[PB&J] {KK''}

[*Panda]

Emmarisa Carlington

Lonely is just one word,
Chosen to represent so much.
To tell of feelings inside,
That the senses cannot touch.

[/size]

Dark was settling quickly on the area, and the surrounding darkness only furthered Emma's exhaustion. The pains in her stomach had ebbed a good bit as she had driven down the road. Cool air had eased them, it seemed. 'We'll bury the castle. Bury the castle.' the song stemmed from a white CD, burned years ago and an odd combination of pop punk, rock, and mainstream titles. The love of dance and "rocking out" was second to the desire to lay down for the day. It was still relatively early in the night, and though normally a night owl of sorts, she found herself to be subcumming to drowsiness. Once again opening her window, the warm night air aided in keeping her awake. The town was full of winding roads, with quaint houses and other establishments. Of course, the inner workings of the area were a bit more crowded. Not that Emma would mind. She had spent the majority of her young life in back alleyways of the city. The drive to the apartments, while she didn't know the exact distance, hadn't been too long; but the spaced out layout of the town made it seem longer. Shifting behind the wheel as she followed Lake's truck, she sighed at what she had gotten herself into -- but smiled, too. The ridiculousness of it all was...well, ridiculous. Despite it, Emma couldn't help but feel as if she'd known Lake for years. Both of them had clicked on a close level, even though they had just met earlier that very day. Considering someone a friend so quickly was out of character for the girl, but she found that she adored the idea of having someone to talk to. Assuming she got the job, she wouldn't have the trouble of staying in contact with him, either. Pressing lightly on the brake, Emma followed Lake into the parking lot of a large complex of apartments. Easing the large SUV and trailer to a stop, she rested her skull on the head rest and closed her eyes for a moment. What a long day. Slipping the violet hair tie out of her hair and replacing in on her wrist, Emma turned her black vehicle off and opened the door. There was a medium-sized bag in the back seat that held a few different kinds of clothing as well as other necessities, but she'd attend to it later. Jumping out onto the parking lot, she opened the side door into Prince's trailer where he was munching on some hay. She didn't know where exactly she was taking him yet, so she left him inside the trailer with the door open where he poked his muzzle out curiously. Patting his nose, Emma rounded the backside of the trailer towards where Lake had pulled in before her.

[/size][/color][/blockquote][/size]

[kkgirl]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i48.tinypic.com/wgqfld.jpg]   It was only a few minutes before Lake reached his apartment building from the grocery store. He had a bag of dog food in the back of his truck that he knew Scout and Boo were dying to get at. He laughed to himself about everything. He couldn’t believe that he had done something so bold, then actually got a positive response. Scout and Boo were getting rowdy, both trying to stick their heads out the window. It was chilly, so L only had the window down for his precious animals. The nights were actually pretty cold in Silver Moon. He couldn’t complain though, with the gorgeous sunrises and sunsets and comfortable days spent in the sun. No doubt that his dogs had an advantage with their thick coats, and L imagined with a laugh that they were laughing at him in their own dog way. He turned to them, affectionately rubbing their ears. Lake opened the door of his truck and hopped out, his dogs following soon after. He shut the door right after, following the two animals’ path to Emma. He grabbed his keys and stuffed them in his pocket, walking to where Emma had rounded her trailer. He met her about halfway, smiling in an easy way. There was a nice sized field to the left of the complex, behind L. He hoped it would be good enough, though he was sure it was big enough for at least three horses. He turned around to glance at it, then looked back at Emmarisa. He figured that he should show her where she was putting Prince, so he gestured to the field. “Well, that’s the field that Prince would be staying in . . . It should be big enough. My aparment is on the first floor, about thirty seconds behind you.” He laughed and walked to the back of her trailer, waiting for Emma to bring Prince out.

[*Panda]

Emmarisa Carlington

Lonely is just one word,
Chosen to represent so much.
To tell of feelings inside,
That the senses cannot touch.

[/size]

Smiling softly as Lake approached, Emma played absently with a strand of black hair that had once again found its way into her face. A habit that some did when they felt nervous or flirty. In her case, it was simply a method of keeping her hands moving. Staying still for too long could become nerve racking for reasons she could never identify. "Well, that's the field that Prince would be staying in..." Emma followed his gesture towards a nearby field, which was more than enough to pasture a stallion like Prince. While large, he didn't spend much of his time running around. "It should be big enough. My apartment is on the first floor, about thirty seconds behind you." Emma nodded and laughed softly, "I should have parked closer." she joked, following Lake to the backside of the trailer. Unhooking the latches, she lowered the ramp and walked inside to lead Prince out. Unlike before, she held his lead rope to guide him to the field where he'd be staying. Emma was unsure how he'd react to being left alone for the night. Not through fear, but the oddness of being apart. A serious attachment had grown between them in their lack of a home, though Emma had a feeling she would be more affected by it than he would. Nervousness was slowly setting in, but she hid it behind the typical smile that would follow Lake's presence. Patting Prince's nose, Emma began towards the field Lake had motioned to. The continuous click of the stallions hooves on pavement mixed with the sound of light traffic nearby. As the asphalt turned to grass, Emma approached the white fence and began the search for the gate. "Now wouldn't it be ironic," she began while walking towards what she thought was a latch, "If there was no gate over here?" she found herself to be laughing as being tired slowly made her silly -- and needlessly talkative. "Do you own any horses, Lake?" Emma asked, an arbitrary comment if one was ever spoken.

[/size][/color][/blockquote][/size]

[kkgirl]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i48.tinypic.com/wgqfld.jpg]   Lake smiled by the door of Emmarisa’s trailer, hearing Prince move around inside. “I should have parked closer.” He shrugged with a laugh, not really minding the distance she had parked. The young man stood back calmly as the dark-haired woman took Prince out, leading him by a rope clipped to his halter. L followed quietly as she led the large black stallion to his pasture for the night. He popped his knuckles, feeling as if he needed to keep his hands in front of his chest. It really wasn’t a big deal, but it was weird having them swing by his sides. He was . . . self-conscious of the movements they made. He had taken care to overcome those insecurities, so why on earth was his confidence suddenly ebbing because awkwardly swinging arms? Lake laughed quietly and shook his head, keeping careful not to be directly behind Prince. His blue eyes flicked past Emma and her horse, toward the fence. “Now wouldn’t it be ironic,” Emma said, gaining Lake’s attention as he looked toward her. “If there was no gate over here?” L shook his head again and laughed, just loud enough for her to hear. He was getting extremely tired, therefore his motivation to laugh was lacking. The young man didn’t want to go all grumpy on her, especially since they just met. Anyways, that’s not how he rolled. Let his own emotions and needs possibly offend another? Nah, despite what he had just did earlier. But, hey, life was about risks and sometimes one had to step out. Hell, that might even but what pleased some people; that might be what others wanted—for Lake to step out and take that chance. L watched Emma search for a gate. “Do you own any horses, Lake?” With an amused look, he stepped forward and grabbed the latch that she had just missed, before pondering how to answer. He couldn’t blame her though—she didn’t know what she was doing because she wasn’t familiar with the land. He glanced at her with a funny smile, laughing a little bit. He figured he might as well tell her the truth. “I own three Andalusians, but they’re all back at my hometown. I miss them like crazy, and it’s only been a couple of weeks. Under normal circumstances, I would have taken them with me; my move was sudden, though.” L pulled away then, not used to admitting his past. He walked backwards, allowing her to lead Prince into the field. The apartment was about a minute walk away from the pasture, so L began toward it. His footsteps were eager, knowing that he could lie down soon. He assumed that Emma was following, and hoped he hadn’t come off as rude. The number seven on his door was rusting and chipped, but he didn’t mind. L unlocked the door, flicked on the light, and held it open for Emma to walk in, a small grin on his face. “It’s not the greatest, but it’s all a man and his dogs need.” At the word dogs, Boo and Scout rushed in.

[*Panda]

Emmarisa Carlington

Lonely is just one word,
Chosen to represent so much.
To tell of feelings inside,
That the senses cannot touch.

[/size]

Tightening her lips slightly in a playfully embarrassed way, Emma shot Lake a shushing look as she lead Prince into the opened gate. Unhooking his dark lead and kissing the top of his nose, she patted Prince's cheek and returned to the open gate. "I own three Andalusians, but they're all back at my hometown. I miss them like crazy, and it's only been a couple of weeks. Under normal circumstances, I would have taken them with me; my move was sudden, though." Closing the gate and latching the iron slide-in, a small ounce of guilt rippled across her stomach. He had told her that already, and she hadn't meant to bring up something that must have been troubling for Lake -- leaving behind his horses. Rubbing her arm somewhat anxiously, she couldn't help but feel a bit bipolar -- being tired did that. Looking over her shoulder, she noted Prince was still standing at the fence of the pasture. His ears were tilted forward as his high head looked about himself, as if unsure of what to do with all the space. The nicker that followed called Emma back to him, but fell on deaf ears. Stopping once at her car to retrieve the small black bag that contained some clothing and other random things she still owned. Locking the car and sliding the keys into an outside pocket, Emma caught back up to Lake in no time. Hooking the broad shoulder strap across her chest, she smiled and stepped into the apartment that Lake was so kindly allowing her to stay in. A feeling of giddiness settled over her at the feeling only a house gave -- or apartment, in this case. "It's not the greatest, but it's all a man and his dogs need." Laughing softly as the two large dogs squeezed past her legs and into the house, Emma caught their happiness to be home. She felt like a little girl getting a birthday present early. "It's wonderful." she smiled brightly and looked over at where Lake was standing. "Far better than-" snapping down on her tongue before she could spill the beans on what she had carefully avoided, Emma wandered into the apartment so that Lake could close the door. "Well, than a hotel, that's for certain." Despite her inner chagrin at the slip-up, she finished her sentence relatively smoothly while simultaneously resisting the urge to simply throw herself down onto the sofa.

