A/N: Thank you guys so much for the reviews. It seems I'm on a writing... spree? I don't know, but this story has been on my mind so much. I've got a couple exciting things planned for the next two chapters, which may or may not include a Nilly kiss. Tell me your thoughts on that via review, please. Anyways, again, thank you so, so much for the reviews. If I'm still on my writing kick, those two chapters might possibly be out before I go back to school Tuesday. Ps. Reviews help my writing kick. ;)

Disclaimer: I haven't added this in a while. So I don't own. This applies for any future chapters too, kay?

Anyone But You

Chapter Ten

My mind was racing, my body shaking, my heart beating. Everything seemed to be on pause and all I could do was concentrate on what she was telling me. All I could do was let the anger build, and wait for it to bubble over. She was crying, digging her head further into my chest. My heart was beating for her and only her in that minute and everything I did was for this one girl. Her tears were setting bells of in my head, as I instinctively pulled her a bit closer to me. How had it all come to this?

Every time I saw another bruise, another scratch, I couldn't help but to suck in a breath. I didn't know how anyone could do this to someone. How could someone deliberately hurt her? In all my life, I don't think I ever wanted to cry more than I did in that moment. She was hysterical, almost catatonic. I just wanted to make it all go away for her, to make her forget. God, I had taken everything I had ever had for granted. All the times I had seen her smile from across the room, or when she'd be laughing with my brothers before she realized I was there. I just wanted to see her happy again, to see her laughing, to even see her angry with me. At least if she was pulling pranks she was laughing at me. At least if she was fighting with me she had that fire in her eyes. But now there was nothing. Nothing but these tears that I couldn't stand to see anymore, not from her.

"Oh god," Her voice was sending chills down my spine. My eyes were stinging, my shoulders tense. Something was settling in me, and I wasn't sure that I liked it. The way she sounded, the fear, the anguish just set something off. There was a giant pressure weighing on me, and I hung onto her words, waiting.

"I don't- I don't want to go back there," She whispered. I could feel her breath on my skin, my body erupting in tingles. Her tears were stinging through my shirt, piercing my heart in the deepest of places. This was all wrong, so wrong. Everything around me was disappearing except her. Nothing mattered right now except her. She was all I was concerned about, the only thought on my mind. Right now, she was what I lived for.

My body began to rock, bringing hers along with me. Her breathing was ragged, and I could almost feel her heartbeat pounding in time with mine. We were connected, trying to pull through this together, with each other to lean on. She needed me now, and I would always be there for her. Whether or not I could protect her I didn't know, but I would try if it cost me my life. Slowly, she calmed in my arms but still didn't pull away. I turned my head, glancing up the stairs for a moment before making a decision. My hands trailed down her arms, leaving me with pins and needles every time I touched her. My t-shirt was in her hands and her hands were balled into fists. I pried her hands from her hold on me, lacing my fingers through them instinctively and bringing them to our sides. I dipped my head just a tad lower, bringing it to her bruise. I almost wanted to kiss her cheek then, the phrase 'kiss it better' coming to mind. I shook it away though when she pressed her head harder against my chest. When she was this close to me it made me believe for a second that maybe things really would be alright.

I pulled away from her though and she didn't seem to notice. She was standing in front of me, head down, and I couldn't help but stare at her. Her red hair was all over, her face black on one half. Her clothes were messy and wrinkled, along with her eyes being puffy and red. Yet with all these flaws I didn't notice one. I saw someone that was broken, someone that didn't deserve this for even a second. She deserved to be safe and at home. I couldn't even imagine what was causing her to react this way. If the guy had laid a finger on her, it would be the last finger he ever laid on anyone. I would see to it personally that he paid for what he'd put her through.

Reluctantly, I tugged away from her, pulling her upstairs. I wanted to stay connected to her, to hold her, to make her feel safe. Instead, I lead her up the steps to where my identical bedroom was, bringing her inside. I let go of her hand, and as quickly as I could I shut the door. When I turned back around, she had her arms wrapped around herself. God, she just looked so... I couldn't even describe the look on her face. It broke my heart into a million pieces. This, combined by the feeling of needing to be close to her, made me pull her right back into my arms. It made me pull her right back to where she belonged; here, with me.

