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Rated: PG By: Becky The keys were barely out of the ignition as Scotty jumped out of the car and closed the door in quick succession. He walked quickly through the open doorway, then stopped cold. He felt as if someone had hit his stomach. Hard. For pain-filled moments, all he could see were her lips pressed against his. He looked away, the anger and revulsion becoming unbearable. A part of him wanted to walk away, permanently. But a bigger part won out. The part that had always loved her, would always love her. He had given up before, without a fight. But not this time. This time he would have no regrets. No sleepless nights wondering if he could have done something different, thinking that if he had just tried harder… He looked back at them and took a few steps, just as Laura was turning around. He saw her eyes widen as she saw him, an apology reflected in the blue irises. For what she was sorry for, though, he didn’t quite know. “Scotty, why aren't you at the house?” she asked. “My investigator followed Spencer here,” he told her. “You're having me followed?” Luke barked. Scotty looked at Spencer. He looked like shit. And he was being generous. His eyes were moving rapidly -- he looked crazed. “That's right,” he replied brusquely. “What about my mom and Lulu?” Laura asked. “Lucky's with them.” “Well, I -- I don't think that's such a good idea.” “You don't have to put up with this,” Luke told her. “Scotty, please, please just go.” “Take your investigator with you,” Luke chimed in, walking away from them. Ignoring Laura’s request, Scotty instinctively moved to where Laura was, sensing the danger beneath Spencer’s apparently drugged state. “Laura, what's wrong with him? He looks like a rabid dog.” “Shh,” Laura whispered. “I'll tell you later. Please, just go.” Scotty stood there, debating, as Laura walked to where Luke was and tried to gently pull lucid information from him. “You make me so crazy.” A chill ran through Scotty’s spine as he heard Spencer’s words, fear tightening his muscles. Fear for her. He grabbed her arm, fighting the urge to drag her out. Far away from that demented rapist. He couldn’t keep the concern out of his voice. “Laura, come on, what's going on?” “It'll be all right,” she said, stepping away from his hold. Scotty watched uneasily as Laura once again tried to calm down Spencer. His knots became tighter as he saw how deeply Spencer was lost in the past. The past in which he had hurt her, the wounds of which Scotty had seen first-hand. He was suddenly there, seeing Laura’s youthful face marred by tears and pain, hearing her anguish-filled words… “When you touch me, Scotty, my flesh crawls. When a man comes anywhere near me now… at school, at the disco, just touches me accidentally, walks past me, brushes -- brushes against me. I -- I get very sick inside.” “Laura… ” He hadn’t known what to say. “You wanted to hear the story. Okay, you might as well hear all of it. In our bed at night, I try to fall asleep before you get in bed or else I don't go to bed until I know that you are already asleep. And then I go to bed in a panic and I'm afraid that I'm going to wake you up and that you are going to turn over and that you're going to want to reach out for me and hold me in your arms. And I hold my breath because I'm afraid, and I'm sick inside.” “How?” Luke was asking Laura, bringing Scotty back to the present. “By hanging out at the disco all hours of the night? You think that helps?” Scotty didn’t waste the opportunity, and took Laura’s arm again. “All right, listen. That's why I'm here. I'm -- I've come to pick her up and take her home, Spencer.” “No, no, it'll be okay,” Laura insisted, touching Scotty’s hand reassuringly. Luke kept rambling, none of his words making Scotty inclined to leave Laura alone with him. “Why would you let her work in a place like this? Just so -- just so you can pay me back for your law books and your credit card debts, and I have to watch her move and her hands, her eyes. And -- and I get so crazy every time some nut case gets too friendly with her, and then I spill my guts, too, every night she goes home to you!” “Luke. It's all right,” Laura said calmly. “Why don't you just -- just go home with him,” Luke continued, as if she hadn’t spoken. “You married Mr. Wonderful. Go bake a pie, iron his shirts, do whatever you want, but just leave me out of it.” Scotty tried again. “All right, come on. You heard your boss.” “No,” Laura said. “You're fired.” He pulled slightly on her arm. “Let's go, let's go, let’s go.” “No! Scotty, please! He needs me tonight.” The urgency and loudness in Scotty’s voice rose with each word, his frustration clear. “No, what he needs right now is he needs the men in white coats to put a net over him, Laura. Come on.” “Shh! Quiet, please. I have to help him. I promise you, I won't -- I won't get hurt.” Scotty glanced at Spencer. He was sitting down, holding his head, facing the floor. “Laura, look at him. Come on, look at him,” Scotty pleaded, trying to make her see. “He's completely out of his mind. He's hopped up on something. He's dangerous. I've seen him like this before. I'm not going to let you get hurt again, okay? Don't ask me to do that.” “Scotty, listen to me. We are family whether you like it or not. I have to do this.” He could tell he wasn’t going to change her mind. “I'm going to give you two minutes. Then I'm coming in and I'm taking you out of here. Do you understand that?” There was no argument in his tone. Laura nodded. “Fine.” Scotty turned and walked out of the cabin, staying near the door once he was outside. All of his senses were painfully alert, ready for any sign of trouble. He hadn’t been able to protect her then, but God help him, if Spencer even tried to hurt her again… “Scott.” He looked up. “Bobbie,” he said, glad to see her. He walked up to meet her halfway. “Roy told me Luke is in there?” “Yeah, he's in there and he's completely out of his mind. He's back in the late 1970s in the disco days, you know? Laura's in there trying to get something out of him, but I don't think it's going to work. Now, you're a nurse, maybe you can figure out what it is that's happened to him here, all right?” “Okay,” she said. He felt better as Bobbie walked into the cabin, though it didn’t keep him from pacing. He felt useless standing out here, doing nothing but worrying. After what seemed an eternity, he saw her come out, a flood of relief invading his body. Laura reached out her hand, and he immediately took it. His hands went up to her shoulders, as if to make sure she was really okay. “Thank you for waiting,” she said. “I told you I wasn't going to leave you alone with him. Now, did you get what you wanted out of him?” “No, I couldn't do it. He's so sick, Scotty. I don't know what we're going to do to help him.” “We’ll think of something,” he assured her, taking her into his embrace. Laura breathed deeply and rested her head on his shoulder. He could feel her body relaxing beneath his touch. His own adrenaline was fading and he held her closer. He knew he would do anything to protect this woman in his arms. Always. ~The End~ |