Lizzy

I watched as the milk swirled around the brown liquid in front of me. It was rather transfixing, watching it dance around the mug, so beautiful - I should watch it more often. It seems rather unfortunate to have to stop the festivities in the cup, but the spoon had demanded it.

"Liz." Ben waved his hand in front of my face, stopping my daze from continuing further. "You were in a daze again." He looked down into his cup, becoming quiet once more.

"Now you're in a daze," I laughed at him, "Are you okay? You seem more out than normal."

He took a deep breath in, then released all his trouble in a breath out. He looked up at me from his cup - sighing as he put his hands in his lap.

"It's Josh." He gulped not wanting to talk about the sensitive topic, yet he knew he had to. So did I.

"Yes, he's been acting - strange." I sighed just like Ben had, not really wanting to discuss Josh, but we had to; Josh needed us to.

"I hope, I hope it's just, just stress." Ben looked quite deflated, he knew that Josh was under pressure about getting a Job, to support Grace and himself whilst he recovered. He felt so guilty it was eating him alive, crawling up his skin like spiders chasing a bug ready to kill at any moment.

I reached over the table, a grabbed his shaking hand in mine. I smoothed over the top of his hand with my thumb, relaxing him - It's not his fault.

"Liz - I just want ev-everything to - to be okay," he breathed looking up to stop the tears that threatened to tumble from his Nordic eyes.

"It will be, everything is falling into place... you're..." I stopped there, not wanting to bring up the therapist with him.

He read straight through me - I could not trick him any longer. "I know, I - I hope I'm getting better."

"You are getting better." I grabbed his other hand, enclosing his in mine as I continued to stare into his eyes. "We can all tell." A small teardrop fell down his face, but I quickly wiped it away, almost as quickly as it had arrived. "You. You are so, strong."

"I'm - I'm just scared he's going to come back. Take me again." He chocked on more tears, his breath becoming quieter with each word until he was talking in barely a whisper. "I won't go back there."

My lip trembled at the thought of losing him again, I couldn't lose him again - not after I just got him back. "You are safe now. He's never coming back. Ever."

He nodded his head, staring back into his cup as his milk finally settled down masking the dark coffee. I raised my hand to his cheek, using my thumb to dry them. He nestled his head into my hand, as he placed his hand over mine- not wanting me to move it.

"Everything will be okay?"

"Everything will be okay."

-.x.-

We gathered our belongings as we exited the small coffee shop we had ducked into as rain tumbled from the sky like the tears fell down Ben's face. It had finally broken, allowing us free passage back into the outside world. The October wind blew against our backs, willing us down the roads. Coloured smudges blew around our heads as they were ripped from the trees that lined the streets of the city.

Ben pulled his hand from his warm coat and placed it in mine instead. The welcomed warmth filled my body with tiny sparks. I still had a helpless crush on him, despite being together from a few months now - small gestures like this still made me fill with electricity. I could feel his love pumping around my body traveling around my heart, making me fall more helplessly in love with him each day.

Soon enough we reached our apartment block, rushing inside laughing at a joke that in hindsight probably wasn't that funny. We ran up the stairs, still holding hands until we reached our floor. Ben pulled out his keys and unlocked the door to find the apartment oddly quiet. We ventured in further to find Josh asleep on the sofa, curled up in a ball. We both chuckled at the sight before us, but then Ben gave me an evil glare that told me everything.

We silently crept around the sofa, suppressing the urge to burst out laughing. Ben raised his hands, using his fingers to count down to our attack. Three...Two...One.

"BOO!"

The now awake Josh jolted awake before crashing to the floor from the where he was lying on the sofa. He looked up at us and crossed his arms with a huff.

"That's wasn't funny!" he pouted still on the floor.

"Payback!" Ben claimed as he extended an arm for Josh to take. He reluctantly stood up with Ben's aid.

"You know there are easier ways to wake someone up."

"Yeah but that way was the most fun way," I claimed as I took off my coat. I hung it on the coat stand before making my way over to Josh. I cupped his chin in my hands and began speaking to him as if he were a small child. "Now go on, you need to get changed for this evening."

"I'm not a small child!" he huffed once more.

"I have never heard such a big lie come out of your mouth before," Ben laughed.

"Not true!" Josh retaliated.

"When have you ever lied, you can't do it." Ben crossed his arms challenging Josh.

"Here's one: You look good today."

Ben was about to argue against Josh, but I stepped in between them both. "Let's just say you're both small children." They were both about to disagree with me, but I stuck a finger on each of their lips. "Now go get changed."

They both begrudgingly trudged towards their allocated rooms to get ready, both still mumbling about the other to themselves.

-.x.-

The three of us were sat in the darkness of the auditorium for the second time that week watching the scene we were all dreading the most unfold before us. Sure, we knew they had kissed before, but we never actually had to watch it - and this one was a bit more than a kiss on the cheek.

"I never turned on you or anyone else!" Grace yelled exasperated at Will.

"No. You just double-crossed us to your father! Your father!" he yelled matching her.

"My father has eyes on every corner of this city. He doesn't need me spying for him. And I never lied. I didn't tell you everything..."

"If you weren't a girl you'd be trying to talk with a fist in your mouth," Will said clenching his fists resisting the urge to punch her.

"I said that I worked sun, and I do. I told you my professional name is Plumber, and it is. You never asked my real one!" Grace began to reason with Will flailing her arms.

"I wouldn't think I had to unless I knew I was dealing with a backstabber." Will continued still yelling.

Grace raised her fist under Will's jaw. "And If I was a boy you'd be looking at me through one swollen eye!"

"Don't let that stop ya. Gimme your best shot."

Just like with Georgia (who had been demoted to the Newsie ensemble) I saw a mixture of panic flood Grace's eyes as she suddenly realized what came next. But instead of punching Will in the face, she grabbed his face and kissed him. I looked over at Ben and Josh who had both covered their eyes with their fingers, yet they still watched through their fingers making the action pointless.

I saw Grace release a breath that she probably didn't know she was holding, as she spoke her next line. "I need to know you didn't cave for the money."  

I also saw Will release a breath after he realized that Grace had kissed him instead of punching him. They continued on with their song, both bringing so much love and passion to it - almost enough to rival mine and Dan's performance.

Once again they had to kiss but this time Ben and Josh had genuinely covered their eyes not wanting to watch their kid kiss, Will. I laughed quietly to myself, whispering "Dorks." under my breath.

When Grace took her Katherine bow, we once again stood up and cheered for her, but this time we were not alone. Other parents had stood up for her, making the already hude smile on her face widen even further.

Just like the previous night, we enveloped Grace in our proud arms as she spotted us after the show. She was truely breathtaking, and I can say right here right now that she is going to grow into the most amazing, fear free performer on Broadway.