"Tell me," I spoke gently to her. I lowered my head, softly touching my lips to her forehead, trying to calm her down. I wanted to make everything okay, to kiss it better for her. I felt her tense and my eyebrows scrunched up. God, how stupid could I be? I may have been what she needed now, but I had obviously pushed it a bit far with the kiss. I swear, I wasn't trying anything. I would never, not with her like this. It wasn't the time or the place, and I wasn't the person for her either. She had hated me for so many years, and I already knew how weird it would be. But I couldn't resist thinking that maybe if it were a different time, a different place, then maybe?

"I can't," She breathed. Her arms tensed, her entire body trembling. All I could to was hold her tighter and closer, trying to make sure she knew I would be here for her through whatever. I would take whatever they gave out for her.

"Please," The words were slipping out, "What'd he do to you?" I pulled my head back, just to look at her again. My eyes were searching hers, trying to memorize every colour, every line and every spec. I needed to know, I needed to make sure she would be okay. I needed to know just exactly what I was up against here. Unconsciously, I began to trace my fingers along her bruise, as if it would somehow help it to heal. I felt her lean into my touch, and I almost smiled until she spoke.

"They hit me." I was confused. They?

"They?" I voiced, my forehead crinkling. She nodded a bit, still leaning into my hand as if it was offering her some form of comfort.

"Yeah," Her voice was low and frail, "They hit me... with their guns. Over and over." My heart sank when I learned this piece of information. I didn't want that kind of mental image, it was one that would haunt my thoughts for as long as I lived. I could hear the defeat in her tones, and I wanted to hold her and tell her not to give up. I would fight for her, because she couldn't. I would take the hits for her from now on. I couldn't let this happen to her again, and I couldn't believe I had ever let it happen in the first place. I should have been there for her, I should have saved her somehow. I should have done something, anything.

"He tried to kiss me," I froze. My heart stopped, and I couldn't suck in a breath. Thoughts were swirling, images racing past my eyes. I could see her crying, and I didn't want to even think about what else could have happened- what else she wasn't telling me. Oh god, Lola. I wanted to slam my hand against the wall, to hit something. He had touched her, I knew that, but he had touched her. Fuck. Thats the only thing I could think to express myself. This guy was going to get it. I didn't understand how someone so cruel could beat her, could whip a gun at her face and then try and kiss her. What kind of sick bastard was he? What kind of monster could actually think I would let him touch her like that and get away with it.

"He what?" Were the first words out of my mouth. I pulled away from Lola a bit, my eyes meeting hers dead on. The seriousness and anger radiated off me. He touched her. He fucking touched her like that. No- No, I wasn't going to let that happen. I wasn't going to let him think that he could force himself on her like that. What kind of disgusting fuck does that?

"Did he do anything else to you?" I asked. If he had- Oh god, I couldn't even think of the possibility. However, she immediately denied it, and I felt compelled to ask again, just to make sure. "Do you swear to me, he didn't do anything else?" If he had done something even more inappropriate than he already had, Just-. I wanted to punch something, anything. I wanted to beat the shit out of him. I wanted him to know what it felt like to be beaten like he'd done to her. I wanted him to feel what she felt- the fear, the terror, the pain.

I was pulled from my thoughts from a bang downstairs on the main floor. My mind clicked, and I immediately came to the conclusion that someone was in this house. We were the only people who 'lived' here, and I knew that they would be the only ones who knew where it was. The only reasonable conclusion was that they were in this house. Before I realized what I was doing, my hand was on the doorknob, words spilling from my mouth. I was going to make the sorry bastard pay.

I could hear the steady pounding of my feet as I raced down that hallway towards the stairs. I was on a track, determined to at least sock the guy in the face a few times. I may not have been a violent person, but this guy had gone too far. There had been times when I'd been angry, when I'd wanted to punch someone, to play around with them a bit and get them off my back. But never had there ever been a time before now that I'd wanted to wrap my hands around someone's neck and cause them real pain. I had never wanted someone dead before, but I had never been in a situation quite like this one either.

