Title Bye Bye Birdie

Genre American Gothic

Summary: Judith Temple's plans and reactions to Lucas Buck rape and her pregnancy.

Judith turned her head into her elbow struggling to breathe. Lucas was gasping and trembling over her. He had tremors running through his body she could feel her own body shaking in response. Ug... Lucas had caught her lips biting them harshly, Judith's eyes opened looking into Lucas's dark brown eyes that were gleaming with satisfaction and triumph.

Judith flinched she started crying harder... Lucas sighed and said "Shhhh.. It's ok I'm done I won't hurt you anymore." his voice husky .

Judith remembered Buck bathing her, it was so strange her bruises had faded and healed under his touch, her bleeding had stopped. She remembered everything. How he had dressed her on her bed.

Brushed her hair, Judith had just let her exhaustion make her numb. It was so creepy just earlier he had held her down and did what ever he wanted to her. Now he was treating her the way she use to treat her dolls wash them, change there little doll outfits, and brush the silky doll hair.

She had been so proud of her dolls they had been her little jewels. Having Buck do all these things to her made her feel helpless.

In some ways that bath and his tender handling of her after the rape made it so much worse.

In her stupor she mused silently over how this had begun;

Judith could never quite put her finger on her feeling that something was wrong about Lucas Buck.

Until she worked with him on town issues.

She had seen him from time to time. As founder of Sanctuary House she had to work with police and the chamber of commerce for legal issues, qualification, staff training.

At first he was just Deputy Buck. Polite Southern GentleMan Police Officer. As a wife and mother running a home for needy children she had been burning both ends of her candle. So for a while she was not paying attention to Lucas Buck paying attention to her.

Helping her to and from Sanctuary House was necessary, her uneasiness started when Buck found ways to always be near her when he had no real reason to. He had bought her cups of coffee.

Flowers. Judith had asked him what was going on.

"Lucas I am grateful for all the time and help you give me but I don't want to waste any more police time. Everything's all set up now. Legal above board . You don't have to do anymore."

Judith had told him. Lucas had drawled out" O Honey that was business and this is personal."

"I want more than a cup of coffee, I want you!"

Judith was stunned looking at Lucas like he had grown a second head before her eyes.

"Umm Lucas I am Married." "Yes I know. To Gage Temple. But I don't mind and won't tell him so don't worry I will take care of everything." Lucas had told her.

Trying to reason with Buck had failed. She had changed her routine so she worked with different officers when she needed to work out legal issues for one of her kids.

She had stuck to her husband publicly and privately as much as she could. Buck scared her. Working with him she had seen what happened to people when things didn't go his way.

People that didn't agree with Lucas, seem to have issues and problems that pre-Lucas had not

existed. Board member Meyer had managed to veto the zoning change Lucas had put before the board for an investment.

Something about a parking lot. Well Meyer simply hadn't taken a shine to it. Like Lucas thought he should. Meyer called a vote and killed the zoning issue. Judith hadn't thought much of it at the time except she had looked up and seen Lucas expression he had been fit to be tied.

Mr. Meyer had a severe car accident later that month, broken an arm and a leg. Spent months in plaster. When the board met again he didn't say boo changing his vote with no reason, Lucas's friend got his zoning change.

Judith had thought Meyer just changed his mind. Except Meyer was scared of Buck.

He never spoke more than one word more than he needed to him. Slowly Judith noticed more and more people having something bad happen to them usually around the time they had an

issue with Buck. The more Buck watched her the more she realized what kind of man he was.

Judith threw caution to the wind. She hid in plane sight. It didn't do any good.

No matter what Lucas had always managed to rearrange his schedule so he could see her. It was clear he knew that she was avoiding him.

Praying had help calm her nerves. But her luck like so many others in Trinity had run out.

When Merly had opened the door and Lucas was standing on her porch. She knew it was over.

Lucas eyes had blazed not only with lust but rage. Lucas took off his hat and explained it din't matter what she wanted, but what he wanted. Kicked the door shut and dragged her onto her living room floor.

Thankfully Merlyann ran and hid in her room. Screaming and crying and fighting had only excited him more. Judith had been scared for too long and couldn't lay quitely. Now she knew Buck was a snake, he would take what he wanted if he couldn't convince you to agree.

Worn out she feel asleep feeling his eyes watching her.