Disclaimer: I do not own the characters within this story. All rights and much respect go to Crown Media, Hallmark, Brian Bird, Michael Landon, Jr., the actors, creators, and writers of the show "When Calls the Heart."
Note: As stated before, this is a fictional story and the use of any locations are simply for story telling purposes, and is not to imply anything other than that.
The storyline may be considered a bit dicey in places for some, so enter at your own risk…
Chapter 6- Lipstick to the Rescue
Jack called into the dispatcher, "This is Detective Thornton. The man we're looking for is wearing a university security officer uniform, most likely long sleeves. His picture was sent out in the BOL earlier. I need units sent to the Education #2 building. I believe that he is accompanied by a white female, 29 years old, auburn hair, blue eyes, 5'7"with a slender build."
"Elizabeth, I think he may have Elizabeth…" Jack yelled.
Elizabeth grabbed her bag, phone and keys and met the security guard at the door. The hallway resembled an office ten minutes after a 5pm closing. There was no one left but her and…
"Lennox? What's your first name?" she asked trying to make small talk with this man she didn't know.
"I go by my last name," he stated as he took her arm, attempting to lead her out the back door.
"Excuse me, Lennox, but my car is out in the front parking lot," she stated as she turned back in the opposite direction.
Suddenly a sense of uneasiness overcame her. Hoping that she, like most of those on campus, was simply experiencing the nervousness of the unknown, she held her purse close and casually slipped her phone into her pocket. She quickly realized how sour this situation was becoming.
He began dragging her out the back door as his hold on her arm tightened, knocking her purse to the ground when she tried her best to pull away.
Elizabeth began to scream and kick; stopping only when he put a knife to her throat.
As the contents of her purse were scattered on the ground, he pulled her down, ripping her blouse and cutting her arm in the process, before he began scavenging for items of interest.
"What's this?" he asked as he held a small cylinder shaped object in his hand.
"Lipstick," she quickly replied as her eyes remained focused on the blade of the knife, which now contained her blood.
"I hate lipstick. You women wear it and kiss us and it leaves that crap all over us. That's nasty stuff," he stated as he dropped it on the ground.
Elizabeth's hand covered the item as she carefully stuck it in her pocket.
She felt her phone buzz, signifying an incoming call, but was afraid to reach into her pocket.
"Elizabeth…Please answer. Hurry up Steve, she's in trouble; I know it," Jack yelled as his fist slammed the dashboard.
"Lennox" grabbed her wallet, pulling out her driver's license and immediately removing the $63 in cash that was contained within.
"Thanks baby. I need a hit and this will help." He looked at her license, "Hmm, you live close by. We could go to your place. I know exactly where this is. Come on let's go party," he stated as he pulled her to her feet, leaned in and his tongue slid along the edge of her jaw toward her lips. He tossed her wallet, and began dragging her to his car.
She closed her eyes and prayed that someone would find her ID, credit cards and other pertinent items that were left behind.
She continued to fight with him as he jerked her arms behind her back and pushed her toward the lone car in the small parking lot.
She was petrified and in her pounding heart, she believed that if he managed to get her in the car, he would eventually kill her.
Once at the car, Elizabeth again began to fight. He slammed the back of her head on the roof of the car and she was suddenly quiet. He slid in the passenger side, pulling her body over next to him.
He pulled out of the parking lot, passing numerous police and security vehicles as he headed away from campus.
She opened her eyes, but immediately closed them, hoping that if she played dead that he would simply take her money and leave. She felt the point of the knife in her side and the wetness on her arm as the blood ran from the deep slice in her skin. Her body shuddered as she listened to him talk…
"Hmm, you're a feisty one; I like 'em with some fire. Those others gave up too easily."
Tears flowed from her eyes as she felt his fingers working together with the knife while moving up and down her arm. Her skin crawled and her stomach turned as she felt him touching her.
"Wait, here's the perfect place," she heard him say as she felt the car veer to the left into a parking lot.
Six police and security vehicles converged on the Education #2 building, as the officers quickly perused the cars, trucks and motorcycles parked there. Students watched as the officers fanned out in search of "Lennox" and Elizabeth.
Jack ran to Elizabeth's room, finding her missing and nothing askew, he ran out into the hallway. He pulled out his phone and dialed her number again. He yelled in frustration as his call was again transferred to her voicemail.
