Dom and Liberty left Sean’s house the following morning around nine AM. It had been decided the night before that Liberty would step out for the day because of Sean and Christine wanting to spend some time alone. Liberty did not want to wear out her welcome, so it was her suggestion.

Liberty plunked into Orlando’s car and watched as Dom went around the front and slid into the driver’s seat. Orlando was in the back complaining of yet another hangover, though it didn‘t seem as if he‘d been drinking last night. “So, we’ll go to the hotel and I’ll grab my car and then you can go and pick up Raya, right?”

Orlando grunted a response that Dom seemed to take for a yes, because he turned the ignition on and peeled out of the driveway.

“What’s Raya like?” Liberty asked conversationally as Dom searched around for a radio station that wasn’t playing oldies or country western. “It’s such a cool name.”

“She’s nice,” muttered Orlando, sliding down into a corpse-like position in the spacious backseat.

“Vague,” Liberty retorted, “That’s your thing. You’re vague.”

“Only when hung over, love,” Orlando replied, grinning with his eyes closed. He turned his head very slightly in order to look at the back of her head, and his view happened to be mostly auburn hair, spread out all around her shoulders. “What’s your thing?”

“Awkwardness,” she responded firmly, nodding in a knowing sort of way. “Dom?”

“Comedy,” he said, laughing. He turned the radio off in frustration, “Orly, your radio sucks.”

“SHHHH!” Orlando admonished, “It’ll hear you!”

Liberty laughed a bit and then looked out the window as LA passed by in a blur. Thoughts of Tyler coursed through her mind like a speeding bullet. His head appeared in every memory she’d ever had, his apartment appeared when memories of Elijah were coming into play. Her stomach rumbled, it didn’t like when her mind went to Tyler, nor Elijah it seemed. She sighed heavily and leaned her head back. Dom smoothed her hair out of her face and said, “Hung over?”

“Noooooooo,” she replied, laughing a little as her face softened and her eyes drifted closed, “Tired.”

“We’re here,” he whispered to her, taking his hand away from her head and steering into the parking lot. He parked and took the keys out of the ignition, throwing them back to Orlando where they hit him in the stomach. He groaned and unfolded himself from the car very slowly. “We could go up and you could lie down on my bed,” Dom suggested, watching Orlando stretching outside.

“Um…no,” she said slowly, then turned towards him, “Was that a line?”

“Only if you want it to be,” he grinned and then unbuckled his belt, “It wasn‘t actually, though.”

She thrust the door open, narrowly missing Orlando’s shins and jumped from the car. Dom did the same thing, only with less enthusiasm and jumpiness. Liberty hopped around on the spot a bit, almost as if she was cold and trying to warm up. Really, she was trying to get the nervousness to ebb away from her body.

“So,” Orlando said, watching her, his head moving up and down as she jumped, “Did you have a lot of coffee this morning, Libs?”

“Nope,” she replied, bouncing still.

“Well, I’ll be going, then, shall I?” Orlando looked unsurely at Dom, who nodded. Liberty waved and began walking towards the large building looming over them. Orlando, shaking his head, got into the driver’s seat of his car and sped away, leaving them in the proverbial dust.

Dom was contemplating the fact that maybe Liberty had found (or bought) herself a stash of crack somewhere as she jumped around the parking lot. Abruptly, she stopped bouncing as if she’d read his thoughts. “Er----” he said, gesticulating distractedly, “What now?”

“We could have that party with Ben and Jerry’s in your hotel room,” she suggested, falling into step with him. He was wandering around in search of his car.

Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at her, “You want to go to my hotel room? I thought you were completely against that?”

“I never said that,” she replied as he pointed to a car in front of them. “And it’s not like you’d try anything. I mean, I do, after all, have mace.”

He looked amused as he raised one eyebrow, “Do you?”

She grinned secretively, “Maybe. What do ya say? Care to chance it?”

“No,” he stated, laughing. “Not gonna try anything. Ben and Jerry’s though…I could go for some of that.” A large grin spread across Liberty’s face as he opened the car door for her and she slid inside.

*

“There aren’t many people who would just buy one of every kind when they can’t make up their minds,” Liberty mused, settling herself against the pillows on the huge bed. Dom leaned back beside her, a carton in each of his hands. He handed one to Liberty; it was followed by a plastic spoon.

“That’s the problem with people today,” Dom replied, plunging his spoon into the Cherry Garcia and then taking a big mouthful. “They have no sense of adventure.”

“You certainly do,” Liberty commented lightly, taking the lid off the Chunky Monkey and viciously digging into it. She ate what was on the spoon, swallowed, and said, “I admire that.”

