She believed in light
and she believed in love.
even in the cold darkness
she drifted into, she
closed her eyes and believed
~ JmStorm
The crowd was still rushing for the door when the gang leader first barreled into FP, sending them crashing into a table and onto the floor, spurring the rest of the Howler members to follow suit. They came at the Serpents, who continued to hold their ground, ensuring they weren't the ones to initiate the fight. This wasn't their first brawl and it always looked better in the end, under the eye of the law, if you were the defendant and not the attacker.
FP and the leader of the wolves, a large guy named Bruce, hit the floor hard, Bruce landing on top of FP who took the brunt of the fall, the impact allowing the man enough time to land a punch square against his jaw before he threw him off. Bruce stumbled giving FP a small opening, he grabbed the man's shirt and slammed his own fist into the side of his face with a crack making the other guy wobble back before he growled and launched himself at FP again.
Bruce was a mountain of a man, but his size made him slow and FP managed to dodge his advance, drilling a fist into the man's ribs. Bruce folded from the impact but FP grabbed a hold of him again, punching him in the mouth with so much force that it sent him to the floor.
He took a quick moment to survey the scene, all hell had broken loose and the noise was deafening but none of his men were down and he didn't see any weapons being brandished besides the few men holding pool cues in defense. There was only a small group of patrons left inside, still making their way to the door, he scanned the crowd, trying to see if he could spot Betty amongst them but his search was cut short when someone tackled him again from behind bringing him back into the battle.
Amy pushed open the door of the women's room, "Betty?" she called as she started checking stalls, "Are you in here?"
She received no reply but quickly checked the remaining couple of stalls before leaving the restroom. The majority of the crowd had made it out by then and she didn't see Betty amongst the ones that remained, and there's no way she could have missed the throng of people when she had come out of the washroom as she would have had to walk right through them.
Assuming Betty likely followed everyone else; Amy made her way to the exit, hurrying people along as she went.
When the last few stragglers had made it out, she shut the door behind her and searched the sea of faces for Joanie, spotting her near the gate trying to usher people out into the parking lot. Amy hopped up to stand on the stair railing and once she was steady she put her fingers between her teeth and whistled.
"Listen up!" she shouted to the crowd who seemed to have come to a standstill now that they had made their way safely outside. "Please make your way towards the gate on the left and it'll take you back to the parking lot, I recommend from there that you leave as soon as possible. We apologize for the scare but if you come back on Boxing Day when we reopen and talk to Viper, you will be compensated in free drinks and/or food for your trouble, have a good night!" she finished.
When barely anyone moved, she clapped her hands together and yelled again, "What the hell are you waiting for?" she asked in disbelief, "Get going!"
Once she was sure her command had worked and people were leaving, she jumped down and waited for Joanie, who came to meet her at the steps after she had locked the gate behind the last of the group.
"Jesus, they're worse than cattle" Joanie scoffed.
Amy nodded in agreement as she looked around the compound, it was only Serpent women and employees who remained inside the fence. "Did you see Betty?" she asked Joanie, "Did she make it out?"
"Betty? No, why? Is she not here?" she asked surveying the crowd herself, "I definitely didn't see her leave and I just figured she stayed behind to wait with us."
"Well FP said she was in the washroom when all hell broke loose but I checked and she wasn't there, I assumed she had made her way outside but she's not here now either. What about Ash, did you see him?" Amy asked anxiously as worry started to build within her.
"No, now that you mention it, he didn't come through either" she replied, brows knit in confusion.
"Shit! I have to find her" Amy said reaching for the door to go back inside.
Joanie grabbed her elbow, concern on her face, "Wait, you don't know what's going on in there."
Amy opened the door, "It doesn't matter, I have to find Betty" she told her with conviction, "I promised FP I would, and now with Ash missing I have a bad feeling about this, and if something happened to her FP would lose it, you know that."
"Yeah I do" she settled, "Just, be careful, don't be a hero" she cautioned her as she dropped her arm.
Amy nodded and disappeared inside.
Betty could feel the heat of his breath against her neck and smell the whiskey on his words as he leaned over her. He had undone his pants but had yet to take it further, seeming content to drag it out as he let his free hand roam. She kept her eyes shut, trying to bite back the sobs that wanted to escape, she was terrified but she was also furious and she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her break.
Ash still held her wrists above her head but her hands were free, so she clenched them into fists, as tightly as she could, trying to concentrate on the sharp pain she was causing against her palms instead of what he was doing to her. She could feel the blood running from them now, dripping onto the desk but the sting calmed her somehow, made her feel numb just like it did when she had her panic attacks.
Ash messily kissed his way up her bare spine as he ran his hand up her side, reaching underneath her to palm her breast, "You are so fucking sexy Betts" he told her, biting into the skin at the base of her neck, leaving a mark behind. She cried out from the pain as she attempted to twist her body away from his mouth. He grinned as she struggled, "It feels good when you squirm baby" he groaned, gripping her hip hard and rubbing himself against her behind.
He slid his hand from her hip and down her thigh, reaching the hem of her dress, dipping it underneath, "You're so soft and perfect" he said trailing his fingers up the outside of her thigh, "I've wanted you since the moment I saw you on that terrace" he confessed, lips still trailing across her shoulders.
His hand reached the cheek of her ass and he squeezed, making her whimper, "Please, please don't" she choked, tears falling again.
"Are you begging me Betty?" he asked, tongue sliding up the back of her neck making her body cringe, "It's okay to beg, I like it, and trust me, I'll have you begging me not to stop before it's over" he promised grabbing onto her bare hip and bucking against her. His fingers stilled, a low growl coming from his throat, "Betts...are you not wearing any panties?" his voice was tight as his fingers explored their way around the front of her hip bone, his breathing becoming heavier as he found only bare skin.
"Fuck, you are a naughty girl aren't you?" he moaned, his voice dripping with want, "I can't wait to feel you wrapped around me" he whispered against her ear as he dropped his hand to reach for his pants again.
Amy quietly made her way back into the bar, the sounds of fighting still ever present, she could hear the fists connecting and things breaking, all mixed in with heavy grunts and curses. She stayed back against the wall as she moved, hoping to go unnoticed to the rival gang as she ducked back into the woman's washroom again, wasting no time as she double checked the room. She slipped back out and went into the men's room, swearing when she found it empty, there were only a few more places on the main floor to check before she'd have to move to the basement or upstairs.
She tried the door of the first office finding it locked, so she hurried down the hall and pulled open the next door to the storage closet, it was unlikely anyone would be in there but she wanted to be thorough. Closing the closet door she approached the only door left, her hand paused on the doorknob, she could hear a low voice, Ash she thought, she slowly turned the handle, quietly opening the door, not knowing what she would find.
She froze at the scene in front of her; Ash was holding Betty face down over the desk, his pants were undone and his body was draped on top of hers. Betty had her eyes shut tightly as tears trailed down her face, neither one of them noticing her entrance.
"Get off of her you Bastard!" she yelled, surprising him as she launched herself onto his back, arms wrapping around his.
He released Betty who slid off the desk and down to the floor, unable to make her legs work once his weight had lifted. He reached for Amy, trying to pry her arms from around his neck, "Let go you crazy Bitch!" he spat, fighting to get her off.
