Save Me

"Better?" Jacob asked. Lacie breathed heavily for a minute or so, nodding her head. She looked back at her plate. The food looking more tasty. She nibbled some more. Jacob stole a piece of bacon off her plate. He smirked at her biting into it.

"That was mine!" Lacie whined, giggling.

"Glad to see you're feeling better," smiled Jacob, sincerely. He offered his piece of bacon back to her. She shook her head, smiling faintly.

"You can keep it," she said, her smile slipping off her face. Her phone started to beep, "Oh, excuse me," she said, reaching for her phone in her bag.

It was from Nicole, "shit," she said under her breath.

"What?" Jacob asked.

"I forgot to call Nicole last night," she said, silently. she called Nicole right then.

"Hello?" Nicole answered.

"Hi... Nicole," Lacie said hesitantly.

"Lacie," she said cheerfully.

"Sorry," Lacie said.

"For what?" Nicole asked.

"I forgot to call you last night," she spoke.

"Oh, honey, it's okay," Lacie heard a smile in her voice, "as long as I know you're okay."

"I am, thanks for worrying," Lacie said.

"Not a problem, I am you mother, after all," Nicole giggled. Lacie smiled.

"Thanks again. Bye, I'll see you when I get home," Lacie said.

"See you, honey," she said and hung up. Lacie quirked her lips up at the corners.

"What was that?" Jacob asked.

"Oh, nothing," she reassured him. He nodded, "so what're we going to do?"

"I was thinking, maybe we could go for a walk," Jacob said.

"A walk?" Lacie asked, her head tilting to the side.

"Yeah, a park is right down the road a bit. All our friends are there," he smiled.

"Everyone? Now?" she asked.

"I wouldn't put it passed them," shrugged Jacob.

"But I don't have anything to wear. I forgot a change of clothes," she blushed a little.

"Don't worry," smiled Jacob, "I have some old clothing you could wear, but you might want to take care of your bed head first," smirked Jacob. Lacie reached for her hair.

"Oh, my," she ran for the bathroom. She was surprised she still knew where it was. Slowly she brushed the brush through her hair, calming the beast that took over.

***

Jacob

Jacob pulled out some of the clothing that was too small for him, but what he thought you'd fit Lacie. The door swung open, showing a ruffled Lacie in the doorway. Her hair has been tamed.

"Welcome back," he chuckled.

"I-I'm wearing y-your clothing?" Lacie stuttered.

"Yeah," shrugged Jacob, "Why not."

"Uhm... Okay," she said softly. Has she never worn another person's clothes before?

"Come here," Jacob held up the clothing he pulled out, "What would you like?" he asked, at her from under his eyelashes.

"I'm allowed to pick what I want?" she asked.

"Yeah, but some of them might be huge on you, but hey, whatever floats your boat," chuckled Jacob.

"Okay, well this shirt and those shorts," she pointed at them and waited.

***

Lacie

"Here," he smiled, handing them to her, "I'll leave."

Lacie nodded. He left, closing the door behind him. Quickly Lacie stripped and threw on his clothes. He was right, they were pretty big. The shorts hung low on her hips and the shirt went almost halfway down her legs.

"You decent?" asked Jacob, his voice muffled through the door.

"Yeah," she answered. He opened the door, peeking in.

"I have to say," he looked her up and down, "you don't look bad."

"Yeah," she said, looking down on herself, "I don't know, the shirt's kinda big."

"I can fix that," he left again. Minutes later he returned with a pony tail in hand.

"What's this for?" she took it. He chuckled at her.

"Here let me have it, and turn around," Jacob took the pony tail, gingerly, from her hand. He was smiling at her.

"Uhm, okay," she said, turning around. Jacob gathered her shirt in his hands, pulling it flush against her belly. He wound the ponytail into the shirt.

"There," he smiled. She turned around.

"I didn't know you could do that," she said, incredulous. Jacob chuckled at her.

"Yep, so, shall we go?" Jacob asked.

"I guess," she shrugged. As she moved, her shirt kept riding up, "Uh, Jacob?"

"Yeah?" he asked, turning back to her.

"My shirt keeps riding up," she held it down, awkwardly.

"Oh here, I'll fix it," he grabbed onto her shirt and pulled slightly. It loosened a bit. She breathed.

"Thank you," she said.

"De nada," he answered in Spanish. The word for 'no problem.'

"You are learning in class!" Lacie exclaimed. Jacob gasped in mock-surprise.

