Chapter 10:

"Don't touch her, don't try to make her talk to you, don't put pressure on her of any kind. I swear if you so much…" This wasn't what he wanted, but his girlfriend had demanded that having a movie night with a friend was what she wanted. She just hadn't mentioned who she wanted to have this movie night with, and more particularly their gender.

"I assure you The Jackal's false intent towards The Original Blond One was a grave error of judgment that I humbly regret. The Jackal will never again try to bring undue suffering to Fair Lulu," he interrupted Dante while trying to keep a grasp on the all the bags overflowing from his arms. "The Jackal has scoured for information at best supporting rape victims." He hadn't actually said the big bad word out loud before and flinched as it came out of his mouth. "Fair Lulu's Protector has nothing to fear." He emphasized his point by making eye contact with the skeptical man. "Is The Original Blond One aware of the The Jackal's cowardly and misguided actions with The Valkyrie?"

"Yeah, she knows everything. She's the one that told me. You and Carly, just knowing what you were thinking about doing let alone what you've done really hurt her. You hurt Lulu and I don't want you here. You hardly deserve to know her let alone be the person she wants to hang out with. But this is what Lulu wanted and she deserves whatever she feel she needs even if that includes you." He took an intimidating step forward. "I'm not going to forget what you did, and I don't trust you. If you hurt her in any way ever again I'm not going to bother throwing you in jail for your never ending list of felonies. I'll just break every bone in your body myself."

"I will never hurt Lulu again," Spinelli spoke slowly in an odd moment of lucidity that almost took Dante back in shock.

"Alright then, Lulu is just down the hall," Dante pointed his thumb behind him before turning around and starting to walk in that direction. "What will you guys be watching?"

"Annie Hall."

"A romantic comedy? Doesn't seem like Lulu's type."

"On the contrary, The Jackal and The Original Blond One used to view this admittedly quirky film on many occasions. It's our 'go-to' if you will. It certainly isn't the clichéd romantic comedy."

"I'll have to see it some time."

"I'd invite you to join us…"

"No. That's not what Lulu wanted and I have some stuff to take care of anyway. But thanks, I think."

They interested the room and immediately Spinelli tripped his way until the couch unleashing the mound of chips he had been struggling to hold on to. "Spinelli! What did you do?" Lulu asked with a smile once she got the room. She had been smiling more everyday since Dante had first moved it. It had become a regular occurrence whenever he would walk into a room and drove her kneading thoughts away. It hadn't gone unnoticed by Dante either. The butterflies he carried for her in his abdomen fluttered every time.

"Kettle chips. Every flavor in the store with about four or five extra barbeque." That made Lulu smile too. She was actually excited for their night of gluttony and movie viewing. "Oh, and orange soda. Italian for the lady."

"Sounds perfect, Spinelli."

"Alright then," Dante spoke up and stuffed his hands into his front pockets. "I guess I'm going to go. Please call me if anything…just call me."

"Have fun with Lucky," she said smiling at him doing her best to maintain eye contact. "I promise we'll be fine."

"No worries, Detective." Spinelli was still sorting and separating the chips along the table.

"Alright." Dante reluctantly left with Lulu's eyes trailing behind him.

"So there is Maui Onion, Jalapeno, of course, an exponential amount of barbeque, Sea Salt and Black Pepper, Sea Salt and Vinegar, Spicy Thai, and Cheddar." Since he had came into the room he hadn't looked at her yet. He had been too busy fussing with the bags and organizing them to actually see her. She stood still and imagined her body was stone ignoring the slightly decreased aches and pains that still occupied her. Spinelli's focus went from the chips and directly to her eyes. She had expected fear, pity, and maybe for him to bumble his way back out the door. He just smiled without incident and motioned for her to take a seat. "Is the film…"

"Yeah, it's already in there. Just press play." The movie started and she watched him waiting for him to start watching her. He didn't let out a peep, but just sat down next to her on the couch without asking it was okay or being overly cautious. "How many times do you think we've watched this?"

"I think they stopped inventing numbers before reaching the proper amount." His voice trailed off and he abruptly paused the movie. "Fair Lulu, there is a long overdue conversation I fear is absolutely necessary…in order to establish a peaceful normality to our proceedings."

She braced herself still unwilling to answer most questions others had come up with. It was too easy to bask in the simple of their interaction, and the hope that maybe he would never react to her torn form started to dissipate. "Okay…" She couldn't hide her cautiousness as he cleared his throat.

"I hate that I tried to hurt you," he stated bluntly. "What Carly and I did was inexcusable. I'm truly sorry."

"It's okay, Spinelli."

