Disclaimer: I own no rights and make no profit.

AN: This was based on a roleplay about a year ago now. Finally got round to doing this and I'm so glad I did. Enjoy!

The Breakout

Rodolphus was dragged out of his cell and as soon as the guard touched his arm he shook him off with a huff and commented, "Filthy creature, get your paws off me!" Being thrown into a random line of strangers, he remained holding his head high. Even in Azkaban he would keep his dignity. His prison uniform was torn, by himself, at the sleeves in order to form a vest thus revealing his still toned and strong arms. Every night he did sit ups and any other exercise he could to retain his strength. He'd already been taken for his private torture session for today... He had fresh red raw scars on his skin. Some of them were still bleeding not that he seemed to take any notice of it. The guards tended to find it fun since he was last their treatment. He had various cuts and boot marks over his shoulders and torso. They'd treated him like this ever since he beat one guard up for touching his hair.

He knew he'd need his strength for when they broke out... whenever that may be. He kept his eyes peeled for Bellatrix or for that great mass of her hair to appear.

Rodolphus didn't need to look very far. Bellatrix was screaming, thrashing in an animalistic manner as four guards dragged her towards the other prisoners.

"Get off me you scumbags! DON'T TOUCH ME!" she shrieked and struggled until one of them grabbed her by her overgrown curls and forced her head back into a painful position. She whimpered slightly and was shoved into the line, scrambling to stay on her feet. She fell directly into Rodolphus, her hair falling across her eyes so she couldn't quite see.

He allowed himself to chuckle at her fighting the guards and positioned himself in order to absorb her fall. He caught her skeletal body easily and Rodolphus lifted her up righting her on her feet before brushing some hair out of her face.

"Careful where you're shoved, Trixie," his voice was quiet but still had its usual mischievous tone even in those glum confines, "Are you alright? It looked like they crushed your neck... Does it feel alright?" his tone was hushed although urgent as he spoke.

She rubbed the back of her neck trying not to use him too much as support. Her weak legs could hardly carry her and a painful ache was crawling through her neck. "I'm fine," she lied. Bellatrix hissed at one of the guards as he stared her up and down with a look of disgust. She held her head high, refusing to let herself look weak. "How about you?" she whispered so it was barely audible, "Still alive I see."

He left his arms out just in case she needed them, nodding to her last statement, "And fighting of course... They hate me for it but that's a good thing. It gives me some training if I do have to endure pain afterwards."

He turned looking to one of the guards, his brow dropping and causing his dark eyes to look as they were swirling with mad insanity. The guard saw this and started to back off with a worried look in his eyes before Rod turned back to Bellatrix. "You're sure your neck is alright?" He kept his eyes trained on her.

She winced a little as her lip split while opening her mouth to talk again. "Ah, shit..." she licked the crimson from her lip and turned to him, "I told you I'm fine!" she said forcefully, a little too loud. One of the guards smacked the both of them over the head, "Prisoners aren't permitted to speak!" he yelled. Bella hissed venomously in return and turned back to the front though still talking to her husband in a quieter voice, "To hell with it, I can't take it in here. It's driving me mad… I swear… The screams… the voices… the soul-sucking venomous creatures sinking their icy, empty spears of being into my every thought…" her voice broke, an insane tone of heightened pitch at the end of her sentences.

As the guard went to hit Bella again Rodolphus' hand automatically flew up at the speed of a snake striking, catching the guard's wrist in its path and stopping it short. He twisted the man around via his wrist before flattening his palm against the man's oddly twisting wrist before applying a slight amount of pressure. A sickening snapping sound filled the silence as the guard dropped to the floor his wrist having just broken in several places. The other guards ran to his aid as Rod smirked.

"Fancy seeing you all again. Excuse me Bella whilst I go have a talk with these lovely gentlemen... especially about manners and hitting a woman…" he added under his breath.

With this they grabbed his arms and punched him in the gut to which he only gritted his teeth and grunted to. He was then dragged out of the room.
After about 20 minutes he was forced back in, his torso was splattered with new bruises and fresh rips. He huffed as he slowly dragged himself to his feet unsteadily. Wiping a hand across his oddly angled nose, he winced, "They broke my nose... How dare they break my fucking nose..." he grumbled as he pinched it and tilted his head back. His sharp jaw was heavily stubbled and covered in a mixture of dirt and fresh blood.

Bellatrix was in shock, breathing heavy as Rodolphus returned. She made a face of disgust, "They've done this to you before, haven't they?" She lifted his striped robes and her mouth fell open at the state of his torso. "Rodolphus, you idiot!" she was immediately hushed, this time from a distance. "Oh, HUSH YOURSELF YOU BLUNDERING FOOL!" she couldn't contain her anger. She wanted her wand. She wanted to curse all these imprudent guards into oblivion. Bella felt the urge to run out of line and make to pounce on one of them…

Rod saw her begin to run catching her wrist and holding her back, "Don't... Trust me... Don't go for them."
Her brittle bones threatened to snap as he held her back though his grip loosened a little, "Bella it's fine," he continued, "I need it in order to keep myself sane whilst I'm here. If I don't fight I don't what what's reality and what isn't. It helps me distinguish between the two of them. Anyway I need to keep my practise up. Call me what you wish but I do it for my own well being."

Bella took shaky breaths, trying to stay calm as the guards strode up and down the line. She turned to Rod, "How long has it been?" Bellatrix had completely lost count of the days, weeks, months... years? She blinked a few times as she felt her eye begin to twitch.

Rodolphus dropped her arm gently, feeling her calm down slightly. He paused as he heard her question he lifted his arm looking to a small amassed amount of scratches upon his skin; one scratch on the first of every month. The pattern ranged all the way up his lower arm. He counted them up in a moment, "13 years and 11 months..."

At the news it had been almost 14 years, Bellatrix's heart seemed to leap through her mouth. How could it have been so long? She wanted to die. She couldn't take much more of this torture.

He sighed quietly, "We will escape... I promise you, my Bella... What cell are you in?"

Bella stood closer to him so that the guards could not hear them discussing this. "Number 667," she whispered, "But there's no way out of here. Didn't you hear that Barty died. Other Death Eaters – strong Death Eaters – have died. We're going to rot in here." Bellatrix didn't believe what she said. She knew that somehow they would get out – that the Dark Lord wouldn't allow them to die – yet the soul sucking place made her say it.

He moved his hands to her arms shaking her slightly, "Keep faith, mia Bella, we shall escape. I know it... On the day that marks our 14th year of Hell we shall make our escape. I shall come for you, mia Bella, just keep faith; if not in the world then in me." He placed a quick, chaste kiss on her hollowed cheek before they were ushered back down to their cells.

Bella could not comprehend exactly what Rodolphus had said. An escape? It was impossible. Yet, as she was thrown back into cell 667 she could not sit down. She paced up and down, wondering what on earth was going to happen in less than a month's time... could he get her out? Only time would tell.

AN: Let me know what you think so far; reviews would make my day happier – thanks for reading!