[/size][/color][/blockquote][/size]

[kkgirl]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i48.tinypic.com/wgqfld.jpg] Lake calmly looked around the area that was his small living room. The lamp was small, poorly lighted, and needed dusting. The couch was old, but the cushions were definitely comfortable enough for someone to sleep on—he would know. Though it was tired-looking and the pattern was totally cheesy, it was a nice place to lay on. The pillows were soft and molded to the way your body slept. L smiled as his blue-eyed gaze rested on his nice TV; that was one thing he had managed to smuggle from his parents’ house: the flat screen. Even though it was his in the first place, he had no doubt that his dad would have tried to keep it from him. The TV rested precariously on a cheap desk, which is why neither of the dogs were allowed around it. If that thing were to fall, L would be incredibly sad then probably kick his dogs out for the night. The young-man wouldn’t have the money at the moment to buy a new one. He really needed an entertainment center, though he assumed this living-space would only be temporary till he got a job and enough money saved up to stay on his feet. The fair-haired man smiled as Emma laughed and the dogs ran in past her. He would have reprimanded them, but she seemed able to hold her own against their eager shoving. Lake wouldn’t dare try anything, but at the same time he was nervous about having a stranger in his house. It should typically be the girl who was wary of a criminal, but he was wary of it. Though he couldn’t deny the feeling of trust he seemed to have with this young lady. His first impression of her was good, but weren’t they all? It was a little nerve-racking to think of what could come out of this night. Or, you know, it could just be normal. She would sleep, he would sleep, and tomorrow they would go to the ranch and find jobs perfect for them. L didn’t even think about her stealing stuff and leaving in the middle of the night. That was just rude, anyways. His blue eyes flicked to Emma, somewhat nervous. “It’s wonderful.” A soft, relieved sigh escaped L at her words and the bright smile on her face. So she wasn’t disappointed or horrified at it’s lack of care. Oh well, at least it looked lived in. “Far better than—” Emma began, but seemed to cut herself off. Lake gave her a funny look, but closed the door and turned to walk farther into the apartment. There was a small opening between the kitchen and the living room, with a bar-like thing separating them. There was empty water bottles and paper plates set on it, so L quickly picked them up and put them in the trashcan. “Well, than a hotel, that’s for certain.” He smiled as he worked, acknowledging her finished statement. Eventually all of the trash was gone and he walked to the fridge to grab a bottle of water. Instead of just one, he pulled out two and set one on the coffee table for Emmarisa. “I don’t know if you’re thirsty, but there’s one in case you become thirsty.” He laughed and added, “Also, if you need anything, the fridge and pantry have got lots of crap in it, and the bathroom is down that hallway to the left.” He gestured to the hallway on his right, behind him. “I’m going to go grab the dog food; feel free to use the bathroom to get changed.” L walked out, whistling softly to himself. It didn’t take him long at all to reach the truck and pull out the large bag of dog food. Lake’s gaze rested on an odd looking black truck, but he didn’t question it because he hadn’t been there that long. Still, it gave him a weird feeling so he quickened his pace back to the apartment. L stepped in with relief and fed the dogs, who were jostling him eagerly for the food. Having fed his animals, he went to his room and looked around. He went to close the door, but just before shutting it walked back out and grabbed a blanket and pillow for Emma. Lake set them neatly on the couch before going back to his room. He quickly peeled off his clothes till he was in his boxers and opened the door a crack. L yelled, “Night!” then jumped in bed, relieved to finally lay down. He realized he hadn’t locked the door, but was too tired to go and fix it. He assumed it would be all right.

[*Panda]

Emmarisa Carlington

Lonely is just one word,
Chosen to represent so much.
To tell of feelings inside,
That the senses cannot touch.

[/size]

Despite the messiness that typically fell upon a house when lived in by a man, the girl found that she actually liked the well-worn look of the place. Not that she would like such a place on a regular basis, no, but for now her tidy nature fell silent. Emma felt far too much appreciation to critique anything about the small apartment. While Lake bustled about the kitchen, Emma set her small bag on the sofa and rummaged about for her sleepwear -- searching for something appropriate to wear in someone else's home. The shorts she had since worn while sleeping in her car, were...well, short. "I don't know if you're thirsty, but here's one in case you become thirsty." Emma chuckled softly, nodding her thanks as she turned slightly from her bag. "Also, if you need anything, the fridge and pantry have got lots of crap in it, and the bathroom is down that hallway to the left." She nodded, picking up the water bottle gingerly and sipping from it. It was then that she realized her thirst, and upon Lake's exit would take it to the bathroom with her and drink almost half of it. "I'm going to grab the dog food; feel free to use the bathroom to get changed." Capping the bottle, the pale-skinned girl took her things and tentatively walked to where the bathroom was supposed to be. Something about being in another persons home made her hesitant to do anything, regardless of her need to. Closing the door to the sniffing noses of one of the dogs, she brushed her teeth and changed. The shirt she chose would have been quite creepy to anyone that didn't get the reference. A large skeleton head, smiling somewhat creepily on a black camisole. Of course, the notion wasn't as scary as it probably seemed -- The Nightmare Before Christmas had been one of her favorite movies as a child and young teen. Pulling off her boots, she switched her jeans for more comfortable sweatpants and left her black socks on. Gathering her things from where she had thrown them carelessly onto the floor, Emma's reflection gave her pause in the mirror that was over the sink. Her attire was no doubt very...black. She had since put on a soft headband to hold her layered hair away from her face, and it was a stark comparison against her pale skin. Emma no doubt had an affinity for the dark color, and the contrast looked nice on her, much to the dismay of her mother in the past. Finally leaving the bathroom, the girl stopped once in the kitchen to toss the now empty water bottle away. She came back to the couch where a pillow and blanket had been laid out for her, and smiled despite herself. "Night!" she laughed once more and returned it lightly, throwing her things back into her bag and settling down onto the couch. Flicking the lamp off -- rather than using the switch that seemed so far away now -- she ignored the blanket, but snuggled into the soft cushions of the sofa where the fabric did its own part in keeping her warm. Laying on her stomach, her arms were wrapped around the pillow and her face pointed towards the crease in the couch. The feeling there was heavenly, and she fell asleep within moments.

[~Time Skip~]

Groaning almost silently to herself, Emma shifted into a sitting position on the couch. Many hours had passed since her first falling asleep, and she could see slivers of moonlight coming from a window. Rubbing her eyes, she carelessly removed her headband and tossed it onto the coffee table. Why she used that thing was beyond her now, as it always ended up sliding off some time in the night. Why she had awoken was a mystery even to herself, as her sleep had been quite deep in the comfort of the soft couch. Not questioning it, Emma rose from the sofa and wandered into the kitchen. The girl was quieter than even a mouse as she tip-toed across the threshold of the two rooms -- the skill came with sneaking out on a daily basis as a teenager. Emma accounted waking up to thirst, and opened the fridge to pull out a bottle of water. "Do you hear that? I think someones awake." The sound of someone talking gave her pause. To her, the words were muffled and distant, but undeniably coming from the thin wood of the apartment door. Rising from her bent over position and quietly shutting the fridge, Emma could almost feel her hearing ability grow with every passing second. While incredibly cautious, she was never one to shy away from danger, and found herself approaching the door in the silence of the apartment. "Don't be such a pussy." Again, a voice. For some unfathomable reason, her hand touched the door handle as if to open it, though instead she stood -- listening. A moment passed, accompanied by whispers she couldn't hear, and for a moment she felt like the stupid girl in a bad horror movie. Just as she took a step backwards, caution became horror as the door was thrown open. Whether kicked or otherwise she didn't see, as it slammed into her with much force. She couldn't help but shriek as she fell backwards, promptly scurrying to her feet and towards where she knew Lake to be.