Over his radio, he heard a call about evidence being found and he ran out the back door. Seeing officers shaking their heads he ran up to find Elizabeth's driver's license, credit cards, and red stains which appeared to be blood dotting the sidewalk.
He pulled out his phone again, knowing in his heart that she was still alive, and dialed her number…
Elizabeth winced in pain as he opened the door, grabbed her injured arm and pulled her out onto the ground. The only positive thing was that she no longer felt the sharp blade of the knife against her skin, but wondered where it was as he slammed the door behind her.
Surprisingly, she recognized where she was, having been there on several occasions. Holding her close he pulled her around several structures to the back, dragging her toward a smaller building, when he felt her pocket 'buzz.'
"What's that?" he yelled.
"My phone," she replied and she fought with him for possession.
"It's my boyfriend," she stated as she pulled it out of his hand.
He grabbed her by her ponytail, "Don't answer it."
"I have to. He'll know something is wrong if I don't," she yelled, bordering between fear and anger.
He held her arm tightly; the pain from her injury sending waves of nausea throughout her body.
"Don't say anything, or I swear I'll kill you right here," he threatened as he pushed the speaker button.
"Hey Boo Bug," she stated as she answered her phone, trying desperately not to break down. "You're on speaker, so be nice."
"I'm always nice," he stated. He heard her voice wavering but pretended that nothing was wrong. "Hey Sugar, when are you coming home?" Jack asked. He knew that she was in the company of the assailant and wished that he could crawl through the phone and protect her. Just hearing her voice brought tears to his eyes. He wanted to keep her talking, hopefully learning some clues as to where she was.
"Boo, can you do me a favor?" she asked, her voice quivered with every word.
"Anything," he replied as his heart pounded and his mouth felt incredibly dry.
"Would you go by the barn and feed Baloo for me?" she asked trying to remain calm and sound strong. "I got tied up with the girls and I didn't get by to feed him. Please take care of him for me."
Something about her last statement sounded to him as if she was saying goodbye but she wanted to make certain that her faithful companion was cared for in her absence. Initially confused, he realized that she was trying to give him clues. "Where is his food?"
"They keep the food bins in the equipment room behind the barn," She stated.
"Lennox" was becoming impatient and began pulling the phone away from her ear. "Come on, I've got plans for you," he grabbed her arm and the phone fell to pavement, shattering the screen and disconnecting the call.
Jack fought to control his temper, but found himself failing miserably.
"What did she say," Officer Gowen asked, hoping to help locate her.
"She asked me to go to the barn and take care of her dog. He's not at the barn; he lives in her apartment," he racked his brain knowing that time was not on her side.
"What else did she say?" Gowen asked.
"She said his food was kept in a bin in the equipment room behind the barn," Jack replied as he felt himself beginning to sweat.
"Come on," Gowen stated as they ran to the small structure behind the Education building. Gowen pulled the door up, rushed inside and drove a golf cart out.
"WHAT'S THIS FOR?" Jack yelled.
"Jack, don't you remember the show site down the road? There's a barn and an equipment building behind it," Gowen explained as they headed off campus, through the state fair site, and pulled into the parking lot at the Gov. James B. Hunt Jr. Horse Complex a short distance away.
The complex initially appeared to be empty. There was one car parked on the darkened west side of the barn.
Jack pulled out his phone and called the dispatcher, "This is Detective Thornton. I need to run a license plate… North Carolina plates AZK 4092.
"Sir, those plates are to a 2015 Dodge 2500 pickup truck," she advised as Jack and Gowen circled the car.
"Wait, what kind of car do the plates belong to?" Gowen asked.
"A 2015 Dodge 2500 pickup truck," Jack replied.
"That's what Ian Lennox, my officer who is on leave drives," Gowen advised.
Jack called in to dispatch, "We need back up over at the horse complex; NO LIGHTS OR SIRENS. All units pull in the front and park. No one is to drive past the first building," Jack's voice was elevated as he and Gowen continued searching.
Hearing what they thought were voices, they both took off around barn number one, only to find several more barns before them. Jack sent Gowen to the left and he covered the buildings to the right. As Jack came around the side of the barn, he observed several other buildings. He was frustrated, knowing that each building needed to be investigated. As he checked each structure, he listened intently for sounds, anything that would help him narrow down Elizabeth's location.
