What Are Friends For Ch 4-7

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Subject: What Are Friends For Ch 4-7
Posted By: OKDeanna - ezOP
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Posted At: (8/21/03 9:14 pm)
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Chapter Four

Hank closed his eyes and fought the emotions coursing through him as they finally made their way out of Harmony and out onto the highway that would lead them into Boston. He knew leaving was what he had to do, what he needed to do, but it wasn't something that he wanted to do. The time he'd spent back in Harmony was the best he'd had in a long time. Reconnecting with Luis and his brother Sam, plus Beth and then becoming friends with Sheridan, was the highlight of his year yet it was also the reason he had to leave now.

His plan had backfired and Sheridan was going to die because of it. His brother had said he was no longer his brother and while he had taken it back, Hank knew he meant it when he said it and that was still something he was going to have to live with. And Luis... he'd broken his heart twice now and now he was going to do it again. Luis was going to have to deal with losing Sheridan a third time and it would still be all his fault. He knew Luis would need a friend, but he also knew he wasn't going to need a friend that reminded him of the reason he'd lost the love of his life in the first place. He didn't need him.

Sheridan wasn't going to have a life thanks to him and there was no way he could sit in church for her real funeral, knowing that he was responsible for her death, her real death. God, he thought shaking his head, his hand curling into a fist, how was he going to live with himself? He'd killed her. He'd taken her life. He might not have meant to, he might have been trying to save her, but the truth was he had ended up killing her and he couldn't take that back. He had as good as murdered her himself and Roger and Pierre had won, because of him.

He felt tears start to sting the inside of his eyelids and he cursed them away. He would not shed tears. He didn't have the right. He didn't have the right to feel sorry for himself. Hell, he didn't even have the right to live. He should be the one lying in that hospital bed fighting for his life, not Sheridan. It wasn't supposed to be this way, he thought taking a deep inward breath, but because of him and yet another one of his screw ups, this was the way things were. Sheridan was as good as dead and it was all his fault.

Hank opened his eyes and cast a glance at the woman beside him. Her eyes were focused on the road instead of him thank god, but he couldn't help thinking she was still looking at him, even though she didn't appear to be. He frowned at the oddness of that statement then shook his head and turned his attention to the road in front of them. It was a long stretch of black top and he knew it exactly where it would lead... it would lead him out, out of Harmony, out of the lives of the people whose love he didn't deserve. They would be better off with him gone. They would be better off with him out of the country, where his screw ups couldn't hurt them anymore.

"Hey," Beth called out softly from beside him. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." He said forcing himself not to look at her again. He could feel her brown eyes on his face and he did not want to meet them. They saw far too much in him and he couldn't take her seeing him like this. She always wanted to fix things for him, but this time she couldn't. She couldn't fix things, because this time his screw up was beyond her reach. She couldn't fix it anymore than he could and he'd be damned if he'd let her help him with his guilt. She didn't deserve the burden he would place on her. She deserved more than that. She deserved to have him gone, he thought with a rueful smile, gone where he wouldn't place her in the position of trying to help him deal with the aftermath of another Hank Bennett world class screw up.

* * * * *

Beth could feel the tension radiating off Hank and she knew he was in a bad place, mentally. She only hoped she could bring him out of it. She eyed cell phone that rested between the seats and wondered if her mother was still up. Deciding to give it a shot, she picked up the phone and punched in the numbers, purposely ignoring the curious look Hank gave her.

"Hey mom." She replied when her mother finally picked up. "I just wanted to let you know I'm going to be a little later than I said I would be."

"What are you talking about?" Her mother asked clearly confused. "I thought you wouldn't be back until tomorrow morning."

"I know that's what I said, but I'm taking Hank to the airport and as soon as Hank's plane leaves, I'll be home."

"Hank?" Her mother asked finally catching on. "He's leaving again?"

"Yes." Beth replied praying her mother would know what she wanted her to do. "I told him I'd take him to the airport since I couldn't change his mind about leaving."

"Gotcha." Her mother replied with a slight chuckle. "Let me speak with him. I'll make sure he doesn't get on the plane tonight."

"Okay." Beth replied biting the inside of her lip to keep from smiling. She turned toward Hank, holding out the phone then shrugged a shoulder at the look he sent her. "Mom wants to talk to you."

Hank groaned. "Beth -"

"She wants to say goodbye." Beth said twisting the phone around in the air and waiting for him to take it from her. "Hank you know she won't -"

"Yeah I know." He said shaking his head then sighing in defeat. He took the phone from her and placed it up to his ear then gave her a quick look before speaking. "Hey, Mrs. Wallace. How's it going?"

Beth tried to keep herself from smiling as Hank tried to get words in between what she was sure was her mother's best performance. Her mother understood what she mean about not being able to change his mind so she knew what was going on even if she couldn't hear. There was no way Hank would be going directly to the airport and once they got to her mother's house there was no way he'd be leaving at all. Her mother was a force to be reckoned with and Hank wouldn't stand a chance.

"Okay, okay." Hank said half moaning half laughing. "You win, Mrs. Wallace. We'll stop by there before the airport."

