Chapter 4

Kevin sat alone at a table in the hospital cafeteria, staring into his cup of coffee. It had been two weeks and Elizabeth still hadn't woke up. Thankfully, she hadn't gotten any worse, but Kevin was still worried about her. Would he ever be able to hold her in his arms, to kiss her, to show her how much he really loved her? He didn't know.

Kevin jumped as a hand gently dropped on his shoulder. Look up, he noticed Nick standing there. His eyes were blood-shot, and the dark, almost black, circles under his eyes told Kevin the young man hadn't slept in days.

"You look like hell, Nick," Kevin said with the tiniest of smiles.

"You don't look so hot yourself," Nick responded, almost biting at Kevin.

"Whoa, little man, calm down."

"Calm down?! How the hell am I suppose to calm down when my best friend is laying in the hospital, dieing?"

"Nick, I know how you feel..."

"No you don't, Kevin," Nick shouted. "You don't know what it's like to sit around, not able to do anything while your best friend may be dieing. You don't know what it's like to have someone who is the only "family" that doesn't look down on you because of who you are. You don't know what it's like..."

"Nick, I do," Kevin whispered.

"How would you know?"

"Because, we're talking about the woman I love. She's everything to me. If I loose her, I loose everything that's important to me. She's my world and everything in it. What's the use to keep going on if she doesn't make it?"

"I never knew you felt that way about her," Nick said, sinking into the chair next to Kevin.

"Yea," Kevin sighed, "I guess I thought if you knew you'd be pissed."

"Kev, Beth's been depressed ever since Chris died, you being here has actually cheered her up. If you didn't come into her life when you did, I don't know what would have happened to her."

"I always said Kirkpatrick had lousy timing. Guess he proved me right on that one."

For awhile, both men sat deep in their own thoughts. No one came up to them as they took comfort in the other one being there, knowing they weren't alone in their feelings. They both felt as though a heavy burden was lifted off of their shoulders because now they had someone to turn to who knew exactly how they felt.

"Nicky? Kev? The doctor..."

"What happened? She's not dead is she?" Kevin asked, interrupting AJ.

"She left us, didn't she? She's no longer here," Nick said at the same time Kevin asked.

"Whoa you too, slow down. I just came down here that the doctor came in and said he needed to talk to the tow of you. I honestly don't know what's going on," AJ said, with a slight twinkle in his eyes.

"You know don't you, Alex?" Nick asked, latching onto AJ's shirt.

"Little Man, lay off me or I'm not sayin' a thing," he responded, gently pulling Nicks hands off the front of his shirt.

"J, sit down and tell us what's going on, please?" Kevin asked.

"Well, like I said, the doctor wants to talk to both of you. But then, I think it's because Beth was asking for you two. Why is beyond me..."

Before AJ could finish his statement, Nick and Kevin shot out the cafeteria doors like bullets from a gun. Taking the stairs two at a time, they skidded into the waiting-room, almost colliding with the doctor.

"Mr. Richardson, Mr. Carter."

"How is she?" Nick gasped.

"Miss McLean's stable. She's breathing on her own, and her blood pressures normal..."

"Thank you GOD!" Kevin exclaimed, dropping to his knees.

"Please, I'm not finished," the doctor implored.

Kevin looked up, seeing the doctors sober face for the first time. "What's wrong? What happened to her?"

"At the moment, she's suffering from paralysis. We think it's only temporary, but she's got a long road ahead of her and a lot of therapy before she's back to the way she use to be. It's not going to be easy..."

"As long as she's alive, we don't care! She's going to be fine," Nick said, relief flooding his face.

"Can...can...can I go in and see her?" Kevin asked, terrified he'd be told no.

"Yes you can. At the moment we're moving her, so it may be a little while, but yes. You can both go see her. I think that's what she needs most right now."

Nick looked up at the doctor, terror filling his eyes. "She told you who did this to her, didn't she?"

