due to the fact she didn’t want to be a military wife. He understood the reasons and gave up on her. Be in the military was in his family from generations he didn’t want to disappoint his family but now looking back he had his regrets when all the few relationship women had failed. Juliana Austin was the woman that he wanted it to be his wife, he had known her since elementary school through high school; their ages differences was six years apart but didn’t keep them to have a relationship then when she entered the university they got distant due to his career in the military. The last times he saw her it was by chance when he went to her university to give a seminar about the military. He didn’t know that she will get pregnant from that one night they had spent together; she didn’t even inform him about it and it was ten years ago. If he knew he will never enroll himself in the special commando forces.

He had arrived in London, Jared and Gwen came to pick him up to drive him straight to the hospital. He was quiet on the drive, he was so anxious about to see for the first time Juliana and the daughter that he never knew. Jared and Gwen didn’t say much or asked questions knowing that his mind wasn’t there at the moment. They got to the hospital asked information where Juliana’s room was and to page her doctor to see them. They went to Juliana’s room first. He stepped in the room the air suck out of his chest seeing Juliana for the first time after ten years, she looked so helpless lying on the bed and her face was bruise by the accident. Jared said “We are going to let you have a little time alone with her before the doctor shows up and we’ll ask the nurse in charge of her to tell us where your daughter is.” Owen replied “thanks you for being with me and for all the help you had giving me.” “You’re welcome, you are our friend it’s nothing.”
Owen approached Juliana’s bed side started to hold her hands gave her a gentle kiss, to him Juliana was still beautiful no matter with those bruises on her faces; he started praying and hoping for her to get better and to wake up. Then he leaned on her and gave her a kiss and murmured “Please, love wake up for our daughter I’m here now I’ll take care of you.” The doctor was walking the door said “You must be Owen McGuire the front desk informed me that you arrived.” “Yes doctor, nice to meet you I just got here.” “You must want to know the updates on her conditions.” Owen just nodded. “Well, she is getting more strength; her color had improved she will need a lot of physical therapy to be able to move her body now we need her to open her eyes.” “Your daughter is still sleeping anytime soon she’ll wake.” “Do you have any questions?” “About my daughter how emotionally she will be especially she is a child plus she had never met me yet.” The doctor said “the only things a child needs it’s a lot of love, talk to her and answer her with the best of your abilities then things will click together slowly.” “Now I need to check on my others patients and the nurse will show you where your daughter room is.” “Thank you Dr. Wilson.” Then he left couple minutes later Jared and Gwen came back. Owen still holding her hands turned to his friends informed them about her conditions then asked where his daughter room was. They told him and said to him “Your daughter she is beautiful.” Owen said to his friends “Can you do me a favor, can you pick up my parents at the airport.” “Of course when they’ll arrive we’ll go, we are going to get you something to eat you’ll need your strength to be with them.” “Thanks again.” They left the room, he went to his daughter room and his friends went to the cafeteria.
Owen came towards his daughter, Jared and Gwen was right she is beautiful. He never asked what her name was, he hold up on of her hands looked up at her hospital’s tag to read her name. His daughter name was Annabelle, he fought it was beautiful and suited it her. He asked himself, my poor little girl all broken, how I’m going to make things better when she doesn’t know me .Slowly she opened her eyes, looked at him and asked where was her mom. Owen said “Your mommy isn’t awake yet but soon she’ll be then I take you to go see her first I need you to get better.” She asked him “Who are you sir.” “I’m your father little one, I’m here now I’m going to take care of you.” Then she said “I always wanted a daddy.” He gave her something to drink and he asked if the nurse could bring some foods for her after she had checked her out. The doctor came by did his examinations, he told him that her bones will heal quickly enough as long as she isn’t active and not be physical. Owen asked “Can she be in the same room with her mother.” The doctor said “I think in couple days your daughter can go home.” After he helped his daughter to eat, Jared and Gwen walked in. Owen said “I would like to introduce you to my dearest best friends Jared and Gwen.” Then she answered “It’s very to meet you.”
They talked to her a little bit, she got exhausted by all the excitement she went back to sleep. His friends told Owen that they are going to go home and wait for his parent’s phone call then come back to see him. He told Jared that it will be for the best and Gwen needed her rest since she is almost due for the baby. They told him that if he needed it anything to call them.
The nurses came to tell him that they were ready to move his daughter to her mom’s room. He followed them to Juliana’s room. Seeing Juliana and his daughter beside each other, gave him a lot of emotions by thinking how much he had missed everything in their life he wondered if she had any hard times raising Annabelle all by herself since her parents had passed away and why she had never informed him about his daughter existence until something tragic happen, is she going to ever tell him about Annabelle?
