It's been far too long since I last updated this story. It's been a bit chaotic for me lately, but I promised a few close friends of mine that I would update as soon as I had the time. I know the update is long overdue, so I hope you enjoy Chapter 8. It's almost the end of this story and this will really be the climax of it. Keep some tissues nearby because it's coming to a head and it's time for Lucy to finally make her decision. It's been a wild journey but it's been worth to write it.

Reviews will be very much appreciated. Please constructive criticism and no burning! Don't like, don't read, as I always say. This story has 123 reviews as of the last update and it's amazing to know that so many people enjoy it, especially since it's from a theory (a failed theory) that popped into my head in June. It's very humbling and thank you so so so much! Also, tweet me some feedback on Twitter. Everything is taken professionally, not personally. Thanks in advance!

Disclaimer: I am no way affiliated with Lucy or Ian. This is simply an innocent story about friendship, love, and honesty.

Terrified: Chapter 8

Riding the Aftershock

You called me up again

Just to break me like a promise

So casually cruel in the name of being honest

I'm a crumbled up piece of paper lying here

Because I remember it all too well

"All Too Well" by Taylor Swift

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "Every heart vibrates to that iron string." Every person has that one special someone or something that makes them feel as though they cannot breathe without. They need that thing or that person no matter happens in their lives. Their entire world and all of their happiness revolves around the life of that one true love in their grasp. They need them to have the hunger to eat. They need them to have the thirst to drink. They need them to have the motivation to wake up every morning. They need them to be able to breathe. Their existence was based on the existence of the only thing that keeps them alive. Without it, what would they be?

For Ian, Lucy was the iron string to his heart. There was no other way to put it. He was in love with the woman who he had once thought that he could never have. With her, he could do anything and everything that he set his mind to. She was his everything. His world revolved around her and everything that made her happy. He took a risk by telling her how he felt on the trip to Toronto back in June and though it had been rough for both of them to adjust to the changes in their friendship and relationship, they were now on their way to making it all worth it.

The twenty-five year old man awoke the following morning, blinking tiredly against the bright sunlight that was pouring through the thin material of the curtains hanging in the windowsill nearest to the bed. His eyes squinted against the unexpected light, wincing as it met the smoldering indigo orbs of his sensitive human eyes. When they opened all the way, an immediate smile crossed his face, all of his white teeth flashing between his lips as his gaze fell upon her beside him. Her. His best friend. His lover. The love of his life. His girl.

Lucy.

Ian settled on the mattress to where he could be looking at her face to face, just inches apart. Last night they had explored every part of each other in every physical, mental, and emotional way possible. His heart began to pound again as he remembered the feeling of lust that had taken over the both of them; the feeling of skin against skin, no barriers between them, their hungry lips kissing and biting every possible place along each other's faces, necks, arms, legs, torsos...They had become one the night before. They had become what Ian had never thought was possible. He had dreamt, prayed, and hoped that it would happen, but not even his hopes and wishes could match up to what was now exchanged between the two of them.

Now, as he watched her sleep, Ian realized that all of the heartache, all of the pain, all of the patience it took him to get to where they now lied in a tangled mess of a single white bed sheet and clammy skin, had all been worth it. He didn't ever even think that he would be lying in the same bed of Lucy after the first time they had sex. Hell, he had been so close to giving up on the idea of being together, that even the thought of making love to the 5'2 woman with the brunette hair who sang too loud and drank too much coffee, his body on top of hers, rocking and making the headboard creak with the activity on the mattress, her long, painted fingernails leaving long strands of red abrasions on the skin of his back as she took all of him in, her legs entwined around his waist as his lips trailed down her neck and to her torso where they remained for the longest time...

Chills went down his back as he remembered it all. He was still in a trance from it. He was so in love with this woman sleeping beside him that he couldn't even think about being anywhere else. That's where he belonged, With Lucy. Without her, his life wouldn't be as full and complete. He would be lost until he somehow found his way to her. That's what soulmates did, right?Soulmates always find their way to each other, in some way, shape or form. And that's what IAn thought of Lucy. She was his one and only. He couldn't imagine being with anyone else besides her. From the time they met in Vancouver to that very moment, he couldn't remember a moment when he had thought of anyone else in the room when they were together. He looked at her and the whole world disappear. She was his safe place. She was his gravity. She was his everything.

