"Sir, I need you to calm down," Elizabeth pleaded with her patient. He was holding her arm hard and twisting slightly. She was positive she'd have a bruise. Or multiple.

"Let go of me, now."

"I'm not taking that crap!" he said, knocking the pills out of her hand so hard they hit the wall about ten feet away. "It does no good!"

She felt his grip get tighter.

"Sir, painkillers will help you heal faster. If you don't heal at least to some degree, you won't be able to go home."

"You don't know ANYTHING!" he yelled.

She was able to slip her arm away from him and step back, hitting the emergency button on the wall for assistance.

"What was that?!!" he asked. "Why did you hit that button?!"

She walked further back; thankful he wasn't going to be coming after her. He had a severely broken leg and was in a cast from his toes to his hip.

He threw a cup at her, which she dodged. Then he picked up the Kleenex box and chucked it. Then he pushed his rolling tray so hard it tipped over.

Finally, after he ran out of things to throw, a security officer and a person from the Behavioral Escalation Support Team walked in. The Security officer came in first, to assess the situation.

"Nurse Thatcher?"

"Cam."

"You alright?" he asked, watching her rubbing her arm. "Do you need an x-ray?"

"No, I'll just have some bruises." The BEST rep went over to the patient and started talking to him quietly.

"Mr. Smythe, my name is Darrell Edger. I'm from the Behavioral Escalation Team here at Charlton Memorial."

"I didn't hurt her," Elizabeth heard him say.

"Sir, you cannot touch our staff. That is inappropriate."

"I don't want to take pills!"

"That is your choice but that doesn't give you the right to take away Nurse Thornton's choice. She didn't take this job to be abused."

"I barely touched her," he scoffed. "She's overreacting."

"Barely doesn't matter. Until you are released from the hospital, Nurse Thornton will be accompanied by another nurse and Cam here when conducting any sort of treatment. If you touch her again, we will restrain you and legal action will be explored."

He rolled his eyes and then shut them, crossing his arms.

"Do you understand?"

"Fine," he muttered, keeping his eyes closed.

The representative made notes in his tablet for a few moments and then walked over to Elizabeth.

"May I speak with you outside?" Darrell asked her.

She nodded and followed while Cam stayed by the door inside the room.

Elizabeth was usually pretty good with hiding her emotions at work. But right now, her eyes were threatening to overflow.

"Nurse Thornton, why don't we go sit down?"

"I just need a moment." She walked toward the women's rest area and pulled out her phone. She just wanted to hear Lucas' voice. It made her calm. Usually.

She hit the button next to his handsome face and it rang and rang, then went to voicemail. He was at work but she really wanted to talk to him.

"Come on, Lucas. Please…."

She tried one more time and then just let her tears come.

By the time she had pulled herself together, her eyes were red and swollen and her nose was running. She washed her face and dried it, hoping she could just hang out here until her pager went off.

Faith walked in though. "Beth? Oh wow. I heard what happened. Are you alright?"

"How did you hear?"

"You know how it is here. Gossip mills and all that." Faith hugged her as the tears came again.

"I want to talk to Lucas but he isn't picking up. I need him, Faith."

"Oh, sweetie. You love him."

"I do. Him and Aria." She just wanted his arms around her right now. She hugged her own waist and sighed. "I'll be alright."

"When is your shift over?"

Elizabeth looked at her phone. "An hour."

She nodded. "Think you'll make it an hour?"

"Of course." Elizabeth dried her face again and took a deep breath.

She made it that hour and then she headed home. She wished at times like this, she had a dog to come home to. Or even a cat. Something to relax her.

Her phone rang as she was making herself a banana split for dinner.

"Hello?" she said, hitting the button.

"Elizabeth? It's Lucas."

"Hi."

"I see you called me twice. I'm sorry, I was in a meeting."

She nodded but he couldn't see her.

"Elizabeth? What's wrong?"

"Um…I had a patient grab me today."

"What?! Are you alright?"

"Physically, there are some bruises. Emotionally, there are some bruises."

"Oh my goodness. I'm going to come over."

"I'm okay, Lucas. At the time, I wanted you with me."

"You don't anymore?" he teased.

"Of course I do, but you have Aria and I'm a grown woman."

"There's nothing wrong with needing someone, Elizabeth. No matter what age you are."

She didn't want to tell him she loved him over the phone.

"Elizabeth, I'll see if Laura can watch Aria and I'll come over."

"Alright."

"Hey, are you sure you're alright?"

"Yes. Thank you, Luke."

"You're welcome."

Lucas showed up about thirty minutes later with a pint of chocolate ice cream and two spoons.

"Hey." He walked in, set the ice cream on the floor and opened his arms.

He just held her for a minute, enjoying it and needing it almost as much as she did. His day hadn't included abuse but it had been a long one.

She reached up and touched his cheek, his soft beard tickling her palm. He leaned into her hand, closing his eyes.

"Elizabeth, I'm falling so hard here."