“Why thank you,” he said, smiling that grin of his that slightly, just a little bit, made her stomach flip over. She wasn’t sure if this was maybe due to her overdose of sugar in the last few days or maybe just because she liked him. As a person, that is; she had no romantic feelings for him.

“Can I have some of that English Toffee Crunch?” She asked, pointing to one of the cartons on the bedside table. Dom picked up one of the forgotten cartons and handed it to her. She thanked him and then ravaged through it; this was her favorite Ben and Jerry’s flavor. She made a euphoric sound in the back of her throat.

Dom glanced at her, smiling widely. “I’m VERY glad to see you’re enjoying that. It’s nice to see a smile on your face. I mean---” he moved a bit and faced her, “---I don’t know you that well, but…never mind.”

“No,” she replied gently, sitting up to face him head on, “Really. What?”

“I like your smile,” he shrugged, “It hasn’t been around in abundance for a short period of time. I missed it.”

Liberty’s smile lit up her face and she leaned forward to kiss him chastely on the cheek. She pulled away and glanced at the television, trying to keep a straight face, “I’m sorry if I got your face sticky.” She began giggling hysterically.

Dom watched her, trying very hard not to laugh with her. “You got me sticky!? Liberty! That…that…that is unacceptable!” He set his ice cream down, grabbed hers and put it with his own and then dove for her, tickling her manically.

“NO!” She gasped loudly, giggling madly, “Not fair! How’d you know I was ticklish!?”

“I didn’t,” he replied, grinning evilly, “but I do now.” He laughed an evil sort of guffaw and savagely tickled her until she couldn’t breathe.

She was breathing deeply, madly wanting to get some oxygen back into her lungs when the door burst open and a stumbling, laughing couple flew through. She bolted up on the bed, staring at them wide-eyed. Dom jumped from the bed and ran over to the two hunched over people. Liberty recognized the man, due to his hair, very soon after.

“LIV!” Dom hollered, throwing his arms around the tall brunette woman who let go of Elijah and threw her arms around him.

Elijah leaned against the doorframe trying to catch his breath and finally his eyes wandered over to Liberty who looked quite disheveled: red in the face, messy hair going every which way, clothes wrinkly and out of place; he stopped laughing immediately and his smile flickered. “Liberty,” his voice was low and cracked.

“Elijah,” she said blandly, setting her feet onto the floor and walking over to stand beside Dom. She was standing very close to him, nearly snuggling up to him, and he absentmindedly put his arm around her almost as a reflex. Elijah watched them, his blue eyes blazing with something indescribable.

The woman, Liv, stepped back from Dom and surveyed him, “It is SO good to see you,” she said, smiling. She put her hand out towards Liberty, “I’m Liv Tyler. Are you Liberty?”

Liberty took her eyes from Elijah’s and nodded at Liv, shaking her hand, “Liberty Crane. Hi.”

“Nice to meet you, I’ve heard lots of things about you.” Liv grinned, she seemed quite nice and friendly but Liberty was apprehensive to be that way towards her. She wasn’t exactly sure why. “Good things,” she affirmed, nodding towards Elijah. “Sean told us you’d be here.”

“Oh,” Dom said blankly, glancing from Elijah to Liberty and then back to Liv. He retracted his arm from Liberty‘s shoulders. “What are you two doing?”

“I was shooting that bit part movie with him,” Liv explained as she closed the hotel room door. “He said that everyone was in town and…here we are.” She smiled awkwardly. “Um…we’re not interrupting, are we? What are you two doing?” She didn’t sound accusatory, merely curious.

Dom cleared his throat, “Eating ice cream.” He rolled his eyes, inwardly cursing himself for feeling so embarrassed.

“Just hanging out,” Liberty confirmed, shrugging. Her eyes skirted over Elijah, who was staring at her. She shifted her weight uncomfortably. “Maybe I should go----?” She trailed off, looking around uneasily.

“No, no,” Liv interjected, “It’s obvious you two were having a moment. Don’t let us interrupt.”

“A moment?” Elijah choked out. “You were having a moment?” Liv gave him a reproving glare.

Liberty swallowed and then looked at Dom, “Can you give me a lift back to Sean’s?”

Dom cocked his head slightly, looking confused, “Er---yeah, yeah. I can do that. Sure.” He made a move to grab his coat but Elijah stepped forward.

“Actually,” he said, “I can give her a lift back. You and Liv can catch up.”

Liv looked at Elijah like he’d lost his mind, “Lijah, I think it would be best if Dom took her back.”