Beth lightly hit the top of the steering wheel with the palm of her right hand then said a silent prayer of thanks that her mother was able to talk him into going to see her first. She hated that she had to be a bit underhanded and call her mother, but it was Christmas and there was no way she would let Hank spend Christmas Eve or Christmas day on a plane to god knows where. It just wasn't going to happen. She cared about him too much to let him spend the holidays alone.

Then again she wouldn't have liked him leaving even if it wasn't the holidays. She told herself it was because of the shape he was in mentally, but deep down she knew that was only part of the reason she didn't want him to go. The other part was she wanted to spend more time with him and try to figure out why things suddenly seemed different between them. Sure they had shared a few kisses tonight, but even before his lips had touched hers she'd felt different around him.

She wasn't sure why, but the moment she had walked into Jack's and saw him sitting on that bar stool nursing his drink, her heart had turned over in her chest. He looked so sad and so alone that all she wanted to do was hug him and let him know that he wasn't alone. She had chalked it up to him being a friend in need, but now she wasn't so sure that was all it amounted to anymore.

The kiss they had shared outside the bar had told her it was more than just caring about a friend in need. That kiss had affected her, far more than a kiss between friends should have. That kiss combined with what happened in his room and later at Sam and Grace's led her to believe that Hank was right when he said they had always had this underlying attraction between them.

Back in high school she had often wondered why he had never asked her out. He had asked out every other girl Luis dated, but not her. He had never crossed that line with her and she had always thought it was because Luis had really cared about her, but in the back of her mind she had always wondered about it. Luis had cared about her, even loved her at one time, but the love he felt for her hadn't been very deep. It wasn't the deep love that he felt for Sheridan. It had taken her a long time to realize that fact, but she knew it now and she was happy for him. She just prayed Sheridan woke up soon, because it would kill Luis, and Hank, if she didn't.

She had thought Hank was in love with Sheridan too, but something told her that wasn't the case. He may care about her, but it wasn't love. She knew that deep down. His heart was already taken. She had no idea who owned it, but she knew whomever it was, they had broken it a long time ago and that was the reason he'd first left town. He had told her she was wrong that he was leaving because he wanted to see the world, but she had seen the pain in his eyes and she knew he didn't really want to leave. He just felt like he didn't have a choice, much like he thought now.

She glanced at him and found him looking at her. It was too dark to make out the look in his eyes, but knowing him as well as she did, she knew his eyes would reflect curiosity and questions she didn't want to answer right now. She turned her attention back the road then spoke into the silence that suddenly entered the car. "You hung up?"

"Yeah, she said she'd see me when we got there and then she hung up." He stopped and when she glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes, she found him shaking his head. "Where were you a minute ago? I was talking to you and you didn't hear a word I said."

"I'm sorry." She said her face turning crimson. "I was... I was lost in thought."

"Obviously," He said with a slight chuckle. "What were you lost in thought about? Must have been something pretty deep to catch your attention like that."

She swallowed hard then figured it was in the past. Maybe he'd actually tell her what she wanted to know now that he couldn't tell her back then. "When you left town after high school, you said it was because you wanted to see the world. Yet the very idea of leaving seemed to hurt you. So what I was wondering is if there really was a woman behind your sudden departure back then?"

"Whoa." He said his voice holding his surprise. "What made you think of that?"

"I don't know." She said with a shrug. "It just came to me and I... I never believed you left because of that streak of wanderlust you claim to have. I know there was more to it and I'm just curious as to who she was. We never kept secrets from each other and that was one thing about you I never knew and still don't. So who was she? Who was the girl that made you leave back then?"

"That's ancient history, Beth. I mean it's been ten years since we graduated and I took off. Why in the world would you want to revisit that time?"

"Because that was the one thing I never knew about you." She replied into the darkness. "I never knew who broke your heart and made you leave. I wanted to confront them about it. Tell them what a jerk they were for letting you go, but you never told me so all I could do was wonder who she was. I always thought it was Lisa Morgan, but then I realized it couldn't have been because you were never serious with her. "

"How do you know that?" He asked an odd tone in his voice. "How do you know I wasn't serious about Lisa?"

"Because Luis dated her and any girl you and Luis both dated was one that neither one of you were serious about. That was the reason you never asked me out. Because at that time Luis was serious about me and that was a line you wouldn't cross." She frowned when she realized what she said then glanced over at him. "Come to think of it, I was the only girl that Luis dated that you didn't date. So the girl you fell for had to be someone that Luis didn't date, which means it was someone I don't know about."

"Beth," Hank whispered his voice low almost as if he were struggling to speak. "This was a long time ago. I don't see what it matters anymore."

"So there really was a girl?" She asked shaking her head. "I always knew there was, but you said... Why didn't you tell me? I thought we told each other everything?"

"Sometimes there are things that friends, even best friends, don't tell each other."

"That doesn't make any sense, Hank. You told me about all the girls you dated. So I don't understand why you wouldn't tell me about the one you were most serious about?"

"Can we just drop this?" Hank asked in a tone that left no doubt it was a subject he wanted to end, which made her even more determined to find out who this mystery girl was. If, even now, ten years later, he still couldn't talk about her, then she had to be someone he cared very, very deeply for.

