Belle had never run so fast in her life; she had thought she was free. Everything had been going fine until tonight. The full moon was beaming over her head as she raced past trees and jumped over bushes.
But it made no difference. It was like she had fallen into a nightmare. The beast was gaining on her with every step. Belle could have sworn that she felt its breath on her neck.
Four paws collided with her back and knocked her to the ground on her stomach, and she instinctively covered her head as the claws bore into her back. Jaws were snapping at her neck.
And then, quite suddenly, the weight on her back lifted. The nails that dug into her skin were replaced with soft fingers, and she was rolled over gently.
The wolf was gone, and in its place stood a girl draped in red. Her curly black hair fell below her shoulders. Her face was covered, but Belle could see ruby red lips that were curved in an intimidating smile.
"Who - who are you?" Belle whispered nervously. She tried to stand up, but the girl's hand wouldn't let her. It pushed her back to the ground softly, lingering on her chest as she crouched over Belle.
"Easy, you took quite a fall." Her voice was tender, seductive, and butterflies were fluttering throughout Belle's stomach as fingertips caressed her forehead slowly.
Belle shrunk away from them. "I don't understand. Where did the wolf go?"
"Don't you see, sweetheart?" The moon flashed across her face for a moment, and beneath the hood, a pair of adventurous green eyes appeared.
"You - you're the wolf, aren't you? You're a werewolf," Belle replied softly. She felt so drawn to the girl, yet at the same time, all she wanted was to get away from her.
"You're a clever one," the girl said curiously. "I like that."
"You do?" A gulp rose in Belle's throat.
She nodded.
"Look, I should - I should go." She knew, even without finishing the sentence, that it was no use. Those lips had become an enticing smile again.
"Well, that's not fair," she whispered. "I finally caught you, and you're going to run away already?" Belle was trapped underneath her surprisingly strong hand as the girl leaned in closer, placing her lips next to Belle's ears and mumbling in a breath that tickled her skin and sent goosebumps along her spine, "You're mine now."
And she let out a quiet, innocent laugh when Belle remained perfectly still, unsure of what to do, unable to comprehend what was happening. The hand that had been anchoring Belle's chest was crawling its way up to stroke her jawline delicately, then to brush like rose petals over her lips.
Anxiety and fear was all that kept Belle from leaping up and running like a mad man from the scene. It weighed her down heavier than the girl's fingertips, which had disappeared.
Those scarlet lips were coming closer to her own now, sending tingles through her core, and Belle finally gained some control over herself and pushed back, holding the girl at a distance. But before she could even consider her next move, something heavy hit the side of her face.
Belle's eyes closed, her head lolled to the side lifelessly, and a pair of strong arms lifted her up and stole her away.
Belle was woken by the cold touch of water to her forehead. Her head felt like it weight a hundred pounds, and each time the damp cloth touched her face, she felt a bit of dried blood disappear.
She felt so weak and airy, like she could just float away. It took all of her strength to open her eyes and lift her head.
Everything slowly came into focus. Belle was lying on a soft bed; her arms extended outward; her wrists tied tightly to the posts on the headboard; her cloak was gone, as was the blue dress Rumpelstiltskin had given her. In its place was a short purple dress that cut off just above her knees and clung to her skin much too tightly.
A wooden ceiling hung above her head, and wooden walls surrounded her on all sides.
"Morning," a beautifully haunting voice came from just above Belle's head as she became aware that the woman was lying beside her, propped on her elbow, dabbing gently at her forehead.
"Where are my clothes?" Belle demanded.
"They were filthy; I thought you might like something clean."
"No, thank you." Belle's cheeks tinged pink as she realized the girl had seen her naked, and she moved as far away from her as the bindings would allow.
"Hey, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you," the woman said softly, and she moved closer to Belle's side and ran her fingertips gently through Belle's hair. "I understand. You're scared, confused, but I can make this arrangement very nice for you."
"I just want to go home."
But she shook her head again. "I can't let you do that."
"Why not?" Belle felt the familiar frustrated tears building up in her eyes.
"Because you belong right here ... with me." And then those ruby red lips were pressed firmly against her own. Belle caught her breath in surprise; she had always thought a woman's kiss would be softer than a man's, but it was nowhere near the truth. This kiss was fierce, stolen and desperate; it was as if the woman was searching for something.