They both looked so beautiful together he pictured them without all those bruises and scratches. His daughter looks like one of those little porcelain dolls with beautiful blue eyes and blondes hair with wavy curls, Juliana looked more mature now but her face still have that youthful baby face look. He was hoping that Juliana will give him another chance since their daughter knows about his existence. No matter what happen he wants to be a part of his daughter life from now on.
Annabelle woke up, was calling for her mommy but she wasn’t there when she opened her eyes she saw a stranger that was her father. Owen tried to calm her down she was lost and confused more than the first time probably having nightmares from the accident. Owen said “Sweetie pie there isn’t anything to be afraid off I’m here.” He hugged his daughter with such of tenderness that she calmed herself. Annabelle asked him “You’re my daddy please don’t leave us anymore, mommy and me need you.” He reassured her by saying softly “I’ll never leave you sweetie pie I’ll promise you.” Annabelle request him if she can get off of her bed and be beside her mom on her bed. He told her to hold on him by putting her arms around his neck he carried her to Juliana, he put her down gently beside her mom. Annabelle gave her mom a gentle kiss and murmured on one of her hear “Please mommy wake I need you and daddy is here now.” Then she turned her head to Owen and asked “Daddy how long mommy is going to sleep”. When Owen heard his daughter calling him daddy gave some kind of joy in his heart and said to her “Hopefully soon sweetie pie.” She asked him “Can I sleep beside her for a while.” “Yes, make sure you don’t move too much around your mom.” She nodded. Owen was seating beside Juliana’s bed holding one of her hands and one of Annabelle. He fell asleep until he felt his hand got squeeze tightly he thought that was his daughter but it wasn’t. It was Juliana instead he woke up and let go of his hands from Juliana and daughter. He moved closer to Juliana and she opened her eyes slowly. She murmured some words softly asking for her daughter. Owen told her “Annabelle is fine.” Then she realized that her daughter was sleeping just besides her.
Owen called the doctor to come to check her out. In the meanwhile he spends times with Juliana without exhausting her. The nurse brought her some foods to eat; it will help her to get some strength. After she eats she asked Owen “I’m glad that you had meet your daughter I’m so sorry about not telling you all those years please forgive me.” Owen replied “Don’t worry it’s nothing to be sorry, I’m thankful that I’m part of her life and yours now.” “She is beautiful and her name suits her. My parents should arrive soon to meet her.” She asked “How long Annabelle has been sleeping?” He answered “She’ll be up soon she had a lot of excitement today meeting me especially and my best friends, she took it pretty well about me being her father.” “Did she ever ask about me?” She told him “She started it few years back after her grand-parents passed away I told her that you were in the military and that your job took you away for a very long times. She asked me when you’ll be back I’ve told her soon when your mission was over then the years passed by then she hardly asked now except when school have family function but she is a very smart little girl since probably figured out somehow since some of her friends their parents are divorced.” Owen asked “Why you never try to inform me about our daughter.” She replied “Since the last we saw each other I told you that I didn’t want to be a military wife and I thought that your career was more important than having a family.”
Few minutes later the doctor came by to check on them, Annabelle woke up right on time for her check so he put her back in her bed after she said hi to her mom and gave a kiss to her. The doctor told them that every thing seems normal that he needed to do some few tests then if every thing turned out fine. They’ll be able to recuperate nicely at home and go for some physical therapy but they needed to use a wheelchair for temporary until their bones heal properly. Owen asked Juliana “If the test turned out fine where you’ll be staying, if you don’t mind I would like you and Annabelle to come to say with me you’ll need my help.” Juliana asked “What about your job?” He answered her “I had already asked for times off because of the accident, my job doesn’t matter right now. You and our daughter come first for now on; I had missed so much already.” She said “I wouldn’t mind to stay you with it’ll be nice for a change to have company and Annabelle will love to have grand-parents again and to have you. Instead of moving to your place why you and your parents move to mine. There are enough places I took over to my parent’s house.”
By asking permission from the doctor Owen was sleeping in the small sofa in Juliana’s room to be closer to her and his daughter. He got a little more rest since Juliana came out of the coma and his daughter got more colors on her face. Today should be the test result from Juliana then the doctor will tell them if they can be discharge from the hospital. His parents arrived early morning the next day. Jared and Gwen went to pick them up and brought them to the hospital. They got themselves rest it then went to hospital around noon times. They brought some clothing for Owen, Juliana and their daughter for them to change and some toiletry for him and the girls.