"Yes she did," The doctor laid a hand on Nicks shoulder. "I'm sorry, Mr. Carter, but the police needed to know."

"Who was it?{" Kevin asked, afraid to know the answer.

"She said she knew her assailant. He was extremely drunk and unruly when she ran into him at the club she was at. After dismissing him several times, he dragged her out back where you found her and rapped and beat her."

"I didn't ask what he did, Doc. I asked who was he?" Kevin hissed.

"She told us his name was a Mr. Justin Timberlake."

~*~ In Elizabeth’s Hospital Room ~*~

"Beth, he'll be fine! Now come on over here and relax."

"You don't understand, Justin..."

"What? That you two got into another fight, he stormed off and left you here all alone to take care of me?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Nothing...nothing...I just...You thirsty? I need to go get me something to drink."

"Justin, what's going on around here? First Chris...now you're acting stranger then normal. What are you two trying to hide from me?"

"Nothing, I promise," he said, wrapping her in his arms. "Chris isn't hiding anything from you. He never would."

"Then why are you acting so...so..." she exclaimed, trying to push away from him.

Before she knew what happened, he leaned down and roughly kissed her.

Shoving him away, she backed towards the staircase. "Justin, what are you doing? Chris will be here any minute."

"Then he can join in," he responded deeply.

"Join in what? Justin, you're scaring me."

"So what if I am? God, Chris has always gotten everything I've ever wanted. Well now it's time for me to take something back from him. Something I've wanted for a very long time. And this time, the word no doesn't exist."

"Are you ok? Do you need to see a doctor?" Elizabeth asked, backing up the stairs as he kept coming closer and closer.

"I'm perfect, but then again, you'll learn that soon enough."

"Before she could run, Justin grabbed her wrist and yanked her into her and Chris' bedroom, locking the door behind them.

Throwing her on the bed, he turned and stared at her. "Now's the time for you to know who the real man is, Ms. McLean."

"What do you think you're doing?!" She shouted at him.

"We're going to play a little game. Only this time, it's going to be by my rules." Before she could object, he tied her hands to the bedpost and cut off her clothes.

Elizabeth woke up, trying not to scream. Everything was more vivid then the day it happened, it seemed. "Why does everything have to fall apart now, just when I'm getting my life back?" She asked herself.

Turning her head, she looked out the window of her room watching the rain pour down. It reminded her of Chris' death all over again. Only this time she was the one in the hospital. The doctor had told her she was going to be ok when she woke up, but in her hard of hearts, she couldn't believe him.

"Or maybe you won't believe him," she said to herself, again. "Maybe you believe it should have been you in that car instead of Chris. At least then Justin wouldn't have..." she let the tears stream down her face. Terrified of the day she'd be up and walking again. Elizabeth knew Justin wasn't through with her, and he wouldn't be until the day she died.

She didn't know which was worse; not knowing when he'd show up again, or knowing what he'd do to her when he did. No matter what, she felt as though she'd never be safe from him.

Jumping as a hand gently touched her shoulder, she turned to face whoever was in the room, terror filling her eyes. Slowly, she relaxed, realizing who was with her.

"You going to be ok?" he asked.

Before she could respond, tears streamed down her face, and sobs racked her body.

"Shh, it's ok. I'm right here with you, Beth," he whispered. Tilting her face up so she could look in his eyes, he smiled. "You remember the first time I said that, sweetheart?"

"Elizabeth smiled faintly, "Yea, it was at Nicks Bar-B-Que. God, Kevin, that seems like it was so long ago."

"I know, Angel. I know."

"Do you...did they..."

"Do I know who did this to you?" Kevin asked gently.

"Yea."

"They said it was Timberlake."

Turning away from him, she started staring out the window again. "You know, this wasn't the only time he's...he's..."

"Raped you?" Kevin asked, cringing as the words left his mouth.

