A/N-okay, I didn't memorize the whole bathroom scene. When you see '…' that means we're skipping parts of the scene. I figure that Lisa herself wouldn't remember the whole thing herself anyway, at least not at a slow enough pace to reflect on all of it. I also kept the dialogue in the flashback down to a minimum. It didn't seem necessary to add, and at the time, I doubt that Lisa was focusing on what Jackson was saying as opposed to doing.

and… THANK YOU REVIEWERS! I've never had some much interest in one of my stories before! I'm psyched! I hope I can keep this good for all of you. If not, please don't hunt me down with torches and pitchforks…

Part Three-Memories

She opens the door. She thinks she's safe, that she'll make it. But he's there. Shock and terror grip her and she can't move, can't shut the door.

The mask from the airport in Texas is back on. He starts jokingly, "I was beginning to think that…"

It takes him roughly three seconds to observe, access, and finally react. He grabs her and shoves her back into the bathroom. She hears him click the lock. She's trapped.

'Again, Again,' the quiet panic begins in the back of her head, 'It's happening again…'

But her strength holds the memories back. She's still terrified, but from what's happening now, not what happened before…

…He's pushed her up against the other wall. Close. Too close. He's pressed up against her and she feels like she can't breathe. She can feel his breath on her face.

'It's just like last time, just like before…' the voice starts up again, wailing a little louder.

Tears are welling up behind her eyes again and she hates herself for it. She's cried too much in front of this man already and she's tired of it.

He threatens her father again, and he sounds exactly like he's giving her genuine advice, like he really wants to help her get out of this. But to her ears, the words are all that matter. She doesn't want to listen to him, but she can't risk not doing so. But her mind's busy, fighting to stay calm, which today means 'alive'…

…and then he finds the scar.

"Did someone do this to you?"

And then…

She shook her head. She can't do this, not now, not here. She's letting him win. She's letting all of them win. But…

"…thought you two were a couple or somethin'…"

She knows that the memories won't stop and before she plunges headfirst into the past, it occurs to her how weird it is to have a flashback within a flashback.

"Did someone do this to you?"

Helped by the fact that she was already reminded back at the airport when she changed clothes, the flashes return. But they're jumbled and in fast-forward.

The mall parking lot. Hot and bright out.

Grab from behind. Turn to see a familiar face shrouded in silhouette.

Air reeks of grease and mold and rot. Ground is rough and scratching her back bloody.

Blinded from the glint of the bright sun on the knife.

Pain, pain, pain… It's everywhere, all over…

But she knows that's in the past. And she knows that she doesn't want this new source of pain to know about the other.

So she lies and he knows that she does.

So he lifts her off her feet, hand around her throat. White spots explode in her vision. She's struggling to breathe and knows that she's failing.

But no, she can breathe just fine. She's not in the bathroom of flight 1019. She's not in the hot mall parking lot. She's safe, in an office at the Lux Atlantic.

But it's too much. The feelings and memories are too great and she can't keep them in anymore. She is stronger, she is so much stronger than she was. But even the strong can break now and then.

Lisa sat down in the nearest chair-Tod's, leaned on the desk with her head in her hands, and wept. She sobbed and cried, letting all of it out. She was alone for about ten minutes, crying her worries and terrors and angers out of her system.

The door to her left opened unexpectedly, but she barely noticed it.

Cynthia poked her smiling head in, about to ask if Lisa had swiped the book from Tod with success. Cynthia's face falls when she comes upon the scene. At first, she's shocked and panics a little. here was Lisa, her hero and best friend, and she was a wreck, weeping on Tod's empty desk. But then Cynthia's good sense kicked in. She shut the door behind her, and went over t Lisa, putting a firm (albeit manicured) hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Oh, honey…" she said quietly, trying to be comforting. She doesn't have to ask right away what's wrong, because she can assume enough. Lisa was pretty bad a while ago, after the thing with Keefe and that bastard Rippner. She'd obviously gotten better and had evolved into her new and improved self, but Cynthia wasn't surprised. She understood that some wounds never heal all the way.

"Shh, it's okay Lisa. It's going to be fine…" she soothes for th enext five minutes, until Lisa finds that her tears have finally ceased.

She sits up and Cynthia goes over to the green files cabinet to get the tissue box on top of it. Lisa cleans herself up and Cynthia finally asks what's wrong. Then everything comes tumbling out, starting with the carnations from yesterday. Lisa leaves out everything involving her scar and the rape. Cynthia doesn't know about either.

"Oh, Lisa," Cynthia said sympathetically, "Oh, you poor thing…" She adds with uncharacteristic viciousness, "That flower bastard… What kind of sicko would think of you like that?"

Lisa sighed heavily. Per usual, her want to please everyone and never ending empathy tells her the answer to Cynthia's question.

"Someone who can't know any better."

Cynthia paused. Lisa sounded so…defeated.

Lisa went on, "I mean…yeah, it's true. He never used any weapon on the plane. But…he didn't have to. I guess…O guess that would be hard to believe. And…and in the bathroom…"

She couldn't go on; her throat was tight and a new wave of tears was coming on. She shut her eyes to keep them away. She really did think for a minute that she was going to be sick.

