The two had settled into an easy routine. He was gentle with her. The easiness they had achieved at the start of their relationship returning. Things were better. And she liked it.

Her heart had fallen before her mind could even stop her. He was the first guy she had opened up to in years, and it was easy. The hurdle they faced after their marriage dissolving.  But it hurt her heart. It hurt her heart every night knowing that he was in love with someone else. It hurt her to know that he was entertaining another woman whilst he was  sworn to her. It was a dull ache in her heart, a sudden reminder she would get when they were talking and joking or sometimes even during work, a reminder that he belonged to someone else. There were days they didn't talk, no communication to bridge their aching hearts; they each told themselves that it was better like this, but it wasn't. It was unhealthy. But she was grateful that he told her if he was coming home or not; it deflated her heart enough to know not to wait for him and her mind was at peace with that.

When Irene had told the girls they were fuming to say the least. They told her divorce him; to run away from him, to confront his 'whore' as they so graciously put it and punch her and then him, they each cooked up plans that had Irene in fits of laughter; and she knew that amongst the seriousness they were just trying to make her laugh. They were trying to bring back the smile that she had lost further in the past few months. The feeling felt foreign as it quickly fell, the girls concealing the look in their eyes as they watched her sigh. She stood up taking a file and proceeding away from them. They looked at each other sighing deeply, this wasn't uncommon. Wendy hated watching Irene like that. It seemed as if Irene felt that she didn't deserve to smile anymore and they hated it, they hated seeing her fall more than she deserved, the constant letting down was taking a toll on their friend and they hated seeing the light in her eyes dim every second of the day. They watched Irene for five minutes more before leaving to do there own work.

Irene sat down three hours later, the time edging towards six o'clock. She sighed rubbing her temples as she sat in the doctors lounge reading the wretched textbook that was frying her mind. The information that she had been teaching herself for months, lost in the depths of her mind, and she knew why. It was because it was plagued with thoughts of him. Jackson Wang. Her husband. And the one she had began to fall for. She tried stopping herself, telling her heart not to but it had developed a mind of its own. She sighed looking back down at the textbook. "Irene..." she heard a soft call, a nurse standing in the door way poking her head through. "I know that your off but there is a patient that needs attention and no one is  free." Irene nodded, rubbing at the tiredness in her eyes, plastering the fakest smile she could manage in such exhaustion, mentally and physically.

She was lead to a man clad in black suit, her eyes widening at the cold look he directed at her. "Hi." She breathed slightly, the nurse handing her the file. "Jin." She uttered looking up at the man who eyed her lustfully now. She gulped slightly. "What can I help you with." "I have a bullet in my side...they said I don't need operating on...now be a dear and get it out of me." She looked at him, concealing the look of disgust that threatened to break out on her face. She looked to the side pulling a face slightly before looking at him with a sickly sweet smile. "Take your shirt off then dear." She replied bluntly with a hint of bitterness. He smirked at her unbuttoning his shirt as slow as possible, his eyes pinned to hers as she stared back refusing to be intimidated by an asshole. She rolled her eyes as he exposed his shoulder blades. The nurse gasped slightly, turning pink as Jin smirked. He looked at Irene's unimpressed features intrigued. "Sit down." She said as she put on her gloves. She looked to the nurse. "Will you be able to cope with seeing abs or shall I call a more competent nurse." She said coldly. "Will you be able to cope doc?" Irene looked up. "I've seen better." She retorted. The nurse handed her the necessary equipment before being called away into the next room. "That was cold." Jin said watching a strand of hair fall forth as she worked on his wound. He watched as she remained emotionless, paying attention to her work. He looked at her graceful features smiling as his eyes remained pinned to her exquisite form. "Gosh your beautiful." He said confidently, she dabbed hard on his wound causing him to wince and hiss out in pain. She looked up, pinning his eyes in a deadly lock. "Oops sorry." She said, her head lowering back down as she continued. His hand moved forward brushing the lock of hair behind her ear. She looked up at him, eyes wide. "Unless you want to be stabbed by this scalpel I suggest you stop moving." She replied, taking the bullet out in the next three minutes. She stitched it up as he remained silent watching her. She pushed herself back once she was done grabbing the prescription note pad. She scribbled down the medication. "Take two of these a day to help with the pain, and make sure not to irritate it with water. Come back to get the stitches changed in a few days." She handed him the prescription, before taking the file into her hands and writing a few more things down. "Will you be the one to change it." "No." She said, standing up. "How about your number with the prescription then." She looked at him. "No I'm okay thank you. The door is that way. Don't let it hit you on the way out." She said sweetly. "Maybe I will so that your forced to treat me." She looked up at him as He advanced to her, catching her completely off guard, her eyes widened as she attempted to create some form of distance between them. Before she could get a word of protest in, he pinned her to the wall. He placed a finger to her lips. "Shhhhhhhh  I don't want to hear another word...gosh your beautiful. But I don't take disrespect of anyone. One more word and I'll pin you down and take you right here." She looked at him her eyes wide and disgusted she pushed at his chest, trying to loosen the grip he now had on her. "What the fuck do you want." She spat. "Now now now babe...there's no need for the bad language...and quite simply I want you." "You don't know me." She said back flabbergasted at this man. "I've been observing you for a while." He said, his head dipping down as she turned to the side. "What if I tell you I shot myself just to get you." Her eyes flared up. "Your insane." She stated, trying harder to get out of his grip. "Let go off me." "And why would I do that....look at you. Your hot...so goddamn hot. I want you so bad. Come on a date with me, and guess what...you can't say no because either way I'll force you. I'll make you mine." He whispered into her ear. She gained her composure, kicking him in the shin before pushing him back. She ran for the door, hearing him laugh in a sinister way. "You can run babe all you want...but I'll get you." He called out.

