Her gaze flickered over to the voice as his scent filtered towards her. Wrinkling her nose she shook her head, trying to clear the tide of fear that threatened from the scent alone. Her hands fisted before her on the bar as she shook her head again and managed to choke out a fast, "No thanks."
He leaned in. "C'mon pretty little things like you shouldn't ever have to pay for your own drinks."
Hands where they shouldn’t be, that strange weird scent that she couldn’t get out of her nose for days, all of it started bubbling inside of her and tearing at the band-aids she had slapped over that night. She wanted to move a step away, say something scathing, but she was frozen to the spot, her eyes flickering wildly. No, won’t look over, won’t look.
He couldn't be here, get it together Elena, its just some idiot wanting to buy you a drink. Chill, shrug off the bug like you always do.... and the fear continued to rise with each breath she took taking her breath and her voice.
Kate stood up, watching her friend fold in on herself. Frowning she hooked her arm in hers. "Darlin' we're perfectly capable of buying our own round. C'mon let's go back into the party."
She tugged once and when Elena didn't budge she tried again, with a gentle coaxing noise. "C'mon Sugar. Richie will be lookin' for you."
Her eyes flicked towards the man, catching a glimpse of dark curly hair before swinging to Kate. She almost whimpered, wanting to run, wanting Richie, but her body wouldn't obey. That odor just kept wrapping itself around her. Swallowing convulsively she tensed, her eyes sweeping back to Kate with an unspoken plea riding in her gaze.
Kate looked up at the dark haired man who was barely taller than she was then back at Elena. As her friend nearly trembled in her boots she shot a look at the man. "Look buzz off buddy. Neither one of us are interested or available," she lied smoothly. She hooked her arm through Elena’s and started walking. "Are you okay?" she asked on barely more than a breath.
Elena nearly stumbled; the odor seemed to follow her as Kate attempted to walk her to the back. Hands, hands all over. She could feel the hands again, hear that oily voice telling her how she wanted it, feel the skirt ripping... a soft whimper whispered over her lips, her eyes glazing over as the memories rolled through her.
"Let's find Richie, babe. Just a few more steps."
Richie..... Pony... he'd make it better, she knew that, if she could make her body obey her. Why was that odor following me? She'd left it on the island, she would have sworn she left it on the island. Petite shoulders tensed further as her nails dug crescents into her palm. Go away memory, its not here, its not.. But with each tortured gasp the scent just seemed to grow stronger.
"Hey, is she okay?" asked the man with the nasally voice.
Kate turned and finally got a good look at him. A swollen eye and bruised jaw shouted back at her. His jaw was unshaven, but couldn't cover up the cut lip or ginger way he held himself at the bar. She'd bet a week's pay he had a few busted ribs. "We're fine," she said coolly and pushed Elena a little faster toward the back room.
"Lains, Sugar please tell me what's wrong?"
The trembling started as the voice reached out to tease her hearing. NOOOO not that voice! She whimpered softly again, her eyes closing as she tried to push down the raging torrent of fear that was sweeping through her. Her body tensed further, one wrong move and she'd shatter. Please god, make it go away, make it just go away. Please Richie, find me.
She turned to the bartender. "You, go get Richie Sambora from the back room. This is his wife."
The man hopped the bar and ran to the back, already on alert when the girl started with the shakes.
Kate smoothed her hand over Elena’s back ."It's okay, just a second sweetie." She turned her cool green eyes on the man with far too many spangly bits on his coat, pants and shirt. God, it was like he was screaming to be seen. "Look buddy, back the fuck off! Can't you see you're upsetting her?"
He held up his hands as if in mock surrender. "Did you say Richie?"
"Yeah, asshole. And if you upset her then Richie will come over here and pound on you."
The man laughed, a sort of squeek and grunt, as his brown eyes lingered on Elena for a moment then coasted over her. "Nah, I've been around forever, Richie would never go against a blood brother."
"What the fuck are you talking about?" Kate said with an exasperated glance.
"Bros before Ho's forever man."
She wanted to shrink away from the voice, wanted to run, but she was frozen to the spot as the smell and voice kept washing through her, Hands, nasty hands ...she felt those hands just like it was yesterday. Panic rose like wildfire as the urge to scream welled up. Nooo can't scream, can't make a scene, just be still Elena, it will go away, it has too.
Richie's long legged gait ate up the carpeting to the bar. "Where is she?" he asked the bartender.
"Just at the bar, Rich."
He saw her then. His heart hammered in his chest as he saw her fighting to keep calm. Baby," he said and tugged her gently away from Kate. "C'mere baby. It's alright. I've got you now."
He looked at Kate. "What happened?" he demanded.
"I don't know. She just closed up. I couldn't even get to her. What the fuck did you do to her Richie?"
Biting back the quick flash of temper that threatened he gathered his wife into him, his heart aching when her little hands fisted into his shirt. "I've got you now Baby. No one will hurt you again. I swear it!" He pressed his mouth to her temple and started rocking.
"No one will what?" Kate asked with a knife edge of panic.
She pressed her nose tight to his chest and inhaled on a gasp. Richie! Soft whimpers whispered across her lips as she stood there, the panic careening within her. "Make it go away..." she huffed out in a panicked whisper, "far away."
"Kate, can you make our excuses? We've got to get out of here. She needs someplace quiet to get herself under control."
"I-" she glanced at her friend then Richie, then back at Elena shuddering so hard her teeth were chattering. She drilled a finger into his arm. "You bring her back to our apartment. I will get answers."
She turned to the man watching, the man with the bruises that wouldn't stop staring at Elena. "Get the fuck back, fuck face. Can't you see that she's upset?"
"I'm goin'. What the hell, Richie? You let babes talk to you like this?"
Richie growled. "Alec, go on. You can talk to Jon and the rest for details. I have to get my wife out of here." He distantly saw the wreck his face was but it wasn't even a blip on his radar. He had to keep Elena safe. Had to get Elena to someplace quiet and safe."
"Do you want to go home baby?"
Her hands tightened around his waist as his voice coaxed the fear back and allowed her to nod. "Home."
Richie looked back at Kate. "I swear it. I swear it wasn't me that made her so scared. We'll explain later. I promise. She's too afraid to go all the way back to your place. She's coming home with me."
Kate shook her head and pushed her hands through her hair. "I'm sorry, you're right. Just," She patted her friend's shoulder and her heart ripped in two as Elena flinched against the touch. "God, just get her out of here. I'll take care of everyone else."