"I am!" he said excitedly. Lacie giggled a little.

***

Jacob

Lacie didn't know how to tie a shirt back. Hm. She has been closed off to the world.

"Here let me have it, and turn around," Jacob took the pony tail. He smiled at her.

"Uhm, okay," she turned around and he gathered the shirt in his hands twisting the pony tail into it. He tied it as tight as it would go. He never did this before. Trial and error.

"There," he smiled. She turned around.

"I didn't know you could do that," she said, her voice ringing with incredulity. Jacob chuckled at her. She was so innocent.

"Yep, so shall we go?" Jacob asked. He was excited.

"I guess," she shrugged. Jacob turned for the door, walking out into the hall, "Uh, Jacob?"

"Yeah?" he asked, turning back to her.

"My shirt keeps riding up," she held it down, awkwardly.

"Oh here, I'll fix it," he grabbed onto the sides of the shirt and pulled slightly. It loosened a bit. Jacob heard her breathe.

"Thank you," she said.

"De nada," he answered in Spanish. He smirked

"You are learning in class!" Lacie exclaimed. Jacob gasped in mock-surprise. It took everything he had not to laugh.

"I am!" he said excitedly. Lacie giggled a little.

***

Lacie

They arrived at the park. It was a little kids park, toddlers were running around playing on the equipment there. It wasn't as cold as it was yesterday, but she still saw her breath.

"Wow," Lacie breathed, a cloud emitting from her mouth.

"You've never been?" Jacob asked.

"Never," she shook her head.

"Well, now you are," he smirked at her. Lacie smiled softly at him.

"Hey, Lacie!" exclaimed the twins.

"Landon? Jayden?" Lacie asked.

"Yeah!" they ran up to her and Jacob. They were smiling like crazy.

"Lacie!" yelled a honeysuckle voice. She looked to the sound of her name. It was Cameron, smiling that smile. She waved.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey yourself," he smirked at her.

"Lacie, Jake!" another voice yelled. Ravyn. He ran to her. Trailing behind him was a kid.

"Uh, Ravyn, you have a tagalong," Lacie pointed slightly.

"Oh, yeah, this is my kid brother, Zackery," smiled Ravyn.

Lacie bent down to his level, "Aren't you cute," she smiled a little. the boy was about 12.

"Thanks," blushed the little boy. He had hair like Ravyn's but that's as far as the resemblance went. Ravyn was buff, the star quarterback. He had brown hair that hug sort of long. About mid way down his ears. Ravyn was tall and tan, his eyes a deep sea blue. His nose was straight, his cheekbones high. His smile was perfect, teeth straight. Ravyn's shoulders were broad, his muscles visible.

Where as Zackery was small, he was skinny. He had brown hair that was cropped short. His smile was small and shy where Ravyn's was confident. The boy was pale and short, his eyes a dark gray. His nose was small, short. He had small muscles and petite shoulders.

"Lacie, Lacie!" a girls voice rang. It was Ebony.

"Hey," Lacie said, softly. Ebony hugged her. Lacie hesitantly hugged her back.

***

The day was full of interesting. She actually had fun and she was exhausted. They were still at the park by nine O'clock. She sat heavily on the bench a little ways from the place where the guys were playing. They were playing football and Ebony had left already.

A couple hours after they arrived, some of Ravyn's other friends showed up. What were their names? Keaten and Cáel. They were really nice. Keaten was blonde and buff, he was another football player. His eyes were a pretty purple.

Cáel on the other hand was darker. His hair was super dark brown. His eyes were a pale green. He wasn't a football player, he was a baseball player. His hair was cropped short but it fit him well.

Lacie's eyes drooped, she sighed. She can't fall asleep here. But she did. She laid down on the bench and slept.

Jacob

They were playing touch football. They ran back and forth, keeping each other from scoring. It was Ravyn, Cameron, Jacob, and Landon on one team. Jayden, Keaten, Cáel, and Zackery on the other one. They were evenly matched.

"Okay! Next score wins!" Jacob declared.

"Right!" the rest of the guys said. It took them a good half an hour to finally score. Jacob's team won.

"Yes!" exclaimed Ravyn, "We fucking won!"

"Ravyn, language!" Jacob hissed.

"Oh," Ravyn covered his mouth, "sorry, Zackery."

"It's okay, big brother," Zackery spoke, "say we have to go, mom'll be wondering where we are."