The stairs creaked as I ran, bounding down them towards the bottom. My hands were balled into fists, my face blank as I prepared. I didn't know exactly what I was getting into, but whatever it was, it was worth it if it meant defending her. It was worth it just to know that she wouldn't be the one dealing with it. My trek to the main floor however was cut short when I heard a second pair of feet coming down behind me. I stopped immediately, turning on the stairs to see Lola coming down. She flew into me, grabbing a hold as I steadied the both of us before we fell backwards down the staircase. Her face was serious, her eyes begging as she pulled me closer to her.

"Don't," She whispered, "Please don't." My heart broke as her eyes bored deep into mine. I felt her breath on my face, enticing and drawing me closer to her. I wanted to break away, to continue down those steps and get even, to face whoever was down there. Instead something kept me here, kept me with her.

"Lola..." I spoke her name. I looked behind my shoulder, listening for bangs, shuffling, even voices, but nothing came. The house was silent, leaving us in peace together as if there was only me and Lola; only us.

"Please Nate," My head snapped right back around to her. Her eyes never left mine as her feelings and thoughts almost transferred to me. She radiated with fear, and I couldn't understand why. She was going to be fine if I was concerned. I would make sure nothing happened to her, I would do my best to protect her.

"Nate, I need you," She admitted, "Don't." I could feel the tears beneath her eyes, and I wanted to stay just so she wouldn't cry. I hadn't even really processed what she had said, but it looked like it meant a lot to her. It looked like I meant a lot to her. It was a foreign concept to me, to think that she needed me. For as long as I could remember, I was anything except what she needed. She had pushed me away for so long, hating me, despising me. Now that she was in danger, she realized what I apparently meant to her? Maybe now she'll realize I'm worth her time, that I'm worth her at all. I had tried for so long to get along with her, to get closer to her. I was grateful that now she was starting to let me in, but I had to wonder if it was just too late. I couldn't keep waiting for her. I couldn't keep pretending.

"I'm-" I almost choked up looking in her eyes. They were desperate, pleading, but I had to, "I'm sorry." I pulled away and watched as she gripped the railing beside her. The tears that had been welling up in her eyes found their way to her cheeks. I turned away from her, unable to watch, and took a deep breath, making my way down the stairs. I paused at the bottom for a moment, looking back up at her. It almost hurt to come to terms with the idea that if there really was someone down here and they were capable of the things I saw they had done to Lola, that maybe this would be the last time I would ever see her. I might never lay eyes on her bright red hair, or her light blue eyes. Her smile, her laugh would all be memories lost if I should die right now. But I had to do it, I had to for her.

"Please, be careful," Her voice floated down to me. The tense seriousness in the air consumed us and I could hardly speak. All I could do was nod and turn to step off the last step, waiting to find whatever was lurking behind all these corners. Slowly, I moved in to the living room, my eyes darting around to all angles, searching. The room seemed clear, and I moved onto the kitchen to find nothing also. I traveled the circle, going to all the rooms on the ground floor of my house and finding absolutely nothing. I didn't bother to check my parents room, or the basement because I knew neither of those doors opened. Whatever was behind them was unknown to me, but what I did know was that whatever, or whoever had been here wasn't anymore. We were all alone again, just us.

I let down my guard, temporarily forgetting about Lola, who I guessed was still waiting on the staircase. My feet led me to the kitchen, where I pulled out a chair and sat, my head in my hands. What was I going to do? How was I going to get us out of here? Would anyone ever find us? Were they looking? Well, of course they were looking, but I hoped to God that someone could actually find us. My hands found the converter, and I pressed the television on. I could hear Lola's footsteps slowly padding down the stairs, and I just kept turning channels, slowing down when it came around to my house.

"Nate?" I looked up to Lola, and shot her a weary smile. She returned it, knowing that it meant that the house was criminal free for the time being. I watched her as she walked across the room, my eyes catching every inch of her. She was going to be fine, she had to be. We were going to make it through this. I had so much waiting for me outside this house. My family, my brothers, my career; I had so much to look forward to. But I couldn't help but find one piece of me that didn't hate this place, and I didn't entirely hate it because I got to be with her, no interruptions, no cold remarks, no fights, no hate. We just were, and we were together, and I found myself enjoying it.

