Save You

Gladys was pacing back and forth in the living room, like a caged lioness. Nervously scratching her arm, she turned to face Larry, whom looked calm. Even though he looked calm and reserved, he was just as nervous as she was. But he was doing his best to be strong for her.

"Larry…she hasn't come out of her room for days. I don't know what to do!"

"She'll come out of it. She just needs time…"

Ever since the incident, Lola had locked herself away in her room. She wouldn't see or speak to anyone.

Larry tried to comfort her, but he only found himself speaking to the door. Brendan wasn't sure what to do, he tried the door but it was always locked. Countless times, Gladys had tried to reach her, but it was to no avail. She came in by using her key, but Lola was in such a shell, that it didn't matter. She tried to talk to her, to hold her, but she just wouldn't respond at all. They were so worried.

Kate was having a hard time as well, but not as bad as her little sister. She too tried her luck at reaching her.

Kate went to Lola's bedroom door.

"Lola?"

There was no response

"Lola? It's me, Katie…"

Still nothing… Kate tried the door, but it was locked. Kate went to her parent's room and found the spare key. She came back and opened the door slowly. The room was dark, with the blinds closed. Lola's bed was untouched. She opened the door further and saw Lola. She was hunched over her desk, with her head down.

"Lola?"

She didn't move. Was she asleep? Katie edged in closer, until she noticed Lola's subtle breathing. She approached her almost silently, afraid how she would react to her presence. Lola's head was still down; her bangs covering her face and the rest of her medium length hair hanging over her back.

Kate was beside her now and she carefully placed her hand on Lola's shoulder.

"Talk to me…" she whispered, "please?"

There was silence. Kate was waiting for some sort of response.

"Please?"

There was a pause. Lola then slowly looked up at her. Her eyes were red with tears. Her messy hair brushed off her shoulders.

"I'm sorry…" said Lola

"For what?"

"I'm sorry I… couldn't save you…"

"Lola, there was nothing you could do…there was nothing either of us could do…"

Lola turned away and stared blankly into the wall ahead of her. She sighed and opened her mouth to speak.

"I hate feeling so helpless..." she began, "I wanted to do something…I should've fought…I should've…but I didn't…"

"Lola…"

"I was so scared…I couldn't move…and for one moment, I had no idea where I was…I…I blanked out…I don't know how long I was out of it…or what happened to us…in that period of time…"

Kate didn't respond to her. Lola looked towards her silent sister.

"Do you know?"

Kate began to tear up, remembering the fear she had at that moment as well. Lola grew wide-eyed, assuming the worst. Her lip began to quiver and her eyes began to swell with tears.

"No Lola…" said Katie, "he…didn't…."

Lola stopped for a moment, with escaping tears running down her face. Kate wasn't sure if that was a sign of relief, for she didn't seem to have any positive feedback. Lola then turned away from her. Her hands clutched into fists. Her anger was becoming evident.

"If I would've done something…then none of this…would've happened to us!"

Her rage turned to tears. She caved in and sobbed into her own arms. Despite what her sister told her, Lola was still angry with herself. Kate got down and kneeled on the floor. She too had wished to have reacted differently, to have taken some sort of action rather than just stay dumbfounded like a deer in the headlights.

"Lola, it's ok, we're ok now," she said fighting back the tears, "he's been arrested, and he'll never hurt us again. You don't have to worry..."

Lola didn't stop crying.

"Lola, you can't feel sorry for yourself. If you lock yourself up here…you let him win. You have to move on with your life. One tragedy is not going to be the end of you. You have to keep on living…"

Lola looked towards her sister. Kate too began to lose her battle with her tears. Lola held on to her sister, Kate hugged her back. They both cried together.

Outside the room, Gladys looked upon them. She wanted to join them, and cry with them. But she decided not to. For in that one moment, she finally saw her two daughters getting along.

They were truly sisters now

"Hello? Mom?" said Lola as she came into the front door. It was late in the afternoon the next day, and Lola was there to pick up her twins.

"Lola?" came a voice from inside

Lola recognized the voice and rushed into the house

"Kate!"

They both embraced each other. Kate had turned into quite the woman, almost an exact replica of their mother.

"Oh my gosh! It's so good to see you!"

"I've missed you!"

"I've missed you more, lil sis!"

"When did you get here?"

"This morning. I came to surprise mom, but apparently I got the surprise,"

"Wow, so how are things?"

"Everything is pretty good. The show is getting some great reviews. Check it out…" Kate pulled out a newspaper clipping from a purse on the coffee table. It read, ''Mamma Mia' what a show!' On the photo was Kate in her role as 'Sophie'.

"It says that 'newcomer Kate Rabbit was an overnight sensation. The show is worth to see this young actress's dazzling performance!'"

They squealed together in delight.

"Oh my gosh! That's so awesome! Congratulations!"

"Thank you thank you…" she bowed

The laughed some more

"So…how's the family?"

"Desmond had some business to deal with; so only Mindy and I came. She's downstairs with the dad and the twins. Oh my goodness Lola, they got so big!"

"Thanks," Lola smiled, "what are they doing downstairs?"

"Oh…Dad's giving them karate lessons…."

Lola climbed down the steps into the basement. She found her father's make-shift gym, very similar to the gym they had in Colorado. She walked through the doors, and saw him there.

He was practicing his tae kwan do when he noticed Lola there. He stopped what he was doing, and let her approach him. She was slowly coming out of her shell, trying to regain her confidence. And this, was an important step.

Lola had her hands clutched to her sides. She looked directly at her father; an exact reflection of her father's stern gaze.