Slowly, Elizabeth nodded. "There's been other times he's..."

Kevin turned her head back so he was looking her in the eyes, "How many other times did he do this to you, Beth? Was it once, twice, three hundred?"

"I...I don't know. I try to block out the memories, but they keep coming back to me. Haunting me in my dreams. I don't know if I'll ever be rid of them." Dropping her head on his shoulder, she wept. "I don't know if I'll ever be free from him. It's like he runs my life, even when he's not there. I'm constantly looking over my shoulder to see if he's there, waiting and watching me."

Kevin held her, comforting her the best he could. I don't care what it takes, I'm going to make her life happy and safe again, he vowed silently to himself. That ASSHOLE is not going to plague this gorgeous woman anymore, even if it's the last thing I do.

~*~ Two Months Later; Nicks House ~*~

"BONE! Can't you hang the banner right! It looks like it's falling," Nick called up to AJ who was perched on a later looking like a one legged stork.

AJ glared down at Nick, "I would if you'd get off my back! Damn, you'd thing the Queen of Sheba was arriving."

"Maybe because she is, AJ."

"What are you talking about? I thought we were planning this party for Elizabeth."

"We are, J," Howie said, "but look at it from Nick's standpoint. Beth's been in the hospital recovering for three months, he wants to make her homecoming something to be remembered. You see what I'm sayin'?

"Yea, D. It's just, I don't see why all the fuss over a girl Nick's never liked," AJ whined.

Before he knew what hit him, AJ found himself pinned to the wall, Nick's arm against his chest. "Don't you ever say that again. I admit I didn't, but now if anything happens to her I'll be unlivable."

"Ok, ok, ok, Nicky," AJ croaked out, "I take it back."

Nick released AJ and turned around to walk back into the kitchen. "By the way, they should be here in about fifteen minutes. Better be ready."

"Yea, yea, yea," AJ grumbled, secretly pleased he was helping cheer up someone who had come to mean a great deal to him.

For fifteen minutes the boys hurried around, trying to get everything perfect for Elizabeth’s first time back home. Before they knew it, they heard a car pull into Nick's driveway, and they all dove for cover. AJ grinned from his hiding place. And to think, she doesn't expect a thing. I love surprises, he thought to himself, gleefully.

"Welcome home, Beth," the boys heard Kevin say as he opened the front door.

"Thanks you two. Hey, at least I didn't have to call a cab," she said laughing lightly. "So where is everyone? It's like a tomb in here."

"I don't know," came Brian's puzzled voice. "Why don't we go find them?"

When the other boys heard Kevin, Brian, and Beth's voices in the living room, they jumped out of their hiding places. "Surprise! Welcome home," they yelled.

Beth looked up from her wheelchair in shock. "Nicky?" she asked tentatively. "What's going on?"

"Well," he said, "we wanted you to get the best homecoming ever. So the guys and I decided to give you a surprise welcome home party. And before you ask, yes Kevin and Brian were in on it."

"Guys, you didn't have to. Thank you," she said, tears gently running down her face.

Kevin leaned down and gave her a hug. "Anything to make you feel more welcome."

She smiled up at him, "Thanks Kevin. You're the best friend a girl could ever want."

Kevin smiled, hoping deep within his heart that one day he'd be able to be even more then a friend to this charming young woman.

Nick walked over and knelt in front of Elizabeth, holding a small flat box in front of him. "Beth, as a token of friendship, and to say I'm sorry for the past, and to show you how much you mean to all of us I want you to have this. It's not much, but please accept it." Gently, he laid the box in Elizabeth’s lap.

"What's this?" She asked puzzled, lifting up a bundle of papers.

Nick grinned, "All those papers say is that you own half of this house. And if in some other time you want to move out and live on your won, away from us, we will be buying it for you. Please, let us."

"Thank you, Nickers. This means more to me then all the gold in China," Elizabeth said, wrapping her arms around Nick.

***

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