She pulled out the chair across from me and sat down. My eyes flashed back to the television as I continued to breeze through the channels. I stopped though, when I saw the image of both my brothers hanging around Shane's room. Automatically, my head turned around to look up the stairs, but I realized how stupid it was. I knew for a fact that they weren't in this house, but I couldn't help but spare a glance. My gaze turned back to Lola, and she too was looking up the staircase. I couldn't manage to take my eyes off her as she turned back to me. She furrowed her eyebrows as if to say 'What is it?' but I just shook my head, looking back to the screen that held my two brothers.

Jason was sitting on the floor, propped up against the wall, and Shane was laying sprawled out on his bed. The both of them were silent, doing nothing. Jason was playing with his hands as they sat in his lap and Shane looked to be deep in thought. I watched as Jason slowly raised his head, looking up at Shane and preparing to speak.

"Do you know if anyone knows anything?" He asked, and Shane's head snapped up. Shane glanced at Jason sorrowfully, shaking his head and then resting it back down.

"No," He sighed, "If they do, they aren't telling us."

"Oh," Jason added, his eyes reverting back to the hands in his lap. There was tense silence again for a while as I watched. They looked so- I couldn't put my finger on it. Sad, yes, but there was something else to it. It killed me to see my brothers this way, so dead, so gone, so empty.

"Jay," Shane's voice cut the silence. Jason looked up, nodding.

"I can't stop thinking about it. Do you think- Do you think they're...?" He dared to ask. Jason's eyes widened immediately and his breath caught in his throat.

"What? N- No. I- Of course not, Shane. I just-," His voice went softer and lower with each word, doubting himself, "God, I don't know." He put his head down into his hands, his fingers gripping his curls lightly in frustration. The frustration of not knowing.

"I never told her," Shane spoke again, his voice low and defeated. Jason looked up, confused. My eyes shot over to Lola quickly, who was watching the television intently, eyebrows furrowed. She looked so anxious, like thoughts were running through her mind. Had Shane been talking about her? They had been talking about us, about how we were gone, at least I'd like to think they were. Then she was brought up, and maybe she was Lola? What had he never told her? Unfortunately, I had a pretty good idea of it, and it wasn't necessarily something I wanted to hear. Deep down, I had known in the back of my mind for so long, I had ignored it for so long.

"Told her What?" Jason asked, "Lola?" I watched as Lola tensed, awaiting whatever it was she was going to hear. My eyes shot over to the television where Shane was now sitting up on his bed. Jay was looking up to him, watching him carefully. Jason had been her best friend, and Shane's brother. How hadn't he noticed it when I had known all along? When I had been forcing myself to think it wasn't real.

"Yeah," Shane whispered. I had to strain to hear it through whatever microphone was set up in my house, "She- I don't know Jase. I know we weren't good friends or anything, not like you two, but..." He trailed off. "I think- I think I li-" That was all I heard. The television was shut off, and I looked across the table to Lola. She was frozen in place, her eyes wide. She was breathing slowly and loudly, staring at the black screen. The remote was in her hand, and I knew instantly that she had turned it off. She hadn't wanted to hear what he was going to say, what I knew he was going to voice for the first time. Did she want to hear it from him in person? Did she want to hear it at all? Whichever it was, I was grateful that she had turned the tv off, saving me from whatever would overcome me with those words. Saving me from the awkward silences.

"Lola?" I asked. She seemed stunned for a moment before turning to me.

"Huh? Yeah?" She crinkled her forehead, and silently we agreed to forget all about what had just happened. We silently agreed to forget Shane's confession.

"Hey, maybe you should go take a shower or something? Okay?" I told her, standing from my seat. She was still covered in dried blood, and her clothes were grimy and wrinkled. "I can get you a t-shirt and some shorts, and wash yours for you. The- the laundry room," I pointed over my shoulder with my thumb, "It's there, so..."

