Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or sets of The Tribe, they are owned by Cloud 9 ™. I'm not making any form of profit out of this story, I only try to entertain.

Setting: this takes place in Season 4, right before Ram is taken down, Pride is killed and Salene kidnapped.

Warnings: this story deals with adult subjects, though not described in details. If you're under the age of sixteen, I advice you not to read or ask an older person to be present. This story will also deal with some language, earning the rating R.

Chapter 1

Pride whistled softly to himself, as he made his way to the showers. The tall dark-haired boy was carrying a towel and some soap, as he crossed the centre of the mall, where the dried up fountain was. It was quiet in the mall, not even Mouse was darting around, playing games with Sammy.

He knew they were all in the kitchen, cooking dinner with Siva and Salene, pancakes or something if he remembered correctly. He needed to clean himself, he was sweaty after playing the Game, and the other couldn't know he played again.

So he was surprised to walk into the joined showers to hear one running already, the room was filled with steam. The girls always locked the door if they took one, so that left him wondering who was there, and if he should take a peek or not.

"Hello? Who's there?"

There came no response. The kids probably had played pranks, letting the shower run. He would have a talk with them about that later. Water was too precious to be played with. They were lucky to be even able to shower. Sighing he kicked out his shoes, dropping the towel on one of the plastic chairs, blinking when he realised there were clothes there already.

Reaching out he took the shirt and unfolded it, recognising it as one of Lex. Strange, normally the moody man would have shouted something rude already. The shirt was dirty he noted and when he looked at the pants his eyes narrowed. Was that blood? He took the dark pants in his left hand, while touching the stain with his right, and was startled to see his hand indeed came away with blood.

"Lex?"

Alarmed he dropped the clothes, glancing to the showers. He wondered briefly if he should enter or not, knowing Lex and his tempers. The young man could be really hot-headed, but if he was injured....Besides, the dark haired man wasn't answering. Cautiously he moved over to the shower area, his bare feet barely making a sound on the cold tiles. The sight that greeted him shocked him, and he stood frozen at his spot as he stared wide eyed.

The naked form of the former sheriff sat huddled on the wet tiles, his arms wrapped around his knees and his face buried in between, his long black hair a mop of wet tangles. Pride could see bruises starting to form on various places, some dark and ugly looking. A small stream of blood ran from him to the gutter, and it was hard to see where it was coming from.

"God Lex, what are you doing?"

He took a few steps closer, even more startled to see the slim body tense. Not minding his own clothes he reached out to stop the steady stream of water, winching when he felt the bitter cold. The steam flogging in here must have been from previous showers.

"Let's get you dry and warm," he murmured, switching to a more gentle tone, as if he were speaking to a child. Though when he tried to touch the shivering Lex, he shied away, closer to the wall, a small mewl escaping him. Startled Pride took a step back. Okay, maybe that hadn't been a good act, but how was he going to get Lex out of the shower? He had no idea what had happened, and he was intent on finding out.

"Amber!" he yelled out, hoping the blonde woman would be able to hear him and come here. She knew where he was, so that wouldn't be a problem. She was one of the few that had a way with Lex, besides Tai-San, but the Asian wife of Lex was gone, kidnapped by the Techno's. Ignoring the tremor's wracking the nude body; he hoisted Lex up rather forcefully, feeling guilty when the young man ducked his head even more.

"Pride, what's wrong, what are you........God!"

Amber walked in, only to find her friend holding a naked Lex up and she wasn't sure what to make of this all. Though when she spotted the blood on the tiles her big brown eyes filled with worry. She knew Pride wouldn't harm another living being.

"I found him sitting under a cold shower for I don't know how long. He's not responding to me and I don't know where the blood is coming from," Pride explained, worried, because he could feel the coldness emanating from the shivering man. His dark eyes glanced sideways to Amber who looked at Lex with sympathy and what he thought seemed to be anger.

"What?"

She shook her head, spotting Pride's towel and taking it. She ignored the nudity as she enveloped Lex into the towel. He didn't have anything what she hadn't seen before. He was slimmer than she had expected though. Making soothing noises she coaxed the black haired man into her arms, patting his wet hair when he embraced her. Fleetingly she mused how small he was as well. His dominant nature always had made up for his shortness, but not this time. Pride was still looking at her questionably.

"I know where he's bleeding from, check his backside."

It took a moment before it sank in with Pride, as he involuntarily looked down. Oh God...He shook his head in shock, his black dread locks moving along with the motion. Of all the people, this had happened to one of the proudest men he knew. Bruises and scratches adorned his thighs and cheeks, finger like marks on the slim hips. Rape, an act that he despised more then anything. Who would do such a thing, why...? He just couldn't understand as he looked at Amber with horror.

"Could you tell the others? I'm going to take him to his room."

He nodded, knowing it was better if she stayed with Lex, since she was a woman. But how was he going to tell the others? They were going to take it hard, and the little ones, they shouldn't know. Deep in thought he left Amber to tend to the deeply hurt young man, taking the stairs slowly, his legs feeling heavier then ever.