Come Get Me (Tony/Lorna/Semi-Open)

[safetytronic]

Soon Abby was surrounded by nurses and doctors, but she still didn’t know where she was. Nor did she know where her father or Lorna were either, and that worried her to no end. Then she thought she caught a glimpse of the green haired woman, and she released a small breath she didn’t know she was holding. Then next thing she knew was that the group of nurses and doctors surrounding her grew bigger and thicker as they seemed to be responding to the alarms that were sounding loudly behind her. She wondered what exactly was going on, and where her father was.

However, she didn’t have to wait long to find that out. His footsteps could be heard coming down the hall, and she wondered what had happened. However, the crowd of medical employees seem to part at hearing his arrival as well. She looked up as he stopped in front of him fully suited up. She let out another breath she didn’t know she was holding when she saw him. He didn’t say anything and crossed his arms, before raising one arm and pointing to the room behind her. She dipped her head to the floor guiltily, as she had thought that she had made him mad at her. She was only worried for him and Lorna…

Abby sadly turned around, and dragged her feet back to the room she had just exited out of. She eyed the bed she had just vacated, and then looked over the equipment she had just detached from. She then looked back at her father over her shoulder, before closing the distance between herself and the bed. She then got back into it, sitting straight up and avoiding looking at anyone. She really didn’t have much to say to anyone, feeling guilty for causing all this trouble…

[lorna]

Lorna had fully expected Tony to go up to Abby and reassure her, to let her know that he was there and wasn't going to go anywhere. It's what she would have done if Abby had been her daughter. Hell, she wanted to do that now but it wasn't her place. She was little more then a stranger to the Starks. It wasn't her place and balled up her fists by her sides to keep herself from moving over there.

Instead, she watched as he merely raised his arm and pointed her back to the room.

She looked over to Abby and saw the girl's face fall. If it had been her in that place when she was little, her parents would have rushed to her, would have comforted her. The only reason she wasn't marching up to him and getting in his face about being a jerk was that he was still new to the father thing. Not that she had any experience in parenthood as well but she'd at least worked with teenagers before.

The doctors escorted the girl back to her room, likely to talk to her, ask her questions and explain what they'd found in examining her. Lorna moved to beside Tony, touched his arm to get his attention and looked up at him. All thoughts of her conversation with Pepper earlier in the night were gone at this point and only making sure he didn't screw up things with Abby remained on her mind.

“She needs you,” Lorna explained to him softly. “Abby seems confused as to what is going on and just needs to know that you are here.”

Lorna had no idea if he would even care about what she'd said but she had to try. For Abby's sake, she wanted to see this newly formed father/daughter relationship work.

[TONY STARK]

Tony looked down at Abby as she lowered her head and started to head back to the room she came from. He really didn't know what to say or how to say it if he even knew what to tell her. He was already feeling the effects of the alcohol withdraw and the situation didn't help him forget one bit. But in the end all he knew was that in the end he might have been wrong by simply just pointing to the room. Tony didn't really know what to do and wasn't great with kids in the first place. Lifting up his hand he rubbing the masks forehead in a attempt to gather his thoughts.

Than his sensors picked up someone touching his arm and alerted him that it was Lorna. Turning around he listened to what she had to say about the situation that just transpired. Tony knew she was right, but he still didn't know how to approach it at all. But he had to, if he didn't now he might not have another chance to apologize to her. Being Iron Man there's always trouble that he needs to go take care of and it could happen at any minute. And it seems that Lorna seems less angry with him and he rather keep it that way. He knows that maybe she maybe upset with him but she's good with Abby. Sort of a mother figure and with Tony going places she needs someone to be there for her.

Tony nodded at Lorna after her comments and started to walk towards Abby's room. He sort of hesitated at first but than went inside looking at Abby with her head down. Walking towards her the Iron Man mask lifted apart to the side to show his face. "Hey Abby sorry about that, you didn't need that at the moment. How you feeling? Does your arm or head hurt?" he asked.

[safetytronic]

Abby didn’t say a word as the doctors and nurses reattached the medical equipment she had unhooked herself from. They even attempted to ask her questions as they tried to gather how she had cut her wrist like that, and then how her head ended up being cracked open. When they finally gave up trying to get her to talk, the left her alone, and she laid down in the bed facing away from the room. Her back facing the door, and she felt something warm and wet flow down her cheeks and knew she was crying silently. She didn’t know that Lorna was outside trying to get her father see reason and comfort her.

