Sorry for the lateness of this chapter. But here it is, I hope you enjoy. As I promised in previous chapters, everything will be revealed soon, just not this chapter… Or at least not everything, or most things… Anyway, thank you for all the feedback and I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Chapter Fifty-Two
Jason paced back and forth, trying to contain the anger that raged and boiled within. An hour after arriving at his hotel room, and over half an hour since he cleaned Elizabeth's face, he finally gave into the weariness, his legs unhinged and he sat roughly on the edge of the bed. Hanging his head in his hands, he finally allowed his emotions to get the better of him. What started as a lone tear, soon became a flood.
His emotions rarely got the better of him, but never before had he had so much to lose. Elizabeth wasn't only going to be his wife, but she had become a greater part of his heart and mind, than anyone before her.
It was the small, soft hand grazing his cheek, that finally pulled him from his grief. The touch first startled him, but the softness and love that infused that touch, could be no one else's than that of Elizabeth.
He turned towards her, fearing what he might see on her face, but immensely relieved when he saw nothing but love and trust. It hurt his heart to see the dark stains on her face, the bruises seemed to be growing darker by the minute.
Before any words could be spoken, a knock sounded on the door, jarring both of them out of their thoughts. Jason felt the tremble of Elizabeth's hand on his cheek, a brief thought raced through his mind, he wondered if Elizabeth would always be scared of a simple knocking on the door or shadows in the night? It wasn't a pleasant thought, but one he hoped he could rectify by showering her with as much love and tenderness as humanly possible.
The person on the other side of the door didn't wait to be ushered in, he walked in, knowing full well that his presence was expected.
"Dr. Thompson, thank you for coming so quickly, I am just sorry to say we need your assistance once again." Jason said, looking very somber, his eyes still red from his tears.
"Nonsense, I too am sorry to see that you need my help, but I can't be sorry to be seeing Elizabeth again, she is a dear." David said, looking at Elizabeth, unable to hide his smile at her blush.
"Dr. Thompson, it is a pleasure to see you again, although, I have to admit, I would have preferred it to be under different circumstances." Elizabeth said, the blush slowly seeping from her cheeks.
"Shall we begin?" Dr. Thompson asked.
"The sooner you start, the sooner it will be done." Elizabeth said, slowly sitting up.
David moved towards the bed, setting his bag beside him as he sat down. He pulled the medicinal cream from his bag along with a cleansing agent and cotton balls. He gently swabbed the small cuts the graced her cheek, then applied a cream with a cortisone base, just enough to ease some of the pain. The bruise he could do much about, it had been awhile, so even an ice pack wouldn't be much help. It could take some of the swelling down, but not likely to do anything else.
With the worst of her injuries taken care of he continued with the rest of the exam. Checking to make sure she didn't have a concussion, with the beating her face took, he didn't want to take a chance.
"Elizabeth, I can prescribe you a painkiller if you like, mind you, with a bruise that size, it is going to hurt no matter what, but it can take the edge off of it." Dr. Thompson said.
"Umm, is there a pain medication that I can take while being pregnant?" Elizabeth asked, smiling in spite of the pain.
A smile flickered across his face before he said, "You're expecting? What in the world were you doing putting yourself in this situation! You're so lucky this is the worst you suffer, silly girl."
Elizabeth couldn't help the smile that formed on her lips. A father figure had been absent in her life for so long, and maybe because of that reason, she was finding herself drawn to the doctor and his calming demeanor. It hurt her heart to think that a man, who had done nothing more than tend to her wounds, felt more like a father than her own biological one. Tears formed in her eyes but with force of will, they did not spill.
"Don't worry David, Jason will make sure to remind me of that for a long time to come. Nevertheless, if a bruise is the worst I receive from this, then I think I can deal with that. Lucky is out of my life, for good now and hopefully, that cop who hit me, will never see the light of day again. And while I know my plan was stupid, I had to take back my life, Jason and I are starting a family, we are getting married. With Lucky hanging over us, we could never have been completely happy, or maybe, I couldn't have been, because living in that kind of terror, it would cast a dark cloud over everything." Elizabeth replied, hoping the sheen of her eyes would be mistaken as pain rather than unshed tears.
Jason couldn't handle standing on the other side of the room any longer, with three strides he was at the bed and sitting next to Elizabeth. He took her gently in his arms and kissed her forehead. "Crazy or not, it is over, our life begins anew now."
"You two better have a long life together, with very little troubles. The only thing I want to be seeing either of you for, is updates about your child and maybe you'll even remember the widowed doctor on holidays." David said, dropping a wink in their direction, his smile fatherly, his tone caring.
