32: Don't Stop Believing

Marie

     Bryce's words to me echo in my head after he drops me off. "Cut Jesse a little slack, would you?" and "It's my fault I tricked you into that outfit. I was trying to set you two up. I'm sorry." To which I told him that it wasn't him that acted like an oversexed pervert. Then he tried to tell me that Jesse didn't mean anything bad, and that he thinks he seriously likes me. Hah!
    "Cut Jesse a little slack, would you?"
     "A little slack?!" I ask harshly to my walls. "No. Not so that I can be another in a long line."
     "He moves through women faster than your new boss used to." Now I hear the crazy lady that used to have my job's voice.
     "I don't need that," I say. "I've had enough of that."
      'By whom?' my inner self asks me. 'Armand never dated anyone but you. Dawson? There's a chance it was all Cristina's doing.'
     "He still didn't stop her."
     'Andy?'
      I feel a pang of regret. "He broke my heart first."
      'He also waited for you to grow up, just like he said he would. He said he'd wait for you, and you dated his brother.'
      "He also made sure to bring me to see that scene so that I'd break up with Dawson."
       'Can you blame him?'
       "Shut up!" I stop my inner voice. Then I think, Oh no. I'm as crazy as my mother! No. No, I'm not. That whole damn town is crazy! That's why I had to get out of there. I didn't fit. My little brother fits because he's one of them even though I love him dearly.
      I storm into my bedroom and try to come up with something with which to blame Andy. I can only remember that he broke up with me because he'd graduated and he didn't think it would be right for him to date someone in high school because I was too young. I can't argue with his reasoning, so I have to throw that out. Then I remember how he'd made a play for me when I'd shown up to go on a date with Dawson. However, that was when he reminded me how he'd waited. I'd been so hurt as a teenager that I'd forgotten he'd said that. Next, I try to convince myself that what he did in 'reporting' to me about Dawson's cheating to cause me to break up with him was bad, but I also can see the situation from his point of view. He was right, and he must've been ready to do anything. He didn't want me hurt, but he also wanted me for himself.
     "There," I say aloud. "He was out to get his brother hurt just to get me back. I'm better off not coming between them." Somehow, I can't convince myself. Andy had not interfered after I'd started actually going steady with his brother until something bad really happened. It wasn't like he set out to make it happen. He didn't make Cristina move back from Riverview. He didn't force his brother to fall under her spell again.
      "It doesn't matter. I'm through with all of them!"

      I sigh and decide meditation is what I really need. So, I sit myself down on my bed and try to relax.
       "Cut Jesse a little slack, would you?"
       I take a deep breath in for six seconds and let it out for twelve.
       "I was trying to set you two up."
    "Is that really so bad, Marie?" Now Jesse's voice intrudes on my thus-far failed meditation. I love the way he says my name. It literally rolls around in his mouth like he's tasting it. mah-ree.
     That does it. My breath in gets expelled in only one second, and I tense up. How does he do it? The more I try to not think about him, the more I end up thinking about him.
      He's a womanizer. I have to stay away.
      That won't be easy since he's my boss' best friend, I think as I remember how I watched for Jesse all day, almost dreading what I thought was inevitable. He never showed. I'd say he was out chasing women, but he came over to Bryce's too fast for that. He must live in that house behind Bryce's.
      That was a nice kick, I think of earlier when my hazy reality had started coming back to me. After I'd not really watched for him all day, seeing him fighting the asshole made me mad. That was when he finally showed up?
      'Were you watching for him or not, Marie?' my inner self asks me. I don't want to answer.
      The moments before that 'nice kick' run through my mind. I got punched in the jaw by a man who intended to knock me down and did.

    Painful memories that I often try to block out come back in force, and they hurt me more than Sean's punch. My mother was caught cheating, and my father lost it. I remember trying to keep Xavier, my brother, from screaming. He'd only been a toddler, and he didn't understand why there was so much yelling. Dad has regretted that moment for the rest of his life. The strange part was I still sided with him. He'd been a better parent to me than she had. Dad really made my simfu lessons very serious after that. He hated himself for what he'd done, and he never wanted anything like that to ever happen to me. I'd made it my goal to never have it happen either. I failed. Sure, I'd been punched before, but they were always girl fights at school.
      I test my jaw for the nth time tonight and think, And Jesse got him back for me.

      I wonder how Jesse would do learning simfu? I think as I remember the kick again.
      .....
      Uf, no. I don't care how good a student he'd be; I'm not putting myself in that position.
      Besides, I'm not good enough to instruct others, regardless of what Dad said.

Jesse

    Bryce asked me to just hang around his house for a little while as he took Marie home and other stuff. I'm still drenched, and I'm tired. I want to sit down, but I don't want to drip all over Bryce's furniture... Pam, not Bryce, would get upset at me. I sit on the arm of the couch as a compromise.
     I prop my foot up on the corner of the coffee table and sit here brooding.
     What did I do wrong tonight?
     "Not from you it's not," her voice says in my head. She's pretty much got me there. Had I gotten the opportunity to drive her home, I would've tried my hardest to get her to talk to me about how ridiculous it is that she refuses to date anyone, especially me apparently.
      Still, there was more to it than just that. Is she mad I insisted on helping her stand up?
      I sit up for a few seconds to twist and stretch my back. That ex of Erin's can sure pack a punch if given the chance. I hope Julian is okay. He's not what he used to be I guess. I wonder what happened?
      Even more upsetting to me is the knowledge that the bastard punched Marie hard enough to knock her out. I feel my fist clench tighter the more I think of it. I hope Marie knocked him hard into the pavement like he'd said. Obviously wasn't hard enough if he got up.
       She didn't snap like she did at anyone but me. So I'd asked her out yesterday. Does that mean she had to act like she was in a permanent bad mood around me?
       Bryce walks in the door, and I turn my head towards him.
       "Thanks, man," he says wearily.
       "No problem," I respond before I say goodnight since it looks like he just wants to go upstairs. For just a second, I want to tell him that he couldn't be a rebound, but I don't think he wants to hear that from me.