"Lennox" dragged Elizabeth toward the small building behind the last barn that he assumed would provide privacy. The door was locked, but as he held her tightly, he kicked the door open and proceeded to pull her inside.
Elizabeth felt so alone. She was sickened by the fact that she had waited her whole life to experience intimate love with the right man, but knew that this monster planned to take that special part of her, before doing his best to end her life.
He closed the door behind them, containing her, but still he refused to release her. Alone, she felt his hands moving over her body and she froze.
"Where's that fire you showed earlier?" he laughed as his fingers slid down the side of her face, across to her chin and down her throat to the top button on her blouse.
Her breathing was rapid as she broke free from his hold, dug down deep into her pocket and pulled out her "lipstick."
As he approached, he raised his arm and backhanded her across the face, sending her slamming against the wall. "AAAH," she screamed as her body lay in a crumpled heap.
She opened her eyes and observed an object on the floor a few feet away from her. Slowly she crawled toward it, reaching her arm out, as he came up behind her, wrapped a telephone cord around her neck and began tightening it.
As she struggled with him, trying desperately to get her hand underneath the cord, she popped the top on her "lipstick" and sprayed mace over her shoulder, praying that she would make contact.
"You bitch," he yelled as he pushed her head first to the floor, and immediately began to wipe his face.
She rolled over to face him, remembering that Jack had told her that the other women were strangled from behind. She quickly realized that this monster before her was beyond angry. He straddled her legs to hold her still and began tearing at her clothes, as her voice finally returned and she began screaming.
Her uninjured arm was flailing trying her best to make contact with any uncovered parts of his body. Her nails scratched at his face, his arms, and his chest as he ripped the buttons from his shirt and threw it to the ground.
He grabbed her arms, pushed them under his knees, as he bent down trying his best to make contact with her lips.
Her head moved from side to side, barely managing to escape his lips when he slapped her across the face, held her still with his hands, and kissed her hard. She refused to give up, "HELP…PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME…PLEASE…" she screamed until she felt his hands cover her throat and tighten around her. She continued thrashing about until the room began to darken and she felt the air leaving her body.
Suddenly she felt his weight lifted from her body. Finally, a reprieve, a second chance, an opportunity to survive, but her breath was gone. She couldn't yell, scream, or breathe. Once before as a child, she fell from a horse, landing flat on her back, knocking every bit of air from her lungs. She considered it funny how she thought back to that point and the feeling that she was going to die. It didn't happen then, and she was bound and determined not to allow it to happen now.
She slowly opened her eyes; in the dim light she could not make out the additional person in the room, but she felt an odd sense of calm; she was no longer alone.
They were fighting; the lamp on the table, providing the only light, was knocked from its stand putting her into complete darkness. She could hear their fists making contact; bodies were thrown against the wall and suddenly a thud, and she was again alone with someone, but whom?
The air finally entered her lungs as she moved toward the wall and any hiding place that she could find.
Suddenly a flashlight clicked on, and a voice she didn't recognize, "Is she in here?" A man's voice sounded as the flashlight scanned the room.
Elizabeth drew her legs up and rested her head on her knees. She tried not to breathe hoping that if she made no sound that she would be left behind. However, her heart was pounding so loudly that each beat sounded like an explosion in her ears. How could she possibly keep that quiet?
"Elizabeth…where are you? It's me, Jack," she heard a familiar voice.
Is it really him? Is it a trick? She thought.
"Elizabeth, please answer me. You're safe now," Jack spoke softly, knowing how scared she must be.
"Jack," she whispered without raising her head.
"Shine it over there; I think I heard something," Jack suggested as Gowen pointed over in the corner.
As the flashlight scanned the area, he saw her. She was dirty; her clothes were torn, and she was bloody.
He rushed to her, but didn't touch her for fear of frightening her more. Her sleeve was ripped exposing the gash in her arm that continued to bleed. The buttons down the front of her blouse were popped open as if each side of her shirt was pulled in opposite directions. The zipper on her slacks was broken as her pants barely hung on her hips.
Seeing nothing that he could use to cover her, he pulled his shirt from the waistband of his pants, quickly unbuttoned it and pulled it off.
"Honey, I'm just going to put this around you to cover you up, okay?" He squatted down beside her, trying to hold his emotions together, feeling as though he was close to breaking down.
He slipped his shirt over her, "Elizabeth, is it okay if I pick you up and get you out of here?"