Click

[/size][/color][/blockquote][/size]

[kkgirl]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i48.tinypic.com/wgqfld.jpg]   Lake fell into bed with a sigh, his aqua eyes shutting in relief. Vaguely, he registered Boo and Scout pushing into his room, then jumping on his bed. He rolled over and felt one of the animals against each side of him. He was content, slipping peacefully into a dream-filled sleep. The things he saw in his dreams were trippy, with rainbows and the caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland. He rolled a bit in his sleep, disturbing the dogs and registering their groans in his dreams. It was crazy, the things he was looking at it. It all seemed so peaceful, like an out-of-body experience. There was a fine mist, and he could vaguely see an attractive shape in it. L quickened his step, pushing through the fog with a serious urgency. Finally, he was able to see that it was Emma, her hair longer and dangerous looking. She spun around to face him, except there was no spark in her eyes anymore. Her gaze was totally blank, then her mouth opened and she screamed. L couldn’t comprehend what he was hearing. With a startled gasp, Lake lurched forward in his bed. Had he actually heard a shriek . . . ? Boo and Scout were at attention, staring at the door. He quickly got out of bed, feeling that something was going horribly wrong. L looked ruffled and messed up, catching a glimpse of the clock that said 1:30 A.M. The two Irish Wolfhounds followed him warily to the door. Now Lake could definitely hear the sound of footsteps—quick, scared footsteps. Fear suddenly smacked him in the face, accompanied by adrenaline and determination. L slid over to his bed and picked up the baseball bat he kept there. He was at the door and opening it in no time, being slammed into by Emmarisa. His eyes immediately saw the two figures behind her. Instinctively, L practically threw Emma behind him and held the bat at ready. Scout and Boo were growling fiercely behind him; Lake was suddenly grateful that he owned such big dogs. “Oh hell no,” Lake snarled, advancing upon the two invaders. He swung out and they ducked, but he felt it connect with something soft, followed by a cry of pain. But, he was immediately hit by the other one, right in the jaw. L saw stars, disorientated for a second. The man who hit him tried to get past but L moved the bat and hit him in the back; he felt insane satisfaction at his pained scream. The other man grabbed Lake from behind, when he was focused on the other. A knife moved closer to his neck but L moved in time that it just sliced his shoulder. The fair-haired young man spun around and shoved the guy, who stumbled and fell. Lake immediately turned back to the other guy, but he was no longer bent over . . . The offender had moved into L’s room. “EMMA!” Lake’s scream was tinged with panic and fear; he rushed immediately into his room. Just before he was fully into the room, there were two gun shots, one after the other. The pain wasn’t registered immediately, but soon there was a fire in his thigh. Lake let out a small cry of distress, clutching at his wound. He felt warm blood pouring out. “Shit, shit, SHIT!” Ignoring the pain, L moved into the room and attacked the man who was near Emmarisa. His bat connected with the man’s head once and he was out like a light. His blue eyes fell upon Emma, and his only thought was blood. There was blood around her, so much of it. Meanwhile, blood was leaving his shoulder and thigh. “Emma, how many times were you shot? Stay awake; stay awake!” Now totally frantic, Lake ran as quickly as he could to the hallway and hit the man who had shot him—he was trying to escape. L grabbed his phone from his pants on the ground and dialed 911. He hung up though, grabbing Emma in his arms and trying to figure out where she was hurt. PAJAMAS:3

[*Panda]

Emmarisa Carlington

Lonely is just one word,
Chosen to represent so much.
To tell of feelings inside,
That the senses cannot touch.

[/size]

Adrenaline made her hands shake as her heart pounded in her chest. The steps to the bedroom were nothing, nonexistent in the long strides she took, and yet she couldn't get there fast enough. As she neared the door her pace didn't slow, and while coming into contact with a near-naked man would have normally drove her face red, she hardly had the mind to worry about it now. Her mind searched for words, but didn't have time for them as she was thrust into Lake's room. Balancing herself against the bed, her eyes frantically searched the room for a house phone she'd never find. At a loss for what to do, the commotion in the remainder of the apartment was disoriented, and she was torn between helping in some way and just staying put. The quickness of it all was unnerving, and fear made her heart pound as a shadow neared the doorway. One of the dogs -- which one she couldn't really say -- began snarling violently towards the figure, pressing itself tightly against Emma's leg. Within moments the larger man had entered the doorway, smirking despite the injury he had taken with the baseball bat. Something evil lurked in his eyes as he drew something from his coat pocket. Whom she would eventually come to know as Scout, reacted immediately to the motion. "EMMA!" As the sound of her name hit her ears, so did the loud sound of gunfire -- snarling and whimpers, all at the same time. Something hit her arm as Scout lunging at the intruder flashed across her vision. And then, another. This time she stumbled, clutching her stomach where blood was beginning to pool. Both injuries numbed her body as shock made her shrink to the floor. Then came the pain. A burning thing, that made her scream once before falling into silence. She was in an almost sitting position, resting against the bottom of the bed. Doubling over, she clutched her stomach as if the pressure would ease her pain. Convulsions rocked her body, as if her abdomen were trying to force the foreign thing out of her. Words buzzed over her ears. They sounded far away, despite her desire to understand Lake's voice. "How many...awake..." Even in the darkness of her huddled state her vision already seemed blurry. "T-t-tw..." her tongue stuttered over the vowels of the word twice, some how unable to call it to the forefront of her consciousness. For some reason, her thoughts wandered to the canine that had selflessly tried to protect her. Was he alright? The distraction offered some relief, though she didn't dare shift her position to see Scout, for fear of hurting herself further.

[/size][/color][/blockquote][/size]

[kkgirl]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i48.tinypic.com/wgqfld.jpg]   This was so bad; this was one of the worst things that had ever happened to him. How on earth did they get in his house?! Oh, wait . . . He didn’t lock the door. STUPID! Now Emmarisa was going to die if he didn’t move quick enough, and he didn’t even know if he was going to be able to carry her out. Blood was everywhere, everywhere. He could feel it leaving him and see it leaving Emma. The wounds he carried stung like hell; he ignored the stinging and focused on the more fatally injured person. Boo was by Lake’s side, nosing his uninjured thigh. There was whimpering, and suddenly he knew that Scout was shot. Tears burned at the backs of his eyes, but no! He had to stay focused on the hurt human, not his most loyal companions. They came quietly, the tears did, as he held onto Emma and searched. Fear gripped the weakened man, because the dark-haired woman didn’t seem to acknowledge that he had ahold of her. L was crying but he barely registered the tears running down his face. He was stronger than that. “T-t-tw . . .” was what came out of Emma’s mouth. Lake bent his head down to listen, just barely catching the stuttering. From the sounds she was making, he inferred twice. Gently, oh-so-gently, L set her down on the wood floor, observing her body in a panicked way. There, holy shit, was one of the wounds. Emma—was—shot—in—the—gut. Lake almost screamed in frustration; but he had to keep his cool, so he kept on looking for another wound. He grabbed one of his sheets from the bed and whispered quietly, “This is going to hurt; I’m so sorry, Emma. I am so sorry.” The first time he used her name, and it was under distress. He only hoped it would soothe her. L wrapped the sheet around the bullet wound, rolled her over softly, and tied it incredibly tight. L rolled Emma back over and searched for the other bullet hole. But there was so much blood mixed together that he couldn’t exactly pinpoint it. The search was eventually given up, so Lake picked up the young woman and carried her cautiously out the door and through the hallways. The pain in his leg and shoulder was fiery and exhausting, but he had to fight through it. L took special care to avoid the two criminals, fearing they might come-to right when they were escaping. He grunted with every step, Emma’s weight getting heavier and heavier. He really had no idea if she was still conscious, but the only thing that mattered was that she stayed—fucking—alive. He would not allow this sweet young woman to pass—not while he was conscious, at least. Lake heard the sound of claws hitting the wood and whimpering. He was tempted to look back at his dogs, but couldn’t take his eyes off of the door in front of him. Slowly, they reached the door. “Okay, Emma. Okay, we’re gonna be fine,” L said as he set her down on her feet, leaning her against his chest and holding her up with one arm; all the while he was opening the door. Luckily, L had grabbed his keys when he grabbed his phone; though he had left his phone behind. The young man awkwardly moved them out the door, keeping Emma firmly against his chest. Just as Lake was about to close the door, Boo ran out and Scout managed to squeeze through. There was blood matting her fur; Lake’s chest tightened. “Scout; Boo! No!” They ignored him. L grunted and picked up Emma again, knowing that he couldn’t stop them in this time frame. He limped to the truck, suddenly finding Emma’s second wound. “Oh, shit. Oh, my God.” She was bleeding horribly from a shot in her arm. L tucked Emma to his chest again and unlocked the truck. He put her in gently, so scared of hurting her worse. L ran around his truck, glimpsing Boo launching himself into the bed of the truck, with Scout struggling behind. He shook his head and jumped in, grabbing a sweatshirt he had lying around, then tying it around the shot in Emma’s arm. The truck started quickly; thank God. He whipped out of the parking lot, definitely breaking the speed limit. Lake grabbed Emmarisa’s hand, squeezing it tightly. “Emmarisa? Emma, can you hear me? If you can hear me, please—for the love of freaking God—squeeze my goddamn hand.” Lake had never been scared like this before, but he was realizing he cussed a lot when he was.

[*Panda]

Emmarisa Carlington

Lonely is just one word,
Chosen to represent so much.
To tell of feelings inside,
That the senses cannot touch.