        On my run home to get out of the rain, I decide to just back off from Marie for a little while and see what happens.

Erin

     Fingers gently stroke my face as I slowly wake up. I open my eyes and see Bryce sitting on the bed next to me and looking down at me with an unreadable expression.
      "I fell asleep." I state the question.
      "I guess so," he answers me quietly.
      I notice he's changed out of his wet clothes and into some pajama pants with no shirt. He looks so hot that I worry he might set the sheets on fire. We each look at the other one like we want to ask each other how we're doing.
      "I'm okay," I tell him.
      "Are you?" he asks with doubt in his voice.
      "You don't think I am? Well, I mean, I could be better, but I could also be a hell of a lot worse."

       He lets out a long exhale and moves to sit on the edge of the bed. "I know," he says simply, but there's also so much emotion in those two words that I just want to curl up. So, I do.
       Memories of only a few hours ago assail me mercilessly. I don't want to think about any of it for now, but I don't have much of a choice. I can't imagine what Bryce is thinking as he sits there, quietly watching the storm, and I don't know if I'm ready to ask him.
        I feel the bed move like he's twisting around to look at me. I peep up over my arms at him to see a concerned expression on his brow.
       He's quiet and still for a few more seconds before he gently pulls me to him. Then his arms wrap around me, and he holds me to him like he's afraid the strong winds outside will blow me away should he let go.

       "Bryce..."
       "Are you still in love with him?" he blurts out. "And don't answer me right away. I want you to think," he quickly adds.
        I close my mouth from the 'no' I was about to say. I remember back to earlier when I'd kissed Sean back. Those memories made me feel something again, something like a memory of an emotion... something hollow. Sean never treated me with the care and love that Bryce does, but does that mean I don't still love Sean?
        "I was in love with someone who didn't exist. So, it's quite reasonable to say I never loved him," I say, content with my answer and wondering how it never truly occurred to me before now.

       Bryce lifts my chin and does one of his 'Bryce kisses' as he starts out simple only to quickly take it to the brink of insanity. I do my best to keep up, but the more I give, the more he wants. There's a sense of desperation with the way he now clutches me to him, and for some reason, I picture him as a child who was lost and alone only to be finally rescued. Rescued, and in no way is he letting go of his security now.
       Oh, what am I thinking? I'm the one clinging to him for security.
       "Get rid of the hurt," his voice sounds in my head. "When I said that I wasn't thinking. I know for a fact it's not that easy." No, it isn't, is it? No, instead...
         "I can't stand it Erin," he says all of a sudden.

     I open my eyes a little to see a pained expression on his face now. "What are you talking about?"
     "Whether or not this person existed, you were still in love with him enough to want to marry him. That doesn't go away quickly."
      "I didn't really expect it to, not quickly."
     He's quiet for a few minutes before I pull myself up to kiss him. He doesn't respond, and that scares me. "Bryce?" I ask, hearing the fear in my voice.
        "When you came to me last week on the beach, you said you wanted me to try to take away the pain," he says, swallows, and looks like he's waiting for me to say something.
       "And you said it's not that easy." Where is he going with this?
       "It's not, but are you still expecting me to get rid of the hurt?"
       "You are," I say, and he closes his eyes like I just gave the wrong answer. I quickly try to work at digging myself out of this hole I might have made. "Just being with you helps like a soothing balm. When I'm with you, I'm shown how powerful love can be." Please believe me, Bryce!
        He takes a deep breath with his eyes still closed, and I start running my fingers through his hair. He's still holding up most of my weight like it's nothing, but I squirm a little anyway, worried I'll make his arms tired. His eyes open, and he asks, "Are you uncomfortable?"
        My eyes widen for a fraction of a second before I answer, "What? No. I was worried about your arms getting tired."
       "Don't worry about it," he says quickly. Then he adds, "Is that all you wanted out of me, at least last weekend?"
        "All I wanted out of you?"
       "Yes. You came to me and said you wanted to let me try to get rid of the hurt as I'd put it the night before... before you ran away."
        "But like you said, those were your words."
        "But I also wanted you for you," he says, and I'm a little tiny bit overwhelmed. "Want you for you," he clarifies.
        "Bryce, I want you for more than just to help me get rid of him," I say, finally realizing where he's going with this.
      "Erin, if I'm going to help you get rid of him, then you have to be completely, brutally if necessary, honest."
         "But I don't want to hurt you."
         He lets out a huff and asks almost angrily, "Am I a rebound?!"
      "What?! I'll admit I worried about that for a moment, but can it even be called a rebound relationship if there's been months since I broke it off with him?! No, you're not a fucking rebound, Bryce!" I almost glare at him until I see his brows come together for a moment and his lips pinch together a little like he's trying to hold back an emotion. "Now who's not being brutally honest? You don't believe me, do you?"
         "I'm... worried," he says like it took a lot out of him to admit that.
         I decide to elaborate on my earlier statement. "Yes, I need help getting rid of him, but I also decided that night before finding you on the beach that I wanted a relationship again, and I wanted it with you. I said those things because I know men like to 'fix things' and that maybe that would -"

     I let out a little high-pitched noise when he suddenly kisses me again. Happy relief practically pours out of him.
      Then I remember hearing Bryce say something about rebound when he had the gun pointed at Sean. I think that's what he said anyway, the rain was so loud I couldn't quite make out the words from inside the house.
       As Bryce moves down to start kissing my neck, I ask, "He said that, didn't he?"
      "Yes," he mumbles into me, and I let out a very aggravated noise. Bryce laughs a little as he twists around to deposit me on the other pillow. Then he gets up and turns out the overhead light and the lamp on the other side of the bed.

