**
Closing time - time for you to go out, go out into the world.
Closing time - turn the lights up over every boy and every girl.
Closing time - one last call for alcohol, so finish your whiskey or beer.
Closing time - you don't have to go home but you can't stay here.
I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
Take me home...
Closing time - time for you to go back to the places you will be from.
Closing time - this room won't be open 'til your brothers or you sisters come.
So gather up your jackets, and move it to the exits - I hope you have found a
friend.
Closing time - every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.
Yeah, I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
Take me home...
Closing time - time for you to go back to the places you will be from...
I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
Take me home...
Closing time - every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end...
(Semisonic from Feeling Strangely Fine: "Closing Time")
**
The sun was well below the horizon when Lucky awoke from his super-sized nap. His entire body was sore. Every muscle seemed to burn from the inside.
"What was I sleeping on, a bushel of peas?" he mumbled, still half asleep.
The precious weight on his chest shifted slowly.
"What?" Liz sighed softly, turning her head. Her fingers were curled around Lucky's shoulders.
Lucky's memory returned with all of his other senses. His eyes opened of their own accord.
"Just go back to sleep, Elizabeth," Lucky whispered, lightly running his fingers through the ends of her hair.
"I think it's safe to say I'm awake," Liz replied quietly. Her breath warmed Lucky's skin.
"In that case, do you mind if I sit up?"
Liz scooted off of him and perched on the edge of the couch.
"Did I squish you?" she asked with a light laugh. Lucky chuckled, as he used the back of the couch to prop himself up.
"No, I just don't think that couch was made to be slept on."
Liz heard the muted pain that laced his voice.
"Are you all right?" she asked worriedly.
"I'm fine."
"No, really."
"I'm *fine*."
"Baby..."
"Did I forget to find out how to win an argument with you?"
"This isn't an argument."
"Oh, really." Lucky's mouth was tilted up tantalizingly, making Liz all the more determined to find out where he was hurting.
"Lucky, if you don't tell me, I swear I'll..."
"You'll what?"
"How come they never finish that line?"
Lucky laughed. His face was turned up to the ceiling, his merriment evident on his features.
Liz stopped thinking.
Her entire focus was on Lucky. His face, his laughter, his smile. She watched him avidly. Prickles shimmied down his spine when her gaze locked on him. He turned slightly to face her.
"What?" he asked softly.
"Nothing."
Their gazes were fixed firmly.
"What?!"
"I just like looking at you. Is that a crime?"
Lucky felt heat fusing upwards through his face.
"Haven't I heard that line before?" He licked his lips. His face was still flushed and overly warm.
Liz smiled fondly at him.
"No," she responded tartly. "But it sounds like something I would say."
Lucky leaned forward and invaded her personal space.
"*Why* do you like watching me so much?"
Liz took her turn to blush. Lucky found it enchanting.
"I -- I guess it's just your personality, that I like to watch. I like seeing how you react to...stuff. And I love seeing your smile. It's like everything glows when you do smile. Or -- maybe it's because you're just so dang cute."
Lucky's face beamed. Absolutely beamed. He leaned in even more until Liz had to clutch his shoulders to keep from falling off the couch.
"What are you doing?" There was laughter in her voice.
"I'm going to kiss you, if you'd hold still."
Liz froze, giving him an irresistible smile.
"Oh," she said simply, before his mouth met hers and fireworks exploded in her head.
**
My first movement upon waking the next morning was to reach for Elizabeth. I extended my arm but nothing except cool empty air met my reach.
< Where? >
"Elizabeth?" I croaked.
< My voice never works mornings. >
Her tangled mass of chocolate curls peered through the half open door.
"You're awake!" she said softly. Her voice spoke of her delight.
< She's glad to see me. >
"So're you," I shot back sweetly over a yawn.
Elizabeth stepped into the room, passing through the shaft of light that the skylight provided. It drenched her completely, turned the highlights in her hair to gold, her skin glowed.
< Wow. >
My breath caught in my chest. I felt like I was drowning in her beauty.