When she finally pulled back, Belle could see something in her confident eyes that had not been there before - pain. And even though she was tied to a bed and being held captive, she still felt sympathy flare up inside her.
"Why do you want me here?" asked Belle quietly.
"That's a story for another day," she whispered in reply as her hands traced Belle's legs lightly. "You're cold."
"I'm - I'm fine," she stuttered nervously.
But blankets were already being pulled up to her chest. "You should sleep," the girl smiled kindly as she lay back down beside Belle.
"I'm not tired." And I don't trust you.
She was doing it again - playing with Belle's curly brown locks, tucking them behind her ear, twisting them around her finger. "I could tell you a story," she smirked.
"I don't want you to tell me anything. I want to go home! I demand that you let me go at once, you - bitch!" Belle spat back, shrugging her hair from the girl's grip.
For the first time, the playful amusement vanished and was replaced with a cold smirk. "Don't lose your temper, pet. This is going to be a whole lot worse for you if you don't cooperate." Her nail brushed along Belle's jawline, sending unwanted shivers through her body.
"Cooperate how?"
"Let's start you off easy, shall we? The only thing I want you to call me is Red. No more "bitch" or whatever else your naughty little mind comes up with," she teased.
Belle would not let herself be controlled so easily. "But that's what you are - a bitch, a monster."
Red's hand shot up so fast, Belle hardly saw it, and it clamped hard around her throat. Immediately, she began to see white spots. "I'm not a bitch. You just don't understand. One day, you'll see." Her vision was ebbing away with her breath, and then Red released her, coughing wildly. "You'll see."
And with that, she stormed from the room, slamming the wooden door behind her. On the other side, Belle was certain she had heard a sob.
The next few days passed slowly. Every day, Belle would ask to go home, and every day, Red would say no. "I'm never letting you go," she said. Red was always there, asking if she was hungry or thirsty or needed anything. Belle refused to answer her, refused to eat, drink, or even sleep.
On the third day, Belle knew she was bad. Her stomach ached violently and she felt so warm, sweat shining on her forehead. Red's eyes were concerned when she came in in the morning and pulled the blankets off.
"You really need to eat," she insisted, wiping Belle's forehead with a washcloth.
She shook her head.
"If you eat, I'll tell you why I took you."
Belle debated saying no again, but she finally agreed. Red left, returning a few minutes with a jar of water and a small plate of meat.
She set it on the bedside table and sat down beside Belle. She began to gently untie Belle's wrists, revealing irritated red skin.
"Here," Red set the plate on her lap. "Don't eat too fast," she warned. Belle tried, but she hadn't realized how hungry she was.
The plate was cleared in minutes, and Red handed Belle the jar of water, which she gulped down eagerly. As Belle gave the water back, she became aware of something. She was not tied up; she could run; she could be free. But first, she would have to distract Red.
"So why did you do it?" she asked.
"Belle, before I explain this to you, you have to understand something." Of course Red knew her name. Quite frankly, Belle wasn't surprised.
"What?"
"You can't trust anybody."
"Of course you can."
"No, you can't. All they do is leave. They don't care about you; they don't care about anyone but themselves."
"Red, not everyone is like that."
"Yes, they are. Just open your eyes, Belle. Your own father allowed you to go with Rumpelstiltskin to save his precious kingdom."
"That was my choice. The kingdom is important."
"Oh please. More important than his own daughter? Don't you think that if he had used an ounce of his brain, he could have come up with another solution?"
"And what would you have done?!" Belle snapped.
"I would have gone in your place," Red replied sharply.
Belle caught her breath in surprise. "Why?"
"Because it's my job to keep you safe."
"So that's why you did all this? To protect me from Rumpelstiltskin?"
"Belle, I did this to protect you from getting hurt. Ever. By anyone."
Belle was starting to feel dizzy. "Why do you care if I get hurt?"
"Because you're still good. And I need to know that good people still exist."
"You're crazy."
"That's just because you don't understand yet. One day, you'll see exactly how selfish and corruptible the world is, and you'll thank me for saving you from it."
"Never," and Belle brought the plate down on Red's head; it broke apart in her hands, leaving small bleeding gashes on her palms and fingers. But she didn't care. Red was passed out on the bed, and this was her chance.
Belle leapt up and ran to the door, throwing it open to see the remainder of a small cottage. Outside the windows, snow was pouring down, but it did not matter. She had to get out of here.