She couldn't speak; her adrenaline rush was over and now she was exhausted. She simply shook her head up and down.
Jack picked her up and carried her all the way from the back of the complex to the front, gently setting her down on the seat of the golf cart. He pulled his shirt closed, then grabbed a blanket from the back of the cart and completely covered her body.
Jack observed a parking lot that went from predominately empty to nearly full with officers milling about carefully searching for evidence.
Jack called for an ambulance to take Elizabeth to the hospital. Upon arrival, she was loaded onto a stretcher and placed in the back of the "bus." Jack sat outside while the paramedics assessed her condition and obtained her vital signs.
As the ambulance prepared to leave, Jack opened the door to step inside…
"I'm sorry sir, but you'll need to follow us to the hospital," one of the paramedics advised.
Jack quickly pulled his badge, flashing it in the paramedic's face, "Back away. I'm riding with her."
Jack paced outside her exam room as his college friend Dr. Edward Payne evaluated Elizabeth's condition. He finally took a seat on the bench outside her room waiting for some word, hopefully some positive news.
Dr. Payne stepped out into the hallway…
"Hey Ed," Jack stated as he jumped up from his seat.
"Hey Jack…what, no crack about my name?" Dr. Payne teased.
"Sorry Ed, but this case is important. I don't have time to joke," Jack remarked.
"Sorry; is it just a case Jack? I mean is she more to you than just a case?" Ed asked.
"What do you mean?" Jack asked as he shifted his weight from one leg to the other.
"Jack, do you have feelings for this woman?" Ed asked his old friend.
"I guess you know me too well. How is she?" Jack asked.
"She's lucky to be alive. She has a pretty deep gash in her arm, which is being cleaned and stitched up; she has a concussion, several bumps and bruises on her head and face, and the marks on her neck show that her assailant meant business," Ed stated as he flipped through her chart.
Ed continued, "I don't know who saved her but…"
"Ed…"
"Jack, I know what you're going to ask. Are you asking because she is a victim and you're investigating, or is it personal?" he asked.
"Probably both," Jack responded.
"No Jack, she wasn't raped, but by the condition of her clothes when she arrived, she was saved just in time," he replied.
"May I see her?" Jack asked.
"Wait until the nurse comes out. They are cleaning her up, and taking care of her arm. We gave her something to calm her down, so she may sleep," Ed advised.
Jack shook his hand and thanked him for taking such good care of her, and then he sat on the bench outside her room waiting for the nurse to exit.
Forty-five minutes later, the nurse exited the room, "She's sleeping, but Dr. Payne said that you could sit with her if you wanted to."
Jack jumped up, entered the room, and slowly approached her bed. He pulled up a chair beside her bed and took a seat, carefully taking her hand in his. With his free hand he wiped away several stray tears that easily managed to slip from his own eyes.
Jack took several deep breaths, trying desperately to calm his own runaway freight train of a heart. He knew that she was asleep, but there were some things that he needed to say to her…
"I'm sorry; I'm so sorry that I let this happen to you," he whispered as his fingers gently brushed across the top of her hand. His voice wavered as he continued, "You are so important to me…I…I…don't know how it happened. One day I met this beautiful, independent woman on the beach, and before I knew it I fell. I fell so hard for you. I have never before had someone open my heart so completely and step inside. Elizabeth, you are my world and my heart is truly yours."
Elizabeth remained hospitalized overnight for observation, and Jack remained by her bed all night.
"Jack," she whispered as she brushed his disheveled hair away from his closed eyes. She quickly realized that he was asleep.
"I'm sorry; I'm so sorry that I let this happen. I pray that you can forgive me, and that you don't think lesser of me because of it," she spoke softly as she slipped her hand into his. "Oh, who am I kidding…how could you not?" she stated, pulling a Kleenex from the box on the table by her bed and dabbing it at her eyes. "Thank you…thank you for saving my life," she whispered, trying to keep from completely breaking down and waking him. "You are such a good man, Jack Thornton, and I am so blessed that we met. How is it that we haven't known each other that long, but I feel closer to you than I have any other person in my entire life?"
Jack woke to find Elizabeth sleeping and he assumed that she had slept through the night. He brought her hand to his lips before stepping out to get a cup of coffee. As he stepped out into the hallway, he found Officer Gowen sitting on the bench outside her room.