She could hear her father enter the room, his footsteps clanking loudly on the floor behind her back. She didn’t know what to think about him now. She was happy that she wasn’t in danger any more, or so she thinks, and that Lorna at least cared enough for her to come see if she was alright. But of course she knew that her dad had to worry about her as well, as he was still there in the hospital with her. She could hear him get closer to her and his mask lifted so that he could see her, and she could see him.

"Hey Abby sorry about that, you didn't need that at the moment. How you feeling? Does your arm or head hurt?"

Abby turned over in the bed to look at him. Her face portraying her guilt and sadness, she was sure of it. She quickly used the back of her hands, mindful of her injured wrist, to wipe away the tears that still wanted to flow from her eyes. She thought about what he said, and slowly shook her head. She did not need to have her vision swim in front of her again, and wondered why she wasn’t feeling any pain. ”No, I don’t hurt. Must have been some pretty good stuff they gave me…” She answered him a bit distantly, not wanting him to get mad at her again, nor not knowing what to do…

[lorna]

Tony didn't say anything to her and Lorna could see that he was sort of struggling with the whole becoming a father thing. Not that she could really blame him. She didn't know him and if tonight was any indication, doubted she ever really would. But from his reputation, he was a playboy, one who valued his independence and freedom and having a teenage daughter suddenly thrust upon him wasn't likely in his life plans at all. However, it had happened and he needed to deal with that. The first step was to get him to talk to his daughter.

Finally, he moved toward the room and Lorna followed but stayed in the doorway. She didn't want to intrude, knew it wasn't her place to do so but she had to make sure that it was going to go okay before she left. The best thing for them, in her opinion, was to just spend time together, alone. With Abby in the hospital for who knew how long because of her injuries, there was no reason they couldn't use that time to their advantage.

FINALLY, he let go of the mask, allowing his face to be seen. Why he'd worn it so long was beyond her. As far as she could tell, maybe he thought keeping himself in the suit he could block out the emotions that must have arisen when Abby was taken. It might have been a stretch but perhaps. Abby turned and replied to him, the tear stains on her face quite evident.

Lorna bit her lip as she waited for Abby to reply and when she did, the green haired woman smiled. It was the start of a normal conversation and perhaps the first step toward acceptance. On both their parts. She wasn't going to disappear from Abby's life, the girl had some sort of weird hold on her by now. But right this moment, it was for them.

She wasn't going to leave without saying goodbye, though. Abby didn't deserve that. Walking into the room, she approached the father and daughter duo and gave them both smiles. Moving to Abby, she gently stroked the girl's cheek with her fingers before reaching down and gingerly hugging her, being mindful of her injuries and the machines she was hooked up to.

Whispering in her ear, she said, “I'll try to contact you tomorrow to see how you're doing, okay? Just be patient. I know he wants to do things right, he just doesn't know how. I think it's a guy thing.” As she pulled back, she winked at the teenager and gave her a grin.

Straightening up, she turned to Tony. There were things she would like to say to him but this wasn't the place and her temper had already cooled down. She honestly didn't know what to say to him but just walking out seemed so wrong as well. “You're going to be just fine, Tony. Both of you will be,” she finally settled on, sincerity at her words obvious in her dark green eyes.

[TONY STARK]

Tony looked at Abby, more specifically at her wounds on her wrist and on the back of her head. He continuously looked back and wondered how he could have let this happen in the first place. It was his fault in a sense, could have used better glassing for the windows. Possibly could have not left her there on the balcony alone. Thinking instead of telling her to go to the penthouse, he should have taken her there. He continued like that for more than a minute, thinking of the possibilities in his head. There was to many variables that he could have prevented that it made him feel ashamed to call himself an inventor. And then there it goes again, his thirst, that itch that bothered him. He knew what it was for, it was for the lack of alcohol that he hasn't taken in. It bothered him, but at the moment he knew he really shouldn't worry about it. And through force of will he put it to the side again tonight for the sake of Abby's well being.

He than listened to what Abby told him, it was good stuff, the best pain killers in the business. He should know, he helped build the fusion machine to help make that medicine. And if they weren't even going to use the stuff that it produced then he would have to rethink his position on helping the corporates here in the hospital. But he knew he couldn't, looking around the room most of the technology here was Starks. He knew if he stopped he wouldn't be hurting the corporates, he would be hurting the people and he didn't want that. The point was that Abby was feeling better, and at least she seemed to not feel the pain that came from the wounds she sustained. "I know Abby, good thing I make the equipment here or else you would be suffering huh?" he said jokingly. He honestly didn't know how to comfort, but he could try, not like he had to in the first place. He usually didn't comfort, he would normally make up for his mistakes through action, not words. He guessed he had a lot of things to try and get used to, especially learn.

