~~~Elizabeth~~~
I tried to convince myself that it was all a dream. I prayed that it was a dream, even though I knew the cold fingers of rain dripping around us were real, even though I knew the sick throbbing pain in my twisted ankle was real, a tight unrelenting iron band of silent agony.
But I couldn't let Lucky know that it was hurting me anymore than he had guessed. Not after what we had been through the last few hours, the last few days. He'd caught me when I'd fallen earlier, helped me to keep running even though I knew I wasn't hiding how each step, each slight movement made me want to scream, to stop and sit down and never move again. But Tom was behind us somewhere, a spectre of terror chasing us through the woods as if we were no more than helpless animals. And I realized that we weren't.
After only a few moments Lucky had simply swung me into his arms without even saying anything and kept running, even though I knew he had to be exhausted too. I said nothing, only clung to his neck and closed my eyes. I lost track of the time, but eventually the sounds of Tom faded away, and only night sounds in the forest accompanied us. We have to find someplace to sleep, some kind of shelter, Lucky had said, but I could barely lift my head from his shoulder to answer. He'd searched, and at last he found the boulders, huge looming islands in the darkness. By then it had begun to rain, softly, the drops whispering quietly in the trees. Lucky groaned as he set me down on the ground against the rocks, then took off his flannel shirt and wrapped it around my shoulders. I wanted to protest as he gathered me to him, to tell him he needed to keep it on so that he could stay warm, but I couldn't seem to make the words form in my mouth. My thoughts seemed to be breaking apart into little pieces and floating away before I could hold onto them. So I closed my eyes again and kept trying to convince myself that it was all a dream.
~~~Lucky~~~
Lucky awoke with a start, cursing himself for falling asleep. He should have stayed awake, should have kept watch for Tom. It was early morning and the quiet and stillness of the woods unnerved him. It was almost too quiet. In the distance he heard the faint sounds of thunder, but the rain had stopped during the night. He wasn't sure how long he had been asleep but he hoped not long. They had to start moving again. The longer they stayed in one place, the easier it would be for Tom to find them. Elizabeth was still asleep against him, her head on his shoulder. He had held her close to keep her warm, but still she shivered in her sleep, whether from the cold, or from fear he could not be sure. He shook her gently, but she did not respond. "Elizabeth, wake up. You need to wake up, sweetie." He put his hand on the side of her face and called her name again, alarmed by how warm her skin was. "Elizabeth!"
Elizabeth stirred and he looked into her glassy eyes. She whispered, so softly he could barely hear her, "Lucky..."
He tried to shake her again, but her listless body just slumped against him again. He put his hand to her forehead. "Jesus, you're burning up." Frantically he reached for the backpack and dug out a bottle of water. He removed the cap, and tried to place the bottle in her hand, at the same time helping her to sit up. "Elizabeth, you have a fever. You need to drink water. Can you drink this for me? Please, Elizabeth."
She sat up and pushed the hair from her face and shook her head as she tried to focus on Lucky. "No, I'm okay Lucky. My ankle hurts a little." Finally she took the water from him and began to drink.
"That's good, Elizabeth. Drink as much of it as you can. I don't want you to get dehydrated. You're already so weak "
She drank a little more of the water, though not nearly enough to keep from becoming dehydrated. "I'm not weak. I'm just still a little sleepy."
Lucky put his hands on either side of her face and said, "Elizabeth, you are not all right. You're very sick and you have a fever. A pretty high fever, I think. You don't have to be strong for me you know. It's okay to admit you're sick."
Her eyes filled with tears as she looked up at him and bit her bottom lip. "I don't want to."
"You don't have to hide things from me you know. I love you, Elizabeth. You know that, right?" She nodded, and he saw the tears welling in her eyes. "Let me take care of you, okay? Please drink the water for me."
Her hands shook as she took the bottle from Lucky again and drank. Finally she looked at him and her eyes looked vacant, as if she had given up all hope. "He's out there Lucky. He's looking for us. We didn't make it."
"We just have to make sure he doesn't find us. We need to keep moving. That's why I need you to drink and eat something more so you're strong enough. And I need to take a look at your ankle to see if you can walk." He leaned over and gently took her foot in his hands, feeling the swelling in her ankle as she cried out in pain. "I'm sorry. It's hurts pretty badly doesn't it?"