[/size]

So enveloped in her own sense of fatality, Emma hardly even noticed Lake’s presence. His words, a small light in a world that had suddenly become bleak, somehow pierced through her panicked brain. Although he was just as frantic as she felt, having someone else at hand was a great comfort she wasn’t taking for granted. ”This is going to hurt; I’m so sorry, Emma. I am so sorry.” Something about hearing her name brought her back to a higher level of consciousness, though most likely just when comatose was to be favored. Squirming slightly under the pressure of the makeshift bandage, Emma whined softly; a whimpering sound as she began to cry. The pain was fading to a dull throb that seemed to rock her body, pulsating in her ears, arm, and abdomen. Blood had soaked almost everything. The white skeleton on her camisole was a bright crimson, staining her favorite shirt and touching her skin. Vaguely, the feeling of being lifted tapped her brain. Fighting to stay conscious, Emma latched onto Lake’s voice like a lifeline -- the insurance that she was, in fact, still breathing somehow. The young woman leaned heavily on Lake, as memories began to vividly clutch her mind. Was this what dying felt like? Many nights she had pondered it. Having been the cause of another persons’ death invoked such feelings of wondering, thoughts she would never truly be able to chase from her mind. Perhaps dying was what she deserved. Emma wouldn’t tempt fate. No, instead, she bit her tongue and used the self-inflicted pain to help her focus. While her eyes remained half closed and vision almost non-existent, Emmarisa listened to the quieted world around her. Things seemed isolated now – calmer. The eye of the storm. There was a scary beauty in it, and she wasn’t sure whether to be glad in the break of pain and panic, or scared that she had approached such a place between consciousness and the unknown. Pulling herself momentarily from her own mind, Emma felt herself being lifted into Lake’s truck. The soft seat was comfortable from use, but she didn’t feel it. She rested her cheek on the cool material, her black eyes still in that odd half-open half-closed position. As if her body couldn’t decide whether to sleep or fight to stay awake. ”Emmarisa? Emma, can you hear me? If you can hear me, please – for the love of freaking God – squeeze my goddamn hand.” At this, the wounded woman almost smiled. A soft curl in her upper cheek that no one could see, but that she felt undeniably. ”You’re hurt.” It was a comment she’d most likely never remember, though genuine in concern as she faintly traced the blood from the wound on his shoulder with her eyes. Emma hadn’t seen the gun wound in his leg, and while her hand felt limp in his, her eyes couldn’t leave Lake’s face. His presence alone calmed her, and she felt as if she’d known him for years. Emma didn’t have family any more, but for some reason, Lake made up for their absence in this time of dreadful need. Perhaps, the wishful thinking of a young woman dying in the truck of someone she’d just met.

[/size][/color][/blockquote][/size]

[kkgirl]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i48.tinypic.com/wgqfld.jpg]   All the time that Lake had been carrying Emmarisa, he had to ignore the soft moans and the crying. If he had paid any attention to that, then he would have stopped. The idea of hurting another person even more than they already were was mortifying to him. Especially this woman that he had just met but already felt attached to. There was something about her, and he wasn’t sure why, but he didn’t want her to be hurt by anything. With that thought, fury attacked his mind, aimed at the two men who had done this. What sick person would purposely attack another, purposely kill them?! Those men didn’t have to attack Emma and Lake, but they did. They could have easily left L’s house and never have gotten in trouble. They were sick, with the way they had purposely shot L and Emma. He couldn’t comprehend the way they thought. It was absolutely sadistic. L hoped that the cops showed up at his apartment and took those men to be locked up. Lake held tightly to Emma’s hand, so fearing that he wouldn’t get a response. His grip was probably way too tight, but in the state they were both in, it didn’t matter. His foot pressed down harshly on the gas pedal, pushing at his truck’s limit. If this young woman didn’t respond, he was going to do some very illegal things to get to the hospital. But something that he hadn’t noticed before: the dizziness in his head. The young man hadn’t tended to his own wounds, which were still bleeding angrily. They weren’t nearly as bad as Emma’s—at least he was trying to convince himself of that; if he didn’t, then they might not make it to the hospital. Mind over matter. Lake didn’t even know if that phrase applied in this situation, but hell, he didn’t give a damn. All he was focused on was driving this truck and the limp hand he was holding onto. He kept telling himself that if he held on, she would live. Come on, just drive; keep driving. L looked down at Emma, and the way her face was set against the seat. The half-closed look of her eyes made him panic for a moment, thinking that he had lost her. There was no squeezing of his hand, but he thought he saw her eyelids flutter. “You’re hurt.” Lake gasped at those words, so unbelievably relieved that she was living and conscious. She didn’t squeeze his hand, but L squeezed hers, trying to somehow send her strength through that touch. He continued to tell himself that she would live as long as he held on. L found himself running stop signs and red lights, trying his hardest to get to the hospital fast enough. An ambulance and two cop cars passed them going in the opposite direction. The young man assumed they were heading to his apartment, and sweet satisfaction comforted him for a second. Then dizziness began to set in, and he couldn’t see the road clearly. “My injuries are no matter; yours are . . . far worse.” Lake suddenly decided to respond to Emma, but his speaking was becoming slow. Nothing was coming easy anymore. The world would be fading to black soon . . . Blood was soaking his seat . . . His leg was losing strength. But, there was a but. L could look past; the hospital was just there, just a few minutes away. He could see the lights; come on, you can keep driving. Instead of losing his grip, L squeezed Emma’s hand tighter, looking desperately for the will to keep going. FINALLY, they arrived. Lake stumbled out of his car, grabbed Emma, and used the last bit of his energy to pick her up. “Help, please help,” he called, his voice weak and desperate. L carried Emma to the doors that slid open. That’s where he fell. There was one last bit of determination for Lake to turn his body so that Emmarisa would land on him when he fell. And man, did he fall. The ground was cement, but it felt like cushions to his delusional body. “Help! She’s hurt . . . My dogs . . . They’re hurt . . . Hel—” L didn’t finish his sentence, but passed out, still clinging to Emma.

[*Panda]

Emmarisa Carlington

Lonely is just one word,
Chosen to represent so much.
To tell of feelings inside,
That the senses cannot touch.

[/size]

Whatever strength she had seeped into a reassuring smile for Lake. I’ll be okay. she couldn’t bring herself to say the words, yet comfort came with the thought. Time had no meaning now, and the world moved hours slower than she had ever experienced. The bright lights of emergency vehicles and the loud sirens would have normally made her cringe, but instead painted beautiful red and blue pictures on the inside of the old truck. She saw faces in them. People whom she once called friends, the rehabilitation centers’ staff – even her mother and father. Individuals that she didn’t even know she remembered the faces of. The phrase “life flashing before their eyes” was overused – cliché – but so completely and utterly appropriate. ”My injuries are no matter; yours are…far worse.” Well, at least he wasn’t sugar coating it for her. Not that he could. Emma was all too aware of the two puncture wounds that had invaded her body, and allowed blood to flow in torrents into the fabric tied tightly around her injuries. Staying conscious was something that nature never should have allowed to happen, as already her blood loss was severe. However, the idea of leaving Lake in his distress, and the strength of his determination to get them somewhere safe, had kept her awake. Perhaps even alive. Emma was listless in his arms as they finally reached the hospital where a commotion was already arising at the doors. She could faintly identify Lake’s cries for help, muffled as doctors and nurses began to rush for the doors. They did not make it in time to catch Lake as he fell to the ground. Though expecting a furthering traumatic blow, Emma was kept safe from the ground while being hugged tightly to Lake’s chest. ”Don’t go…” she whispered the words so quietly that only she could hear, a faint voice in the mix of urgent calls for something called a crash cart and other things. Finally succumbing to the bullets that had entered her body seemingly eons ago, she slipped into a state of unconscious she’d never been met with. Things rushed to her like a slideshow. Being pulled and lifted from Lake, the bright light of the hospital, IV’s being pushed into her veins. ”…surgery…” the word was all she could make out of the endless streams of conversation. A mask-like contraption was placed over her face, which ended her time in that in-between world. Darkness settled over her like a childhood blanket, protecting her from any pain and shock she still felt. Her dreams became horrifying mixtures of memories she wished to forget, but this dreamland was far more welcoming than reality was at that moment.

[/size][/color][/blockquote][/size]

