The next chapter, sorry it's been a month. Hope you enjoy it. Same disclaimer.
Chapter 53: Chi-Town morning 1
"I still can't believe that little thing is the "hot brunette" that has a 95 mile per hour slap shot and can pitch a 75 mile an hour fastball." I heard Jeff say before I walked back in the room. I stopped and listened just out of sight. "She's so tiny."
"You know better than to judge a book by its cover. Look at Krista." Tony said.
Wonder what he means by that. I thought.
"I think it's good for her. She's come out on top in two sports dominated by men and she doesn't take crap for it." Alyssa said.
"With brothers like hers I'm not surprised." Star answered.
How does she know about my brothers? I questioned.
"Brothers?" Jeff asked.
"She's got four of them." Star said.
"Is that where she learned her fastball?" Jeff asked.
"My 78 mile an hour fastball?" I asked reentering the room.
"Lizzy, how much did you hear?" Jeff said.
"Enough. Especially that you don't think I'm hot." I said pointing to Jeff.
"That's not what I meant." Jeff corrected.
"Then you do think she's hot?" Krista asked.
"I didn't say that either. I ..." Jeff sighed.
"Well what is it?" Krista asked as I sat back down in Dean's lap.
"I ... I was quoting Dean, he's the one that said she's hot. She is very pretty and I can't deny that, but you my dear are a goddess who's body I want to spend the rest of my life worshiping." He said gently, looking at Krista with pure love in his eyes.
"So the charm runs in the family?" I asked.
"Yes, but it doesn't always work." Tony said.
"Not in my house son." Mr. Portman said.
"I've already told you all, the only ones sharing a room this weekend are the ones already married. That goes for you as well Dean." Mrs. Portman said.
"But Alyssa and Mitch are sharing a room." Jeff said.
"They aren't going to do anything with Star and Tony on either side of their room. You boy have your own room far enough away that you could try. It's two days Jeff you can wait that long." Mrs. Portman said.
"And Dean and Lizzy?"
"I have spoken with your dad Lizzy, you two are in different rooms this weekend."
"Come on Mom, you know me. I'm not going to do anything. I love Lizzy and her brothers will kill me if I ever pressured her." Dean said. I laid my head back against his shoulder and closed my eyes slowing my breathing. I wanted to hear the argument but I was also very tired.
"Dean, I can't allow two 16 year olds to share a bedroom." Mrs. Portman said.
"Dean, maybe you should go put her to bed." Star said gently.
I felt Dean's gaze on me and then felt him sigh.
"Fine. You win. She'll get the guest room. You can't really blame me for wanting to protect her in a house full of strangers to her." Dean shifted me in his arms then stood and I felt him take me upstairs. When he put me down on a bed I looked up at him.
"I guess that means I can't drive your car?" I asked.
"I knew you weren't asleep. No, look I know you don't want to make my parents angry but they'll be ok with you and don't think my brother isn't sneaking into Krista's room. I know you don't want to break their trust but they'll never know. They're never up after 11:30. If they do catch you, you can always say you were going to the bathroom." Dean said. "I'll show you where it's at."
I yawned but stood and followed him.
"This is the bathroom and this is my room." He took me first to a door on the left side of the hallway then to one at the end of the hallway.
"Alright fine. You win. I'll see you in a bit. Hey where's my bag?" I asked.
"Downstairs, I'll be right back." Dean said.
I nodded and went to the guest room. When Dean came back he handed me my bag then left the room. After changing into Dean's Morgan Park jersey over a tank top and a pair of PJ pants I grabbed my teddy bear and then waited until the house went still. As soon as it did I crawled out of bed and made my way down the hall keeping to the left like Dean had told me so I would avoid the squeaky boards. I entered Dean's room and found him looking like he was asleep. I crept over to the bed and gently pressed down on it to see his eyes flutter open. He grinned and pulled back the covers and I smiled seeing him between his sheet and the comforter. I crawled under both then felt his arms slip around me.
"You made it." Dean smiled.
"You bet. I don't like it but I doubt I would have—" I yawned cutting myself off.
"Just sleep baby we can talk later." Dean said.
I nodded and curled into him quickly falling asleep but not before I felt him press a kiss to my forehead.
When I woke up next it was 5:30 in the morning and I couldn't get back to sleep. I laid there for a moment and sighed staring at the ceiling. Then I spent the next hour looking around the room, his arm across my waist one of the few things providing me comfort in such a strange house. I smiled when my eyes landed on his desk pictures of him and his siblings laughing and having a great time, a few team photos, and even one of me and him looking at each other not noticing the camera. Finally about an hour after I woke up I noticed the sun start to peak out from behind the clouds and wanted to catch the sunrise.
"Where are you going?" I heard Dean ask as I swung my feet out from under the covers.
"To catch the sunrise. I didn't mean to wake you."
"You want to see it from the back porch. It's the best view in all of Chicago." Dean said.
