The entire week after the holiday saw nearly continuous downpour of rain. It was weirdly contrasted by Christmas lights and tasteless fugly reindeer figures with even fuglier Santa Clauses. At the book store days were long and busy as people rushed in and out doing their shopping, and beyond working and seeing Elijah when she could, Loreena did not have much time to improve the matter of moving out. She hadn't talked about it with her parents either, not before she had found a place to live at any rate. Not to mention it felt wrong to drop this on them just before Christmas.

It was quiet in the house as well, because Dad left for a business trip two days after holidays, and Tony was mostly at Vera's. Elliot and Alice were busy building their own nest and Erwin went out almost every night (God knew where), and even when he stayed home he didn't speak of much else than some army stuff she and Mom hardly understood. Sometimes the reality would be harsh in reminding how different her world was compared to those of her family members.

Spending time with Mom wasn't unpleasant per say, and most of the nights were quiet and peaceful – she had finally dropped the matter of Dan and they actually had some good time watching soap operas. However time spend at home meant time away from Elijah, and if she went to a movie and a dinner with him, afterwards she would be so tired she'd head directly to bed.

All the same Loreena was at this time so busy she never saw it coming, and when the event occurred it took her completely by surprise.

It was the Saturday night and she had just got home from work. She was shaking her wet umbrella as she spotted Mom in the stairs leading to the second floor.

"Hi, Mom. Had a good day?" she asked and managed a tired smile.

"The wedding photos arrived today. And I was just talking to your aunt Layla on the phone", Mom said. Of course her tone should have alarmed her but Loreena was too busy thinking of taking a hot bath and calling to Elijah before going to bed.

"Oh, did those photos turn out nice?" she asked and shook off her coat.

"See for yourself. They're on that table over there", Mom said, standing still on the stairs.

Loreena left her bag and coat on a chair and headed for the table where she saw a bunch of pictures spread. The topmost caught her attention right away... it was herself, dancing with Elijah. She had not even noticed anyone taking pictures of them, and that was not a wonder – especially when one looked at the picture. Both of them seemed completely unaware of the world, and the way Elijah was looking at her in that photo...

She lifted up the photo and stared at it in silence. The photographer had made it look very artful, very romantic. The shadows and half-lights added to the atmosphere... and looking at it, she knew exactly what anyone would think of if they saw this picture.

"Loreena, are you in a relationship with that man?" Mom asked, bringing her back to the real world.

"I..." she started, but no more words came out. What could she say? "I guess so, yes."

"Layla told me Marie saw you two in the middle of a rather inappropriate scene. Don't you try to hide the truth!" Mom said sharply, stepping down several stairs.

"And what if I am in a relationship with him?" Loreena asked defiantly, refusing to turn away her gaze.

"I will not allow it. You have no business to horse around with him! He is an unruly good for nothing hooligan, probably a criminal as well. He's an antithesis of everything this family stands for, and I will not have more of such low class dirt on our doorstep!" Mom ranted, her eyes blazing with holy fury and her nostrils flaring; and each word she spoke stabbed at some deep corner of Loreena's heart. Tears threatened to fill her eyes but somehow she was able to fight them back. She would not cry, not now.

"Mom, it's not your place to tell me what I can or can't do. You have no right to make my choices for me! And it's none of your damn business if I am with Elijah or not!" she hissed, her anger growing to replace the hurt. "And least of all you have the right to insult the only person who has ever cared about me because of myself, and not because of my father's money!"

Her mother breathed in and out, cheeks pale and jaw setting into a tight shape. When she spoke, her voice was thin.

"Well", Mom said at length, "if that is what you think, then perhaps you should get out of my sight. No member of this family will have dealings with that crowd."

Loreena wavered on her heels, trying to take in what she had just been told. Her anger melted away and turned into a painful mixture of hurt, grief and disbelief. Her own mother...

She didn't know what got her moving. There was a sense of detachment, like a shock that numbs the pain of an injury. Her voice came as a hollow sound: "I'll just get my things then."

Mom didn't even move when she pushed past her in the stairs, nor did she try to take back what she had just said. The next minutes flashed by in a nonsensical sequence she barely remembered afterwards. There was a large bag, in which she tossed clothes and toiletries and other necessary things, and somehow the fresh young faces of her teen idols in posters made it seem like some surreal piece of up-building horror.

Loreena passed her mother in the stairs but they exchanged no words, and she certainly wouldn't look at the face of the woman who had birthed her. She moved faster now, because she didn't know how much longer she could hold back her tears, and in her hurry to get out she did toss on her coat and handbag but didn't remember to catch her umbrella.

It felt unreal to push close the door behind her. She had to stop at the porch and take several deep breaths before she could even think of moving... and when she did, reaching for her bag for her keys, she realised she had left them in her room. For a split second she considered going back to get them, but she decided against it. She would not be going back into this house, not as long as Mom did not welcome her there.