"Detective Thornton…"
"Yes sir, what are you doing here?" Jack asked as he stepped away from the door, watching it close behind him.
"The assailant has been identified, and I wanted you to know," Gowen stated.
"Know what?" Jack asked.
"I know him; I turned him down for a job. His name is Norton Brockwell. He's ex-military; served a few tours in Afghanistan, and when he came home, he lived with one of my men. Actually, he still lives with him," Gowen began to explain.
"Let me guess…Lennox?" Jack surmised.
"Yes, there was something about him that concerned me, so I suggested that he see a therapist, and once he finished counseling, I'd reconsider him. He blew up at me, stormed out and I didn't hear anything more from him," Gowen explained. "That was 2 weeks ago."
Gowen continued, "How's your girlfriend?"
"She's been sleeping. No physical injuries that won't heal, but we haven't talked. That'll come later," Jack replied.
"Just so you know, Brockwell is here, in the hospital, but he's under guard. He suffered some injuries, and are patching him up before they book him," Gowen advised.
"He's lucky that I didn't kill him," Jack stated under his breath.
Gowen stuck out his arm to shake Jack's hand, "I hope your girlfriend will be okay. Thank you Jack for everything you did on this case. I know the answer, but are you interested in working for the university?"
"Thanks for the offer, but I'm happy where I am," Jack responded.
Jack walked with Gowen toward the front of the hospital and wished him well as they went their separate ways. Jack headed toward the cafeteria, but found himself standing outside the ER where an armed guard stood outside an exam room.
"Is he by himself?" Jack asked as he pulled his badge from his pocket.
"Yes sir," the officer replied.
Jack stepped inside and found the man with both arms handcuffed to the bed rails.
"I have nothing to say to you," Brockwell stated before Jack had even reached his bed.
"Good, so you listen to me…" Jack stated as he pulled a chair up close to the bed. He leaned in and spoke softly, "You are a poor excuse for a man, and you've brought shame to the brotherhood of soldiers."
"Go to hell. I don't care what you think," Brockwell vehemently spate.
"That's obvious, but I want to make something abundantly clear…"
"What's that?" Brockwell responded.
"The last woman you attacked was my girlfriend…"
Brockwell blurted out, "Oh, she was fun. Probably the best one. She wanted me to touch her, to make her feel like a woman. Apparently you're lacking in that area."
Jack's hands went around Brockwell's throat, "You're going away for a long time, but if you ever come near her again; if you so much as contact her by email, letter or carrier pidgeon…" Jack leaned in to Brockwell's ear and whispered, "I'll kill you with my own hands." Jack released him and walked out the door returning to his spot beside her bed.
A few hours later, after the sun had risen on a new day, Jack walked as Elizabeth rode in a wheelchair down to the hospital entrance. The outward injuries aside, Elizabeth's body was sore and stiff, but she did her best to smile through the pain she was experiencing.
He helped her into his truck and they headed back to her apartment. As they walked down the hallway, she hesitated.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
Her respiration increased, "He knows where I live."
"Let's get some of your things and you can stay at my place for awhile," Jack suggested.
"I can't. If I do that, he wins," she stated as she continued to her apartment and a very excited four legged friend.
"Baloo, I'm so sorry. Jack, would you mind taking him out for me?" she asked.
Jack happily agreed. He helped her inside, grabbed Baloo's leash and promised to be back in a few minutes. As he walked down the hall, the custodian was emptying trash cans, and dragging the bags toward the elevator.
As the custodian pulled the bags through the door and the ride down to the first floor, Jack asked, "Don't you have a cart for that?"
"Emilio has the cart on another floor," he stated as a snag in the bag tore emptying some of the contents.
Baloo was very interested in the items being dispersed on the floor as Jack bent down to help the custodian clean up the mess. Out of the corner of his eye he saw it; a crumpled piece of paper that appeared oddly familiar.
He picked it up, opened it and observed that it was the note he had left Elizabeth. His heart sank as he realized that had she gotten the note, the attack may not have occurred.
Jack picked up the trash that he could and stuffed it back in the bag before the door opened and he and Baloo headed out to the courtyard for some much needed exercise.