“No, no,” Elijah disagreed, “It’ll just take Dom out of his way and I have to go that way home anyway.”

Liberty stared at him, “Elijah. What the hell is wrong with you?”

Elijah’s eyes flashed with anger, “Wrong with me? Nothing. Come on, let’s go. We’ll beat rush hour.”

Dom shrugged evasively at Liberty, “Well, I guess I’ll see you tonight?”

Liberty shrugged into her coat, watching as Liv stuck all the ice cream into the tiny refrigerator. “Yeah, sure.”

“At the movies,” Dom continued, nodding and watching Liberty’s apprehensive face.

She looked confused for a moment, then caught on that he was indirectly asking her out. She nodded, smiled wanly and followed Elijah to the door. “Nice meeting you,” she called to Liv on the way out.

“So what was going on in there?” Elijah asked pointedly, stalking to his convertible and getting in. Liberty, sighing, got in the passenger side and buckled up.

“Nothing was going on in there,” she responded, “And I don’t know why you care anyway.”

“I kiss you and you just go and kiss Dom too? He’s one of my best friends. That fucking sucks.” He turned onto the road, angrily blowing hair out of his face as he fumbled with one hand to find his cigarettes. He pulled his lighter from his jacket pocket and stuck a slender cigarette into his mouth. He lit it and took a long drag, then rolled the window down, exhaling the smoke from his mouth in a slow, deliberate fashion.

“I didn’t kiss Dom,” Liberty replied, her voice quiet, but forceful. Everything else came out in a shrill, whispery rush, “And yes, you did kiss me, but I have no idea what that means. You told me you didn’t like me like that and then you KISSED me! That was an awful thing to do to someone. I was completely distraught that entire day and Dom helped me. We’re friends. And may I remind you that you have no hold over me. I don’t even know if you and I are friends. I definitely don’t know if we’re more.” She shook her head heatedly. “So don’t chastise me and accuse me of things I didn’t…and WOULDN’T do.”

Elijah pulled off to the side of the street and turned the ignition off. He stared straight ahead, taking random drags from his cigarette and then blowing the smoke out the open window while Liberty calmed herself down.

Her voice became less shrill, and more like its normal tone. “I wouldn’t kiss Dom…after you’d kissed me, because that WOULD fucking suck. I’m not here to break up best friends. But you and I are not going out. You don’t even like me.” She threw her arms in the air. “You can’t just dictate what I do. You barely even know me.” Liberty sighed heavily and leaned her head back, letting the cool breeze pick up a few strands of hair and blow them around.

Without saying anything, he turned the car back on and began driving towards Sean’s once more. The rest of the ride was silent except when he flicked his cigarette out the window and Liberty let out a little giggle, remembering the tuck and roll day. Elijah cast a sideways glance at her when she did this, and a small smile pulled at his lips, but he didn't comment; he knew what she was thinking.

Elijah pulled into Sean’s winding driveway and immediately felt Liberty tense beside him. Her breath caught in her throat and he finally, really looked at her; her eyes were bulged out and her lips were pursed. “Are you okay?” He asked.

“Oh yes,” she replied cuttingly, unbuckling and throwing the door open harshly, her eyes trained on an unidentifiable car in the drive, “I’m perfectly fine, sitting here as my life falls into ruins. Being screwed over by my ex boyfriend, then by this guy who I had feelings for…a guy I thought wasn’t like all the others.” Liberty shook her head, “And now my ex boyfriend is here, at Sean’s, and it seems he‘s found me. How, I don’t know…but I don‘t like this one bit.”

He continued to watch her, his breath ragged and slow. Then, suddenly, he bolted from the car and to the front door. As soon as Liberty realized this, she took off after him and grabbed his elbow before he pushed the door open.

“Is he a serial killer?” Elijah wanted to know. He wasn’t looking at her, just staring at her hand on his arm. She couldn’t tell if he had the intention of killing Tyler or if he was just pretending, for her sake, to care.

Liberty stepped back, taking her hand away, “No,” she said softly; Elijah turned to face her. “Not that I know of.”

“Not that you know of,” he repeated blandly. “Well, that’s something to go on.” He rolled his eyes. “I shouldn’t even let you go in there. Sean’s probably handling it.”

When it seemed she was about to make amends with him, he screwed it up again. This time, it was his biting sarcastic remarks that made her blood boil. “Yeah, well, you’re not my babysitter.” She pushed past him into the house and found herself in the living room facing Tyler who was standing above Sean and Christine, both of whom were sitting calmly on the couch together.