It was easy to ignore the cold at first, but after a few hours of wandering aimlessly through the woods, barefoot and in a short dress, Belle was not faring too well.
Her body was shaking with every step; her lips felt numb; and it didn't help that she was starving, dehydrated and exhausted. Finally, Belle's mind could not push her body any farther, and she collapsed against a log, shivering madly. Everything was so quiet, everything was so cold, everything was so black.
Belle's eyes opened as if they had been closed for hours. She was so comfortable. Warmth radiated from Red's arms, which were wrapped protectively around her. Belle's hands were clinging to her desperately, striving to be as close as she could to Red's heat. Her face was buried against Red's shoulder. She didn't want to move, but she had to. She should not be feeling this way around the woman who had kidnapped her.
Red's lips pressed gently against her forehead, and that was when Belle tried to pull away. But it was no use. Red held her there, her hand gently cupping Belle's face. "Don't, Belle. You need to stop trying to run away. ... We're hundreds of miles from the nearest town, and no one is going to look for you."
"My father is looking for me," she replied softly, unable to look away from those piercing green eyes.
"Your father believes you are imprisoned by the Dark One."
"That doesn't prove - "
"Belle," Red whispered. She looked so sad, sad that she was breaking Belle's hope and most-of-all, sad that Belle did not want to stay here. "I found this place. Nobody knows about it. ... No one is coming."
And then Belle was broken. The tears she had been holding back the past few days erupted from her eyes, and Red pulled her even closer when all Belle wanted was to be as far from her as possible. She kissed Belle's forehead again, her fingers brushing the stray tears from her cheeks. "It's okay, Belle. It's better this way." Red thought she was being reassuring, but Belle sobbed even harder, struggling to get away.
Red started to get angry, and she pinned Belle to the bed, reaching for the ropes again. "I don't want to do this, Belle. I want you to want to stay here." Very slowly, Red tied Belle's wrists to the bed posts again, wiping another waterfall of tears from her cheeks before kissing her tenderly.
Belle was too broken to care. She did not fight back; she didn't even try. When Red pulled back, she lay down on Belle's side and wrapped an arm around her.
Belle didn't know when she stopped crying or when Red fell asleep, breathing anxiously beside her. She didn't know anything anymore.
After that night, Belle tried to make the best of her situation. She refused to let this ruin her life. So she cooperated, and Red became more and more trusting. Belle came to find out a lot about her, mostly through observing, but some times through conversation.
Red was lonely. That was the main thing Belle noticed, and she could not help but feel sorry for her. She would often switch between different personalities - there was the kindhearted Red who kissed her tenderly, better than Gaston ever could; there was the angry Red who shouted at Belle until her voice was hoarse; this was often followed by the brokenhearted Red whose sobs Belle could hear in the middle of the night; then there was the desperate Red who spoke seductively and liked to play with her hair and kiss her like an animal.
Belle had a very keen feeling that Red needed her a lot more than she thought.
Now that Red trusted her, she was free to walk around the cottage as she pleased. And against all reasoning, Belle often found herself staying up late to talk to Red.
From somewhere inside, some part of herself that Belle didn't understand, she knew she was beginning to feel something unusual towards this woman.
Once or twice, she found herself crawling into bed beside Red and holding her as she dreamt. She never had a good dream, and Belle couldn't stand seeing the look on Red's face while she slept. She always called out for a Peter, and whenever this happened, her eyebrows would scrunch together, and she would snuggle further into Belle's arms.
It took a while for Belle to finally ask who Peter was, but when she did, Red refused to tell her and stormed from the room with tears in her eyes. It was obvious that she loved Peter, and it was also obvious that, for whatever reason, he wasn't around anymore. Belle hoped that this was the reason for Red's behaviors because it made her feel less upset about the situation and more eager to help Red.
Things had been different between them since she had brought up Peter. Red had demanded to know how she was aware of him, and she couldn't bring herself to say that she had been spending almost all hours of the night lying beside her captor. It wasn't right; nothing about Red's behavior was okay, and that was why Belle could not allow herself to fall in love. Not like this.
"You know you've been here for a month now," Red smiled as she lay down in the grass, staring up at the stars.
Belle lay down beside her helplessly. "Yeah, I know. So why did you bring me out here? To celebrate?" she asked.