"Yeah- yeah, okay," She agreed, standing from her chair too and giving me a weak smile. I grabbed her hand, walking her up the stairs and let go of her at the bathroom door. It wasn't so much that I cared if she looked this way, she would always be beautiful, but I needed some time alone. I needed some time to think, to think about her, about Shane's confession. To think that maybe Shane wasn't just the only person who wanted to tell her something. I shouldn't have been thinking it, feeling it, but I was, and I couldn't deny it.

I told her I would I get her the clothes and leave them in the bathroom before I watched her walk in. I turned around, walking the few steps to my bedroom and opening the door. The newfound nervousness, the pressure disappeared and I let out a deep breath. How had I let this happen? How had I let down my guard, how had I let her get to me? I was just digging myself deeper, digging a grave of hurt, of rejection. But the one thing I wouldn't let myself admit was that I had been holding this shovel for two years, ever since I first met her.

Do you ever get that nervousness, that feeling in the pit of your stomach when you know something is just right? The butterflies that set a smile off on your face, and make your heart go just a little bit faster. When your breath catches in your throat and you know you don't want to be anywhere else than where you are. For two years, twenty four months, I had told myself this wasn't what I was feeling. I had told myself that this wasn't what I felt when I was with her. I had made myself believe I hated her just as much as she hated me. It didn't hurt so much when I didn't have to face it.

Every fight, every prank I endured. I had always questioned why I even stuck around, why I didn't take her out of my life for good. She was Jason's best friend, and her and Shane were close, I guess, so I had blamed it on that. She was around them, and I was their brother so I told myself she was always going to be there, whether or not I liked it. But I couldn't forget, or keep denying, or thinking that if I dug deep enough it would go away. But I couldn't tell her, it would ruin everything.

I could still remember the Hannah party when I first saw her in the black tutu dress. I remember thinking she had a lot of guts to come wearing it. I'd kept my distance, clinging closer to Hannah because we'd known each other. I hadn't wanted words to spill from my mouth and to embarrass myself. So from afar, I'd smiled at her smiles, laughed at her laughs, something waking up inside of me, something that had been hiding away until now, until we were stuck here in this house. Something I hadn't realized, until I saw those bruises and realized how much she meant to me and how much I couldn't risk loosing her again. I realized how much I needed her in my life, and I realized why I had kept her there all along through every hateful comment.

I snapped myself out of my thinking, trailing to my closet. I pulled out a large grey t-shirt and a pair of black gym shorts. I folded them up, gripping them tightly in my hand and walked back across the hall to her. Knocking gently, I told her I had the clothes, and she opened the door just a crack. She smiled at me, and I mirrored it, passing her the t-shirt and shorts. She took them, thanking me for the third time, and then shut the door again. I stood there for an extra moment, and then she cracked the door open again, passing me the short shorts and white tank she had been wearing before. Then that was the end of our exchange as I heard the shower turn on, and I started downstairs.

I made my way to the laundry room, automatically putting her clothes into the wash. I had done this so many times at my own house, with my own clothes of course, that it was natural to me without even thinking about it. Instead my thoughts were on yesterday. My eyes darted around the laundry room, looking for the cordless phone that we had in here. Finally, I found it, thinking that if yesterday I had managed to get through to people, maybe I could today too. Maybe if I was quiet, and maybe if I didn't draw attention to myself then I wouldn't get cut off like I suspected happened with Hannah. So I picked up the phone, careful to be extra quiet and looked around the room. There wasn't anything out of the ordinary, so quickly I dialed and placed the phone next to my ear, delighted when I heard a ring. It didn't take long for a voice to answer on the other end.

"Hello?" His voice was low and empty, just like I remembered hearing it.

"Jason," I whispered forcefully, my eyes darting around the room.

"Nate?!" He yelled, and I winced. "What?!" I heard from the background, and then shuffling. I knew instantly that Shane had gotten up from where he was probably still laying on his bed. The phone exchanged hands for a bit, and then there was a click. Shane had taken another cordless phone, inviting himself into the conversation.

"Yeah," I breathed, still nervous, "It's me."

"Where are you? Are you okay?!" They're voices were interlaced, saying the exact same thing on the other line.