But she didn't understand why he didn't ever share that with her? If he'd fallen in love so hard for this girl, why had he not told her? Why had he kept it a secret? From her of all people? He'd never kept secrets from her. Yet he had this one. He had kept it to himself for over ten years now and if it still hurt him to talk about her then... then he had to still be in love with this mystery girl.

"Okay," She whispered shaking her head as she turned on the blinker to signal she was about to take the exit that led them into Boston. "Since we'll be at mom's in less than five minutes we can drop it for now. But I do want to talk about it later."

He just nodded then turned his head to look out the passenger's side window, obviously thinking about the fact that later, he would be on a plane to who knew where. Or so he thought. If she and her mother had anything to do with it, and they did, he wouldn't be going anywhere until after the holidays and even then it would only be back to Harmony where he belonged.

CHAPTER FIVE

Hank stared at the two-story house in front of him, wondering how he had let Beth's mother talk him into coming to see her when he knew damn good and well she wasn't going to let him leave until she was ready. He knew that was the reason Beth called her in the first place. She thought she was being sly about the whole thing, but Hank knew her and her mother well enough to know what was being said without the words actually coming out. She had asked her mother to help her talk him out of leaving and his agreeing to come by here was as good as telling them both that he didn't really want to leave

Which he didn't, but that was completely beside the point, because he had to go. He had to go as far as he could and maybe he'd get lucky enough that he would out run the guilt that was still threatening to suffocate him. Logically, he knew that wasn't possible, that the guilt would remain with him wherever he went, but he didn't want to be logical. He wanted to forget. He wanted to forget the pain he had caused everyone. He wanted to forget that a woman he cared about was fighting for her life and that his best friend was sitting by her hospital bed, praying for a miracle that everyone else already knew wasn't going to happen.

God, he thought rubbing a hand over the stubble on his jaw, he had to get out of here. He had to get away. He turned to go back to the car, only to find himself face to face with Beth. Her eyes were dark with worry and he closed his eyes unable to keep looking into hers. He didn't deserve to have her worry about him. He didn't deserve to have anyone worry about him, especially not someone like Beth.

He opened his eyes intent on telling her that he couldn't go inside, but lost his train of thought as his brown eyes met hers and her slender hand touched his face, her thumb lightly caressing his cheekbone. "Beth..."

"You can't leave." She said shaking her head as she moved forward, placing her left hand against his chest while her right stayed against his cheek.

"Am I that transparent?" He asked, a weak smile playing on his lips. "Or do you just know me too well?"

"Both." She replied staring into his eyes, giving him the feeling that she wasn't only staring into his eyes, but into his soul as well. "You're beating yourself up again."

He swallowed hard at her direct words then averted his eyes to look over her left shoulder at the snowman that sat in the middle of the yard across the street. "Beth, I don't belong here. I don't belong in a neighborhood like this and I certainly don't belong anywhere near a girl like you. I never did."

"What do you mean 'a girl like me'?" She asked her voice barely above a whisper. "Hank?

"Just that you always see the good in people. Even when they don't deserve it." He pulled back away from her and her hands fell to her sides then wrapped around her midriff while her eyes remained glued to his face. He shook his head. "Will you take me to the airport?"

"Hank, please don't�" She broke off as her eyes filled with tears making him feel even worse than he did before if that was possible. "I don't want you to leave. Just wait a few days. Please?"

"I can't." He said raising his hands to her face and gently wiped away her tears with the pad of his thumbs. "I'm sorry. I� I have to go, Beth, please understand that."

"I don't." She whispered more tears pooling from her eyes and traveling over his thumbs, causing him to suck in a deep breath as a slice of pain slid through his heart. This was why he'd left without telling her. He'd always known it would be this difficult to make her realize leaving was the only thing he could do. "I can't understand. How can you really expect me to? Would you understand if you were in my shoes? Would you just let me leave knowing that my heart was breaking because I truly didn't want to go?"

He closed his eyes afraid she would see his answer, but when he opened them again he knew he needn't have bothered. She already knew the answer, which was the entire reason she'd said it in the first place. "You don't play fair, sweetheart."

"No." She replied, her eyes still trained on his. "I don't. And if you were in my place, you wouldn't either."

"You're right." He whispered with a slight chuckle. "I wouldn�t. But you're not me, Beth. You're supposed to let me go."

"I can't." She said sucking in a deep breath as he moved a hand to wipe the hair back away from her face. "I want you to stay too badly."

"Beth -"

"No," She said raising her left hand and placing her index finger across his lips. "Just� just don't� just don't go."

Her heart was in her eyes, pleading with him to tell her what she wanted to hear. But he couldn�t tell her that so instead of answering her with words, he removed her finger from his lips then let her see his answer in his eyes, immediately causing her to burst into tears and wrap her arms around his waist.

He raised a hand to the back of her head then lightly ran it across her silken black strands, trying to calm her while knowing he couldn't. There was nothing he could do. She wanted him to stay and he couldn't. He could feel her heart breaking against his chest and it caused his own to break even more.

He placed his hands against her shoulders then gently pushed her back until he could look into her eyes. The heartbreak he saw in them was his undoing. His hands moved from her delicate shoulders to her cheeks then he gently pulled her face forward until his lips hovered above her own. "You're breaking my heart."