"It hurts a little but I don't care. I can handle it."
"You'll never be able to walk on this. I think it needs to be wrapped."
"I will walk on it. Just....hurry." She looked worried, and incredibly tired. Lucky wished they were back in Port Charles. He wished he had called his dad or Sonny before he had left Port Charles. If he had, they would be home now, and Elizabeth would be asleep in her bed, with him sitting in a chair watching over her just as he had done so many times in the past. Well, he couldn't dwell on that right now. The reality was that they needed to keep moving and in order for Elizabeth to walk her ankle would have to be wrapped.
He removed his T-shirt and tore the bottom off it to make a tourniquet for her ankle. He took his time wrapping it, trying not to hurt her, but she winced in pain anyway. "There, that should help. You'll have to lean on me to walk. You probably shouldn't put any more pressure on it than you have to. Damn, I wish we knew where we were. You need a doctor."
"Lucky, you're going to get sick. Aren't you cold now?"
He had put the T-shirt back on, but she was still wearing his flannel shirt. He shook his head. "I'm fine, Elizabeth. The Spencer's are a warm-blooded lot you know. Do you think you can try to walk now?"
"I will walk now. Help me up."
Lucky slung the backpack over his shoulder and took her hand, helping her to her feet. When she was standing, she faltered, and fell against him. "Put your arm around me. I won't let you fall."
"I'm okay. Just let me get steady. Lucky, I'm sorry."
He pulled her close and held her for a long minute. Finally he pulled away and kissed her softly on the lips. They felt warm and dry against his own. "Honey, you don't have to be sorry. I'm the one who's sorry. I should have told my dad or Sonny I was coming here."
"You didn't know what it would be like."
"No, but I never should have thought I could take Tom on by myself. That's why we need to keep moving, to try to find a town or something, someone who can help us."
"I know. I hate him. I thought we made it. I thought we were going to get away from him. And Lucky...it's...it's almost like he let us go now that I think about it. Like he wanted us to escape so he could hunt us down or something."
"He would be just sick enough to do that. For all we know he may know exactly where we are and that is not a comforting thought."
She looked around, terrified. "I bet he does. He's probably watching us now."
"Let's just start moving and hope that he's not watching us."
She nodded but Lucky saw the pain flash across her face even as he knew she was trying desperately to keep it from him. She could no longer control the tears that spilled down her cheeks. Lucky supported her around the waist and helped her walk as they moved deeper into the woods. He wished he knew where they were going, what they would find ahead. He was beginning to feel just as hopeless as Elizabeth. He knew she didn't want him to know she felt hopeless, but he could see it in her eyes. They had very little food left and only two bottles of water. If they didn't find help and a doctor for Elizabeth soon, the situation would definitely be hopeless.
Liz lifted her head sharply suddenly, and stared straight ahead of her, frozen, her eyes wide with fear. Lucky stopped suddenly when he saw the look of terror in her eyes, "What…?" Then he shifted his gaze ahead of them, to where Elizabeth was looking and whispered, "Shit."
Tom was standing several feet from them, the gun in his hand pointed at them. "How clever the two of you are. I thought I was harder to read than that."
Lucky's voice was desperate. "Look, what do you want with us? Can't you see she's hurt and she's sick? Can't you let us go so I can get her some help?"
"Hurt and sick. Do you expect me to feel sorry for her? Why should I do that?"
Lucky laughed bitterly, "I don't know what made me think a psychopath like you would have even an ounce of compassion in that twisted brain of yours."
Tom laughed then. "Ow, that hurt. She sure is lucky to have a guy like you."
Elizabeth choked, trying to hold it back for a second, and then just started sobbing. Lucky pulled her close, holding her head against his chest as he glared at Tom, as he felt the tears welling in his own eyes.
Tom stepped towards him with the gun on them. He walked slowly around them, his eyes glittering, and a smirk on his face. Lucky watched him, never taking his eyes from his. When he was behind them, Tom suddenly moved forward quickly, shoving Elizabeth to one side. She cried out as she fell to her hands and knees, and Tom grabbed Lucky, one arm around his throat, the gun pressed to his temple. "It's too bad it had to come to this, huh Elizabeth? But I'm a jealous man and I want you all to myself. Any last words, Mr. Spencer?"