Amy wasn't much bigger than Betty but she was fiery and tough and continued to hold on, but Ash backed them both up, slamming them into the wall by the door, her wedged between him and the wood. He pulled forward and slammed her again, harder the second time, knocking the wind from her body, her head bouncing of the wall before she slumped off his shoulders.
"Amy!" Betty croaked.
Ash turned around, bracing for another attack but dropped his stance when he saw that the impact had knocked her out cold. Betty decided to take a chance while Ash had his back to her still, hoping her legs would work with her, she stumbled to her feet, making a run for the door but he caught her around the waist as she passed pulling her against his chest and covering her mouth with his hand.
"Where do you think you're going sweetheart, we're not done yet" he sneered dragging her back to the desk, this time throwing her down on her back. She kicked and pushed at him as she tried to yell for help but he wrapped a hand around her throat, cutting off the sound. She clawed at his arm as she choked on her screams, her nails digging in, making him hiss as they broke his skin.
"There's my feisty girl" he beamed, a predatory grin on his face, "I like it rough too" he told her, tearing at her dress.
FP had finally managed to subdue Bruce when the blow from his knee to the man's head had rendered him incapacitated. He spit the blood from his mouth, wiping the back of his hand across his chin, wincing as he hit his split lip. His white shirt now stained with blood, some from the cuts on his face and his knuckles, but most of it belonged to the leader lying at his feet. He rolled the guy onto his back with his boot, watching his chest to make sure he was in fact still alive, he was, which worked in FP's favor.
He looked around the bar, a few of the guys were still going at it but most of the rival gang members had retreated back towards the entrance, either out of injury or after they realized that they were fighting a losing battle.
Even though the Serpents went licit, it didn't mean that they went soft, a fact that the Howler's had obviously taken for granted. But the members didn't leave, instead they watched, awaiting the outcome of him and Bruce. They knew taking off or leaving members behind, especially a leader, would result in dangerous consequences as the concept of loyalty and family within gangs was highly revered and strictly enforced.
"Enough!" FP shouted, halting the actions of the few remaining scrappers, "Who's the Vice here?" he asked.
The guy that had been duking it out with Viper when FP yelled stepped forward, "I am" he said, standing straighter.
"Listen to me closely..." he started, his voice strong with authority, "Gunner, is it?" he addressed after lowering his eyes to the name on the man's jacket, "This here" he motioned around the room, "It's done, finished!" he snarled then pointed at Bruce.
"Now you and your guys are going to pick this piece of shit up off of my floor and get the hell out of Southside. And when he wakes up, you let him know that any beef you had with the Serpents, it's over, it's settled, and if we catch any more wolves on our turf it won't end so well, in fact pass that message along to anyone else who feels like we owe them something" he warned, the threat rolling off his tongue.
"Here's the thing about snakes, you don't step on them, they got no reason to bite" he advised. FP Jones might be out of the game but he was still intimidating as fuck, even if the threats were empty, he was no killer after all, but they didn't know that.
"Get the fuck going!" he yelled when nobody had moved, making a few of the Howler members, including Gunner, scramble towards Bruce, they hauled him up by the shoulders, throwing his arms around them for support as they dragged him out of the bar following the rest of their gang.
FP let out a large breath, "Viper, go tell the others they can come back inside now" he instructed.
Viper nodded taking off towards the side door as FP took looked over the bar, "What a fuckin' mess" he mumbled, swiping a hand through his hair as he took in the broken tables and chairs, the glass, blood and booze that covered the floor. It was going to take a hell of a lot of work to get this place cleaned up for Boxing Day he frowned.
"Hey FP" Viper came running back in, Joanie close behind him, "We have another problem man" he told him, wincing as he held his injured side, "It's Betty."
FP froze, "What the hell are you talking about, what's wrong with Betty?!" he demanded, fear rising in his chest.
Viper nodded at Joanie, motioning for her to tell him, "She never made it outside" she said, "Amy checked the washroom but she wasn't there and when we didn't find her outside, Amy came back in to look for her but she hasn't returned either" her voice tight with worry.
"Amy's missing too" Snake asked hurriedly, coming to stand next to FP.
Joanie nodded before looking back at FP with wide eyes, "FP...there's more…Ash is also missing" she told him, her tone revealing her suspicions.
"FUCK!" he growled, "Spread out, find them!"
Betty heard Amy moan from across the room, she must be coming to, but her mind was drifting and it wouldn't let her dwell on it, she's losing focus as her eyes flutter closed, she feels herself starting to drift in and out of consciousness, not sure if it's from the hit to her head, the lack of air from his hand on her throat or if the shock and anxiety has finally gotten to her, shutting down her body in response.
She's only vaguely aware of Ash now as he's groping the newly exposed skin from where he's torn her dress, she can hear him panting, feel his breath on her skin. The fight had left her as exhaustion won out, the only thing she could do now was pray that she would pass out or that it would be over quickly once he started, she hoped for the former as she watched the white dots flit across the backs of her eyelids.
The sound of heavy footsteps registers somewhere in her mind and she doesn't know if she's imagining it or not as she feels Ash start to push her dress further up her thighs.
Suddenly everything is a blur, she hears an almost feral growl, then a ferocious 'You're fucking dead!' before all the weight is lifted off of her, tugging her forward as she falls to the floor, she curls into herself on her side, pulling her knees against her chest and wrapping her arms around them.
She can hear the sound of bone connecting with bone, then a loud thud against the wall outside the office door, curses falling from mouths as bodies shuffle. She opens her eyes and can see Amy, still sitting on the floor, Snake's beside her, holding her, smoothing her hair and asking if she's okay.
Betty slowly moves to a sitting position, arms still wrapped around her knees, holding them at her chest, as she rocks herself, taking deep breathes, trying to bring herself out of the numbness she feels.
She can hear FP yelling outside the room, "I'm going fucking kill you for putting your hands on her you sick son of a bitch!" closely followed another sickening crack.
"Shit!" someone else yells, "Snake you better get out here!"
Snake drops a quick kiss on Amy's lips before rushing to the door, Amy's attention turning to her, "Oh Betty, I'm so sorry" she cries, sliding across the floor and wrapping her arms around the blonde, hugging her as tears fall down her cheeks. Betty doesn't speak or embrace the other woman, her eyes glassy with moisture but no tears fall as she just continues to rock in Amy's arms, letting the numbness take over her body and mind.
Snake reaches the hallway and sees Ash on the floor, fighting against FP as he pommels him, Ash's face is already bloody, most likely from a broken nose and Viper's yelling and trying to pull FP off of the guy without any success, "Stop man! You're gonna kill him" he shouts as FP shrugs him off.
Viper lunged at his friend again, managing to pull FP to his feet only to get shoved backwards by the man, "Maybe I wanna fuckin' kill him!" he spits out, grabbing Ash by the shirt and pulling him up before delivering another blow to his jaw, "Come on!" he snarls at him, "Fight back you fucking coward!" he challenges, pulling him up and hitting him again.
"Fuck you" Ash sputters, spitting blood on the floor as he glares daggers at FP from his knees, then he grins at him maniacally, "She'll never want you you know, not really, not completely, sooner or later she'll realize she's better than all this...trash" he sneered, addressing the group of them, "All she needs is a real man inside her" he smirked, provoking him.
