**
"Well, don't just stand there, say nice things to me,"
-Matchbox 20, "Push"
**
My voice carried around the bathroom, bouncing extra loud off of the tile walls and floors. Its shrillness intensified my headache, but the terror slicing through my body was my main concern. I vaguely noticed myself backing away from the dark hallway. I flinched when I hit the wall, and slid down toward the floor.
"Lizzie Webber?!" The masculine voice was a little familiar. And then Luke Spencer stepped into the bathroom doorway. "What in the -"
The stark terror instantly left my body, but even the memory of it created an ache inside. My eyes were glazing over with tears when Lucky pushed past his father and rushed to kneel in front of me.
"Elizabeth?! Elizabeth, are you okay?" His voice was anxious and hurried. He reached out for me, but I shrank away from his touch.
"Don't," I whispered hoarsely.
"Okay, okay." His brows were knitted together. His voice was a slightly different tone and softer when he spoke again. "I get it." He scooted back the slightest bit. "What happened?"
Before I could speak, not that any of it would've been very coherent, Luke interrupted. He stalked into the room and placed a hand on Lucky's shoulder. Lucky moved instantly into a standing position.
"Can I talk to you, Cowboy?"
Lucky looked down to me. I couldn't interpret the message in his eyes. "Dad, I-"
Luke followed Lucky's line of vision down to me. I saw his eyes grow wide and then soften. He pulled Lucky towards the hallway. They couldn't have gotten much farther than the door, because I could hear clearly every word they said.
Lucky spoke first. "Dad, I can explain." His voice was calm, almost devoid of any emotion.
"Cowboy, you'd better have a GREAT explanation, but I don't want all of it right now. What happened?"
"I - she - I found her in the park, Dad, all torn up and bleeding-" Lucky sounded like he had choked on his words. I heard movement and a light slapping sound. I realized Lucky was getting a much needed hug.
"Why didn't she go home?" Luke's voice this time.
There was a pause.
"She said she couldn't handle Audrey tonight. Whatever that means. I didn't want to push-"
"No, you did good, Cowboy."
There was another pause, then Lucky appeared in the doorway, then Luke.
"Hey, sweetheart, do you want to get back in bed?" asked Luke quietly. He perched himself on the edge of the bathtub. I was beginning to shiver against the floor tiles.
"I can't sleep," I whispered. I hugged my knees against my chest, subduing my urge to bury my face in them.
"Maybe you just need a warm bed to get you started?" Luke asked. Now his sympathy was showing clearly in his eyes. It stirred one last flame of anger in my body. I hated pity. And Lucky was strangely silent.
"I think-" I found a strength I didn't know I possessed and stood on my shaking legs. "That I would like to go home now."
Lucky snapped out of his silence immediately. "No, you're not!"
I injected all the steel I could find left in my body into my voice. "I intend to go home and I suggest you don't try to stop me."
Lucky looked taken aback. And confused.
"You're not going anywhere, little lady. Not in your condition."
I turned my fierce gaze to Luke.
"I can very well go wherever and whenever I want to, thank you very much."
My glare didn't even cause a blink.
"Not while you're under my roof, little lady. Which is where you're staying until further notice."
My spine straightened of its own accord.
"Nobody tells me what to do." The ice in my voice should've melted any glacier you put in my path. Not so with Luke Spencer. His gaze never faltered.
"I would *suggest* that you listen to what I say, *little lady*, and go back to bed."
Lucky chose that moment to put his two pennies in. "I think you should listen to him, Elizabeth. There's no arguing with him when he has that look in his eye."
I turned to Lucky in desperation.
"How can you let him stand there and tell me what to do. He *doesn't know* what I-" The tears blocking my eyes began to slide down my face.
Lucky stepped forward to catch me in his arms, but faltered in indecision. I could see it flickering across his face, even through my tears.
"Elizabeth?" he asked in a gentle voice.
"Lucky," my voice sounded *awful* to my own ears. "Lucky, could you please put me back in bed?"
I didn't even look to see the grin on Luke's face. I fell into Lucky's embrace and turned my face into the heat of his body.
He scooped me off of the ground and carried me into his room. He didn't bother to turn on a light, just laid me down in the center of his bed and rearranged the covers over me.
"Lucky?"
"Yeah?"
"I didn't even think to ask if your dad was h-home. I hope you're not in trouble for having me stay over..."
I watched him rub the back of his neck nervously and back away from the bed.
"Nah, he doesn't mind. He just has to act tough, you know, for appearances' sake."
He bumped into the door frame and then chuckled an embarrassed chuckle before exiting and closing the door.
My eyes ached from the tears that still slid slowly from them.
The door opened again and Luke's head poked inside.
"If you need anything..."
I nodded, unable to say a word.
End Chapter Six