He touched his lips to hers and sighed. He was still a little scared but it was a good fear. Just a little overwhelming.

"Me too."

"I thought about you a lot today. My boss thought I was ignoring him."

"Don't get in trouble because of me," she whispered, returning his kiss.

"Look at you. You're so distracting."

"Stop," she said, smiling. "How long can you stay?"

"A while."

She picked up the ice cream and walked away, so he followed.

He noticed the ice cream and bananas on the counter. "Um, what was for dinner?"

"Nothing yet."

"Banana splits?"

She shrugged and put her mostly melted carton away, slightly embarrassed.

"Elizabeth."

"Lucas."

He held out his hand and pulled her close as soon as she took it. "Tell me."

"He grabbed me," she stated, rubbing her arm where his fingers had been.

Lucas softly raised her sleeve. "Oh wow. Honey…" He grabbed some ice from the freezer and a plastic bag.

"I'm okay."

He could clearly see a hand print. It hurt him to know that some man had put his hands on her.

"I wish I'd been there."

"I told him to calm down and to let go."

"Then what happened?"

"I prayed."

He held the ice to her arm. He knew likely the ice wouldn't do anything but it was his way of helping her.

"Then somehow I got away and pushed the button."

He pulled the ice away and pressed his lips to the bruises. She shivered but her arm felt hot from his touch.

She watched him kiss her arm tenderly. "I love you, Luke."

He looked up at her, locking eyes. "I love you too."

"You do?"

He chuckled, pulling her into his arms. "Are you surprised?"

"I just wondered…after the booster seat thing and the spa day thing."

He tipped her face up, tucking her hair behind her ear. "What did you wonder?"

"If maybe I was feeling this way and you weren't. Which would be fine, of course."

"When you said someone grabbed you, I knew. Before that, I felt so strongly about you but those words, knowing you could have been hurt more than you were…"

He kissed her forehead and nose and then her lips. "You're amazing and if I could stop anyone from ever hurting you again, I would."

She knew that. She was also aware that he knew things happened with patients. He had been through quarterly training at the hospital. This particular case was mild compared to others. She was lucky.

"I appreciate that…"

"But…"

"But you can't always be with me. We have the procedures in place to protect me."

"Yeah."

"Let's have some ice cream so you can go be with Aria."

"Okay."

…..

Over the new few weeks, they grew closer. Elizabeth helped Aria find a princess costume for Halloween and of course had to go trick-or-treating with her. Then November came and Lucas and Aria were going to be taking a trip to San Diego to visit Nana Helen and Clara's grave.

Elizabeth was at their house helping Aria pack, at her insistence.

"What about this one?" she asked, holding up yet another princessy type dress. The girl had loads of them.

"No. That's not the one." Aria sat on her bed, combing her fingers through her doll's hair and not even looking at the dresses.

Elizabeth sighed and sat down next to her. "Hey, Aria May. What's going on in your beautiful head?"

"I don't want to visit my Mommy's grave. Do you think Daddy will be angry?"

"No, of course not. Why don't you want to go?"

"I don't really remember her anymore. I think she used to brush my hair like this…but I'm not sure."

Elizabeth kissed her forehead. She didn't know what to say. "I think you should tell your dad that you don't want to."

"Are you sure he won't be upset?"

"About what?" he asked from the doorway.

"I'll let you talk," Elizabeth said, getting up to leave but Aria held her hand.

"Will you stay, Elizabeth?" Aria asked.

"Of course." She nodded, squeezing her hand, prompting her.

Lucas knelt in front of his daughter. "You can tell me anything, baby. You know that."

Aria pulled her knees up to her chin and buried her face, mumbling. "I don't want to go to Mommy's grave."

Lucas' eyes softened even more than usual. He got up higher on his knees and kissed her head. "Okay, sweetheart."

She lifted her head and looked at him. "You're not mad?"

"No, of course not. Why don't you want to go?"

"I don't remember her and I feel bad that you look so sad when we get there and that maybe its wrong that I'm not sad."

"Oh, Aria." He pulled her down onto his lap. She was seven and a half now and had such gangly legs and arms. She was going to be a tall one. "I understand. Its not wrong that you're not sad anymore. I'm not either. I was taking you there because I thought it might help you not be sad."

"Can we still go see Nana Helen?"

"Yep. We have our tickets. And I think we should ask if someone wants to go with us."

"Elizabeth?" Aria squealed.

"Yeah. So?" he said, looking at Elizabeth.

"You are leaving in two days. I'm working. I don't know if I can get time off on this short notice."

"Can you ask? Pleeeease?" Aria begged her, complete with a pout and puppy dog eyes.

"Yeah, Beth, pleeeease?" Lucas said, mimicking his daughter.

"Where would I stay?" she asked him.

"In one of my mom's guest rooms. She has three."

"Are you sure she wouldn't mind?"

"I already asked and she said she'd be delighted to have you."

Lucas got up on his knees again and kissed her. "I'd be delighted to have you there."

"I'll ask, but no promises."

"YAY!" Aria cheered.