When they came into the room they didn’t see Owen they saw only Juliana and her daughter. Juliana was still in her bed Annabelle was seating down on the wheelchair beside her mom. Juliana and Annabelle looked up when they came in. Juliana asked “May I help you.” Jared replied “We are here to visit you, I’m Owen best friend Jared this is my wife Gwen and this is Owen parents, nice to meet you.” Then Annabelle remembered yesterday that she had meet her dad best friends then told her mom to confirm it. Juliana and Annabelle greeted them. Gwen asked “Where is Owen?” Juliana told them that he was taking care of the paper works for their discharge. Owen parents wanted to talk to her so they asked Jared and Gwen if they can take Annabelle for some fresh air. Annabelle was excited it because she didn’t get a chance to be out of her room.
Juliana was nervous but she allowed them to take her daughter. Owen father said to her “Don’t worry she’ll be fine with them you can trust them, my name is Robert and my wife name is Elizabeth. We are happy to meet you and to hear that you and your daughter are getting better.” His wife asked “Owen told us about you during the years but we never got a chance to meet you, we were too busy with our career and didn’t really try to get to know our own son either but things had changed when we almost lost him few years back.” “And your little girl is beautiful and she is our grand-child. We are so sorry that we weren’t in her life we didn’t know.” Juliana said “Don’t apologize it was my fault not letting your son to be a part of our life until something tragic happen I’m the one who should say sorry.” Owen parents said to her “We are both kind at fault, we just have to deal with the present now to make things right.”
At the mean times Owen took care of the hospital paper works and the doctor told him that the test were fine that Juliana and Annabelle be able to be release in the next couple hours. But then the police showed up they were looking for Juliana since him and the doctor were still there when they arrived. The doctor told the police that Juliana was in his care, they only asked about her conditions and if she’ll be able to talk to them. Then Owen asked them “I’m Owen McGuire and the child she is my daughter can you please tell me what is happening.” The police replied “Mine well go all together to her room and we’ll tell you what is happening.”
Owen entered the room with the police. They were all there wondering what was happening. The police asked for Juliana and if they could talk to her in private she told them that it was fine to talk to her a front of everyone except her daughter. So Gwen took Annabelle to the washroom told her that she needed it to change her clothes to get ready to go home. The police told Juliana “From our investigation we found out that your car has been tempered, we would like to know who would like to hurt you and your daughter.” Juliana was stocked replied “Well, we did got a company that want to buy my parents land in Scotland that is still harassing us to sell beside that I don’t have any enemies.” They asked her if she has any proofs she told them yes and that Owen will bring them the letters and the copies e-mail, they gave her and Owen their numbers.
Owen's mom and Gwen helped Juliana to get dress after her daughter came out of the washroom and Annabelle's grand-father was asking the little girl about what she likes. After they left Owen and Jared were talking with each other outside the room they were worries, they were going to do their own investigations about that company and read through those letters and e-mails then check out why those lands were so important. They were all ready to leave the hospital. Owen told his parents that he is going to stay at Juliana’s house that they are welcome to be there too. They told him that they are going to take care of few things first since they are back in England and that they will visit during the week-end and tell him a least to give them two weeks times then they will come to stay with them.
Jared told Owen that he will call him when he’ll get all the information about the company and he will come over.He told him to try to settle in into the new life and that he needed to take care of Juliana and his daughter first. Owen listened to Jared and let him take care of everything; he knew that he can always count on him. He needed to make things work with Juliana and he needed to know if there is a little hope for him. And to see if there are any feelings left between the two of them. Now that he knew the existence of Annabelle he couldn’t imagine being away from her life. He was in needs to have someone that matter in his life that he would be able to give the love and caring that they desperately require like his daughter , he needed the same things for himself his daughter would be able to give it to him. His love for Juliana was still in his heart even so many years had passed sometimes he thought of her in the difficult and lonely times in some of his dangerous missions.
Jared and Gwen called one of their drivers to pick his parents first then they dropped him and the girls. Since he got back from England he forgot to ask about Ian he was too preoccupy with Juliana and his daughter, he realized actually that Ian wasn’t there with them usually when something happen to any one of them, they were there for each other. Then he asked Jared where was Ian, Jared told him that he was on a secret mission in Asia and that Ian was aware about what was happening with him through his e-mails Jared had send him but as soon as he finished the mission he will come to see them. Jared told him that he will drop a car for him to use.