"Then don't go." She whispered as her soft lips closed the gap between them, engaging them both in a kiss that seared a path to his broken heart and slowly lit a fuse, a fuse that felt suspiciously like hope.

* * * * *

Beth sighed as Hank's lips migrated across hers, eliciting a response from some place deep within her that she hadn't even been aware existed - until now. It was almost as if he were awakening it for the first time, which now that she thought about he was. The emotions coursing through her body right now were unlike any she had ever experienced before and nothing could have prepared her for the intense need that came along with them, the need to feel more.

She brought her body closer to his then wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him even closer as her lips parted and her tongue shot out to touch his lips, pleading with them to open and allow her entry into the warm haven she knew she would find inside. When he did, she couldn't stop the moan that tore from deep within her throat as her tongue glided across his warm, moist lips and mated with his, making her dizzy as a batch of red-hot desire shot through her body. She felt his hands slide down her arms then gasped against his lips as he cupped her buttocks with his palms and pressed her forward, bringing her lower abdomen into direct contact with his unmistakable arousal.

Intense need ripped through her bloodstream, causing her knees to buckle out from under her and Hank to tighten his arms around her, holding her body firmly against his. His tongue invaded her mouth, devouring it with slow, deep strokes that heated her body to an unprecedented temperature. She flicked her tongue against his and flames broke out all around her when she followed his back into his mouth, only to have him catch hers between his lips and gently suckle, making her tremble with need.

"Hank�" She rasped out as finally released her tongue only to pull her bottom lip between his a moment later. "Oh god�"

His lips covered hers again, smothering the words into his mouth, exciting her passion even more than before. She was drowning with need yet at the same exact time she felt as if she were flying, flying high above the clouds, feeling freer than she even knew was possible.

Hank finally pulled his head away from hers, but only far enough so that his lips could claim a sensitive spot along her neck. She moaned into the crisp cool air as he placed an open mouth kiss against the pulse point in her neck then slowly moved his way up to her ear and traced the outer rim with his tongue. "Beth�"

"Hmm?" She asked as she raised her hand to run it through his light brown strands. "God Hank that feels so -"

"Are you two going to stay out here and give the neighbors a free show or are you going to come in here and keep me company?"

Beth's eyes flew open as her mother's humorous voice interrupted her midsentence, embarrassment automatically flooding her cheeks when her eyes connected with her mother's all too knowing brown eyes. "Mom."

She felt Hank tense, but didn't have time to focus on it because her mother suddenly walked down the steps and pulled him into a big hug. "About time you came to see me, Henry Jacob!"

"Yes, Ma'am." He replied still a little out of breath from their kisses. "I'm sorry I haven't -"

"You don't have to apologize to me." Her mother said cutting him off. "I know you've been busy. Now I want you both to come inside the house. It's too cold to be standing out here. I don't care how steamy your kisses are, you'll still freeze your tails off."

Beth gasped at her mother's directness then smiled despite her embarrassment when Hank tossed a wide-eyed look at her over his right shoulder. It was too late for him to run now, she thought following them inside the house her smile growing wider with each step they took. There was no way her mother would let him leave now.

She chuckled as she crossed into the foyer then turned around to shut the door. She had never told Hank how much her mother liked him, but judging by the pleased look on her mother's face when she'd caught them kissing in the driveway, she probably wouldn't have to now. Her mother would tell him flat out what she thought about it and she knew it would come as a big surprise to Hank, but not to her. After all, she'd grown up listening to the "you and Hank are perfect for each other" speech. She'd always told her mother they were just friends, but there was no way she could claim that after tonight. They had seriously crossed the just friends line and for some reason Beth couldn't say she was sorry. Now all she had to do is figure out the reason why.

CHAPTER SIX

Hank allowed Beth's mother to lead him into the living room where she promptly pushed him into a plush maroon colored chair, giving him a 'don't move until I say so look" while she walked over to Beth and whispered something to her. He watched in curiosity as Beth's eyes widened then broke out into a wide smile when she cast a glance at him, giving him the opportunity to see the rather enticing blush that swept across her cheekbones. She was beautiful when she blushed, he thought his eyes scanning her face. Then again she was beautiful when she didn't blush too.

He sighed as she turned her attention back to her mother then leaned his head back against the back cushion of the chair and closed his eyes. That kiss they had shared outside had gotten to him but good. Out of all the kisses they had shared today, that was the one that had affected him the most. He wanted to say it was because of the fact that their emotions had been so high, but he knew that wasn't it. That kiss affected him so much because it was the first time BETH had initiated a kiss between them.

Granted, if she hadn't done it he would have, but she had beaten him to it and he couldn't stop that fact from playing through his mind. He couldn't count the number of times over the years that he had dreamed of Beth kissing him and tonight his dream had come true. Now he could say with conviction that the reality of Beth's kiss far surpassed his dreams of it.

"Hank?" Beth asked as her hand touched his cheek, shaking him out of his thoughts. He opened his eyes and found himself locked into an intense brown-on-brown gaze. "So do you?"

"Do I what?" He asked arching a brow and praying she'd asked if he wanted another kiss while knowing she hadn't.

"I asked if you wanted a cup of cocoa."

