Title: Family Ties Author: Sorika e-mail: Webmaster@katlair.zzn.com Rating: PG13 (adult language, and scene in chapter 7) Archive: YES!!! Just tell me where, I'll give you a link back! :) Web page: www.geocities.com/Paris/Sorbonne/5647 Note: I have to thank my friend, Donny for telling me about fanfiction.net   (The only other place this story is so far.  Check it out!  And, I'm Sorika on the site, if you want to post a formal review) Disclaimer: I am in no way connected with the BSB *whimpers* Oh! And to those of you that will flame me because of Brian and Leighanne, please don't. I'm happy for them and they're happy together. So, don't hate me for breaking them up! okies? ~*~*~ Chapter 5: Surprise! ~*~*~ There came a soft tap on the door. "Hey, Lizzie! What kinda of pizza do you what?" Brian called; as I struggled and pulled my jeans on to cover my bruises. "Umm...cheese with extra cheese, please." I called. Ouch!!!" I called after accidentally kneading my knuckles against the biggest bruise on my thigh. "Hey, Liz? Are you OK? " "Yeah. I just....hit my hand on the bed. I'm fine." I prayed he'd buy the excuse. I still had never told any of the guys just how many bruises Jackson had given me, and I had been here for a month. I planned to never tell them, if that remained possible. I turned back to unpacking and cleaning up my room a bit. Suddenly, the door swung open, with Carmen and Rachel barreling through. "Hey, Liz... Oh my gosh!" Carmen said, her smile fading as she saw my arms, covered in bruises. I hurried to pull down my rolled up sleeves. "It's nothing. Really; I’m Fine." I felt myself turning red. Not only from the embarrassment, but also because I hated Jackson for what he had done. The bruises were healing slowly, and I couldn't figure out why. I just wished they would go away. (NOW!) "GIRLS!!! The pizza is here. What movie do you want to start with?" Kevin yelled through the door. "THE PATRIOT!!! (Anime!)" Carmen (She had yelled anime, and BOY does that girls have lungs!), Rachel and I said in unison, ripping open the door, all of us eager to begin the movies. "Two to one!" Rachel laughed, as we came out of the room. "Hey, everyone! Movie and Pizza time will have to wait a few minutes. I need you guys to come and try on these costumes." Fatima came into the suite with a box full of stuff. Car, Rach, and I came out of my room to grab our costumes. Once we had these in hand, we once again headed to my room. I realized even before completely in my room what Fatima had done. She placed me in skintight _short_ shorts paired with shirts that had no sleeves. Obviously, she was sick of always seeing me in this sort of thing. "Umm... Fatima? Could I trade these outfits for something with.... say....Long sleeves and pants?" I asked, hopefully. The concert was tomorrow and there was no way that the bruises would all go away by then. "Liz, I think you spend to much time in that sort of thing...." "Fatima, I wear these clothes because of all the bruises I got before I came here. They're not all exactly gone yet." I said in a hushed voice. Brian, Nick, Carmen and Rachel were the only ones that knew, and I wanted to keep it that way. Please, just give me the clothes. She started digging in the box. Thank you, God! She pulled out a pair of black pants and matching cobalt blue mock-turtleneck. "Here you go. Try those." It didn't matter how much I hated turtlenecks, at that moment, I would have worn trash bags to hide the bruises from everyone at this point! I walked into my room and tried the clothes on. The pants were skin tight, but that was livable. I could still move around in them and do the dance I had to do, so, whatever floated Fatima's boat. I put the clothes in the closet and walked out into our living area. I was apparently the first one finished, so I sank down into the couch. Fatima walked over and I made room for her to sit down. "So, exactly how many of these bruises do you have? I don't mean to be noisy, but I'm curious." Fatima said, her eyes full of sympathy. (I was getting REALLY sick of that look). AJ walked into the room, and I gave Fatima a look that told her I wasn't going to discuss that right now. "Hey girls! When are we going to start this damned movie?" "As soon as everyone else comes back, Spoot!" I threw the nearest pillow at AJ (all in fun) that launched a pillow fight between the three of us, and Nick, Brian, Howie, Carmen, and Rachel joined in as they entered. But when Kevin came in..... "Hey! What is going on here?" Kevin roared as soon as he came in. I (deliberately) threw the last pillow in the fight right into Train's face. "Aww, Train! Spoil all my fun. I was just throwing things at that spooty-spootin'-spoot. Everyone else just kinda joined in as they came in. Now, can we get to the movies, PLEASE?" I sank back down to the couch and Brian sat down next to me (Yes!!!!). Carmen sat in Nick's lap in the armchair and AJ and Rachel cuddled in the cushions on the floor, leaving the other couch clear for Kevin, Fatima, and Howie. Howie pushed "The Patriot” into the VCR as everyone else settled into their places. I rested my head on Brian's shoulder. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The movie ended and AJ maneuvered himself away from the sleeping Rachel and turned off the TV and VCR. Then, he turned around and checked to see who was awake. I motioned to my cousin in B-Rok's lap and he nodded his head. "Oh My god, Nick...” He whispered, and pointed to Lizzie. At some point, her shirt had been slightly lifted to reveal a dark bruise on her waist. I slowly got up (without waking Carmen) and walked over to Lizzie and Brian. Brian woke up when I stepped on his foot (oops!) and we all looked at Lizzie's bruise. I pulled her shirt up just slightly more and saw that her stomach was covered in purple/blue splotches. Lizzie moved in Brian's arms, causing her shirt to come up further than I planned. I tried not to notice. "I could kill that asshole!" Fury blazed in Brian's eyes as he thought of Jackson, but he kept his voice low. He picked Lizzie up slowly, then carried her into her room while AJ and I brought Rachel and Carmen into Lizzie's room for the night. AJ brought extra blankets for Car and Rach. When we came back out, Fatima was gathering her things with help from Kevin and Howie. She waved good-bye to us. "See you guys tomorrow," she said as she closed the door behind them. AJ collapsed into a chair. "Now, I understand why she's always wearing that sort of thing, even when she's not cold, like....rehearsal." "Yeah," was all I said in return. Before, at Madame's studio and the hospital, I had only seen the bruises on her arms. I hadn't really taken the time to think about just how much he had hurt her. I'm glad I took her out of that place. I looked over at Brian, who was still fuming. I'm not to sure right now, but I'm beginning to catch a hint that Brian's feelings for Lizzie were NOT one-sided. But, she was the same way with AJ; like a good friend that she could joke around with. Soooo the question remains. Does Liz like Brian or AJ (no, she wouldn't do that to Rach) or does she just think of them as really good friends? WOMEN! They're soooooo confusing!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I woke up on my room, disoriented. I sat up and looked around me. Rachel and Carmen were on the floor, asleep. Carmen was talking in her sleep (Nick,.....stuff I don't understand....) and Rachel had pulled all the blankets to her side of the room. I got up, carefully, avoiding stepping on my friends. I stretched, and glanced at the clock. "1:00!!!!" I gave up on trying to keep from waking them up. It was 1:00 PM and the guys had let us sleep straight through the LAST dance rehearsal before the concert at 9:00. We were supposed to do a complete run-through at 11:00 am, catch a few more z's, and back at the arena by 1:30 for sound check! Rachel threw a well-aimed shoe at my head, and Carmen looked ready to kill me. Nick barreled through the door. "What? What's wrong?" He asked, panicked. He was dressed in his boxers. That's it. FIN! "What's wrong?!?!" Well, first off, it's 1:00! We were SUPPOSED to be at rehearsal with Fatima at nine!" then, I had to let my little sarcastic side out. "Secondly, you're in your boxers, sir, and I would appreciate it if you'd put something else on." Nick blushed after I talked about his boxers (Carmen didn't seem to mind the fact at alll). But, he was still wide-eyed from the news about rehearsal. "Crap! We all missed it? Well, we better get to the arena for sound check, and we'll do our own run-through. Fatima's gonna have my head!" Yeah, on silver patter. I could have told you that! "Ok, c-ya. Do you MIND getting out of my room so I can get dressed?" I love that look on Nick's face of panicked surprise. It's almost worth missing the rehearsals just to see that look. Carmen and Rachel left to go get dressed in their rooms. Once again, I was the first one done changing. Knowing that everyone wouldn't be done for a while, I grabbed my wallet and headed for the vending machines for a bottle of water. I left my purse and duffel bag with the performance clothes in it on the couch. "Hey, Phil." I said, as I passed the bodyguard stationed outside the suite. "I'm just going around the corner to the vending machine, you don't need to get up. I'll be right back." I kept walking, leaving Phil to finish his book. I turned to corner and walked to the vending station. I slid my dollar into the slot and pressed the button for water. Suddenly, I was grabbed from behind, my mouth covered as I was wheeled around the face something that made my stomach clench in fear. Jackson stared back at me, a twisted smile on his face. "Hello. Lizzie. What have you been up to? Now, I know you didn't think you could get away from me this easily. I'm going to let go of your mouth, now, “ he reached into his coat and withdrew a pistol as he said this, "and if you scream, Lizzie darling, I'm going to have to shot you." I couldn't fight the terror that rose up and made itself into a knot in my throat. I nodded my head. "Now, that's what I like to see...obedient women that knoooww they're weak."