**
Tonight I'm tangled in my blanket of clouds
Dreaming aloud

Things just won't do without you, matter of fact
I'm on your back

If you walk out on me
I'm walking after you
If you walk out on me
I'm walking after you

If you'd accept surrender, I'll give up some more
Weren't you adored

I cannot be without you, matter of fact
I'm on your back

If you walk out on me
I'm walking after you
If you walk out on me
I'm walking after you

Another heart is cracked in two
I'm on your back

I cannot be without you, matter of fact
I'm on your back

If you walk out on me
I'm walking after you
If you walk out on me
I'm walking after you
If you walk out on me
I'm walking after you

Another heart is cracked in two
I'm on your back
(Foo Fighters from The Colour And The Shape "Walking After You")
**


****She returned to his mouth, a little dizzy from lack of air, and pressed her lips to his, sending that life saving gas into his body. She sat up, screaming against the injustice of it all.

A soft gurglish cough from nearby startled her.****


The air about me stilled. I held my breath, my heart aching. I was too afraid to look down. My head was back, I was looking up into the stars. If I was making up the soft cough I had just heard, if Lucky *wasn't* all right, I knew, I *knew* right then and there that I would die too.

< Don't leave me. >

I felt air flutter around my face. I closed my eyes briefly and bowed my head before opening them again. Lucky half sat up, convulsed in a coughing fit, water spewing from his mouth, clutching at his ribs as he coughed.

< He's okay. >

My hands automatically went to his shoulders, helping him to straighten up.

< Breath. >

I released the breath I had been holding for what seemed ever. My hands nearly slipped from Lucky's wet shoulders as he continued to convulse.

< He's okay.>

My brain began processing thoughts properly for the first time since the garden. Lucky's body was cool to the touch.

< Have to get him warmed up. >

I almost blushed at the absurdity of that thought. I looked up, right into the face of Joey, who watched me sympathetically.

"What can I do?" he asked worriedly.

"Blanket. Doctor. Police." The three words that came from my mouth were slow and deliberate, showing none of the panic that still had me firm in its grip. I returned my focus to Lucky. Joey took off up the stairs.

< He must be hurt. >

I blinked hard, feeling extremely helpless. Lucky coughed one last time, for good measure, and stilled, breathing hard.

< At least he's breathing. >

I placed my palm over his hand, lying on the sand in between our bodies.

"Are you okay?" I asked thickly.

He nodded, and a smile flickered at me for just a second.

"Just let me ... catch my breath ... and I'll be ... fine." Lucky wasn't fooling anyone. Especially not me.

"Don't play tough with me, Lucky. How hurt are you?!"

He drew a sharp breath and winced when he tried to turn to me.

< Not good. >

"Give me about five aspirin and call me in the morning," Lucky mumbled.

"He hit you on the head, didn't he?" I returned with a hiccup, my eyes tearing. Lucky didn't respond.

< He isn't... >

My hand shook when I placed it against the side of his face. He turned his eyes to me. I scooted closer and pulled him closer to my lap. We stayed huddled on the beach until Joey returned with a blanket and a doctor. The police took longer to arrive.

**

The quiet of the house disturbed me. Nervously, I paced down the hall and back again, peeking into Lucky's room with each pass.

< Is he sleeping okay? >

His silence answered me.

< Should I go in? >

I was undecided, so I left my pacing and went to the kitchen for some hot tea.

< I need something to soothe my jangled nerves. >

After dropping my empty mug onto the counter three consecutive times, I gave up. I dropped into one of the kitchen chairs and wept into my arms.

< I almost lost Lucky tonight. >

The events of the evening were still stuck with alarming clarity in my head.

< He almost left me. >

Lucky had been assessed by a licensed doctor and bandaged up around the rib area, and given light treatment for the scratches and bruises on his face before we'd returned back to "our" cottage. The policemen had kept us only as long as Lucky could remain standing. They'd pulled a promise from us that we'd get ourselves up to headquarters within two days to do a full report.

< He almost left me. >

How we had gotten here exactly was a little fuzzy to me. I remembered a ride in a nice car, but I was so out of it, I had no idea who'd driven.

< He almost left me. >

My thoughts stumbled around my head, often returning in the same direction, but one thing was sure.

< I almost let him down. >

My muffled sobs died down. Truth be told, I knew that nothing that had happened tonight had been mine or Lucky's fault. We were just in the wrong place.

A sound from Lucky's room made my head jerk upwards. I bolted from my seat into the hallway. Lucky was doing his best to thrash about in the bed, but his injuries weren't allowing him that. I stepped into the room, took three more steps to the side of his bed. My fingers just brushed his forehead when I moved some of his hair out of his eyes.

He gripped my wrist, suddenly. His eyes flew open, stark terror in them.

"Elizabeth!" His hoarse voice didn't carry far. I couldn't tell if he was still in dreamland or not.

"It's okay," I whispered, now leaning awkwardly above him. "You're okay, and I'm okay."

His grip changed. He gave a little tug on my arm, bringing me tumbling down next to him. He released my arm, only to take my torso prisoner.

"Don't leave me tonight."

< Or ever. >

"I'm here, baby," I murmured, shifting so I was facing his shoulder. "I'm right here."

< Always. >

His hold on me relaxed as he went back to sleep. I stroked his cheek with my fingertips, unable to stop myself.

My name came from his lips in a whisper, he turned into my hand.

---

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