Four people were sitting in the extravagant lounge at the gentleman's club owned by Big Mama when Mia walked in carrying a tray of different kinds of drinks. She met the blue eye of an old friend briefly before he kicked his silent friend. Dark eyes searched for what his friend was pointing out before finally resting on her face.

How long had it been since she'd last seen them? They had all been so young back then.

"Ahh, good timing Mia." Big Mama cooed as she recrossed her legs gracefully and blew out a puff of smoke. Setting the tray on the table, Mia placed a cup and saucer of rose tea for her current employer and two of the same for the woman with long hair and the blonde man who sat opposite her. She placed a mug of coffee in front of the man with short dark hair sitting alone. He blinked up at her and she smiled softly, tucking the tray under her arm so she could sign to him.

'It's your favourite, right?' she asked him, remembering how much he used to drink when she knew him. His eyes flicked to the coffee and on the table briefly and then back up to her and he nodded once. A thank you. She squeezed his shoulder gently, nodded to his friend and bowed to her employer before retreating back to the laughter and scantily clad women working at the brothel.

She walked quickly, using the silver tray somewhat like a shield against her chest. Just because she worked in a place like that didn't mean she did what most other girls did. She was basically the cook and maid to Big Mama and that meant she didn't take her clothes off for money and men's enjoyment. Of course making a dash from the kitchen to Big Mama's office was a perilous one.

"Hey," a tall red head with the first hints of a beard greeted her as he slid himself between her and her escape. She recognized him as a regular visitor, she didn't know his name but she knew what he'd done to some of the girls who didn't do what he said, "I haven't seen you here before. You new?"

Mia glanced around for a way out but his lean body was blocking her only escape. Instead, she held the tray closer to her.

"Quiet, huh? I like that in a woman except when I'm fucking her." he said with a wink, "So how about it? I've got a lot of money."

"Louis!" one of the girls, Yvette, cooed seductively and latched onto the man's arm, "Don't waste your time with her, she's the cook. Come play with me instead." Mia shot Yvette a thankful smile, one the rent girl replied to with a nod, and then quickly ducked back into the kitchen where she could be safe. Or at least that's what she thought.

She was preparing vegetables when she felt a presence behind her. She turned quickly, ready to face whoever the intruder was with her sharp knife when he caught her wrist. Louis, the red haired man from earlier, clucked his tongue,

"You need to be more careful, Little Mouse, wouldn't want you to cut yourself." he said lowering her arm and stepping closer to her.

"Y-you," she said no louder than a whisper, "You shouldn't be in here."

"I know, but I had to see you again." he purred, his eyes heavy as he gazed down at her small form.

"P-please," she begged, "Leave..."

Louis' eyes turned cold and he glared down at her, "Are you ordering me? Who do you think you are, you work in a brothel which means it's only a matter of how much money Big Mama wants for you. Do you understand?!"

Mia tried to wrench her arm free of his hold but the more she struggled the tighter his grip became. Louis grinned a predatory smirk and ripped open the front of her dress, exposing her bra.

"Now why are you hiding those away? Huh?" he growled, his blue eyes gleaming sinisterly at her chest. Mia blushed and struggled more, desperate to get free and cover herself. Giving up on gripping his forearm, she did the one thing she could think to do and slapped him hard across the face. Louis released her immediately and held a hand to his tender cheek. Mia took the opportunity to attempt to cover herself with her arms and run towards the door. Only Louis recovered faster than she expected, his hand shot out and grabbed her hair, yanking her back towards him. He held her securely to his body and growled in her ear,

"You'll pay for that."

Mia whimpered helplessly as he threw her against the bench. The unforgiving metal dug deep into her ribs as she felt his full weight hold her down. She flailed for anything nearby she could use against him; the knife she'd been holding had fallen to the ground long ago. With tears streaming down her cheeks and unable to cry for help, she was on her own, desperately trying to reach the tray she'd been using to carry drinks for Big Mama and her guests. Her fingers brushed against the cool tin once and then it was out of reach again, sliding down the bench.

"Bitches like you have no respect." Louis hissed as he ripped at her skirt. Mia's will to fight disappeared with the cool air on the legs and the unmistakable jangling of a belt being undone. Louis' hands were rough as he all but tore her underwear away from her body. Mia squeezed her eyes closed and prayed to God or anyone who would listen to save her. She was useless, helpless, a weak pathetic girl who couldn't even scream to save herself. She deserved this.

Something warm and soft pressed against her and she braced herself for the pain that would follow...only it didn't come. Louis' hold and weight on her disappeared too and for a moment she thought that she'd managed to slip into a type of unconsciousness, her mind had shielded her from the hell by taking away everything threatening her.

But then she heard the grunting and the sound of skin on skin behind her. With Louis' pressure gone, she sank to her knees and covered her ears, not wanting to hear or see what was happening. Even through her hands, she could still hear the muffled goings on, the sound of shoes shuffling on the tiles, grunting and the slap of meat. And then a loud bang and crockery and cookware spilling onto the floor.

"What the hell is going on in here?!" a man's voice demanded, but soon fell silent as he surveyed the chaos before him.

Mia heard boot steps approaching her and she hugged herself tighter, praying it wasn't Louis, but when soft, warm cloth dropped around her shoulders she knew she was safe. Peeking up through her bangs and fingers she saw the concerned dark eyes and bloodied face belonging to Nicolas Brown.

