WATCH ME BURN{HARLEY}

[harley]

She stared at the marred reflection, dropping her hands to her side, holding her wrists out and looking at the horrid scars. They were ugly. She frowned grimly. They were forever, forever apart of her. The door creaked and Harley panicked, twisting her neck to see none other than that adorable man named Luke walk in. With a gasp, she immediately crossed her arms over her chest, and closed her eyes tight, pretending the torn flesh on her back was none-existent. Embarrassment flooded her face-- fast, pink rising in her porcelain cheeks. But he spoke.

He didn't yell. He didn't shove her to her knees and tell her to hold out her arms or stay still. He simply asked 'what happened'. Well. That was a loaded question. She gulped sharply, avoiding his eyes completely in the mirror. She would NOT meet his gaze, out of fear and humiliation. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. So she closed it and blinked back a flood of burning, salty tears. "I, ah." She opened her eyes and glanced at him in the reflection. "My dad didn't like me." She quipped. "Either that, or he liked his knives-- and guns, more." With a heavy sigh, she let it spill, like a waterfall of memories she wished to forget.

"He did these first." She motioned to her back slightly. "Because no one could see them. Because my mom couldn't see them." She swallowed. "And he did these next, four years ago." She turned to him and held her arms out. Both scars started at her shoulder, and ran all the way past the crease of her elbow and to the middle of her palm. "He did it slow. It wasn't a slash or a searing slice.. it was.. it was slow. He enjoyed it. He moved my bed. He had m-me bleed there. And then made me move it back when he was done. S-so that my mom wouldn't see the stains." She cringed, remembering the pain. She'd felt crucified. "I told her." This was a whisper. "I told her that he hurt me." Still with a low voice, as if her father himself could still hear. "I showed her the scars, the stains, the knife."

Her voice trembled now. "He got mad.. real mad." She stopped, and looked at him carefully. "So he pulled out his gun. And sh-shot me from twelve feet away. The bullet went through clean." She lifted the already sheer slip and touched the half-moon bullet hole. "And because I was so hurt, my mom let me out of my room- the first time i-in seventeen years, and took me to the hospital." And she couldn't say anymore. The tears came too fast to stop and she stumbled into Luke, seeking a certain comfort he gave her. "Don't hate me because of them, please.. Please!"

[Sam Myers]

As Harley retold the horrible tale, Luke cringed and anger boiled in him. how could a father do things like that? He was sick. Harley surprised him by slumping against him. Luke slowly wrapped his arms around Harley and let his chin rest on top of her head.

"Whoa there Harley. Who said anything about hating you? I could never hate you!" he said shocked. "You're still beautiful to me with them"

His tone had become warmer and softer. Luke held her tightly for a few moments. He could see she was embarrassed. Luke gently put a hand on the side of her face.

"You don't need to be embarrassed. Those scars are just as lovely as you" Luke said and gently touched the half moon one. "I don't even see them"

Luke gently leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. He realized she needed someone to show her what it was like to be gentle and someone who was that way with her. Not all men were jerks like her father and that's what he knew she needed to see. She needed him.

He gently pulled back from the kiss and gently ushered her towards the bed.

He hovered above her, supporting his weight on his arms and let his hip rest against hers. Luke gently stared down into her eyes.

"Your father was an ass, plain and simple. I would never think about hurting a woman. I would never judge or hate you" he said to her softly.

[harley]

Harley was not a girl who was self-conscious about her body. She'd never known she should be. She'd never experienced the world as other's had, being so sheltered. She was fairly shameless, except for when it came to her father. But standing there, feeling exposed to the world, Harley felt nervous. She didn't like the feeling of scrutiny. There were only one set of eyes on her, but she felt as if the whole world was staring down on her. Her muscles tensed but then Luke's arms were around her. She let out a breath and closed her eyes against him, wanting to remember this feeling, this impossible sensation of security.

She quickly composed herself, wiping feverently at the diamond droplets. He pulled back and brought a hand to her face softly. His touch was warm, comforting, and her still-glistening eyes stared into the deep, true depths of his own. He was so sincere, so real. She didn't think she'd ever really met someone who was real. He leaned in and Harley stayed frozen for a half a second before meeting him half way. Her lips met his, but it was a soft, flitting kiss. He was away in an all too fast instant.