"Sure, thanks Dean." I said. He gave me directions on how to get to his back porch and I promised to come back as soon as it was over then I walked downstairs and out to the back porch. Halfway into the sunrise Mitch came out and handed me a glass of orange juice. I looked at it then up at the sky. I wasn't going to drink anything this guy handed me, I wasn't that stupid.
"Don't you like O. J.?" He asked.
"Sure I'm just not thirsty right now." I said. He shrugged and took the glass back then took a drink from it. That's when I realized there couldn't have been anything wrong with it if he was willing to drink from it. He shrugged again and went inside. I noticed he left the glass on the stairs next to me. I still didn't trust him but I wasn't about to waste free orange juice. I drank the glass and for some weird reason I felt sleepy and dizzy. I shook my head then got up and went back inside. Mitch was standing in the kitchen staring out the window. I put the glass in the sink and spoke. "I think I'm gonna go back to bed. I'm not feeling too great."
Mitch just nodded and I went towards the stairs. Everything got real fuzzy and felt like it was spinning. The minute I felt a hand on my back I tensed up but passed out cold.
Dean's PoV
Half an hour after Lizzy had gone to watch the sunrise she still hadn't come back and I was slightly worried. I could see the sun out my back window and knew she would have come back by now. Though part of my mind figured she had just gotten caught up talking to my mom most of my mind knew something was wrong. I crept out of my bed and down the hall to the guest bedroom next to Jeff's. There was no doubt he was in Krista's room. Sure enough there was my brother curled around his fiancée.
"Jeff, wake up." I hissed shaking him slightly.
"Go away before you wake Krista." Jeff answered.
"Too late, what's wrong Dean?" Krista asked.
"Something's wrong with Lizzy, I just know it." I said.
"And how do you just know this?" Jeff asked rolling over to look at me.
"Because I know Lizzy. She went down to the watch the sunrise but never came back upstairs."
"Maybe she got caught by Mom or Lissy. Maybe she's having breakfast." Jeff said ignoring how I knew she went to go watch the sunrise.
"No, Lizzy never breaks a promise."
"Alright go check the back porch and the kitchen I'll be down in a minute." Jeff said.
I nodded and rushed downstairs. The dining room and the kitchen were both empty so I searched the back porch and yard and came up empty there too. I walked back inside to see Jeff in the kitchen with my dad. "Nothing." I said.
"Dean, did you check her room?" Dad asked.
"Yes. I can't find her." I said frustrated.
"Jeff and I will check upstairs you look down here." Dad said. I nodded and searched the lower level. All the rooms were empty so I headed upstairs. Maybe she had gotten lost and had managed to find a small corner somewhere. "I'm starting to get that bad feeling son." Dad said when I came across them.
"You've checked all these rooms?" I asked.
"All but this one." Jeff said reaching for the final guest bedroom door. He took a deep breath then turned the handle but I could tell it was locked as it only turned a slight bit. "Locked." Jeff said.
"That's strange, that door shouldn't be locked." Dad said. He tried the handle but got the same result.
"Don't you have the key?"
"No."
"Move over." I said. They moved back and I kicked the door hard causing it to fly open. Then I spotted Mitch leaning over the bed. My eyes quickly took in the fact that my jersey and her pj pants were laying on the floor. Then my temper flared and my control snapped. I ran at Mitch then pulled him off throwing him across the room. I glanced back at Lizzy and saw that her eyes were closed. I looked back at Mitch and went after him. I slugged him a couple times and then Jeff and Dad pulled me off.
"Take care of Lizzy." Dad said.
"Dad," I started.
"Do it." Dad said. I knew that tone and knew I wasn't going to win. I walked over to my girlfriend and touched her face. I could tell she was breathing but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't wake her.
"Dad, she's not waking up." I said.
"Frank?" Mom asked.
"Jeff, get him out of my sight. In here Nora." Dad answered. Jeff dragged Mitch out of the room and Mom entered it.
"Oh god, what happened in here?" Mom asked.
"I don't know Nora. Dean, put a blanket over her. I think she's been drugged. Call the police and an ambulance." Dad said. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Mom look at me. I pulled the blanket over Lizzy and perched beside her.
"Mom? Dad?" I heard Tony in the doorway.
"Downstairs Tony. Find your brother and stay with him." Mom said. They both left the room and Dad came over.
"She'll be alright bud." Dad said gruffly. I nodded but didn't take my eyes off her. Suddenly Alyssa was beside me.
"Mitch was here, wasn't he?" She said softly.
"How do you know?" Dad asked. Lissy looked at me then stood and lead Dad out of the room. Soon there were EMTs next to me and one rushed me out of the way as they worked on Lizzy. I stood at the foot of the bed and watched, my arms over my chest. They loaded her on a backboard and put a different blanket over her then strapped her down. The scooped her up then took her out of the room.
"Wait which hospital are you taking her to?" I asked racing after them.
