Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Anywhere but Here ❯ Chapter Seven ( Chapter 7 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

"Hey! What's going on here?" A group of loggers had been coming back from the restaurant when they saw this man grab Hayden. The six burly men stood like immovable statues in front of him. "Let her go!"

Hayden's dad held up his badge and smiled. "She did this to herself and she's a run away so I'm taking her home."

"I'll be the judge of that," Bob said, staring down at the man with a fierce scowl. "I don't believe you have jurisdiction here officer."

Sai stood beside Bob, his eyes on Hayden's scared face.

"She is my jurisdiction," he snapped. He yanked her to his hip roughly and she cried out.

"Not by the law. She's a married woman," Bob grinned. "Which means that you" he reached down and grabbed her father, lifting him in the air with one hand, "don't have any jurisdiction."

Sai quickly grabbed Hayden and pulled him to her. By this point the entire logging camp had circled around them in a protective circle of muscles, flannel shirts, and beards.

Hayden cried on his shoulder while her father ripped his shirt off and Bob dropped him. "She's fifteen. She can't marry," he laughed.

Bob glanced back toward them, his lips forming a tight frown, but he kept his mouth closed. "Either way, it seems pretty clear to me that this girl here doesn't want to go with you. So unless you get a court order to get here, you can't have her."

He looked at Hayden and pointed. "I will be back for you," he said coldly. Picking up his shirt he went to his car.

The loggers grudgingly moved for him, after which all eyes were on them. "I think you have some explaining to do," Bob said with a disappointed look in his eyes.

Donna cleared out the diner and had Hayden sitting on the counter while she cleaned the blood from her. "He got you good, didn't he?" she whispered as Hayden whimpered and winced. She went through her sewing kit and pulled out a needle and threat. Hayden's eyes widened. "It's only to stitch your lip so stay still."

"So you two have been lying to us this whole time, telling us that you were married," Bob said slowly.

"Well, we only really lied once," Sai pointed out. "The rest you guys just assumed...."

"That doesn't make it any better. I like you two, I really do, but he's got every right to come back and take his daughter back home."

"Not if they get married," Donna said while pulling threat threw Hayden's lip. "I know, honey, you just cry it out ok?" she said softly while Hayden's tears thickened.

Hayden glanced at Sai.

Sai hesitated and waved her to him. "Can we go upstairs and talk for a moment?"

"Sure," Bob said.

Donna finished with Hayden and handed her some ice. "Keep that on your lip." Hayden nodded and Donna helped her off the counter before she went upstairs.

Once in their room, he shut the door and looked to her. "Do you...I mean...do you want to get married?"

She shrugged.

"I would really like a more definitive answer than that. If we get married, it's for real. It's legal. It's permanent."

"We could get a divorce at sometime..."

"Yeah... once you're eighteen...."

"I...I wouldn't keep you...from being with someone else..."

"No, no I mean, you're my girlfriend. Who else would I want to be with?"

"Just because you like me doesn't mean you won't like someone else at some point."

"True, and it doesn't mean that you won't like someone else either."

"I...I just don't want to go home..." she whispered.

Walking over to her, he cupped her face and lifted it to look at him. "Then let's get married."

"Really?"

"Yeah...really."

She dropped the ice and stepped into his arms.

He hugged her to him, feeling her melt against him. "You won't ever have to go back."

"Thank you, Sai..." she cried on his chest. "Thank you so much."

"Don't thank me just yet," he smiled. "Not until we say our 'I dos'."

She met his eyes and they started down stairs after she wiped her face. Everyone looked up at them.

"Where is the courthouse?" Sai asked.

Bob smiled and grabbed his coat. "Come on. I'll take you there. Donna, I'm sure your nosy self wants to come as well. Am I right?"

"Well duh. But first I'm going to stop at your house and get your wife so Hayden can wear something not covered in blood," she said and grabbed Hayden's hand, pulling her outside.

"Some of Anna's things are still there. See if there's anything she wants," he called out. Looking at Sai, he slapped him on the back with a large grin, nearly causing Sai to collapse. "Well then, let's go!"

Hayden sat at a vanity in a simple white dress while Lucy and Donna fixed her hand and put a bit of makeup on her. She was nervous and her stomach hurt from both seeing her father and because of what she was about to do. They drove her to the courthouse chatting though she was silent in the back seat playing with the curls in her hair.

