Room With No Windows

We spent a good majority of the drive in silence. It was enough to just have her under my arm and know that she was safe. She still wouldn't tell me what happened, and I didn't press the matter.
I could feel my stomach growl and figure that we should probably stop to grab a bite to eat.
"You hungry?" I ask, glancing over at her. She nods.
My eyes keep on the lookout for any restaurants while taking a look at the gas meter. Almost empty.
Looks like a few hot dogs from the gas station were going to have to do.
Elsa grabs my phone when it rings, observing the screen. "It's Eric."
I groan. Of course he'd be calling.
She puts the phone on speaker for me and I sigh. "What do you want, Halvo?"
"Hi to you, too, asshole," he scoffs. "Where the hell are you? I went to your place but no one was there. I haven't heard from you. I'm sorry if I made you mad, alright?"
I frown. "N-no, it's not like that." I take a deep breath. "You were right. I wasn't going to get anywhere just sulking around on the couch. I came to get Elsa."
"You what?!"
"It's a long story," I mumble. "But it was an emergency. She's with me now, though, and we're on our way back."
He groans on the other end. "You're so whipped, dude."
"Bye, Halvo," I say before hanging up. I hadn't gotten to that part yet.
That was the other reason I'd come to get her. But I was still working on that.
I pull into a gas station and Elsa sits up as I turn the keys in the ignition to shut it off. "What was he talking about?"
Opening up the side door, I give her a soft peck on the lips. "Don't worry about it, darlin'."
She blushes and I chuckle. I'm glad that hadn't gone away.
After I'm done putting gas in the tank, I let Elsa pick out some snacks. I grab my own food and a sandwich for each of us before paying for everything and parking somewhere else so we could eat in the back of my truck.
I open up my bag of Doritos, leaning against the metal bed as she sat across from me. She was nibbling away at a Twinkie, and I had to refrain from laughing.
"What?" she mumbles, reaching for her snack and choosing a KitKat.
"You're acting like you haven't eaten since you left," I tell her, hoping she would deny my suspicious.
But she simply stays quiet and takes another bite of her chocolate.
I feel my stomach twist. He didn't let her eat?
"Elsa," I whisper. I know she didn't want to talk about it, but I had to know.
She sighs, finishing off her KitKat. "It's not like he chained me in a basement. It's not like that."
I offer her my bag of Doritos. "It sure sounds like it."
"He just overreacted," she says in a soft voice,
"YOU'RE STILL DEFENDING HIM?!" I snap. "AFTER THE WAY HE TREATED YOU?!"
"N-no," she stutters. "I just...it's just like him, John. He's controlling. It's not the first time." She winces and looks down at her wrists, releasing the bag of chips.
I try to regain my composure, running my hands through my hair. "Okay, fine. If it's 'just like him,' then tell me. What did he do to you when he realized you weren't wearing your ring, Elsa?"
Her expression turns blank, staring off into space. It was as if her memory had sucked her back into the past.
"He made me tell him the truth," she whispers, her voice barely audible. "So I did, because I didn't want him to hurt me. He did it anyway. I told him that the ring was back in Arizona, that you had it. That pissed him off so much that he slapped me so hard it stung."
My eyes widen. Dammit, Ellie, I think to myself. Why didn't you just stay with me?
"He shoved me a lot, too," she continues, a tear rolling down her cheek. "He was going to actually hit me, but I got scared and told him I lied. I said that I had really just lost it and was afraid that he would have gotten mad. That seemed to calm him down and he apologized and held me and wouldn't let me go."
I clench my hands into fists. "He has the nerve to tell you he's sorry? That's sickening."
She shakes her head. "Isaac has always done that. And he always says the same thing. That he didn't mean it, that he was just upset." Her shoulder start to shake with a sob, but she tries to laugh. "I'm such an idiot."
My heart constricts and I make my way over to her, pulling her head into my chest. She starts to cry softly, trying not to let me or anyone else hear her. But feeling her body was enough for me to know. He'd damaged her way beyond repair.