     He lies down next to me, but then he quickly rolls over to lay his head on my chest and wrap his arms around my waist. I like this, and I run my hands through his hair.
      "Erin, they can't hold him forever, and I'm guessing he'll be here at least a week. I really don't feel comfortable with you being in your house alone."
      "I don't want to be," I say before he sighs.
      "I'm sorry for imposing myself on you, but-"
    "You're not. I'm running to you for protection," I quickly keep him from finishing his needless apology. His arms tighten around me as he takes a deep breath, and we lie here quietly for a few minutes.
        "Do you have any idea how good that feels?" he murmurs to me as I continue to run my fingers through his hair.
       I giggle a little and reply, "Yes, I do actually."
       We fall asleep just like this, but I have a hazy memory of us rolling over sometime in the middle of the night, putting my head on his chest. Either way, he never lets go of me.



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Now, how many of you have that song from Journey in your heads?
No? Well, here ya go:

You're welcome! :D

That memory of Marie's was taken from one of my other stories, Queen of Denial, in the "It hits the fan"and "Mass Hysteria" chapters.

31: Hurricane

Sorry most of the pictures are dark. It was nighttime, and I didn't want to try to make it look otherwise.
Also, I jump around from different perspectives much more often than normal because of the way this chapter flows. Of course, we start in Erin's perspective:

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     "There you are."

       A sudden jolt of adrenaline rushes through me as the frighteningly-familiar voice carries over to me. No, I think as I can't get enough air into my lungs to respond. I can't move. I don't want to turn my head. Seeing him would only bring on more of the reality that he's here. How did he find me?!

      "You know, you really should wear a helmet if you're going to drive that thing," he says to me as he gets up and walks over.

       "Sean," I let out as a whisper.

        "The one and only!" he says joyfully. Hands on my shoulders turn me to face him, and I see that boyish grin that I used to love so much smiling at me.
      "What are you doing here?" I breathe.
      "I had to find you," he says, his hands on my shoulders feeling like lead weights. He puts on a more serious expression before he says, "Damn it, Erin. Do you have any idea how much it hurt me when you just up and disappeared? You didn't even tell Bill, and I had to deal with him asking me what I did with you. Then your mom tells me you moved out of town!"

       I try to turn my face away from his eyes, but he snaps his hands up to hold it in place.
       "I had to hire a private damn detective to find you. Why did you leave?"
      "Because I could no longer stand to be in the same town as you," I answer him with a glare. "You or her."

        "I never should've listened to that slut. I've told you this! She caught me in a weak moment, and I don't know what I was thinking. Nobody can compare to you," he says and starts to kiss my cheek.
      I try to back away, and that earns me his arm going around my waist to stop me. "Let go of me," I snap and push against him, dropping my keys in the sand in the process.
      "The last time I did that, you left me. Now, why the hell should I do it again?" A small scowl covers his features as he says, "I've missed you, Erin."
      "Well, I haven't missed you. I'm happy here."
      "You want us to live here? I can pull a few strings and probably get a transfer," he says with a touch of hope in his voice.

       "I don't want us to live here. I don't want anything to do with you anymore!"
      "Please don't say stuff like that," he says as he runs his thumb across my lips with his free hand. "I know. I was stupid, and I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you if that's what it takes. Erin, you've just got to forgive me! Here I made this tremendous effort to find you. I don't want it to be worthless. Did you think that I'd just give up and let you go? Give me a second chance. You can't just throw away all we had just like that."
      "Oh yes I can! You slept with my best friend."
      He growls, "And it was a mistake. We can work this out. I'm trying to fix it!" He starts backing up towards my house. His feet hit my keys, and quick as a blink, he bends down to pick them up. I use that opportunity to try and get away again.

    "No," he says in reaction to my escape attempt. "Let's go inside and talk about this. We can start over here, if you want. Take things slow." His eyes tell me that his definition and my definition of 'taking it slow' are two totally different things.
      I do not want to get in that house with him! My heart starts beating like crazy in my chest with the implication of what he meant when he said 'talk about this.' I know him too well to believe that all he wants is talking.
     "No, Sean!" I yell as my feet start sliding in the sand.
    "Please, Erin," he breathes just before he pulls my neck towards him and his lips press against mine. I try to scream and push away from him, but he uses that chance to invade my mouth with his tongue. My next noise is too quiet.
       I continue to try to get out of his too-tight hold of me as happier memories flood my mind. For instance, I remember the time when someone had bumped me on purpose in the hallway at school and then laughed when I'd dropped all the books I carried. He'd been nearby at the time and caught the dickhead that did it before forcing him to come over and apologize to me. Then he asked me out as he helped me pick up my books. I start shaking as I remember how nervous I'd been.
      Nooooo, I think as I try to shove those good memories away and remind myself what an asshole he is. I'd begun to kiss him back as I'd been remembering, and I stop that right now as I shove against him.

      He growls in aggravation as he finally abandons my mouth for my throat instead. "Don't say you feel nothing for me because that would be lying. Let's go inside and talk." He tries to pull me with him while he backs up without completely leaving my neck and shoulders alone.
      "No! Leave me alone, Sean!" I yell. I'm in danger, and I can't get him off of me by myself. All those people that frequent the diner, and no is coming out to help me. They don't know.
       "Help!" I yell, hoping that someone hears me.
       "Stop it, Erin," he snaps.
     Wait, what was that I'd once heard someone say? In this situation, you get better results with... "Fire! Help! Fire!"
        "What the hell are you talking about?" he asks as he starts to pick me up.

         "I think the lady isn't interested in kissing you, mister," I hear a voice from behind me say. I think it's my neighbor Mr. Strong.

          "Go mind your own damn business," Sean snaps.

           I continue to fight Sean. "No! Help. Please," I beg my neighbor.