They arrived at Juliana’s house; his daughter was so happy knowing that her father is staying with her. After he got them comfortably in the house Owen asked Juliana where were those letters and e-mails she told him that she had put it in one of archiving boxes in the office and the name of the company was on the box. He went through the boxes and found it he read some of the letters then he saw a small box that had his name. He opened it and saw all the letters he had send Juliana, photos of the two of them and little gifts he bought her during the times they were dating. He could believe it that she kept everything all those years. He saw a letter for Annabelle; he couldn’t help it than to open it. The letter mention all about him and that he was her father. There was nothing against him in that letter there were only love and affections for him, and telling Annabelle to not blame him for not being in her life.
Jared came to see Owen he got some more info about the people that was harassing Juliana. They both went over the dossiers on the owner and what was the connection with Juliana. They find out that the owner was Juliana’s ex- boyfriend Warren Hugs a well renowned harms dealers in the underworld but in his normal life he was just a rich investor in import and export merchandises it was just a cover. Owen and Jared tried to get hard evidences on Warren Hugs to connect him with the endangerment of Juliana and maybe her parent’s death weren’t an accident after all. Then in one of the folder there was the satellite pictures of the lands showed there was a building on it, they called her parent’s lawyer to ask him some information on the legal matters of those properties and if her parents had build a new company or they had extended business distribution by building a warehouse. The lawyer told them that he wasn’t aware of any constructions that had been done on those lands except that Juliana parents had signed the right of the lands to Warren Hugs and he owned half of it. The lawyer told them in details how Warren Hugs was involved with her parents business. Now the things that they were uncovering started to connect all together.
On that day after Jared left Owen decided to tell Juliana. Owen told Juliana about their investigations on Warren Hugs, Juliana couldn’t believe herself that she had dated that man thankfully she had broken up with him when she found out about his affair with another woman and that she only dated him six months. She was so upset about the discovery he was the one who was trying to hurt or even kill her. And she was terrified just to think that he probably killed her parents too. She was furious with herself that she had endangered her daughter and her parents. Owen reassured by saying “It wasn’t your fault; he was a professional on fooling woman by swept them off their feet with his money and looks”. She told Owen “How can I be so stupid I usually aware of that kind of man. I guessed I was lonely after my parent’s death and he just showed up out of the blue in my life I started dating him without thinking.” Tears came down on Juliana face Owen hugged her and gave her a gentle kiss then told her “We need to move to Scotland we are going to stay with Jared his wife family has a estate there close to your parents lands.” He told her the reasons why then she said to him “Thank you I’m so glad that you are here, I feel so safe having you with us and I never saw Annabelle so happy. I’m glad that she finally knows that you are her daddy.” Owen told her “I’ll never let anyone hurt you anymore and I’m not going anywhere I have a lot of things to make up for.” Juliana and Annabelle healed pretty well; they were back on their feet in a month with the help of physical therapy. With the times spent taking care of Juliana and his daughter he got the closeness with Juliana back their old feelings they had for each other were still remaining between them.
Owen and Jared had been monitoring the activities of the warehouse at night times because they were out of plain sites in their elements and it was convenient for them. They were working with the agents that were in charge of taking down Roberts Hugs they had a plan set up to take down the men in the building. They had to be very cautious because the building had an arsenal of guns and explosives.Tonight was the take down of the warehouse; Owen and the rest of the team were ready. Owen and Jared went over the plan with the FBI team. Then one of the agents that kept a watch on the warehouse called to tell them there was an unexpected situation that was occurring. He told them there were two women unconscious that those men were carrying to the warehouse he couldn’t see who they were. Owen and Jared remembered that the girls were going to town to go shopping maybe one of Warren Hugs man saw Juliana and took her, Jared knew that Gwen wasn’t going to let them take Juliana without a fight so they probably took her too thankfully that Annabelle was with her grand-parents, they took her to the museum. So they called their cell phones no answer, then the house no answer either. Owen and Jared were sure that the women were them. They needed to get a move on it and see where they had put the women in the warehouse to make sure they didn’t get to a cross fire with the take down and that they were safe.