The insult had barely left his lips before FP was on him again, anger burning beneath his skin as the crimson grew on his fists. He was already out for blood after what he did to Betty, but the fact that Ash was able to maintain his smugness and still throw FP's insecurities in his face as he laid into him had him seeing red.
"FP!" Snake shouted his name as they pulled him off of Ash, "That's enough! He's not worth it man! He's not worth it" he told him, keeping his hold on him until he was sure he had calmed down.
FP stood there, breathing heavily as he stared at the bloody man on the floor with disgust, "Call the Sheriff" he instructed Snake, "And tell them to send an ambulance" he added.
"On it" he nodded, bringing FP along with him and further away from Ash as he walked towards the bar phone, "Go check on our girl, yeah? Amy's with her but I think she could use you" he told him pushing him lightly towards the hallway.
FP cast a worried glance towards Ash who was still lying on the floor. He was bloody but he was conscious and glaring right back at him.
"Don't worry about him" Snake said, "He's not going anywhere" he assured him as he dialed the Sheriff's Office.
Placated, he nodded before heading towards the office, only to pause again, turning around when Ash groaned and called his name, "Give her another kiss from me will ya" he chuckled, blood leaking from his lip as he smiled.
FP's eyes narrowed as he stalked back towards him, but Snake cut him off, quickly stepping in front of him and putting a hand against his chest to stop him, "Ignore him man, he's just baiting you and you know it, go look after your girl" he said firmly giving his friend a shove on the chest when he hadn't moved, "Go, we got this" he said putting the phone to his ear.
Snake could hear Ash mumbling again as he waited for someone to answer the line, he said some crass comment about Betty tasting sweet, and he thanked God that FP was now out of earshot. This kid really does have a death wish he thought as he shook his head.
Snake jumped when a snarl erupted behind him followed closely by an 'oomph' and he turned around to see Ferrett now on top of Ash, obviously egged on by whatever nonsense the man had just said.
"For Christ's sake! Will someone get him off of him!" he yelled at the other Serpents, "No one's dying here tonight" he insisted as he heard a voice pick up the line.
FP stopped at the doorway to the office, his breath hitched and his heart dropped when he saw Betty. Everything had happened so fast earlier, he had seen Ash on top of her and he lost it, he had pulled Ash from her but he hadn't registered her condition before he threw the man from the room. She looked so small and fragile, so broken, similar to how she did on the night that started their friendship but even more so.
She was sitting, pulled into herself and he could see the marks and bruises already forming on her delicate skin. Amy was holding and rocking her, talking to her softly as she stared into nothingness.
"How is she?" he asked softly when Amy noticed him standing there.
"Physically, I'll think she'll be okay, but mentally, I think she's in shock, she hasn't said anything or responded to me at all yet" she said, her eyes teary and full of fret.
"Let me try" he said as he kneeled in front of them, carefully cupping Betty's face when Amy had moved aside. She quietly left the room, giving them some privacy, she knew that they were close and had this connection; maybe he could actually reach her.
Her eyes were wide and unblinking and his breath caught when he saw the blood on her hands. He knew about her habit, what she would do to help her cope when things got mentally hard. It had been a long time since she had self-harmed and judging by the amount of blood there was, he assumed that this was probably the most damage she'd ever done to herself and he could only imagine the mess her palms must be in.
FP ran his thumbs over her cheeks, taking care not to touch the bruised area on her jaw, "Elizabeth? Can you hear me?" he asked trying to steady his voice as he stroked her face, "I'm so sorry, I should have been here to protect you, but you're safe now" he dropped his forehead gently to hers, closing his eyes, "I'm here now Lizzie, I got you, you're okay" he soothed, sliding one hand to massage the back of her neck, pulling her closer to him as his other hand continued to caress her cheek. "Come back to me Sunlight" he pleaded softly, his voice wavering slightly.
He brushed his lips across her forehead in a barely there kiss and he felt her shudder in response, her body relaxing against him as his name floated like a question from her mouth. He pulled back; looking into her eyes, the empty haunting look that was there before had been replaced with wide tearful recognition.
"Thank God!" he breathed, pulling her into his lap, "I'm here baby, I'm right here" he lulled, holding her close as she wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder.
He held her like that, whispering calming words until the Sheriff and the ambulance arrived.
FP paced the floor of Riverdale Hospital, anxiously waiting for the doctor and Sheriff Keller to finish up with Betty. He had already given his statement and had his injuries tended to, just like the rest of the Serpents occupying the chairs of the waiting room. The Deputy had told them they were free to leave but they considered Betty family and they didn't feel right leaving until they knew what her condition was.
"You sure you don't want a coffee or something?" Snake asked putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Nah, I'm already too wired" he replied, looking around the room, he noticed that a few of the men were slumped over, sleeping in their chairs, "Why don't you, Amy and the rest of the gang go home, it's been a long night for everyone and who knows how much longer this could take."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, there's nothing more you can do here, take your lady home to bed" FP instructed, "I'll catch you up tomorrow."
"Okay" he nodded noting his friends' tired demeanor, his worry still evident on his brow, "She's strong man, she'll be okay" he added as a last reassurance before clapping him on the back and going to rouse the rest of the group.
After they had left and the room was quiet except for the sounds of nurses chattering and monitors beeping, FP dropped into one of the chairs, having grown tired of pacing. He sat forward, placing his elbows on his thighs, cupping his hands in front of his mouth. The silence had helped to calm him but his body was still running on adrenaline, causing one knee to bounce up and down in quick succession.
He was going crazy waiting for the Sheriff or the doctor or somebody to come out with information on Betty and it was taking all his willpower to remain seated out here and not barge into the back demanding to know what was happening or why it was taking so long as the minutes ticked by like slow torturous hours.
He had just glanced at the clock again when the hospital doors flew open, "Where is my daughter?" demanded a very agitated Alice Cooper followed closely behind by Hal Cooper.
Fuck, he wasn't prepared to deal with Alice tonight, he hadn't even thought about her to be honest, but in reality, he should have expecting her to show up, he should have assumed that either the hospital or Keller would call them. Even though Betty was an adult and both the hospital and the Sheriff had no obligation to contact family, everyone knew who her parents were and Alice Cooper is not one to cross. She would have dragged the law and the hospital staff through the mud all over Monday's front page if they had failed to inform her.
He listened as the nurse at the desk gave them any information she could, struggling as she tried to field the many questions flying from Alice's mouth before the woman eventually had enough and told them that the doctor would provide them with more information once he was finished and that they were free to take a seat while they waited.
FP had kept his gaze at the floor but he could feel the moment that she saw him sitting there, her eyes burning a hole into the side of his head. Might as well get this over with he thought, scraping his hands over his face and through his hair before leaning back in the chair and meeting her glare.
"What the hell did you do to my daughter?" she accused, pointing her finger in his face.
"Don't start with me Alice" he said between gritted teeth, swatting her hand away from his face as he rose out of the chair, "It's been a long fucking night and I'm not in the mood for your shit" he warned.
"You're not in the mood?" she scoffed, emphasizing the last word, "I don't give a rat's ass what mood you're in FP! My daughter's in the hospital, in the middle of the night and I want to know what the hell is going on!" she spat in his face as she put her hands angrily on her hips.