           "You need to let go of her," he says plainly, a threat in his voice.

           "So I can kick your ass?" Sean asks before throwing me to the side.

      "I'm giving you two seconds to turn your geeky ass around and get lost," Sean threatens as he advances on him.
       Mr. Strong's eyes jerk to the side in a wordless command to run. I don't think twice and make tracks to Bryce's house.

     "Erin! Get back here!" I hear just before a punch gets thrown. I don't turn around to see who punched whom. I swear it sounds like Sean grunts in pain as he hits the dirt, but that can't be.
        I keep running and pull my phone out of my pocket. My hands shake so much that I drop it in the dirt. Cursing, I pick it up and dust it off, not bothering to look around me. I'm afraid that if I see him coming I'll freeze up, so I keep heading to Bryce's house. Please, Bryce. Pick up your phone!
        He's just got to have a key hidden somewhere! I think frantically since I've realized there's no one at home. Pam and Simon are at their house, not Bryce's like they were last weekend. I'd forgotten, and I'd have to pass by my house again to get to them.
        I hear Bryce's moderately-happy voice answer the phone, "Erin! Did you -"
        "Please tell me you have a key hidden somewhere," I interrupt quietly and frantically.
        "Huh?"

        "Please, just tell me where!"
        "Erin, what's going on?"
        "It's Sean. I need to hide in your house. Please! He could be right behind me!" Even if that was Sean that hit the dirt a few seconds ago, no way did he stay down.

Bryce

      "Go around to the back. The left deck chair as you face the house. Lift up the armrest. There's a little pocket carved out." I give her quick instructions as Marie's head pops up and she watches me with alarm.
       "Got it," Erin says quietly. The slight crying in her voice tears me up. "I can hear him!" she whispers.
       "Get inside!" What's happened to make her so terrified? "Hide in the bathroom." There's nothing but a whimper on the other end of the line as Marie gets in the passenger side of my car.
       "What are you doing?" I ask Marie. Then I rethink and say, "No, wait. I could use someone like you."
       "I know," she says as we peal out of the parking lot, leaving Jones to manage the bar alone.
       We get to my house, and sure enough, I see a man wandering around, looking around all over the place like he's lost someone. Marie hops out of the car silently and hides behind my bushes. The man, Sean, turns around when I push my car door closed, and I finally see the face of the bastard that hurt Erin so bad. He smiles in a friendly way and walks towards me.

     "Hello. I wonder if you can help me. Did you see a blonde run this way?" he asks with that irritating smile still on his face. He has no idea who I am.
      Well, time to let him know. "You mean my girlfriend?" I ask, and the smile disappears.
      "Um, no. Her name is Erin, and -"
      "That's the one," I interrupt, watching his every move and happy I have a 'ninja' hiding near me. Still. I'd better not get interrupted as I beat the crap out of this motherfucker in a matter of seconds.
     "Well, now I can guess where she went. Who the fuck are you really?" he asks, glaring and standing with his feet apart. He watches me as closely as I watch him.
     "I'm the man that's picked up the pieces of her life and started putting them back together. Though, I need to thank you for being an asshole. If you weren't, she wouldn't be here." I shift my weight to my left foot. "And here is where she's going to stay, where she's better off."
     "Like you have any say about it," he snaps, and I can see the rage quickly building inside him.
     I shrug. "I don't, but I'm not the dick that cheated on her."

     The tense atmosphere around us ignites, and he charges at me after he says, "All you are is a fucking rebound!" I side-step and grab hold of neck just as his shoulder rams into my stomach.

     A distant roll of thunder rumbles through the sky as it starts to cloud up directly overhead. I waste no time in ramming my knee into his chest before I shove him into the dirt.

     Before he can get up, I pounce on him with my hands around his throat. For a moment, I'm reminded of last Friday night when Erin ran away from me. Her brokenhearted expression crosses my mind's eye. This asshole never deserved her, and the world would be better off without him.
      I hear Marie behind me say, "Bryce, don't."
      "I'm no fucking rebound," I growl. "She loves me."
      "Bullshit," he croaks. Then, unexpectedly, he somehow throws his legs up against my back, and I go face-first into the grass. As I work on spitting out the mouthful of dirt and grass I have, he gets up off of the ground. "So, she's in your house." Then he starts walking towards the front door.
      I work on getting up as fast as I can when I hear Marie again, "Oh, I don't think so. You're going to leave now."
       "I don't have time for this shit!" Sean yells. "Get out of my fucking way or I'll move you myself."
       "Hah!" Marie scoffs as she side-steps again to block his path.

     Another peal of thunder happens as Sean goes to punch Marie. Asshole! You'd really hit a girl?! Marie, of course, dodges him.

      I've got to get her to teach me how to do that. It's like it's automatic with her... like she doesn't even think, I think as Marie throws Sean to the ground. His head smacks the pavement, and he doesn't move. He's still breathing. Damn.
       She stands fully back up as I say, "Well, he's not going anywhere."
       Marie's pride is almost palpable as she stands and watches him quietly.
     "Let me go check on Erin. I'll call Jesse, and we'll take and dump this asshole somewhere." I'm happy she took him out, but I wish I'd done it. I'm not finished with him; however, I still need to go check on Erin.

       I check the downstairs bathroom first, and I find her there, crying while curled into a tight ball. "Erin," I breathe as I crouch on the floor next to her. I desperately want to hold her, but the tight ball she's curled into prevents me from doing so.
      "Is he gone?" she asks as I tilt her head up. Tear stains cover her cheeks, and I reach up to wipe them away. A loud crack sounds overhead as a lightning bolt must've struck somewhere nearby. It's going to pour any minute now with as hot a day as it was.
       "He's... down for the count." I quickly text Jesse come by house need help with problem asap, and then I return my attention to her. "Tell me what happened," I request as I try to get her arms to let go of her legs. I get that she's a little afraid he showed up out of nowhere, but this is more than that.