"Oh yeah." He said sitting up a bit straighter and running a hand through his hair. "A cup of cocoa sounds great."

She nodded then turned to go, but he stopped her by circling her wrist with his fingers, causing her to glance at him in surprise. "Wait a sec. We should probably talk about what happened outside a few minutes ago?" He kept his voice purposely low knowing her mother wasn't that far away from them. When she didn't answer him, he pulled her in a little closer. "Beth?"

She shook her head then reached down and gently pried his fingers away from his wrist, lowering his hand back to the arm of the chair as she did so and leaning in a little closer. "Later. We can talk about it later."

"You sure we'll talk about it?" He asked raising a brow as he stared into her eyes. "I mean we didn't talk about what happened earlier tonight either."

"We'll talk about it." She said her promise clear in her deep brown eyes. "Just not right now."

He nodded then watched as she turned and walked into the kitchen, her raven black hair swishing against her back as she moved. She was right, he thought as he settled back further in the chair and once again leaned his head back against the plush material, now wasn't the time to talk about what happened between them. Not when her mother was in the next room and there was a chance that she could overhear and totally misunderstand what happened. Not that he even knew what happened. One minute they had been talking about him leaving and the next minute they had been locked it a kiss that melted the snow underneath their feet.

He groaned as his body remembered how right Beth's had felt against him then jumped in surprise when her mother laid a hand on his shoulder. "Henry, what is going on between you and my daughter?"

Henry, he thought with a smile as he straightened himself back up in the chair. She was the only person besides his mother that had ever called him Henry. "Mrs. Wallace -"

"Don't you even try to get out of telling me, Henry Jacob Bennett!" She replied taking a seat on the sofa less than a foot away from him. "I saw you in that lip lock with Beth. Do you still love her?"

He raised his brows in surprise and opened his mouth to reply, but no sound came out. All he could do was stare at her, his brain working over time to come up with a response that his voice box just wouldn't deliver.

"What?" She asked tilting her head from side to side, her short gray curls moving slightly, her dark eyes as knowing as they had ever been. "You think I'm blind? I knew how you felt about Beth. Why you never told her was beyond me. You were in love with her way before Luis ever gave her a second glance."

"I couldn't tell her." He whispered rubbing a hand over his unshaven face. "It would have turned her world and our friendship upside down. We were sixteen, best friends. There was no way I could tell her I didn't just want to be her friend. Besides it wouldn't have mattered anyway. She was already in love with Luis."

"Was she?" Her mother asked in an odd tone, her studious gaze still level with his. "Or was Luis the one she settled for?"

"What are you saying?" He asked frowning when she suddenly got up from her position on the couch. "Mrs. Wall-"

"Goodnight, Henry. Please tell Beth I've gone to bed. It's past my bed time and I know you two want to talk."

"But -"

"Goodnight." She replied as she climbed the stairs with a wave and a slight chuckle. "Oh and Henry, don't even think about leaving tonight. It's completely out of the question."

Hank furrowed his brow as she disappeared from sight then shook his head and let his gaze travel to the closed kitchen door, his mind on the woman just on the other side. Now he remembered exactly where Beth had gotten that stubborn streak of hers as well as her directness in talking about things. Of course, there was one thing she wasn't direct in talking about, but unfortunately it was something they had to discuss. He placed his hands on knees then slowly got to his feet and began to make his way into the kitchen. The moment the door swung open though any thoughts he had of talking flew right out of his head.

Beth stood at the stove with her back to him, twisting a strand of her thick black hair around a finger while her free hand rubbed the bare spot on her neck where just less than and hour ago his lips had been. He swallowed hard then closed his eyes and tried to fight the emotions rising within him. How long would it take Beth to see what her mother had seen years ago? How long would it take her to realize she was the girl he'd left town all those years ago to forget?

He let out a sudden rush of air, the noise causing Beth to swing her beautiful brown eyes toward him. "Hey, I� I thought you might need some help."

She smiled and his heart turned over in his chest. "Thanks."

He nodded then finally forced himself to move away from the door, letting it swiftly shut behind him as he made his way toward her. "Your mom wanted me to tell you that she's gone to bed."

Beth's eyes widened a bit then she shook her head and gave him a rueful smile. "Mother isn't very subtle. Why did she say she was going to bed?"

"She knew we wanted to talk." He said raising a shoulder slightly then allowing it to drop a second later. "I think she also wanted to keep me from telling her goodbye. She informed me that I'm not to even think about leaving tonight."

Beth's smile brightened at that. "Good. Now you have to stay. Mom's orders."

"Beth -"

"No." She replied raising a finger and placing it over his lips. "You are not leaving."

He smiled then raised his hand and removed her fingers from his lips, keeping her hand in his and linking their fingers together. "That wasn't what I was going to say."

"Oh." She said with a small laugh. "What were you going to say then?"

Damned if he knew. The only thing he could think about right now was kissing her again and he wasn't sure how she would take that since they had yet to talk about all their other kisses. "I was going to say�"

"Yes?" She asked her eyes searching his when his voice suddenly trailed off. "Hank?"

He stared into her eyes and said the first thing that popped into his head. "I want to kiss you."