"I think I can handle that, but if you aren't careful, our kids may just end up calling you Grandpa!" Elizabeth exclaimed.
Laughter rang through the room, it was more a cleansing of the soul than anything. Proof that they had survived this gruesome tale and lived to love and be loved another day. For Dr. Thompson, it was relief that inspired his laughter and the warming of his heart at the idea of Elizabeth's children, calling him Grandpa.
The mood was light,, but the underlying emotion was still gratefulness and fear. The laughter did lighten some of the emotions but after what they had been through, it was only natural that it took some time to get past it all. Would they get past everything, possibly not, considering how many things could have gone wrong and did go wrong, but life was a precious thing and neither of them would take it for granted again… But wasn't that what everyone said until the next big thing happened in their lives, until something else needed there attention, that could possibly be life or death…
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Sonny refused to leave the house until Deacon McGregor was hauled away. If it wasn't for Alexis, he would have followed the police car to its final destination. But Alexis and her abilities at changing ones mind were honed to a razors edge, he no more could have won that tête-à-tête than he could have denied his increasing attraction.
This woman with her fiery spirit and dominating present had stolen his metaphorical heart and while he understood he was once again wading into dark and treacherous waters, he couldn't still the movements. He was helpless to her charms and when he thought long term thoughts, she seemed to be present in every one of them. Her radiant red hair flowing saucily behind her, her sharp eyes never letting him get the upper hand and the glorious feeling of her beneath… With a sharp intake of breath Sonny forcefully pulled himself from his daydream.
Looking in his lawyer's direction, he noticed she was staring at him, an interesting, bemused smile gracing her small, delicate lips.
"Something on your mind?" Sonny asked, his dimples making an appearance, lightening his hard edges, making him look almost at peace.
"You, I can't figure you out, one minute you seem to be all rough and gruff and the next, you come across all, dare I say it, sensitive and sweet, like now. Tonight had to have had more of an effect than you are letting on, but you seem to deal with it like, water off a ducks back. Don't get me wrong, I don't know you very well, but… is your life always so full of…excitement?" Alexis said, her cheeks flushing a moderate pink.
"I picked this life and sadly the people I bring into it, are more often than not unsafe, their lives are fraught with danger and a tediousness born of always looking over their shoulder and wondering who might die next. It isn't the way I like it, but it is the truth. But what I don't understand, us why you readily agreed to the terms of the job, why you decided to work for me, obviously you did a background check, so you must know what my life entails, so why?" Sonny asked, perplexity clearly written across his face.
"Perhaps some reasons are better left to the unknown, but just maybe, one day I will share the information you seek." Alexis replied, dropping a mysterious wink in his direction.
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Now that Jason and Elizabeth were finally alone, Jason asked the question that had been bugging him since they left the little cottage. "What did Lucky say to you?"
Elizabeth hadn't been prepared for that question, she knew at some point someone was going to want to know about that, but right now, she wanted to bask in Jason's love, not think about psycho's and their obsessive nature when it came to her. "How bout we save that for another night, I want to feel you in me, around me. Tonight has been long, we deserve something special to be taken from it."
"I know you don't want to talk about it, but we really do need to. Please, don't shut me out." Jason pleaded.
Tears formed in her eyes, threatening to fall, but with great will she refused to allow them. "You want to know, fine.." Her voice was filled with anger, but it wasn't directed at him. "He told me he loved me and that he was sorry."
Jason looked at her, never before had he thought she would lie to him, but something didn't feel right about her admission. "Elizabeth?" He said, his voice tinted with doubt.
Unable to stay sitting, Elizabeth jumped up from the bed, forgetting why she was lying down in the first place. The world wavered, blackness fought for control and as she began to lose her balance, she was caught once again in Jason's strong arms.
Jason resituated himself on the bed, with Elizabeth on his lap, "Please, tell me the truth." He pleaded.
The tears that had threatened to spill earlier, now fell, stealing her strength. She laid her head upon his chest and finally whispered, "He told me that even death would not save me from him, that he would find a way to get back to me and exact his revenge." She took a small, breath and continued, her voice wavering. "He promised that he would fight his way out of he!! to get back to me and to kill you!"
Jason wanted to say something, anything, but for the moment, his voice failed him. He knew what she said was the truth, but he couldn't understand how Lucky's statement could bother he so much. The man was dead, it was a false bravado, Lucky couldn't return from the dead… Instead of relying on his voice, he pulled her closer, his lips seeking hers. Within moments, the tears had dried, a small blush rising to her cheeks as their kiss changed from comforting to all encompassing.
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