[kkgirl]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i48.tinypic.com/wgqfld.jpg]   There was a severe darkness that coated everything about Lake. He couldn’t remember what he was or who he was; there was just an intense black and it was literally everywhere. The young man couldn’t taste anything, he couldn’t see, he couldn’t hear or smell. This was his blank existence, and the worst thing of all was that he couldn’t feel. He didn’t exist at all. Was that what death felt like? Feeling absolutely nothing? Did one just fade into nothing? But no, there was suddenly a strike of fear; he could feel emotions again. L slowly built upon that fear, trying to make himself feel somehow alive. Now that he had a taste of life again, he didn’t want to let it go. He had so much to live for. There were his horses that he might own and there was Emmarisa; he had just met her, though. Lake was thinking again; was he alive?! Emma popped into his head again, and he thought that he might live just to see that she was okay. He didn’t want to feel like a hero, but he wanted to make sure his new friend was alive. It would be too much to handle if she died. Something registered in his mind, a voice that was familiar from the hours he had spent with it. Lake’s mind didn’t know exactly what it was, but his subconscious dragged him into a wild dream. There was the mist again, except it kept changing from all the colors of the rainbow. It was disorientating and extremely scary at the same time. There was that voice but he didn’t know what she was saying; what was she saying?! Was it important? He needed to know; he needed to know now. L began sprinting through the mist, trying his hardest to reach the woman who owned the voice. His sprinting ended when he tripped over something huge, and then it became desperate crawling to get away from the thing he had tripped over. Lake yelled louder than he ever had before when it stood up, towering above him. It had the faces of those two men who had been in his house. All of a sudden, he had to stop going toward Emma. Then the monster spoke, “Sedative! SEDATIVE! Give him a sedative or we will lose him!” Lake stared in confusion, then completely passed out. * hours later * “Nahhhh. Ahhhh. Sheeeeeet. That hurssss.” Lake was half-awake, and it felt awesome but painful at the same time. There was severe pain in his leg and shoulder. “Fuuuuhhhh, wha iss thaat?” The young man briefly forgot about the events of last night and the reason why his body hurt so freaking much. L moved his head back and forth, trying to make sense of the things going through his mind so slowly, but only succeeded in throwing up over the side of the bed. “Nuurrre?” Lake tried calling for a nurse, but it came out pretty slurred. Eventually a woman bustled in, extreme worry on her face. The fair-haired young man just stared at her, confused. “Shh, honey. It’s okay. Doctor! Doc, he’s awake!” L just rested his head back on the pillow and sighed, “I dinn’t mean tuh throw uhp.” The nurse only sighed and squeezed his hand, seeming okay with cleaning up his mess. L kind of watched her, but his mind was blank as he stared. Everything was muddled and he couldn’t quite comprehend what was going on. All he knew was that there was a doctor that knew he was awake and nasty vomit over the side of his bed. But . . . what was that? Blood, and lots of it? Men . . . there were two men. And guns! They had guns! Then . . . bang? They shot? Lake looked down at his wrapped thigh and remembered, then felt the stinging in his shoulder and remembered even more clearly. Then . . . Emmarisa. Emma? Was she . . . no, she couldn’t be. How did this happen? He had just invited her . . . Oh, my God. Emma was shot, then Scout was shot; was Boo all right? Did Emma die?! Did Scout die?! And then there was his gunshot wound and the knife-slice in his shoulder. Emma couldn’t die. If she died . . . he would have her blood on his hands forever. Suddenly, Lake remembered slamming into cement with the young woman in his arms. Everything after that was totally blank. That terrified L, and he turned to the nurse, suddenly thinking clearer than before. “Emma! Is she okay? Please, please . . .” The nurse looked nervously at L as the doctor walked in. “Whoa, hey now, Lake. Calm down. Put your head back down and just breathe.” The young man stared at the doctor, the calmest he had been. “Are you crazy? Let me see Emma.”

[*Panda]

Emmarisa Carlington

Lonely is just one word,
Chosen to represent so much.
To tell of feelings inside,
That the senses cannot touch.

[/size]

A pool of blackness corrupted her mind, a thick thing, like glue. It wrapped around her knees and splashed against her body, flowing as if it were water. This dream was different from anything her subconscious had ever cooked up before, and felt undeniably real. Having always been a vivid dreamer, Emma struggled to move in the fluid that held her fast to the ground. She had no idea what the lack of mobility meant for her yet, as there was silence in the vast space that surrounded her. Sight was out of the question, and she could blink without ever truly knowing the difference. Something behind her made the endless stream of waves shudder unnaturally, and though she could see nothing, Emma did not fear it. Violence held her somehow, and somewhere near she heard the hiss of a snake. A light flashed over it from an unidentifiable source, and the head of a serpent leaned in towards her face. Unfathomably angry at its’ closeness, Emmarisa promptly punched it in the snout. Rearing its’ now injured muzzle into the air, Emma found something wrap around her ankle and drag her under the surface of the black fluid. The thickness of it suffocated her, and she became even more confused when she opened her eyes to the bright hospital room. The hours that passed in her dream were hours spent removing the bullets in her abdomen and arm. Screaming into consciousness somewhere in the ICU ward, Emma was restrained by numerous nurses. The touch frightened her further. ”Relax! You’re going to rip your stitches!” but she couldn’t relax. Thrashing against the tight grips of the medical staff, Emma was awake but hardly apart of reality. Glimpsing a nurse inserting a liquid into one of the pre-injected needles, calmness hit her like a brick wall. Things became foggy once more, and she slipped back into the odd unconsciousness that came with injury. Unbeknownst to Emma, she was still in danger of dying. Her bleeding abdomen and arm had finally clotted, but whether she was able to recover from the blood loss depended solely on her body’s ability to keep itself alive. Sinking back into the world of dreams, she was no longer in the black sludge. Instead, a foggy memory of her childhood bedroom. Mommy? she called quietly, opening the door into the living room. The penthouse apartment was dark, and there didn’t seem to be anyone there except for a large dog who limped from one of the hallways. The canine was injured, but didn’t exactly resemble Scout. However, this younger version of Emma approached the dog eagerly. What are you doing here, doggy? the dog wagged its tail and licked her face. Stop that! Mommy’s not going to like it if she find you here. Emma laughed. Petting the animal, something began to tear off in her hands – fur. The dogs fur was falling out. What’s wrong? Why is your fur falling out? Even in the dream the dog wouldn’t respond to her. Then blood came. It flowed from a wound Emma could not see, and covered her hands in the icky stickiness of the fluid.

[/size][/color][/blockquote][/size]

[kkgirl]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i48.tinypic.com/wgqfld.jpg]   Who was he? He was Lake freaking Bundy and he was not about to let this ridiculous doctor tell him to lay down. What on earth?! Emmarisa had almost died in his apartment, and they were going to keep him from her? No, that simply wouldn’t do. On the inside, L was furious with these people; on the outside, he was deadly calm. He sensed that it was unsettling to the two, how easily he kept his cool and didn’t let their condescendingly soothing voices piss him off even further. L could see the discomfort and confusion in the doctor’s eyes, but there was sympathy in the nurse’s. For that, the young man was grateful. The doctors were emotionless and way to see-through, but the nurses were always sweet and understanding. What if Lake were to lie to get in there? Not something that he would typically do, but under the circumstances . . . Lake moved his gaze to the nurse, staring her down with a burning desperation. “Lake, please lay back down. It’s for the best; you can’t rip your stitches.” The nurse glanced at the doctor with an annoyed look on her face and L couldn’t help but laugh a bit. So the nurse was on his side? The young man smirked a little at the doctor. Not knowing whether or not Emma was dead brought out a different person. Going through an almost double-murder somehow made one care about a person; Lake could tell that he cared about the young woman’s welfare, even if he didn’t know her all that well. The man returned his blue-eyed gaze to the doctor, a cool determination in them. “Sir, please. Just lay back down.” By now, the pleas were half-hearted and futile; the doctor could see how utterly set L was on seeing Emma. “Are you family?” the nurse queried, making Lake look at her. There seemed to be an underlying warning in that question, and L picked up on it. Without hesitation, Lake responded with “I’m her fiancé.” He had already thought about that; he knew they couldn’t pass as siblings, and engaged just seemed like the most believable story. Lake was relieved. The nurse smiled and the doctor walked out with sigh and a shake of his head. The nurse didn’t say anything; she probably believed they really were engaged—either that or she wasn’t going to blow his cover. “Let me get you a wheelchair.” The young man frowned at that, but the nurse ignored his disgruntled look and left his room. Five minutes later, she arrived with a standard wheelchair and helped L into it. He was suddenly grateful for the support, due to the debilitating pain in his right thigh. She patted his good shoulder and started to wheel L out of the room. “So she’s definitely okay?” The nurse sighed and responded with, “Last time I heard, she was out of surgery and alive, but not totally out of the woods. But that was a few hours ago—she might be stable now. I was assisting with your surgery, but I managed to keep a bit of an eye on her; I thought you would want to know.” Lake found this nurse incredibly sweet and thanked her, calling her an angel straight from heaven. She merely told him to stop it. Finally, they reached the room that had Emma in it. There was a tightness in L’s chest that he hadn’t felt in a long time, since his best friend was on the operating table. Despite himself, the young man crossed his fingers and gently closed his eyes. The nurse sighed and opened the door, carefully pushing him inside. Lake opened his aqua-hued eyes and saw Emma laying unconscious on a bed, but still breathing. He let out a breathe of relief. The nurse wheeled him to Emma’s side, and Lake thought he saw the young woman’s eyes flutter. “Miss? Your fiancé is here.” The blue-eyed man sucked in a breathe, nervous but trying to hold in laughter at the same time. “I’ll leave you two alone.” Lake nodded as she left. “Emma? Are you awake?” He kind of laughed. He wanted to grab her hand, but didn’t want to seem too pushy; especially if she had heard the fiancé part. L settled on resting a hand on the side of her bed, at Emma’s elbow. He stared nervously at her, waiting for a response.

[*Panda]

Emmarisa Carlington

Lonely is just one word,
Chosen to represent so much.
To tell of feelings inside,
That the senses cannot touch.

