Stuffed Bears and Stolen Glances

Stuffed Bears and Stolen Glances

...Was co-written by Britt and myself. I wrote Lucky, Britt wrote Liz.

As you brush your shoes and stand before your mirror

And you comb your hair and grab your coat and hat

And you walk the streets trying to remember

All those wild nights breeze through your mind

And everything looks so complete

When you're walking out on the street

And the wind catches your feet

And sends you flying, crying

Oooh, oo-oooh wee the wild night is calling

All the girls walk by dressed up for each other

And the boys do the boogie woogie on the corner of the street

And the people passing by just stare with the wild wonder

And the inside juke box roars just like thunder

And everything looks so complete

When you're walking out on the street

And the wind catches your feet

And sends you flying, crying

Oooh, oo-ooh wee

The wild night is calling

Come on out and dance

Come on out and make romance

Come on out and dance

Come on out and make romance

And everything looks so complete

When you're walking on the street

And the wind catches your feet

And sends you flying, crying

Oooh, oo-ooh wee

The wild night is calling

Oooh, oo-ooh wee

The wild night is calling

(John Cougar Mellencamp from Dance Naked: "Wild Night")

The sun was making its final dip toward the horizon, when the two teenagers finished paying for their tickets and slipped through the gates leading into into the Port Charles fairgrounds. Immediately they were surrounded by all the things that make a good carnival: bright flashing lights, corny music, concessioners shouting, big crowds.

I shot a smile in Elizabeth's direction. She was clutching my right hand tightly, her book was tucked under her other arm, and her purse was slung over her shoulder.

"Do you have enough stuff to hold onto?" I asked, a teasing tone to my voice.

Elizabeth shot me a mock glare. "Well, maybe I'll just drop this old thing..." she murmured, shaking her hand to rid it of mine.

"Hey!" I exclaimed, pulling a puppy-dog face. "That's not exactly what I meant!"

Elizabeth feigned innocence. "What did you mean then?"

I trapped her hand in both of mine and turned her toward me, ignoring the looks we were getting from people passing by. I leaned in, getting a whiff of her perfume.

< Mmm. My favorite. Peaches. >

"I *meant* to say: Can I carry something for you?"

Elizabeth smiled sweetly. I caught sight of a flash of her teeth before she was speaking.

"I should have brought a backpack. But you can carry my book if you want to." The words were out of her mouth, and the book extended towards my hands when a small object fell out of it, onto the pavement.

I quickly squatted to pick it, whatever it was, up. Elizabeth happened to bend over at the same time, and our heads bumped.

"Ow!" she cried out, even in her pain reaching for the mystery item. Unfortunately for her, my hand closed over it a second before she could get ahold of it.

< Now, what is it? >

Immediately, a thorn pricked my index finger.

I hissed and dropped the red rose into my other hand. I followed my first instinct and raised my hurt finger toward my mouth. Elizabeth intercepted me, though, by catching my wrist in her hand and bringing my finger to her lips. She was sucking gently on my finger before I could manage a word. Not like anything I could've said would have been understandable anyway.

Elizabeth's eyes widened as comprehension dawned. She froze, her eyes jumping to mine.

****

< Oh my God >

Lucky stared at me with his mouth hanging open.

< Just be cool Liz >

Smiling sheepishly at Lucky I removed his finger from my mouth. "Sorry." I dropped his hand. "You should do that."

I thought I saw a faint blush creep up his cheeks as he mumbled at me.

"You were doing a pretty good job."

< WHAT? >

If possible, my eyes got even wider. "What?"

Lucky's cheeks got even redder. "Nothing." He glanced down at his other hand. "You kept it?"

I nodded at him. Trying not to blush, and failing. "It's a souvenier of our first, uh......." I trailed off, hopping he wouldn't notice.

"Date?" Lucky said.

< He noticed. >

He was looking at me with a half smile and a raised eyebrow.

< Oh God, here comes the blush. >

"Was that a date?" I asked, trying for coy. And achieving nervous.

Lucky looked around, suddenly seeming to realize that we were standing in the middle of the fairgrounds.

< He's going to avoid the question. >

"I wonder which direction the Ferris Wheel is in?" Lucky asked, feigning sudden deafness.

< He avoided the question. >

I sighed heavily and started in the direction of the big, lit up wheel. "It's this way." I was a few steps ahead when he caught up and grabbed my hand.

< He's holding my hand! >

Then Lucky leaned over and whispered in my ear. "*I* thought it was a date."

< Me too! >

"After all," He continued. "We had dinner, dancing, a rose. Everything."

