Gosh guys I am soooo sorry for not updating in FOREVER! I made varsity field hockey so basically that took over my life for 3 months. Ok now I'm back and I'm going to try my hardest to finish this story the way I had in mind.

...Tension...

She slammed the door in Stephen's face. She just wanted the police to hear her side of the story before they had a chance to hear Eric's. Quickly, she pulling on a pair of dark blue jeans with holes in the knees and a t-shirt with "Chicago: The Musical" written on it. She dried her hair with her towel as best as she could before she brushed it out and let it lay on her back. Lyddie sighed and turned around. She still felt tired. Looking across the room, she saw her backpack lying on her bed and remembered she had an extra bandage in it for her neck. Only she couldn't make her legs move. The distance across her room suddenly felt more like a few miles rather than a few feet.

"Why me?" she asked herself as she trudged across the room.

Every step she took felt like it had taken at least an hour. Finally, she reached her backpack. Carefully, she opened it and placed the new bandage around her tender neck. She kept thinking about her ideas about how to get Mort out of jail. It wouldn't be easy of course. In fact, she didn't even think she could do it. Stephen, she knew, wouldn't be very enthusiastic about the ideas either. She would be lucky if she could persuade him into taking her into town. She heard a knock at the door.

She opened it to see Stephen standing in her doorway.

"What?" Lyddie asked annoyed.

"Look I just don't want you getting hurt," Stephen said.

"Great..." Lyddie said not paying much attention to him.

"What's your problem?" Stephen asked starting to get a little upset, "I'm just trying to help."

"Yeah I know, but you don't seem to want to help me in the way I need help. I don't need a babysitter to watch over me." Lyddie answered and started heading for the stairs, but Stephen cut her off.

"Hey, I didn't ask for you to come here or to be put in this situation. And you know what? Maybe I don't even want to help you," Stephen looked down at her.

Lyddie looked at him with a hurt expression, "Fine...don't." And with that she pushed past him and walked down the stairs, Stephen following her. Lyddie opened the front door and tried to slam it in his face but he caught it and continued to follow her. She walked down the front lawn.

"Lyddie," Stephen said as he stood in the doorway. He put a hand to his head; he knew he had messed up big time.

Lyddie didn't look back. She didn't care any more if he wanted to help her or not. She could do it by herself.

Back at the house Stephen was feeling guilty. He knew he shouldn't have blown up at her like that. "Well I screwed up," he said to himself as he closed the door. He walked into the kitchen and poured himself some orange juice, then sat down at the table. He sat there, drinking his orange juice and thinking for half an hour. Abruptly, he stood up and without a word, took his keys and walked out the door.

Lyddie walked into town, the whole way talking to herself. She didn't know what she was going to do once she got to the station. She desperately wanted to tell them her story but at the same time it wasn't everyday she had to talk about Eric's attempted murder.

Lyddie made it into town quicker than she had before. Before she knew it she was walking herself into the police department.

"Ah, Miss Rainey," a man from behind the desk said as she came walking through the door.

Lyddie snapped out of her daze. She had forgotten where she was. "Yeah that's uh me," she answered as if she wasn't sure.

The man stood up. He was a great deal taller than Lyddie, and Lyddie looked up at him as he stood up. "We've been wondering when you would stop by. We need to ask you a few questions."

"Can I visit my dad first?" Lyddie asked.

"I...um...Lydia why don't you have a seat in my office?" the man put a hand on her shoulder and lead her back to his small office.

It was hot and stuffy in the small room. Lyddie decided it must have been a supply closet before it was turned into an office but she didn't really want to ask. All she cared about was talking to Mort. She sat down in an old brown chair opposite the small desk and starred at the tiny TV that was on mute.

"Lydia, obviously you know about your father's um...situation?" the man looked uneasy.

Lyddie shifted in her chair, she starred at the TV. Suddenly she realized she recognized someone on that screen. Could it really be?

"Turn the TV up!" Lyddie shouted and stood up, completely ignoring the man's question. The man looked at her and did as she said. Lyddie listened to the news report.

"In other news a man in Tashmore Lake is dead today. Eric Milner died in a car accident today off of Ship Road. Doctors say the man was intoxicated as he uncontrollable ran his car into a tree this morning..."

Lyddie didn't listen to the rest. She stood there in stunned silence.

"Oh my God..." the officer listened. He was just as stunned as Lyddie.

"Can I borrow your phone?" Lyddie asked as she put her hand to the receiver. He nodded and Lyddie quickly dialed Stephen's cell phone number. He answered and quickly she explained the situation to him.

"Are you serious?" he said after a moment.

"Yes! Totally!" Lyddie could feel tears of happiness filling her eyes and overflowing like waterfalls.

"I'll be there as soon as I can." Stephen said and hung up.

The officer was filling out papers hurriedly as Lyddie hung up. "Can I see my father now?" Lyddie asked hopefully.

"Sure," he replied and lead her back to the visiting room.

Lyddie couldn't wait to see him. She was so excited she could hardly sit on the metal folding chair. Mort entered the room. As soon as she saw him she jumped up and hugged him as tight as she could.

"I'm glad to see you too Lyddie," Mort said welcoming her embrace.

"You'll never believe it," Lyddie said, "Eric...he's dead! This morning...in a car crash...drunk...tree..." Lyddie was talking so fast Mort only caught bits and pieces of the story. Somehow he understood. "But I'm still worried Dad. I want to get you out of here so badly."

"I know, I know," Mort replied giving her another hug, "Look I promise this will be worked out. Everything's going to be ok. I promise."

An officer came into the room. "Miss Rainey? You have someone here to see you."

Lyddie broke away from Mort's hug, "Yeah, Dad, it will be ok. I know it." With one final smile she left the room.

Stephen was standing in the waiting room. Lyddie took a deep breath. She knew she had to apologize...

"I'm sorry," Stephen blurted out.

"Me too," Lyddie said starring at the ground. She walked over to him and gave him a quick hug, "I'll admit I was really out of control with this. I'm really glad you were there for me though. It helped."

They walked out of the police department. The sun shone down on the tiny city. "I'm glad nothing happened to you, and I really didn't mean it when I said I didn't want to help you and I didn't want you here. Actually, you've been nice to have around. So do you think you'll come back?" Stephen turned to face her.

Lyddie smiled, "Well...yes!" she said, "Only if—"

She was interrupted at that moment when Stephen leaned down and kissed her giving her all the reassurance she needed that everything would indeed be ok.

Well I hoped you guys liked this story. Thanks to all my readers/reviewers! I've got a new P.O.T.C fanfic in the works so check back for that! Happy reading!

Thanks again to my reviewers!!! I LOVE you all! Tell me what you thought...REVIEW!