Pizza Time

"Liz? Over here!" I called hoarsely.

Liz rushed over and stared at Ekataren with a kind of latent paranoia that was so appallingly familiar. Her eyes slid to me, and she whispered heatedly, "Sean? Are you okay?"

I gestured for her to sit in a chair as I said carefully, my head throbbing to a steady beat, "I'm fine. Father was here. We... talked."

"I heard. He called."

"He called, and he told you what happened?"

"Sorta. He started raving about infidel whorish women not knowing their place--"

"That would be me." Ekataren murmured sympathetically.

"Really?" Liz stuck her hand out, as she sat next to me, "The name's Elizabeth, I'm the oaf's runty little sister."

Ekataren shook the proffered hand warmly, "Ekataren, professional bloody nuisance, and adrenaline addict."

"Sounds impressive."

"Not really. I just get paid to ask questions, and I like going fast. I try to combine the two whenever possible."

"Liz? What else did he say?" I asked. After minor experimentation, I found that if I didn't move my head or eyes too fast, I could just barely keep my stomach under control.

"Oh. He said that the power of God had protected him, but then he started ranting about something about Lillith, and I hung up. Why, what's the matter?"

"Where should I start? My head hurts?"

"Where?" Liz asked as she suddenly grabbed the back of my head and squeezed. I sawstatic as I felt all my muscles tense, then everything went flaccid. With a dull thud, my forehead smashed into the tabletop, and I saw neon animals endlessly chase brilliant pinpricks of light. "Sean, are you okay? Sean? Sean!" Liz called weakly, her voice sounded strangely thin and tinny, like an old speaker gone bad.

After a minute, my muscles tightened convulsively, as I blurted, "Electric bats."

"What?" Liz said, confused.

"Electric bats eat computer bugs."

"Uh... sure. Are you okay Sean?" Liz said before cupping my head and looking worriedly into my eyes.

"My head hurts." I groaned, rubbing my stomach;down boy, or no treats.

"Who did this to my brother?" Liz snapped.

Slightly out of sync, I babbled cheerfully, "Bring me the head of the person that did this! Ow. On second thought, just bring me my head back. I think I left it on the floor somewhere..."

"That would be me." Ekataren said bashfully.

A long fulminated moment passed before Liz demanded crossly "Why, in God's name?"

Ekataren shrugged with a slight smile. "It was either that, or watch as Sean disassembled your father with his teeth."

"Are you kidding me? Sean wouldn't hurt a fly."

"She's right." I said quietly, "I was going to... hurt him. A lot."

"Why? I mean yeah, the human turd deserves it, but why? You've always cowered before."

Why indeed. "Because..." I said, paused and spoke in a rush, "because I grew tired of him. Of him and his abuse! His abuse of everything around him!" I paused for a moment, as old fears whirled around my head. I wondered suddenly, my head tipping pack to stare sightlessly at the ceiling, just when did I start to sound so...old, so tired? "He insulted Ekataren. It added weight to my decision."

"Me?"

"Yeah, you. Don't think yourself special, it was the straw hat that broke the camel's back."

"Did you actually... get to him...?" Liz asked, her voice a crazed mixture of fear and hope.

I shook my head. "No, didn't get a chance. Ekataren jumped me and knocked me down."

"I hate to disagree, but we all were holding you. It was Ekataren that knocked you out." Darren called out from behind the counter, perched on his stool, and busily scribbling in a crossword puzzle book.

"Please, call me 'Kat'." Ekataren asked demurely.

"Certainly." I nodded, "Then I passed out. That was pretty much it."

"But why would he be here?" Liz asked, her finger tracing idly tracing intricate plans on the tabletop as her brows knitted together in thought.

"For you, I guess. Why? I don't know. But you're safe with me, I promise. I want you to stay here until I get off work, and then together we will walk home, and I'll show you how to use the door spike, okay?"

"Hiding behind a barricade?" Ekataren murmured thoughtfully.

"I can't think of anything else." I shrugged. Liz looked... strange. She looked, lost, forlorn, like she was going to break down right there--instead she tapped the table a few times her face hardening, stood abruptly and walked to the big bay window, looked deeply into nothing.

"I still have four more hours to work off here before I can go home, Liz." I called.

"Thanks Sean." Liz said after a long moment, as she pressed a palm flat against the window.

"Hey, what's family for?" I said, trying to keep my tone light, and the bitterness out.

Liz only smiled wintrily at the window.