Her eyes widened a bit at his suggestion even as her tongue slid out to moisten her lips. He took a deep breathe then stepped toward her and raised one hand to her cheek, closing his eyes as her soft porcelain skin sent his senses on red alert. "Beth� tell me� tell me I'm not the only one feeling this way."

"You're not." She whispered softly, causing his eyes to pop open and lock onto hers. He took a deep breath when he saw the deep soul-searching look in them. "You're not the only one that feels it, Hank. I feel it too."

* * * * *

Beth swallowed hard as Hank continued to stare into her eyes. She could see the uncertainty clouding his brown irises, but also the joy that he wasn�t alone in what he was feeling. And she knew without a doubt that he wasn�t alone. Ever since she had come into the kitchen, all she had thought about was Hank and what had happened between them since she found him at Jake's.

The kisses that had shared tonight had told her what she had been too blind to see. Hank had been right when he said there had always been an underlying attraction between them. He'd said it to freak her out, but what he didn't know was that she had been aware of that attraction for a long time. She'd chosen to ignore it because of their deep friendship, but tonight� tonight made it impossible for her to continue to ignore it.

"Beth," Hank asked softly, his thumb rubbing across her cheekbone in a light caress. "Do you� do you know what you're saying?"

"Yes." She breathed out as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel of Hank's hand caressing her check. "I know what I'm saying. I'm saying�" She stopped and took a deep breath. "I'm saying I want you to kiss me."

Hank's hand froze on her cheek and she watched as his eyes darkened to deep almost black pools of emotion. "Beth -"

"Hank," She interrupted with a slight chuckle. "Just shut up and kiss me already."

He smirked at that then ran his hand up to the back of her neck and pulled her closer, until her lips were less than an inch away from his own. "Anyone ever tell you that you're bossy?"

"Once or twice." She replied on a moan as Hank's lips finally covered her own in a slow, sweet, mind-numbing kiss. She wrapped her arms around his waist then trailed her hands up his back and pulled his body closer to her. The fingers of one of his hands knotted into her thick black strands while the fingers of his other hand traveled up her neck to stroke the area underneath her chin, gently tilting her head upward until his mouth fit against hers more firmly.

A shudder passed through her as Hank took her bottom lip between his teeth then slowly pulled until she was nearly trembling in his arms. She thought she knew everything there was to know about him, but of course tonight she was finding out all sorts of secrets that he had kept hidden from her� the fact that he was an expert kisser being one of them.

Beth was so lost in the kiss that it took her until the third ring to realize she needed to answer the phone. She pulled away reluctantly and sent him an apologetic look as she walked over and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey Beth, it's Sam."

"Sam?" She asked throwing a quick look to Hank only to see him shake his head in response. She sighed then turned around. "Is something wrong?"

"Is Hank with you?"

"Um�" She glanced back at Hank again then bit her lip and shook her head. "Yeah."

"Good." Sam replied his tone clearly showing his relief "Will he talk to me?"

"No." Beth said knowing it would hurt Sam, but also knowing there was no way around it.

"Okay." He whispered. "Is he� is he going to leave again?"

"I� I don't know." Beth whispered into the phone, praying her fear about that very thing wasn't as obvious as she thought it was.

"Is it because of Sheridan?" Sam asked his voice sounding a bit more upbeat than it had a few second ago.

She sighed then cast a quick glance at Hank out of the corner of her eye, surprise lighting her face when she found him pouring the water into the two cups of cocoa they had forgotten. "Yeah, that's a big part of it."

"Then he'll be glad to hear that she's awake, huh?"

Beth froze sure that she had misunderstood what he was saying. "Say that again."

"Luis called me a few minutes ago." Sam stated his voice holding a relieved tone. "Sheridan is awake. The doctors checked her out and� and she's going to be just fine. Expected to make a full recovery"

"Are you sure?" Beth asked her voice sounding excited even to her own ears.

"Yes, I'm sure." Sam replied. " Sheridan made Luis promise to call and tell Hank only he didn�t answer his cell phone or at the B & B. So Luis called me and asked me to tell him. I'm glad he's with you. You're good for him."

"Thank you for calling, Sam." She said smiling into the phone.

"Merry Christmas Beth and tell Hank� tell Hank that I hope� I hope to see him soon."

The dial tone sounded in her ear before she had a chance to respond. She turned to find Hank holding out two mugs of steaming cocoa. "What did Sam want?"

"To make sure you were okay and to tell you the good news." She replied walking over and taking the two mugs of hot cocoa out of his hands and setting them down on the counter beside them before looking back up and meeting his eyes. "Sheridan is awake."

"But the doctors said -"

"The doctors were wrong!" Beth replied smiling into his eyes. "Sheridan is okay. The doctors checked her out and she's going to be just fine."

Just like that the storm clouds in his eyes lifted and for the first time all night, his eyes sparkled with life. "She's really okay?"

"Yes!" Beth stated throwing her arms around his neck. "She is really okay!"

"Thank god!" Hank replied wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her up off the ground.

Beth laughed as Hank twirled her around the kitchen then smiled when he slowly set her down, her body brushing his on the way. When she looked into his eyes she had to suck in a deep breath at the intensity in his gaze. "Hank?"