Marie

     I'd foolishly gone and watched the gathering storm from the beach. I didn't expect the asshole to get up.
     After a few minutes, I hear someone yelling for Erin from the other side of the house. Shit.

      "I thought I told you to leave," I say harshly as I run over to him.
      He half-turns in my direction and looks at me like I'm nothing but an annoying fly. "You again. Mind your own business and get lost, you little French bitch."

     I let my anger from the insult cloud my thinking for only a few seconds, and I don't see the punch coming. I feel my body falling to the ground, and I'm unable to stop it from landing hard on the grass. My world gets a little fuzzy.

Jesse

     I get a text from Bryce after I get home from Pam's. Scowling as I read it, I wonder what the heck is going on. A problem. What problem? I think as I walk over to his house.
      When I get there, I see Marie of all people running up to some strange guy. I hear him call her a bitch and punch her.

     It starts raining, and rage boils instantaneously inside of me.

    "I am more than capable of taking care of myself," runs through my mind as I remember what Marie said just last night.
      The asshole says, "I owed you that. Now leave me the fuck alone. This isn't your damn fight!"
      He turns away from her and acts like he's about to try the front door. I have no idea who this guy is, but I want to rip him to shreds.

    He doesn't see me coming before I grab the scruff of his shirt, pull him back and slam him against the side of Bryce's house. The rain gets heavier as he looks at me with a 'what the fuck?!' expression on his face.
     "So you like to punch girls?" I ask him threateningly.
     The previous expression leaves his face as he replies, "When they've karate-chopped my head into the pavement, yes."
      I punch him. In doing so, I've released him from the wall a little. He recovers and tries to punch me back, but I lean away from his swing. We continue like this for a little while, sometimes making contact, sometimes missing.

     I hear a groaning sound come from Marie, and I decide I've had enough of this bullshit. As much as I love a good fight, I need to cut this one short. He lands a few feet away after my kick sends him back.

     The bastard lies on the ground as the rain continues to pick up, and he coughs. Marie looks out of it, and she closes her eyes to keep out the rain.
     "Marie?" I ask as I crouch down and reach over to shield her face from the rain. I need to get her inside. She looks over at me like she's annoyed I'm here. I guess that means she's okay. "Marie, we need to get you inside."
     "I'm fine," she lightly snaps. "It's not the first time I've been punched in the jaw."
     "Let me help you up," I say, ignoring her wordless plea to leave her alone. As she tries to bat my hand away, I just get hold of it and also get my other hand around the back of her neck to help her sit up. When she does, she holds her head like she's dizzy.

    "You sonofabitch!" I hear Bryce growl from behind me.
    "Holy shit," the bastard says as he starts to sit up.
    "Go inside to 'talk' huh?" Bryce continues. "You thought you could just waltz in and try something like that?"
     "I love her, and I had to try to make her remember she still loves me. I was planning on talking..."
     "Would that be before or after you rape her?"
      Holy shit. This must be the ex.

    A siren sounds in the distance as I wordlessly convince Marie to let me help her stand up.
    "Don't, Bryce," Marie tells him. "He's not worth jail." It's now that I turn a little and see a gun in Bryce's hand.
     "He was trying to break into my house and take what's valuable to me. I'm well within my rights to shoot him," Bryce says with forced calm as he explains to Marie a mostly-obscure law.
    "Look, she never mentioned to me a boyfriend!" Sean cries out. "I'd never guessed she'd rebounded this fast."
     "I'm no fucking rebound."
     The man must've picked up Bryce's name from us. "Listen, Bryce, I came here to..." He pauses as a squad car pulls up on the street next to the house.
      Marie wobbles around now that I've pulled her up to a standing position.
     "Lower your weapon, Bryce," we hear Deputy Keilani say as he walks up to us in the pouring rain. He's been a deputy here for as long as I've been here and probably long before then too. He's a good patron of The Flamingo, and we've raised many a glass together. Of course, he's also broken up several parties I attended.
     "He's trying to break into my house... among other things," Bryce growls, but he puts his hand down at his side.
       "He also left Julian laying in the street. Maggie called, and I've come to get him."
       "What?!" the ex exclaims.

     Our friendly neighborhood cop comes over and arrests the ex. I can feel the irritation in Bryce that he didn't get to shoot him. I'm distracted by all this, however, when Marie stumbles again and holds her head.
      "I'm fine, Jesse. Leave me alone," she mumbles and continues to hold her head after I've rushed over and stopped her from falling. Damn, she's stubborn!
       "No, you're not. Let's get you inside and out of this crazy weather," I try to reason with her. She might need a doctor if she can't get her balance back.
       "I said leave me alone!" she snaps and jerks her arm out of my grasp.
       "I'm only trying to help!"
       "I want to go home," she says.
       Bryce speaks up from where he stands watching the bastard being led to the squad car, "I can take you home in a few minutes, if you'd like, Marie."
        "Thank you," she says stiltedly.
        I jump in. "I can take you." Then I turn to my friend and say, "Bryce, you don't have to. Stay here with Erin."
        She glares at me and says, "No thank you. I'd sooner walk. It's only water after all."

      "What is your problem?! It's only a ride!" I yell after she looks to be getting her balance back and walks away from me.
       "Not from you, it's not," she argues back, and I stand here in the pouring rain, dumfounded and mad, as she walks away and goes to sit in Bryce's car.

Erin

     The police officer asks me to come down to the station by tomorrow at the latest so that I can give my story about what happened in front of my house. I don't know what I can tell him. I ran away before any of whatever happened happened. Still, I agree to do as he asks, of course.