"Children's memorial." One answered from the bottom of the stairs.
"Can I go?" I asked.
"How old are you?"
"16."
"Sorry I can't allow it."
"I'll go Dean. The cops want your statement. I'll see you at the hospital." Dad said. Then they were gone. I turned to go back upstairs but was stopped by a detective.
"What's your name son?" He asked.
"Dean Portman. That girl, Lizzy, is my girlfriend. We're here for my brother's wedding. She got up about 6:30 to go watch the sunrise and about seven I got a bad feeling something was wrong. She promised she'd be back after the sun came up and she wasn't so I got my brother Jeff and then went down to check on her. She wasn't in the dining room or the kitchen or any of the rooms down here so I went back upstairs and came across my dad." I told them the rest of what happened and then sighed. "Is that all?"
"Do you have any of her contact information?" The detective asked.
I rambled off the only number I could remember. "It's either her dad's number, Robert, or her brother Matt's."
"Thank you for your cooperation we'll let you know when we have more." The cops left and Mom looked at me.
"Go get dressed Dean. You can go see her at the hospital." Mom said.
Then I saw Krista who had her arms wrapped around herself. I instantly felt bad. "Krista ..." I started.
"Go get dressed Dean. I've got her." Jeff said gently. "It's alright sweetheart. Lizzy's going to be just fine. Nothing is going to ruin tomorrow I promise."
I looked at Krista one last time then rushed upstairs. After I changed I grabbed my wallet and the cell phone off my nightstand then headed back down the stairs. I looked around for my keys but didn't see them anywhere. "Mom, where are my keys?" I called.
"You're not driving sweetheart."
"Mom," I protested.
"Dean, sweetheart I know you want to be there for her but I can't allow you to drive. You're in absolutely no state to drive. Tony will take you." Mom said.
"Fine let's go." I walked out the door. The minute he walked out the door I turned to Tony. "Give me my keys."
"I'll give them to you when we get to the ER." Tony said.
"Fine, get in the car and drive." I growled.
He nodded then climbed in the car. "That was quick. You never back down that easily."
I climbed into the car as well as I thought about it. "Her nickname is E.R." I said.
"Dean ..." Tony started.
"Just drive." I said flipping on the radio and turned it up loud. After what seemed like forever we were at the hospital and I found my dad talking to the nurse at the desk.
"I'm sorry sir but without parental consent I can't tell you anything even though she is staying with you this weekend." The nurse said.
I sighed but sat down in a padded chair to wait. When Tony sat down next to me I felt my phone buzz. I pulled it out and answered, "yeah?"
"Port? Dude why are you answering Lizzy's phone? Is she not awake yet?" Fulton asked over the line.
"I failed her. I was supposed to keep her safe but I couldn't even do that."
"Port, what are you talking about? She flip out on the flight?"
"Lizzy got up to watch the sunrise and we found her about half an hour ago on a guest bed. Mitch was ..."
"Did he touch her?"
"I don't think so at least not in the way you're suggesting. How could I have let her down?"
"Have you called her dad?"
"No. I didn't have his number."
"Dude, you have her phone. It's in there." Fulton said. "And it's Saturday so he should be at home."
"Alright. Did you call about the flight?"
"Yeah, how'd she do?"
"Good."
"It's not your fault, she'll be fine. How'd he get control of her?"
"He drugged her." I sighed.
"Call her dad and remember it's not your fault."
"Yeah thanks dude, I'll see you later." I hung up and searched through Lizzy's contacts until I found her home number. As it turns out I had given the police her dad's work cell phone number.
"Lizzy?" A male voice answered on the second ring.
"No, this is Dean Portman. Is this Mr. Jacobs?"
"It is. You're calling about what happened to Lizzy? And by that I take it she's not awake yet."
"How'd you know?"
"I got a call from the Chicago Police. I'm on my way to the airport right now. Dean this isn't your fault. You caught it in time and from what they told me you gave him quite the beating. We'll talk more when I get to Chicago."
"Yes sir." I said. He hung up and I lowered the phone to my lap. I stared at it wondering what to do next. I thought hard but couldn't come up with anything so I looked up. When I did I saw Lissy, Jeff, Tony, Star and Krista sitting in chairs.
"Are you ok Lissy?" Jeff asked.
"No." Lissy answered. When she didn't continue Star nudged her. "This isn't the first time he's drugged someone. I should have ..."
"There was nothing you could do." Tony said.
"Nothing she could do? She could've not brought him into our home." I snapped. "I knew he was no good but you never listen to me."
"Dean," Lissy started.
"No. You put her in this position."
"Enough." Dad growled. I frowned but shut up.
Two hours later I stood unable to bear the wait. That's when I saw her dad walk in.
Uh oh, is Lizzy's dad going to be angry? Would you like to see her brothers show up? Let me know your thoughts. Just type them in the box below. Thanks.