Elizabeth reached inside her bag and grabbed her journal. Holding the leather bound book, she sensed all of the emotions that were contained within. She opened the book and flipped to the next blank page. She took a deep breath, and attempted to convey her feelings onto the paper…
"My skin crawls at the thought of you touching me. Disgust washes over me as you try to take that special part of me away. How hurt and angry you must be to inflict such pain on another. You are a sad person. I say "person" because you do not deserve to be considered a man. A real man does not take what is not given freely; he doesn't intentionally cause fear and anguish upon others in order to make himself feel better, and he most certainly doesn't treat human life with such ill regard.
I want to hate you, I really do, but it isn't in my nature to do so. I do hate that every time I close my eyes I see you; I do hate that in the calm gentle breeze that brushes across my skin I will think of you touching me, and I do hate that the memory of you may have destroyed any feelings Jack may have had for me. I want to hate you, but I won't, for if I did, you would have received a victory by having my heart filled with as much darkness as yours...
This didn't just happen to me, or to any other woman who faces such an experience. Those who love…those who care for us are also affected. As I try to put this experience behind me, will he be able to do so, or when he touches my skin, will he be thinking of your hands on me.
I will continue to live in honor of those whose lives you so callously stole. I will show you that although I am injured, I will rise again for you have not beaten me down. I refuse to allow fear to rule my life, for if it does, there is no room in my heart for joy, peace and love and I will only be existing, not living."
Jack walked back into the apartment as she closed her journal and sat it on the table beside the sofa.
"Are you tired?" he asked.
"A little," she replied.
He held out his hand, "Let's go back and I'll help you into bed."
He pulled the bedding back and she slowly lowered herself onto the mattress. He pulled off her slippers and helped her swing her legs under the covers.
"I know you're busy, but will you stay for awhile?" she asked, hoping that he would lie in bed and hold her, but not wanting to ask.
"Of course," he stated as he gently kissed her forehead before taking a seat beside her bed. Within minutes she was asleep.
Several hours later, Elizabeth woke and walked down the hall toward the kitchen for something to drink. Jack was not in her bed as she'd hoped, and she assumed that possibly he'd left to go to work.
She passed the sofa and found him sound asleep. She pulled the blanket from the back of the sofa and covered him. He looked so peaceful but she couldn't help but wonder what was going through his mind. Would things between them change as a result of this?
Several weeks passed; they each tried to deal with her abduction and attempted rape in their own way. They didn't talk about it with each other, both afraid that it would hurt the other to bring up such a violent and disturbing subject.
Elizabeth sought counseling through the local Rape Crisis Center, and although neither one spoke about it with the other, Jack also received services through the department psychologist.
Elizabeth couldn't help but think that things were crumbling around her. Did he really blame her? She could only assume so because initially she blamed herself. However, through counseling, she had resolved that guilt.
Jack and Elizabeth spent several evenings together each week, but Elizabeth could sense that things were different. Jack hadn't kissed her since the attack. Oh, there were kisses on the forehead or cheek, but her lips ached for his and they hadn't been touched for weeks. She felt a little bit more of herself die inside each time he said good night by a kiss to her hand or a weak hug.
Although she was afraid to bring up the topic, she was miserable and simply needed to know where his head was. If he couldn't get past this, she would accept it; after all, everyone is entitled to their own feelings. She just needed to know.
She pulled out her phone and sent Jack a text…
"R u busy 2day…?"
"No just watching some football. R we still doing dinner 2nite…?"
"We can, but will u meet me at Lockwood Park…?"
"Sure, what's wrong…?"
"I'd rather just talk at the park. Say around 1…?"
"Do u want me to pick u up…"
Not certain how the meeting would go, she replied, "No, I'll meet u there…"
Elizabeth arrived at 12:45pm and parked up near the open field and the grills. She grabbed her jacket and a bottle of water and took a seat at one of the picnic tables to wait for Jack.
Ten minutes later she observed his truck pull into the parking lot and pull into the spot next to her Jeep.
He walked up and kissed her cheek, "Hi honey." By the look on her face he knew that something was wrong, "What is it?"
She felt her stomach become uneasy as she tried to think of the best way to broach the subject. "Jack, do you feel differently about me since I was attacked?"
Her question caught him off guard, "What is that supposed to mean?"
She quickly responded, "It's a simple question, Jack. Do you feel differently about me since I was attacked?"
"Elizabeth, what is this about?" he asked doing his best to read her face, but seeing nothing but sadness to enlighten him.