< Except a kiss. >

"Yeah." I sighed. "Everything."

Lucky looked at me, with a strangely disappointed look. "Well, almost everything."

I closed my eyes. Half afraid that he was going to kiss me now, and half hoping he would. I breathed deeply, smelling the carnival air, and...

< Corndogs. >

"Corndogs." My eyes flew open, to reveal Lucky's face mere inches away from mine.

< He was going to kiss me! >

"Corndogs?" Lucky said, pulling back and blinking rapidly.

< What have I done?!? >

"Yep." I nodded with false enthusiasm, pulling him toward the corndog booth. "I want a corndog, how about you?"

"Yeah, okay." He said, doing that thing where he rubs his eye.

< That is so cute. >

We were standing in line, when suddenly three very big, very drunk guys stumbled into everyone. I was jostled back against Lucky, and I felt his arms encircle my waist, pulling me closer to him.

"Are you okay?" He leaned down to whisper in my ear.

"I'm better now." I answered, leaning my head back against his shoulder and placing my hands on top of his.

< Much better now. >

****

I gulped, when Elizabeth settled into my arms. Her scent began to override my senses.

< She feels so good. >

I lowered my chin onto her head, slightly tightening my arms.

A shadow fell over us. I looked up, not realizing that my grip on Elizabeth had tightened even more. A man on tall stilts towered above us, grinning through his painted-on clown face. From where I stood, I could see tips of many different colored flowers underneath his heavy trenchcoat.

"Buy a flower for your pretty girlfriend?" he boomed, gesturing at Elizabeth with a peach colored rose.

< Girlfriend. I like the sound of that. >

"No, we-" Elizabeth had started to shake her head.

I cut her off by sliding one of my arms from her waist and reaching into my pocket. She made a protesting noise as I exchanged a green bill for the rose.

As the man walked away, she broke from my half embrace and turned to me.

"Lucky-"

"You have a real problem with taking complements gracefully, you know that?"

Liz's mouth dropped open. She snatched the rose from my hand and smiled a sugary smile.

< Uh oh. >

"Thank you, Lucky," she said, nearing seductive. She leaned in and pecked my cheek, pulling away slowly.

< Oh, no you don't. >

She was only inches away before I trapped her, gripping her arms right above and behind her elbows and holding her still.

Our eyes locked. I watched the laughter slowly fade from hers, leaving behind seriousness and a little apprehension, along with a whole lot of anxiousness.

< Opportunity of a lifetime. >

I felt myself blushing, felt the heat rushing to my face at an amazing speed. The line moved forward, and I was jostled from behind, knocking both Elizabeth and I out of our trance.

"Yo, buddy, what can I get for you before you cause a serious back up in my line?"

The teenage voice brought my world back into focus. We were up to order. I let go of Elizabeth sheepishly. She sent me a smile over her shoulder and stepped up to the window to order for us. I stood back and watched her without comment.

Her stance was outgoing and friendly. Her voice was clear and melodic, causing me to imagine what it would be like to get her to sing for me. Her eyes shone in the cheep flourescent lighting.

< Elizabeth is a goddess. >

She turned to me, holding out a corndog and a can of soda. I took them from her, pretending not to notice the way my hands shook when they brushed against hers.

< If I get through this night, it'll be a miracle. >

****

< His hands are shaking. >

I turned back to the concession stand to pick up my own corndog and soda. "So," I said, squirting mustard all over my corndog. "Where to now?"

Lucky looked at my mustard-covered corndog with a grimace, before nodding to an empty bench a few feet away. "How about over there?"

< What? You've got something against mustard? >

Nodding, I followed his lead. I took a big bite out of my corndog as we sat down. "Mmmmmm!"

Lucky just shook his head and grinned. Rolling his eyes at me.

< He's so cute. >

Leaning against the back of the bench, we sat in silence. Eating and people watching.

< He's people watching, I'm Lucky watching. >

Everytime he started to turn towards me I would turn back to look at the shifting crowd in front of us.

Brushing off his hands, Lucky turned to me. "Aren't you done yet?"

"No, human-vacuum-cleaner, I'm not." I answered, smiling into his blue eyes.

< Electric blue. >

"What are you in such a hurry for?" I asked, taking a sip of my drink. "Does the box car expect you home at a certain time?"

< Good one Liz. >

Lucky raised one eyebrow and did that half-smile of his.

< Sigh. >

"No, but I would like to get to the ferris wheel before sunrise," he answered, slinging his arm casually behind me on the bench.

