The bench at the police station was uncomfortable. It was smelly too but Loreena didn't really want to know what had been spilled over it. At least she was warm as she was still in the possession of Elijah's coat. She had curled up under it while she waited and dozed off on the bench. Why they were still keeping Elijah she wasn't sure, seeing she had already explained everything and the cops shouldn't have a reason to keep him under arrest.
"Miss Delaney", a voice called her to full awareness and she sat up straighter, blinking her eyes against the bright fluorescent lights. Before her stood none else than Thomas King.
"Mr King", she greeted him with some surprise. "What are you doing here?"
A slight smile appeared on his features.
"I got a call Elijah was arrested. I came here to see what is going on but these folks won't tell me anything... they said he'll be out soon, though", Mr King replied and gestured towards the seat beside her, "Mind if I sit with you for a bit?"
"Go ahead", she said, making room for him. He settled down beside her and considered her with eyes almost as dark as Elijah's.
"May I ask what happened?" he inquired gently. Briefly she explained the events leading to his nephew's arrest, and then proceeded to describe what had happened next.
"It was a mess, really. The moment cops arrived Dan started calling murder and other nonsense... they apparently thought Elijah had done something wrong and they took him in, and all the while Dan spewed this nonsense about being beaten up there in the parking lot. I tried to speak up and tell them it wasn't like that, but then my brother Elliot arrived... I don't suppose he made it any better when he called out to me and demanded to know what your nephew had done to me", she told him. There was a slight frown on Mr King's face as he listened to her.
"I'm not surprised it went this way. You see, law enforcement is not without its prejudices against us. Of course they'd take the situation the way they did... they're always more inclined to take the word of a gentleman like your ex-fiancé than listen to what a biker has to say", he said, shaking his head faintly. The irony in his voice when he said the word 'gentleman' was not lost to her.
"It wasn't until here at the station that anyone even listened to me. There wast his nice female officer who finally paid attention and asked for my version... it took some explaining but fortunately a couple of eyewitnesses confirmed that was how it went, and they told me they can release Elijah. I was just waiting for him here", she finished the story. Biting her lip, she glanced at the man beside her, "I'm really sorry about this, Mr King. I didn't want to get your nephew in trouble."
He waved his hand and smiled wryly.
"It's alright, Miss Delaney. In all honesty I'd have been surprised if nothing had happened... Elijah has talent for trouble like no one else I know. Sometimes he's even worse than his old man was", he said gently.
"So his folks aren't around anymore?" Loreena asked carefully, unsure if she should be prying for information this way. But at least Mr King didn't seem to think like she was being overly curious.
"No, not for a long time", he said solemnly and let out a small sigh. "Elijah takes a lot after his father. Seeing the man he has become I sometimes feel a bit like I got back my best friend. And Evey reminds me so much of their mother... they got killed when Elijah and Evey were just little kids. I took them in and raised them same as I did my own son Terry."
"I don't believe I had the honour of meeting him at the wedding", she said carefully, and Mr King cast her a bittersweet look.
"That's because he passed away a couple of years ago", he said quietly, and Loreena instantly wanted to punch herself for bringing up something like that.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry any painful memories", she said apologetically. She hadn't known any of this about Elijah's family.
Mr King gave her a consoling little smile, though he couldn't quite hide the grief in his eyes.
"It's fine, Miss Delaney. You didn't know. As for my sister's children, both of those kids grew up alright", he said calmly. He considered her thoughtfully, "I understand Elijah is pretty fond of you."
"As I am of him", she said, blushing slightly.
The conversation might have taken some awkward routes then, but it was disrupted by for officers escorting Elijah and Dan from what she guessed were the interrogation rooms. Both men looked sour, though perhaps Dan was more so; someone had patched up his nose but bloodstains were already dried on his shirt. As for the tall biker he walked as though he wasn't even aware of Dan's presence.
Loreena met Dan's eyes only very briefly. She looked at him and thought idly how she had meant to marry him, and yet now looking at him she could only see a stranger. The eye contact did not go on for long as he quickly turned away, and she concentrated rather on Elijah. As soon as the officer escorting him let go of his arm she hurried to meet him, throwing arms about his neck. He pulled her close and enveloped her against himself tightly... when she was there, she felt him letting out a soft sigh.
"Are you alright?" Loreena murmured softly.
"Yeah. I'm fine – just tired and pissed off. Everything's cleared out and I can go home", he replied quietly.
"I'm sorry it went this way", she told him regretfully, pulling back so that she could see his face. One corner of his mouth briefly lifted.