He gently took one of Lucy's hands that was closest to him in one of his own, trailing kisses on each of her fingers, his tongue lightly crawling across the lines of her palm. He watched as Lucy's lips began to pull up at the corners, but she remained in a subconscious state. Her auburn hair tumbled around her face, a few loose strands twitching at the breath that was coming from her scrunched up nose. She was more peaceful there than in ll those months that she had been with him. She looked happy where she lied beside him on the mattress of his apartment bedroom. The early morning sunlight was just reaching her place upon the single sheet that was only thing covering her tiny body. She wasn't moving or twitching or doing anything. Nothing at all.

And Ian could watch her do that all day.

Unfortunately, the universe had other plans. Lucy's phone buzzed to alert that she had a text message and she began to stir, stretching to reach it. Luckily, Ian was closer and he snatched it away from the nightstand before she could reach it. He leaned over to her and kissed her softly on her lips, his free hand coming up to run his thumb on her cheek, caressing her soft skin, tucking loose locks of hair behind her ear. She murmured against his mouth, "Ian...give...it..." It wasn't long before she was back to sleep.

He chuckled quietly and pressed a kiss against her forehead, his lips lingering as he whispered, "I'll get it for you don't worry...I love you." He kissed her forehead again before taking her phone, slipping on his boxers from the previous night, and leaving the room, pressing the touch screen to unlock the iPhone. Claire had texted Lucy, wondering if she would be home soon and that Chris needed to speak to her at ten o' clock the night before. The other texts were from Chris, including the most recent one.

Chris, 10:42 PM, Tuesday August 14th: annie and claire told me ur w/ ian. we need 2 tlk abt this. call or txt me pls.

Chris: 12:01 AM, Wednesday August 15th: where the fck r u? is ian really tht mor important than me? damn you and damn him. srsly, we need to tlk. come home b4 i come looking 4 u.

Chris: 3:23 AM, Wednesday August 15th: bby im sorry. jus pls call or txt me and let me kno ur ok. i'm worried abt u and i need 2 make sur ur okay.

Chris: 7:54 AM, Wednesday, August 15th: r u awake yet? r u at ian's still? i hope rehearsing was okay. want me 2 come pick u up so we can get sum coffee?

There were also eleven missed calls. Ian rolled his eyes at the desperation that this older man had. What did she ever even see in this asshole? He's trying to control each and every part of her life, he thought as he began to type a response, looking over his shoulder, making sure that Lucy was still asleep. Through the crack of the door going into the bedroom, he could see her wrapped up in the sheet that still remained on his bed. She was out like a light from their night of love making and intense at that! He smiled, all of his teeth flashing as he watched her for a moment. She was so peaceful. She was so at home by lying her head on his pillow. Her pillow. Their pillow.

He was going to take care of her. He was going to heal her and tear down every reservation that Lucy had about relationships because of her past romances; this included this last one with Chris. It was going to take Lucy years to get over what Chris put her through with the leering of making her rely solely on him because her friends wanted nothing to do with him because of his short-tempered personality. Their relationship was forced and one-sided and Ian knew Lucy didn't want to spend more day with a man who didn't respect her choices or her friends or herin general.

Ian was going to do whatever it took to make sure that he would help Lucy tear down any wall and barrier that she kept building around her lovesick heart. He was going to make sure that her scars would heal and that she could enjoy the lives that they were going to build together. She was broken, but Ian was going to do whatever it took to give her a shoulder to lean on as they were going to tackle every obstacle, every problem, every mishap that would cross their path in their future that they planned on making together, That was the promise that he was making to himself and to Lucy.

Even if she didn't know it.

Ian snapped his attention back to the phone in his palms, where his thumbs were itching to start typing, trembling with anticipation. He thought for a moment and slowly began to drum his fingers against the screen. He smiled as he responded:

Lucy: 8:07 AM, Wednesday, August 15th: Hey, Chris! It's Ian. Lucy and I were up late rehearsing last night, so she crashed on the couch. I didn't want her to drive. She's fine, so there is no need to worry about her. She's always welcome here. She'll probably be back to the apartment by noon. She's a hard worker. I'll let her know that you texted and called.