I could feel the heat from his arm, it was that close to my skin, and his fingers kept whispering past my shoulder as he bounced his hand on the top rail.

< What's a girl to do? >

I faked a shiver.

Lucky looked over at me. "Are you cold?"

< Don't lie. >

I simply smiled, and scooted closer to him on the bench. He smiled back and curved his arm around me, lightly rubbing my arm, from my elbow to my shoulder.

< Bliss. >

I closed my eyes and leaned up against him. Savoring the feeling of his nearness, and of the simple happiness that I felt. He put his chin on top of my head, rubbing it back and forth across my hair. I tossed the rest of my corndog in the grass, and wrapped my arm around his waist, laying my cheek against his shoulder.

I opened my eyes and looked up at Lucky, to see him staring down at me.

< He's going to kiss me. >

I tilted my head back, and moistened my lips. I felt his fingers on my cheek, moving my hair away from my face.

< This is it! >

"Excuse us."

< Why me? >

I pulled away from Lucky and we both smiled at the elderly couple in front of us.

"Would you two young people mind if we shared your bench?" the man asked, tenderly holding his wife's hand.

< How sweet! >

Lucky stood up and offered his hand to me. "Not at all, in fact you can have it all to yourselves. We are headed to the ferris wheel."

I turned back and watched as the couple settled on the bench together. "Now that's real love." I murmured.

"Yep," Lucky nodded, brushing my cheek with the back of his hand. "The kind that lasts forever."

We walked through the fairway, stopping every now and then to look at something, but mostly just walking. Lucky pulled me to a stop outside a game booth. "How would you feel about me winning you that bear?" he said, pointing to the biggest bear I think I have ever seen.

"Lucky." I pulled on his hand. "These games are only to rob poor, stupid people who don't know that the they're rigged."

< But I would love that bear. >

Lucky leaned down to whisper in my ear, "They're only rigged if you don't know the secrets. There *is* more than one advantage to being a Spencer."

< Shiver. >

I nodded, but comprehended very little of what he had just said. My senses were pretty muddled from the warm breath that he had just been blowing across my ear. "Uh huh."

"So you want me to play?" he asked, a slightly confused look on his face.

< Snap out of it, Liz. >

"I would love the bear. But only if you are sure that you can win," I protested. "I don't want you blowing all your money."

Lucky shrugged and slapped down the three dollars that the game required. He picked up his fishing pole and went to work.

There were empty beer bottles laying on their sides. You got three chances to stand one upright using a fishing pole with a little plastic ring at the end of the string.

Quickly Lucky pulled them up. One, two, three.

< He did it! >

"Hey, you did it!" I bounced up and down a little, and clapped my hands.

< Like a three year old. >

Lucky turned to me, beaming, and swooped me up in a hug. "Oh, ye of little faith." He loosened his arms around me, but didn't completely let go. "Which bear do you want?" He asked me, turning me so that I could see my selection.

I pointed to the big Panda bear with the bright blue eyes.

< Electric blue. >

"That one, he has your eyes." I laughed.

Lucky grinned at me and the guy behind the booth handed me my bear. He looked at Lucky with admiration. "That was amazing, I've never seen anyone other than fellow carnies do that."

Lucky laughed and started to pull me away, toward the ferris wheel. I resisted his pulls and dropped his hand. Reaching into my purse I pulled out three dollars.

"Can I try?" I asked.

< It can't be *that* hard. >

"C'mon Elizabeth, don't waste your money." Lucky said, reaching for my hand.

"You think I can't do it?" I asked, a flush rising up my cheeks.

< I'll show *you*. >

The carnie laughed and whistled under his breath. "My man, I think you just said the wrong thing to the little lady."

Lucky just sighed and took my bear from my hands, and I picked up a pole.

I hooked the little ring around the neck of the bottle and pulled it quickly up....and over.

< Damn! >

I hooked it around the second one and pulled slowly, the bottle spinning in a circle.

< Just a little more... >

The bottle crashed over.

< Double damn. >

I took a deep breath and moved to the next bottle.

I carefully hooked the ring around the neck, and flicked my wrist the way Lucky had done. The bottle stood straight up.

"You did it!" Lucky exclaimed.

I turned around and smirked at him. "'Oh, ye of little faith.' Now what do you want?" Since I only picked up one bottle, his choices were limited to cheap toys and plastic jewlery. He picked out a blue beaded necklace, and draped it around my neck.

"I know that beads aren't making it anymore." He laughed. "But how about making an exception?"

< Anything for you. >

For the second time that night I leaned up and kissed his cheek, only this time I spoke my thoughts aloud. "Anything for you."