Cynthia stroked Lisa's hair away form her face gently. "Oh, god… Oh, honey…"

And her friend's comfort helped give her strength. Her throat loosened and the tears went away. But Lisa still felt a little ill.

After a minute of silence, Cynthia said, "So, um, I guess you'll just go home. I'll cover for you…"

Lisa shook her head. "No. No, I'll be okay."

Cynthia looks at her with concerned skepticism.

"No, really," Lisa, assures, "It's just… Just been kind of bad lately, that's all."

Cynthia bit her lip. "Lisa, you don't have to stay…"

"Yes, I do," Lisa said with resolve, "I do, because… Because if I don't…" She gave a tight smile. "They'll win."

Lisa made it through the day without anymore breakdowns. Cynthia, ever the concerned friend, would check on her every few hours or so to make sure.

After work, just like nothing had ever happened this morning, they met up and went to The Blue Glass, the bar and grill a few blocks away. It wasn't run down and was populated by a good crowd, mostly the workers from all of the nearby hotels. Cynthia and Lisa had become regulars over the past few years.

Cynthia had a margarita, Lisa had a cosmo. Though she didn't like to admit it, Lisa thought that the cosmo seemed a little to exotic for her. But she had decided a while ago that it was better to not be so predictable.

Though Lisa very collected, Cynthia was still a little frantic about what had happened in the morning and what Lisa had told her.

"So, you really think that freak sent you the flowers?" Cynthia asked in a hushed but high-pitched voice.

Lisa sipped her cosmo before replying, "Well, I don't know for sure. He's on restrictions. He isn't allowed to contact anyone except his lawyer by mail, and all of the letters have to be approved before they're sent out."

Cynthia gave a tentative nod. "Okay… Well, that's good."

"Still, I'd like to know who's sending them," Lisa said, "I want to be sure, you know?"

Cynthia nodded approvingly. "Oh yeah, absolutely."

Lisa gave a small smile. "It's funny…"

Cynthia looked up. "What?"

"When I…when I first saw them… They…they made me so happy. Just for a minute. I mean, no one's ever sent me flowers before." She paused and her eyes went to the floor. "It felt nice… You know, to have someone notice me for once."

Cynthia felt sympathetic, but she also felt a pang of guilt. She herself had had a steady boyfriend, Chris, for three years now.

She found it a little hard to believe that someone as pretty as Lisa didn't have a boyfriend, especially considering her young age. She really thought that Lisa got stuff like flowers all the time. But then she remembered how Lisa had been before. She'd been distant from everyone, even attractive guys who seemed a little interested. Actually, now that Cynthia thought about it, those were the people Lisa seemed to stay away from the most… But Cynthia decided not to dwell on things like that. Her friend needed her right now.

"So what're you gonna do?" she asked.

Lisa paused and thought. "Well, I was going to call the florists and find out who was sending them, but…" She thought it better not to finish.

Cynthia frowned. "You should get that guy fired. Show up in person, talk manager-to-manager, stuff like that."

Lisa couldn't help but smile a little at the thought. "No, I don't want to cause trouble…"

Cynthia took a little more of her martini before replying, in atypical way: "Fuck it, just do it."

Lisa stared at Cynthia for a minute.

"What?"

"That was…uh…new."

Cynthia shrugged. "I cuss. Just not a lot."

Lisa smiled. "Okay, well, maybe I'll take your advice. But…first I'll call the other two stores first, just to check."

Cynthia gave a scowl. "Chicken."

Lisa decided that maybe Cynthia had had a little too much margarita for the night, but thought it better not to comment on it.

I've gotta say, this is really fun writing. Lisa's so great to write for. I don't like how a lot of people paint her as simply the damsel in distress. She's the heroine too, saving herself from her own fears and terrors.

Here's the fun part where I thank reviewers. w00t!

To everyone: This is incredible! I can't believe the response I'm getting! Thank you so much for all of your interest and support in this! I've never had more hits on a story before!

I'd to specifically comment to some of you. Please don't be offended if I don't put your name on here. I luv ya all the same. Have a Baybreeze, it'll help.

Bimefl-don't skip ahead of me! ;) hope that this story stays interesting for you!

Redhoodedninja-YES! No grammar mistakes! I'm very self-conscious about that. shrugs Hey, people around here think Jackson and Lisa are a couple. Not that hard to believe if you think about it. As to what role will play in this… I've gotta keep a secret :P

melodie-well…she did kind of hang up on him, right? Also I was in the awkward position that she had a cell phone, done a corded phone, which is much better for 'hanging up' action.

Jack E. Peace-if you love my story, why don't you marry it? lol, sorry. Danny Riley invaded my body for a minute there. You really wanna be my beta reader? that'd be super. e-mail me (it's on my profile page)

blackfpheonix-well, I figured she was too shocked at the suggestion to hang up right away. And, like I told melodie, I was in the awkward position of a cellphone hang-up, which is very non-confrontational…

thesupernugget-yes. Doughnuts of the Damned, as I call them. Good questions…but sadly, you'll have to wait and read on for answers…

trinity-matrix13-yes, yes he was a jerk. I think we all know someone like that. …who's such a badass, he works in a flower shoppe...