"Jesus, Nic...I think you killed him." his long time friend and partner, Worick Arcangelo commented from the doorway. Nicolas didn't respond and instead lifted Mia's chin to see if she was hurt.

"Look at this mess..." Big Mama added in a mildly amused tone.

"I'm real sorry about this, we'll pay for-" Worick began but the mistress cut him off,

"You'll do no such thing. This guy was a pain in my ass but until now I had no legitimate reason to ban him." she told them, "How is she?" A stray ladle clattered across the floor and smacked into the bench in front of Mia with a loud ting, getting Nicolas' attention. He glanced back to the people in the door way as Big Mama repeated her question. Nic nodded once and took Mia's elbow gently, pulling her to her feet and against his hard, muscular frame. Mia clung to him like he was her life line as they walked. Worick stopped him at the door,

"Don't worry about him." he told his friend, "I'll take care of it."

Nicolas all but carried Mia to a vacant room upstairs, set her down on the bed and crouched in front of her so he could read her lips if she chose to speak. She shrank into a ball before him, bringing her bruised knees to her chest and hugged them. Mia had always been weak, she was small and her meek posture made her an easy target. But it was that weakness, that vulnerability that had sparked something he didn't know was inside him all those years ago when she'd ran to him crying soundlessly. He had to protect her and keep her safe no matter what. Even if it was protecting her from him. He extended a hand to touch her hand but realized his fingers still had blood on them, and so he dropped his hand again. Mia didn't notice.

"You okay?" he asked in his disjointed language. Since Nic was deaf, he rarely ever spoke unless the person he was with didn't know sign language or pissed him off - Mia was the exception. When they'd first met he thought she was deaf too but later discovered her ears worked fine, she was just mute.

She shook her sand coloured hair, her bangs covering her face as she dropped her head into the crook of her elbow. It was a dumb question and he knew it - she'd almost been raped, of course she wasn't okay. Idiot.

"Want me to kill 'im?" he asked knowing what her answer would be. She'd say no, like always. There'd only been one time she'd agreed to his murderous ways.

She looked up at him then, her green eyes brimming with tears, nose and cheeks red from when she'd cried already, bottom lip quivering, "Nic..." she said, her mouth only just making out his name. He waited for her to keep talking but instead she flung herself into him, her arms wrapping tightly around his neck.

Nic was stunned, no one had really ever hugged him before except for Nina occasionally and Veronica but that was a different story. He fell back from the sudden impact and landed on his ass. He could feel her cold tears soak into the collar of his shirt and onto his skin. He wanted to tell her that he was dirty, covered in blood, and that she shouldn't soil her clothes. He wanted to tell her to wait for Worick because he was clean and better at comforting women. Hell, Nic barely even knew how to talk to women...figuratively speaking. Instead he just sat there in silence, blinking at the dull bed spread wondering what he should do or say.

"Mia." he said at long last, the young girl leaned back to look at him. His eyes flitted down to the ripped dress she wore; he hadn't noticed before but it completely exposed her upper torso. He quickly averted his eyes when he realized where he was staring, "You got blood on ya." he muttered.

Small hands touched his cheeks and Mia turned his head to face her, 'I know.' she signed, 'Please just let me stay like this a bit longer.'

Nicolas sighed, closed his eyes and nodded, if hugging a dirty asshole like him could make her feel better, who was he to tell her no? She took his gesture as one of consent and curled herself around him, her warm body pressed so close to him it was almost hard to breathe.

Worick leaped up the stairs two at a time and half jogged into the room Nic had taken their little friend. His mouth was open, ready to ooze comforting words and gestures when he saw a sight he hadn't seen in a very long time. Nic had his back against the bed, sitting cross legged on the hard floor, his arms wrapped securely around the small bundle curled up in his lap. Both were asleep - or at least Mia was, Nic probably just had his eyes closed. Walking over to them as quietly as he could so not to disturb the sleeping girl, he nudged his boot against his friend's knee. Nic's dark eyes opened immediately.

'She okay?' Worick signed, Mia's hearing was incredible. She could probably hear a mouse fart in the next town over.

Nic gave him a look that he knew, after years of getting it, meant a sarcastic 'what do you think'.

Suddenly, Nic looked uncomfortable. He glanced down at Mia's sleeping face, around the room and then to Worick in front of him. Letting the girl go he quickly signed, 'Can you take her?'

"Why?" Worick asked forgetting to be quiet. Mia stirred and shifted her head closer to Nic's neck.

'Gotta piss.' The half-oriental replied casually. Worick nodded and knelt down to pick Mia up. She groaned, quietly protesting and reaching into the empty space where Nic had been a second ago, but as soon as Worick adjusted her so her head was resting on his shoulder, similar to how she'd been sleeping on Nic, she calmed down, clutching onto his white button-down shirt tightly. Nic was already on his feet and half way out the door by this time, Worick turned to watch him leave. Whatever had made his friend hand over Mia wasn't a sudden need to urinate, he'd known Nic since they were kids. He was nervous.

Worick huffed to himself, "Getting flustered over a chick ain't like you, pal." he whispered to no one, his one blue eye dropping to Mia in his arms, "Then I guess she isn't your average woman though."

A/N: The title of this fic is taken from the Within Temptation song of the same name.