Saved By You

Chapter 10 – Birds and the Bees

Once showered, clean and dressed into my own clothes that Pops has kindly packed for me. I met back up with Jace whom is leaning against the opposite wall waiting for me. He briefly smiles when I exited and immediately stands up straight. We walk together in silence as we pass the reception hall where Tyrone is sitting behind the desk taking a call. But it doesn't stop him from waving and saying, "Bye Guys!"

Jace of course made an irritated noise at the back of his throat whereas I offered a friendly wave. I don't understand why Jace is being this way with Tyrone; he hasn't done anything wrong at all. I'll have to do some digging later and find out what the beef is between them.

Jace decided he wanted to go to Westfield shopping mall and Pops insisted Sawyer take us as he has got some business to sort out. I could tell Pops was secretly excited about us going to the mall. He thinks there will be something I want to buy which I can pop onto his card but if he ever thinks I'm using it then he can think again. When Sawyer opens the car door for us we have our mini disagreement about our names before he shuts the door and hopped into the driver side and drove us to our destination.

At the mall, Jace and I walked around the entertainment stores with Sawyer hanging in the background. Jace buys a couple of new albums that recently hit the charts and another poster for his room. Throughout the stores Jace gives me that, 'Buy something, Uncle Christian doesn't mind,' look. But I sure do. As usual, I stick to what I know best and that's window shop. I love it. We headed into some beauty shop and got some a home hair dye kit because Jace doesn't want to be blonde anymore and fancies a change. He's going for a dark chocolate colour which should look right if we don't muck it up.

Sawyer kindly opened up the back door to one of our many 4x4's and held out a helping hand to me. As Jace got out of the opposite side, I gratefully took Sawyers hand and hopped out of the overly large vehicle. "Thanks Mr Sawyer…."

"You're very welcome, Miss Grey…" He responded with such delight to his tone. He must really enjoy this job as he stuck to it for a few years now. I notice Luke's mouth quirk up into a bright smile before he releases my hand and then he closes the door behind me.

"Come on Lydia…" Jace calls as he walks across the pebbles and to the entrance of my home.

I hurry my steps to join him and match his large strides. "Are you sure you want to change your hair?" I ask him, hoping he isn't going to make a regretful mistake. I open the front door and step through and tell him, "It's not too late to change your mind."

Mum interrupts Jace's reply as we both hear her yell out, "She's nothing but trouble, Christian!" Oh no! "Always was and always will," She continued not sounding very happy at all. I figured her voice is coming from the living room which is so close to us. A bad sensation consumes me for listening into their private talk but I feel like I shouldn't interrupt them either. Jace doesn't move so I stand like a statue and listen in. "Zak and Lydia are young just like you were when that happened!" What happened? "I won't let them fall down the same path Christian. They're our children."

Pops' much weaker voice finally enters the air, "Lydia promised me that she wouldn't go anywhere near her, Ana. I trust our Daughter."

"And what about Zakary?" Mums snaps back, "Or if she gets to Phoebe or Teddy? We don't know what other weird shit she's in…" The atmosphere stills for just a moment and then we hear the small shaken sobs from my Mum. I glance sideways at Jace with a concerned look in my eye. Jace sees my worry and places a hand on my shoulder for comfort, rubbing in circular motions. I return my stare back onto the open space when Jace let's go. I focus on what they have been talking about and I come to the conclusion that Elena is behind this. Mum obviously doesn't like her either. I wish I could reassure her with a hug at the moment. "Teddy has been acting strangely recently; say if she's already got to him…"

"Jesus Ana, stop this!" Dad orders with a slight raised voice. But I can tell within his tone he is trying his hardest to remain calm over the situation with Elena. But I didn't think it would be this bad, that they end up arguing and crying over her. I thought it was just friends falling out but it must be much more than I had thought. "Teddy is a different matter," Pops' voice is now soft and delicate. "He is young and wants to have some fun. I promise you Ana that I have a close eye on him and Elena won't ever go anywhere near him."

