Title: A Chance at happiness 27/?
Author: Christen (purplehaysc@netscape.net)
Disclaimer: these characters belong to once and again except any characters you don't recognize
Distribution: Take it, but let me know. If you have any of my other fics, go ahead.
Comments: email me all you comments and suggestions. This is my first once and again fan fic so any ideas or comments you have would be great. So please email me with them. J oh people I have been reading the reviews and the very least I can see if first OMG! I am so shocked I have gotten so many reviews and for those of you who were wondering since Jessie I now gay then I might try to play that in but I'm not sure. Oh and I'm bring in something that happened with the gay/straight alliance thing so bare with me..
Eli knocked on Grace's door.
"Leave me alone!" She screamed.
He leaned up against the door. "Grace, I'm not leaving until I talk to you."
"Well then you'll be here all night." She screamed.
"That's fine with me." He said sitting on the floor and leaning up against the door.
He heard her feet hitting the floor as she came to the door and opened it.
"If you're going to just sit there, you might as well come in." She said leaving the door open and walking over to her bed and lying down.
He came in and sat down next to her. "Are you ok?"
She laughed. "Just because I let you come in does not mean I'm going to let you talk."
"Ok." He said smiling and grabbed one of her books.
When she saw which one he had picked up, she freaked. "Give me that." She said got up and grabbed it from his hands.
"You must have really loved him, if you still hold that book so dear." He said frowning.
"Jessie doesn't know everything Eli. You does not know me. She never has." Grace said throwing the book in the trashcan.
"So then why did…" Eli started to ask.
"Because he was there. He was someone I could touch. I know it sounds stupid but some times when you cannot have what you want you settle for what you can. And I could have him. I knew that from the moment I started flirting with him. I knew where it was going to lead and he is right I did want it. Just not from him and not like that." She said sadly as the tears started to follow.
"Grace, I know you don't want to tell but what did he do?" He asked with a little hesitation.
"I know he'll do it again, Eli. If given the chance he will do it again and to another person, if I do not say anything. My silence could cause another innocent person to get hurt." She took a deep a breath. "Eli, he…. he…" She started to shake. "I can't do this. I cannot sit here and have you look at me when I tell you this. I can't stand the judgment." She got up and started to walk to the door.
He got up, walked towards her, and grabbed her arm.
"Don't touch me!" She screamed.
Eli jumped back shocked. "I'm sorry." He said.
When she saw how hurt he was, she started to cry and sink to the floor. "I'm so sorry. I should not have screamed you. I should not have gone to that room. I should have stopped him…." She was rocking back and forth now.
He went over to her, held on to her, and let her cry. "Grace, this isn't your fault. Please do not blame yourself. I cannot stand to watch you blame yourself. You are too sweet to deserve the hell he put you through."
She looked him in the eye. "But Eli, I knew he would do this. I knew he wanted it. I should have known better than to be alone with him that day."
"Grace, what did he do to you?" Eli asked again but this time not with hesitance.
"Eli, he raped me." She said and stated to cry harder.
At that moment, Eli felt tons of fury built up in side of him. This man had taken the girl he loved and made her in to a person, he could not even recognize. He hated him for it and he hated him self even more for not being there for her when this all started, not being a good enough friend for her to run to when she got sacred.
Jessie sat down next to Rick on the couch. Rick was still obviously nervous and shocked.
"Jessie, when did this happen?" Rick asked a little uncertain about what to say.
"It didn't just happen dad. It well… I don't really know how to explain it to you." She said herself too a little uncertain about what to say.
"Do you love Katie, Jessie?" He asked having trouble getting the words out.
"I don't know yet, but I do know that I like being with her. She… well she understands me and seems to really care about me and I haven't been able to find that anyone else."
"But what about Tad?"
She laughed. "Tad is a friend and I know sooner or later I'll have to tell him that but right now I'm not sure Katie and I or ready for the whole school to know about us yet. I wasn't even ready for you, Eli or mom to know about this yet."
"Why didn't you want us to know about the two of you? Were you sacred we would not be ok with it?"
"Are you ok with this?" She asked smiling.
"I'm shocked but I love you and I'll love you no matter what you do. That will never change."
"You promise?"
He smiled. "I promise, but you've got to promise me that if anything happens, you will tell me."
"I'm not so sure you want me to do that because you have no clue what happens in my life." She said smiling.
"Dad, can you please come back to the house. I need to talk to you." Grace said into the phone.
"Is everything all right?" Jake asked.
"Dad, please just come over here." Grace said putting the phone down.
She turned to Eli. "One down, two to go."
"You can do this, Grace. I know you." Eli said following her down stairs.
Rick, Jessie and Lily looked up when they heard both of them come down.
Jessie got up and walked over to Grace. "Grace, I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said."
"It's ok, Jessie, but can I please talk to my mom and Rick for a second alone?" She asked.
"Yeah sure." She said and started to head up to her room but stopped by Eli. "Can you forgive me?"
He hugged her. "I can always forgive you."
After Jessie left, Grace and Eli walked over to Lily and Rick. "Dad is on his way." Grace said.
"I guess we'll wait till then." Lily said nervously.