What kind of a mother are you, to throw out your only daughter?!

Loreena began to walk and her hand trembled so bad when she tried to find her phone that it slipped from her fingers couple of times before she finally caught it. Elijah's number was on speed dial, so she didn't have to try and see through the tears blurring her vision.

The number rang a couple of times before he answered; he sounded to be in a good cheer and certainly unsuspecting of her distress: "Hi, babe. Was waiting for your call. Had a good day?"

"... can you come and get me?" she stuttered into the speaker, painfully aware of how horrible she sounded.

The effect was immediate.

"Are you okay? Has something happened?" he asked worriedly.

"Mom threw me out. Can you please come and get me?" she practically whimpered now, and each word came only with a struggle. There was a brief silence at the other end of the line.

"I'm on my way."

She had nearly walked to the end of the lane when she heard the now familiar roar of a motorcycle. Elijah emerged from the grey darkness of the rainy night, his headlights blinding her for a second. At least the worst bout of crying had already passed, though that was not to say she felt any better.

He stopped his ride next to her and she caught a glimpse of his stony look before busying herself with the helmet he was offering her. He didn't ask her if she was okay – instead, he seemed to know presently she just wanted to get out of this rain. She mounted the motorcycle behind him, which act bore none of the awkwardness of the first time she had ridden with him. He gave some gas to the engine and it roared, as though in defiance of what her mother had just done.

Loreena did not register much of the ride, nor did she feel much concerned when she noted she had no idea of where he was taking her. It didn't matter, though – she only had trust for him and anywhere was better than rain. Be it as may, the nondescript suburb and the wholly ordinary house he stopped before at last were not really what she'd have expected. Her surprise must have shown on her face, because one corner of his mouth lifted in a humourless smile.

"My old man bought this place when Mom was expecting me", Elijah explained simply. In other situation she'd have had several questions and probably she would also have felt thrilled at finally seeing the place he lived in.

He lead her up the paved pathway to the front door and once he had unlocked the door, he ushered her in. The hallway was dark and she nearly stumbled on a pair of his biker's boots, but he caught her hand and steadied her.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to leave those there", he said apologetically and kicked the boots out of way.

Flipping on lights revealed a scarcely furnished hallway and a few doors, but she didn't make far beyond the threshold – she could be his girlfriend but she didn't want to appear as an intruder in his house.

"Damn, you look like you're freezing. Get out of that coat. I'll find you a towel", Elijah said, taking the lead without any difficulty. He disappeared into another room and she took off the wet coat, hoping the rain had not ruined it. Rainwater had seeped through it and she shivered in her moist clothes.

He returned then with a couple of towels – one he gently wrapped about her shoulders and the other he used to dry her hair himself. She pulled the towel tighter about herself and felt slowly warmth began to return to her limbs.

But when it did, Loreena also became very aware of the man before her. He was still concentrated on drying her hair, gently and carefully... the intent look on his face... he had yet to ask any questions. For the moment he was solely focused on taking care of her.

The towel dropped from her shoulders as she let go of its edges and reached to hug her boyfriend. He dropped his towel as well and returned her embrace. She tipped up her face to kiss him, and eagerly he responded. His mouth seemed to breathe life and warmth back into her, and she leaned in closer. Almost instinctively her cold fingers searched for his body's warmth, shivering against the heat glowing through his shirt, slipping into the backside pockets of his jeans...

That was the touch to bring in the downhill, because unwittingly she had taken a firm hold of him, and he groaned against her lips; his fingers were fast unbuckling the belt on her waist, then tugging the length of her long cashmere tunic. Her underwear were not the black and luscious things she had meant to wear for this occasion, but now she hardly even remembered it.

So clothes were abandoned in heaps on the floor, and perhaps it was the grey rain-light or maybe she was just riding some emotional high at this point where everything was heightened, but seeing and feeling the warm tattooed skin covering firm muscles seemed to be straight from her daydreams. Then she was enveloped in his smell which was all over the sheets, intensely warm against her still moist skin.

Oh, the feel of him! The salty taste of his skin, the low little sounds he'd make deep in his throat, the expert touch of his thick fingers... she wanted to lose herself in him, the way she never had with Dan, and never re-emerge, not unless she could somehow always carry him with her.

And if she had been thrown out that night or felt the stinging pain only one's family could bring, she soon did not know anymore; Elijah was the only thing that mattered, the only thing that existed, and there was no world or consequences or future. When she fell asleep that night she fully understood the notion of sacrificing one's life for the sake of a day's bliss.


A/N: Suddenly, an update! This has been on a hold for a while now, but I guess the holiday spirit still lingers and fed my muse the right stuff. In any case, I hope you liked this chapter.

As always, thank you for your support!