Chris: 8:08, Wednesday, August 15th: tht's ok, i guess. thnks 4 takin care of her 4 me...nothin happened between u 2, right? she just crashed on the couch?

Slowly, his lips pursed forward so then they barely brushed against Lucy's, causing a rush of fireworks to go through him and a tingling in his nerves that made him quiver. He never thought that a simple embrace such as that would make him feel as alive as a newborn child. It rushed through his body and energized his damaged heart, making it feel new and relieved that this was happening between him and Lucy at that moment.

He began to reluctantly pull away from her but what happened next shocked him.

Her lips were rushed and harsh against his, yet still baby soft. Her fingers dug into his hair. Her body was crushed against his large one, no remaining space; only heat, passion, lust, and tension. He clung her waist with his long and trembling fingers tightly to his aching abdomen as he leaned back against the armrest of the couch while she climbed on top of him. Their lips separated as Lucy moved hers to his neck, causing Ian to groan and moan deep in his throat.

Ian blushed a deep scarlet red as his mind went back to the previous night. It was hard to lie and try to make Chris think that he thought of Lucy nothing more than a friend. She was his friend, his lover, and might as well been his wife. By an almost perfected practice he'd gotten used to typing and explaining, he responded in the appropriate amount of time:

Lucy: 8:10 AM, Wednesday, August 15th: No, of course nothing happened! She slept in my bed and I took the place on the couch. She's my best friend, but nothing more.

Their lips met in a hungry and angry passion. Soon Lucy had Ian's shirt thrown across the bedroom and onto the loveseat shoved in the corner. He didn't hesitate on working her clothes next. Her blouse was following his t-shirt within thirty seconds and her shorts weren't far behind, leaving her in only her underwear and bra. While she struggled to unstrap the belt of his blue jeans, he kissed her neck and his mouth trailed down to her collarbone, nipping and going at the thin skin that lied there.

Finally his pants were kicked off and on the floor. Lucy tilted Ian's chin up to bring his lips back up to her own and he obliged, digging his fingers into the sheets of his unmade and messy bed as he settled into a place above her. He separated from her again before looking down and saying, his voice ragged from the lack of air, "Are you sure you want to do this? There's only one time for the first time between us, Lucy and if you want to wait and think about it, that's-"

Chris: 8:13 AM, Wednesday, August 15th: o ok. do u want me 2 come and get her? i hate 2 put u out...

Lucy: 8:14 AM, Wednesday, August 15th: No, she drove her way over here, so I'm sure she'll want to drive herself home.

Chris: 8: 17 AM, Wednesday, August 15th: oh alright. i guess i'll see her wen she gets home. thnks ian.

Lucy: 8"17 AM, Wednesday, August 15th: You're very welcome. Nice talking to you.

Ian turned the device off and placed it on the kitchen counter before heading into the bathroom to start his morning routine: shaving, a shower, breakfast, and then reading the online Huffington Post newspaper. He quickly went to the bathroom, washed his hands, and then got his razor and shaving cream out from the bathroom cupboard. He had just bought a new can and he glanced up at the mirror, knowing that he see the normal five o' clock shadow fallen upon his cheeks and jaw, trailing down below his chin.

He severely needed that shave.

He removed the blade cover, wet his face with water before applying the ice-cream shaped cream onto his face, rubbing it into the black speckled hair that lied upon it. He slowly glided the razor along the grain, leaving a trail of freshly shaven skin in its wake. He looked deeply into the mirror as he slowly removed the scruffy hair from the left side of his face. He didn't see the broken and heartache-filled man from a day before. He saw a new man. He saw a man whose eyes were as clear as the open waters of the Atlantic oceans, the indigo depths shining nothing but happiness. His jaw was relaxed and his face had flushed back to its normal color. He didn't look like the man who used to drink his sorrows away with straight vodka after work.

He looked like a man whose love was finally starting to realize her feelings for him, just as he hoped and prayed that she would.

He looked like the true Ian Michael Harding.

He heard the bedroom door crack open and footsteps on the wood floor. The footsteps were light and slow, as if the person had just woken up. From the reflection in the mirror that he caught, he saw Lucy go by the bathroom. He laughed and called out, "I'm in here, Luce!"

"I know. I saw you trying to shave your sexy five o' clock shadow." She giggled and then added, "You texted Chris? How in the hell did you get my phone?"