She continued toward me, and the sunlight fell away gradually, leaving her breathtaking beauty without its golden hue but still leaving me in awe.
< How can one person be so gorgeous? >
Elizabeth stopped moving toward me and looked to me, clearly perplexed.
"What? What's wrong?" she asked uncomfortably. She ran a hand through her hair and looked down to her pajamas.
< Is she making sure she's dressed? >
I laughed at the absurdity of my thought and shook my head to her.
"Nothing's wrong. For once everything's perfect."
Elizabeth furtively glanced around the room, motioning for me to be quiet. "Ssh!" she hissed.
< What?! >
I gave her an impatient question of a glance.
"You don't want to jinx us, do you?" Elizabeth winked at me. A little smile formed on her face and spread to a wide grin.
I sat up, tossing the covers off of me with a quick flick of my wrist. Elizabeth's eyes fixed on my shirtless state.
< She's staring. >
I couldn't stop my grin from coming to my face, no matter how hard I fought.
"Like what you see?"
Elizabeth flushed scarlet. She held her ground valiantly, though.
"Maybe." Was all she would say. She motioned me up with one hand.
"Breakfast is ready in the kitchen."
< Oh, she's getting all house-wifey on me. >
"You cooked?"
Elizabeth rolled her eyes at my slightly sarcastic question.
"Nope. So you don't have to worry about food poisoning or anything like that. It's fruit."
I nodded enthusiastically. "I'm starved!" I began to slide out of bed, only groaning in pain when certain muscles screamed. Elizabeth stepped forward and reached for me.
"I'm okay, I'm okay!" I moaned hurriedly.
"You look it, Lucky. Really."
< Ooh, sassy. >
I laughed, half in pain.
"I'll be fine in a few days. Just gotta heal these wounds up."
Elizabeth caught my shoulder and hauled me to her side.
"Let me help you." She enunciated each word slowly, almost as if she was speaking to a naughty child.
"Say please."
Elizabeth slapped my arm lightly.
"What is with you this morning?" she asked.
< Is that a rhetorical question? >
She helped me down the hallway and into the kitchen. We sat at the table, Elizabeth across from me, a giant bowl of fruit in between us.
"Where did this come from?" I asked, when I realized I didn't know the answer.
Elizabeth was midway into a pear. She was chewing vigorously and she held up one finger to tell me to wait a minute. She finally swallowed, and ran her tongue around her lips.
"Mrs. Sweeney and Joey brought it over a little earlier."
"They were here?"
"Yeah. They wanted to check on us, make sure we survived yesterday."
"What did you tell them?"
"That you were fine, sleeping, and in a minimum amount of pain; that I am perfectly fine, just a little worn out, and that we were talking about going home soon."
< What? >
I heard her suck in a breath. She didn't release it immediately.
"Elizabeth?" I asked simply. My head was pounding. She looked up, looked uncomfortable.
< Does she think I'm mad at her? >
"Did you just say what I thought you just said?"
She smiled, exhaling nearly silently.
< She smiled. I made her smile. >
"There's what I like to see," I said softly, leaning heavily on the table and reaching for her hand. She met me in the middle, our fingers locked instantly.
"You don't mind?"
"Mind what?" I prodded gently. "You telling the neighbors or the fact that you want to go home?"
"E-either."
< She's unsure. >
I smiled and squeezed her hand.
"I'm going to miss being alone with you so much. Living under the same roof. Knowing I can call out your name and you'll be there in two seconds."
"Well, we don't have to-"
"If you want to, then we *do* have to."
Elizabeth raised her eyes from the tabletop to mine.
"I -- I want to. Go home, that is. I think I'm -- I mean, I'm ready to face it. Everything."
< Good girl. >
I ran my fingers around her wrist and across the back of her knuckles.
"I'll call the airport and we'll get on the next plane."
"You're sure you aren't angry?"
I shook my head emphatically.
"I'm really fine with it. I've been having a weird craving for your grandmother's cheesecake lately, anyway."
Elizabeth beamed in my direction.
"Let's go home," she said, her voice strong. "Take me home."
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