The only changes that Sai had been able to make was changing out of his work outfit to one of his finer suits which he'd kept with him. It was a little bit tight since his frame had widened, but it still fit nice enough. He was nervous as well, but that anxiety only increased when he saw Hayden. "Wow," he whispered.

Donna pushed her lightly. She looked at her then hurried to Sai's side. The judge had them hold hands and he didn't begin until the place was packed with loggers and customers that liked Hayden's smile.

"I didn't know that the whole town knew about this," Sai whispered to her with wide eyes.

"I guess news travels fast..."

"Yeah." He was about to say more when the judge there silenced them so that he could begin. They made it all the way through their vows all the way up until the point said that he may kiss his bride. Hesitantly, he looked at Hayden, the realization of what they had just done finally hit him. This was his wife....

She swallowed and shifted. The room looked at them waiting. Slowly his hand slid to her cheek, caressing it gently before he leaned in and lightly pressed his lips to hers. She was as stiff as a board. At first she winced, but not because she thought he was going to hurt her, but because he actually did. Her lip was sensitive with the stitches. However, he seemed to sense this and his lips became gentle and soft. Though she didn't kiss him back, he didn't care. No one else saw this, so he pulled away and nodded. The deed was done. She was safe.

Her arms quickly wrapped around him and she buried her face in his neck. "Thank you..." she whispered while her eyes weld up with tears.

"You're welcome," he whispered back, holding her close while she cried on him.

"So...I didn't expect this. I kinda wanted the young man to sweep her off her feet and rush out like those books I read," Donna said as she stared at the new couple.

"And that's why you're not married, Donna," Bob laughed.

"Yeah yeah," she waved it off.

Slowly Hayden pulled back from Sai and wiped her eyes. "Well...now what?" she asked him softly.

"We celebrate! Party at Bob's!" Donna yelled.

"What!? No! Party at the diner, besides, these two need to go on their honeymoon!" Bob laughed.

"Honeymoon!? No! There will be no...none of that!" Hayden said with wide eyes.

"But you two are married! The best part of marriage is the honeymoon," he chuckled. His eyes widened and he snapped his fingers. "And I have the perfect place for it. Donna, think you could do without your girl for a couple of days?"

"Yeah I suppose. But it will cost ya. I want free wood for every day she's missing."

He thought about it and sighed. "Three logs a day."

"Five!"

"Four."

"Fine but they better be big or I'm kicking your ass."

"You'll be getting nothing but twigs! Now then, after the party at Donna's I'll take you to my hunting cabin. It will make a fine place for your honey moon."

"There is no party at the diner. I lost a crazy amount of business today. I can't afford to fit a bill for the whole town," she said and waved it off. "Come on kids, I'll drive you home so you can pack you some clothes."


"Do...we have to?"

"There is still the matter of the wedding license," the judge said. "You still have to pay for that."

"How much is it?"

"Twenty dollars," the judge said.

He swallowed hard and nodded. That was an entire weeks worth of pay right there.

"We have some in our savings," she said. Reaching in her pocket she pulled out some money but Donna handed the judge money first.

"Wedding gift," she winked.

"Thank you," Sai smiled in relief.

"Now then, you two go with Donna. I'll head up to the cabin and get things ready for you then come back and pick you up in the truck." Before they could even object he was out the door and in his truck.

After only a blink they were in their apartment sitting on the bed side by side staring at the wall. Once suitcase sat at their feet with their things.

"So...a honeymoon," he said slowly, his hand resting in hers.

"People...do it...on honeymoons..."

"Yeah...but we don't have to," he assured her.

She looked over at him. "Really?"

"Yeah," he smiled. "I wouldn't force you to do something just cause it's expected. Then it would just be awkward and no fun for either of us."

"No fun? It's never fun. It's painful and long and...and...stupid," she said with a nod.

He laughed and shook his head. "Not always."

"How would you know?"

"I'd really rather not talk about it." She looked back at the wall. "Let's just say it was something my dad wanted. To help me 'learn to be a man'."

"My dad told me on my twelfth birthday that he was going to help me 'be a woman'."

"That was...the first time?"

"Yeah..."

"I'm sorry...."

"Yeah...me too..."

"I was fourteen," he said slowly. "When dad bought me a prostitute. Left me in a room with her for six hours. That's how I learned about everything."

"Six hours...is a long time for that... I always thought one was forever..."

"Dad is...very thorough...."

She leaned her head on his shoulder. "So...you liked it?"

"No," he laughed, his arm moving around her waist. "A woman down there is very...scary. But my body felt good afterward. The action was awkward, but I can't deny that it felt good. Though it would have certainly felt better if it was with someone I cared about."