Jace knocks his shoulder into mine, urging me to announce our presence. So I call out, "We're home!" in a cheery tone as if we haven't heard anything. I grab Jace's warm free hand and start hauling him across the open area and up the stairs, resisting the urge to look in my parent's direction.

"Hold your horses Lydia!" Mum blares out, suddenly making me pause on the eighth step up.

Darn it. Here comes the awkward moment. I take a large breath before curling my body around, hearing her shoe clip against the floor as she steps near the stairs. Her face is stained pink from where she's been crying. Oh Mum.

She warns me with a tiny pause between each word, becoming instantly serious, "Stay away from Elena."

I throw a smile out before saying, "Got the message the first time around Mum."

Pops enters the area, leaning against the archway and placing his hands in his pockets. Cockily he says, "Told you so…"

Mum whipped around and shot him a look. He reacted with a frown.

"Mum Pops," I caught their attention away from having another squabble. "I was wondering if Jace could stay over tonight. Please?" My hands start to clam up and my nerves start to bubble inside me. I'm nervous for their response. I know it's selfish of me but I want another nice dream and I think the only way to get one is sleeping next to Jace without any pills.

"We've got a school project to work on…" Jace adds as if it needed some sort of encouragement.

I watch Mum look across to Pops like it's his decision, which it usually is with most things. Pops' gray eyes lock onto my joint hand with Jace's. No Pops it's not what you are thinking! I don't let go of Jace's hand, even though I'm aware of what Pops is overly thinking. But he shouldn't.

Pops shifts his figure and stands up straight, strolling across to Mum and placing a hand on her back. He glances up at us and says, "I don't think that is a very good idea, do you?"

Is this because of last night? "Please Pops," I revert to begging. "I'm sorry that you saw us in the same bed last night but I'd much rather have slept on the sofa which they wouldn't let me…"

Nope, I wasn't convincing.

"Uncle Christian," Jace caught my attention as his voice enters, taking control over the matter himself. "You have to start trusting us. We're just close. Not physical. Not the way you're thinking anyway…" Go Jace!

A silent pause echo's through the area while Pops stares at us. "Okay," He finally agrees. I wait knowing there is a 'but' included somewhere along the line. "But I want you in separate beds…"

"Sure," Jace immediately agrees.

Behind my back I cross my finger and agree to the terms and conditions, "Of course Pops."

"And Lydia…" Oh god, what Pops? "You are seeing Dr Greene this afternoon…"

Mum automatically protests, "Christian no!"

Jace squeezes my hand and I return the clasp back, a smile also painted over my face.

I witness Pops lifting an eyebrow up at Mum before explaining, "It's for her best interest Ana…"

"I'm not sick Pops…" Oh no! Don't tell me he's found the pills in my room and has concerns. Crap. No.

Pops eyes flick back toward me and says, "This is more cautionary…" I don't understand what he is talking about. What does that mean in English terms exactly?

So it actually meant talking to a snarky Doctor about safe sex and her advising me on what I should take or use. It got me really angry because I felt Pops couldn't trust me still. But I soon relieved the tension from my shoulders by slamming the door to the bathroom where I met Jace to do his hair.

"Didn't go well?" He presumed.

"Didn't go well is definitely an understatement," I scoff out, grabbing the instructions to the hair dye kit. I tap my finger irritably against the side of the box while I start reading the instructions carefully, not wanting to muck it up for Jace. Otherwise I'll be in the dog house.

Jace raised his eyebrows up I saw him roll his broad shoulders as he wonders, "What did you talk about in the end?"

"Sex," I say straight to the point.

Jace began to choke like he had missed heard what I said but he really didn't. I only wish I hadn't had to discuss the unnecessary TALK. I close the distance between us and I start to rub his back as it became a full blown coughing fit. "Thanks," Jace struggled out. When he started to ease up on the coughing, he drew a couple of breaths to steady himself and he was back to normal. "Bloody hell, I thought Uncle Christian would be able to trust you by now…"

"Obviously not," I say in a sarcastic tone. "It was so… Awkward."