I looked worriedly at Liz for a long moment, before I stood and shuffled over to Darren. Standing nervously just out of reach, I started to apologize "Look, Darren I'm sorry, and if you want to fire me, I--"

"Can you work?" Darren asked cutting me off.

I smiled wryly "Yeah. A few aspirin, I'll be fine."

"Well, clean some pans, okay?" Darren asked warmly as he regarded me over his neon-orange framed reading half glasses.

"I'm on it!" I said happily, eager to help, to do anything that would take my mind off my father, and my family. My father; I was able to defy him last time--barely. I didn't think I could do it again. I didn'twant to do it again.

"I would not belabor it so much." Ekataren said suddenly.

"Do what?" I said, shaking myself out of my stupor.

Liz chuckled discreetly. "You have been staring at that pan for three minutes now. I really do not think it holds the secret of the universe."

"If not the secret of the universe, maybe the meaning of life?"

"Forty-two?" Ekataren said suddenly.

"Ow." I said, wincing.

She smiled and with a nervous glance at Liz, blurted, "Is there something I should know about?"

"Eh?" I urbanely replied.

"Your sister."

"She's a good kid." I said, and leaned forward, speaking quietly, "Look, um, not to sound sexist, but could you talk to her, female to female? Or just get her to talk? She seems to like you a little, and um, there are probably things she would be more open to talking about to someone who isn't male, family, or her older brother."

"Gladly, she looks like she could use a friend." She said, and wandered away.

I hoped it worked out, I really wanted Liz to have some friends besides me, her older brother, and alas, I knew from experience that I was a far better friend on-line than I am in real life. Temporarily distracted, I worked for the next hour and fifteen minutes happily humming along with the radio and dancing slightly to the beat of the songs. When the pace of things slowed back down to its usual desultory pace, Ekataren wandered over and propped a hip on a dry spot on the counter I was idly scrubbing with a rag soaked in acrid smelling sanitizer fluid.

Ekataren started to idly draw with a finger in the wet glaze on the counter; she seemed to gather the courage to say something.

"Go ahead and say it. I won't be offended." I said sagely as I kept the rag moving.

Ekataren hid her face for a moment, before she blurted out, "Do you want to talk about your father?" I paused at my scrubbing for a moment as I thought carefully how to respond. "It is fine if you don't want to talk about it." She said quickly.

I smiled sourly. "What's there to talk about? He was there. I was there. I left early because he was there." I said and starting scrubbing a little harder.

"That is... appalling."

"Hey. Hate me, love me, despise me, but never pity me." I said quietly, my voice just loud enough to carry to Ekataren's ears. There was anger in my tone, but it was a tired and watery kind.

Her face reddened. "I apologize." She said immediately, as if she did something wrong.

Dammit, at least be nice to the lady, for once in your life, Sean! I mentally berated myself, as I said, "Don't apologize, just don't do it. I don't need pity, I may need a lot of other things, but pity is not one of them."

"Did he abuse you?"

"Does it matter?" She studied me for a long moment before she leaned closer.

"I think so, yes."

"If it matters to you; yes, he did, and Elizabeth too."

"She told me a little about it."

"Wanting confirmation?"

"No. Wanting proof."

"Say again?"

"You seem like a nice guy, I just wanted to know more about you."

Ah.

Ah, indeed. There had been a time, where I would have been deliriously interested in her offer, but that deeply rutted path held enough pain and misfortune to send me to Valhalla in style; I'd seen one too many relationships brought to a catastrophic finale for me to be anything but eager. I was embittered and paranoid, I knew, but I didn't want to be hurt again. No more pain, no more suffering. Besides, my sister needs me now more than ever, my parents are breathing down my neck again, I'm destitute with little education and no prospects -- no more; my cup has runnith over.

"Ekataren, look. I'm glad for what you did back there, and for helping my sister, but you don't want to know me. I'm not a nice person, or even a good person. I have so very many problems that the list has it's own area code. There are far better choices you could make." I said quietly then pointed at Tran behind me, "For instance, Tran is available, if not actively looking. He games professionally during the summer, and only keeps this job to do something during the off-season. I could give you an introduction, if you like."

"There might be better choices," she whispered heatedly, "but it is my choice to make -- and you will not unmake it for me."

I shrugged my shoulders. Experience told me time would tell. "I'm just wondering why you haven't run already."

"They never make it past first impressions?"

"No, they don't."

