Hero

By: Jule Anders

There's a hero
if you look inside your heart
you don't have to be afraid of what you are

Elizabeth ran.

She couldn't breathe again, but she never noticed that.  Too much has happened.  Her hot tears were probably the only thing that
kept her warm in the February weather.  She didn't even notice that no one was in the park.  Usually, a whole bunch of kids would be
playing, and it had just snowed, and no one was there.  Of course, it was a school day, so they would be at school.

But Elizabeth wasn't.

She stopped running as soon as she bumped into a person.  She fell hard on the floor, groaning,

"Liz, are you okay?"  the man asked.
Elizabeth closed her eyes trying to pretend he wasn't there.

"Liz?  Elizabeth?"
She opened her eyes again, and sat up in the snow,

"I'm fine, Mr. Spencer."
 

There's an answer
if you reach into your soul
and the sorrow that you know will melt away
 

"You know, you can call me Luke.  Most people do."  he told her, helping her get up.

"I know.  You've told me many times, but I'm not..... Mr. Spencer only seems proper."
Luke nodded.

"So, you're back." she said.

"Yeah, but no one knows.."

"So... what.  You wanna keep it a secret?.... From Lucky?"

"He isn't by any chance with you at this moment?"

"No, he's in school."

"And you're not because....."

Suddenly Elizabeth couldn't breathe again.
"Liz?  Honey, are you okay?  Liz?"  he said.

Liz swayed a bit, and felt the world around her disappear.
 

And then a hero comes along
with the strength to carry on
and you'll cast your fears aside
and you know you can survive

Elizabeth woke up to find Lucky beside her,
"You had me so scared, you were on the verge of de--"  he stopped himself, "You just had me scared."

Liz sighed a bit, "Who brought me here?"

"You don't know?... I didn't see you in school today, so I cut class.  I saw you with my dad, and you fainted, so both he and I brought
you here.  A clever way of bringing us together.  I would have cared, but I was too worried."

"Sorry if I worried you too much.  I'm fine, you see?  I can breathe now."

"What, you weren't breathing before?"

"No, I couldn't.  Something wasn't letting me, Lucky.  All of these bad memories......"

"Hey... shh... it's okay.  Nothing bad's gonna happen.  I won't let it."  he said taking her hand.  She nodded and looked to see Sarah in
come in.  She placed flowers on a table, and said, "I called mom and dad.   they know you're in the hospital."

"Are they coming?" Elizabeth asked quietly, though not knowing whether she wanted to know.

"No.  No, they're not.  I'm sorry Liz, they're too busy."
 

Cause when you feel like hope is gone
look inside you and be strong
and you'll finally see the truth
that a hero lies in you

"Okay, I understand."  Lucky watched as Liz say sadly, which only made him hold her hand tighter.
Sarah watched as Lucky watched Liz, and said, "I'm going to get Grams, she said to tell her when you woke up.  See you later." she said.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"10 hours.  It's 9 o'clock now..... So, are you going to tell me what happened this morning?"

"I don't think I remember... I was running.   From where, I have no clue.  From what........"
Liz trailed off as memories from the rape came back.

"Stop it.  Okay, let's talk about something else."

"Like what?  All Sarah has been talking about for the past few days, was the dance... the, uh, Valentine's dance.  She wants me to go,
but I don't think I should..."

"I think you should Elizabeth.  With me.   It'll help me a lot."

".....With what?"

"With making it up for last year."
 

It's a long road
if you face the world alone
no one reaches out a hand
for you to hold

"Lucky....."

"No, don't say it.  I feel so bad about last year, I need to make this up for you.  Make it special for you."

"You don't have to.. I.... I don't think you can.. I don't think that anyone can."

"Would it help if I just made every other day special?"

"No, it's too much work for you."   Liz said with a laugh.

"Let me try, Elizabeth.  If you don't like it, you could tell me, and I'll change the plans."

"You're sweet."

"Uh, uh.  You never call a boy sweet."

"Fine, you're... manipulative and.... and.... and not sweet."

"So does that mean you'll come to the dance with me?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Good.  Now we just gotta get you out of the hospital.  The dance is in two day."

"It'll be a great excuse to get me outta here.   I hate hospitals."

"Yeah, it's a perfect plan."  Lucky agreed.

"What are you two conjuring up?" a voice interrupted them.

You can find love
if you search within yourself
and that emptiness you felt
will disappear

"Gram!"

"You're not deciding to plan a get away are you?"

"No, we were actually talking about the dance this friday."  Lucky explained.

"Oh, you're going?  Both of you?"
They nodded.

"Elizabeth , are you sure?"

"No, but knowing all of you, you'll make me go.   So when can I get out of here?"  she asked.  She glanced around the dull dark room,
and shivered.

"I talked to your doctor, and they want to keep you here for a few days, but I told them you hated hospitals so they allowed me to
take you home, but only if you stay in bed... with someone with you."

"Okay, I'm not arguing... I don't have the strength.  Can I leave now?"

"Yeah, a wheel chair is on it's way, and Sarah's coming with your clothes."

"Oh, then I'll, uh, wait outside, okay?"   Lucky asked Liz.  She nodded.
 

And then a hero comes along
with the strength to carry on
and you'll cast your fears aside
and you know you can survive

"Grams," Sarah said, "After what Lizzie went through, should she be going home?"

"I think Elizabeth would have died in that hospital room."  Lucky said pushing Liz's wheelchair.

"I'm sick, Lucky.  Don't make me hurt you."  Liz warned with a laugh.