"I wanted you to see this."
"See what?" Belle's head was tilted on its side as she gazed into Red's eyes before a hand gently lifted her face towards the sky.
It was the most beautiful thing in the world. Stars exploded in front of her, covering almost every inch of the glorious blue blanket that covered them. "I never knew there were so many," she breathed.
"I know. That's because of the palace lights. The reflections hide most of the stars."
They were silent for a long time. Belle found herself lost in thought, wondering what it would be like to stay in this very spot forever. Would it be so terrible? Was being here really that bad? She was free to do whatever she wanted here, but at the palace, Belle was more confined than she had been tied to that bed for a week.
"Red?" Belle whispered.
"Yes?"
"Thank you."
"You're welcome." Belle could almost hear the smile in her voice.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course you can."
"How long have you known me?"
There was a sudden silence denser than it had been before, but Red finally replied, "A very very long time."
"I've seen you before. I remember."
"Belle, I was just - "
"I know; I know; you were trying to save me." Belle rolled onto her side, reaching for Red's hand and bringing it up to her lips. "And you did save me. If you hadn't been there, I would have drown."
"Why are you looking at me like that?" asked Red softly. Her eyes had locked onto Belle's. There was no turning away from them; her eyes were held there as if by magic.
"Like what?" Belle's words were quieter than a breath. She could feel herself moving closer, but she couldn't remember telling herself to do so.
Red's eyelids were fluttering slowly when Belle pressed their noses together as she moved her face down the tiniest degree to press her lips ever so lightly against Red's. It was different kissing Red as opposed to being kissed by Red. For the first time, their lips were moving together.
Red wrapped her arms tentatively around Belle's waist, her fingers brushing over her hips, sending a shock through Belle's mind. She didn't think her body was supposed to react to Red this way, but it kept happening. Red pulled back, and her hair tickled Belle's cheeks as her lips curled into a smile.
Belle's eyes were level with those luscious scarlet lips, and she couldn't help but stare at them and think about how beautiful Red's smile was. Her hands slid up to touch Belle's reddening cheeks. Red leaned in again, biting Belle's lips delicately.
Belle's fingers curled into Red's beautiful, soft, brown hair and she pulled her head back lightly and began to kiss her neck. The sparks were flaring like mad inside her head, and they whispered Take me. I'm yours.
Belle had no control over her hands; they were sliding everywhere - along Red's jawline, down her back, up her thigh, under her shirt. Red grabbed her wrist suddenly when her fingers brushed over her toned stomach, sending chills down her forearm.
"Belle," she whispered, her voice coming in ragged breaths. "Are you sure?"
"No, I'm not sure. I've never been less sure of anything in my life." Red's lips pressed together inches from her own. "But I don't want to be sure."
And just like that, Red let go of her wrist, and Belle felt her hips press hard against Red's. She had lost track of Red's hands in all the confusion. But a violent shudder told her they were tugging on the hem of her undershirt, and Belle held her arms up, so Red could easily pull it off.
It fluttered to the side, forgotten, as Red's tongue began to probe Belle's mouth lightly. One of her fingers trailed down Red's stomach; she felt the muscles tense up, and then Red pulled away suddenly.
"Belle," she whispered.
"What is it? Did I do something wrong?"
"No, no, it's not you; it's - it's nothing."
"What's the matter?" Belle's felt Red's hands leave her chest, and she grabbed them in her own, intertwining their fingers. She brought her hand to her lips and kissed each finger. "Isn't this what you wanted?"
"I - I don't know. I - I - I can't." Red was holding Belle so close that she couldn't breathe, and Belle pressed her face into the crook of Red's neck.
"Okay, I understand. I can go," Belle said sadly. But Red took one of her legs and wrapped it around one of Belle's, anchoring down. Belle couldn't help but smile. She wanted to stay here, wanted it more than she had wanted to be free. Belle felt Red smooth her hair, wrapping strands around her fingers, pulling gently with a light smile.
"I know I love you."
"I love you too," Belle sighed at last. "You're my guardian angel."
"Angel?" Red laughed quietly. "Angels don't do what I do."
"I don't care. You're my angel," she repeated. "Just promise me I don't ever have to leave."
Red's lips rubbed delicately against Belle's temple, and she felt so utterly peaceful. She laughed that very beautiful laugh and whispered, "Never."