"Thank you for not taking me to the airport. If I had been on a plane I wouldn�t�"

"I know." She whispered raising her hands and cupping his face. "What are friends for."

"Friends?" Hank asked pulling back slightly and staring at her in surprise. "Did you just say friends?"

"Yes." She replied raising a brow at him. "Are we not friends anymore?"

Hank blinked then stepped back away from her causing her hands to fall to her sides. "Of course we're still friends, but I thought� Is that how you see us, Beth? As just friends?"

Beth swallowed hard then closed her eyes and searched her heart for the answer. The second she got it, she opened her eyes again and locked them onto his. "Before I answer that, I have to know something."

"What?" He asked arching a brow, his stance still stiff as a board. "What is it you want to know?"

"I want to know the name of the girl, the one that broke your heart and drove you out of Harmony all those years ago. Who was the girl you were in love with?"

She watched him suck in a deep breath and then had to suck in one of her own as he stated the name she had known in her heart all along. "Katherine Elizabeth Wallace."

CHAPTER SEVEN

Hank watched the emotions play across Beth's face and wondered what she would say when she finally spoke. He knew she had already known who he was in love with when she asked the question, but hearing him actually say it� he knew it affected her far more than just knowing it had. He knew her better than she knew herself yet there were parts of her that were still a complete mystery to him, which intrigued him as much as it baffled him.

He'd spent years trying to get to know every emotion that played across her face, but the ones he had seen earlier tonight and the one he was seeing now was not an emotion he had ever seen her have before. He couldn't read it and for the first time in a very long time he was afraid of what Beth would say, because for the first time in their over twenty year friendship he had not a clue what she would say or do now.

"Beth -"

"Say it."

He didn't even have to ask. He knew what she wanted him to say. Just as he knew it was way past time that he said it. He walked closer to her and raised a hand to cup his palm against her cheek. Her brown eyes searched his and he knew exactly what she was searching for. She wanted to see how he felt as well as hear it.

He took a deep breath then closed his eyes and when he opened them again, after years of keeping it hidden away, he finally allowed her to see exactly what was in his heart. "I remember the first time I saw you, not the first time we met, but the first time I saw you� really saw you. We were at our junior high prom and you walked in wearing that killer red dress with those spaghetti straps and those strapy high heels that showed off your feet and drew even more attention to your legs. It wasn't how you looked in that dress so much as the way you looked at me when you entered the room."

He stopped as the memory came to him and relished that look he could still see playing in her dark brown eyes. "Your eyes were lit up like diamonds and I had never seen you look more beautiful. My heart hit the floor with a thud, sweetheart, mine along with half the other guys in the room."

"You might not have known it then, but half the guys in our class fell in love with you that night, including me." He raised his other hand to cup her other cheek then stared deep into her eyes before telling her what he had waited over sixteen years to say. "But there is one major difference between all of them and me - they fell in love with you for one night, I fell in love with you forever."

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" She asked as her brown eyes filled with tears. "Didn't you think I'd want to know?"

Hank used the pad of his thumb to wipe away the tears traveling down her cheeks then took a deep breath when she raised a hand to cover his. "I wanted to tell you, too many times to count. But I� I was afraid of losing you."

"Losing me?" She asked her eyes growing wide. "Did you really not know?"

"Know what?" He asked his heart suddenly stopping its erratic beat.

"That I� that I was crazy about you too." She whispered as her hand moved from his hand to his cheek. "I was head over heels in love with you from the moment I saw you, Henry Jacob Bennett."

He searched her eyes and what he found literally had the words flying out of his mouth. "You mean it? You were in love with me too?"

"Yes." She laughed as more tears spilled down her cheeks. "It was always you, Hank. I convinced myself that we were just friends because I didn't think you felt the same way. If I had known -"

"What about Luis?" He asked his mind spinning with countless questions and numerous memories. "You loved him."

"Yes I did." She answered nodding her head, a small smile curving her lips. "I loved him very much. But I was in love with you. I didn't realize it at the time. It took your leaving to make me realize it. And once I did� Did Luis ever tell you why we broke up?"

"Not really." Hank said creasing his brow in confusion. "I know his commitment to his family had a lot to do with it."

She nodded then closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them again, he saw an emotion he couldn't quite define. "I pushed him away. I didn't even realize I was doing it until it was too late to stop it. I picked fights with him all the time, about the stupidest things just to keep him at arms length. I kept him at a distance for so long that by the time he actually called things off, there was really nothing there to call off at all."

She reached up to wipe away her tears then gave him a rueful smile. "He's too good of a man to tell everyone whose fault it really was so he left everyone think it was his fault that he was the person that called things off�because of his responsibility to his family. After a while, I let myself believe it too. Until you came back and I was faced with the realization that it hadn't been him at all."

"But when I first arrived you wanted him back."

"No." She said shaking her head. "I made myself, and you, believe I wanted him back but the truth of the matter is I never did. I wanted the past but I didn't want my past with him. I wanted my past with you."

* * * * *

Beth searched Hank's eyes for some kind of sign as to what he was thinking but they were just as mysterious as they'd always been. She sucked in a deep breath as he raised a hand to move a lock a hair back off her face, before gently touching his palm to her cheek, his fingers spraying wide as they parted on either side of her ear. "Are you telling me that� that I'm part of the reason you and Luis broke up?"

