Almost as Much as I Love Pickles
Chapter Eighteen: You're the Last One to Know
09202009 - 1231A

AN: Okay. I know it's been something like... almost two years since I've updated this and I'm terribly, terribly sorry. My policy is usually that if I can't remember what happened in one of my stories, I won't pick it back up. However, the random bursts of interest in this story that have continued over the last two years have shown me that maybe this is one of my stories with the most promise, and is worth having another go at.

Also, I did read the story before I wrote this chapter, and I have to say... It may sound conceited, but this story makes me feel like a really good writer. -.-;;

Anyway, music is "Come On and Go" by Scout. I'm listening to it on repeat because it seems appropriate to this story. :3

XxX

I looked over the balcony railing, almost wishing that it was more than five feet off of the ground, so I could fling myself off of it. When I was younger, I thought that I might possibly outgrow my frequent moments of idiocy. As the last few months have shown, though, it obviously didn't happen.

Damyon liked me. Okay. That much I had managed to proccess. But how did I feel about Damyon?

He was my protector, I guess. I mean, I had tried to find him before I wound up in the hospital. He was my friend, definitely. Looking back on it, he was always nicer to me than Ricky or Angel, I had just been too blind to see it.

But did I like him? I wasn't sure. I wasn't sure about that, or what I should do next.

XxX

The automatic doors of the Emergency Room entrance slid open and Chelsea strode in purposefully, her heeled boots clicking sharply on the linoleum. Her eyes scanned the waiting room quickly before falling on David. He was slumped forward in his seat, his elbows resting on his knees and his hands cradling his head.

As she approached him her stomach twisted. What had happened? He had called her to tell her that Erica was in the hospital, but had seemed to distraught to give her any details. And now to see him like this, clearly it wasn't good. Erica was like a sister to her, and the thought that something may have happened to her practically sent her into a tailspin.

"David," she said when she reached him. He looked up at her, his eyes bloodshot. "What happened?"

"She..." he seemed to be searching for a way to phrase whatever had happened and Chelsea wanted to shake the answer out of him; just make him spit it out instead of tip-toeing around it. "She was bleeding Chels," he finally said.

"Did she have an accident or something?" Chelsea asked, her eyes widening.

"No. She was... bleeding," he repeated, this time stressing the word.

"Oh," she breathed, finally understanding. "Oh my God. Is she going to be okay? And the baby?"

"I don't know yet. She wasn't in any pain, no cramping or anything, so... they think that they'll be able to stablize everything," he answered. Chelsea nodded, sitting down beside David on the little two-person plastic hospital seat.

"I'm sure it'll be okay," she said quietly, hoping to comfort David. Inside, however, she wasn't sure of anything of the sort.

XxX

Three hours later, and I had returned to my blanket hideout, hiding from the world. I didn't know what to do. I liked Damyon, sure, and the more I thought about it the more I saw potential for a relationship there. But what was really dominating my thoughts was that I wasn't sure I could handle a relationship.

I was sure that Damyon wouldn't treat me like Ricky had, but my emotions were still raw, and I wasn't sure I wanted to take that risk, no matter how small it may be.

On some level, I wished that I had met Damyon before Ricky. I felt like things would have turned out much better, that all of this hurt and trouble could've been avoided if that had been the case.

I had met Ricky when I was still relatively new to DC. I had come to the city to stay with my sick aunt, and after she passed, I had just decided to stay. There wasn't a lot for me in Arizona. I didn't really have any family to speak of. DC was as good as anything, and I had managed to convince the landlord to transfer my aunt's lease to my name.

But I didn't really know anyone. I was lonely. My life had settled into a monotonous pattern of work, home, sleep, work, home, sleep. A lather, rinse, repeat sort of routine.

When I met Ricky, he seemed fun, interesting. Throw in the fact that he was handsom, intelligent, and funny, and I was almost instantly head-over-heels for him. I fell hard, and I fell fast. I wasn't willing to see any signs that he felt any different.

Maybe if I had met Damyon first, things would have been different, better.

And if that was the case, was it too late? Would being with him now make things better?

And then there was the fact that, if I couldn't even be good enough for a slimeball like Ricky, how could I expect to be good enough for someone like Damyon? It was almost laughable to think I could ever measure up.

All in all, it was probably better not to dwell on it. Thinking about it too long might make me think I actually had a chance at being good enough.

XxX

Damyon shoved his hands deep into his coat pockets, Spring, which had started out so mildly, had seemed to fall back, giving way to cold winds and rain. The harsh wind stung his face and chilled him to the bone.

But he wasn't ready to go back yet.

Eli had turned him down flat. Maybe not in so many words, but he may as well have. The intention was clear in his lack of answer. He didn't want Damyon.

XxX

AN: I know that it's a short chapter, but I'm still trying to get back into the swing of this story. I apologize. -.-;;

Okay, given that it's been almost two years, I cannot possibly do review replies for chapter seventeen. However, I WILL pick up review replies next chapter, so please do so. :3

Also, at some point in the... hiatus (cough-abandonment-cough), this story broke 250 reviews. Thank you guys so much for that. It made me very happy to see. :D

love.
luci.