Dislaimer: I do not own JA or any of the characters.

Summary: It had been almost 2 weeks since Stu had attacked Amy in the David's house, worried that Stu might come back, David suggested that they leave Hartford for a short break.

Chapter 21: Everything But The Kitchen Sink

Maxine had just gotten off the phone with Amy. She called up to Lauren who came running down the stairs.

"Is mom coming home?" She asked excited

"Yes, but only to collect some things, she is going away for a while," Maxine hated the fact that Amy had left it to her to break the news to Lauren.

"But she's been away already," Her face fell.

"Yes but not properly, she was at work and stuff,"

"So when is she coming?" Lauren asked.

"She is leaving right now, so she should be here in about 15 minutes," Lauren smiled and ran back up to her room.

When David pulled up to the curb, he patted Amy's arm before she got out of the car. "I'll wait for you here, until you come get me, then I will carry your bags, ok?"

"Yes, I know, I promise I won't carry my bags." Amy smiled and climbed out of the car and ran up the path to the front door. She reached for the handle, but the door opened and she was attacked.... by her daughter. Who gave her a fierce hug.

"I thought you were too old to miss your mom!" Amy smiled as Lauren stepped back.

"Um, no, yeah.... well you have been away, and now you going away again!"

"I know noodle, it's just I have a lot to sort out, that's all," Lauren glanced around Amy.

"So.... who's in the car? Is that who you are going with?" Amy blushed,

"Um yeah, sort of. He's my ride."

"Yeah whatever mom!" Lauren smirked, "You tell yourself whatever you want!" She walked back into the house and up to her bedroom.

"Lauren?"

She stopped on the stairs and turned round, "What?"

"You know I am coming back, I'm not leaving you.... you know that don't you?"

"Yes mom, I know you just have some issues that you need to sort out!" She started back up the stairs and Amy sighed, before following.

Amy quickly stuffed her clothes in her case, trying desperately to ignore the pain in her wrist. Finally she pushed her case off the bed and it landed with a loud thud on the floor. Maxine came running into her room. "Amy are you.... oh, I thought you were hurt!" She smiled at her daughter.

"I'm fine ma, I just realised that clothes really do weigh a lot!" She puffed as she pushed the case upright.

"Are you gonna be alright carrying it, I mean with your wrist and all?"

"Yes, well actually, I'm sort of not carrying it, I have somebody to do that for me!" Amy blushed again.

"Amy.... are you sure you are doing the right thing, I mean taking him back...." Maxine said in horror, thinking that she was taking Stu back.

"No ma, I'm not going with Stu, I wouldn't even dream of it!" Amy moved past Maxine and went down the stairs.

"Well who are you going with?"

"You'll see in a minute...." Amy ran out the door and beckoned David over, he started up the path and when he reached her he went to kiss her, but she placed a finger on his lips. "Not yet, ok?" David nodded and followed her into the house. Maxine stood staring at him as he followed Amy up the stairs and moved to the side still gawping.

"Well hello there, nice to meet you." She held out her hand to David, who took it and shook it,

"Nice to meet you too, Amy never mentioned she had a sister." Amy rolled her eyes, as Maxine blushed.

"David this is my mother, and mom this is David." Maxine smiled at her daughter. Maybe for once she had met somebody who could really take care of her. Although she still felt it was too soon after Stu, but she knew if she said anything, Amy wouldn't listen anyway, so she stayed quiet.

"What have you got in here Amy.... are you bringing the house with you as well?" David struggled with her case, almost dropping it several times as he made his way to the car.

"Just clothes, and some shoes and...."

"I don't want to know," He threw her case into the back of his car, and opened the door for Amy.

Maxine watching from the window and smiled knowingly. Amy always landed on her feet, always. She turned away as Amy got into the car. She didn't need to watch this, she just hoped that David treated her well, and didn't break her daughters heart.

Amy sat in the passenger seat and tried to calm herself before David got into the car. But the excitement was too much for her. As soon as he sat down she grabbed his head and kissed him with all herself. They stayed together as though stuck in a time warp, until the lack of oxygen started to make them feel dizzy. Amy sat back in her seat with a look of satisfaction on her face. David didn't move at first, not quite back in reality yet.

"Um yeah, yeah lets go." He closed his door and turned the ignition, slowly he pulled away from the curb, he was trying desperately not to look at Amy, knowing that if he did he would not be able to drive anywhere. The fact that she was so close, yet he couldn't do anything sent a shiver up his spine, and when she reached out and put her hand on his knee, he thought he his head was going to explode. The car swerved slightly and Amy withdrew her hand. David reached over to turn the radio on, just as she did. Their hands brushed each other, their fingers interlocked and they sat in silence as he drove as fast as he could, within the limit.

"So where is Victor? He can't have been staying at a friends for all this time." Amy asked, desperate to start a conversation.

"He's, um at Kelly's mother's house." David retracted his hand and gripped the wheel. He was starting to feel guilty about what was going on. In Amy's chambers he had wanted to slow down. And now they were about to spend the weekend together. He was starting to become unsure of himself, but he also knew that Amy needed him, and he felt a deep understanding with that. He felt like he owed her something, he owed it to her to keep her safe, like he hadn't been able to with Kelly.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have said anything" Amy looked down into her lap, biting her lip. Wishing she hadn't brought it up.

"No it's fine, don't worry about it." David glanced over at Amy and saw that she was upset, he looked back at the road. The silence started to get to him and he reached for the radio and turned it on, glad to have something else to concentrate on.

After 4 hours of driving, David pulled into a rest stop, Amy was fast asleep and so he locked the car not wanting to disturb her and went alone to get some drinks.

While he was gone Amy woke up and stared around her. The radio was still on and she was confused, she had no idea where she was or where David was. She got out the car to stretch her legs, and after walking around the car a couple of times she headed for the rest room.

David returned, on seeing Amy gone he dropped the drinks and ran to the car. "Amy, Amy, where are you?" He tried the door, it was unlocked, he looked around and couldn't see anybody apart from a couple of kids. He began to panic, what if Stu had followed them, and what if while he had been gone he had gotten to her. He sat on the floor by Amy's door and put his head in his hands and cried.

Amy noticed the drinks on the floor, thinking David had been hurt she ran to the car, wild thoughts of Stu flashed through her mind. When she rounded the car, she saw David and almost laughed in relief, but when saw him crying, she calmed herself and knelt next to him.

"David?"

"Go away, she's gone and now I'm alone again. Leave me be!"

"David it's me! Who's gone David?" His sobbing caused him not to recognise her voice and so replied as though she was a stranger.

"Amy, Amy is gone!" He started shaking "She's gone, I left her alone, I promised I would never leave her and I did, and now she's gone!" Amy felt something rise inside herself at those words; she meant that much to him.

"David, listen to me" She placed a hand on his arm "David I'm here. I haven't gone anywhere." He looked up. Relief shot through his body and he threw his arms around her pulling her close and holding her so tightly that she couldn't breathe. "David, could.... could you loosen.... your hold.... I can't breathe!" He reached for her face and kissed her quickly, and then looked her over checking she was ok, before he spoke again.

"You're ok, you're really ok?"

"Yes, what did you think had happened?"

"I don't know, I thought maybe Stu had followed us and..... and maybe he...." He kissed her again "I'm sorry I left you in the car, it's just you were sleeping and you looked, so adorable, I just couldn't bear to wake you!" Amy smiled got up and put out her good hand.

"Come on, we better get going. I'll go rescue the drinks." She helped him up and then walked back to the drinks, while David started the car and drove to where she was standing. Amy got in and they continued on with their journey.