"I'm sorry too, but it's not your fault", Elijah replied. He cast a sharp look towards Dan, who began quickly to make way out of the station. He then saw his uncle and managed a weary little smile for the man. "You didn't have to come, Uncle."
"Of course I came. I was worried someone might have to bail you out", Mr King said good-humouredly. Loreena grinned at the two.
"I came here for the same reason", she said in an attempt to cheer them up and indeed, her words had them both chuckling.
"It is very late already. Can you get home?" Mr King asked his nephew when their laughter had fallen quiet.
"Yeah. I'll just walk to the hotel and get my ride", Elijah said, shrugging. Loreena bit her lip but said nothing, though she really didn't want to see him gone yet. To hell with Dan! She had had such high hopes for the night and the idiot had gone and ruined everything.
In quiet the made way outside. It was a cold night and she shivered under Elijah's coat, but the man himself looked unbothered, although he had but what little warmth his dress shirt would provide. Loreena glanced about and saw a motorcycle parked nearby and realised it could only be Mr King's. Indeed, it was easy to forget he was a biker too.
As they stood there under the lights of the police station the old biker reached to touch his nephew's shoulder. He smiled softly, "I'll see you tomorrow, son."
"Yeah. See you, Uncle", Elijah answered.
"Good night, Miss Delaney", Mr King said to Loreena, smiling again.
"And to you, Mr King", she replied. Without a further word he nodded at the two and strode for his bike, which started with a growl she was starting to recognise.
"If I ever got arrested for anything... I'm not sure either my mom or dad would come for me at the station", Loreena said softly, wrapping the coat tighter about herself.
"Except you're too smart to get yourself in such a mess", Elijah pointed out. He had apparently seen her shivering under the coat as he reached an arm about her shoulders and pulled her closer to himself.
"Mm. I don't know if I'm so smart really", she sighed and looked up at him with a slight frown. "Do you really have to go?"
"I guess so. It's really late and you should be heading home already", he said gently, though there was a brief shadow in his eyes that made her wonder if he was just as reluctant to see her go as she was to leave. Loreena bit her lip again and hesitated, which he noticed of course. Gently he touched her chin, "What is it, Loriel? What's on your mind?"
"I was just wondering... could you ride home with me?" she asked quietly, feeling somewhat pathetic for asking this. But maybe he saw something on her face then because his features softened and he moved the back of his fingers across her cheek in a caress.
"Of course", Elijah promised gently. "We'll have to take a taxi, though. I won't have you walk back to the hotel or make you ride in those clothes. You'll catch your death."
She was able to smile at him and pushed her hand into her purse to find her cellphone, which for once she found with moderately little effort.
Now that the night was more or less over she did not feel the way she usually did after celebrations. Standing here on the front of a police station and waiting for a taxi she was just cold and tired and slightly regretful. Even with the man standing beside her she couldn't muster real gladness. He didn't ask if she was cold – he just wrapped his arm about her shoulders again and pulled her closer to let her share his body heat.
"This wasn't at all how I hoped to finish this day", Elijah murmured, stroking gently her arm. "I wanted to take you some place nice... show you some of the prettier sights around here."
"It's okay. I don't think you did anything wrong", Loreena told him and looked up to meet his eyes. "For one, I'm pretty sure Dan will not be bothering me again."
He let out a small growl.
"If he knows what is good for him he won't", Elijah said darkly. She hemmed in agreement and rested her head against his shoulder. He held on to her a bit tighter, and that was how they remained until the taxi at last arrived and stopped before them on the side of the road.
Readily Elijah reached to open the door for her and with quiet thanks she climbed in, welcoming the warmth inside the car. He followed after and it looked like he took at least half the space of the backseat, what with his long legs and broad shoulders. Soon as they were both inside she leaned over to give the address to the driver, and as they rode down the street she heard Elijah grumble half-audibly to himself: "I hate cars."
Quietly she placed her hand on his, resting on the seat. Though he had been standing out in the cold his hand was warm and she idly thought the man must be a walking furnace. In the warmth of the car she soon started to feel sleepy, but she fought to stay awake. Who knew when she might see Elijah again?
So she looked up at him and murmured, "I should probably give back your coat."
"No, no. Keep it for now. I don't want you to get cold", he insisted. Then she could see that playful glint returning into his eyes, and he said, "Also gives me a reason to see you again when you return it."
She returned his smile and considered him quietly. He answered her gaze in silence.
"Despite all, I did have good time today", Loreena said then.
"Yeah. I did too", he said softly and reached to touch her cheek; his fingers whispered against her skin and she trembled in what she could only call anticipation. He first settled his hand on the side of her neck, but then moved it under her hair, which was now less than perfect to say the very least. And he leaned closer to her, so that she could feel his breath against the tender surface of her lips.
