30.

Crushed. That's how I felt. Not because I was in handcuffs, not because I was being pulled to the police station. No, it was because I wanted Cathy and I wanted her happy in my arms.

I had fucked up so much already and this was the last thing I wanted and needed. This was the last thing Cathy needed.

Everything had changed the moment I met her. I knew deep down my life would never be the same again and I was okay with that now. Infact, it was everything I wanted.

I wanted a life with Cathy, I wanted everything with her. I didn't want to own her but I wanted to have her mind, body and soul.

I needed it.

I laid my head in my hands and squeezed my eyes shut. Even now, I couldn't get her off my mind.

Every action I took I did it for her. Now, I just needed to get out of here and back to her.

Once I was chucked in to an interrogation room, it seemed as if I was more determined to get out of her. I didn't want to say shit to these people.

"Mr Abel-"

"What am I here for?" I asked. I gave the officer a glare but he didn't seem to shrink beneath it. That irked me more than I would have liked.

The police officers both sat down at the table before me. One was bald and the other had a goatee. I hated them both, hated how they had me here, hated them because I was away from Cathy.

"We know you knew Johnathan." I hated him.

"Not personally." I shrugged. "What's this about?"

"Our detectives have been investigating his death scene. A few things don't add up, that's all." They were being reserved and I was becoming pissed off.

"I want you to cut the shit." I growled. I leaned forward in my chair, my arms resting on the table before me. I knew I was digging a deeper hole but I just didn't care. I was a police officer myself, I had been in an interrogation room myself and I knew how everything worked here.

"Mr-"

"Just tell me what you're accusing me of." I demanded. The bald officer sighed before me.

"Obviously, you're a suspect of Johnathan's death."

"And why?"

"Because a few details have come to light recently. Johnathan's wife during her statement had stated that you didn't get on very well with John." Oh, so Cathy's mum really wasn't as in the dark as we originally thought. I hated John but I'm sure I didn't make it that obvious.

Maybe I was wrong.

"So?" I questioned further. "I didn't like him much but I didn't hate him enough to kill him." It was all lies, of course I hated him enough to kill him. I didn't regret it one bit, not one tiny bit. I'd kill him again in a heartbeat.

Anything for Cathy.

"Can you tell us why you didn't like him?"

"He just wasn't my cup of tea. I dislike many people, Officer." And that was vaguely the truth. I wasn't the most loving person in the world and I liked it that way.

"Disliked him enough to kill him?" The man with the goatee was now piping up. God, I wanted to smash both their heads in so badly.

"I have already answered that." I sighed. "This is pointless. I disliked him but definitely not enough to kill him. Besides, you have arrested me based on absolutely no evidence what so ever. What you have here is a shit show, it's not professional and my girlfriend is back at home, scared because she doesn't have a clue what's going on." I tried to stay calm under their watchful stares.

The two men looked at each other quickly before the bald man laid his hands on the table and stood up with authority.

"We will be back in two minutes." He stated before the two men walked out of the room.

"Fucking great." I muttered under my breath.

The minutes ticked by and I knew the men were gone longer than they said they would be. I laid my hands in to my pocket and sat back.

My finger fiddled with the metal in my jeans pocket, reminding me where my feet were planted.

I just had to get out of here.

The longer I was in here, the more I was itching to get out. There was something I needed to do, something I needed for my sanity.

I couldn't take this any longer.

Soon, the men came back in to the room. The bald head looked to me but with a resigned look, he told me to leave.

"You May be back for questioning and a later date but for now, you're free."

"About time." I said as my glare was aimed at the two men. If they saw the look, they didn't retaliate.

I got up from my seat and almost ran out of the police station. I had no way of getting home. I grabbed my phone and opened it, I was going to get a lift off Glenn but before I could ring him, someone was barrelling forward and in to my arms as I stood just outside of the police station.

I smelt Cathy's fresh scent and as I realised it was her in my arms, I gathered her up and pulled her even closer. I laid my nose in to her hair, not wanting to ever let her go again.

"So much has happened." She sobbed against my chest. My heart broke every time I saw her cry. She was so strong and she didn't deserve anything that life gave her. I wanted to change it, I wanted to make her forget and for her to finally be happy.

I was going to make it my life's mission.

"I know, baby." I was going to make you happy, Cathy. "I've got you." I soothed as I smoothed her hair beneath my fingers.

"I've been so scared." She breathed. "I just want everything the way it was before."

"And it will be." I promised. "Just stop crying, Cathy. I can't seem to think when you're crying, you're just breaking me in two."

"I'm sorry." She moved her head to look at me. I wiped her tears with the pad of my thumb and she leaned in to my touch.

"I wish you knew how much I love you." I said. "I wish you could feel just how badly I need you."

"Nick-"

"Marry me." I demanded. She took a step back as she gasped.

"What?"

"Marry me." I put my hand in to my pocket and grabbed the metal ring. I kept it on me, not wanting to let go of it until I had the chance to lay it on her finger for life. "Please." I dropped to the floor on one bended knee.

"Oh my god." Cathy looked down with a fresh strain of tears on their way. "Are you sure?"

"I have never been more sure."

"And what about your playboy ways?" I hoped she was joking.

"All in the past." And I meant it. "You're the only woman who could have ever made my heart beat again."

"You're such a soppy sod." Cathy giggled and I'm sure the world turned on it's axis.

"I'll spend my whole life making you happy. I'll do whatever I can to protect you. Just please, say yes and make me the happiest man in the world?"

"Of course it's a yes!" She almost shrieked. It was so unlike Cathy but just too right in this moment.

I got up from my position on the floor and forgetting the ring in my hand, I laid two hands to her head and pulled her lips to mine.

She pulled back after a minute, a glint in her eyes and the relief plasted on her face.

"And the ring?" She looked giddy with excitement.

I took her hand and placed the engagement ring on her finger.

"He's fucking done it!" I heard a shout and instantly familiarised myself with Emily's voice. What the hell was she doing here?

Emily came barrelling my way and soon she had her arms wrapped around my neck like a vice.

"I didn't realise I had an audience." I grumbled as I took in Xavier taking a leisurely pace up to us.

"We were Cathy's lift here. We didn't know you were going to pop the question." Xavier stated. He wasn't as excited as Emily but by the small smile on his face, I knew he was happy.

When Emily left my body to see Cathy's ring, Xavier took me in to a hug. I hugged him back with all the love I could muster.

"Congratulations, bro." He mumbled quietly.

"Thanks, man." I clapped his back.

"Jesus, this is the best day of my life!" Emily clapped.

"Are you forgetting our engagement? Our wedding? The birth of our son?" Xavier muttered the questions and Emily pouted his way.

"Okay, the fourth best day of my life." She rolled her eyes his way.

Xavier and Emily started walking back to the car as they bickered lightly.

I took Cathy's hand and pulled her along too. Cathy looked to me with a small smile.

"What?"

"I wonder what my dad is going to say." She smirked.

"He already knows." I stated. "I have already asked him."

"You asked him for my hand in marriage?" She looked to me with shock.

"It's tradition." I said.

"And you know all about that do you?" She said playfully.

"I love you enough to want to do this right."

"God, I love you, too." She bursted.

And this time I believed her when she said it. Those words alone could bring me to my knees.

She was my angel and everything in between.

And she saved me from a lot.