Jerome looked up at the ware house and sighed. He removed his blazer, placing it outside, on top of the hay stack. Just in case he didn't come out, his blazer had his name, and a note to Poppy. It was quite clever really. He took out the key Rufus had given him and unlocked the door, closing it shut tightly behind him. So that no one could follow him. He didn't believe anyone would, he was far too sneaky for that, but occasionally that Rutter and Martin could get pretty close…

He walked through it, until he saw Rufus, tying someone up. He frowned, straining to see who it was, but Rufus blocked his view. "Rufus?" Jerome asked. Rufus turned, and grinned to see his young accomplice.

"Ah Jerome, you're here, come help me tie this one, she's a live one,"

Jerome's eye brows furrowed together, as Rufus stepped to the side, and there, still in her school uniform was Mara Jaffray. His eyes widened in shock. But he couldn't act like he cared. He couldn't act like this was the girl he loved. He couldn't act like anything was wrong. Otherwise he would be in just as much trouble, and her punishment would be a whole lot worse. He nodded. Mara turned against her restraints when she heard his name.

"Jerome?!" Mara cried in shock, she kicked against Rufus and ran towards him, eyes full of sudden hope. Rufus caught her shoulders and pulled her back.

"You know her?" Rufus asked, trying to stop her from struggling. He looked up at Jerome alarmed, wondering if serious measures would have to be taken.

"I recognise her, I don't know, she goes to my school, that's probably why," he lied through gritted teeth. And Mara's mouth dropped open in utter shock, her eyes alight with betrayal.

"Well help me tie her up then!" Rufus cried. Jerome nodded, picking up the rope and tying Mara's hands together while she looked at him in utter shock. It was crazy. Rufus then placed the silver duck tape over her mouth so she couldn't talk, and tied her to the wooden beam.

"How did you find her?" Jerome asked, loosening his tie slightly. He was trying to act cool. But it put his whole façade to the ultimate test. Could he lie his way through this?

"She was following me," Rufus laughed "Carrying a camera, what does she think she is, some sort of journalist?"

"Yeah," Jerome laughed nervously, turning to Mara. God, he knew she was into this new journalism thing, but was she happy now? Happy that she was now a part of everything? "Well, you can go and find wherever they parked your van. I'll make sure she doesn't escape,"

Rufus patted Jerome on the shoulder "You're a loyal helper Jerome, none of this would have happened without you," Jerome fake smiled, and watched Rufus leave. He waited a few moments, before running over to Mara, where she sat on a haystack, tied to the beam. "Mara, oh my god," he breathed, peeling off the duck tape.

"How could you?!" she cried as soon as she could speak, whacking him with her tied up hands. Jerome jumped back, and she tried to get at him, but the rope stopped her "How could you? You've sold them out! You've sold them all out! You're a snitch!" she pulled harder against the restraints, starting to cry "I can't believe I trusted you!"

"Mara, Mara please, listen to me," he put his hands up as he neared her, but she stepped back. And it occurred to him, she was afraid. She was afraid of him. "I'm sorry," he whispered shaking his head "Mara really I am," he pulled out a knife from his back pocket, and he had never seen her look so scared in his life. She pressed herself up against the pillar, shaking her head.

"I-I'm sorry…" she shook her head "P-please, don't hurt me! I won't tell anyone! I swear!"

"Mara, I'm not gonna hurt you," he whispered. He cut the rope that tied her to the beam. Then the one tying her ankles together. He was much more careful with her hands, but it was hard, because she was trembling so much. As soon as she was free she stepped far away from him. "Mara come on! You don't understand! Rufus is crazy! He'll kill me if I don't help him!"

She said nothing, eyes watering. She turned around, facing the wall and taking a few deep calming breaths. She couldn't freak out, she couldn't freak out. She had to stay sane. Nice and sane. She twirled again, hair and skirt flickering out slightly, and Jerome observed her, carefully. "Right," she sighed, clasping her hands together. "Well….I'm….glad you're looking at different business opportunities,"

Jerome grinned at her "Mara…" and he took a moment just to relish in the way he said her name "I'll unlock the door, you go back to Anubis, straight home, and I'll say you fought me and ran off," he shrugged, pushing his hands into his pockets "Okay?"

Mara's eyes widened "But…won't you get in trouble for that?"

Classic Mara. Jerome wanted to laugh "No, I'll be fine," he winked at her, and unlocked the heavily bolted barn door. Mara stepped out, and at once seemed relieved, and her shoulders sagged.

"Thanks," she whispered, looking up at him. She tiptoed and went to kiss him on the cheek, but he unknowingly turned last minute, and their lips met. It lasted only a second, and Mara pulled back, blushing. "I'm sorry, I didn't re-"

Jerome didn't say anything, but leaned down and recaptured her lips. Suddenly his tongue was in her mouth, her hands in his hair, pulling him down towards her. He stumbled outside and pressed Mara against the wall behind a large hay stack, nicely hidden from the world.

Her hands moved to his shoulders, and she moaned gently against him, eyes shut, lost in the feeling. Jerome pulled away, gasping for air, and trailed kisses down her jaw line, happy when she tilted her head to allow him access to her neck. She was breathing heavily, and she could smell him, he smelt like hair spray and…fresh air. It was odd and she wondered why she'd never smelt it before, she was about to go off into a daydream when she felt him bite into her neck. Mara cried out when she felt him bite into her neck and she rested her head against the wall. He'd leave a mark, she was smart enough to know that, and she had a sneaking suspicion as to that was why he'd done it.

His hands trailed down from her waist, leaving a trail of fire, toward her thighs, and his cold hands made her shiver as he hoisted her up, her legs hooking around his waist, as he pushed her further into the wall, she weighed nothing in his arms.

"Jerome…" she moaned, as her hand slid down his neck onto his back, just needing to feel his skin. Jerome let out a low growl, pushing his growing erection into her core.

There was a loud squawking off in the distance. It was loud enough to make the two jump away from each other, panting, hair and clothes ruffled, eyes clouded and dazed. Mara adjusted her skirt, looking up at him. "I…I should go," she nodded. Jerome was still breathing hard, and his eyes stayed locked on hers, darkened.

"Meet you there." He promised

Mara tried to fight the smile, but failed, and it spread prettily across her face "I'll be waiting,"

It kinda got a little off point. I hope you still enjoyed.