Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a 2nd cycle, and then a 3rd, 4th, etc through 80th cycle. Now cycle 81!

"Touch & Recoil"
Nora (AU!Beth)/Grace (OC), Emily (OC; Nellie V)
Sunshine Girls 2 series
(all series now listed under the communities tab in my profile)

Nora had needed to go in to school early that day, so it wasn't until everyone else had started to arrive that she noticed Grace hadn't shown up yet. It wasn't usually like her to be late, if anything she was always extra early if she could help it, but then it wasn't like it never happened. They had second period together, so she guessed she'd see her there. When she didn't show up there either, Nora finally took her phone to go and text her, and this was where she found that there'd been a message waiting for her all along.

Can't come to school today. Can you get my homework?

Making sure the teacher didn't see, Nora hurried to type.

Sure. You okay?

The response didn't come until halfway through the next period.

Yes. Will be there tomorrow.

Nora went on with her day, getting Grace's homework as requested, but something about the absence bugged her and she didn't know why. Maybe it was just that she wasn't used to not having her around like this, and especially since they'd started dating… Grace wasn't the kind to skip school, and if she'd been sick, wouldn't she have said anything? Her excuse had been vague, and she couldn't let it go.

As it was, she had an excuse for visiting her. She would bring her homework over when the day was done, and then she could ask her why she hadn't come in.

She dropped off her things at home before crossing the street to go to the Mackenna house. She'd known about the hidden key for years, though she'd only used it once before. She was tempted to use it here, but instead she rang the bell. Seconds dragged on without an answer. After a while, she rang again, but still she got nothing. Taking her phone from her pocket, she paced away from the house as the dial tone rang on. She'd only chanced a look up when she spotted a figure moving away from the window. She blinked. Grace? The call went to voice mail, and that was when Nora decided to go for the hidden key.

"Grace? It's me, why are you…"

She'd only made it through the door when her girlfriend stepped into view. The folder slipped from her hand. Grace wouldn't meet her eye, knowing full well that Nora could see the ugly bruise that had bloomed on the side of her face. The blonde shut the door before stepping over to her.

"Hey…" she tentatively reached to put her arms around her, and when Grace didn't resist, she hugged her. Her arms closed in, and though she said nothing, Nora could feel her relief, now that she was there. "What the hell happened? Who…" She pulled back, looking at the pale face marred with color.

"I thought… I didn't want to hide anymore, I didn't…" Grace's voice trembled with oncoming tears. It only took a second or two for Nora to understand what she meant, and when she did, she was blindsided.

"Y… Your mom didn't do this, did she?" she begged, but as soon as she said it, Grace started to cry, and she hugged her again.

It was of some fortune that Mrs. Mackenna left for work before Grace went to school and returned after she was back, too, just as fortunate that she could imitate her mother's voice, so when she called the school secretary to inform her that she wouldn't be at school that day, the excuse was taken, and she was free to stay at home.

"I thought she might be upset, fine, but I never thought she would…" Grace pointed to her face. Nora felt a roiling rage every time she looked at it. "When my father wanted us to go back to Scotland, she stood up to him so we could stay, I just figured she'd be with me on this, too." She kept looking at the clock on the wall.

"If you don't want to stay here tonight, you can come to my place," Nora promised. At this, Grace quickly shook her head.

"No, please, I… I stayed here because I didn't want people knowing, I can't… your parents…"

"Alright, it's alright," Nora gave her hands a squeeze, trying to calm her down again. "I'll think of something, I…" The idea was too perfect to ignore. "I'm going to call Emily, is that…" she asked, and Grace nodded. "Okay. Go upstairs, get your things together."

After she'd gone, Nora took a breath, then she put in the call. "Hey, I…" Emily answered.

"Em…" Nora cut her off, and with that single syllable, she had telegraphed plenty.

"What's wrong?"

"Can you tell your aunt and uncle you're sleeping at my house tonight? I need you to meet me at Grace's house." If there was one thing didn't have to worry about, it was that Emily Holt came through when she was needed. She didn't ask for specifics.

"Okay, on my way," she said, and they hung up. When Grace came back down, bag on her shoulder, Nora told her to leave a note saying she'd be sleeping at Emily's that night. While she did this, Nora ran back across the street, packing a bag of her own and telling her mother she was staying the night at Emily's to work on a project. By the time she made it back toward the Mackenna house, Emily's car was outside and she was getting out.

"Nora, what…" she started to ask, but Nora just ushered her toward the house.

"Grace told her mother about us," she revealed as they were going through the door. She didn't have to say more, as Emily came face to face with Grace and her bruise.

"Sh…" she started to blurt out but caught herself, going up to hug her friend. She caught on quick after that. "We're not staying at your house, are we?"

"No, we are," Nora nodded. "Just not that one," she pointed back toward the door. "They're back in New York right now, the house is empty. No one has to know," she looked to Grace, who finally looked like she might relax. "Better get going before your mother gets here."

THE END

A/N: This is a one-shot ficlet, which means that signing up for story alert will not bring you any alerts.
In the event of a sequel, the story will be separate from this one. And as chapter stories go, they are
always clearly indicated as such [ex: "Days 204-210" in the summary] Thank you!