     Bryce looks exhausted for a moment as he looks at me and climbs the stairs. I don't care that he's soaked; I throw my arms around him anyway. I may despise Sean, but I'm glad Bryce didn't kill him.
      He sighs and wraps his arms around me, the gun still in his hand. He'd run off to get it after I told him what I feared Sean might have done if he'd gotten me inside my house.
      "Put that damn thing away, please," I say as I start to let go of him. He quickly stuffs the thing into the back of his pants and re-wraps his arms around my waist in an unspoken plea to just let him hold me for a minute. A few tears escape as I go ahead and let him. He holds me like his life depends on it.

     He clears his throat before he says quietly, "I'm going to call Pam and explain what happened and ask her to keep Adele for another night. Please stay here tonight."
      "I was hoping to," I get in quickly before he continues.
      "I'll help you upstairs if you want me to since I have to put the pistol away anyhow. Then I'm going to drive Marie home and be right back after I tell Jones to just close up the bar for the night." His arms tighten as he says, "Or, you could come with me if you want."
       The squad car drives away with my ex-fiance inside before I say, "I just want to go lie down." I feel exhausted from everything that's happened, and I don't think I can stand bouncing around everywhere while Bryce ties up all the loose ends of the day.
      "Okay," he whispers. I see him hold up a single finger for Marie to wait a minute before we go inside.

    He puts the safety back on his gun and kisses me quickly but intensely before he tells me he'll be right back. I lie down on the bed while I wait for him to come back. The rain comes down in buckets outside in the hurricane-like weather.
     I fall asleep almost immediately and dream about being back in high school, and I've forgotten my locker combination.

-----------------------------------------------

Thanks, Valpre, for indirectly naming this chapter. ;)

Also, just so everyone knows, Sean did hope to accomplish just what Erin feared he would. He mistakenly thought that would work (try to make her willing, that is) to remind her how she felt about him. Only now is it occurring to him that she could possibly have fallen for someone else... something he thought would never happen.

Oh, and to those that noticed, yes, Sean's clothes magically changed back to the ones he wore to argue with Erin's brother. I'd changed him after saving the first time then I didn't save before I quit because I was content to start at that time of day again. I forgot to change him again when I reloaded the game. That, and I forgot to change Erin's hair for the bathroom shot. Oh well.

And another thing, I've never mentioned before that Marie speaks with an accent. I don't attempt to try and type how she talks because my French sucks. Really. Really really. So, that explains how Sean knew where she was from.

30: Freaked Out

Bryce

     I wake up to the tapping sound of fingers hitting a keyboard. My hand drifts over to the other side of the bed only to find it empty. Peeking my eyes open, I see she's sitting at the computer desk, writing.

     "Erin..." I groan. "Come back to bed." Dammit I love having her here.

     "I couldn't sleep," she answers without taking her eyes off the screen. My eyes open a little more to see that she's gotten herself completely dressed in the stuff we rushed over to get at her house last night. "I'm sorry. I have to type this up."

      I groan again and go face-first into the pillow. I really, really want her to come back to bed... dressed or not. It wouldn't take me long to get her undressed. 

      I peek over at her and see that she hasn't even glanced my way. That damn computer has her complete attention. Her side of the bed is cold, and I picture in my mind her lying here next to me and how I'd pull her, naked, up close. Then her side of the bed wouldn't be cold.

      "How long have you been up?" I ask.

      "About an hour it looks like," she answers quickly.

      "Get more inspiration for your book huh?" I ask, smiling now.

      She bites her lip as she answers, "Kinda."

       "Please come back to bed," I say quietly.

       "But I'm up and dressed and fixed my hair and everything. I don't wanna come back to bed only to have you fall asleep on me."

      "I have absolutely no intention of falling asleep on you. In fact I..." I pause as something occurs to me that makes me wake up real fast. "Oh shit!"

       She finally looks over to me with a look of concern.

       "Erin!" I say and sit up straight in bed, my panic changing my mood completely.

       "What?!"

       I can feel my eyes are wide as I say, "Please tell me you're on birth control."

       One of her eyebrows raises as she says, "Fine time to ask now."

       "I'm about three seconds from jumping out of this bed and -"

       "Chill. I am," she says. I don't even bother to try to determine her mood; I'm so relieved as I flop back down on the mattress. There I was thinking we were going to have to rush over to the pharmacy to get a morning-after pill before they closed. 

      I feel like I'm recovering from an adrenaline rush. I guess I am.

      "Why?" I hear her ask. She's facing the computer monitor again, but she's not typing. "You don't want me to have your baby?"

       It takes me a little bit to figure out that she's only teasing. Still, I say, "Don't be ridiculous."

       "You do?!" she asks, now a little more serious and looking over at me again.

       I feel like I've been backed into a corner. "Um..." She sits there and stares at me.

       "Don't worry about it, Bryce," she says eventually, and she goes back to typing.

       Huh? Hold up! Don't you dare go and get all pissed off at me. I hop up and out from under the covers.

     "Hold on. Don't go 'Leandra' on me," I say. I meant it as a way to get her attention, but I think I may have hit the nail on the head.

      "And just what the hell is that supposed to mean?!" she snaps as I reach down and grab her hands up off the keyboard while leaning down behind the chair she sits in.

      "You once asked me to tell you if I want you to get off the computer. Well, I'm asking you to now, please." I glance at the screen and from what I can gather from all the exclamation points, my guess is correct. Lance and Leandra are fighting. I look outside. "Did you sleep at all?"

       "For about an hour and a half," she answers as she tries to get her hands free from mine.

       I sigh. "Stop," I say in response to her hands fighting mine. "You're just tired."

       "Bryce! Give me back my hands!"

       "Only if you stop typing and get away from the computer," I say sternly.

        She growls at me, but she also does as I ask.

    I drop her hands and wrap my arms around her. At first, she's stiff like she's still mad, but it doesn't last long. I hold her tighter as she wilts into me.

     "I'm sorry," she says quietly into my shoulder.