He shrugged as he continued to shave, "You were trying to sleep and it kept buzzing. I know how you get when you don't get enough sleep." He waited for her response, but since there wasn't one right away, he added, "Are you mad at me?"

Ian looked up from rinsing off his razor and saw Lucy standing at the doorway. She must have found his t-shirt from the previous day and a pair of panties to cover herself. Her hair was a tangled mess and she was hardly wearing any makeup, but this woman who stood before him was still more radiant than any supermodel that Tyra Banks tried to discover. She looked like an angel who had just fallen too hard from heaven and was still awfully tired, but other than that, nothing but a good sense of manpower could hold him back from trying to have sex with her again.

She shook her head in response to his question that he had forgotten he'd asked just a moment before, "No, no it's fine. He would have just come over and found me if you hadn't texted him. And I really don't want to explain all of this to him. We're going to, but just not right this second where I'm not even close to being awake yet."

He nodded slowly in understanding and set his razor down, wiping his face with a towel of the leftover shaving cream. He ran his hand across his freshly shaven cheek, "Smooth as a baby's bottom. Sorry, Luce, I hate it when it get's that bad."

Lucy rolled her eyes and shook her head again, blushing as she replied, "Ian, honey, you look handsome either way."

"Why, thank you. You and my mom think a lot alike." He turned to face her and threw her a flirty and slightly shy smile, "As long as we tell the guy. I hated lying to him." He paused and thought for a moment, his head slightly tilted, as he stepped closer to the woman standing in the doorway, "Actually, I don't feel guilty at all." They both laughed and Ian leaned forward to press a kiss to her lips, "Let's not talked about him. Let's just have our time right now."

"Mhmmm, I agree with you on that one."

Things got heated quickly. Soon Lucy was pressed against the wall of the hallway, her abdomen and pelvis pressed tightly against Ian's as he allowed no extra space between them. His hands ran up and down her legs, drawing one up slowly up around his waist. He rubbed and caressed it, his fingers tender against the soft skin of her thigh as they went higher and higher. Lucy moaned intensely as his lips trailed down to her neck, nipping and sucking the already visible hickies on her neck. He drew his tongue over the sensitive skin, smiling the entire time, happy to be with her at that moment.

She preoccupied herself by running her hands up and down Ian's toned chest, her fingers twining around the reappearing chest hairs. Her other hand played with the waist of his boxers, sliding the underwear further and further down his hips, Now it was Ian's turn to moan and groan, murmuring I love you into the woman's neck as he continued to nip at it. She whispered, "This is going to fun."

Suddenly, Lucy was not longer against the wall. She had slipped out from underneath Ian's grasp. He turned around and looked at the can of shaving cream now in her hands. He narrowed his eyes at her, "You wouldn't..."

She smiled mischievously and blew on the sprayer as if she had a gun that she just fired in her hands, "Oh I would dare to spray this at you." She raised it to aim it at his chest, "Come on there, goober. Come and see if you can catch me."

The moment he took a step toward her, the gooey white liquid shot at his chest like silly string, causing him to move even faster to get the can away from her, "Come here, you little goose!" He hooked his arm around her waist and swung her around as if she weighed nothing, which to him, she hardly weighed the same as a feather. No matter how hard he tried though, he couldn't stop laughing along with her intense giggle fit, her whole body shaking.

Ian grabbed the other half-empty can from the bathroom counter and he squirted some on top of Lucy's head, rubbing it into the brunette locks, laughing like a maniac the entire time. Her screams filled the bathroom as well as her curses for getting her hair all messed up. He carried her past the shower curtain and set her down inside, squirting the shaving cream all over her. She squealed in protest and shot right back at him as she chased him outside of the bathroom and into the living room where she hopped on the couch and then launched herself at him, tackling him to the floor.

"Ooomf." He mumbled out in protest as he hit the carpet with Lucy on top of him. He dropped the can of shaving cream and put his hands up in surrender, "Okay, white flag! I surrender!" He was laughing too hard, breathless from running around and trying to get Lucy covered in shaving cream to even think about making a real conversation.

Lucy dropped her can as well and twined her fingers into his hair, "I surrender too." She thought for a moment.

He narrowed his eyes at her again, rubbing the small of her back, "What is it?"