He took a deep breath, determined not to let her to rile him up, and then released it just as he saw Sheriff Keller exit the ER.
"There's the Sheriff" he nodded behind her, "He can fill everyone in."
The Coopers hurried over to Keller, immediately demanding answers, FP followed but hung back to the side a little, still close enough to hear but not near enough to fall within Alice's radar. He listened as the Sheriff recounted the evening's events, Alice's hand shooting her mouth as Hal's face went pale at the mention of sexual assault. FP ended up tuning out a good portion of their conversation since most of it he already knew and the retelling had only brought the burning anger back to his gut.
"So what's going to happen with Ash?" Hal asked which pegged FP's interest again.
"Well he's being treated in hospital right now, seems he had some pretty extensive injuries" Keller stated glancing at FP, who just shrugged when the Coopers followed his gaze.
"And before you ask, he'll be under guard at all times and he has also been secured to his bed, so there's nothing to worry about, he won't pose any further threat to anyone" he assured. "Once released, he'll be taken into custody" the Sheriff continued, "Between the multiple charges, the evidence and his history, it's pretty safe to say he'll be going away for a while."
"What do you mean his history?" FP asked.
"He's in the system" he answered, "Nothing that had ever resulted in time but he's had a couple of stalking complaints filed against him, a few restraining orders and another assault that fell through due to lack of evidence. He's definitely done this before and I wouldn't be surprised if there's more incidents that went unreported as that's not uncommon with campus or college assaults. All of his targets have been young students, blondes even, so Betty fit his type" he informed, "From what we gathered, he used the whole college thing as a ruse to put him closer to potential victims, allowing him to casually insert himself into their daily lives without raising any red flags. He's been at this for years already, the student MO making it easy to hide his age" Sheriff Keller finished.
"What do you mean?" Hal asked, "I thought he was college age."
"No, well he's not your typical college age anyway, he's 32, not 21 like he claimed."
"Christ" FP muttered, scrubbing his jaw in frustration. His mind reeling with all the new information, he should of noticed, he should of trusted his gut, if he had just listened to it he could have had Ash checked out and this never would of happened, she would have been safe he berated himself.
"I sent a deputy over to the Lodge's to notify them since Ash was staying there and to get them to collect any of his belongings so they can be gone through, we should know more in a few days and I'll keep you posted as information arises" Sheriff Keller promised the Coopers. "In the meantime he'll be here until he can be transferred to the jail, and just to be clear" he said pointedly, looking at Hal and FP, "The guard posted outside Ash's room is not just for everyone else's protection but also for his own. Do you understand where I'm going with this?" he questioned, his brows raised and his face serious.
Both men nodded in reply, "Good, now if you'll excuse me, I have to check with my deputy and get these statements filed. The doctor should be out soon with any information about Betty's condition. Alice, Hal, I'm really sorry about all this but at least we got the son of a bitch before anything worse could happen" he told them with complete sincerity before turning to FP.
"I'll deny ever saying this if asked, but you did good tonight FP" he said, his tone lacking the usual disdain that he was so used to hearing from the local Sheriff.
"Um, thanks...I think" he mumbled, thrown off by the praise.
Sheriff Keller nodded then tipped his hat at them, "Night folks" he said before heading back through the ER doors.
Once he disappeared Alice turned to FP again, "What does he mean you did good?" she asked in disbelief, "This is all your fault!" she accused.
He snorted, "I don't know what's going on in that twisted little mind of yours but you're not going to put this on me Alice! This was not my fault, I was the one that stopped it remember!" he fired back.
"She wouldn't have even been there if it wasn't for you! This never would have happened as she would have been at home and not in your shady bar being attacked while you and your gang banger buddies took part in some brawl!" she seethed.
"Check your facts Alice" he threw back, starting to lose his cool, "Even if she wasn't with me, she still would have been with Ash and possibly alone with no one around to help her. Yeah, maybe he used tonight's events to his advantage but don't think for a second that he wouldn't have tried that same shit somewhere else. I'm not the bad guy here Alice and if you want to start pointing fingers at someone besides Ash, I was not the one who pushed her into the program where she met this creep in the first place" he exclaimed, feeling a small flash of victory at the way her mouth dropped at his dig.
"What are you trying to say? That this is my fault!" she asked flabbergasted, "How dare you!" she fumed, stepping right up in his face again, "I would never knowingly put her in harm's way, I love my daughter!"
"SO DO…" he started but quickly stopped himself, biting back the admission that just about tumbled from his mouth, "UGH!" he cried in frustration, pulling at his hair, "Let's just drop it!" he snapped at her, "No one's to blame but the asshole chained to the bed back there" he resigned, walking back to the chairs to put some distance between them.
It looked like she wanted to say more but quickly let it go when the doctor walked out and called for 'Cooper'. FP strolled back to stand beside them, ignoring the glare he was receiving from the couple, he didn't care if he was intruding, he needed to know how Betty was.
"How is she?" Alice asked the doctor anxiously after he introduced himself.
"She'll be okay" he assured, "And she will be allowed to go home tonight, but she'll need to make sure that she rests and takes it easy for a few days" the doctor told them. "She's one of the lucky ones, so fortunately for her, we didn't have to do any of the usual tests for sexual assault which can feel slightly invasive after what a victim has gone through, however she did still sustain quite a few minor injuries" he advised.
"So she wasn't…he didn't..." Alice stuttered not being able to say the words.
"No, no she wasn't" the doctor confirmed, picking up on her unfinished question.
"Thank Christ" FP breathed out in relief, the worry in his gut loosening slightly.
However, the lump in his throat only grew larger as the doctor went on, "She has a lot of bruising," he advised, "Over a good portion of her body, especially her neck, torso and along her jaw where he struck her," FP heard Alice's breath hitch at the revelation as his own jaw clenched tightly. "She also has some minor scratches and abrasions along with some wounds on her hands but nothing that required stitching. The main thing that she will need to be watched for is a concussion" he cautioned, "She took a pretty good knock to the back of the head so someone will need to monitor her and stay with her at all times for the next 24-48 hours" he finished looking over the three of them who nodded their understanding.
"Great, so if you don't have any further questions, you'll have to excuse me as I have another patient to attend to."
"No, I think we're good, thank you Dr. Adams" Hal said shaking the man's hand, he nodded and told them Betty would be out soon before he left them to wait.
The tension between the trio was still high but thankfully they hadn't had to wait long before Betty slowly walked out of the ER. She looked pale and small and had a large fleece blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Alice jumped up and embraced her, Hal and FP following closely behind.
"Oh Sweetie, look what he did to you!" she exclaimed taking in the bruises on her neck and face.
Betty didn't say anything, instead just leaned into her mother's embrace.
"I could kill the bastard" Hal seethed, his worry turning to anger as he saw the marks on his daughter, and for the first time in his life, FP agreed with him.
"Come on baby, let's get you home" Alice soothed, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and leading her towards the exit.
"I…Uh…" Betty stopped, looking back at FP, "I actually want to go to FP's" she said quietly
"Excuse me?! Absolutely not Elizabeth, you are coming home with us" Alice demanded, shocked that her daughter would ever think otherwise. "Dr. Adams said you need to rest and be taken care, not hang around in a trailer park with someone who can barely take care of himself" she said, eyes narrow as her dislike dripped from her tongue.
