A/N: This is submitted to Books, but it's going to take some elements of the book and some of the film, and some of my mind. For example, Ruth won't know she's pregnant before she goes back to live with Idgie. Most of the dialogue in these first few chapters is taken directly from the book or film, but that ends after chapter 3. Happy reading, and please review!

"And Ruth said, 'Whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people.'"

-Ruth 1:16

Idgie

I was going to save Ruth. I was going to take her from Frank Bennett's house and bring her home. Julian, Big George and I sat in the car quietly the whole way there, and I was shaking and I didn't know why. It wasn't because I was scared of Frank, though I probably should have been. My brother Julian, in the front seat with me, noticed me trembling, and offered me a cigarette, which I gladly accepted.

Finally the house came into view. I had been to Ruth's home only twice- once watching from afar as Frank carried her over the threshold, the second time to bring her a pie. That was when I had first seen her black eye, when I had first known that Frank had beaten her. That once was enough for me to want to rip all of his fingernails off one by one and then proceed to the rest of his body, but I would have bet every cent I ever won in poker that it wasn't the only time he had hit her.

Ruth, I reminded myself. You're here to save Ruth. Not to kill Frank Bennett.

Before the engine went off or the car had even fully stopped moving, I had leapt over the door and was on my way into the house. I didn't knock; Frank would hate me enough for helping his wife leave him that manners didn't matter. Once inside, I went straight upstairs, hoping to find Ruth up there, since the first floor looked deserted.

There she was, sitting in a chair in the hallway, looking out the window. As beautiful as ever. Her face was turned away from me, but when she spoke, I could tell she was crying.

"Mother died," she told me without turning around.

I walked towards her and stood behind her, placing my hands on her shoulders and looking out the window with her. "I know." She leaned into me, head resting on my stomach. For a few minutes we stayed like that, until Ruth stood up, wiped the tears from her eyes, and said, "I'm coming home with you."

There was a lump in my own throat as I replied, "Let's get your stuff then."

Big George and Julian had just taken a trunk out to the car. Ruth and I were puzzling over the dilemma of how to get all of her hats into the car. We had decided to put three in one box, and Ruth was carrying a bag outside. I was right behind her with three hatboxes when we heard a door slam and heavy, quick footsteps coming toward us.

"What the hell is going on here?" asked Frank Bennett angrily. Ruth stopped abruptly in the doorway of the living room, but I kept walking.

"Looks like your wife's leaving you, mister," I said, trying to balance the boxes on my hip.

Frank grabbed Ruth and pulled her away from the door. "Oh, sure she is." I felt blood pound in my ears as he took both of her wrists in his left hand.

"Don't you touch her! Let go!" I yelled, but Frank had already slapped her across the face with his right hand. She was flung into the side of the staircase with the force of his blow. Without thinking, I threw the boxes I was carrying and jumped on his back, banging my fists on his head and chest. He spun around again and again before finally running backwards into the window by the front door. My head slammed into it, and I slid to the floor, gasping at the pain and watching the room whirl.

I was vaguely aware of Ruth yelling, "Don't you hurt her!" but mostly I was focusing on getting my chest to let in air. The door opened beside me, and Julian and Big George walked in, staring up. I blinked and saw Frank carrying Ruth up the stairs over his back. Leaning on the doorway, I slowly stood up as Julian said loudly and clearly, "I wouldn't do that if I was you, mister."

Frank turned to look at him, and Julian continued. "See, the thing is, you might upset Big George, and he's… crazy. There's no telling what he might do."

To someone who didn't know him, Big George would be intimidating enough just as he was. When he pulled out a knife and flicked it with his thumb, I saw the calculation behind Frank's eyes.

In the moment of silence that followed, Ruth's eyes met mine. I was still leaning against the wall, breathing hard and trying not to show how dizzy I felt. For a moment Ruth looked sad, and then she closed her eyes as if she was ashamed. Then Frank slowly set her down. George flicked his switchblade closed, and Ruth's husband said, "Go on, get outta here," very quietly. Pressed up against the wall, looking at the floor, Ruth started down the steps. I sighed with relief, and Ruth looked like she was about to cry. Then Frank's boot came up behind her and gave her a solid kick, sending her flying to the ground, landing face-down with a thud. She cried out and I felt my heart skip a beat. Julian lunged at Frank, but George managed to keep hold of him.

Frank just watched the two other men struggle with cold eyes as I knelt next to Ruth, pulling her up. "Let's go, come on!" I said to Julian, tugging on his pants leg. "You okay?" I asked Ruth. Big George, now that my brother was under control, helped Ruth and me off of the floor.

George led Ruth out the door, and Julian followed right behind him. I turned back to look at Frank. "If you ever touch her again, I'll kill you," I panted furiously before walking outside. On the steps, I staggered slightly- my balance was still a little off. But I made it into the car, and once I had sat down, I felt much better.

"Well, I sure as hell scared him, didn't I?" I asked Ruth, grinning at the woman beside me.

She was in the process of pulling off her wedding ring. As I drove away, she threw it over the car door into the grass and said, "Yeah, you sure scared him." She still sounded pretty shaken up. But I was triumphant and feeling exhilarated at our escape, so I yelled, "Towanda! The amazing Amazon woman!"

"Towanda?" Ruth inquired as we drove away.