"I bet…" He smirked out shaking his head side to side.

Dismissing the thoughts of what had just happened with Dr Greene, I focused on the task in hand. "Do you want to do a skin test first? You have to wait forty eight hours."

He arranges a chair in front of me and says as he sits down, "No, just do it…"

I frown to myself as he can't see my reaction. "But say if you have an allergic reaction Jace? It can cause some serious irritations, urticaria and swelling to the face," I warn him.

"Oooh," he waved his hand out either side of him before throwing his head back laughing at me. "Since when did you become Dr Grey? I thought that was Ted's job?"

"Since you started to ignore the proper guidelines," I say mixing tube number two with tube number one.

"Oh shut up woman," he says playfully, "…and do it already!"

"You can't blame me if your head explodes into a massive pickled onion…"

We both laugh at that comment as we imagine Jace turning into a pickled onion. That image has got to stay in my head for a long time and when I'm sad I'll dig it out of the box again.

"If you're that worried do a test on yourself…"

There is no point doing the test on myself because I'm not having it done myself. "I'll do a patch test on the bottom of my hair to see the difference in colour when I've done yours."

The end result was amazing on Jace. It had completely changed him to much more. Even though his eyebrows didn't match but we would get to that problem later. He now looks unbelievably handsome and he can certainly carry off the rock star image I know he's trying to pursue. His blue eyes are now more striking than before and I couldn't help but stare at him all the time. I don't know what the others will make of his new change but it will also suit the band. I don't even know if his parents know about this sudden change. If that was me, Dad would freak and Mum would most likely tell me off if I didn't tell them first. It's a good thing I did a little patch at the back of my hair at the very end because they won't even be able to notice. Though it has completely changed the colour and looks much darker than the rest of my hair.

I knew later Dad would come and check up on me when I decide to go to bed. Just to make sure Jace isn't lurking under the bed or something stupid. After he tapped on the door, he entered and Noodles growled at him for disturbing her.

"Shh…" I soothed her down, stroking her soft white fur gently. I flick my eyes upon Pops where he's perched on the side of my bed, "She doesn't like to be disturbed when she's asleep."

"I'm sorry Noodles," Pops apologises, patting the top of her head before stroking her under the chin just how she likes it. "I'll remember that in the future…"

"You wouldn't want your hand bitten off…" I said jokingly. Noodles would never harm anybody. She acts mean but really she's such a softy at heart. Just like Pops does sometimes.

Pops returns his gray eyes back onto me and he caught my attention away from Noodles. "So what did you decide on in the end with Dr Greene?"

"DAD!" I blurt out completely embarrassed. He deserves his proper status for that. My face explodes up like a bright red light bulb too. I had been trying to avoid the conversation all night by locking Jace and myself in the music room so we could get some privacy and practice our singing together.

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about Lydia…" He tells me as he watches my reactions carefully.

So is Pops.

"I didn't chose anything Pops. You wasted your money on bringing her here." That earned me a disappointed glare. I continued before he could bark at me, "Before you bite my head off, I chose nothing because I'm not ready for that." I let my eyes fall onto my duvet, not able to remain eye contact with his eyes. Truthfully I say, "I don't think I ever will." Bill has destroyed all hope of me having any confidence in myself. I know that. I wouldn't want to share this body with anyone, especially that way.

"I'm disappointed Lydia," Pops said which made me remain my eyes down on a lower level. "But I'm proud of you because I can see your thinking wisely."

"If the time comes, I promise I'll be safe…." I then eagerly add, "Can we stop talking about his now?"

Pops nods his head in agreement before leaning in and kissing the top of my forehead. "Goodnight Lydia," he said standing up.

"Goodnight Pops…" I respond pretending to get comfortable.