After a couple of seconds it seemed Lorna came into the room and walked up to Abby. He watched as Lorna gave both of them smiles and than walked passed him to Abby. He continued to watch as she stroked her cheek a bit and than lightly hugging her. She than seemed to be whispering something to Abby. It wasn't him that was catching it it was his Iron Man suit. It was hazy due to the fact that it wasn't told to try and pin point the sound waves coming from Lorna. He could have listened in, however that wasn't his conversation and he wouldn't want people listening on to him, no matter how small the conversation was. The hazy sound shut off as the suit got from his mind to keep off. After a few more seconds passing Lorna left Abby's side and walked over to him. He looked at her as she told him what was on her mind, however he knew she wanted to say more. He really couldn't tell if it was bad or good, though that wasn't the point he guessed. "Thanks Lorna, if you have something to say don't hold back" he told her.

[safetytronic]

Abby answered him, thinking that she suddenly was more trouble for her father than what he normally was used to. She then thought back to that night he rescued her from those terrorists and how he brought up leaving her at her uncle’s place. Suddenly the idea of being dropped off there now, didn’t seem so bad. Sure he would most likely treat her like crap, and use her to his advantage but at least she wouldn’t worry her father and impose on him. She watched as Lorna walked into the room, gave them both smiles, stroked her cheek, and then hugged her.

”I’ll try to contact you tomorrow to see how you’re doing, okay? Just be patient. I know he wants to do things right, he just doesn’t know how. I think it’s a guy thing.”

The whisper was somewhat comforting, but it still didn’t change the fact that she felt her father didn’t know what to do with her. She felt like a lead brick that was just dropped on him, and that he didn’t want to deal with her. She swallowed the tears that threatened to escape her, and nodded her head in reply to Loran as she pulled away from her. In her mind, she seemed nothing but trouble for her father and she didn’t want him to feel the stress because of it.

"I know Abby, good thing I make the equipment here or else you would be suffering huh?"

The statement her father had said just before Lorna walked in, penetrated Abby’s mind again. This time she was actually thinking on it, and took a closer look to the equipment around her. She saw the oh so familiar Stark logo on most of the machines, and couldn’t help but give a small little smile at that fact. Still, what she was about to suggest, she didn’t know how the two of them would react to it. She kept telling herself that it would be for her father’s best interests, if she did. She really didn’t want to go, but she felt that she had to. ”I understand if I’m too much trouble, Dad. I wouldn’t hold it against you if you just drop me off at my uncle’s after this…” She told them both, knowing that she wouldn’t see either one of them again in that case. She could feel the tears well up her eyes, not from physical pain, but emotional pain.

[lorna]

If Tony really wanted to listen in on her conversation with Abby, he had every right to, as far as she was concerned. Abby was his daughter, had been through so much trauma in the last twenty four hours and she just happened to be nearby every time it happened. Hell, she'd be suspicious of herself by this point if she didn't know better.

Abby didn't give much reaction to what she'd said nor the hug and Lorna wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad one. If the girl didn't want her around, she could easily avoid the phone call the next day if she wanted. Lorna wouldn't push it. She wasn't one to put herself in a place she wasn't wanted and tended to hide more times then not when she thought that was the case. The ball was totally in Abby's court, so to speak.

As for Abby's father, she couldn't figure him out at all. Perhaps he was in some sort of shock because of all that had happened. When he told her to just tell him exactly what she was thinking, Lorna shook her head. No, this wasn't the place nor did she believe there ever would be a place and time for it.

She was about to tell that maybe they could talk later when Abby suggested that she go live with her uncle. Lorna thought she'd heard Abby's uncle mentioned earlier in the day but wasn't positive. As it was, she had no clue about the true nature of said uncle.

Looking back at Abby, she asked, “You'd rather live with your uncle instead of your father?”

Okay, so that was sort of the pot calling the kettle black because in Lorna's case, it was true. IF Magneto was her father, she would have MUCH rather lived with her Uncle Paul then with Magneto any day. Just the idea of herself in the hands of that terrorist, especially when she was growing up, was enough to make her feel ill.