"How is it okay? How could you even want me here after I plotted to destroy the man you love and hurt you in the process?"

"Because, no matter how hard you tried it wouldn't have been possible. You and Carly could have never done enough to break me and Dante, because we're real. It's not like Johnny. We're not together due to a long series of horrible situations. We're just together; because that's the way it's going to be. It's, we're real. In the end, knowing Carly, you both would have wound up hurting yourselves more than you could even get close to doing any real damage to us." She intertwined her own fingers together. "I guess, I just hold on to the fact that I don't think you could ever truly hate me, and that if you and Dante got to know each other you couldn't truly hate him either."

"I do admire his relentless protection of The Original Blond One. The Detective has proven he would stand by Fair Lulu through thick and thin."

"He has. He loves me."

Spinelli nodded in agreement. "May I ask, have you also forgiven The Valkyrie?"

"There are pretty big differences between you and Carly, Spinelli. I could easily forgive her if I wanted to badly enough, but I don't know if I could ever trust her again. She actually hated me. Hated me more than she hates Dante, and I can't just pretend that I don't feel it every time she's around."

"I'm sorry," he looked directly into her eyes and as instructed by the internet didn't take any notice of the bruises still along her face. He couldn't let himself take note of the bandage that poorly covered the long scar along her neck, and he continued to ignore the way she constantly fidgeted with herself. She was constantly doing and undoing her fingers, pulling at the sleeves of her sweater until they completely covered her hands, and scratched at her knees through her blue jeans. Looking at her fully aware of what had happen made him sick to his stomach, but his research made it clear to not show anything. He could be concerned and loving without making her dwell on the issue.

"I know you are, Spinelli." She smiled softly. "Start the movie." As Woody Allen continued on screen she started to feel at easy. As if she could replace this exact moment with any other time they sent together and everything would feel exactly the same. Her eyes began to get heavy and her head started to fall. She placed herself lightly on his shoulder and felt the same comfort at that moment that she would have in any other.

"What the hell is going on?" Dante burst into the room quietly, but the worry and anger still covering his voice.

"Fair Lulu is slumbering," Spinelli answered him simply. "I didn't want to wake her."

"Lulu…" Dante carefully rubbed Lulu's shoulder as if to avoid touching her at all. "Lulu, baby, wake up."

Her eyes slowly opened and adjusted focus. "What time is it?" She yawned. "Is the movie over?"

"Yeah. It's about 10pm. Why don't you go to bed?"

"No, I'm good. I'm sorry I slept through the movie, Spinelli. Want to try again?"

"Sorry, Fair Lulu, but sleep has begun to beckon me. I shall return home. Gracious thanks for a great night." Based on the glares beaming from Dante his welcome was very much over. He headed to the door waving goodbye before disappearing from sight completely.

"Are you okay? Did he do something to you?" Her concerned boyfriend panicked.

"I'm fine, Dante. I just fell asleep. It's no big deal."

"I'm sorry. It's just…that…" He was almost ashamed of himself for seeing it as such a big deal. All she did was lay her head on another man's shoulder.

"He didn't pressure me or anything. In fact, he didn't even ask or notice anything wrong with me. It was like nothing had happened." She smiled as she spoke. "It was nice to not dwell on it."

"I make you dwell on it?"

"No. You don't. You make me happy in spite of everything. Spinelli just made me feel like myself. I wasn't constantly aware of everything. I was just Lulu. I like that."

"If I ever make you feel…"

"Stop it," she interrupted him. "You're perfect. For me and with me."

"I'm glad you had a good night…even if you did sleep through it." He smiled reassuringly and she let out of meek laugh. "I'd tell you about hanging out with Lucky, but we were both sober the entire time so really there's no point."

"You can play pool without beer." She had told him this many times after the plans were made, even though she didn't entirely believe it herself. They were both rather fond of the proper beer.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Always."

"Do I make you feel safe?"

"Yes."

"So, Spinelli…?"

"It's different. With Spinelli I don't have to think about anything intimate. I couldn't be more platonic with Spinelli. But you, it's not that you don't make me feel safe, it's that touching you means so much more. And I know you would never hurt me, or pressure me, and that you respect me. I have never once doubted that or you." She struggled to breathe as she continued. "I'm just not ready to feel intimate. Just thinking about touching you feels intimate."

"I love you, you know," he said attempting to hide the rocky emotion in his voice. "I'll wait forever if we have to. I'd do anything to make sure you were happy and safe."

"It won't be forever."

Sneak Peak:
There's a fire...or two...or three

Author's Note:
Longest chapter yet. I hope you enjoyed it.
We're officially at the half way point in the story. Only 10 Chapters left.
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