****

I watched Elizabeth let me slide the hideous beads around her neck, watched a smile fan over her face. My rational thoughts departed when my fingers brushed against her neck. My eyes lingered there.

< She has a beautiful neck. >

I was shook from my stupor when Elizabeth leaned in and pecked my cheek.

"Anything for you," was her whisper.

< Anything? >

"Really?" I asked slowly, holding Elizabeth's gaze firmly with my own.

"Of course," she replied, looking as if it was a nonnegotiable point. "I thought you knew that."

I found a sheepish grin. "Can I help it if I want to hear how lo -- lucky I am?" I closed my mouth with a snap, before I made a big blunder.

Elizabeth flushed a little and shyly lowered her gaze and her chin. I lightly tapped under her chin and she raised it obligingly. Her eyes danced up at me.

< Her gorgeous eyes. >

I found myself drawn closer. Tangled in a web of shifting lights and dancing shadows and Elizabeth's smiling eyes.

< Just kiss her. >

Her eyes fluttered closed, her lashes resting against her soft skin.

< Just do it. >

I leaned in, drawing closer and closer, afraid to close my eyes for fear Elizabeth would up and disappear. I was merely centimeters away when a loud wolf whistle startled me. I looked away from Elizabeth to the three or four teen onlookers who had seen our attempted kiss.

"Maybe this isn't the best place for this," I mumbled, moving the two of us so that I was between the teenagers and Elizabeth. She blushed scarlet and pressed her face into her bear's forehead.

No more than two seconds had gone by when she jerked her head upward, pride shining in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said simply.

< What? >

She went on quickly. "I'm not ashamed of you. Of us. That was just habit. Bad habit."

< Oh. >

My heart thudded.

< So now there's an "us". >

I smiled. Elizabeth took my arm and turned us towards the Ferris wheel, now only steps away, across a crowded lane and behind another row of game booths. I felt anticipation rush through me.

< There won't be anyone to interrupt us once we get on. >

I swallowed.

< I'm not rushing her, am I? >

She sent a sideways smile at me, answering my question without words.

We took our place in the conspicuously short line and were soon at the front of it. Elizabeth craned her neck back to get a good glimpse of the wheel. The flashing lights shone on her face, hypnotizing me. She looked over and caught me staring.

"See something you like?"

< See something I don't like? No. >

"I see a lot that I like," I told her confidentially, my tone hushed.

Elizabeth laughed, her voice tinkling in the night air.

A grizzled old carny motioned us forward. "You're up," he gruffed.

We moved forward, Elizabeth nearly dropping her bear when she bumped a metal pole.

"You'll have to leave that down here," the carny gruffed again. "It won't fit on the seat with the both of you."

Elizabeth let go of her prized bear reluctantly. "You won't let anyone take it, will you?"

The carny almost smiled. Almost. "I'll keep an eye on it, youngster."

I stepped onto the basket, sat down and waited for Elizabeth to join me. She stepped onto the small platform and somehow got awkward footing. She wobbled, and I reached out for her, catching her waist. She half-fell into the seat next to me, ending up pressed close to my side.

The carny couldn't hide his grin, as he locked our bar in place and returned to the control station.

And we were off, my stomach falling as we ascended.

****

"So are you having a good time?" He asked me.

< Just kiss me! >

I smiled and nodded at him. "The best."

"Yeah." He nodded, flashing a half smile. "Me too."

< He's nervous >

We had been the last couple to get on, so the Ferris wheel was moving steadily higher. As we rose above the lights of the fairgrounds, a stiff breeze from the lake swept through the car. I shivered and hugged my arms around myself, unconsciously scooting closer to the warmth of Lucky's body.

He looked down at me and smiled, wrapping an arm around me he pulled me closer. "Better?" He asked.

< Oh yeah! >

"Thanks." I looked up into his eyes, and I could see the reflection on my own feelings. Longing, anticipation, all mixed in with a little bit of apprehension. He bent his head toward mine, and I lifted my lips.....

< Finally! >

Only to feel him pull away as the Ferris wheel descended again to the fair grounds.

< At this rate he's never going to kiss me >

We started back on an upswing, and I looked back up at him. But he was looking away, apparently engrossed in the view. I glanced up at the night sky, shimmering with stars. "They seem close enough to touch."

"What?"

"The stars." I pointed heavenward. "They seem as though you can reach out grab one from the sky."

< But who needs stars, when I have you? >

I sighed as the Ferris wheel reached the summit and started down again.

< Maybe he's not going to kiss me. >

Lucky smiled. "You will one day, you know?"