She threw a smile in his direction and pressed her lips just inches away from his, "I love you. And I won't ever surrender what we have together. You are my safe place to land and the only man who has ever really accepted me for who I am. You know the real me and I can be myself around you. You're the one, Ian."

He smiled widely as he leaned up to press a kiss against her mouth, his tongue probing her lips open to allow him entrance. That was all he had ever wanted to her from Lucy, that he was the one for her just as she was the one for him. They were finally at a place where they could both admit it and be the real people that they were. The people who were in love with each other. Ian was sure that that this little shaving cream fight was the first of many playful activities that they would participate in together. They still had years and years to fill with each other but at that moment, he knew that it was one they were always going to look back on and laugh at with their kids and grandchildren.

They don't plan on ever surrendering.

It was about noon, just as Ian had told Chris, when Lucy finally walked into her apartment. She was dressed in one of Ian's t-shirts and the pair of her skinny jeans that she had worn the day before that Ian had kindly washed for her before she had to leave. Her hair was rid of all of the shaving cream that Ian had rubbed deeply inside of it. She was still giggly about what had happened that morning. She never would guessed that they would get into a shaving cream fight.

It had been worth it. Everything had been worth it.

Every single part of their time together.

No man had ever treated her like Ian did. He treated her like she was a princess and he was trying to court her. He acted as though he worshiped the ground she walked on. The way that he looked at her in those few hours had been some of the most intense gazes she had ever seen a person with. His blue smoldering eyes threatened to overwhelm her. They drown her like the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. Except he was also her safety buoy. He saved her when she got in too deep. Her warning sign. Her precaution before doing something reckless. He was her safe place for everything.

As she made her way into the apartment, she was listening to her iPhone on full blast. She was blaring Phillip Phillip's hit song, "Home". She had been turned on to his music since she heard his audition for American Idol in the past spring. He sounded a lot like Mumford and Sons, which was Ian's favorite band. He was in love with folk music and "Home" was becoming one of his own personal favorites. She caught him humming along the rhythm to it while he had been cooking them breakfast.

Hold on, to me as we go

As we roll down this unfamiliar road

And although this wave is stringing us along

Just know you're not alone

Cause I'm going to make this place your home

Lucy wasn't even paying attention to who was in the apartment. Out of nowhere, Chris came around the corner of the kitchen and called out her name. She still had her back toward him as she walked into her bedroom and was greeted by Jack's barking and jumps onto her legs she laughed and picked the dog up, dancing around the room with him, singing along to the music. She was in a state of bliss and happiness. Nothing could break what she was feeling. After what had happened the previous night, she felt complete and whole.

Like the entire time she had been just friends with Ian, she never knew that side of him. The side that would sweep a woman off her feet and onto a bed. He never made her do anything that she wasn't comfortable with. He let here have input on how things went. He made her feel part of a partnership, a part of a team, half of a relationship. He made her feel like they truly belonged together. And to her, they belonged together more than anyone else in the world.

They were destined by God to come to this point in their friendship. A rose grew out thorns. A flower grew in a group of weeds. Everything that had ever been against them as a couple. She was meant to find a lover in Ian. A lover, a boyfriend, a husband. She wasn't going to ever give that up.

Never.

Settle down, it'll all be clear

Don't pay no mind to the demons

They fill you with fear

The trouble it might drag you down

If you get lost, you can always be found

Suddenly, her earphones were out of her ears and she winced in pain. Jack yelped and jumped out of her arms as Chris glared down at her, his eyes angry, "I've been saying your name since you walked in the door." He paused, "What in the hell was all that with dancing with the dog?" He jacked a finger in Jack's direction who was snarling at him from the bed, "Why in the hell doesn't he like me? He likes everyone, doesn't he?"

"Well, hi to you, too. Happy to see you." She rolled her eyes and plopped onto her bed, "Sorry, I slept in this morning and I am still sort of out of it. Sorry that I worried you. I was really tired and I didn't want to drive home."

"Ian explained it..." He trailed off as he noticed something on her neck and he brushed her hair aside, his eyes widening and his breath deepening in anger, "Ian explained it all. Except for the fact hat there are hickies all over your freaking neck that weren't there from me. What the actual hell, Lucy?" He stormed out of her bedroom and into the living room, cursing and throwing things, "What the hell? Have you been cheating on me with him the entire time that we've been together? Is that why you never seem to act right around me anymore?"