[/size]

Staring blankly at her hands as blood continued to flow from a wound she could not see, Emma’s eyes trailed over the canine’s body slowly. Little bubbles of crimson had erupted from many places in the dogs’ skin, from injuries that didn’t exist. Still panting and wagging its tail, the large dog lay down on the floor and ceased breathing. The oddity of it made the little girl stare. He was dead. Kneeling on the red carpet of the living room floor, the five year old nudged the dogs’ shoulder as if to awaken him. ”Emma, what did you do?” Looking up, startled, Emma was met with the lithe frame of her mother. She hadn’t seen the woman in many year in real life, and in this nightmare she could hardly resist the urge to run to her. Why? Emma rejected her. Her mother was the epitome of beauty, looks that Emma had never seen in herself. The older of the two had short blonde hair and pretty green eyes, dressed expensively in bright red with large diamonds adorning her fingers. Emma felt her face get hot. Embarrassment. Fright. Anger. But instead of the line of insults that normally came with her mothers’ presence, Emma was picked up and twirled in the air. Though he was never near, Emma always had a fondness for her father. There was at least good times they shared when she was young, especially when he had come home from a long time away. Emma always thought she looked more like him. The darkness of her eyes was a mystery, but her dark hair had come from him, as did the shape of her nose and high cheekbones. Suddenly, positive emotions flooded inside. Emma’s small frame shook with loud giggles as the apartment faded into the lake her father had taken her to one summer. It was odd that she remembered it, as in wakefulness she could only recall the times he wasn’t there. ”Emma?” Her name? That voice called softly from the sky. Having never looked at her father’s face, Emma’s gaze shifted towards the sound as she was slowly called to consciousness. ”Are you awake?” A soreness attacked her stomach violently as her lashes fluttered – the only assurance that she was back in the real world. An annoying beeping sound radiated from a large machine that monitored her heart rate and assaulted her ears irritatingly. It took a few moments for her eyes to focus, but when they did the young woman couldn’t help but smile. The grin touched her eyes and seemed to brighten her face. ”Lake.” She uttered the name, as if reassuring herself that it was indeed him. Though still slightly clouded by sedatives and whatever else she had been injected with, Emma found the strength to move her hand and rest it lightly on Lake’s arm. The touch strengthened her. ”I’m glad you’re alright.” the ability to speak at an audible level was slowly returning, and Lake’s well-being made her oddly joyous. Turning her head towards the heart monitor in the corner of the room, she somewhat groaned at it. ”Can’t we turn that off?” it didn’t occur to her how silly the comment was; she simply wanted the dammed thing to stop beeping. Only now as she momentarily closed her eyes was she able to fully recall what had ended her up in that hospital. What time was it now? Morning? Even though she had been unconscious for many hours, she felt as if she hadn’t slept for years. Emma criticized the comfort of the hospital bed silently, finding it to be less agreeable than the cushions of her car. There were no windows in her hospital room, and this troubled her most of all. The feeling of being trapped came quickly with the inability to see outside.

[/size][/color][/blockquote][/size]

[kkgirl]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i48.tinypic.com/wgqfld.jpg]   The handsome young man kept his pale hand resting on the bed, watching Emma’s eyelids flutter. A small, relieved smile tugged at the right side of his mouth. He was incredibly happy that this woman who had suddenly felt like family was okay. He already felt like they were childhood friends, so losing her literally within twenty-four hours of meeting her would be devastating. All he wanted to do in that moment was give her a hug, but naturally that wouldn’t be able to happen. There was something about almost-dying that made him feel tied to Emma. They had just barely escaped death together, so why don’t they do some more things together? At that thought, L mentally smacked himself. It was incredibly cheesy and forthcoming, but at the same time somewhat funny. The young man found himself holding in laughter, because he didn’t want to have to explain that to Emma. Way to top off their brush with death. Lake zoned back in, his gaze resting on the fluttering of Emma’s lashes. A full smile lit-up his face. Would she be able to talk?! “Lake.” There was a nice grin on her face that Lake couldn’t help but return. Now that she was awake and speaking, most of the worry had left him. His fingers moved restlessly on the white sheets covering Emma’s bed, but stopped the second that he felt her touch his arm. His aqua gaze flicked to their connecting flesh, semi-surprised. Instead of saying anything, he merely smiled to himself. Why did he want to be so close to this woman? Probably because he had just saved her life, and in a way, she had saved his. The need to get her to the hospital had given him the strength and determination to keep living. He looked back to Emma’s eyes, unbelievably grateful for what she had unknowingly given him. He blinked slowly, vaguely recalling words that hinted he should have died from his loss of blood. Lake placed his survival solely on the determination to save Emma. “I’m glad you’re all right.” Lake sighed happily at that, at a loss for what to say in response. His eyes wandered around the room, taking in the intense equipment that was meant to help Emma. There was the IV system and the heart monitor, but in the corner there was something odd-looking that was probably in case of emergency. Lake cleared his throat and looked away from it, oddly unsettled by its place there. He didn’t like the metal or the fact that one of the things looked sharp. His fingers began to move restlessly again, nervous about the sharp object. A flash of the knife coming towards his neck . . . slowly, slowly; then it slices his shoulder, tearing muscle. L shuddered, still keeping his gaze from the shiny metal utensils used to cut. Again, he cleared his throat, irritated that he had developed an irrational fear of an inanimate object. Lake was jerked back to Emmarisa when he heard her voice, glad for the distraction. “Can’t we turn that off?” Lake flinched at her groan, but immediately found some humor in it. He laughed softly, then squeezed Emma’s arm gently. “I can see if I can turn it off.” Lake moved to stand up, but the second his right leg had weight on it, he fell loudly back into his wheelchair. “Nyahhhhhhh, no I can’t,” he said through teeth gritted in pain. He proceeded to try and wheel the chair over, but his left shoulder’s injury wouldn’t allow that, either. He moaned and leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes till the pain dulled. There wasn’t anything quite like a gunshot, Lake was coming to realize. He cleared his throat and kept his head leaned back, trying to will the pain away. Eventually, it dulled to an ever-present throb. Lake reached up and grabbed Emma’s hand with his own, squeezing it tightly. He blamed the advance on his pain, becoming delusional in the throbbing. He smiled, though, keeping his eyes closed. “Thank God you’re alive. The nurse told me you were still in danger a few hours ago. I was afraid you might have . . .” he trailed off, somewhat embarrassed at his confession.

[*Panda]

Emmarisa Carlington

Lonely is just one word,
Chosen to represent so much.
To tell of feelings inside,
That the senses cannot touch.

[/size]

The soft sound of Lake’s laughter drifted to Emma, and somehow calmed her irritation slightly. Sighing, she wiggled gently like she was attempting to sink further into the hard mattress she laid on. ”I can see if I can turn it off.” Opening her eyes, before she could tell him otherwise, Lake was already trying his injured leg. ”Nyahhhhhhh, no I can’t.” In spite of herself, Emma smiled in shook her head. Dummy. She thought the word, but not in a spiteful way. Rather with a fondness, as he had done something silly. Looking towards the clear door Lake had come thru, Emma watched the calm activity outside. The town was small, and the hospital showed it. The attempted double homicide must have become the talk-of-the-town, so to speak, as many people who passed the room cast glances in their direction. Suddenly self-conscious, the dark haired woman used her good arm to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. The notion was pointless, as the ponytail she had put in earlier had become so loose most of her hair wasn’t in it, and the dark strands were left wildly around her head. ”Thank God you’re alive. The nurse told me you were still in danger a few hours ago. I was afraid you might have…” Turning her head to rest it against the white pillow the hospital had provided, Emma blinked a few times as if trying to comprehend what he was saying. Had she truly been so close to death? Now, the memories between being shot and the hospital were vague, seemingly and completely imaginary – nightmares that continued to spin webs of fiction danced with the reality of things. Emma scoffed jokingly, ”It’ll take more than that to end me.” Her thumb rubbed the top of Lake’s hand reassuringly while she allowed her thoughts to wander. Suddenly, the memory of Scout lunging at one of the intruders came back to her. ”Is Scout okay?” And Prince? Emma kept the second part to herself. She knew that Lake wouldn’t know anything about Prince, and there wasn’t need to worry about him anyway. Regardless, being so far away from him troubled her. Did he think she had left him in that strange place for good? The idea almost broke her heart. Emma forcefully pushed the thought of Prince to the back of her mind – Scout was the one that had gotten injured trying to protect her. Guilt flushed her cheeks as the frown returned, but this time in concern for Lake’s companion. Their closeness was obvious in the way his dogs followed him everywhere he went. Scout couldn’t be dead. She meant too much for Lake, and the prospects of the animal dying already tug at Emma’s heartstrings – and she hadn’t known the canine for more than twenty-four hours. She even felt apologetic. Why? She couldn’t really say. Emma couldn’t have stopped Scout from lunging at the one who had shot her, but the young woman couldn’t help but feel that if she hadn’t been there, none of it would have occurred in the first place. The price of a soft place to sleep had become undeniably high.