"Come on, Belle. Stop being such a slow poke," Red teased, tugging her along the forest floor by the hand.
"Stop being so fast!" Belle retorted, unable to keep the smile from her face.
"Well, we're here anyway. What difference does it make?" The two women burst through a clearing to find a small pool of water lying at the bottom of a waterfall.
"Shall we go for a swim?" Belle smiled eagerly.
"We shall," Red replied, wrapping her arms around Belle's neck and planting a soft kiss on her lips.
She returned the kiss gently before pulling off her dress and running to the edge of the pool. Red ran past her and dove elegantly into the water, and Belle followed her excitedly.
The water was perfect, and though Belle and Red had intended on swimming, they found themselves simply treading in the water, their lips pressed tightly together, their hands intertwined below the surface.
It might have been only ten minutes or an hour before Belle pulled away, her lips curled permanently upward. "I'll be right back," she whispered.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm thirsty."
"So drink from the lake," Red shrugged.
"Only if I want to catch multiple diseases." Belle laughed as she swam back to the stoney ground, emerging from the pool and grabbing the water jar. That was when she saw the snake, and her body stiffened. It was lying, curved in an 'S' shape, a few feet away. It was looking at her, its tongue flicking in and out.
"Belle, what is it?"
"It's - a - snake," she stuttered nervously.
"Don't move, Belle. Stay right where you are." Red's voice was calm, but Belle's heart was beating fast inside her chest.
The snake moved its head, and she couldn't help it. She panicked, her foot jerked to the left, tangling in the pile of clothes as her other foot came down on the snake's tail. Its head twisted, and fangs sank into Belle's leg.
Then it disappeared into a crack in the ground.
Belle started to fall, but Red was there, jumping out of the water to catch her. "Did it get you?" she whispered as she lowered them to the ground slowly.
Belle nodded once, and tears built up in Red's eyes. "What's wrong? It's just a bite ... right?" Red's hand brushed against her cheek, and she kissed Belle's forehead. "What? What is it? What's going to happen to me?"
"Ssh," Red mumbled soothingly. One tear was working its way down her cheek. "Don't panic. You have to stay calm otherwise - otherwise the venom will spread faster."
"Venom?" Belle's voice shook, but she tried not to concentrate on it. It didn't work.
Red grabbed her dress and gently pulled it over Belle's body before getting dressed herself. "I feel fine. Maybe it didn't release any - " But Belle knew that to finish the sentence would be to lie.
Red lifted Belle into her arms. "Red? Am I going to die?" Belle whispered.
"No. I won't let anything happen, not to you."
Belle didn't start to feel strange until an hour later. Red was packing a bag, and Belle didn't understand. Where could they be going? Surely Red knew how to make her feel better. She had always known.
"How are you feeling?" Red asked as she crouched beside the bed where Belle lay.
"Dizzy," she replied honestly. "I feel like I'm floating."
Red's head hung low for a moment before she said, "I don't have the medicine you need, Belle. But I'm going to take you to someone who does."
Belle's eyes were fighting her mind as they threatened to close, and Red grabbed her face gently. "You have to stay awake, Belle. You have to stay with me, okay?"
Everything was starting to look fuzzy as Red picked her up. Belle clung to the folds of her cloak, nestling into her warmth and concentrating on it, on Red. But nothing could distract her from the fear. She had never felt so afraid in her life.
The journey was so long, and it was dark by the time they reached a town. Or maybe it wasn't dark; maybe that was just the way Belle was seeing things.
"We're here, Belle. You're safe now." Belle felt tears hit her face, and she heard voices.
"What is the meaning of this?!"
"Belle?! Is that the princess?!"
"Explain yourself at once!"
Belle's chest started to ache, and her ears began to make regular noises sound muffled. The only thing she could feel was Red's cheeks against her fingertips.
The next few minutes were hazy and painful; it was hard to breathe. Belle could hear Red; she didn't know what she was saying, but she could hear her. She sounded so upset, and then, those warm, safe arms were gone, replaced with a cold, hard surface.
Something was pressed over her nose and mouth, and Belle could finally breathe a little better, and she could see and hear. There were tears in Red's eyes, and Belle reached out and grabbed her hand. Red glanced anxiously at the door for a second before turning back to Belle and gripping her hand in return.