They were all in positions; according to the plan they knew where all the men stations at were. They made sure that everybody was out of the explosives areas they needed to drawn them out to certain areas of the warehouse. The agents were waiting for Owen signal, Jared went to find Juliana and Gwen then Owen will join him. They took down silently the men outside the building and finally Owen gave the signal after he had joined Jared to get the girls. As soon as they got all inside the building that when all the noises broke out with gunshots. Gwen and Juliana heard the noises; they knew that they were here. Gwen whispered to Juliana “Keep an eyes on those two, I’ve been trying to get out of those knots I’m almost free when I’m ready then we’ll move our positions that I can remove yours.” Juliana asked her “If they come to get us you won’t have enough times then what.” Gwen said “Try to trip them.” Gwen already finished with her knot she moved a little then worked on Juliana. There were still activities going on but those two men were still keep guard on them. Gwen guessed that Jared and Owen were trying to move out the men from the explosives area and she was sure that they were close by. Gwen asked Juliana if she was ready to take action since they were both free from being tied up. That was perfect timing the two guard men came towards them probably to take them somewhere else to their boss to have collateral as a bargain chip for his freedom escape from the law. Gwen told Juliana what to do. As soon as they came nearer they tripped them and quickly started it to kick them before they got up. Gwen and Juliana took their guns and knocked them unconscious but they still didn’t know where the others were. Gwen asked Juliana “Do you know how to shoot a gun?” Juliana said “Yes I took some lessons last year but I never shoot a person alive.” Gwen said “Let go before they wake up I’m sure that Jared and Owen are around here.” Suddenly four men popped-up out of nowhere. Gwen killed two men; Juliana killed one but then the fourth one came from behind Juliana, hold her at gun point Gwen went into a halt but thankfully Owen and Jared showed up. Jared gave a signal to Gwen. Then she screamed to Juliana “Deck down Juliana.” By that the man was off guard Juliana hit him with her elbow then deck down. The man started shooting at Gwen but she was already out of the way. Owen shot at him but other men came and gun shots went out in every direction.
Owen and Jared reached to the girls quickly; all of them keep shooting at the bad guys. Owen asked Juliana “Since when do you know how to use a gun.” Juliana answered him “I took some lessons when I got those treats and incidences from those unknown people.” One of the shot just nick the side of Owen head he was bleeding Juliana fought he got shot she came to him and check his head. Owen asked her “What are you doing isn’t the time to check it.” Juliana responded “But it’s bleeding badly I wanted it to see how bad it is just let me look at it I don’t want you to collapse on me while people try to kill us.” Jared and Gwen asked “Are you guys alright?” Gwen said “You’re bleeding Owen.” Jared said “He’s fine, we got worst than that as injuries, let go girls before more of them come to us unless all of them as been taking down already.”
It seems quiet all of sudden; Jared called one of the agent on his Bluetooth to ask how the situation now. The agent confirmed him that the take down went down smoothly with no casualty on their side the warehouse was clear. Jared told him that on his side everything was fine and told the agent to check if any explosives have been detonated on his area and he will check his side. Juliana asked the guys “Did any of you guys catch Warren Hugs?” Owen asked her “Was he in the warehouse? Did you see him?” Gwen said “But I heard one of the guard said to one of the man that they were going to take us to him for collateral, he must be here. Do any of the agents know how he looks like?” Jared said “Yes we showed them his picture if he is here they probably have him in custody unless he escaped.” Then he called and asked the senior agent. He told Jared that they had gather all the men, Warren Hugs wasn’t there the senior agent asked his men to check the died bodies he wasn’t there either. So Owen checked the men that they had killed he wasn’t there. Jared said to him “He couldn’t get out everywhere is block, our men out number his men he must be hiding.” Then an explosion went off couple feet from where they were and they got ejected from their standing, they saw Warren Hugs from afar with a detonation device on his left hand with few of his men. They had moved away from the blast no one was hurt. Owen took out his sniper gun from his bag then tried to position to shoot Warren Hugs; Jared helped to distract him by shooting towards his direction and the girls did the same. Warren Hugs shot at them back with some of his men that still left with him. Owen didn’t miss his aimed on the detonation device Warren Hugs dropped it but then Warren Hugs dropped on the ground. Juliana shot him because Owen got shot on the corner of his shoulder. Jared screamed at Owen to tell him that everything is clear everyone got gun down.
The mission was finally completed and finished. All the agents came and cleaned up the warehouse. After they finished, Owen and Jared took the girls home. On the ride home Owen told them “I’ll never forgive myself if anything happen to the two of you and I’m sure Jared won’t forgive me either Gwen you are is wife and a newly mother.” Gwen told him “Thankfully everything is over now, you are our best friends no matter what if anything bad happen we will support each other and get over the hardship together from lost of someone we love.” Then Jared said “I’m glad that we are alive and we won’t have to find out the circumstances, we are family even that we aren’t blood relate.” They arrived home; they said their good night to each other. Jared and Gwen went to their bedroom on the west wings and went to check on their baby in the nursery. Owen and Juliana went to check on Annabelle. She was sleeping safe and sound in her bed. Then Juliana said to Owen “Please don’t go to your room.” She hold his hands then said softly “Be with me, I need you so much.” Owen followed her as soon as they got into her bedroom nothing couldn’t stop the two of them from kissing.