[/size][/color][/blockquote][/size]

[kkgirl]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i48.tinypic.com/wgqfld.jpg]   Lake didn’t think he had ever felt so helpless. The young man couldn’t walk or even move his wheelchair on his own. He gritted his teeth in frustration, but didn’t dare express it. He felt as if his feelings were no matter to Emma’s, because she was so much more worse than he was. He didn’t want to put his injuries before hers; actually, he wanted to sit quietly and listen to how she felt, content to know that she was all right and that the pain was ebbing. Though of course he didn’t know if it was getting any better for her, he only hoped. The doctors should keep her on medication, though, dulling the pain that would surely be sticking around. At that thought, L realized he had his own IV. He blinked and looked down at the spot in his arm that the needle entered. It felt bruised and sore; it was starting to look bruised and sore, with discoloring around the entrance-spot. Lake slowly pulled his gaze away from the liquid dripping into his body, deciding that it was hypnotizing but he didn’t like seeing something in his skin. The fair-haired young man noticed the sweat that matted his hair. He was somewhat self-conscious of the pieces that were no doubt sticking up all over the place. He moved the hand that wasn’t holding Emma’s to ruffle his locks, just as she spoke. “It’ll take more than that to end me.” Again, she managed to make L laugh even in the distressing situation they were in. They should be traumatized, but neither of them seemed too affected. The young man registered that Emma was rubbing the top of his hand with her thumb. The back and forth motion was soothing to his frayed nerves, and he moved his head to lean against the back of the wheelchair. L was grateful that Emma could joke and glad for her reassuring touch, positive that he would be a mess if the doctor had kept him in his room, all alone with just his thoughts. L’s eyes closed, a tired sigh escaping his lips. Lake opened his eyes a slit when Emmarisa said, “Is Scout all right?” His chest tightened at the thought of his most loyal companion. Was Scout okay? The young man sure hoped so, because things just wouldn’t be the same if he only had one dog. Hell, Boo wouldn’t feel the same without his sister. L knew that they both would mourn their companion’s death in a way that most wouldn’t understand. Those two were what kept him together during the hardest times in his family. He had ties to them that one would usually tie to humans; Lake didn’t have a person to talk to, though, so he talked to the two that would always listen. During their time together, an amazing bond had formed that couldn’t just be broken. Lake never imagined he might lose one of them so early. He hoped to God that Scout was out there, and still fighting to live, no matter the odds against her. “I think . . . I hope she’s okay. I don’t really know . . . Wait! I think they,” Lake paused and furrowed his brow, trying to expound on the vague memory of his dogs leaving the apartment. They might have . . . Did they really? Those brilliant, loyal animals. “They jumped in the bed of the truck before we left. I couldn’t stop them from . . . Scout could have hurt herself worse. I hope the doctors had mercy on her.” L frowned, now worried for their welfare. He knew that Boo would fight to be with Lake, and that Scout was in no condition to be fighting to follow him. Worry creased his forehead. “She means so much to me.” The young man lost what color he had left in his face, still holding to Emma’s hand because she was the only thing familiar in this mess. They had almost been murdered and they didn’t even know if the two offenders had been caught. Lake fought the fear that was clenching his mind, beating it away because he knew he was stronger. “Are you okay? Not in too much pain?” the question directed at the young woman came from Lake’s guilt for worrying over his dogs when he should he worrying over the person at hand.

[*Panda]

Emmarisa Carlington

Lonely is just one word,
Chosen to represent so much.
To tell of feelings inside,
That the senses cannot touch.

[/size]

Emma could feel Lake’s distress. Not by his words or touch, but by simply being there with him. Though smells of disinfectants was prominent in the ICU ward, one couldn’t help the sense of death that followed. The instinctive want to avoid the area did little to help raise any of the patients moods. ”I think…I hope she’s okay. I don’t really know…Wait! I think they…” Emma waited patiently for Lake to continue, though already her mind was formulating other ideas. ”They jumped in the bed of the truck before we left. I couldn’t stop them from…Scout could have hurt herself worse. I hope the doctors had mercy on her.” Still listening, Emmarisa cringed as she lowered her hand over the opposite side of the bed to grab the remote she knew would be there. This wasn’t her first time in the hospital, but no doubt the most painful. ”She means so much to me.” Scanning over the buttons of the large, bulky remote, she expertly deciphered the seemingly random symbols with faded text below them. Her eyes weren’t focused for reading, but she still knew which switches did what. ”Are you okay? Not in too much pain?” Pursing her lips for a moment, Emma smiled brightly as her finger hovered between the Assist and PANIC buttons. ”Not hardly.” Winking devilishly in Lake’s direction, Emma’s rebellious natured peaked its head into public as she pressed the PANIC switch. ”Oops.” Her gaze rose to the door as an alarm sounded outside. It wasn’t incredibly loud, but definitely noticeable as nurses scurried towards the room. One nurse she recognized as the same one who had brought Lake there, and she smiled at the panicked behavior of everyone. ”What’s wrong? Pain? Extreme nausea? Do you feel faint?” A few other nurses checked her pulse and other things on one of the monitors nearby, to which Emma just smiled. ”No, I’m fine.” at this, stillness came over the room as everyone paused and stared at her unblinkingly. ”Then what’s the problem?” one of the nurses, an older woman with brown hair, painted a rather humorous picture as the alarm continued to sound off in the background. ”I meant to press the assist button, they really shouldn’t be so close together.” Emma laughed, carefree in spite of the tension in the room. Playing with death had a tendency to make one act a little more like themselves than society would like to allow. ”But while you’re here, would you mind taking him to see his dogs?” This prank of sorts may have been completely inappropriate, but Emma couldn't help but become somewhat giggly because of it. One of the nurses flatly exited the room, while another appeared as if Emma was about to get reprimanded like a child would after sneaking a snack before dinner.

[/size][/color][/blockquote][/size]

[kkgirl]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i48.tinypic.com/wgqfld.jpg]   Lake watched Emma in confused fascination, wondering what on earth she had in mind. There was something about the way she was smiling that made him incredibly suspicious of a scheme. “Not hardly.” The sound of her voice was mischievous, making L feel like a fool. Here she was, having fun and making light of the situation, while he was being a Debbie Downer and freaking out about everything! Sure, they had almost been victims of a double homicide, but hey! They were still breathing, right? And yes, it might be that Scout could be lying dead outside of the hospital, but at least he had saved one life today. HAHA, no. He couldn’t exactly think like that, and the attempt was a little depressing. Lake could usually look at things brightly, but not with Scout involved. No, that was a little tough to look past. The young man wasn’t sure if he would ever be able to. Emma winked in a devilish way at L, resembling a punk that had just succeeded in stealing the principal’s microphone. Curious amusement filled the space that had been worry for Scout and others. “Oops.” At that, Lake knew that the dark-haired woman was up to something devious, and he was looking forward to what that scheme might be. His gaze caught the remote, and he had a vague idea of what she might have done. Alarms sounded outside of the room, so the young man turned his head to observe the now bustling hallway. The nurse that had tended to L earlier hurried in, along with a couple of others. The man had to hold in laughter. He immediately caught on to what she was doing, but didn’t realize that there was a purpose behind it. His old nurse began to question Emma, seeming to be ready for anything. Lake readied himself for a response that would make him laugh and probably make the nurses furious. Upon glancing at Emmarisa, the man saw her smile as she responded, “No, I’m fine.” He should have acted confused, but he couldn’t hold in his laughter. He let out a snort of entertainment, then immediately covered his mouth and bent his head, shoulders shaking with suppressed mirth. It really wasn’t as funny as he was making it seem, but he needed to laugh at something. L noted the dangerous quiet that had settled over the room and lifted his head back up so he could observe the rest of the situation. When one of the harsher looking nurses questioned Emma again, Lake pulled both hands to his face, unbelievably entertained by the nurses’ joined frustration. “I meant to press the assist button, they really shouldn’t be so close together.” Lake snorted again, his face still in his hands. He picked up on the carefree sound of her voice, finding it infectious. All he could think was, Please don’t say anything about the fiancé. The nurses were irritated; one could practically taste the mother-bear coming out of them. If the claws really started to show themselves, L was going to make a desperate—but no doubt comical—run for it. The fair-haired man lifted his face from his hands and scanned the situation, wondering what on earth was going to happen next. “But while you’re here, would you mind taking him to see his dogs?” Lake bit his lip to keep himself from laughing out loud. On the inside, though, he was rolling around. Again, it wasn’t that funny, but it was frikkin’ hysterical to someone hopped up on drugs and gunshot wounds. A nurse just left and another looked like she might shake her finger at Emma like she was a little girl. Oh, for the love of . . . Lake thought, catching the eye of the nurse he had earlier. She smiled kindly and grabbed his wheelchair. The man waved at Emma goodbye as he left her with the nurse, giving her his own wink of mischief. The nurse was easy when she pushed his wheelchair along; Lake was beginning to like this sweet older woman. “I saw your dogs . . . One of our other doctors removed the bullet and stitched up the female. None of us wanted to leave her to bleed out.” All of Lake’s worry for those two left in a few seconds, because of the actions of this nurse. He smiled and laughed loudly, rubbing his face with one hand. “I am so grateful; you have no idea.” She wheeled him into a small room. There was Scout’s large form laying limply on a bed, and Boo standing perfectly still next to her. But when Boo saw Lake, he ran to him with an excited bark. The nurse kept him from jumping into his lap, but the dog settled on resting his head there. L happily scratched his pet, wondering what happened to Emma.

[*Panda]

Emmarisa Carlington

Lonely is just one word,
Chosen to represent so much.
To tell of feelings inside,
That the senses cannot touch.