[TONY STARK]

Tony looked to Lorna than back to Abby, he looked as she was laying down on the bed spread from the hospital. He looked at her arm and her head and continued to wonder how he let it happen. He could tell were the stitches were placed on her blood soaked bandages. At least she was stable, Tony would have thought. But she was his daughter, though again he didn't know what it was to have a daughter. Didn't know the feeling that came with having one, all he knew she was hurt. Don't get it wrong, he felt pain that she was hurt, he just didn't know how to express it well. Such as the incident in the hall way, he didn't want her getting hurt again, but expressed in the wrong ways. Tony thought on what to say to her next, possibly go get her something to make her feel more comfortable. But than again he just wanted to make sure she was happy, though again he most likely wasn't doing that good of a job.

But before he could say something else he got a call, there was distress happening somewhere in the city. He didn't know what it was, but of course it was something that he had to get involved in. Than again before he could tell them he had to answer a distress call Abby came out with if he wanted her to live with her uncle. On the outside he seemed calm and most likely not stunned. But in the inside he was hurt, she would prefer to live with her dead beat uncle instead of him? Though he knew it was her choice not his, he can't try and convince her to stay with him. She's thirteen and able to make certain decision by herself, this one being one of them. Tony then turned his head to Lorna who seemed not to know who her uncle was. If she did she wouldn't have said what she said so nonchalant, but she didn't know so it was understandable. He began walked towards her looking down at her.

"Abby, if that is what you want I'm not going to stop you, your thirteen now. Your in college at this very moment the same as I was, I'm not going to make the same mistakes as my father. You are old enough to make certain decisions, this is going to be one of them. But don't get me wrong I don't want you to leave, however I'm not going to force you to stay". Before he could continue the distress call got worse by the minute, cops screaming about something. His mask folds back into Iron Man turning around towards the door. "If you choose to live with your uncle, I'll help you in anyway I can. I have to go answer a distress call".

[safetytronic]

Abby closed her eyes in an weak attempt to hide the pain at the thought of leaving her dad, and moving in with her scumbag of an uncle. As long as she could remember, he never did like her much and schemed of ways to get rid of her. She even remembered one time, he picked her up from school and told her that her mother had to leave suddenly and he was to send her to her. Well, he put her on a plane, and when it landed she was in the middle of an African jungle…alone. Her mother was no where near her, and if she was a normal child, she would still be there wondering how she was going to get home. Thing was, was that she wasn’t a normal child and she quickly thought her out of that forsaken country and back to her mother. She remembered her uncle was so angry at her for returning…

”You’d rather live with your uncle instead of your father?”

She looked at Lorna when she asked her question. ”Of course not! I just seem to be a magnet for trouble…” She answered the woman and wiped her tears again. She would much rather stay with her dad, but she didn’t want him to feel like she was a full time job just to keep her safe. ”I don’t want Dad to die because of me…” She finally said to the green haired woman, knowing that if she was taken again, and forced to make another weapon she’ll have a feeling that they would blow up her dad as well. Then where would that leave her?

"Abby, if that is what you want I'm not going to stop you, your thirteen now. Your in college at this very moment the same as I was, I'm not going to make the same mistakes as my father. You are old enough to make certain decisions, this is going to be one of them. But don't get me wrong I don't want you to leave, however I'm not going to force you to stay If you choose to live with your uncle, I'll help you in anyway I can. I have to go answer a distress call"

Abby looked sadly at her father, and wondered what mistakes he was talking about. She looked up at him and then looked to Lorna before returning her gaze back to her father. ”But it isn’t what I want…” She told him and then looked away for a moment. ”What I want is to be safe…” She added and then looked to Lorna for help. She had a feeling she was screwing this up, and she didn’t want that to happen. She had heard him tell her that he didn’t want her to leave, and she didn’t want to go. She watched as he turned his back on her to leave to go answer that distress call. ”If I did go, I most likely won’t see you or Lorna again…” She told him before turning back over on her side like she was when he entered. This time, she didn’t bother to hide the tears nor the sobbing…

[lorna]

Considering she didn't know anything about Abby's uncle, Lorna didn't think her question was that out of the ordinary. It wasn't a secret to her that the girl had grown up with her mother, only having met Tony recently so it was entirely conceivable that she'd be close to an uncle and would prefer to live with him.

Abby's reaction, however, surprised her. Lorna turned fully to face the teenager when she cried out that it wasn't what she wanted and the tone of voice that was used alarmed the green haired woman. She was close enough to Tony to hear him breathing. “Then why...” she began when Abby continued, explaining she didn't want to be the cause of her father dying.

Which made even less sense to her then the rest of the conversation had. How on earth would she cause Tony to die?