She was lead to the bed. Her nerves spiked, her mind fleeting to every option as to what was going on. Fear was her first instinct. What was happening? Yet, she did not resist him. She didn't know if it was because she trusted him or because she was too rigid to resist, but she allowed him to position her on the bed and lean over her. She blinked up at him. She'd been all too sheltered in this horrific world. He spoke softly. And Harley believed him. He sounded honest. He was honest. She kept a steady contact with his gaze quietly, not saying a word.

[Sam Myers]

Luke gently let her up and crouched down in front of her.

"You're beautiful just the way you are. Don't let anyone tell you different ok?" he asked softly and gently gave her leg an affectionate pat.

Luke stood up and stretched.

"Why don't you get dressed? I am gonna cook some dinner. I make a mean baked ziti" he said brightly as he stretched again and yawned.

"I have loads of movies as well. We can just relax tonight and watch tv. Any movie your favorite?" He asked her curiously.

He stood patiently, waiting for her to reply. He loved her and considered her a very close friend. He flashed her a smile before leaving her alone.

Luke headed into the kitchen and began preparing dinner. He got out the ingredients. He felt bad for Harley. Imagine having a father like that. He shook his head in disdain as he boiled some water. She needed someone to care about her , which he did. She could come to him with any problem. He would help her without hesitation.

In today's world, friends were the cure. Luke wasn't sure what the remnants of the CDC were up to now, hopefully finding a way to reverse the vaccine side effects, but this was how it was now.

[harley]

Harley stood as soon as he allowed her up, digging through the drawers with lightning speed, embarrassment washing over her. She'd felt so vulnerable beneath him, so.. so. Gah, she couldn't describe it in any word beside one. Love. She'd never felt loved, appreciated, wanted in her entire life. But she couldn't fathom it. Her heart was pounding in her throat, her toes and finger tips numb and her stomach twisting into an impossible roller coaster of knots. She found something simple, as she would normally wear. It was nothing sexy, nothing tight. Just Harley. She retreated to the bathroom before he spoke and changed quickly into the athletic Nike shorts, a long sleeved, skin-tight shirt and the loose, comfortable shirt hanging over it.

When she appeared from the bathroom in fifteen seconds flat, Luke was already talking about food. What time was it? She frowned and glanced around the room, seeing the only clock was not working. The hand sat still at the nine while the other hung listlessly at the six. She looked up at him slowly, a small smile edging on her lips. She wasn't very hungry, but in her dazed state she just nodded her agreement. "That sounds wonderful." She nodded to him, and looked self-consciously down at her hidden arms. It was better to keep them covered.

Feeling oddly quiet, Harley followed him silently toward the living room where she watched him continue on to the kitchen and began pulling out pots and pans, spices littering the counters and numerous other cooking utinsels and ingredients. She turned her back to him, answering simutaneously. "I've never watched tv before." She was well aware of technology, just had simply never used one. She stared at the black screen for a second before collecting her and sitting on the couch, leaning comfortably into the crook between the back of the couch and the arm. Yawning carefully and quietly, Harley closed her eyes for what she told herself would be just a minute or two. Within twenty five seconds she was fast asleep.

[Sam Myers]

Luke saw her dozing off and decided to leave her alone. He grabbed a blanket off the back of the chair and gently covered Harley with it. He gently placed a hand on her face before heading off to his bedroom.

He himself was exhausted. He checked in on Emma, making sure she was ok. Finding her to be alright, he headed into his bedroom. Without even pulling down the comforter and sheets, Luke flopped face down, doing a face plant right into the comforter.

He sensed Harley was quiet but didn't know why. He yawned into the bedspread. he hadn't felt this tired in a long time. Still the days were the hardest. There really wasn't much to do other than do what they normally did. Still, he was thinking about taking Emma and Harley to New York or California some day. He knew how to fly so that was a good thing. he would be able to take his Jet and go , like he had done to Alaska.

At least California wouldn't be cold like that state. Still he wondered if maybe it would be a good thing to do a little road trip in the future. Within moments, Luke was out cold and sound asleep