"I never felt good..."

"That's because your dad is a monster. He probably just cared about himself...."

She took a deep breath and moved closer to him. She was pressed against him by now. Slowly he leaned down and kissed her cheek. A few moments later, Bob knocked on the door and Sai picked up their suitcase. They went to the truck and got in.

"Hope you kids like it. It's way out in the middle of nowhere and doesn't have a phone, but it has a generator for electricity and a freezer full of deer meat so you should be fine on food. I'll come back up and pick you up in four days," he smiled.

"That's a long time to do nothing when I could be making money," Hayden said.

"Oh, I'm sure you kids will be having 'fun'," he winked.

Sai took their bag and they stood there, watching as Bob pulled away and left them there.

Hayden looked at the cabin. Taking a deep breath, she walked in. It was cozy. Bigger than their apartment. It actually had rooms. And the bedroom had a large bed.

"This is really nice," he whispered. Taking their baggage, he put it on the bed before moving and examining all the rooms. "This is...really...really nice."

"Yeah...it is," she said running her hand over the blanket. She slipped her shoes off and sat on it. It had been such a long day for her. Work, then father showing up, then getting married...now a honeymoon. It was exhausting.

He kicked his shoes off and moved beside her, wrapping her in his arms. "How about a nap...wife."

She turned to him. "Yeah...that sounds really good."

Pulling back the covers, he slipped inside and pulled her with him. His arms wrapped around her, letting her lean against him and curl up on his chest. It only took her a few moments before she passed out.

He didn't sleep that much. He just sort of stared down at her, watching her face. She seemed so peaceful and pretty when she was asleep. When the sun rose up in the morning sky, he leaned down and nuzzled her neck. "I'm hungry," he said pitifully.

She yawned and nodded. Getting up she slowly walked to the kitchen to make him breakfast.

Rather than follow in behind her, he drew her a nice warm bath while she cooked so that once she was done, he guided her back to the bathroom. "Rest and soak up, enjoy our time off."

Her eyes widened. "You...made me a bath?"

"Yeah? Did you not want to take one?"

"No I did...it's just...I always make you baths..."

"Yeah well, I felt bad for waking you up when you were sleeping so soundly just to make me breakfast...."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," he smiled. "I'm going to go eat. I promise to save you some."

She nodded and once she was gone, she stripped down and got into the tub. For a while, she just relaxed and played in the water. After bathing and washing her hair, she got out and dressed then walked to the kitchen for breakfast. Sai had already had his fill of food by the time she was done. Sitting by her side of the table were a few wild flowers he had found growing out behind the cabin. He was currently taking a walk, enjoying the sights of the great outdoors. Considering he'd lived in a city his whole life, he never got enough of the beauty of the outdoors. She ate with a smile and sniffed each flower longingly. After cleaning her plate, she hurried outside after him.

He turned around when he heard footsteps coming after him. Smiling at her, he reached out and took her hand, pulling her against him. "Enjoy breakfast?"

"Thank you for the flowers. They were lovely," she smiled.

"I'm glad you enjoyed them," he grinned. "Come on. I want to show you something. There's a small pond behind here. There's a family of deer there with their...baby...deer. Do you know what you'd call a baby deer?"

"Um...a fawn," she nodded.

"Well there are fawns there!" he tugged at her hand, pulling her along so that she could see them. She smiled bigger when she saw them. She watched them drink from the pond then prance about. "I've got to admit, I forgot how nice it was to simply...relax," he whispered. "Without having to work all the time."

She looked up at him and kissed his cheek then leaned her head against him. He took her hand, slowly running his fingers over hers. "You're suppose to have a ring," he whispered slowly, looking down at her barren hand.

"I don't really need one..."

"I know...but I think you'd look even prettier with one."

Her cheeks tinted and she tightened her hand on his. "Rings are expensive. We are trying to save," she whispered.

"Yeah, I know...but still. Maybe just a cheap one for you know...ceremony's sake."

"Alright," she said softly. They sat out there until lunch time just watching nature. She then went inside and made lunch for them. They had a picnic outside and watched the sun go down while she rested in his arms. For the first time, she made a deer dinner which wasn't too bad. Neither of them were use to the taste of the meat.

"It's very...different, but I think I like it," he sighed, letting her lean against him while they watched the sun drop down across the plains.

She moved closer to him then rested her head in his lap. His hand reached down and gently caressed her cheek and played with her hair.