But Betty ignored her, stepping out from under her arm and moving to stand right in front of FP. He had to put his hands in his pockets to keep himself from reaching out and touching her as all he wanted to do was hold her.
"Can I stay with you?" she asked him sounding slightly nervous.
FP looked from Betty to Alice and back to Betty again, deciding not to pay any attention to the daggers Alice shot his way.
"You know you're always welcome" he said giving her a reassuring grin, "So it's whatever you want to do" he told her.
"Okay" she nodded, smiling softly, "Then I want to stay with you."
"No, no way!" Alice said shaking her head, "I won't allow it, you're coming home Elizabeth and that's final."
Betty sighed, massaging her temples as she tried to ease her building headache, "I don't need your permission Mom, I'm not a child and this is my decision to make and I'm choosing to stay with FP" she said firmly.
"I've spent everyday at home since I got back and honestly, I need some space" she admitted, "I was planning on staying there tonight any way, I even dropped my things off there earlier before going to the bar, so I have everything I need."
"Betty..." her dad touched her shoulder, "I really think you need to be at home right now, I think that would be the best for you" he said, trying to reason with her.
Betty, however, disagreed and she was starting to lose her patience. She was exhausted, her head and body hurt like hell and she wanted nothing more than to leave this bloody hospital, but not with her parents, she definitely couldn't handle Alice for another few straight days.
"I'll be fine Dad, now if we're done here I would like to go and get some rest" she stated in a tone that said the conversation was over before looking at FP, "Are you ready?" she asked.
He cleared his throat, "Yeah, we're all good to go" he nodded, putting his hand on the small of her back for support. Betty mustered the best smile she could as she quickly dropped a goodbye kiss on both of her parents cheeks before heading towards the exit, ignoring the look of shock on the Coopers faces.
"Elizabeth!" her mom called after her but Betty kept walking.
"Good night Mom" she said as she let FP lead her through the doors.
They sat in comfortable silence during the drive back, FP sneaking glances at Betty who was curled up in the hospital blanket, staring out the passenger window. When they got to Sunnyside, he helped her out of the truck and into the trailer but once inside he wasn't quite sure what to do. He wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and hold her, but he didn't want to risk making her uncomfortable after what happened, so he refrained, thinking it best that he leave it any intimate contact up to her to initiate.
He threw his keys and jacket on the table then looked at her, rubbing a hand nervously across the back of his neck as he spoke, "How are you feeling? Can I get you anything? Are you hungry or tired or…" he rambled before stopping to let out a breath, "I'm sorry, I just want to help you and I want to make it better, but I don't know what the hell I'm doing" he admitted sheepishly.
She stepped forward and put a hand on his cheek, "It's okay FP, you're sweet and just being here with you helps immensely" she told him, giving him a small half smile.
"Just tell me what you need" he told her softly running his fingertips over her unbruised cheek.
She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch, "I have to...I need to shower" she grimaced, her body involuntarily shivering; she had to wash 'him' from her. The feel of him on her skin still making her stomach queasy.
FP nodded, understanding completely without explanation, "I'll get you towels, do you need anything else?"
"Maybe a bottle of water and some aspirin" she said, "And I...I may need some help bandaging my hands again after" she looked down at the ground, embarrassed by her confession.
He tilted her chin back up so that she looked at him, "Don't do that, don't be ashamed" he told as he ran his thumb back and forth along her jaw, "You did what you had to do to stay sane, to keep control and I would never judge you. You are the strongest woman I know Lizzie and I am in awe of you, please don't ever doubt that" his eyes almost pleading with hers to believe him.
Betty blushed from both the compliment and the intensity of his gaze, "Thank you FP...for everything, for being there and for saving me" she said, covering the hand that held her face with her own, "For still being here" she said softly, giving his hand a squeeze.
He placed a chaste kiss on her forehead before touching his down against hers, "I will always be here for you Lizzie, in any way that you need me" he promised. They stood like that for a moment letting the closeness comfort them before FP let out a deep breath and stepped back, "It's late and you need to rest, go have your shower and I'll be here to help you when you're done."
She nodded her okay, giving his hand one more squeeze before making her way to the bathroom.
He went to his room and stripped down to his underwear, throwing his bloody shirt in the garbage and his jeans in the hamper, he didn't bother putting on a clean set of clothes as he would need his own shower once he had Betty settled.
He had heard the shower turn on when he was getting undressed and hoped she had managed okay. She seemed to be handling everything quite well, better than what he had expected, especially considering how shocked and numb she was when he had went to her, huddled on the floor of the Whyte Worm.
But it seemed like the more the shock wore off the more she returned to herself and it surprised him, even though it probably shouldn't have. Something like this would have shattered most women but not Betty, she was brave and resilient and determined and fierce, hell as far as he knew, she hadn't even cried since they had found her, and it was that fact exactly that worried him the most.
As strong as Betty Cooper was, no person could go through what she did and come out without any after effects, without any tears, without a release of some sort, whether it be in grief or anger or disgust. And as much as he'd like to believe that she'd just pull through unfazed, he knew that was highly unlikely, if not impossible, eventually she was going to break, he just hoped he was there to help put her back together when it happened.
He grabbed towels from the hall closet and made his way to the bathroom, he opened the door a crack, planning to just leave them for her and go but he paused when he heard a muffled sob. The steam in the small room was so thick that he couldn't see anything from the doorway where he was standing, he crept in further, hearing another sob as he did.
"Lizzie?" he called softly, not wanting to startle her as he stepped towards the shower.
He could hear her cries clearly now as he gently pulled the shower door open, releasing a billow of steam. He blinked as a cloud of moist heat hit his face, only to dissipated quickly as his eyes fell on Betty, she was huddled in the corner of the shower, her knees pulled up to her chest again, her arms and head resting on them as she cried, her body wracking with violent sobs.
"Oh baby" he whispered, his heart breaking for her as he stepped into the shower, not caring that he was still in his underwear. He hissed as the almost unbearably hot water hit his skin but he continued, stepping under it fully before lowering himself to the shower floor. He wrapped his arms around Betty, pulling her into his lap, "Ssshhhh, it's okay, I'm here" he told her as he held her tight stroking her hair.
Another sob escaped her throat as she tried to speak, "I...I'm sorry...I...I know" she hiccuped, "you don't like tears" she sniffed before crying into his chest again.
"No, no, don't apologize" he told her, feeling like a complete ass, "Please don't think that you ever need to hold something in or deal with it alone because of something I once said, I'm here for you, tears and all" he said gently, placing a kiss in her hair, "I'm not going anywhere baby, let it out, it's okay."
He continued to hold her as she cried, whispering soothing words and calming her with his touch until her body no longer shook with grief and the water had run cold.
He went to release her so that he could turn the shower off and grab their towels but she clung to him tightly in protest, "The waters cold Love, soon we're going to be freezing, we need to get out, okay" he reasoned with her as he ran his thumbs over her cheekbones.
She resigned, releasing him as he lifted her gently from his lap and stood to shut the water off before quickly jumping out to grab the towels he had brought in. He wrapped one tightly around Betty then shivered as he shed his wet boxers, throwing them into the sink and wrapped the other towel around his waist.
