Twisted Obsession

Summary: Elizabeth Nelson, Grace's roommate, runs into her and her boyfriend Jim while they're on the run from John Ryder. She tags along with them to try and help them stay alive, only to get tied up in his twisted games.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from the Hitcher… not even Sean Bean...although I wish I did : ) I only own Elizabeth and whatever plot I make up for her.

Chapter One: Breaking Down in the Middle of Nowhere

The steam billowed from the hood of the old station wagon now parked on the side of the interstate. The white paint chipped and old from constant use. A young woman, no older than twenty climbed out of the car, her eyes on the steam swirling into the afternoon sky.

"Fuck," she muttered, waving an old towel to move some of the steam away so she could open the hood. "I knew I should've bought that damn truck before I left."

She held the towel over her face and peered into the overheated car, trying to figure out what was wrong. From her point of view, it just looked like a bunch of metal and car parts shoved into her car and she could not make head or tail of what she was supposed to do.

"Guess I'm walking," she sighed, slamming the hood back down and climbing into the back seat to grab her duffle bag and pillow. She pulled her long hair into a ponytail and set of down the road, into the hot weather of New Mexico.

XOXOXOX

"Hey, Jim, who's that?" Grace asked, leaning forward in her seat, her eyes on a figure walking along the side of the road not far ahead.

"Do you think it's him?" Jim asked, glancing at her as he sped along.

Grace shook her head, narrowing her eyes at the figure walking away from a broken down station wagon on the side of the road. "No, it's a woman."

"Maybe she's helping him."

"I don't think so," Grace replied. "I know who that is."

Jim rolled his eyes and kept driving, passing the woman walking on the shoulder. Grace stared at her, trying to make out her facial features when she grabbed Jim's shoulder, making him jump.

"That's Elizabeth! My roommate! Jim stop, we have to get her out of here before he comes back!" Grace exclaimed, making Jim stomp on the brakes.

"Alright, relax," Jim assured her, putting the car in reverse and rolling down his window to talk to the girl.

"Hey, Lizzie!" Grace yelled, catching her attention.

"Grace?"

"Lizzie! Quick, get in the car, it's not safe out here," Grace pushed open her door as Jim stopped.

"What are you talking about? There's nobody out here," Elizabeth laughed, stopping with the car.

"I'm not joking, Liz, there's this guy on the loose. He's chasing us, you have to believe me," Grace insisted, pulling her seat back with fumbling hands so Elizabeth could climb into the back seat.

Jim waited for her to get settled back in the front seat before starting on the road again. Grace turned to look at her roommate and took a deep breath. "Lizzie, his name is John Ryder, we picked him up last night. He pulled a knife on us, and now he won't leave us alone. Jim kicked him out of the car in the pouring rain. He's already come after us once."

Elizabeth glanced at Jim, her mouth open in shock, "I-wow, I'm glad you found me then, I could have been his next target. Are you sure he's after you?"

Grace nodded, running her fingers through her hair, "We're trying to get into town before he finds us, but I'm not exactly sure where we are."

"I couldn't tell you either," Elizabeth shrugged, maybe that guy can," she pointed behind them at an approaching station wagon.

The three watched as the little boy in the back waved at them. Grace and Jim waved as they passed them, Elizabeth smiling at the boy. The large stuffed frog next to him waved as well, who ever was sitting behind it acting goofy. Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at the frog as a man's face appeared from behind it.

"Oh my God, it's him," Grace gasped. "Jim, w-we have to warn them."

"That's him? He's not bad looking," Elizabeth thought aloud and Grace stared at her. "Did I say that out loud? Oops."

"You don't know what he's capable of, Lizzie. He's a murderer," Grace said, her voice shaking. "Jim, pull up next to them, we have to warn them."

Jim pulled into the opposite lane, pressing the gas to level up with the station wagon. Grace rolled down her window and leaned out of it, trying to get the driver's attention.

"Hey, roll down the window," she yelled. "Get him out of your car! He's insane! He's got a knife!"

"Jim!" Elizabeth yelled as a truck's horn sounded.

"Fuck!" he swerved off the road, flying over a ditch and down the hill. Jim and Grace flew forward, Elizabeth smacking her face on the side of the seat in front of her. There was a crunch and the car stopped, a tree branch breaking through the windshield of the car.

"Holy shit," Elizabeth gasped, "You guys okay?"

"Fine," Jim caught his breath, climbing from the car.

Grace fumbled with the door, pushing it open and falling out, Elizabeth not far after. The two girls helped each other, Elizabeth letting Grace sink onto a tree stump near the car.