"Are you even looking?"

"No, I'm not."

"Not even as a child?"

"I haven't been a child since I four years old."

Ekataren's eyes searched mine; her hand came forward tentively to lay over mine. "What happened?"

"I was hospitalized for falling off a second story balcony."

"Was it an accident?"

"Of course. I was clumsy enough to be accidentally thrown over the balcony railing two feet taller than I was. It happens all the time."

"Good God."

"I wouldn't know; I'm not very religious. By the way, what did my sister say?"

She blinked and rubbed a hand across her eyes, "She told me not to tell you. I think she doesn't want to upset you."

"What?! Why?"

She shrugged, "Well, she cares for you. I have the distinct impression that you are her anchor in more ways then one. Sean, the last thing Liz wants to do is to demolish the little slice of paradise she has here. Liz does not want to upset you, or ruin what little bliss she has now. A word of advice: you really should ask her yourself."

I shook my head irritably, "I... I want to, really. But I remember when I was in her position. I didn't want anyone prying into the space I was frantically recapturing and holding against all comers."

"Do you want my opinion?"

"Do I get a choice?"

"No." she smiled for a moment, before sobering, "I think you might want to talk to her. Women generally have a different way of doing things than you, as a man, do."

"Come on, don't give me that sexist crap." I said gruffly.

She shrugged, "I merely notice trends. Talk to her Sean, she might just be waiting for you to tell her that it is acceptable to just talk."

"I thought she already knew..."

"Sean, Elizabeth is a young woman, not a telepath." She said sharply, her easy smile taking any sting in her words.

Darren called from his position in the back, "Sean! I'm letting you go early; make yourself something and get outta here."

"Woot!" I answered back, chucking the rag into the cooling bucket of cleaner behind the counter. "Ekataren?"

"Call me Kat."

"Kat? I'll think about it. And thanks."

She nodded, and spread her hands flat in an odd gesture. "That is all I ask."

I had a feeling that she was telling the truth, too. She doesn't run from me, and she doesn't try to help foolishly. She was so different from all the others, and I had a creepy feeling thatI should be the one to run this time. Which troubled me far more than I was willing to admit, even to myself.

Fifteen minutes later, my pizza was cooked, my body was swaddled within layer upon layer of clothing, and the computer spat out a time stamp after I clocked out with a miserly whine from the printer that was as old as I was. Receipt and pizza in hand, I shook my gently dozing sister's shoulder lightly, gently waking her before we attempted the walk home.

Liz stretched and yawned, squeaking like an irate mouse as she shook her arms to get the blood flowing again. "Sean, I hate sleeping on cheap pseudo-vinyl bench seats." She grumbled blearily.

"I'm sorry, there wasn't much else."

"I have a proposal for you, Sean. Shall I drive you two home?" Ekataren interjected, "It is a pleasantly crisp night without a cloud in the heavens, and the temperature is perched happily at a pleasant negative four degrees Fahrenheit."

"Sean, I'd rather not freeze my toes off." Liz said gruffly.

"The only dilemma as I see it, is the rather restricted room in my automobile."

"Well we'll make do, somehow."

I thought her 'automobile' (as she termed it) would be a small three-seater hydrogen/electric economy car usually owned by people with meager budgets, but still had to drive places. What I got was an old Bavarian Motor Works '03 two-seat roadster with a faded and spotted paint job that had seen better days.

"Sorry, my father got it when he was in Argentina, he traded three horses, two mules, and a donkey to a retired government man who lived as a farmer in the hills, and had no use for it anymore." She said as she pointed her key at the car, which started with a throaty roar before it quickly settled down to a soothing rumbling purr. "When the bloody thing breaks down, I wonder who got the better deal..."

"When was the last time you had to take it in?" I asked, kibitzing.

"Two months ago. The adaptive tires froze on me when I was speeding."

"Doesn't sound too bad."

"The way I drive, it is."

Liz opened the passenger side door and looked in. "This isn't going to work Sean, there's barely enough room for me, let alone the two of us."

I smiled and thrust the pizza into Liz's surprised hands. "You two go; I'll take a hike."

"No Sean--" Liz started to protest.

I interrupted her with a smile, as I waved dismissively, "It's alright. I'm used to this, okay? Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes." I said as I ushered Liz into the passenger seat. Ekataren smiled warmly at me and plopped into the driver seat with a slight squeak from the car's springs.