All three of them turned when they heard Liberty enter the room.

“Liberty,” stated Tyler, taking a step towards her.

“Don’t touch her,” Sean hissed, his friendly demeanor sliding away. He had been civil to Tyler up until this point. He couldn’t help it, he had no idea what Tyler was capable of. Tyler waved a hand at Sean dismissively.

“Tyler,” said Liberty, her voice carrying an icy edge to it that no one in the room had ever heard, “Don’t come near me.”

“I’m here to apologize---” He trailed off, watching the livid look on her face nervously.

Liberty stood rooted to the spot, taking in every inch of him like she’d never seen him before. The flimsy white t-shirt he wore carried pit stains as well as strange, mustard colored stains on the chest area; his jeans were ripped and torn and muddy; his sneakers were ceased with wear and his dirty blond hair was greasy and way too long. The only thing she recognized were his calm green eyes, which pleaded with her. Her stomach gave an involuntary lurch just looking at him. It looked as if he hadn’t shaved for days, either that or he was growing complete facial hair; she’d never seen him look so awful.

She took a deep breath to calm herself and her nostrils got a heavy dose of him. Tyler smelled like a mixture of strong cigarette smoke, alcohol and sweat. She suddenly felt so sick that she slid into the chair by the door. He kneeled down in front of her, but she pushed him gingerly away. Her head began to ache, pounding with each breath she took.

“How’d you find me?” She asked, her voice holding a pleading tone. Sean’s eyes were narrowed dangerously at the back of Tyler’s head but he didn’t make a move. Christine had a death grip on his arm just to make sure he didn’t do anything rash.

Tyler pushed his hair out of his eyes and reached a dirty hand towards Liberty’s face. She jerked away, her hand lashing out and hitting his down. He looked hurt for a very brief moment. Liberty slid a stray piece of her own hair behind her ear and glared at him.

“You didn’t want me to find you?” Tyler asked, sounding like a three year old.

“No,” she said, surprised, “Why would I? You’re a complete ass. I’m not even going to get into it.” She looked at Sean, “I am so sorry, Sean. I should probably go up and pack---”

“What?” Sean cried, getting to his feet so fast that Christine couldn’t hold him back. Tyler stood up in a defense position. “You, Liberty, are not going anywhere. It’s him that’s leaving…” he looked at Tyler, “…and not coming back.”

Tyler laughed sarcastically, “And who are you? Her father?”

“No,” Liberty declared, standing up to face him, “He’s my friend. Which is more than I can say for you.” Her eyes glinted with anger.

Tyler reached out and grabbed Liberty’s elbow in an attempt to “shake some sense into her” most likely. Sean didn’t react in time to stop him, but Elijah came bounding around the corner he’d been hiding behind and pushed Tyler away; he fell against the wall.

“Who the hell are you?” Tyler demanded, righting himself and standing in front of Elijah stoutly. He was easily about a foot taller than Elijah, as Tyler was about six feet and some odd inches tall.

“I’m her boyfriend,” Elijah said threateningly. Christine, Sean and Liberty all gawked at him in surprise. Sean caught Liberty’s eye for a millisecond but all she could do was shrug helplessly.

Laughing sardonically, Tyler reached out to Liberty again but she backed away. “Come on, Lib. Let’s go. I’m getting you out of here.”

“No,” she said forcefully, “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

Elijah stepped in front of her protectively, “Get out,” he warned, baring his teeth ever so slightly. “Or I'll fucking kill you.”

Tyler put his hands in the air and laughed angrily, “Fine. Whatever.” He pointed to Liberty, “And I don’t ever want to see you again, you bitch.” He pushed past Elijah, but his attempts to leave with some pride were foiled when Elijah ran after him and tackled him to the ground.

“DO NOT call her names,” Elijah advised, pushing Tyler hard onto the floor. Sean put his hand on Liberty’s shoulder and noticed she was trembling. He pulled her towards him and she buried her head in his shirt, trying hard not to cry. It was as if her relationship with Tyler, and lack thereof, had finally gotten to her.

“Elijah,“ she whispered, her voice muffled due to Sean’s shirt, “Don’t do anything. He’s not worth it.“

Elijah glanced at her and his face softened; he reluctantly got up and stood back. Tyler quickly got to his feet, glowered at Liberty, who wouldn‘t look him in the eye. “If you EVER try to contact her again, I WILL kill you. Don’t think I won’t.”

Tyler rolled his eyes, but he looked a lot less cocky than before. With one last heated glare at Elijah, he strutted from the house. When they heard the front door slam, Liberty crumpled to the ground.