"Do you think he'll hurt them?" Elizabeth asked, walking up to Jim who stood at the side of the road, watching the station wagon drive off.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Jim shrugged, turning to Grace. "Here, I got you. Come on, we better start walking."

Elizabeth grabbed her duffle bag and they set off along the shoulder the heat bearing down on them as the afternoon wore on. Grace leaned on Jim, her hand intertwined with his as they walked. Elizabeth lagged behind, her eyes on the road ahead.

"Look, a truck!" she pointed as the shimmering red of a Dodge Ram sped toward them.

Grace picked her head off of Jim's shoulder and waved her arms, trying to catch the driver's attention.

"Hey, give us a lift!" the three yelled. "Please!"

The truck sped right past, leaving them in a cloud of dust as it drove away.

"It isn't like we're going to hurt them," Jim muttered.

"No one picks up strangers," Grace muttered, her long brunette hair flying in her face.

Elizabeth sighed behind them and Grace moved ahead, her eyes on the side of the road. Jim looked as well, a station wagon coming into view Grace shook her head as they drew closer to it.

"Oh no," she whispered. "Not the family."

Jim moved toward the now immobile vehicle, looking in the windows. Grace moved toward him but Elizabeth pulled her back.

"Jim, what's the damage?" Elizabeth called, holding Grace beside her.

"Don't come down here," Jim ordered. "Grace, stay back there."

The emotion in his voice let them both know something was very wrong. Elizabeth took a step toward the car and Jim jumped back, a bloody handprint smeared across the window.

"Oh God!" he yelled, backing up from the car. "He's still alive, Grace! Lizzie!"

He swung the door open and started shouting directions. The two women climbing into the car, Elizabeth glancing at the woman beside her. Her throat was slit, her front covered in blood as Jim pulled the man into the back seat, putting pressure on a deep knife wound in the man's abdomen.

"Drive, Grace! Drive!" he ordered, glancing at Elizabeth. "Is the woman okay?"

"No, she is not okay, Jim," she replied with a shaky voice. "She is not okay at all."

As the station wagon sped toward town Elizabeth had to keep herself from vomiting. She kept her eyes on the road, feeling Grace trembling beside her. She only glanced behind her at the sight of a red Dodge Ram picking up speed behind them.

"It's him!" Grace whimpered as the truck rammed into the back of the wagon.

"Grace, just keep driving," Jim tried to comfort her from the back seat. "Just keep driving."

Elizabeth could feel her breath catch in her throat as she watched the truck drive behind a large mound of sand, disappearing from their view. Grace sped the wagon around a corner, seeing a roadside diner not far ahead.

"A little bit farther," she whispered, pushing the gas and pulling into the parking lot.

"Go in and call the police, tell them everything. Elizabeth, get something to stop the bleeding," Jim commanded.

Elizabeth nodded and Grace stumbled from the wagon, Elizabeth following soon after. She fell to the ground as Grace ran into the diner, struggling to get to her feet. She gagged, trying to keep her footing to follow her roommate but the sight from the station wagon kept her on her knees. She looked up to see the red Dodge pulling into the parking lot, Ryder's face set behind the wheel. Elizabeth tried to scramble to her feet as he stared at her but he kept her rooted to the spot.

"Jim, get down," she whispered, watching Jim's head disappear from the window as Ryder approached.

He studied Elizabeth, his eyes moving over her long dirty blonde hair to her brown eyes and thin figure clad in a lavender tank top, now speckled with blood, and a short jean skirt. Her tanned legs curled beneath her as she looked up at him though her hair. Her once white Keds were now dirty and discolored from walking in the desert.

"Where did you come from?" he whispered, kneeling down in front of her.

"Please, don't," she said, her voice full of fear.

Ryder smiled, placing a hand on her cheek, "I'm not going to hurt you."

Elizabeth scoffed, her lip trembling with fear, "You killed that family."

"Shh," John whispered, running his thumb over her lips. "You're coming with me."

"No!" Elizabeth yelped as he lifted her over his shoulder and threw her into the truck, locking it behind him. She watched as he strode away from the truck, making his way into the diner. "Shit."

She grabbed the nearest door handle and began to wrench it, trying desperately to get it open. When it would not budge she tried the back window, finding that it too was locked. "Come on!" she screamed, searching desperately for something to break the glass and finding nothing. She glanced out of the windshield to see Ryder approaching the car, a twisted smile on his face.

"I hope you're not trying to escape," he muttered, climbing into the truck beside her and putting the key in the ignition.

Elizabeth shook her head, not wanting to know what would have happened if she had told the truth. He smiled and put the car in gear, pulling out of the parking lot and speeding off.