Safe in Your Arms
Rated NC-17
by Dianna

Disclaimer: I don’t own any of these characters, nor do I have any association with ABC.

Note: This takes place shortly after Lucky’s death. Stefan has taken Laura home after pulling her off of the railroad tracks. Laura has gone upstairs to check on Lesley Lu and Stefan has just finished talking to Lesley.

~*~

“I think I’ll go check on Laura,” Stefan said to Lesley as he headed for the stairs.

Lesley nodded. She was not happy with this, but she knew that Laura cared a lot about Stefan, so she decided not to say anything. She stood and watched him climb the stairs.

Stefan reached the top of the stairs. He walked to Lesley Lu’s room and quietly opened the door. He saw the little girl sleeping peacefully, but Laura wasn’t there. He tiptoed out of the room and shut the door. He walked the short distance to Laura’s bedroom. He knocked lightly.

“Come in,” she said.

Stefan walked in and saw her rubbing her shoulder. “Is your shoulder feeling worse?”

“Yes, it’s pretty sore,” she said staring at the floor.

“Let me get you something for it,” he said walking out of the room.

A few minutes later he came back carrying ice wrapped in a towel. “This will have to do,” he said. “I couldn’t find an ice bag.”

Laura reached to take it from him, but he wouldn’t let go of it. She kept her gaze on the floor.

“No,” he said sitting down next to her. “Let me.” He took the ice bag and held it on her shoulder. She flinched a little as he touched her. “Is that too cold?” he asked looking at her with concern.

“No, it’s fine,” she said avoiding his eyes.

Stefan noticed that she still wouldn’t look at him. “Laura? Laura what’s the matter? Why won’t you look at me?”

“I… I don’t know what to say with you. You saved my life.”

“You don’t need to say anything. I didn’t do it to hear you thank me. I did it because I care about you.”

“You know I didn’t mean to risk my life, don’t you?”

“Yes, I know. You were lost, lost in your grief.”

Laura finally looked at him and gave him a weak smile. “How can I ever repay you for bringing me home to my daughter and my mother?”

“You can repay me by taking care of yourself,” he said.

He looked into her eyes and saw the tears forming. He put his arms around her and held her close to him as she wept. Stefan put his hand on the back of her head and stroked her hair as her body shook with her sobbing.

He gently rocked her back and forth in a soothing manner. "Let it go," he whispered. "Let all the bad feelings go."

After a few minutes, Laura’s sobs began to fade away and then stopped all together. Stefan heard her steady, even breathing and knew that she had cried herself to sleep.

He gathered her into his arms and carried her to her bed. He removed only her shoes, before pulling up the covers and tucking her in. He tiptoed to the door, turned out the light and left.

As he reached the bottom of the stairs, he saw Lesley sitting on the sofa. She turned around as she heard the floorboard squeak under his weight.

“How is she?” Lesley asked.

“She’s sleeping.”

“That’s good. She hasn’t slept much since…” Lesley said, her voice fading away.

“I know.” Stefan walked around the sofa and sat next to Lesley.

“Stefan, I know you and I have never really gotten along,” said Lesley. “You know I can’t forget what you did to me, but I am trying, for Laura’s sake.”

Stefan nodded.

“But can you be honest with me about something,” she continued.

“Of course Lesley. What is it?”

“I want to know the truth about what happened tonight. I want to know how she really hurt her shoulder.” She could tell that he was about to protest. “I was a doctor, Stefan. I know that you don’t get that kind of injury from a simple fall. Something heavy would have had to fallen on her to cause it. I want you to tell me what fell on my daughter.”

Stefan knew that there was no way to fool Lesley. “I did,” he said.

“What? What do you mean? You did what?”

“I’m what fell on her Lesley.”

A confused look crossed Lesley’s face. “I don’t understand. Why?”

"Well I didn't mean to fall on her. I just meant to push her down," said Stefan.

"Why would you want to push her down? I thought you cared for her."

"I do care for her Lesley that's why I..." he paused a moment. "I see that I'm not going to be able to explain without telling you everything. It's just that... well it's just that Laura didn't want you to know."

"Didn't want me to know what?" she asked. When he didn't answer she added, "Stefan tell me!"

Stefan took a deep breath before he continued. "She didn't want you to know that she was almost killed tonight."

"What?" Lesley asked with panic in her voice.

"She was upset Lesley. She was trying to find anything, any connection to Lucky. She made her way to the boxcar where he stayed before and in her grief she wandered onto the railroad tracks."

"Oh!" Lesley cried.

