Gary and Libby - Take Two

Chapter Thirty Eight

"You did well in there.." Gary half whispers as we make our way back across the car park after hours of sitting around a hospital bed waiting for nothing to happen. I smile weakly in response, almost to myself, but its all i have to offer.

Gary shakes my hand in his. "Talk to me." I dont reply. "Libby, talk to me.""What do you want me to say Gary?" I continue to stare ahead as Gary stops dead in the middle of an uncommonly vacant hospital car park. Its dark now, and i can only see a few feet ahead, a few feet into the foreboding, mournful, darkness of midnight. Foreboding and mournful darkness like the darkness hollowing me inside. I want to cry, but im out of tears. I want to sleep, but my mind is not tired. I want to sleep as much as i want to wake up, wake up from this tormenting nightmare. Wake up in my own bed, when its light and safe and the dark cant get me. When ive got Gary and Ethan. And Ethan."Can we get Ethan?" I mutter, my eyes still fighting their way through the gloom ahead. "No." Comes Gary unexpectedly sharp answer, and it tears spike behind my lids."Please."
"No. For Gods sake Elizebeth, its half past fucking midnight, hes with Howard for the night, its not a problem, at least let him get a goodnights sleep." Roughly, and very un-Gary like, Gary yanks on my arm, dragging me across the car park. Great.
"Youre mad at me?" I whisper as he practically throws me round the the passenger door before stalking off into the darkness and opening the drivers side.
"Get in the car Libby." He mutters, ignoring my question. But its okay, he doesnt need to answer it, i already know the answer. Hesitantly, i do as he says, opening the car door and sinking into the seat.
"Why are you mad at me?" I mutter, my eyelids pull heavily and as the engine slinks into life, i suddenly realise how tired i am.
"Its late. Go to sleep. Ill wake you up when we're home." Gary mutter again, but he doesnt look at me as he pulls out into the sinister gloom of the seemingly ever darkening night.But i dont sleep. I try to sleep. I pretend to sleep. But in actual fact im wide awake, watching the strips of yellow fly past the car window as we cruise along the motorway back to London. I want to be in my own bed. With Gary, and Ethan. But Garys mad at me and Ethans with Howard, so for the time being it seems that ill have to make do with my own desolate thoughts. One O'clock.. Two O'clock.
And finally, at around three O'clock, we're pulling up the winding gravel drive. I want to ask if we can get Ethan again, but i know what the answer will be.
"Home." Gary murmurs, and i know, he knows, im not asleep. Without another word, i unfasten my seat belt and bolt it to the front door. The darkness isnt so heavy here, at home. Wordlessly, Gary slips the key into the lock and pushes open the front door.

"Are you still mad at me?.."
"Im not mad." Gary grunts a response, kicking his shoes off and discarding them untidily against the skirting board.
"You are.."
"No," Inhaling a long breath, Gary closes his eyes before he continues. "Im not."
I purse my lips, and my growing annoyance at his attitude is evident in my tone. "But you clearly are and-"
"Libby!" Gary bellows, making me jump in alarm, my eyes widening to gawk at Gary, who i think is equally surprised by his sudden outburst. "Im not fucking mad at you, but i will be if you keep on at me. Just go to bed."
"Im not a god damn baby!" I gasp, and somewhere, subconsciously, im aware that im taking out my mounting emotions from throughout the course of the day, out on Gary. But i dont care. Im not sure who he thinks hes talking to. "You cant, send me to bed!"
"I can, and i will, do whatever i damn well please. Youve had a hard day. Now go to fucking bed Libby, before i put you there myself." He turns his attention away from me, pulling his wallet and loose change out of his pockets and placing them on the table.
"Put me there yourself?" I retort instantly. "Is that a threat?"
He doesnt respond.
Well two can play at that game, Barlow.

Slinking towards Gary, unnoticed, i wait until im millimetres away before i speak again.
"I said, is that a threat?" I drop my tone. This time its more sensual, as i bite my lip and gaze through my lashes my fingers reach forward to toy with the waistband at his hips.
"Libby." Gary warns, without turning to look at me.
"Was it?.." I ask as innocently as possible.
"Go to bed."
"But i want you to put me there."
"Libby, we've just got back from the hospital. Do you have no morals or?"
"But i need something to take my mind off everything." I breathe, and its not entirely a lie. I could do with something..
Gary merely snorts in response, shrugging me away with a swift shake of his head. "Dont try and guilt trip me into having sex with you. It wont work."
"Wont it?.." I pout again, and this time he turns to look at me, loosing composure for a split second as his pupils dilate, but being the man his is, it only takes him a millisecond to regain himself.
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Go to bed."
"No."
"I said go to bed."
"And i said, make me."
"Elizebeth."
I flinch again as Garys voice bounces off the hall walls. Jesus, whats rattled his cage?!
"Get up those god damn stairs, or so help me god i will carry you up there myself."

I decide to take a different approach.
"Please?" My eyes cloud as i gaze longingly up at Gary. "I dont like sleeping without you."
"Oh no no no." Gary shakes his head with a scornful smile and i know hes seen right through me. "Dont try that one." And suddenly, hes grabbed my arm, jerking my backwards, the only thing stopping me from flying across the hall is his painfully stiff grip on my arm. "Do you think im stupid?"
"What do you mean?"
"Dont bullshit Libby." Gary shakes my arm a little as he glares down at me. "Your father, is in hospital, in a coma to be precise. Im not going to get home and have sex with you as soon as we get through the door-"
"You suggested it.." I shrug, taunting him, pushing his buttons, but instantaneously, i regret it.
"What?!" Gary bawls, and i know ive really overstepped the mark now. "Dont you dare, imply that i have such a lack of morals, do you understand?" The air is pushed through his teeth as he glowers at me with those maddened green eyes. But i dont have chance to answer. "In fact," Gary jerks my arm away quickly, twisting it behind my back and effectively turning me around, "Move, go on. Walk Libby, up the stairs." Garys tone drops to a seething whisper as he begins to march me down the hallway, his body pressed so firmly against mine i can feel the body heat. "You wanted me to drag you there? Well ill bloody well drag you there, and we'll see how much you like it then."