"This isn't really how I meant it to go... but I'll be damned if I let this day end without even kissing you", Elijah murmured gently grasping her head by the back of her neck. Then, as the need for him was turning into an ache, he crossed what small space remained there between them and he kissed her.
It was a slow caress at first, a tender meeting of lips that contrasted the rough rubbing of his beard on her skin. She moved closer to him and took support of his shoulders, and he pulled her tight against his chest... one hand slipping under the coat and exploring the bare skin of her neck. The touch made her moan and he took the opportunity of turning the kiss deeper, ensnaring her even closer... he still tasted of scotch but it was somehow richer delivered of his kiss, and for a brief moment she thought if she'd have to stop she'd die. Oh, had she known how he used his lips she'd have demanded for this the very night she had seen him at the parking lot!
But sadly the kiss had to end, or at least the driver thought so: "Oi! This ain't a motel, you know!"
Elijah let out a soft dissatisfied snort, making the air tremble between his and her lips, which were still only inches away.
"Got some sense of timing, he does", he muttered but even so, he pulled back his hand from under the coat. Still the look in his dark eyes was warm and soft in a way she hadn't seen before, and if there had ever been a moment she wished she could stop time, this was it. Driving in a taxi with him so late at night it would have been more correct to call it early morning was really the last place she'd have pictured on the morrow of Fran and Evelyn's wedding, and yet here she was.
He did smile then and brush gently an errant lock of hair from her face.
"Hold on to that thought, babe. I'm far from being done with you", he told her and she smiled as a reply.
"I'm glad to hear that", she said, allowing herself one more kiss, though it was small and brief this time. Was there anything better than a kiss on those lips and feeling the smile on them?
"Miss? We're here", the driver interrupted again and to her disappointment Loreena saw it was indeed so – they were at the end of the lane leading to her home. Quickly she dug through her purse to find some money, of which she handed over a sum that should cover the way here and Elijah's ride back to the hotel.
"Here. Please take him wherever he wants", she told the driver, who grunted what sounded like an affirmative response.
Though leaving the car was about the last thing she wanted to do, somehow she was able to get herself moving. Still and all she couldn't but linger at the door and cast oner more look at her biker. He gave her a comforting smile.
"Don't look so sad, Little Loriel. I promise this is not the last you see of me", he said warmly. "After all, you've got my coat."
She let out a small chuckle.
"Yeah. I'm going to hold on to it tightly", she informed him. He caught her hand and gave it a kiss before letting go.
"Get you gone, beautiful woman, before I grab you and refuse to return you to them", he said, lowering his voice into what might have sounded like a threatening growl to anyone else.
"You shouldn't say stuff like that", she scolded him. A half-smile touched his face and he gave her a gentle push.
"Good night, Loriel."
"Good night, Elijah."
A/N: Here's a new chapter for Monday! Hope you liked it, my dear readers. :)
You were right of course - cops didn't really have grounds for arresting Elijah, but I'd imagine they're indeed more inclined to listen to a "gentleman" like Dan rather than a biker. But as you can see soon as someone actually pays heed to Loreena, they find out how it really went.
Thanks for reading and reviewing!
Terry = Théodred
mh21 - Wow, I'm really flattered! It's tood to hear you like the story so much. :)
It was bit of a chaotic moment so the cops didn't have a clear idea of what was really going on. But now that's settled and Elijah walks free.
Beesaurs - Thank you! :)
Talia119 - As you can see, it was really just a misunderstanding, and Dan was going for what he perceived as an easy way to get revenge. Of course, in the end they find out it's all nonsense.
I'm not sure either Elijah or Loreena had really planned that far. They were really just going with the flow. But seeing the state of mind they both were before Dan's interruption it could easily have lead into something more.
Dreamless-sleep - Yes, you don't really see modern AUs with Éomer and Lothíriel. I think on I've seen entire two stories. Anyway I'm glad to hear you're enjoying the story so much! :)
I'm not sure about Aragorn yet and if he'll be making an appearance. Let me think about it!
1607hannah - She definitely knows no who Dan is now. Good for her. :) I guess he was invited before she and him broke up, and he came to the wedding precisely to try and convince her to return to him. But seeing how things have turned out I don't think he believes anymore he can get her back.
poser16 - Thank you for your review! I'm happy to hear you enjoy the story. :)
almythea - And here's a new chapter! I'm pretty sure the chapters of this story are not going to be very long, seeing as I'm not pursuing anything so ambitious with this as, for example, A Light that Endures.