She glanced back at Tony as he explained that he didn't want Abby to move out but if it was what she wanted, then he wouldn't stop her. What? It was so obvious that all Abby wanted was to know that she wasn't imposing on the man and while he almost sounded like he got it, it was obvious that he was totally missing the main point. She wanted to smack him over the head with something hard just see if it knocked sense into him.

Then he had to leave to take a distress call.

That did it. As Abby was saying that if she went, she wouldn't see either one of them again, Tony walked toward the door, intent on leaving. Leaving his obviously distraught teenage daughter who'd just been returned after being kidnapped, was lying in a hospital bed and crying her eyes out. Lorna's temper snapped, having reached it's peak and several of the monitors in the room short circuited as the familiar green glow of her powers surrounded her.

“You aren't the only hero in this damned city, Stark,” she said to him, her eyes glowing green as the rest of her did. She didn't care one whit who he was. He needed a cold dose of reality. “Your responsibility right now is lying in a hospital bed, thinking you don't care what the hell happens to her. Is that how you want to leave her? Believing she is better off with someone else?”

The sobs coming from the bed reached her ears and Lorna powered down, the glow dissipating as she did so. Throwing him one more look that was full of daggers, she turned and walked to the bed. Ignoring the panicked people who came in at the loss of their monitors, she gently stroked the girl's blood matted dark hair and hoped that he would do the right thing. Because if he didn't, the consequences would be much more then he could ever imagine.

[TONY STARK]

As Tony was slowly walking towards the only exit in the room he heard Abby's pleas and worries. One worry confused him, she did know he was Iron Man, the most likely reason he would die was because of his own enemies. It would have made more sense if she worried about her own well being, seeing as most of his enemies would be coming after her. Tony wanted to say something, tell her that she wouldn't be the cause of his death, most likely his business would do that before she could. But before he could respond then Abby continued to answer his question or make a answer towards his statement. Telling him she just wants to be safe, and not wanting to leave. At this point he was confused, did she want to remain safe? Or she wanted to make sure he wouldn't die because of her? His back was still turned so his front was still facing the door he was just standing there. His red armor glimmering off the light of the room.

Than before he knew it he was getting chewed out by Lorna who was in the room listening to everything. And than before long his throat began to itch again, telling him his body needed the drink. With that and Lorna chewing his noise optics he started to lose his temper, getting frustrated. He never had to deal with this before, never had to worry for a child, and she expected him to forsake his duties to protect the people? Tony turned violently causing the floor to crush beneath his feet. The visual optic's on his Iron Man mask grew a bright white as he stared at Lorna. "Then tell me Lorna, why has the distress call been going on for such a long time. I would have heard ONE at least ONE hero making it to the scene. But guess what I haven't, I have multiple duties if you haven't noticed" he said. The suits center core and repulsors on his feet and hands corresponded with his temper, glowing bright white.

"I have a business, I am Iron Man, AND I now have to take care of a thirteen year old girl. Who I might add knows I don't want her to leave but is crying over nothing, because she knows I care or I would have loaded her off to her uncle the first minute I got her! So Lorna you can give me all the looks you want, I showed I cared". After a few moment he turned back around and left the room. His heavy steps could be heard echoing down the hallway. The Doctors and nurses kept there distance from him as he continued to walk.

[safetytronic]

Abby felt a hand gently stroke her hair, but she still was crying. She didn’t know what to do, and of course the stress of it all was nearly too much for her to bear. She ignored the personal that attempted to work on the now broken equipment, and only wished her mother was there with her. But the loving woman who had raised her wasn’t, and she suddenly felt all alone in the world. She brought her knees up to her chest and hugged them to her, making her wrist bleed again from pulling out the stitches that were placed there. She didn’t care if she was now bleeding freely from her wrist, she felt she deserved it for some reason.

”Then tell me Lorna, why has the distress call been going on for such a long time. I would have heard ONE at least ONE hero making it to the scene. But guess what I haven't, I have multiple duties if you haven't noticed I have a business, I am Iron Man, AND I now have to take care of a thirteen year old girl. Who I might add knows I don't want her to leave but is crying over nothing, because she knows I care or I would have loaded her off to her uncle the first minute I got her! So Lorna you can give me all the looks you want, I showed I cared"

She heard the anger in his voice, and her reaction was to wince at causing such commotion. Her mother would have known what to do by now, but she wasn’t there. She heard her father stomp out of the room, and she then turned back over to see if Lorna was still there with her. Her eyes searched out her friend, and her lips trembled. ”Why do I feel it is all my fault? My mom would have…” She tried to tell her, but she couldn’t as she started to cry again.