"Elsa, I'm so sorry," I mumble. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"I d-didn't wa-ant anything to h-happen," she hiccups and I hold her tightly, rubbing her back.
"Shh," I soothe. "It's okay. I'm here."
I give her a chance to let it out while I attempt to sort out my thoughts. She'd let herself be the victim of his abuse because she never wanted others to get hurt. Likewise, she didn't want herself to get hurt. Like a child, she thought if she listened to what he said, he wouldn't do her any harm. But it was clear that that was all he's ever been good for.
"You're with me now," I murmur into her hair. "We're going to stay at my place and it'll be like our hideout. He won't get anywhere near you. I'm not going to let him hurt you again. I won't let anyone hurt you, understand?"
She nods and sniffs, securing her arms around my waist and clinging to me, clutching me tightly. It pained me to feel how weak she really was the more desperately she clung.
"Just hold onto me," I whisper, running my fingers through her soft tangled chestnut locks. I could feel her lashes flutter against the base of my neck and I bring her head closer, cradling it.
"I should've done something so you wouldn't have left," I say, more to myself than to her. "This never would have happened."
She nuzzles her face into my shoulder. "You couldn't have known. It was my fault for being so dumb."
I squeeze her shoulders. "Don't. This wasn't your mistake. The only mistake here was him."
"But I left the ring in your pocket," she says, angry with herself. "I should have just-"
"You should have let me protect you," I interject. "You should have told me what was going on and we could have figured something out."
She lowers her head. "I know. I'm sorry."
I bite my lip, lifting her chin. "Why did you leave the ring in my pocket, Ellie? If you knew it was only going to get you into more trouble?"
"I had to do it," she croaks. "For myself. I couldn't stand it anymore knowing that was tying me down to him. I left it with you because you were the only one I've wanted to truly tie myself to."
I feel my eyes widen. She wanted to tie herself to me?
"Elsa," I breathe.
"You don't have to say anything. I already know that it's stupid and desperate."
I laugh self-deprecatingly. "You think that's desperate? You should have seen me wallowing at Halvo's house when I couldn't even bare being alone in my own bed. It's sad, really."
She wears a surprised look. "You slept at Halvo's house?"
"Yeah. I also wrote a lot and spent most of my time thinking about how much I missed you." I rest my forehead against hers. "I missed you like hell, Elsa. I felt empty sometimes. And I was worried sick because you just weren't with me. I looked for your sister because I had to find you, and it's a good thing I did."
I feel my pulse race as I lace my fingers with hers. "And if you're stupid and desperate, then I'm ten times worse because I can't even fathom how much you mean to me."
Elsa opens her mouth to speak, struggling to find the words. "John?"
"I love you, Elsa," I whisper, feeling it roll off my tongue.
She bites her lip and stares up at me. "Did you really do all of this just so you could tell me that?"
"I did all of this BECAUSE of it," I chuckle. "Believe me, I wouldn't drive halfway across the country for just anybody, sweetheart."
"I believe you," she giggles. Our lips meet and I feel her breathe into the kiss, "I love you too."
Her body folds into mine, curling into my side. I slip my arm around her to rest my hand on the small of her back.
She suddenly climbs into my lap, straddling me and deepening the kiss. I groan, clutching her hips and hesitantly breaking away. "Elsa, don't do this to me. There's a perfectly made bed back at my place just waiting to be unmade."
A blush flushes across her face as she sheepishly untangles herself. "Sorry. We should get going."
I laugh, hopping down from the bed of the truck and pressing my lips to hers. She smiles softly and follows me back inside the truck. I start up the engine and back out of the clear space.
Elsa scoots across the car seat over to me, resting her head on my shoulder. I gaze down at her, a smirk playing on my lips. My fingers lock with hers, our hands laying between us in her lap. I run my thumb over her skin, sighing.
I was exactly where I wanted to be.

It was a relief to see Elsa sleeping in my bed again. Even if it was just to assure that she was actually getting some rest, I was glad to be able to watch her sleep so soundly.
