Curled up in what she had come to think of as 'her' bed in the luxurious infirmary, Dove waited, quiet and still, for the lights to be turned out. Big blue eyes sought out Jessie, lying just as still as her in the next bed. It had to be tonight; they had to get out of here.

They'd been planning this for weeks, taking some awful risks to get what they needed to implement their plan. But finally everything was ready - the bottled whiskey she had lifted from the kitchens was stashed under her pillow, already dosed with the opium Jessie had stolen from the infirmary a few weeks before. They were both ready to be discharged as fit to be auctioned again the next morning, and who knew when they would both be in such a position again? So she waited, quiet and still, for the activity to quiet down, and the night staff to take their places guarding them.

Jessie's amber eyes opened slowly as the sounds of the footseps from the shift nurse faded towards the office, Moving his arm ever so slightly, he put his finger to his lips. A reassurance of silence, a gesture of devotion and affection as he kissed his finger tip and then pointed at her. In the few short weeks that they've known each other, they had developed a bond that was born in blood from their backs. His eyes, once completely haunted by the terror of the place they called "the house," finally showed life and a spark in them when they beheld her.

Jessie had been strong, always. He could take the beatings, the raping. But Dove, she was so tiny and fragile in his eyes. Her large, frightened eyes made him want to protect her from the world. They had become family. A sister he never had. As the moment approached, he quietly slipped from his cot and kneeled next to hers. A soft hand was placed over Dove's and he squeezed it with reassurance.

"Are you ready?"

She swallowed her terror, nodding quickly as her hand turned beneath his to squeeze back. She trusted Jessie not to ask her to do anything she couldn't, and yet the thought of what she would have to do now was close to consuming her with dread and fear. As quietly as he had done, she slipped from her own cot, reaching into the pillow case to withdraw their dosed bottle.

"What if it doesn't work?" she whispered tremulously to him as they crouched between the beds, out of sight should the nurse look over their way. It was unlikely he would; he was probably already sharing his lecherous stories with the guards about which of the young slaves they would use if they got the chance. "What if they don't go for it?"

As she crawled out of the bed, he clutched her hands, with the bottle between them. Trying to reassure her the best he could, he leaned forward and placed his forehead against hers.

"God cannot foresake us forever, Dovey. With his help, we'll do this." He smiled then, a smile only the two of them shared. "I know we can do this. Together, we can do anything." His eyes searched hers, his almost filled with tears at how heartbreakingly haunted her eyes seemed to be. "One last pretend and then we'll be free."

Her expression crumpled as he searched her eyes, and she seemed to draw a little strength from somewhere, her hands tightening on his as her jaw set in a firm line.

"One last pretend," she agreed softly, her lips curving in the tiny smile that only he had seen in all the time they had been here. "I'll get you out of here, Jessie, I promise."

She drew in a deep breath, turning her eyes away from him and towards the office as she rose on silent bare feet to walk that way, the bottle clutched in her hand. As she walked, she forced herself to remember what it was she had learned that men liked, and her hips began to sway, her demeanour taking on a confidence that she severely lacked. She leaned around the door, smiling at the startled looks on the guards' and the nurse's faces, and lifted the bottle.

"Would either of you fine gents care for a nightcap?"

Nodding slowly, Jessie gingerly released his grip on her hands and leaned back to sit on his heels. Tears welled in his eyes at her brave little smile. And her words tore his heart to shreds. She was doing this for him, for them. Watching her square her shoulders and put on the mask that they both hated to wear, he turned to watch her walk away. A single tear fell down his face as her hips began to sway. She didn't deserve this. He hated himself for even asking her to pretend.

The single guard and nurse that had the unfortunate role of pulling night duty looked shocked at first, then a slow transformation took place as lust filled their eyes at the vision before them. An angel, dressed in white with a golden halo on her head. A fallen angel that they'd spoken of quite frequently. And here she was, presenting herself. They exchanged a lecherous look before turning their attention back to the girl. They weren't allowed to know the slave's names. Not that it mattered to them at all. They were slaves. Beneath them.

The guard reached out to Dove and smiled his greasy smile. "Nightcap, come, come. Sit in my lap."

Moving with her, he found himself in a dark room. Only then did he allow himself to pull her close. He could feel the tension in her entire body as she with held the tears. "You did so well, Dove. I'm so proud of you. They won't hurt you, ever again. I promise." He gave her a brotherly kiss on the head, and held her only for a moment longer. "There, the window. Hurry, Dove. We'll be safe, soon."

Burying her face in his chest, she clung to him tightly for as long as he held her, teeth sinking hard and deep into her lips to prevent herself from sobbing and giving them away.

"They'll come after us," she heard herself whimper softly, hating the fear in her voice but knowing there was no way she could hide it. "They won't stop until they find us again."

She followed him to the window, still whimpering and talking to herself about their danger, but otherwise waited quietly for Jessie's signal to move again.