"Dad…I want to learn self-defense…"

Her voice was serious, emotionless, and unfazed.

"I don't want to experience the feeling of helplessness again…I wanted to stop it. I wanted to save Kate…but I couldn't. I couldn't rescue her…I couldn't rescue myself. I hate being weak…I don't want to be the damsel in distress... not ever. Please? Can you teach me?"

He looked at her sternly. He studied her face, he could see how dead serious she was. She no longer had that eager, childish demeanor and that want to just fight and show off.

"Very well…" he said, "but…"

He approached her, and put his hands on her shoulders.

"You said something that was untrue. You are not weak. You're brave, kiddo. You had the guts to stay with your sister when others would've have been paralyzed, you had the guts to come out of your shell when others would have remained there forever, and you had the guts… to tell me what you wanted. You're a strong, gutsy young lady and don't let anyone tell you otherwise,"

He embraced her. Lola hugged him back, with a tear escaping from her eye. When they pulled away, Larry wiped her tear away.

"When we're through, you'll be the damsel in dominance!"

Lola let out a small smile. That smile was of great relief…for them both.

And thus, that was how it began. Larry trained her in all the forms of martial arts that he knew. Gladys wasn't to sure about all of this, but she didn't do anything to stop her. After a year or so of training in the basement, Lola was soon mastering all the styles.

On one particular day…

They were in a sparring match. Lola blocked her father's punch. He struck again, and she dodged. She retaliated by throwing her own punches. Lola tried to do a roundhouse kick, but he caught her foot. He flipped her over, and she crashed onto the mat. Larry was the victor. All though she was good, she wasn't good enough to beat her dad.

"Good match," he said extending his hand towards her. She took it and he pulled her up to her feet.

"You've gotten really good,"

"Thanks Dad,"

"Now remember, you must only use karate…"

"In self defense…I know,"

"Just checking," he said punching her lightly on the shoulder

"The best fighter knows when to fight. Fighting for the shear pleasure of it is dishonorable. One must only use it to defend others, or defend oneself."

They stood across from each other and bowed towards each other. They then walked towards the door to go back upstairs. He put his arm around her shoulder.

"Lola, never take the first punch…But don't ever let them push you around."

"Ok dad, I'll remember…"

"Gah! He pushed me!"

"What kind of a move is that?"

Lola and Kate walked downstairs into the basement and found Larry and the kids practicing karate.

Tanya and Sean were in a match. They both seamed about even. Mindy and Larry were watching on the sidelines. Lola and Katie waved, but only they noticed, for the twins were still preoccupied. Lola observed them both, she chuckled a bit at the unconventional moves they were using.

Sean tried to use his karate chop, but Tanya stomped on his foot.

"Ow!" he yelped

She then pushed him to the ground.

"Hey! That's not karate…"

Tanya just ignored him and just blew a raspberry at him. Sean retailiated by swoop kicking her, she crashed to the mat on her back. That's when they noticed their mother there.

"Oh…hi mom…" they said

They got up to their feet and bowed to her, she bowed in response.

"How's the lessons?" she asked

"OK," said Sean, "we learned some cool moves. But some of us don't catch on quickly…" he said motioning in his sister's direction

"Yeah I wonder who…" said Tanya sarcastically

"With these kids of yours," said Larry, "it's in one ear and out the other."

The twins cracked a nervous smile

"Oh!" said Sean getting a bright idea, "mom! Will you fight grandpa?!"

"No…" said Lola in a slight chuckle

"And why not?" said Larry

"Cause…"

"Are you afraid that I'd win?"

"No…I just don't want to hurt you…" she said in a serious tone

"Yeah right…"

"Aw please mom!" said the twins

She looked at the eager look on her kids faces; then towards her dad.

"Nope, first rule, only use karate in self defense,"

"It's just a spar, no harm no foul?" begged Sean

"C'mon Lo," said Kate, "it'll be a piece of cake."

Larry gave an approving nod. Lola rolled her eyes then sighed. She kicked off her shoes and went to the center of the mat.

"Awesome!" said the kids

Larry approached her

"I'm not going to go easy on you," he said getting into fighting stance

Lola smirked, she too got into fighting stance

"Hey Kate…" said Lola, "we're gonna get our inheritance today…"

"Ha…ha…" said Larry

"Round one…" said Kate, " fight!"

Larry lunged first, but Lola dodged. Lola threw punches, but Larry blocked them all. He countered with punches of his own, but Lola dodged them all. She kicked him then grabbed his arm and threw him over her shoulder. Larry, however, was able to land on his feet and swoop kick her. She rolled to the ground, but jumped back up and followed up with a high kick. Larry staggered a bit backwards but then he retaliated with a sumo punch. Lola blocked it head on. She grabbed his arm, and twisted him around; causing him to crash to the ground. That was the end of the match.

"Wow!" said the twins

"Do my eyes deceive me? Has the student defeated the master?" said Kate in a mock amazement

"Cool moves Auntie," said Mindy

Lola extended her hand to her father. He took it and she helped him up.

"Wow Lola," he said trying to catch his breath

"Sorry…" she said

"You should be…trying to kill your ol' man…"

"Hey, you asked for it!"

He jokingly grabbed her in a headlock and ruffed up her hair.

"I'm proud of you kiddo,"

"Proud that I kicked your butt?"

"Well...I wouldn't put that way..."

"It looked that way to me..."

"I'm proud of the fact...that...you've improved your skills...and..."

"Dad..."

"What?"

"I kicked your butt..."

"Yeah I know...don't rub it in..."

The family laughed.

"My little girl...no one would ever mistake you for a damsel in distress,"