     "It's okay," I whisper.

     "It's just.. I had so much on my mind, and my mind wouldn't shut up about it. And then I started thinking about my book and all the stuff I wanted to write up that doesn't fit exactly right where it is and I'll have to move it later, but yeah. I just couldn't sleep," she quickly mumbles out.

      So much on her mind and her mind wouldn't shut up about it. Hm.

      Because of what you told me? Because you said you love me?

      She's freaked out, I think and feel her hands on my lower back.

      I start rocking us slowly back and forth before I turn my head a little to whisper into her ear, "I think you're sleepy now."

      "No I'm not," she mumbles sleepily into my shoulder.

      "Mhm. Yes you are. Come back to bed, Erin. We don't have anywhere we have to be today until this evening when I have to work."

       "What about Pam coming over? Doesn't she visit on Saturday?"

       "Well, she invited us over to her house, but I thought you might want to just stay here."

       "No, we can go. It's Saturday. You should spend it with Adele."

        "Okay, but later. Right now though, come back to bed."

        "I'm not sleepy," she obstinately mumbles.

       "Want me to make you sleepy?" I ask with a grin before she lightly slaps me. I succeed in pulling her back to the bed. We lie down, and she's asleep within minutes. Her words earlier to me before the last time she fell asleep run rampantly through my mind. More than Sean huh? More than someone you were going to marry.
        And she's freaked out. She may try to disagree with me if I point that out to her, but she is. I guess I'd be more worried if she weren't freaked out. After what she's gone through, I can't believe she'd admit that to me. Huh. She's freaked because she admitted that to me. That just has to be it. I'd better be really good, or I could ruin everything quicker than blinking an eye. I know from personal experience the risk she took in telling me that. She's probably worried that she'll lose me too, even if the thought is irrational.
       I hold her tighter, and she stirs a little before she goes back to resting her head on my shoulder. Fat chance, Erin. I'm not going anywhere, and neither are you if I have anything to say about it.


        A few hours later, she wakes me up and insists that we go to my sister's. I'm hungry and don't feel like cooking, so I agree.
        She acts determined to not interrupt Adele's life too much. I think about this as I watch her get out of my car at Pam's. The sun flashes on her hair as she moves around the car, taking my hand and giving me a quizzical expression. I wait for her to ask me what I'm thinking, but she doesn't.
        "Everything okay?" she asks finally.
        If Jesse were here, he'd tease me about goo-goo eyes. I probably look a bit ridiculous. "Yeah," I answer simply as I try to put a lid on the mushy stuff going through my head like how she's an angel sent from heaven to put my life back together... my daughter's too by making me a better dad. 

      If we ever broke up, it would kill me, I think as I suddenly pull her into a tight hug.
      She tries to guess where this is coming from and asks, "I guess you finally believe what I said last night, um, this morning?"
       I notice that she didn't say 'it' again but only referred to it. That's okay, I guess. She's waiting for me to answer the question. "I'm starting to."
        Pull yourself together, Bryce, before Simon sees you acting like this. He'd tease you about it. I clear my throat, and we head up the steps to Pam's front porch.

Pamela Drake

     I answer the knock on my door and get surprised by my brother's appearance. I won't have leftovers after all. I smile in reaction to the obvious, yet trying to be hidden, happiness on both their faces.
      "Come in!" I say warmly, close the door, and hug each of them in turn. Erin still acts shy around me. Then I yell out to my husband at the grill, "Bryce and Erin are here, so cook everything!"

     "Daddy!" I hear coming from the hallway just before Adele bounds out of it and into Bryce's embrace.
       Not really understanding what all the excitement is about but wanting to be excited anyway, Jer-jer toddles down the hallway as well and then stands there with a confused look on his face and his finger in his mouth. Adele starts filling my brother in on all the stuff they'd done this morning.

        "Byes," Jeremy says, using his form of 'Bryce,' and reaches up for his uncle once he figures out what's going on.
      "Hey Erin! Come see what we built!" Adele blurts out, grabs Erin's hand, and pulls her into Jeremy's room. We have a bedroom here for her, but Jeremy's room is bigger. So, they play in there. I smile at Erin's surprised look as she gets yanked away.
        "Thank you for keeping her, as always, Pam," Bryce says to me while also trying to keep Jeremy from trying to grab the tiny hairs on his face.
         Bryce never really looked comfortable holding Adele when she was a toddler either, I think as I watch my brother and son.
        "Oh, it's nothing. You know that. Besides, it's like she's become my babysitter for Jeremy." I laugh.
        "Speaking of babysitting," he adds with a smile and puts Jeremy down, "you and Simon need some time alone. Maybe I could attempt to make up a small part of what I owe you?"
         "You owe me nothing," I say.
         "I knew you'd say that," he says as he walks around the counter, grabs an apple, and bites off a piece as he walks back around the counter.

     He looks like he can't decide whether or not to sit in one of the chairs. Then he speaks while he chews, "But I'm offering anyway. Just work something out with me. I bet Simon wouldn't mind."

       "Wouldn't mind what?" I hear my husband ask as he walks in the kitchen.
       "Bryce, don't talk with your mouth full," I say.
       "I will if I want to," he says and smacks his mouth in an even more annoying fashion.

     Then he takes another bite and does it again.
     "It's a wonder Erin hasn't run screaming from your horrible manners," I growl to his Cheshire cat grin... that's full of mashed up apple.
      "Oh, my manners around her are just fine. I reserve this special for you."

      He takes another bite, chews for a second, and opens his mouth to show me.
      "What wouldn't I mind?" Simon asks again before I launch myself at my irritating little brother and start trying to snatch the now-sticky apple from his hand.
        "Ew! Stop opening your mouth!" I yell at Bryce when he starts laughing and stuff comes flying out of his mouth. "That's so gross!" I successfully swipe the stupid apple from his hand.