"Chris, there is a lot more to this than you know."

"Oh trust me I don't need to know what you two do." Chris's upper lip curled as he snarled at his girlfriend, his dirty blonde hair quivering with the rest of his body, "How about you just spare yourself the explanation and shove it up your ass because I don't want to hear it."

Tears sprung up in her eyes as she fought to regain control of the situation, "Chris, you don't know anything about what I have been feeling lately. You make me feel like shit all the time and you expect me to just act like the perfect girlfriend and like nothing is wrong. I can't do that anymore. I can't do this! It's not fair to me and it's not fair to anyone else around us. You made me happy the first two weeks and then you turned into this total asshole who can't respect the feelings that a woman has. Trust me, Chris! I heard bad rumors about you but I ignored them. I went along with your lies. Now, I regret every minute of our relationship, which is more one sided than anything else."

Chris's face was tomato red with rage and he was quiet for the longest time, just glaring at her. Finally, he made a move toward her, "Did you have sex with Ian? Tell me the truth. He's obviously the one feeding you these things."

Dread for Ian filled the pit of Lucy's stomach as she searched for a lie to say, "No-I mean we didn't-." She couldn't lie about it. Just the thought of the previous night and earlier that day was sending butterflies through her stomach, "Ian and I slept together. He makes me feel happy, Chris. He always has. He's never hurt me. He's never tried anything to make me feel unwelcome or unloved. He's the one who I have always been able to be honest with. He's my safe place." She watched as a smile crawled across Chris's face and she drew away from him, "What are you doing...?"

"You said you heard about my reputation. You know I have a tendency of being physical with the people who piss me off. I don't hold back. Ian is a skinny ass white boy who probably doesn't even have the balls to get into a fight. So, let's make a deal. You call that lying piece of shit and tell him you can't see him anymore."

Tears began to stream down Lucy's cheeks, "Why are you doing this? What did he ever do to you?"

"Before you went on that trip to Toronto, I told you how I felt about you being so close to him! You denied that he was in love with you and now look where we are! I am not letting him win." His eyes were dark with a rage that Lucy didn't even think was possible for one person to have, "So, you call him up right now and tell him that you can't see him anymore. Or else...I know where he lives. I know where he hangs out. He's gonna need blood when I get done with him."

Chris didn't say anything more as he grabbed his coat and backpack, opening the door and slamming it behind him, leaving Lucy reeling with what had just happened.

I can't say goodbye to Ian. We just got to a place to where I admitted my feelings for him. I have already broken my word too many times. This time I plan on keeping it. I need to keep him safe though and Chris is dangerous when he's this angry. If he crosses paths with Ian and I don't make this call, Ian may die. I have to keep him safe from harm. what am I going to do? How am I supposed to save him and still stave what we have together?

I can't save both. I have to let him go to keep him safe.

Lucy began to type Ian's number and pressed the talk button, taking deep breaths. He answered on the first ring, "After you left, it got really boring with you here. No shaving cream fights, now activities going on in my bedroom..." He chuckled but stopped immediately when he realized that something was wrong, "Lucy? Lucy? why are you so quiet?"

She took a deep breath and heavily breathed out, "Ian, Chris figured it out. He figured it all out and if I don't break up with you, he's going to come over to your apartment and hurt you. I can't let you get hurt because of his anger." There was a long pause on the other end of the call so she continued, "I have to keep you safe from him. And I can't do that with us together."

"Lucy, I'm a big boy. I can take care of myself and take care of you too! Don't give up on us because of this big bad wolf. He may have a tough blow, but we have a brick wall. We can get through this. We're finally figuring all of this out and how are we supposed to do that if we're not together?"

Ian continued with a shaky breath as Lucy choked on her own sobs in her throat. She could hear the determination in his voice,"I'd rather take broken ribs and brain damage than to say goodbye to you. I rather die a thousand deaths. I rather give up my job on the show. I would give anything to make you see that this is real and that no one can hurt what we have. We're strong. We're going to get past this. He'll cool down eventually. We'll figure it out, I promise."

Just know you're not alone

Cause I'm going to make this place your home