[/size]

Smiling gently, Emma was surprisingly joyous considering she had just had an unexpected date with death. Anyone within fifteen feet of them could see the humor Lake found in her little prank, and while it may not have been true happiness, it was something to distract his mind for a few brief moments. As Emma watched him disappear down the hallway with his nurse, something heavy settled on her chest. Not a physical pressure from her injuries, or as the predecessor of guilt, but rather a realization of how much she owed to Lake. He had selflessly allowed her into his home, and then risked his own welfare to rush her to the hospital. The desire to see him laugh stemmed partly from those facts, with the remaining percentage owed to the delightful way she felt when he smiled. Resting her head back on the pillow, she closed her eyes while simultaneously speaking to one of the nurses who happened to still be in the room. ”When will I be allowed to leave?” Emma asked, opening her eyes to peer up at the young woman fuddling with some of the machines. Scanning over some of the instruments that laid on a silver tray, she shuddered to think that those same instruments had most likely been inside her body. ”Well, you are stable now, and it seems the worst has passed over. You’ll probably be released in a few hours, but if you give me a few moments I’ll go get the doctor for you.” Emma nodded her thanks as the nurse left the room, leaving the young woman alone with the beeping mechanisms. The solitude of the space was oddly uncomfortable, though Emma didn’t have long to wait until the doctor appeared in the doorway. ”How are you feeling?” He was an older man, whose eyes had seen far too much gore and death than anyone’s should have. Still, there was a kindness in them as he rested a hand on the end of her bed. ”Well, I think I’m feeling pretty good considering I was shot twice.” Emma laughed at this, unable to believe herself that she wasn’t feel worse than she was. ”No sharp pains?” Emma shook her head at those, glancing down at her abdomen where thick bandages had been wrapped around her wound. The same had been done to her arm, though instead of being tucked neatly it was tied at the top. ”Good. You’ll probably experience some pretty bad soreness when the pain killers wear off, but you should otherwise be all right.” Taking out a pen and pad of paper, he scribbled something down and handed it to Emma. Looking at the doctor’s handwriting, she quickly gave up trying to read it. ”That’s a prescription for some painkillers to help the soreness. I’m going to go ahead and discharge you, but make sure you take it easy for awhile.” Nodding, Emma frowned at the piece of paper before folding it up in her hand. The doctor said his quick goodbye while the nurse helped her into her clothes. They weren’t the ones she came with, and Emma was dismayed to realize that her favorite shirt was ruined forever. Instead, Emma was dressed in clothes the hospital happened to have – scrubs. They were the typical light blue, and not exactly flattering. Even so, Emma found she didn’t mind so much. Fatigue hit her greatly. Moving her legs on her own wasn’t so difficult, but the stress standing put on her stomach was all too much. ”Can you take me to where she took Lake? I want to make sure Scout’s okay, too.” The nurse nodded silently as she helped Emma into a wheelchair. As the nurse came to the open door to the room that held the two dogs and now Lake, Emma waved for her to stop. There wasn’t much space in the small hospital room, and having two wheelchairs in there wasn’t exactly the best idea. ”Is she all right?” Emma called quietly, unable to really see how Scout was doing from her position.

[/size][/color][/blockquote][/size]

[kkgirl]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i48.tinypic.com/wgqfld.jpg]   There wasn’t much more that could make Lake happy. He had his two best friends alive with him; they had both survived gunshot wounds. What he, Emma, and his dogs had been through was total insanity. How many people could say they were the victims of attempted homicide? And not only that, but double homicide! Maybe it was the drugs still running through his system, but he found that stinking hilarious! It wasn’t funny at all, he was admitting to himself. Yet he laughed out loud and bent over, just laughing with no end. He found that bending like that strained both his thigh and his shoulder, so he leaned back up, suddenly struck with a stinging pain. He laughed again, then looked down at the bandage around his leg. Because he didn’t like the sight of it, he turned his head back to Boo and rested his hand in the dog’s fur. There was a comfort there, because under that insane laughter was fear and tears; Lake didn’t want to cry or have a panic attack in front people, though. He was too strong to fall into tears or to let his fear get the best of him (or he was too weak or fearful to admit his weaknesses). L felt the touch of the nurse’s hand on his good shoulder, gently squeezing it. She patted his shoulder and walked around him. The young man smiled a little when she went to go check on Scout. It seemed as if she genuinely cared for her patients, enough to even take care of their injured pets. He was so grateful for the kindness of this woman, he didn’t even have words for it. He wanted to know what role she played in his life being saved, just so he could thank her. L felt indebted to this older woman, moreso than he had ever felt to a person. She had been a part of the people who had saved his life—and Emma’s. She had helped Emma when he couldn’t. The nurse met Lake’s eyes and for the second that they held eye-contact, she conveyed that she understood. For a second, that nurse knew what the young man was hiding. He didn’t say anything, and she didn’t say anything—both of them just knew. Lake was the one to break their gaze, staring firmly at his dog. It was comforting to have someone know, but scary at the same time. “The sedatives will wear off in a minute,” the nurse said, turning back to Scout. He smiled and continued to pet Boo, getting over the moment they had had earlier. Boo whined and left Lake’s side to go back to Scout, then looked back at the man as if to tell him to come over. L smiled and wheeled his chair over, gritting his teeth at the strain it caused his shoulder. The nurse frowned at him for it, but he didn’t really care—his dogs meant so much more to him. Scout started moving feebly, her legs twitching every once and a while. L smiled and reached forward to pet Scout. There was a soft, dog-like moan that emanated from her and she lifted her head and blinked her eyes. Boo wagged his tail in excitement, finally seeing that his companion was awake. L turned away from Scout and looked to the nurse. “She looks amazing; thank you so much.” Emma came in right after he said that. It was a little cramped, but they could make it work. “Is she all right?” Lake turned around with an extremely bright smile, happy from the mixture of Emma and his dogs being okay. “She’s doing great, for a dog that’s been shot.” As if on cue, Scout lifted her head completely and tried to sit up. She couldn’t, though, and fell back down. Lake tensed up but then relaxed, knowing she’d be okay. L maneuvered his chair around the nurse and his dog, so that he could somewhat face the door and Emma. A doctor hovered in the background, looking at L as if he had a reason to. The young man blinked once, realizing with amusement that the doctor was the one from earlier. Before acknowledging the doctor, L spoke to Emma. “I’m ready to get out of here,” he said bluntly, suddenly sick of the smell and the lighting and the death feeling that hung around. “Lake,” the doctor began, just behind Emma, “I’ve prescribed you painkillers. I have yours and Emma’s here; you can go to a local pharmacy and get a refill. Also, you’ll both need check-ups. Lake, you can use crutches, but you’ll need to be careful because of your stitches. It’ll hurt, and we can give you the option of a wheelchair.” L stared at Doc for a second, then said, “I’ll take the crutches.” Doc seemed to grimace but nodded his head. “We can assist with getting your dogs out to your car.” Lake turned to Emma and then back to Doc, wondering what her verdict would be.

[*Panda]

Emmarisa Carlington

Lonely is just one word,
Chosen to represent so much.
To tell of feelings inside,
That the senses cannot touch.

[/size]

Lake's delight was contagious, and within half a second Emma was just as pleased as he was. Glancing around the small room, Em chuckled quietly to herself -- how were they ever going to get out of there? Lake wouldn't be able to drive with a bullet hole in his leg. Then again, she figured she could drive if needed be, after all, her feet and legs hadn't been harmed in the unfortunate incident of the previous evening. The two were quite the helpless pair, regardless. ”She’s doing great, for a dog that’s been shot.” Scout, bless her heart, struggled to stand but failed, sinking back to the bed. Poor baby. Em reflected, frowning for a moment at the animals misfortune. The weak canine was probably thrilled to be back with Lake, but could hardly show it in her condition. ”I’m ready to get out of here,” Emma laughed quietly at this, having felt the same way since coming to consciousness not too long earlier. She had never liked the doctors. In fact, she was surprisingly squeamish when needles were concerned, since in the past the sharp objects had been a rather preferred method of getting high. Without the motivation, however, Em found the things to be quite disturbing. Not bothering to waste energy on readjusting her wheelchair, the young woman turned in her seat to face the approaching doctor. The shift was momentarily painful, and though she winced, the stress on her abdomen ebbed slightly and her furrowed eyebrows relaxed. Life was about to get far more difficult. ”Lake, I’ve prescribed you painkillers. I have yours and Emma’s here; you can go to a local pharmacy and get a refill. Also, you’ll both need check-ups. Lake, you can use crutches, but you’ll need to be careful because of your stitches. It’ll hurt, and we can give you the option of a wheelchair.” Casting a glance from the doctor back to Lake, Emma wasn’t surprised to hear his answer. ”I’ll take the crutches.” Of course he would, but Em was almost sure that she wouldn’t be so fortunate. ”We can assist with getting your dogs out to your car.” Sighing, Emma met the physician’s eyes and could already tell she was going to be disappointed. ”I’m afraid you should not stand for more than a few moments at a time, and do not carry heavy things with that arm of yours. Your abdomen needs time to heal. And make sure not to lie on your stomach when you sleep, the pressure could do more harm than good.” A feeling of helplessness already poured over Emma at this, though something told her it would turn into frustration soon enough. ”I want to check up on you both in about two weeks, just to make sure everything’s healing properly and there’s no signs of infection. Better safe than sorry.” Suddenly feeling weary, Emma turned straight in her chair and gave Lake a tired smile. ”Anything’s better than dead, I suppose.” The comment was rather melancholy, but was exactly how she felt. Having always been independent, the thought of having little control over anything was more than just a little disturbing. Not to mention, she was counting on being able to stay with Lake for just a little while longer -- at least until her body healed to the point of her being able to at least walk. It didn't seem in his nature to just cast Emma out of his home, but she didn't want to overstay here welcome either. Nothing had a way of ruining a friendship like someone who won't leave when you want them to. But what choice did she have, really?

[/size][/color][/blockquote][/size]