Once he had it secured he bent down lifting Betty out of the shower and carried her to his room. He seated her gently on the bed and rubbed his hands vigorously over her arms to warm her.
"Did you bring something warm to sleep in" he asked.
She shook her head a little and blushed, "My...um...the pajamas I brought were not exactly meant for warmth" she confessed, shyly biting the inside of her cheek.
FP couldn't help the way his stomach clenched a little at her admission, "Oh...no problem" he cleared his throat, "I'll get you something of mine" he said, going over to his dresser and coming back a minute later with a pair of sweats and a long sleeved cotton shirt for her and plaid pajama pants and a t-shirt for him.
He placed her clothes beside her and slipped the t-shirt over his head. Betty looked away timidly when he undid his towel and pulled his pajama pants on. She shouldn't be shy after everything they've done but the moment feels intimate somehow, not in the sex craze way they usually are but something deeper, domestic almost.
He uses the towel he had around his waist to gently dry her hair, looking her over as he does. He had noticed the bruises, of course, peeking out of the blanket that she had held tightly against herself and then again in the shower, he just hadn't had the time or the courage to pay them much attention yet but the bright light of his room highlighted the marks making them difficult to ignore.
He took her chin lightly, turning her face towards him so he could see her cheek. His jaw clenched as he studied the bruise that had formed there, he brushed his lips against it being careful not to hurt her, then tilted her head back to expose the smooth skin of her neck now painted with long purple stripes that you could tell were left by fingers. His hands trembled slightly as he slid them down her arms, he brought her hands up between them, his earlier rage awakening in his gut as he ran his thumbs over the dark bruises around her wrists, he brought each one to his lips, kissing them too before turning her hands over to reveal her palms.
His breath caught as he took in the deep angry wounds, "Jesus" he breathed out, as he blinked back the sting of tears, "I'm so sorry Lizzie, I should of protected you" he told her for the umpteenth time, guilt heavy in his voice as he folded her hands and kissed her fists.
"You did protect me FP" she insisted, "You're the reason he didn't..." she swallowed, not being able to say the words, "This isn't your fault FP, if anything it's mine for not listening to you when you tried to warn me about him, I can't even think about what would have happened if you weren't there" she shivered, which reminded FP that she was still sitting in just a towel.
"Shit, you must be freezing" he said, rubbing her arms again, "I'm going to go get some stuff for your hands, you get dressed and get under the covers okay" he kissed her forehead then left the room.
He came back a few minutes later with salve and bandages for her hands as well as the bottle of water and aspirin she had asked for earlier. Betty was sitting up against the headboard with the blankets pulled up to her chest, she smiled when he handed her the pills and water, "Thanks."
He returned her smile as he set upon fixing her hands. He finished a few minutes later, putting everything on the night stand before turning back to face her. He brushed her still damp hair behind her ear and kissed her softly, his lips leaving hers much too quickly, both wanting more but knowing the timing wasn't right.
"You need to get some rest" he stroked her cheek, "I'll see you in the morning alright" he told her, giving her another soft peck before standing up to leave, but Betty grabbed his hand.
"Wait!" she cried, sounding slightly panicked, "What do you mean? Where are you going?"
"I thought I'd sleep in the spare room, I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable after... after everything" he told her, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Please don't go, I want you to stay with me" her voice quivered as her eyes pleaded with him.
He's pretty sure he could never say no to her, especially when she looks at him with those big green doe eyes, but he needs to make sure she's one hundred percent okay with it.
"Are you sure?" he asked sitting on the edge of the bed, taking her hand between both of his, "Because I can sleep in the other room and still be just a call away if you needed anything" he assured her.
"No, I want you here with me, I don't want to be alone" she said quietly but with certainty.
"Okay" he nods, getting up and dropping a kiss to her temple before going to turn out the light.
FP crawled in next to her, lying on his back placing one arm behind his head. She's on her side facing away from him, her body barely touching his and he was trying to decide whether or not he should hold her when she makes the decision for him. .
"FP?"
"Hmm?"
"Can you...can you hold me?" she questioned timidly.
He answers her by rolling onto his side so he was facing her back, sliding one arm under her neck and curling it in front of her chest while he wrapped the other one around her waist; he pulled her gently until she was flush against him, his face resting against her hair.
"Is this better?" he asked, wanting to make sure she was comfortable.
"It's perfect" she sighed sleepily, holding onto his arms with her own.
"Goodnight Sunlight" his lips brushing her ear before leaving a ghost of a kiss on the skin just behind it.
She shivered, pushing herself as close as possible to him, "Goodnight FP"
He laid there listening to her breathing as his thumbs traced small circles on her body where he held her. When he was confident that she was peacefully and deeply asleep, he closed his eyes, allowing himself to relax further into the mattress as he kept her firmly against him, letting the stress of the past evening pull him into slumber.
FP was woken by soft cries as he felt Betty jump in his arms, "Lizzie?" he whispered, propping himself up on his elbow so he could see her face. She was still asleep but her body was reacting to something in her mind, her face was scrunched tightly and he could see her eyes moving rapidly behind her lids as small whimpers escaped her, her body jerking again as a quiet 'no' came from her lips.
He cupped her face, rubbing his thumb steadily along her cheek, "Lizzie wake up, you're dreaming, wake up baby" he eased.
She stirred, "FP?" she asked sleepily.
"Yeah, I'm here, your safe, it was just a dream" he assured her, rolling her into his chest when a sob shook her body.
He kissed her forehead and held her tightly, continuing to sooth her with tender shushes and words of comfort until she fell back into restless sleep, him falling close behind.
The next two nights followed in a similar pattern, FP holding her while she slept, calming her when she woke from nightmares. Between her recent stress, her injuries and the bad dreams, any sleep she did manage to get wasn't sound, so she had been sleeping a lot throughout the days as well, FP making sure he was never far away in case she needed him.
She had woke the first day only to eat a small amount before taking more aspirin and going back to bed for the remainder of the day. The next day was better, she had managed a couple meals, a shower and some quiet TV time, her head resting on his legs as he stroked her hair. A while later, when she had fallen asleep in his lap, he carried her to his bed, tucking her into his side before drifting off only to be woken again a few short hours later by her cries.
"Hey" he whispered, waking her from her torment once again, "It's okay, just another dream" he told her.
She wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him closer to her as she buried her head in his chest. They laid like that for a while, FP running his fingers up and down her back soothingly.
"Thank you" she said quietly against his shirt, "For being here, for being so great about everything, I know it has been hard on you too."
He put his hand on her cheek, tilting her head back so she was looking at him, "You don't have to thank me Lizzie, you're not a burden to me, I'm here because I want to be and because I care about you" his words genuine as he brushed his knuckles over her jawline. "But I'm worried about you, with everything that happened and now the nightmares, eventually they're going to burn you out, it isn't good for you" his concern evident as he brushed her hair away from her face, "And it scares me knowing that you'll soon be halfway across the world again, dealing with this all by yourself…I...I think you should talk to someone, like professionally, try to get some closure" he told her cautiously, not sure what she would think of the suggestion.