She looked around, and was completely surprised that on such a beautiful day that this area of the park would be so scarce. Since it appears that he was hedging with the answer to her question, she explained.
Her eyes filled with tears as she looked toward the parking lot before turning back to him and beginning, "Jack, I'm sorry about what happened. I know that something had to be my fault; I must have caused it somehow. But I can't change it."
"What?" he asked. "It wasn't your…"
"Please let me finish," she stated as she took a deep breath and continued. "I wasn't raped, but when I look into your eyes I may as well have been. That spark is missing; you never hold my hand, and kissing, what's that?"
"I don't know what you're talking about, we hold hands all the time," he replied.
"Jack, when we went out to eat with Rosie and Lee last weekend, I reached for your hand as we walked to the restaurant. You seemed so uncomfortable so I released it. Do you remember the last time you kissed me on the lips?"
Jack was thinking but obviously had no answer.
She had asked him to come to the park assuming that it would be full of people, and she would be less likely to fall apart. However, the park was empty and she felt her emotions beginning to take over.
"Jack, I can't stand thinking that you blame me and think lesser of me because of what happened. I know that when I close my eyes, I see him, but I was hoping that the kind of man that you are would help me to forget him, and to put what happened behind me," she stated as her tears began to flow.
He said nothing, so she continued, "I hope you know that I fought him; I didn't want him, and I tried to get away…" her tears were now flowing unrestricted. "But I understand if you don't want me anymore. I just need to know," she cried as she bit her bottom lip, hoping that the physical pain she felt would somehow stop her emotional heartbreak.
He felt as though she was digging a knife into his chest. He had no idea what he was doing to her. He had his own insecurities, but they had nothing to do with trusting her, believing her…wanting her.
He rushed to the other side of the table, sat beside her and held her. It was the first time she'd been in the safety of his strong arms since the attack. He cradled her face in his hands, "You think I don't want you anymore?"
"What am I supposed to think, Jack? You barely look at me and you never touch me anymore. It's like I make you sick or something," she stated as her voice broke up through her tears.
He pulled her into his chest and spoke softly, "What I'm feeling has nothing to do with how I feel about you, and everything about how you feel about me."
She leaned back, "I don't understand."
"Elizabeth, I saw the fear in your eyes when I found you. You looked so scared and lost. It would kill me if you ever looked at me that way," he stated as he felt his own eyes pooling with tears. As they spilled over his lids, Jack wiped his eyes before taking her hands, "I don't look at you because I'm afraid to see that same sense of fear that I saw in your eyes. It's like maybe if I don't see it that everything will be okay."
He took a breath before continuing, "Elizabeth, when you asked me to lay with you in bed the day I brought you home from the hospital, you have no idea how much I wanted to. I just wanted to hold you, to make you feel safe. But how could you feel safe with a man, any man, after he'd done that to you."
"Jack, he did it, not you. I trust you completely, but I thought you were angry with me; that you somehow blamed me, and that I was tainted in your eyes," she barely managed to respond.
"I could never think lesser of you…Elizabeth, I…I love you, and I'm so sorry that I made you feel…"
"Wait; what did you say?" she interrupted him.
"I love you," he repeated his declaration.
She smiled, "I love you too."
"You do? Are you sure?" he asked, feeling the first smile cover his face since this whole ordeal occurred.
She returned the smile, "I fell in love with you a long time ago. But then this happened, and I thought it may have ruined any feelings that you were developing for me."
"Elizabeth, I fell in love with you that first night when we met on the beach. When you left Wilmington and I assumed that you lived in Atlanta, my heart went with you," he admitted. "You have no idea how you brought me back to life when I found you again; I do not intend to back away from you now…that is if you still want to be with me?"
Although tears continued to slip down her cheeks, she smiled, "I always wanted you; I thought you were the one who didn't want me."
"Never; I will want you until I take my last breath on this Earth, and then some," he whispered as he leaned in.
Their lips were inches apart as their breaths mingled.
"May I kiss you?" he asked.
The smile on her face gave him the answer he needed. He closed the distance as their lips touched. Their lips met perfectly as they had done so many times before. It was soft, and gentle, and felt more intimate than they could have ever imagined.
They leaned back slightly as their foreheads touched.
"Elizabeth, I'm so sorry that I hurt you…"
"Shh, please Jack, I don't want to talk anymore," she whispered as she leaned in and her lips met his again.
To be continued…