[lorna]

As Tony turned and tore up not only the floor but into her as well, the hand that wasn't stroking Abby's hair clenched into a fist. He had made his decision, obviously, and it was going to be one he would regret. Not because she felt like shocking some sense into him but because he was likely to lose his daughter to this uncle that they were talking about. She still didn't know anything about the man other then neither one of the really wanted her to go live with him. If there weren't other “heroes” out there responding to the call, it was because he didn't want them to. She wasn't exactly chicken shit, she could easily have gone in his place. No, she wasn't Cyclops or Wolverine but she wasn't exactly a novice, either.

He was gone, there was hospital personnel coming and going, trying to figure out what happened to the equipment and she ignored them all.

Abby asked her a question and then was crying in earnest so she leaned over and wrapped her arms gingerly around the girl and simply held her. There really wasn't anything she could say, nothing that would soothe her pain and her broken heart. Rejection was a two edged sword and it cut deeper then just about anything else in the world ever would.

“It's not your fault, Abby. None of it is. I'm sure if your mother would have had a choice, she'd be here now and you'd be with her. He's...” she hesitated a moment, trying to form her words carefully. As much as she wanted to cut into Tony's thick hide, she knew that wasn't what Abby needed.

“He's going through as big a transition as you are right now. While you are mourning your mother, he's mourning the loss of the freedom he has had all these years. He is used to jumping at every call that comes in and not worrying about his safety because there wasn't anyone to worry for. It's going to take time, for both of you, but that doesn't mean he doesn't want you. He simply has to get used to you,” she finally told her, keeping her voice low and calm, hoping if the words didn't do anything, the tone would.

Finally, the hospital staff cleared out, new equipment had replaced the broken ones and they were satisfied with Abby although not happy that she wasn't giving up her perch on the bed. The last thing the girl needed was someone else abandoning her that night, although she knew she was a very poor substitute. Time passed, she held the girl and let her cry all she wanted.

Looking at the clock, she realized it was very early morning and it was no wonder she'd been yawning for a while by then. The lights in the room had been dimmed and she'd been told a few times that visiting hours were long past over. But Lorna was a very stubborn woman and eventually, they stopped bothering them.

Looking down at the still blood matted hair, she asked softly, “Do you want to go home? Maybe get a bath to clean up, sleep in your own bed? I have a good friend who I can call to come check on you. She probably knows more then the people in this hospital anyway.” Calling Jean a good friend was a flat out lie but she did trust her when it came to medical care.

How she'd get the girl out was beyond her but she had to do something.

[safetytronic]

Abby was of course not listening to anything that was told her clearly, not after her green haired friend started to hold her. What she did hear of Lorna’s attempted explanation only made her feel worse, not better. She only felt like she was an unwanted flaw in his plan, and a huge imposition on him. She suddenly wished she wasn’t special or a genius, but more like a normal thirteen year old still in grade school. That way, she wouldn’t have been noticed by the media. She wouldn’t have been kidnapped. She wouldn’t have been force to make that weapon. Her mother would still be alive. And more importantly, her father would still have his freedom.

She then began to curse the genetic trait of being a Stark. If it weren’t for the Stark genius she wouldn’t be in this situation right then. However, she turned her body around gingerly to face her friend and buried her face into her chest. She was suddenly reminded of what Lorna had done for her the last time she had rescued her, and knew that her friend wasn’t going to leave her too. She continued to sob and cry as the woman just held her.

Abby didn’t know how much time had passed with her just crying and Lorna holding her. For the second time she was first taken, she felt comforted. Really comforted, and less hurt that her mother was gone. She didn’t even know that the nurses and the doctors were trying to get her friend to leave her, and her reaction to their intrusion was to grip her friend tighter in a plea for her not to go…

”Do you want to go home? Maybe get a bath to clean up, sleep in your own bed? I have a good friend who I can call to come check on you. She probably knows more then the people in this hospital anyway.”

She shook her head at the thought of home, and then swallowed her ebbing sobs and tears. ”No, not home. Not to a place where I would be trouble to someone…” She finally told her, not totally turning down her offer but not wanting to go to a place where she felt like a burden. Suddenly, she felt like she had to get out of there. For what she didn’t know, but she figured it was so that she wouldn’t have to see her father when he returned…if he returned. ”I don’t want to stay here either. Not if he comes back…” She pleaded with her friend, hoping that the woman would indulge her…