"Luckily I had followed her trail. I got there just in time. There was a train coming and she was frozen with fear. She couldn't move. I ran towards her and pushed her off the track and fell on top of her. I covered her with my body until the train had passed. Then I brought her home."

Lesley was crying now. Stefan wasn't sure if she would allow it, but he reached over and put his arms around her and let her cry on his shoulder.

The pulled apart quickly when they heard Laura's scream come from upstairs. Lesley started for the stairs, but Stefan held her back.

"Please, let me go to her alone."

She nodded.

Stefan ran up the stairs and entered Laura's room without knocking. He saw her sitting on the bed crying. He went over and sat down next to her. She wrapped her arms around him.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I had a nightmare. I saw Lucky, I saw the fire, and then I saw myself on the railroad tracks again."

He held her as she calmed down. He whispered over and over to her "It's all right. It was just a bad dream."

When she stopped crying he bent down and kissed her tenderly on the forehead. She smiled and her left arm around him.

He covered her lips with his. After kissing for a moment they pulled apart. Laura put her head on his shoulder and sighed contentedly. He hugged her closer to him.

She lifted her gaze to meet his. Stefan saw the beginning of desire in her blue eyes.

"Now?" he asked. "Are you sure?"

Laura smiled and nodded.

"What about your shoulder?"

"Let me worry about my shoulder," she said.

She closed her eyes as Stefan's lips barely touched hers in a gentle kiss. She felt his tongue lightly trace her lips before slipping inside her mouth. She melted into his kiss.

She wrapped her arm back around his neck and kissed him back with a frantic need. He intensified the kiss and his tongue plunged deeper into her mouth.

Stefan removed his lips from hers and kissed down the side of her neck. He slowly undid the buttons of her blouse and began kissing his way down her body as each button revealed more of her skin. Finally he undid the last button threw her blouse to the floor. A pleasant warmth began to build within Laura. A warmth she welcomed.

Laura found the bottom of his shirt, pulled it over his head and tossed aside. Her hands slid up his abdomen, to his chest, and finally to his shoulders.

Stefan reached out and caressed her breast through her bra as he resumed kissing her. He reached behind her and undid her bra and pulled it from her body. They quickly removed the rest of their clothing. He wrapped his arms around her and lowered her to the bed.

He returned his lips to hers for a moment before he began to kiss his way down her body. He stopped to take each nipple into her mouth before continuing lower. Stefan glanced at Laura's face to make sure he wasn't hurting her. She smiled at him. Starting at her ankle he slowly kissed up her left leg, coming close to her center before moving to her right leg and repeating the process.

His tongue tentatively touched her and she raised up and gasped at the sudden shock. His tongue entered her briefly and then he replaced his tongue with his fingers. He watched her face as he worked his fingers in and out of her. Laura felt her climax starting to build within her. She cried out his name are it overtook her.

"I want you inside me," she whispered to him.

"Laura, I'm afraid I will hurt your shoulder more." he said with concern.

Laura thought for a moment. "I have an idea," she said.

Laura walked Stefan towards to the chair. Laura's hand ran down Stefan's body and she began to stroke and rub his shaft.

Laura looked at his face and smiled. She pushed him intp the chair, before climbing on top of him. She wanted to control the speed and the rhythm at which they made love.

They kissed briefly, before Laura positioned herself on his shaft. They both enjoyed the feeling of her tightening around his erection.

They began to move together, slowly at first, then faster and harder. Stefan wrapped his arms around Laura to keep her from falling since she only had the use of one arm. He just let her ride him. Laura loved being in control.

Laura dug her fingernails into Stefan's shoulder as she got closer and closer to the end. Laura could feel her climax and began to wildly thrash on Stefan's lap, riding him, bouncing up and down.

"Oh, Stefan!" Laura panted as her walls contracted around him. Stefan put his hands on her hips and continued to move her up and down on his shaft until he came a few seconds later. Her tight contractions and the look of pure pleasure on her face made it a hundred times better for him.

"That incredible." he said as he buried his face in her chest. "Where did you learn to do that?"

Laura smiled at him, but didn't answer.

She climbed off his lap and he stood up. He picked her up and carried her to the bed. He gently laid her down and pulled the covers over her.

"Stay with me," she said reaching out to him with her good arm.

He pulled the covers back and climbed in next to her. She slid closer to him and he held her in his arms.

"This is nice," she said. "I feel safe in your arms."

He smiled at her and held her tighter. Soon he was asleep. Laura lay awake thinking. She did feel safe. Safer than she had for a long time. Laura knew that with Stefan's help she would get through this. She snuggled closer to Stefan and fell asleep in his arms.