A Target's Love (Completed)

Chapter fourteen! Wow! I made it! Guys, please give me feedback! :D This chapter is dedicated to greengirl 'cuz she's awesome! :D

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Chapter 14

Blink. Ugh, that hurt. Blink. Blink. Blink. Why the hell did blinking hurt so much all of a sudden? Oh, well. Sometimes you had to deal with situations as they came and ignore the pain you felt. This - apparently - was one of those times. Okay, just let it all in. White walls. They kind of blinded the eyes, making them hurt all the more. Shiny stuff. Glass. Lots of glass. Ugh. Who was the decorator? Elizabeth turned her sore body slightly as she tried to make sense of her surroundings. 

"Hold up, son, sleeping beauty is awake." 

"Thank God! Finally! I was just starting to think we'd have to take her to the hospital..." 

Hospital? Elizabeth sprang up from the horizontal position she was in. She immediately realized her mistake when her head pounded and the room spun. Her vision started to go black again. She squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to numb the pain. 

"Whoa, there, easy girl," Javier spoke softly - although the words were more suited for a pet horse - and caught her before she could hit the arm of the sofa with a bump.  

Elizabeth allowed herself to be pushed back down gently, and lay staring up at the faces of the two men above her. One showed intense relief, and the other, intense boredom. She guessed that nothing really stressed the older Quinton out.  

"You'd better start telling her what's going on before she starts asking questions," William Quinton spoke from somewhere across the room.  

"Alright, alright, I'm gonna tell her - with no interruptions from you, of course." A disgruntled Javier replied.  

William Quinton grunted, and the rustling of pages greeted her ears. Tell her what? In vain she tried to sit up, but found that between all her wincing, her attempts went in vain. 

"Let me help you there," Javier moved to her side once more. 

"No, no, no." She protested. "I'm fine, really. I can do it." 

Stubborn, stubborn, stubborn, Javier thought, and moved to give her some room. It was best to let her find out for herself that, in her present condition, her attempts would be futile. After several moments, he went to her side again, and leaned over her. 

"Ready to admit defeat and let me help you?" He winked playfully. 

She sighed. "Fine. But I want a pillow behind my back so it doesn't hurt so damn much." 

"Whatever you say, your highness," Javier moved away again. He returned a few moments later with one of Mrs. Quinton's fluffiest pillows, and helped her sit up. He placed the pillow firmly behind her back as she sighed shakily. 

"How are you feeling, Ms. Rosheuvel?" William Quinton asked from behind his evening newspaper. He'd never gotten around to finishing it due to the disturbing train of events. 

"Please, it's Elizabeth. And I'm fine, thank you." 

Javier glared at the place on the paper behind which his father's head was supposed to be. "Dad, if you're gonna talk to her, put away the damn paper!" 

The paper moved to reveal raised eyebrows. "Watch your tone, young man." 

Javier sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Nobody reads the newspaper at midnight. Nobody." 

"Well, thanks to you and your psycho women, I haven't had much time to read, now have I?" William now glared at his son. 

"Listen, you're in on this whether you like it or not. So pay some damn attention." Javier intoned. 

"Watch it, I say!" William raised his voice. 

"Oh, yeah? So who the hell--" 

"Hey, hey!" Elizabeth yelled, holding up both hands. She got their attention, alright. Both men turned to glare at her. "I'm still here, remember?" 

"You hold on, Beth, I'll deal with you in a moment." 

Elizabeth glared at him. "It's Elizabeth to you, and I want to be 'dealt with' now." 

No one noticed the silk-clad form enter the room until she spoke. "William? Javier? What's going on?" 

Their verbal battle disrupted, the three people snapped their eyes to meet the confused ones of Carolina Quinton who stood by the door, surveying the inhabitants of the room warily.