After waiting five very slow minutes, I finally open my door and peek out seeing a clear exit. Noodles surrounded my feet as she had some sense that I was going to leave her by herself as it isn't my usual behaviour. I close the door gently behind her after she struts slowly out of the door. We both crept across the hallway, quickly passing the stairs and then steadying out pace down to the spare room. I tap gently on the door before entering eagerly, thinking I heard someone coming up the stairs. Noodles pounded in the room and jumped immediately on Jace who is already sat up in bed. Still cautious I tip toe across the room.

"Nice pj's." Jace noticed my spotty bottoms and my plain cream, long sleeved top that has a small bow in the middle of the curved neck line.

"Thank you," I said as I climb up the bed and squeezed myself between him and Noodles.

Jace wrapped his arm around me and I snuggled my head against his chest. I can hear the repeated rhythm of his heart beat thumping down my ear though his borrowed t-shirt. "Comfortable?" he asked me.

"Yes. You?"

"Very." His next words become cautious, "Did you – um – take any pills?"

I shake my head in response as I set myself an alarm on my phone, not wanting to get caught out by my parents. "I'm doing without tonight to test my theory."

"Y'know, tomorrow night you're going to have to sleep by yourself."

I shiver at the thought. "Yep," I say gritting through my teeth. I will deal with tomorrow night, tomorrow.

. . . .

Christian held my hand as we walked through the gates of school. I do not know how but he is carrying my school bag which I left at home. He must have found where I live. I wonder if he has got that picture of my Mummy Ana said they would get for me?

Some of the children in my class are already playing in the playground. They are running around and playing tag that the older children showed them how to play not long ago. I would join in but they always seem to pick me for the tagger and I have to chase everyone around. Today they all stopped when they saw me with Christian. I watched as they glance up and down at my new fancy clothes.

I am glad we did not stay long in the playground because I knew some of the children in my class would ask me loads of questions I do not want to tell them. Instead we went inside the building where I felt much safer.

"Which classroom is yours Lydia?" Christian asked.

I tugged on his hand and showed him down the hallway, down a couple of steps which lead to a blue door. "This is my classroom…" I tell him as I twist the handle to open it.

Inside Miss Louise is talking to Bennie and Jessica. Bennie is showing Miss Louise his toy car that he brings in every week for show and tell. It gets boring after a while. I do not have anything for show and tell again so I will sit and watch quietly like usual.

Miss Louise looked up from them and she noticed Christian. She looks very surprised to see him. She stands up and brushes her bottom of her dress down. Bennie and Jessica take their toys and put them on the side where we keep the show and tell things. Miss Louise steps closer and Christian and I walk to meet her in the middle.

"Hello, I'm Christian Grey," He greeted her first. "I'm Lydia's guardian for the time being."

"Miss Louise," She obtains his hand and they both shake like adults do. "It's nice to meet you Mr Grey."

They smile at each other before Christian looks away and down at me. He crouches down to my level and offers me my school bag. "Lydia, why don't you go and put your bag away and then play with the other children…"

I take my bag from his hands before agreeing, "Okay."

As I cross the room and take off my new red coat and also got out my reading book before placing both book and coat on my shelf that has my name marked above it.

Behind me I heard Christian talking to Miss Louise, "Have you noticed any odd behaviour in Lydia?"

"Not any that would have lead me to believe abuse was going on Sir. However she is behind in her learning and we have suggested a programme for her to go on. But unfortunately we never received a response from her parents."

I stopped listening to their adult conversation. I feel bad now I did not do as I was told and not given Daddy the letter. With my book I went to my desk that has my name, 'Lydia Walters' on the top. I took my seat and began to read my book about a donkey losing his cow boy hat.

"Hey Lydia," Brax said with a bright cheery tone. He hold his hand up and I smack his had giving him a high five. I like Braxton. Every morning at school he comes in to help me read. He is a few classes up then I am. He is much bigger but he understands more things than I do. I always get stuck on some of the words I do not understand. But he helps me understand. I am lucky to have Brax. "Are you ready to find out where Rodney left his hat the last time?"

