If These Walls Could Talk
Chapter 15/?
A 7th Heaven Fan Fic by Lucky Star and Jordan
~~Simon~~

A small whimper awoke me. Struggling to the surface of sleep, at first I wasn't sure what it was until it came again and instantly I was fully alert.

"Tory," I whispered. She lay huddled next to me, her face twisted into a grimace of pain, tears leaking from her squeezed-shut eyes. "Tory."

She gasped and her eyes flew open, darting wildly around the room; as soon as she saw my face she closed them again, panting.

"It's okay, honey, I'm here." I touched her hair. "It's okay, I'm here."

She looked at me then, and I thought she'd say something, smile at seeing me, maybe. Instead she rolled away and sat up, pressing the heels of her hands to her forehead.

"I'm sorry, Simon."

"Don't say you're sorry. There's nothing to be sorry about." I longed to go to her, to touch her shoulders, something. I couldn't put my finger on it but there was a distance there now, as if she thought she had made a mistake by getting as close as she had. "Are you okay?"

She nodded, wiping her cheeks with the backs of her fingers, yet she wasn't crying anymore. And she didn't look at me. "Yes. I'll be okay. I just need a shower or something."

"Are you sure you don't want to try sleeping some more?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Tory..." I bit my lip. "I said I wouldn't ask you what happened, but if you ever want to talk. I mean, if you ever..."

"I know." Her voice was soft, defeated. "I know, Simon." She stood and went to where her bag lay on the seat of the one chair in the motel room. "I'm going to take a shower. I'll redo my bandages when I get out. You can go back to sleep if you want to."

Right. I watched her go into the bathroom and close the door, then waited until I heard the water running. Still I waited another minute before I reached out and picked up the motel phone, squinting at the clock. It was almost nine o'clock in the morning.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Hello?"

"Mom? It's me, Simon."

"Simon! Oh my God, where are you?"

"Mom, Mom, I'm okay. I just wanted you to know that I'm completely okay."

"The police found the car at the bus station. Oh my God, I thought..."

"I know, Mom, and I'm sorry." I took a deep breath. "I don't really know how to explain it, but something happened to Victoria and she needed me to go with her."

"You didn't elope or something did you?"

"Mom! No, it's nothing like that."

"Well where are you?"

"I can't tell you."

"What?"

"I promised Victoria I wouldn't tell anyone."

"What's going on, Simon?"

"I don't know. She hasn't told me yet and I can't force her. I have to wait until she's ready but I know I need to get her home. I had to go with her though because she would have gone without me, and I couldn't let her go alone."

There was silence on the other end.

"Mom?"

She sighed. "I'm here. I just don't know what to say."

"Have Victoria's parents been looking for her?"

"Yes, her mother called looking for her just a little while ago. I told her I didn't know anything, but that you were gone too. That woman. I don't understand her. She sounded so calm and distant."

It was my turn to be silent.

"Simon?"

"Yeah Mom. Sorry. Um, I should probably go. I don't want Victoria to know I called you."

"Simon, you know you can tell your father and me anything."

"I know I can. But this isn't my thing to tell. It's Victoria's."

"Are you sure you can't get her to come home?"

"Not completely sure. But I hope so. As soon as possible. All I can say is that she needs help, and right now I'm all she's got."

I could tell she was crying but she tried to hide it. "Will you call me again soon and let me know you're still okay?"

"We'll be okay, but yes, I will. The next time I get a chance. I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, sweetheart."

I hung up.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Victoria took a long time in the shower, so long that I was almost ready to go in to make sure she was okay. Finally the water turned off, and a few minutes later she emerged, dressed, her hair dripping and tangled on her shoulders. I lost my breath at how beautiful she was despite the shadows under her eyes and the unhappy set of her mouth.

"Feel better?"

She nodded and went over to the table where the bag from the convenient store lay.

"Do you need me to redo your bandages?" I asked her.

"Sure."

I went about my work, wincing and the sight of her arms. They hadn't begun to heal yet, and I wondered how much they hurt.

"Maybe we should forget that crappy junk food I got." I kept my voice light. "We should find a restaurant and get a good, real breakfast."

"No, Simon, that stuff should be good enough for now. I..."

"What, Tory?"

She glanced away. "I don't want to stay here. I want to keep going."

"What? But Tory, we just got here."

"I know." She pulled away, and the set of her mouth was determined. "But I used my credit card and if my...if anyone is looking for us they'll be able to trace us. We have enough cash to keep going for awhile." She must have seen something in my face because her gaze dropped. "I know it's not fair of me to ask you to go. I never planned for you to go with me. I didn't plan anything, but I didn't mean for you to get stuck in this too."

"In this. What is this? I don't even know."

She lifted her head sharply, on guard like an animal who has heard the step of a hunter. "You said you wouldn't ask."

I could have kicked myself. "I know but..."

We stared at each other for what seemed like forever until my shoulders slumped a little and I nodded. "Okay. Where do you want to go?"

"I don't know. Anywhere."

"Okay. Let's go back to the bus station. We can eat on the way and then where ever we're going we can get a real meal and some real sleep."

"Do you want to take a shower?"

I imagined coming out of the bathroom and Victoria being gone, then felt a twinge of guilt at the thought. "Nah, I'm okay for now."

"Let's go then."

I followed her out the door. It was all I could do.