| Brian pulled Sue into his arms and held her, rocking her slowly as she sobbed, the whole day coming back to her in a flood of emotions. It was unnerving to him, he was at a loss as to what to do, but he realised it was for the best, her first step at healing. It would take a big effort on both their parts, and already Kevin had organised a counsellor to arrive in the morning, to travel with them for the remainder of the tour. He didn't know if he could open up to a counsellor, but he knew he needed someone to talk to. Sue looked at Brian, stepping away. "Brian, he wanted to…he was going to…" she hiccuped dramatically, still sobbing, "and then he would have… and he hurt you…" Her hand reached up to touch his face, "and then you lunged… and you were on the ground… and there was blood everywhere… I didn't know whose blood it was… " She closed her eyes to the image in her mind, but that only made things worse. She shook her head to clear the vivid images of the morning. "Brian I was scared," she cried burying her head in his chest her sobs heaving her body up and down in spasms. "Shh, Baby. It's okay. I was scared too." He soothed her. He held her securely to let her know he was there for her and always would be there for her. He said nothing while she cried, giving her the time she needed. After some time, time that seemed like hours of holding Sue distraught in his arms, she finally calmed down he spoke again. "We are stronger than he is Sue. He can't hurt us any more." Physically. Brian meant physically. Mentally he was still hurting them and it angered him that even now he was torturing them. He clenched his fingers behind Sue's back in anger and had to force himself to relax. "How…" she sobbed. "How did you get away?" she asked him, looking up at him through watery eyes. They were red and puffy and he lifted his fingers to wipe away the tears, brushing his thumbs over her cheeks. "I loosened the ties. I'd made a fist when that buffoon tied me up and it left the ropes loose around my wrists. I struggled the whole time and finally untied them as he was about to…" He paused, not wanting to upset Sue again. She nodded sadly and looked at his wrists, bruising and grazes evidence of his struggling against his ties. She leaned down and kissed his wrists, one at a time, front and back. They looked painful but he shrugged the pain off. "And then I jumped." Sue's gaze turned loving, gentle for a moment. "You saved my life Brian." Her eyes were shining as she looked up at him. She reminded him of a small innocent child looking at a simple wonder of the world. In this case her wonder was Brian and how much he loved her. He smiled down at her. He would do everything he had done all over again, she was the most important person in his life to her. Instead of telling her, he let his kisses do the talking. His lips slowly came down to hers and softly massaged hers in a warm loving kiss full of softness, sweetness and love. Sue sighed and leaned into him for support that he willingly gave. She was relaxing in his embrace and while he knew it would take time, she was beginning on her road to recovery. Very early steps along the road. A knock at the door interrupted their kiss. "Someone has bad timing," Brian smiled at her. "We'll get through this Baby. The two of us together. Our love is too strong not to." Brian looked through the peephole, a habit they had both gotten into. It was Nick at the door, having been the closest to their new room and heard the screaming coming from Sue. He had known it was Sue even though they all thought she was still missing. It was like a sixth sense when it came to his best friend and the girl he loved. "Oh My God Rok, is it good to see you." He pulled Brian into a bear hug, dragging Sue in with his other arm. He'd been restlessly waiting in his room for some word about them both. He held them both for a while before pulling back, holding their hands in his. "You had us all scared stiff," he said to Brian before looking at Sue warily. He wasn't sure of her frame of mind yet. But her terrified screaming had stopped and she looked relatively okay enveloped in Brian's arms. "And you. You scared Brian out of his mind wandering off like you did." Sue laughed, her first laugh since earlier that morning, but she felt anything but happy. Her whole life was still a turmoil of emotions and fears. Recovery from this would take a huge effort on her behalf, and she knew she wouldn't be able to do it without Brian. Now the danger of Spencer was over she really didn't need to stay on the tour. She would have to mention it to him. Brian would also need help but she didn't know if she was strong enough to be his strength? Surely they would need each other more than ever now. She felt the need to get away, and excused herself to the bathroom. Talking about it with Nick wasn't something she felt comfortable doing at the moment. She couldn't explain how she was feeling to Brian yet telling Nick would be impossible. Brian looked at her asking with his eyes if she was okay and she smiled an answer hoping she could convince him. She decided to take a quick shower to try and wash the day away. It had only been that morning but it felt like weeks. When she came out, still towelling her hair dry with one of the huge fluffy towels, Brian was sitting on the edge of the bed holding something in his hands, his eyes downcast as she walked over to the dresser to get her hairbrush and run it through her hair. There seemed to be a tension between them and she delayed walking over to Brian. Once she had finished she walked to him by the bed and she realised it was her birthday gift he had been holding. She smiled to herself, remembering her special day. Brian had given her everything she had wished for. It was only yesterday. It seemed like so much longer ago. "This was packed in my night bag. Let me put it back on your arm," Brian said to Sue watching her stand next to him. She sat down beside him and held out her hand for him to put it on her. Delicately he slid the bracelet around her wrist watching the lights sparkle off the diamonds like a thousand twinkling stars in the black sky. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the back of her wrist. He felt the tension between them and it pained him. He looked at her, seeing the hesitation on her face and didn't know what to say to her. He hated feeling like he had no words for her, so he moved closer to her on the bed they sat on, and pulled her into his arms. "I'm here for you Sue. I'll always be here for you," he whispered in her ear. He held her close, his arms loosely wrapped around her shoulders, but holding her securely. It was quiet and he waited for her, when he realised she was crying, her tears dampening his shirt at his shoulder. Brian lifted her face to look up at him. "Oh Sue, let me help you." He kissed the corner of her lips softly before looking down at her. Her eyes sparkled in the light with fresh tears waiting to escape. He used his thumbs to wipe the tears on her cheeks, watching as the fresh tears took their place sliding down her cheeks. He reached into his pocket for a hanky and gently wiped her eyes, his gentleness only making her cry more. "Oh Baby," he sighed pulling her back in to hold her safely in his arms. She started to cry louder now, and Brian rocked her back and forth in his arms. "Let it all out, come on. Let all the tears fall." Brian wondered how many tears she could have left, having cried all that time before Nick arrived. But however many she had he would be there while she cried them. "Don't leave me Brian," Sue mumbled into his chest but he knew exactly what she had said. He felt her insecurity and knew he would have to help her build her confidence again. Feeling vulnerable himself, he only hoped he was up to the task. "Sue, I am not leaving you for anything. You are my priority now. Helping you get better again." He kissed the side of her face as he spoke, wanting to express his love and commitment to her. "I thought now that Spencer was gone I had no reason not to go home now, the danger is gone," Sue sniffed, new tears threatening to fall. Brian sat up, holding Sue at arms length. "Baby, I don't want you to go anywhere. I want you here with me, always, not only because I want to help you through this. I love you so much, I want you here, with me. I would go crazy without you." He pulled her back into his arms. "I know we have to talk about it, but I want you with me always. Later. Later we will talk about it. Now, just know I am not leaving you." Sue didn't say a word, merely sighing and snuggling into his arms. His words had eased her mind for now and she relaxed, her sobbing slowly receding. He sat, still holding her, knowing she had fallen asleep. Holding her in his arms was a comfort to him too. When he thought about how close he came to losing her too he shuddered and felt tears of his own. Everything worked out for the best but it was going to take a lot to get over it, for both of them. He lay a sleeping Sue down on the bed and covered her up, his fingers entwining in hers as she slept. He needed the contact and before long not even that was enough for him. He needed to be holding her body close to his, for comfort and security. He got off the bed and took the phone off the hook, not wanting to be interrupted in any way. He went to the door and put up the Do Not Disturb sign and walked back to the bed. He stripped off his pants and slid into the bed beside Sue, pulling the covers over the two of them. In her sleep, Sue moved back into Brian's arms as he wrapped them around her. He pulled her back so her back was pressed firmly to his body. He wasn't tired, so lay beside her content to feel her safely in his arms, listen to her breath. Her body jerked in her sleep, giving him a fright, and slowly she woke up. She moaned and moved in Brian's arms, closer if that was possible. "Thank you Brian," she said to him. "What for?" he asked, although he was sure he knew why. "For being here for me," Sue said simply, her fingers playing with his laying on her stomach. "I always will be," Brian told her. No more words were needed at that moment and they were content to lie in each other's arms until Brian asked her if she wanted dinner. Dinner began their healing, not only with each other, but within themselves too. Together they had experienced a terror few people ever experienced. While they both knew they would draw into themselves, they also knew they had each other to lean on. Together they would get through the trauma. For the next week and a bit while still on tour they did exactly that. They were inseparable. If you wanted to find them, if you found one, you would undoubtedly find the other. They attended counselling together and were progressing wonderfully with that, both of them able to let go with their feelings their recent events had experienced. Brian spent a bit of time talking with Nick and Sue was happy to give him that time whenever he needed. He had felt a dreadful guilt at the possibility that he had indeed been the one to inflict the fatal stab wound that killed Spencer. It wasn't something he could discuss with Sue, afraid he would open more wounds, so Nick was his sounding board and his strength at that time. The autopsy that was performed on Spencer had proven it hand been done with his own hand. Brian felt better knowing that, but still felt something short of guilt at having been the reason he had stabbed himself. Counselling and talking to both Nick and Sue about his feelings alleviated that feeling. If he hadn't done what he had at that fatal moment, who knew what Spencer would have done to both Brian and Sue. They could very well be the ones who had been stabbed to death. Tears flowed at the session that it all came out in, but a huge feeling of relief followed. They were healing. Sue felt a lot more at ease with the help she was receiving and was getting on with day to day life without being constantly tortured. She felt a strength from Brian and was determined not to let Spencer undermine her confidence in herself and her special relationship with Brian. He would not beat them. After getting through this with Brian she knew nothing could destroy what they had together. Her mind was beginning to believe in forever, but she wouldn't voice the feelings with Brian yet. Before they knew it, this leg of the tour was over and they were heading back home to Orlando. They were both relieved to be going home. But it worried Sue which home she was going to. In her heart she wanted to be with Brian. She had her own home, but after all the time they had spent together, she didn't want to be alone anymore. They hadn't spoken about it and it remained an unasked question as they flew back home. She held Brian's hand and looked at his sleeping face as the plane soared at its cruising altitude wondering what path their lives would take next. The danger was gone. Now it was up to them. |