She looked at the corridor running down it as he followed her slowly. She ran up to the girls who gathered around her, he winked at her leaving as Jackson entered on his phone, him and Jin missing each other each busy on their phones. Jackson walked forth his eyes leaving his phone as he watched Irene who was crowded around. He pushed his way through, the girls glaring but stepping back. He searched her eyes, back and forth, seeing something he had never seen them hold. Fear. "Hey Irene...is everything okay?" Her eyes widened staring up into his own at his voice, her eye sauntering past his form to behind him. He turned with her. "Irene?" He questioned noticing her shivering, he brought his hand up to her face, watching her tense and close her eyes attempting to turn away from him. Jackson felt his gut clutch trying to interpret her behaviour. He knew that he had snapped at her a lot but he would never hit her. He brushed his fingers on her cheek as she stared at him almost lifeless. Before he could even say anything she swayed towards him her legs giving way as she crashed into his chest. Jackson wrapped an arm around her. "Hey...easy I got you." He said. He picked her up bridal style as he looked at Wendy who was still glaring at him. She looked at Irene assessing her. Wendy telling him to take her home.

On reaching home he lay her on the couch, grabbing some water and sprinkling it on her face as she awoke, her features tensed as she looked around on edge. "Hey..." he said watching her head snap back to his before asking her what was wrong. She looked at him for a minute before looking away. "Work was crazy...I didn't catch a break." She said standing only to sway again. His arms quickly held her up towering over her slightly. He knew it was a lie before she could even say it. The look in her eyes was one of fear not of tiredness. She walked past him slightly, his voice halting her. "Are you sure?" He asked watching her momentarily stop. With her back to him she nodded, avoiding the eye contact that he needed for reassurance.

He ordered a pizza, not hearing her door reopen. He sighed. Grabbing the contents that had just been delivered knocking on the door to the room he had confined her too, the guilt looming in his chest as she opened the door. He held the pizza and beer in his hands as she moved to let him in. Opening the balcony area he watched as she looked at him hesitantly. "If you don't come I'm gonna eat this myself." He said watching her laugh. His eyes remained trained to her figure as she walked closer in nothing but an oversized hoodie, her hair tied into a bun atop her head. She was simply beautiful. They sat down, easing into light hearted conversation, laughter breaking out as Jackson watched her sip the beer. He had never been able to talk to Youngji the way he was able to talk to irene. It was perfect, so much easier...and he didn't fear her judgement. Instead he welcomed it. He smiled as she stared out to the view. "How's work?"  she asked. He looked out turning his sights away from hers as she turned to him. "Hectic. I have a mission next week. It's a week long. I won't be home by the way." She nodded as she looked at him. "Be careful." She said. "I'm not about to give you a lecture...i understand that it's confidential and that you can't tell me anything so I won't ask. But don't turn up in front of me bleeding out Wang." She said sternly as he saluted her, laughing "Yes ma'am." She sipped on her beer. "I'm being serious." She said. "I don't want to see my husband lifeless in front of me." She bit her lip, mentally slapping herself for the words she had just uttered. She turned to the side, confirming that she was falling for him. He sighed taking her hand in his own. "I'll be fine. The man who shot me last time is an old friend that we are after. He got away last time...but he won't next time, I'll stay alive. Don't worry." She looked at him, removing her hand from his before nodding offering him a smile as she leaned back. "Now what about you...what was today about?" He questioned watching her tense. "Nothing I'm fine....I'll be fine don't worry. Focus on your mission." He sighed, standing up watching her eyes become expressionless as she stared out into the sunset. He moved slightly. "Jackson..." she called out softly, her eyes remaining plastered to the scene in front of her. "Stay safe." She said, her eyes ripping away from the beautiful landscape into his hazel eyes. He smiled with reassurance, taking a step towards her. He bent down placing a kiss to the top of her head. She looked back out as he left closing the door besides him. Irene wrapping herself in a blanket as she continued to watch the sunset alone.

TBC

Authors note:
Heyyyyyyyyy let me know what your thoughts are on this one. Lots to love and best wishes to you all.