There was the sound of a door opening. A soldier entered and started asking Red questions, shoving a piece of paper in her face. Red was shouting, pointing. Then she looked at Belle ... really looked at her. Her eyes were desperate, wanting something ... finding something. Red's eyes became even wetter as they traveled over Belle, lingering on her legs, face, arms, fingers, eyes. Belle tried to speak, but she couldn't. Red turned back to the soldier, yelled something at him. Then she stepped over to the table and leaned over Belle, stroking her face.
"Goodbye, Belle," she whispered. "You'll be okay." Red's fingers brushed her hair as she started to pull away.
No. Belle shook her head. No.
She grabbed at Red and got a hold of her elbow. With all the strength she had, Belle pulled at Red. Red let her. She came down easily. And then, she was right there. Belle ran her fingers up Red's arm onto her chest, stopping over her heart, longing for her heat. She gripped the back of Red's neck, fingers twisting in her hair.
Then, with the final bit of strength, Belle pulled Red's face toward her. Her head left the table to get to her. Red's skin was almost touching hers. Her mouth was so close. Belle felt her warm breath, tasted her lips, soft against her own.
And then, Red was being pulled off of Belle. She was being held. And Belle fell back. She looked for Red, found her deep green eyes. Red didn't cry; she didn't move; she just stood there, like a rock, watching the world darken over Belle's eyes. Red lifted her hand to her mouth, opened her fingers and blew a kiss to Belle.
Then the door shut, and Red was gone, and other, colder, fingers felt for Belle's face. But it didn't matter. The world went all black anyway.
Belle was cold. Her body wasn't numb, just sore, empty. There were four shadowy walls around her. No windows. When she looked at one wall, it felt like the others were closing in.
It was such a small room. Red wasn't in it.
She was alone.
Fingers brushed cold against Belle's arm.
"Where's Red?" she asked.
"Who?" It was a man's voice.
"Where's Red?"
The fingers stopped moving. There was a sigh.
"You don't have to worry about her anymore," the voice said gently. "She's gone."
"Gone where?"
But he did not reply.
"She's been in a venom-induced coma. She'll feel strange for quite some time."
There was a guard at the door. Belle's father was staring at her, his face scrunched up, as he waited for her to react.
Belle wanted to talk. A part of her was so glad to see him that she wanted to cry. But she couldn't do anything.
"Oh, my darling Belle, I was so worried. I can't imagine how terrifying it must have been for you. But it's all right. I'm here now. You're safe." There was something so wrong with those words. Belle didn't feel safe. She had never felt less safe in her life.
Her father came back the next day. This time, he was alone. There was no guard, and there was no healer. "The doctor said you'd been asking for her." Belle felt her heart flutter. Was she finally going to get answers? "You don't have to worry. I took care of that monster. She will never hurt you again, Belle."
"I don't understand," she choked out. "Where is she? I want to see her!"
"Calm down," her father whispered. "That monster is never going to hurt you or anyone else again."
"She's not a monster!"
"Belle," his voice was gentle, subtly condescending, as though her knew something she didn't understand yet, "she killed an innocent boy."
"No, she wouldn't do that."
"Belle ... "
"She wouldn't kill anybody!" Belle shouted. "It was the wolf that killed Peter!" She had already put the puzzle pieces together.
"How do you know his name?"
"Because Red told me," she lied.
"Belle, did something else happen? Did she do something to you? A love potion perhaps?"
"Get out!" Belle shouted, frustrated tears falling thick and fast from her eyes. "Go away!"
They thought she was crazy. The whole world thought she was crazy. At first, her father had been understanding, believing that one day, Belle would wake up and come back to him the way she used to be.
If only life were that simple. If only Belle could forget the beautiful woman who stole her away. If only she could wish away her feelings. But she couldn't. And she never would.
Red was right. The world was corruptible and selfish, and Belle would give anything to be gone from it.
She could never see Red again; she could never feel her touch; she could never kiss her lips; she could never feel the warmth and safety of her arms. The only place that Red existed now was in her dreams.
So Belle slept. She lay next to Red, their arms around each other, looking up at the stars. And she never woke up.
A/n: I wish I could explain to you what I was thinking when I wrote this. But I can't even begin to try. I want to make it perfectly clear that I do not condone Red's actions in any way. The point of this was not to tell you to go kidnap somebody or stalk them. I just had to get it out of my mind.