"Are you warm enough?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."
Lucky and Sarah then helped Liz into the back seat.  Lucky slid in beside her.

"I have to go back to the hospital, after.   Sarah, I trust you will take good care of Elizabeth when I leave?"

"You can count on it."

"I hope this doesn't mean she'll be hovering over me."  Liz said smiling.

"No, it just means she'll be on the phone."  Lucky said.

"Hey you two, don't gang up on me!"
Liz laughed.
 

"God Liz, you are so slow when you're sick."  Sarah complained, as she and Lucky helped Liz up the stairs.  When they reached Liz's
room, Sarah said,

"Lucky, keep an eye on her will you?  I gotta make a phone call."
Elizabeth and Lucky exchanged glances.

"To Steven, you're brother."  Sarah said, then left.
They laughed.

"Come on, let's get you to bed."   Lucky took her arm and started walking.

"Lucky, why can't I just sleep on the floor?   The bed seems a thousand miles away."

"Because, for a sick person, a bed is way more comfortable.  Why don't I carry you?"

"No way."

"Come on Elizabeth, I can manage."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, it'll be a lot faster, trust me."

"You know I do."

Lucky nodded and carried Liz to her bed.  He gently placed her down, and wrapped her in blankets.  She looked up at his face, which
seemed to draw closer and closer.

Cause when you feel like hope is gone
look inside you and be strong
and you'll finally see the truth
that a hero lies in you
 

"Steven sends you love."  Sarah said walking in on Lucky and Liz, "And loads of stuff via mail...."  She noticed how flushed Liz's face
was, "Go to sleep, 'kay?  I gotta get to some homework... Lucky will you look after her?"
He nodded, and she left.
Lucky raised his eyebrows, and sighed a bit, pulling blankets closer around Elizabeth.

"I hate bed rest probably as much as hospitals.   Usually I'm alone.  Mom and Dad were usually preoccupied, so I moped in my room a
lot."

"You're avoiding it.  Come on Elizabeth, sleep."  He told her

"Tell me how special Valentine's Day is."

"You won't believe me anyhow."

"Maybe I will."

".... But maybe I won't."
 

Lord knows
dreams are hard to follow
but don't let anyone tear them away

"Then tell me what we're doing."

"Okay.  It's the night of the dance at around 6:00, and I'm picking you up at seven.  You're running around... oh, well, since you're sick,
Sarah can do the running for you."

Elizabeth laughed, "And what would you be doing?"

"Sneaking to my house's rose garden because I spent all my money on my clothes."

"Okay, so you come pick me up at seven sharp, not a second late.  Sarah's off with some new love interest, in hope's to upstage
Nikolas.......... what am I wearing?"

"Something purple."
"Why?"

"Cause you look good in that colour."
She smiled, shifting in her bed.

"Okay, now what?"

"We're walking to school, but we don't go in the gym----"

"It's the dance, where else would we go?"

"Into a classroom, I previously decorated with the left overs from the dance."

"Streamers, balloons, and everything?"

"Right down to cake too.  The tables are pushed to the wall, and you can hear the music play from the gym."

"Good, cause, we gotta dance."  she said.

Lucky's face was close to Liz's as he gently stroked her hair.
 

Hold on
there will be tomorrow
in time you'll find a way
 

Music from Sarah's room echoed into Liz's room.   It was "Hero" by Mariah Carey.  As the song played, Lucky's mind wandered and
dreamed of him and Liz dancing.
He pulled her closer, so they would feel more connected.  She laid her head comfortably on his shoulder.  He closed his eyes while one
of his hands played with her hair, as the other held her tightly.

"So, do we get caught?"  Elizabeth asked.  Lucky snapped back into  reality and said,

"Do we ever get caught?"

Liz smiled.

"Okay, so after the dance, I buy you and ice cream-----"

"In the middle of February?"

"Okay, popcorn."

"Lucky, I...."

"I'm so sorry.  I'll buy you hot chocolate."

"Thanks."

"We walk to your house, just before your curfew.  You're grandmother is waiting and says she's proud of you."

"What about you?"

"Elizabeth, I'm always proud of you, you know that."

"...No..... I mean, what will you say?"

And then a hero comes along
with the strength to carry on
and you'll cast your fears aside
and you know you can survive
 

"I'll say the usual, you know, "I had a good time, it was fun, and I'll see you tomorrow." Then I leave and you say goodnight to your
grandmother, and go to your room.  After you change, you get in bed.  A softy that I am, I climb up your house and walk through
you're window that you carelessly left open and tell you goodnight, sweet dreams, and tell you that you made it.  One year, and you
made it."

"Only because I had you."  Liz replied sleepily.

"And, I tuck you in and say Happy Valentine's Day.  I kiss you goodnight, and pray to God that you won't have nightmares, because I
won't be there to take care of you in the middle of the night."

"Doesn't sound like a nice thought to leave with."

"Of course, there'll be better things to think about.  The dance, the roses.."

"The hot chocolate...."

"...saying goodnight, and the kiss."

".........Right, of course."  Liz said closing her eyes.

"Tonight I'll be here to take care of you."
He watched as he got no reply.

"Elizabeth?  Elizabeth?"
He sighed but smiled a bit, and watched her sleep.
 

Cause when you feel like hope is gone
look inside you and be strong
and you'll finally see the truth
that a hero lies in you

"Goodnight Elizabeth."  he said lacing his fingers in hers.  He swept her hair off her face, and kissed her hand.......... and watched once
more.

And that a hero lies in you
 

THE END

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