"I know" Betty sighed, "I know you're right, I've actually been thinking about that myself. I used to think that needing something like therapy, meant that you were weak, and I didn't want to be weak but I understand it now and I'm going to set something up with the school when I go back, they have a lot of resources, counselors and programs and stuff, for situations like this. I think it will be good to talk to someone, not only about this but about everything" she admitted, looking at the healing wounds on her palms.
"Did I ever tell you how brave you are" he asked, bringing her hands to his lips.
She blushed and shook her head, "I don't feel brave, some time's I feel like I'm barely holding on" she confessed, a lone tear trailing down her cheek.
FP brushed it away with his thumb, "You are so much stronger than you think you are, and I know someday you'll see that, and when you do, I have no doubt that the realization will make you even more confident and amazing" he smiled at her before lightly touching his lips to hers in a sweet kiss.
Betty's heart fluttered at his words, continually surprised by the warmhearted man that hides beneath all that broodiness and leather. So many people don't see beyond the persona he wears, beyond the darkness, the screw up, the criminal or the snake, all of which only make up a small part of who he is. Sure he can be rough and intimidating, even daunting or dangerous at times, which he had proven the other night, but he's also compassionate and loyal, loving yet fiercely protective and for some reason hes let her in, let her see the real FP that hardly anyone has the pleasure of knowing and what astounds her the most is that he wants her, exactly how she is, broken or not.
He had his hand on her face still, his forehead touching hers as she slid her hand up his arm, following the planes of muscle to his shoulder. She buried her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck, scratching lightly at his skin, he hummed and closed his eyes, enjoying the sensations she was causing.
Betty pulled him back to her, pressing her lips to his again, kissing him tenderly at first before adding more pressure, deepening the kiss as she slid her tongue over his lips. He opened for her, angling her head and holding her tight against him as they explored each others mouths. Her teeth nipped at his down lip and he groaned into her mouth before breaking their seal, leaving them both breathless.
"As much as I'm enjoying this and trust me, I am, we should stop" he told her, his voice unsteady, "You need to get more rest."
"That's the problem" she huffed, "I can't sleep because every time I close my eyes I can still feel him on my skin, the roughness of his hands, the feel of his mouth, and I need to erase that, to erase him, so I.…I don't want you to stop" she told him adamantly, "I want you to make me forget FP" she urged, bringing her mouth back to his.
"Elizabeth…" he said warily, holding back, "Don't take this wrong way because I want to, God I want to, but after everything that happened are you sure that's what you need, what you're ready for?" he asked, knowing that there's no way he'd be able to forgive himself if he brought her any sort of pain or discomfort.
"I'm sure" she nodded, "I need you...I need you to replace his touch with your own" she pleaded, her body already heating at the thought, "And I want you" she breathed, trailing kisses over his face and jaw, "Make love to me FP" she whispered in his ear, crumbling whatever resolve he had left.
A low growl escaped him as he grabbed her face between his hands, being mindful of her jaw before crushing their lips together. How the hell was he supposed to say no to that he thought kissing her passionately without restraint. She smiled against his mouth as she reached for his shirt, lifting it from his body, leaving him in just his boxers which he swiftly removed. Her clothes quickly followed his, their lips barely leaving one another as they shed their barriers.
She rolled so she was lying flat on her back, bringing him with her, her mouth growing greedier as they went. He ran a hand down her side to her thigh and back up to her hip, burning a trail across her skin. He slipped his thumb under the lace that rested upon her prominent hip bones, pulling the garment down her legs and off of her body. She opened for him as his fingers trailed back up her leg, eager for his touch. FP groaned when his hand reached her center, finding her more than ready for him. He reveled at the effect he had on her as he dragged his fingers through her slick folds, then gently pushed two inside of her. He swallowed her moan, pressing his arousal against her thigh, needing to feel some sort of friction.
The feel of him hard and hot on her skin made her gasp, "Please" she begged.
"Please what, Love?" he asked innocently, pumping his fingers in and out of her tight heat at a slow agonizing pace while his mouth teased her neck and shoulders.
"Please make love to me" she whimpered, her voice heavy with need.
She could feel his smirk against her throat as he made his way back to her lips, kissing her thoroughly. She whined at the loss when he pulled his fingers from her, making him chuckle as he slid his hands behind her to unclasp her bra, pulling the fabric from between them. He propped himself up on an elbow as he pulled back the covers, preparing to ravish the newly exposed flesh when he froze, a different kind of heat entering his eyes as he looked over her naked body.
"Jesus Christ!" he seethed, "I should have fucking killed him!" the fury evident in his gaze.
This was the first time since the assault that he had actually seen her completely bare and open, without the majority of her being covered. Her skin was littered with fingertip shaped bruises in shades of purple and yellow. They were around her breasts, along her sides, dark and prominent on her hips, it was like a visual road map of where his hands had been, making it very clear what she wanted to erase and the sight made his blood boil and his stomach churn with an increased hate for the man who did this to her.
He trailed his fingers gently over a particularly large bruise, it ran across her lower abdomen stretching almost from one hip to the other.
"It's from the desk" she said quietly, answering the question he was too afraid to ask.
He closed his eyes, releasing a breath, "I'm so sorry baby, I'm sorry that I wasn't there in time" his voice shaky as he apologized for what felt like the hundredth time, but he'd never stop apologizing as he would always carry some sort of guilt with what happened to her. He rested his forehead against her stomach for moment before delicately kissing the marks on her skin.
"Don't do that FP, don't make yourself a martyr, you were there for me then and more importantly, you're here now" she told him, running her fingers through his hair as he continued to kiss each bruise, as well as every inch of skin in between. Her eyes fluttered closed as he made his way around the sensitive flesh of her breasts, her nipples tightening in response. She mewled, biting her lip when his mouth settled over her peak, only staying for a second before moving on.
"I'm still sorry" he murmured against her breast bone.
Betty tugged gently on his hair, bringing him back up to her lips. She nipped at him, sucking his bottom lip into her mouth and biting down playfully before releasing it, "Enough apologies Jones" she said huskily, turning his head so she could place kisses along his jaw, "I believe you were going to make love to me" she reminded him as she ran her tongue along the shell of his ear making him shudder.
"I don't want to hurt you" he told her, his eyes still blown wide with want as his head, heart and body had an internal tug of war with each other.
She kissed him again, deeper this time as she shifted her body so that she was situated underneath him, spreading her legs so that he could settle in between them. He supported his body on his elbows careful not to put any weight on her as he held himself up. Her arms wrapped around his neck, one hand tracing circles on his upper back while the other played with the hair at the base of his neck. They kissed lazily, enjoying the feel of their mouths moving together in synchronicity.
She pulled him harder against her, delving her tongue deep into his mouth, swirling it with his. FP groaned and she could feel his dick twitch against her inner thigh, drawing her own moan from her. She moved her hips, brushing against him, aching to feel him.
"Shit Lizzie…." he hissed, "You can't, we shouldn't…" he uttered, quickly losing his trail of thought as she brushed herself against him again, "Fuuuuuck" he drawled out as he could feel her want slide against the tip of him.
"You have to stop that baby, I only have so much control" he growled between his teeth.