"I'm- I'm okay," I told them, "But Lola- She's- Oh god," I croaked. My eyes teared up a bit, and I didn't know if I could tell them what really happened.

"Nate?" Kevin asked. I could tell he was terrified, "Is- Is she...?"

"No." I told him. Both of them breathed a sigh of relief. I collected my thoughts, trying to make this quick because I didn't know how long I had. I was amazed I had even managed to get this much time.

"Guys," I spoke, looking around the laundry room yet again, "We're in this house- it's- I don't know where. There's more than one, that's what Lola says. She's seen them. They-" I stopped, suddenly. My eyebrows furrowed and I listened. I couldn't hear the shower running upstairs anymore.

"Nate? Nate?!" Their voices were yelling to me on the other end, but I ignored it. I waited to hear her footsteps in the hallway. I waited to make sure that she was okay. I heard nothing, and the silence was starting to scare me, starting to tear me apart.

"Nate?!" I snapped back momentarily.

"They've got us here, we're trapped. She's- She's pretty bad. Please, please don't stop looking. Find the CD's okay? I need you guys to find us, before he does something to her. I don't know how long-" I cut myself off. There was a loud thump upstairs and then I knew. I knew why I hadn't been cut off yet. No one was monitoring me. No one was watching me because he was with her.

"Fuck!" I let out, dropping the phone. I could hear Shane and Jason crying out to me as I ran. My feet took me through the kitchen and past the living room, up the staircase, slowing down when I reached the upstairs hallway. My heart started beating as I turned the doorknob of the bathroom slowly. It inched open and I froze. He had her pressed up against the wall, his hands searching her body. She wore the long, grey t-shirt that I had given her, but he had attacked her before she had been able to put anything else on. My eyes darted over to the abandoned gun on the sink's countertop. Moving forward quickly and quietly, I grabbed it, bringing it up to aim exactly where he was standing.

"Don't fucking touch her," Was all I said, and his body tensed. He let go of her, and her body dropped lifelessly to the ground. I sucked in a breath, my eyes skimming over her, scared. She wasn't moving, her entire body just laying limply. When I went to turn back to the man, he had skillfully made his way much closer to the bathroom door, creating a considerable distance between the himself and Lola. When he realized that I was watching him again, he froze, and I pointed the weapon back in his direction.

"Fine," He spoke, turning towards me, "Do it, kid." The cruelty in his eyes was so clear, and I found my heart speeding up with fear.

"You don't have the guts," He told me menacingly. And the truth was, he was right. I didn't have the heart to kill anyone, no matter who they were. I wasn't like that, I wasn't a murderer. My eyes shot over to Lola again, and he moved another inch. I wanted to go to her, to make sure she was alright, but I didn't want him to get away either. I wanted him to pay.

My eyes kept darting between them, every time I looked away he would step closer to safety. Finally, when I realized he wasn't going to pull out another gun on me, that he wasn't going to do anything this time, I made my choice. I let my eyes completely focus on the girl laying on the white tiles. When I went to look back at the man, he had darted out of the bathroom door and out of sight. Thats when I leaped into action. I ran to her side, sliding down on my knees next to Lola. I lifted her up into my arms, cradling her. Her entire body hung loosely, and I tried to shake her awake.

"Lola, come on," I whispered, my eyes never leaving her face. I stared at her with intensity, my entire body just hoping, praying she'd come to any second, but she didn't. She laid still, and I bowed my head against her cheek, where the dark bruise was still shining brightly. I could feel her breathing lightly against me, and I breathed with relief because she was still alive. I just didn't know if she would recover this time, but she had to. Because holding her then and there with her life on the line, I finally admitted the whole truth to myself, the one I had been trying to hide for so long. While she may have merely needed me, I was the one who loved her.

A/N: Well. Looks like Nate was technically the first to 'admit' it. But he admitted it to himself. Who do you think will be the first to admit it to the other person? Also, would you be interested in a Nilly kiss within the next two chapters, or would it seem too soon? Any predictions on future chapters? Anything you'd like to see less or more of? Please review, you guys are awesome. Also, if anyone just plain wants to talk, PM :) I love talking, have I mentioned that?

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