"Yes. He probably left it behind the plant pot like first time…"

Christian came over and crouched down to my level again. "I've got to go to work now," Christian told me. "I'll come in and collect you from here okay?" He points down to the ground.

I nod my head and get out of my seat. "Thank you, Christian…" I say and then hug him. "You are the best."

I can sense him smiling. He leans back and shows me the smile. "Have a good day Lydia." He kisses the top of my head before standing up and walking back to the blue door. He glances over his shoulder before waving. I wave and then when he disappeared through the door. I returned back to Brax.

Brax whispered in my ear about his secret plan, "Fancy getting to the bean bags before anyone else, Lyds?"

"Yeah!" I squealed out and darted for the colour bean bags. I jump on them and hear the beans move all at one, just like a shaker in the music department.

Brax joins me at a slower pace and brings the book with him. He sits next to me and opens the book to where we last started off. I stare at the words and my mind is blank before we even begin.

Out in the playground when it is recess I stand with my new coat on and watch the others. There are a couple of teachers watching over everyone telling a few children off for acting stupid which could have cause harm to another kid. I stuff my hands in my pockets feeling cold even though the sun is shining. I look at the school gates and see a black car parked outside. A man wearing black sunglasses and a jacket is standing outside the car. I think I saw him before at Christian and Ana's home. He must be one of their security guards. They have too many. But they might be important people.

"Oi!" I hear Dominic Williams voice behind me.

I spin around to face Dominic and his other friend Isabella. They do not look very friendly. In class I do not talk to them and keep my distance. I do not speak. I wait for Dominic to respond.

"Who smartened you up, tramp?" Dominic asks, using the nickname that some kids here call me. I do not like it.

"Somebody you do not know…" I tell him.

Isabella bumps her shoulder next to Dominic's and she mutters a small laugh which he joins in with. What is the joke? "Just because you're wearing fancy clothes now doesn't mean we're going to start playing with you…" Isabella tells me.

"That is okay," I say taking my hands out of my pockets and pushing my hair out of my eyes as the wind caught it.

"Or," Dominic's caught my attention away from Isabella, "Stop calling you Tramp. Because that is what you are."

"Okay…" I say and turn around to watch the other kids run around the playground.

I then felt one of them shove me and putting me off balance. I fall and bang my knee against the floor.

The teachers shouted across the playground to Dominic and Isabella but they both ran off. I heard the school gates squeak open and the man with the sunglasses came running over as I pushed myself back up onto my knees. I looked at the damage and I see I have a hole in my white tights that Ana helped me get on this morning and they have dirt all over them.

"Miss Walters," The man with the sunglasses held his hand out, "Are you alright?"

I glance at his big hand for a moment before taking it. He helped me up with a jump in my step. He gets down to my level and inspected the damage himself. There is a little blood now. But it doesn't hurt as much as Daddy hurts me. "I'm fine it doesn't hurt much."

"Tramp!" I heard Dominic shout behind us as one of the teachers takes him inside for being naughty.

Braxton comes running over from the other side of the playground, "Ouch Lyds…" He looks at the man with the sunglasses and says, "I'll take her to the nurse…"

The man nods his head as Brax takes my hand in his.

"Thank you – um –" I start not sure how to finish because I do not know his name.

"Luke Sawyer," The man told me his name. "I'm apart of Mr Grey's security. You will see me around more often."

"Come on Lydia," Brax tugged on my hand pulling towards the school building, "Let's get you sorted out."

Brax stayed with me as the nurse placed a plaster over the small cut that had broken out on my skin when I fell down. Brax wanted to help but the nurse wouldn't let him. But when she finished with me Brax took me back out to the playground and he let me join in his games with the older kids. It kept me away from Isabella and Dominic as he had been let out again. I noticed Luke Sawyer had returned to his post next to the car. When he caught me staring at him he nodded his head at me. I smiled and returned back to the soccer game that Brax and his friends let me join in with.

A/N –Lydia's dream will continue in the next chapter. Thank you all for the reviews they always make my day.