"We'll keep moving, eventually they'll stop looking. We'll be too much trouble." He had to believe those words. There was no other choice. They kept him going and hoped that it helped her too. Jessie peeked out of the window to the quiet street that lay beyond it. The neighborhood looked like any other. White picket fences and brick houses with green shutters. Someday, he vowed to himself right there and then, Dove would have a house like that. Someday...

Seeing the coast was clear, he opened up the window, then ducked down to lace his fingers, offering her a boost. "Trust me, Dove. I'll keep you safe."

".. trouble, too much trouble ..."

The talking seemed to be getting worse rather than better, but then, this was what Dove did. When she was brought back, bleeding and traumatised from yet another bidder's abuse, even if she was barely conscious, she spoke to herself, going over what had happened, what could happen, what she was afraid would happen again. But Jessie had always been able to calm her, even from that first day when they had met. Her voice trailed off, big eyes looking trustingly up at him, and she nodded, silent once more, bracing her foot in his hands and hoisting herself up and through the window, crouching in the street to wait for him, shivering in the breeze she hadn't thought she would feel again.

Once she was up and out, Jessie took one last glance around before pulling himself up and over the window sill. There was no time to wait. He grabbed Dove's hand and started to run towards the nearest intersection. He had lifted the cash from the guard's and nurse's pockets so there was enough for a cab. From there, he wasn't sure. But for now, that was the plan.

"Just a bit longer, Dove. Stay with me."

Again, she didn't question him, trusting him to lead her away from 'the house' and all its torments. Her smaller hand held tightly to his as she ran with him, bare feet flashing quickly against the cold road. If Jessie wanted her to stay close, to stay sane, then she would. He was her friend, the only friend she had had in a very long time, and Dove was devoted to him. In a very real sense, he was her brother, and she loved and trusted him as she would a brother. And if he could lead her away from the past, then she would stay for as long as he wanted her to.

"I'm here."

His feet were already cut and bleeding by the time they reached the interesection. They were an interesting couple to look at, if any of the passersby cared to look, which most didn't. They were both dressed in all white, her a simple dress, he a white wife beater and matching pants. He kept her hand clutched so tightly in his that he hoped it didn't hurt. But to lose her, after what they'd been through, would kill him. She was the only family he had right now and pulled strength from her that he never would have found on his own.

He waved his hand and soon enough a cab stopped. He whisked her into the back seat and jumped in behind her. The door was slammed and as he looked to his right, he saw the other guards running towards them. "Just go!" he called out, a bit louder than he had expected.

As the car pulled off, he pulled Dove into his arms and clung to her. "We did it, Dovey. We're safe now."

The warmth of the car did not keep the cold of fear at bay for long, though, and Dove soon flinched back from Jessie with a low scream as fists and the butts of guns slammed against the window behind him.

"They're coming, they're here, they'll take us back!" Her voice rose incrementally, shaking and tearful, as the cab pulled away, accelerating away from the guards who couldn't keep up on foot.

"Dove!"

Jessie pulled her back in to his chest, soft words murmured into her ear to try to soothe her. The cabby and Jessie exchanged glances in the rearview mirror. "Furthest homeless shelter you can find."

Fishing the money out of his pocket, he tossed all but twenty onto the front seat. They needed food. It tore at his soul that he couldn't do more for Dove. But, he was dead set on keeping his promise to himself. The driver simply nodded, a sympathetic look in his eyes. Jessie turned his attention to Dove. Then, and only then, did his own body start to tremble as he held her. The adrenaline was pouring into his veins still and his arms squeezed her to stop the shaking. "Shh.. Dovey.. shh.."

Her face buried into her hands, pressed into his shoulder, muffling her ramblings as she very slowly calmed again, feeling him shaking with her as the driver took them away from the danger. A shuddering breath later, and she was stroking his arm as he held her, her voice small and quiet as she spoke. "It's okay, Jessie. You saved us."

Her tiny hand soothed his nerves and the trembling soon went away. Placing his chin atop of her head, he shook his head. "No, you saved us, Dove. I would not have the strength or courage to do what you did. I am so proud of you." Leaning back, he brought her tear stained face up to search her haunted eyes. "They'll never hurt us, ever again. We're safe now."

Huge blue eyes searched his, lingering on the connection, the bond that allowed her to let him look into her eyes without fear of what he might see. "We saved us." She nodded, strangely calm after her outburst, and patted his cheek gently with another of her tiny smiles. Then she leaned against him with a low sigh, resting her cheek against his shoulder as she watched the real world pass by outside the window.

"Safe," she whispered, cuddling close to the friend she loved like a brother. "For now."

He smiled bravely for her. It was the least he could do. And the argument died on his lips when she said what he was about to. He agreed, they did it together. His smile glowed at her touch and he closed his eyes.

It felt good to be touched gently and with love and care. He returned the favor, his fingertips just barely caressing her soft cheek. He understood and knew the need for a caring touch. When she sagged against him, he lifted his chin, once again, and stared out of the opposite window. His thoughts mirrored hers and he stiffened only slightly.

"For now."

*~*~*
((A collaboration between Jessie Angelico and Dove Atherton.))