< Huh? >

"What?"

"Grab a star." I could see the glimmering of tears in his eyes, catching the brilliant lights of the carnival. "One day, you're going to grab on to one of those stars and take off. You'll be a famous artist, and I'll be able to say: 'I knew her when.'."

"You listen to me Lucky Spencer." I knew that I couldn't reveal my feelings yet, but the sudden knowledge of them gave me the courage to speak my mind. "You will *never* be just someone who knew me 'when'." I could feel the tears building in my eyes and threatening to spill over. "You are my best friend, my rock and my savior. Without you I'd be just a quaking mass of nerves and I'm never going to let you get away without a fight. Don't you know how much you mean to me? How much I care about you?" His silence was answer enough. "I don't know what I'd do without you Lucky. Whatever star I grab one day, well, it just better be big enough for both of us, because otherwise, it's just going to have to pass on by."

Lucky tilted his head back, and remained silent.

< Uh oh. I said *way* too much >

The Ferris wheel was drawing to the top again. This time in lengthy jerks as it stopped to let people off. Searching for a way to break the unbearable silence I looked out toward the lake. "Hey, you can see boat lights on the lake."

< Oh, good one Liz. Not *at all* obvious. >

I turned to look up at Lucky, to see if he'd heard my stupid comment. He was looking down at me, with an intense stare that I almost couldn't read.

< It's now or never. >

I reached up behind his neck and slid my fingers into his hair.

< It's so soft >

If possible, his eyes got more intense as I exerted the tiniest of pressure on the back of his head. I felt his hand come off of my shoulder and slid into the curls at the nape of my neck. With his other hand he reached up to brush against my cheek, then cup it in his hand.

< He's so gentle. >

I closed my eyes and rubbed my cheek against his palm, loving the way his work roughened hands felt against my face. I kissed his palm, and felt his pulse thundering against my lips.

< Like mine. >

I turned my head back to look into his eyes, now only scant centimeters from mine. We were so close that I could feel the warmth of his breath on my lips.

< He's so beautiful. >

I closed my eyes and leaned into him, closing the gap between us. One final thought filled my head before my world shifted.

I felt everything at once. The sweet pressure of his lips against mine. The way his hand threaded through my hair. The corded muscles of his neck and back as my hands glided across them. Then he broke away.

< Did I do something wrong? >

I opened my eyes, to see a clear question in his intense, blue eyes.

"Elizabeth?"

I smiled and pulled on his neck again. He groaned lightly and his lips descended to mine, this time in a decidedly less innocent kiss.

< Good. >

I felt his tongue lightly swipe my lips, and I easily opened my mouth to allow him entrance. He teased the corner of my mouth, and I tentatively reached out my own tongue to rub against his. I heard him groan again.

< Or maybe that was me. >

Subconsciously I was aware of the Ferris wheel stopping and starting. But I was so lost in our kiss that I didn't realize when the car stopped for the final time.

"Ahem." The old carny cleared his throat.

< Omigod! >

I jumped away from Lucky. Blushing, if the heat of my cheeks was any indication.

Lucky just laughed and lightly brushed my cheek. "You know," he paused and looked at the nonexistent line. "I didn't get to see those boat lights." He looked at the old Carny. "Do you think we could just ride again?"

"This Kiss" by Faith Hill

I don't want another heartbreak

I don't need another turn to cry

I don't want to learn the hard way

Baby Hello, oh no, goodbye

But you got me like a rocket

Shooting straight across the sky...

It's the way you love me

It's a feeling like this--

It's centrifical motion

It's pertpetual bliss.

It's that pivotal moment

It's Impossible

This Kiss, This Kiss

(Unstoppable)

This Kiss, This Kiss

Cinderella said to Snow White

How does love get so off course?

All I wanted was a white knight

With a good heart, soft touch, fast horse.

Ride me off into the sunset

Baby, I'm forever yours

It's the way you love me

It's a feeling like this--

It's centrifical motion

It's perpetual bliss.

It's that pivotal moment

It's Unthinkable

This Kiss, This kKss

(Unsinkable)

This Kiss This Kiss

You can kiss me in the moonlight

On the rooftop under the sky

You can kiss me with the windows open

While the rain comes pouring inside

Kiss me in sweet slow motion

Let's let every thing slide

You got me floating, You got me flying

It's the way you love me

It's a feeling like this--

It's centrifical motion

It's perpetual bliss.

It's that pivotal moment

It's Subliminal

This Kiss, This Kiss

(It's Criminal)

This Kiss, This Kiss