"I don't want to stop" she implored, "You won't hurt me, I promise, the bruises look much worse than they feel" she affirmed, arching her body, rubbing her chest against his and sighing at the sensation of his skin against her breasts, "I want you to lose control" she baited him, taking his earlobe into her mouth, pulling at it with her teeth as she ground her core against him again, "I want you to make me forget, I need you to make love…AHHH" she cried, cutting herself off and dropping her head back as he buried himself deep inside her with one swift thrust, his own moan ripping from his throat at the feel of her hot and wet wrapped around him.
He stilled, kissing her fervently while he let her adjust to his girth, it didn't take long and she was pushing and pulling against him, spurring him to move. He pulled himself almost all the way out of her before sliding slowly back in, cursing as he did, "You feel so fucking good Lizzie" he groaned.
"So do you" she sighed, wrapping her legs around him, keeping him close as they moved together unhurriedly, neither one of them wanting to rush their release, finding their rhythm easily as they moved together in unison.
This was different than anything they'd experienced together thus far. Normally it was frantic or desperate, and greedy with need, this time, however, it was slow and languid but still sexy as hell, and the pace didn't make it any less enjoyable, in fact, it was almost more intense Betty thought as she relished at the way he moved against her.
Their pants and moans intermingled as a sheen of sweat covering their bodies. She felt her stomach coil and her muscles flutter at the first signs of her building climax, she keened, her nails biting into his shoulder. She dropped her hand, holding onto his arm, she could feel his bicep tighten each time he moved within her, and it did something to her, the feel of the strength and motion under her palm arousing her further. She slid her hand down his forearm, grasping his wrist as he dropped his head to her breast, taking a nipple into his mouth.
She glanced down at him, his eyes meeting hers as he teased her sensitive bud, she bit her lip, watching as his abs flex above her with every roll of his body. She could see where they connected, their hips moving in sync, his cock sliding in and out of her, it was the most erotic fucking thing she's ever seen.
Her head fell back and she whined, thrusting her hips harder against his, "I'm…I'm close babe" she whispered, squeezing his wrist and holding tighter to his back to gain more leverage as she moved.
"Me too love" he groaned, moving from her breast to her mouth again.
He slid his hand into hers, bringing it up by her head and interlocking their fingers as he felt her muscles start to clench around him, "That's it darling" he urged against her mouth, squeezing her hand and quickening their pace as he felt her start to unwind.
She dropped away from his kiss, her mouth falling into an 'O', her eyes closing as the first waves of her orgasm hit, "Look at me Sunlight" he insisted, wanting to see her come undone.
She did as he asked, her eyes glassy with pleasure, the green of them glowing from the first colored rays of the sun streaming through the window. He could tell she wanted to lean back, to close them again but she held his gaze, biting down on her lip again. "You're so beautiful" he praised, her body starting to shake with release. He reached down, grabbing her thigh and lifting her leg higher, opening her up more to him as he drove himself deeper. She gasped and he felt her grip around him, her pupils blowing wide, breaking their gaze as his name tumbled more than once from her lips in loud moans. Watching her fall apart beneath him was the sexiest thing he'd ever seen and the sight coupled with the way her walls were spasming and working him, had him falling apart right along with her.
"Fucking hell Elizabeth" he groaned as he filled her, taking her mouth in a heated kiss as they rode out their highs.
Unable to hold himself up anymore, FP collapsed beside her, pulling her against him, both of them panting and boneless. "That was incredible" he muttered, kissing her forehead and brushing the damp tendrils from her cheek.
"Mmmhmm" she purred in agreement against his chest. Understatement of the year she mused, FP Jones definitely made love just as well as he fucked she smiled to herself.
"Thank you" she said tilting her head to him for a kiss.
"Happy to be of service" he said, grinning against her lips before kissing her senseless. Once he released her mouth, he tilted her head back further and hummed as he continued to leave kisses down her face, neck and shoulders. He latched onto her pulse point, sucking and soothing with his tongue.
"Stop" she giggled, "I'm all sweaty and gross" she cried, putting her hands on his chest lightly pushing him away.
"Mmm, not gross" he mumbled, licking the taste of her off his lips, "Sexy" he growled, trailing the tip of his tongue up the long column of her throat then sealing his mouth over hers again.
She thread her fingers into his hair as they kissed each other with sleepy adoration. FP pulling away first, brushing the tip of his nose against hers, "As much as I love your mouth and could spend hours here exploring it, it's time for you to rest" he told her, his statement further confirmed by the yawn she released.
She gave him one last soft peck before snuggling into him, still holding his one hand between them as she buried her face in his neck. He settled his cheek against her hair and his other arm around her, resting his palm between the dimples of her lower back, pulling her close.
"Good night FP" she exhaled, her voice sultry and satisfied.
He smiled, stroking her back and kissing the top of her head in response. It didn't take long before Betty was sound asleep against him; he continued to stroke her skin, her body shivering and leaning closer to him, reacting to his touch even in slumber.
He memorized her face as she slept, the curve of her nose, the bow of her lips, the small freckle on her chin, she was stunning and he wanted to imprint every line of her into his mind creating a painting he could bring to life anytime he wanted.
He had missed her immensely when she was gone but the intensity of it hadn't hit him until he had her here in his arms, his heart aching at the thought of her leaving again so soon, and for even longer this time. Not to mention that they had yet to discuss their relationship, or arrangement or whatever this was. The sex was amazing and he definitely wasn't complaining but he wanted more, he wanted to be able to call her his. He knew where he stood, what he felt, but he was still unsure about what Betty wanted or expected or if she felt anything deeper for him at all. He had thought he'd seen a flash of something in her eyes a few times; something that made him wonder if she didn't feel the same way but it was always gone so quickly he couldn't be sure he didn't imagine it.
It certainly wasn't enough to give him the confidence to profess his feelings to her yet but he wasn't sure how long he could keep them under wraps either, he had already bit his tongue when they had danced together, and when he had comforted her after the attack and then again just now when he had made love to her. Christ the words had almost spewed out of him at the hospital, right in front of Alice for God's sake, which he imagined would have went over really well.
He'd have to tell her eventually but for now, he was content to take whatever she would give him, not willing to ruin this thing that they had started. He held her close, inhaling the scent that was purely Betty, then sighed as he closed his eyes, his breath rustling her hair against his face.
"I love you Elizabeth" he whispered, needing to say the words out loud, if only for himself.
Then he fell asleep, tangled up in the woman he loved, warmth spreading through his chest as the first flakes of snow began to fall outside his window.
The sun is filling up the room,
And I can hear you dreaming.
Do you feel the way I do, right now?
I wish we would just give up,
'Cause the best part is falling.
Calling anything but love.
And I will make sure to keep my distance,
Say I love you when you're not listening,
How long, can we keep this up, up, up?
Please don't stand so close to me
I'm having trouble breathing.
I'm afraid of what you'll see, right now.
I'll give you everything I am,
All my broken heartbeats.
Until I know you'll understand.
And I will make sure to keep my distance,
Say I love you when you're not listening,
How long, can we keep this up, up, up?
And I keep waiting
For you to take me
And you keep waiting
To save what we had
So I'll make sure to keep my distance,
Say I love you when you're not listening,
How long, can we keep this up, up, up?
Make sure to keep my distance,
Say I love you when you're not listening,
How long, 'til we call this love, love, love?
~ Distance – Christina Perri
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