"Yes." She whispered as the tears she wiped away a few second ago came back in full force. "I pushed Luis away because� because he wasn't you. I didn't know you were the reason back then, but I do now. I know a lot of things now that I couldn't see then."

"Me too." He whispered softly as he moved his hand from her cheek to the back of her hair and gently combed it with his fingers. "I love you, Katherine Elisabeth Wallace. I've loved you since I was twelve years old."

Her heart smiled as his words floated into it and she couldn't stop her lips from widening as her happiness bubbled up from inside her. "I love you too, Henry Jacob Bennett."

His lips descended on hers then and she didn't think she had ever felt anything more perfect or more right in her entire life. She was so lost in the kiss that she didn't even hear the creak of the door as it cracked open or see the smile on her mother's face as she took in the scene before her. In fact, she didn't even know they were no longer alone until she heard her mother voice as she whispered from the doorway. "Finally, they figure it out."

Beth smiled against Hank's lips as she heard her mother quietly close the door behind her as she exited the kitchen. It only took them ten years, but she always knew deep within her heart that one day they would get it right and for that day to be on Christmas� It was the best gift she could have ever received. "Hank." She whispered as she pulled back to look into his intense brown eyes. "Did I ever tell you about the guesthouse mother and I had built with the money left from when my father died?"

"No." He replied his brown eyes searching hers. "You never told me that."

"Oh well, you see we built it, but when I came to take care of mom, I converted it into a little apartment house. It's where I live. It's where I sleep."

"Sleep?" Hank asked a smile forming on his face as he finally figured out where she was going with her story. "I definitely think I should see this guesthouse converted into an apartment."

"I think you should too." She whispered as she grabbed him by the hand and led him toward the back door. "In fact, there is one particular room that I'd really love to see what you think of it."

"Oh really?" He asked as he pulled on her hand until she turned around to face him. His arms automatically slid around her waist and she moaned as he placed a hot, open-mouth kiss against the hollow space where her neck met her shoulder. "And what room might that be, Ms. Wallace?"

"I don't remember the name right now." She replied as a deep moan escaped her throat. "But I'm pretty sure I could show you were it is."

"Now that sounds like a great idea." She let out a surprised squeal as he picked her up off her feet and carried her toward the small guesthouse. "In fact, I think that's the best offer I've had all night."

"Well what are friends for?" She asked breaking out into a wide smile as he opened the door to the place she called home and carried her inside, kicking the door closed a minute later. "Hank?"

"Yeah, sweetheart?" He asked as he sat her down and began to use his hands to explore her body.

"Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Beth." He whispered softly as he leaned in to capture her lips with his. She moaned as the heat in his kiss started another fire inside her, this time its flames burning out of control. Out of the twenty-eight Christmas' she had experienced, she knew without a doubt that this one would forever remain her favorite. How could it not? She had just gotten everything she had ever wanted and then some. Hank Bennett loved her, but more importantly he was going to make love with her. Nothing could ever top a Christmas present as great as that. Nothing at all.

"Beth?" He asked pulling back from her lips and interrupting her thoughts. "I know this is a little sudden, but I have spent the last ten years wishing for a moment as perfect as this one and� and now that it's here I don't want to waste a moment of it. Will you� will you marry me?"

She swallowed hard as her last thought replayed itself in her mind. She had been wrong. There was something that could top it. And she should have known that Hank would be the one to do it. After all, he always outdid himself. It was one of the things she loved best about him. "I don't want to waste a moment of it either."

She raised her hands from their place on his waist then cupped his face with her palms as her own face broke out into a smile as wide as the tree behind him. "Yes, Henry Jacob Bennett, I will marry you!"

"Damn." He replied as he picked her up off her feet and swung her around. "You just�" He lowered her back down, groaning as her body slid against his, and when she was finally on her feet again he pulled her tight against his chest and looked deep within her eyes. "You just made me the happiest man in the world."

"Then I guess we really do belong together." She said with a lighthearted laugh. "Because you just made me the happiest woman in the world."

He smiled at that then tightened his arms around her and leaned in until his lips were barely above her own. "I love you, Beth."

"I love you too, Hank. With all of my heart." His lips swallowed her last five words but she knew he heard them. She could feel it in his kiss. She could feel everything in his kiss. Her heart smiled as he picked her up off her feet and carried her into the bedroom. Tonight was the first night of the rest of their lives and as Hank had said they weren't going to waste a minute of it.
It was definitely the best Christmas she had ever had, but as Hank lowered her onto the bed and stared down into her eyes, his soulful brown eyes intense with love, she knew without a doubt that next year would be even better. How could it not? By this time next year, she would be Mrs. Henry Jacob Bennett. She would have the name she had spent the better part of ten years dreaming about.

Whoever said dreams didn't come true had never met Hank Bennett, she thought raising her hips up as he began to unzip her jeans and pull them off her body, because if they had they would know that dream did come true. At least, dreams where he was concerned anyway. After all if Hank was involved anything was possible. Anything at all.

THE END

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What Are Friends For Ch 1 - 3	OKDeanna	8/21/03 9:11 pm
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