     "Hey! you made me drop my apple!" he accuses me with a mockingly-hurt voice. "Five second rule!" he hollers and tries to reach for it again.
      That's when the slap-fight begins.
      I'm so mad, and he keeps laughing! In his efforts to get the apple, he's wound up laying on the floor at my feet while I keep slapping his hands away.
      "Five seconds is up," I say and kick the apple onto the carpet.
      "Well, you know the time is actually relative. It's still good, and I'm hungry."
      Simon speaks up and says, "I burned the hot dogs."

     Bryce starts laughing again, and I lightly punch him. He makes me lose my temper faster than anyone else anywhere, anytime.
      "Well then, we need those apples even more or we'll starve!" he laughs.
    "When you two children," Simon speaks up again like he's bored, "are ready to stop fighting, maybe we can figure out what to eat?"
       "Apples!" Bryce roars with laughter. I'm really surprised Adele or Erin haven't come out to see what's going on. Bryce keeps dodging my hits. "Chill, Pam," he says finally and grabs my fists before tripping me with his leg. I tuck myself in to keep from landing hard on the floor.
       Just as quick as my temper flared up, it's gone before I say calmly, "I'll make a salad."
       The doorbell rings. I'd invited Jesse.

    Bryce hops up from the floor to answer it, and I see out of the corner of my eye that both are surprised to see the other one.
     Jesse is like a second brother to me, and I sensed a feeling of dejection coming from him last night. That's why I invited him today. He says he divorced himself from his parents, and I hate that. I'd give anything to have my parents back. Still, over the years, I've considered him part of the family. I thought inviting him would be good since I didn't expect Bryce and Erin. I was surprised he took me up on the offer since neither of us expected Bryce to come. He's more comfortable around him than me.

    I plan on getting whatever it is that's bothering him out of him if I can help it.
    "So how was last night?" Bryce asks him, and my ears perk up. Maybe I won't have to resort to tricks to get it out of him.
     "I don't know if tricking her into that outfit was the best idea," Jesse says as he leans on the counter.
      "Really?! I thought it was genius," Bryce says back with that devilish grin of his. I roll my eyes and get the stuff out of the fridge that I need for the salad.
       Still... a 'her.' Oh boy, here we go again.
       "It made her uncomfortable. She thought you were setting us up."
       "I was," Bryce admits with a shrug.
       Jesse laughs. "I guessed as much, but she didn't appreciate it. Turned me down flat."
       Jeremy pulls up and holds onto Bryce's leg as a very thoughtful look comes across his little face. Bryce slightly leans over while he laughs at what Jesse said and pats his nephew's head.
       "Am I going to get to hear who you two are talking about?" I ask.
       "No," Bryce says, but Jesse interrupts him.
       "The new waitress," Jesse answers me. Bryce looks at him with a 'why did you tell her?!' expression. Jesse shrugs. Jeremy grunts.
       Bryce continues on with the conversation, "Flat-flat or flat-but-maybe-later flat?"
       Jesse rests his chin on his hand before he says, "I hope it's the second one."
       I jump in. "Just what you need."
       "Yeah, but she's probably not going anywhere," Jesse answers me.
       "That's true," I admit. I've lost count how many times Jesse's gotten rejected for anything long term.
       "Um, Pam?" Bryce interjects. "I think Jeremy's..."
       "Yeah, I figured as much," I say. I'd given up on potty training him for the moment. He doesn't act interested, and I don't want to expend the effort if it's not going to work.

     I hear a bedroom door open as Erin and Adele walk out of Jeremy's room. Adele walks into the bathroom and Erin walks up to Bryce, looking a little nervous.
      As I walk by her, I hear Jesse say, "Hello, Erin."
      "Hi," she almost whispers back. Well that was a little weird.

     By the time I come out of Jeremy's room, Bryce and Erin are flirting and Jesse's staring at the napkin holder, brooding about something or other. I walk back into the kitchen, worrying about Jesse, and I finish up the salad before I take care of the burnt hot dogs.

    "No!" I cry out when the dishwasher makes a sputtering noise and water starts flooding into the dining area.
     Jesse, who'd been talking to Simon in the living room, walks over and says, "Just back off and let me handle it." Simon starts trying to say he'll do it, but Jesse adamantly insists that he be the one to fix it. Erin pulls out a mop.

    "No, Erin, you don't have to do that," I start trying to tell her to stop.

    "Nonsense. I got it."
    "Be careful, Erin. You don't want to be standing in the water just in case," Jesse says.
    "I'm careful. You try and not get yourself electrocuted," Erin says back to him as the two work side-by-side in my house. I sigh and pick up a plate of food. Jesse says something to make her laugh as Bryce comes up behind me and gets his own plate.

     Jesse continues to fix the dishwasher as I eat and finish and give Jeremy a bottle. Simon walks out to get the grill cleaned up before the game starts.

    Jesse's a Wolves fan, so he's not very liked by Simon and Bryce at the moment as the guys debate the game before it starts.
    Still, we all have a good time watching the game:

    "Why do they have to run their mouths so much at halftime? Neither of them have any idea of what they're talking about!" Bryce complains to the television. "Augh, I guess this is a good time to get to work."
     So Bryce and Erin leave for the bar with Bryce saying he'll watch the game on the bar's big screen.

Erin

    I stay at Bryce's bar until the game ends. The Llamas lost, and Bryce complains that he'll have to tolerate all the heckling from Jesse about it.
     I tell him I have to go home and work on my book. Honestly, I think if he could, he'd keep me with him every minute of the day. I like that, but still, I have to get my book written and published before I can relax with my little cushion of money intact.
    I laugh when I remember Bryce's antics while the game was going as I park my scooter and turn off the engine.

    "There you are," I hear a sickeningly-familiar voice say from the direction of my front porch steps.