I drape a blanket over her and carefully remove myself, so as not to disturb her. She buries her face into her pillow, her eyes looking heavily closed.
My phone vibrates in my pocket and I dig it out, standing by the door and seeing I have a new text.
Hope you're home, I'm in town and was hoping to visit before going back to L.A. It's been a while! xoxo.
I feel the hairs rise on the back of my neck. L.A.?
No. It couldn't be her. It couldn't.
Why the hell did she want to see me? I'm the guy that broke her heart and made her decide to move in the first place. I thought she'd never want to see my face again.
I stuff my phone back into my pocket without replying. She had to show up now when everything was actually going right for me.
Elsa couldn't meet her. She would tell her all of the awful things I did. And Ellie wouldn't want anything to do with me.
Maybe I was just being paranoid, I think, sitting beside Elsa's sleeping form. She wouldn't go that far...would she?
I lean down and brush my lips against Elsa's temple, trailing down along the side of her neck. She brings up her shoulder and sighs.
"Mornin', darlin'," I murmur. "I'm heading over to the studio. Wanna come with?"
She rests on her back, staring up at me. "Are you sure? I don't want to get in the way. I'd hate to interrupt your mojo."
I chuckle as I remove her hair from her face with my broken hand that she had wrapped herself. "Nonsense. Besides, we still have to teach you how to be a master at piano." I give her a playful smile. "Time to resume our lessons."
Her laugh soothes my ears and she throws her arms around my neck. "Let's do it."

I find Eric already at the studio - no surprise there - and tell Elsa that I'd be with her in the piano room in a second. He nods at me. "So, what happened this time?"
"Sister showed up with the boyfriend, Elsa left with them, boyfriend was an asshole, I punched him and broke my hand." That was the simplest explanation I could give him.
"Way to debrief," he mutters, raising an eyebrow. "Is she okay?"
I nod. "She's better now. That guy was a spineless coward. I'm just glad nothing bad happened before I could get there." I pause and lower my voice. "Hey, have you heard anything about, uh, you know who-"
"You mean little Miss L.A.?" he sighs, scratching his head. "Yeah, I know. She text me earlier asking me where you were. I didn't wanna give it away, so I just told her to stop by the studio later."
My eyes widen. What?!
"She's coming here?" I hiss.
Halvo waves his hand, dismissing me. "Calm down, she said she was going to be with family most of the day."
I run a hand anxiously through my hair. "You better hope. I don't want her to see Elsa and tell her shit about me."
"Oh, speaking of spineless cowards," he teases, smirking.
"Don't fucking push me, Halvorsen," I scoff, storming off out of the room.
I stand in the doorway and stare at Elsa as she sits in front of the grand piano, practicing the scales I'd taught her. All of the tension leaves my body and disintegrates. She had the ability to make me calm without having to lift a finger. I feel a small smile grow on my lips as she starts to play Chopsticks.
She jumps when I chuckle. "Beautiful."
I let out a laugh as she sticks her tongue out. God, I'd missed that.
Her fingers return to the keys. I slide in next to her on the bench, resting my hands in my lap and watching her. "Do you remember the chords?"
She bites her lip and plays. She bangs on the keys, giving up. "Play something."
"Just keep practicing," I say encouragingly.
I melt as she slips her arms around me, propping her chin on my chest and gazing up at me. "Please?"
Her eyelashes flutter and I suppress a smirk. She was the most adorable woman on the planet.
My fingers press down on the keys of the piano, the melodic sound and her gentle touch relaxing me. I play a soft ballad, one I hadn't played before. I made it up as I went along, but I liked the way it sounded. Maybe I could turn this into something. I make a mental note of the chords I was playing to remember for later.
"John?" she whispers suddenly.
I turn my head to look down at her. "Hmm?"
Her lips curl. "I love you."
Biting my lip, I bend down to close the distance between us, our mouths connecting.
"I love you," I murmur.