"I'll see you in a few minutes." Liz said her bright eyes filled with worry just before the door shut with a click. The SmartWindow frosted for a second, before it cleared as I smiled and waved as the purr of the engine deepened, the headlights snapped into existence, and the car pulled smoothly away and pulled onto the road with a grumbling roar.

Smiling, I turned and walked quickly back to my apartment, slipping only once. Unlike all the other times I trudged back to the apartment, this time my feet just seemed to fly over the ground with an almost uncanny speed. Before too long, I found myself at my door, wondering what had lightened my step. I felt surprisingly good for being as numb as I was. The door was unlocked, Kat's car was in the parking lot, and as the door sighed open with its usual intransigence, a breath of warm air washed over my nearly numb skin, and I paused at my doorstep. Lying on her belly, on living room floor, was a very naked woman. I paused, startled.What the hell? I looked around outside, and then inside, thinking this was a gag of some incredibly poor taste. Shrugging, I closed the door and knelt by the woman, who looked familiar and shook her shoulder gently, "Look, lady, you're going to have to find a better place to get naked and fall down than my floor."Wait, that didn't make any sense at all.

She lay still, not responding. Her silky skin was cool to my freezing, almost numb touch, as her pulse beat strongly against my fingertips. Gently, I turned her over, her hair and arms sprawling in limp pools framing her face. A chill tremor ran through my spine. Why was Ekataren naked in my living room, passed out? I saw darker, irregular blotches dusting her hands and face, which looked a lot like stunner burn... but why? My mind spun in quick, confused circles, like a diesel-powered top. Why?

My mind spinning, I shouted out, "Liz! Liiiz! Where are you?!" There was no response--only silence that made my stomach queasy.

Ekataren's eyes fluttered before she moaned and grabbed my arms tightly, forcing a gasp of pain and surprise from my numb lips. Her eyes opened and stared at me wildly, unseeing, as she moaned, "Where is she?"

"I don't know." I answered promptly, and I prayed she didn't mean Liz.

She blinked and thrust me away with a sharp shove, toppling me over as she shouted, "SHITE!"

"Where are my clothes?" Ekataren said, as she struggled to cover herself her eyes darted around the room blearily.

"I didn't do this, you were naked when I came in. What happened?"

"Your bastard of a father happened, that's what. Turn around!" She barked.

Obediently, I turned to study the far wall, giving her some small amount of privacy, and time for me to think, as she started to screech out dire implications about all aspects of my father's person. Including a few suggestive plans about what she would like to do to them, given several common kitchen utensils and an astonishingly small amount of time for the complexity of the action involved. My clothing was scattered, and the fridge was open. Open! I bolted for the fridge and slammed the door shut. Shit. My electric bill was going to be humongous. I might as well sell some blood and plasma tomorrow, on my day off. Then, upon reflection, I realized the electric bill was the least of my worries right about now.

"Bloody pervert." Ekataren grunted, "I'm going to do a variety of nasty things to him when I get the opportunity."

"Are you... okay? Where's Liz?"

"No, I am not okay, and she is with him!"

"She's with him?" I said in numb shock, as I felt the blood slowly drain out of my face.

"Yes! He said something about 'Getting her back to the place she belongs', or some such drivel. There, good enough. You can turn around now." Ekataren was dressed in a mish-mash of my clothing, which was obviously too big for her; sleeves hung down from her hands, the cuffs of her appropriated jeans ended in a thick looking knot around her ankles. She looked almost shapeless in my clothing. Well, shapeless and pissed. "There. You are a little bigger, but they fit, however barely."

I blinked. "What?" Things were happening much too fast for me.

"I'm going to find your father and see how many of his bones I can shatter in a minute. Want to tag along?" Ekataren said sweetly. Gone was the demure, polite woman of our first meeting, gone was the irritated and energetic woman of a few hours ago, and in its place was a pint-sized valkyrie ready to rain annihilation on my father.

"Maybe we should call the police?" I said doubtfully. Ekataren gave me a long, fulminating look. For a moment I balked at the idea, and I wanted to talk her down. Then the moment passed when it finally sank in what had happened. My father had come here, broke into my house, assaulted my sister, and Ekataren, and then kidnapped my sister and took her back home, for 'reeducation' probably. At first, I was going to meekly submit and come with her, but the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to help hold my father down and cheer she gleefully flayed the skin off of him. "I guess not. Uh... hold on a minute." I said, and ran into my bedroom, flipped my bed over, and then started to swear.