"Okay, kid," nodded Ravyn, he smiled down at him, "Hey guys we're leaving."

"See you!" everyone exclaimed.

"I'll see you on Monday," smiled Jacob.

"See you, man," Ravyn smirked, punched him in the shoulder and left the park.

"Hey, I have to leave too," Cameron smacked him on the back.

"Okay, bye, man," Jacob nodded as he left. Jacob said goodbye to the rest of the guys and and within minutes him and Lacie were left alone.

"Lacie?" he looked around until he spotted her lying on the bench. He advanced, she was asleep. He smiled softly at her. She looked so peaceful. Instead of waking her up and making her walk home, he picked her up and held her wedding style.

Lacie woke slightly. Just enough to wrap her arms around his neck and lie her head on his shoulder. His heart leaped, but he calmed his feelings and left for home.

***

Gently he laid her on the bed. She made little sleepy noises and woke up a bit.

"Where are we?" she asked, her voice laced heavily with sleep.

"We're at my house. Just go back to sleep, we'll go back to the park tomorrow," smiled Jacob.

"M'kay," she said sleepily and rolled over. Jacob remembered she had to call Nicole. But Lacie was already asleep. Jacob grabbed her phone and called Nicole.

"Hello?" a woman picked up.

"Hello, Nicole?" Jacob asked.

"Yes," she said.

"This is Jacob Daniels. I was calling on behalf of Lacie. She has fallen asleep already, so I called for her. She is safely in my house," Jacob sounded so formal.

"Thank you, Jacob," the woman sounded as if she was smiling.

"You're welcome," Jacob smiled.

"I'll see her tomorrow, right?" she asked.

"Yes, I promise," Jacob smiled.

"Okay, bye then," she sounded as if she smiled again.

"Bye," Jacob said his eyes drooped, he sat on the floor, heavily, with a sigh, and fell into a deep sleep.

Lacie

Someone picked her up. She woke up slightly, feeling as if she were about to fall. She wrapped her arms around her carrier's neck, lying her head softly on his shoulder. She sighed as his gait lulled her back to sleep.

***

She felt as if someone put her on a soft bed. She woke wondering where she was. Just a moment ago she was on a hard bench.

"Where are we?" her voice was strained and Lacie's with sleep. Her head ached as she trying to organize her thoughts.

"We're at my house. Just go back to sleep, we'll go back to the park tomorrow," a blurry Jacob spoke. He had a smile in his voice.

"M'kay," she said sleepily and rolled over. She bunched the blankets in her grasp and went back to sleep.

Her deep sleep was over as a dream started to form. What memory would she dream of this time? Her mother's face flashed across her eyes.

"Mom?" she asked.

"Yes, Honey," her mother smiled her perfect smile.

"Mom," she ran, throwing herself into her arms. Her mother hugged her back, but instead of a steady hug, gradually she tightened her grip.

"Mom, you're hurting me," she choked out, as she couldn't breathe. Her mom cackled, but it wasn't her mother anymore. She looked up at the person constricting her. It was her father.

"Dad," she gasped, "Dad, stop."

"I'm back," he whispered in her ear. She tensed.

"But you're dead," she spoke tightly.

"No, I'm not," he growled as he squeezed her tighter.

"Dad! Stop!"

"Dad! Stop!" Lacie exclaimed sitting up in bed.

"Lacie?" Jacob sat up, rubbing his eyes. By the time he said her name, her knees were pulled up to her face and she sat quietly in the dark, "Lacie."

She heard him get up, felt his pressure push into the spot next to her. With her being so light, Jacob's weight made her tilt his way. His shoulder stopped her from falling over.

"Come here," he pulled her into his arms and she sobbed.

"It's okay," he rocked her back and forth in a soothing motion.

"It's not okay," she choked out.

"What happened?" he asked softly. She recapped the whole nightmare for him.

"I see," he said, squeezing her reassuringly. She grew tired, her eyelids drooped closed, her breathing deepened.

***

Lacie woke in Jacob's arms again. She was sweaty and hot, but she didn't move. She sighed and snuggled closer into his warmth.

"Lacie, are you awake?" Jacob asked, his voice gruff.

"Yeah," she said softly.

"That's good," he said, but he didn't move. She sighed, content in his arms.

"We'll head to the park later," Jacob murmured, his breathing suddenly got heavier. He was back asleep. She decided to try to sleep too. Only lightly though, she didn't want to wake him up again.

***

She was cold.