I own nothing, all rights go to their respective owners I'm just in love with the following

(This chapter contains rather graphic violence and torture)

After a wild spree of passionate events between the two of them Joe and Emma relax in each others arms. "Helped in anyway?" Emma whispers softly. "With my writers block? Hardly! With my mood? Most definitely." Joe smirks gleefully, yet still feels unnerved at his writers block. "Do you want me to round someone up for you?" Emma offers. "Yes my dear, that may help. Don't go local, actually don't go at all. Get someone else to go." Joe murmurs sleepily. "Worried for my safety?" She chokes, barely able to contain her surprise. "Worried for my mood Em, I'm pretty sure you could take any bastard on without even obtaining a scratch." He mutters encouragingly. Emma smiles and allows Joe to pull her closer. "How did your day with Mandy go my love?" He asks after a couple of moments of silence. "Ok. I think she still hates me." Emma smirks. "I'm pretty sure it's the other way around." He chuckles. "I need to go and do something." Emma says abruptly, pulling out of Joes embrace to head for the door. He watches her go before putting the pillow over his head, grunting at the thought of another idea less day!

Trying not to make a sound Emma races across the corridor, passing several other followers to get to the bathroom where she promptly throws up. "Jesus fucking Christ." Emma mutters angrily to herself, washing her face with cold water. Pulling herself together she looks to the door and focus's on what she needs to do. Forget what Joe said. She tells herself before heading for the stairs.

Back in his study Joe begins his thinking, anything to get past the block in his mind. Yet today he feels less stressed after the rather eventfulness of last night. She's not Claire, not Claire at all but she's something else. Something rather wonderful she understands him and his needs more than Claire ever did. A glamorous assistant is what Emma is and if he were being honest he does care for her deeply, love her even. She was there when no one else was. She was there with him and Mandy and never gave up on him. Yes she can be irritating at times but beneath that is an artist. Not as artistic as he but artistic enough. Snapping himself out of his thoughts he returns to his writers block, however he doesn't get that far until there is a disruption, a knock on the door. Clenching his fists angrily, he swiftly pulls a knife into his hand before heading for the door. However he finds that it's Mandy, who shudders at the sight of the knife in his hand. "Mouse, what do you want?" He addresses her with the nickname he uses for her. "Emma called me, she wanted me to tell you that she has left a gift for you in the basement." She says quietly. "I thought I told her to stay here." He growls at her disobedience. "She's back now if you want her." Mandy says quietly. "Thank you. You're a good girl mouse, I think you and my son would get a long." Joe ruffles her hair affectionately, thinking momentarily of his far away son Joey. "Do you need anything else?" She asks. "No mouse, go have fun. Better yet get Emma to take you out again. I'll ask her." Joe smirks, proud to have found away to deal with Em's disobedience and with a spring in his step he heads to look for her.

Joe finds Emma in the kitchen and swiftly tackles her from behind. "You're lucky I can tell when it's your sneaking up on me." She murmurs . "How do you know it's me?" He smirks. "Well for one you're the only person brave enough to sneak up on me as I'm pretty sure no one else would dare to or else, well you know what would happen." She shows him the knife in her hand. "I approve my love, however what I do not approve of is you disobeying me." He mutters, she sighs. "I didn't think you'd notice me gone and anyway I was doing you a favor. Check your basement." Emma smirks to herself. "Is this a distraction my love?" Joe asks, licking his lips at the thought of what could possibly be in that basement as he has a pretty good idea what. Emma smiles at Joe before turning to leave. "Wait right there. Do not think that just because you've given me a gift that you are let of the hook for disobeying an order." Joe folds his arms and Emma hangs her head like a child who knows they're in trouble. Joe smirks at Emma's attitude. "Well since you enjoyed it so much yesterday I want you to take Mandy out again." Joe continues to smirk happily at his idea of punishment. Emma groans at the order but doesn't dare to test his authority. "Fine, I'll take Mandy out." Emma mutters resentfully. "That's my girl." Joe gives her one last look before practically skipping out in the direction of the basement.

Joe stops on the top of the stairs to the basement, closing his eyes smiling as he hears the faint screams coming from down below. Now this is definitely a distraction from his painful writers block, Joe thinks to himself as he descends the stairs. Two followers stand by a cage they keep on the corner. "It's okay boys, good job. Keep up with the good work." Joe praises his two followers as they nod at him, shaking his hand in turn heading back up the stairs. Joe turns to his new victim. Maybe this will give him what he needs to get past his writers block." He hopes as he advances on the cage. "Come on sweetheart, come on. Be a good girl for me and I'll try and be quick." He pulls the pretty blonde girl out, who struggles against his grip as he drags her forcibly to the metal table in the middle of the room. The screams of his victim music to his ears. Now how should he do this? He thinks as he begins to decorate the girl with slashes from a knife. "Now you're going to help me aren't you? You see I have a little problem, well a big one that I need solving." Joe smiles at his victim before stabbing her repeatedly. "Now I doubt I can write a book about mainly stabbing people, that would never hit the shelves. Do something interesting!" Joe begs her, waiting several moments before folding his arms. "You're not though are you? He sighs before slamming the knife into her eye, his trademark move before cutting it out, doing the same to the other. Then, still with the burden of writers block Joe looks over his dead victim revelling in his bittersweet victory.

After a long shower to cleanse himself of the blood from his most recent victim Joe heads back to his office pouring himself a tall drink as he sits at his desk, looking at the notebook in front of him. Taking a deep breath he opens the book, yet before his pen hits the paper his phone rings. "Bloody hell!" He yells frustrated at the interruption, answering it anyway. "Carroll." He snaps. "Joe? Joe! Please help me. I, I don't know what to do!" Mandy's distressed voice fills his ear. "Mandy, mouse slow down what's wrong? What's happened?" Joe asks her calmly. "We were attacked. Two people dressed in black, they came out of no where!" Mandy cries. "Tell me where you are and I'll send someone or myself to come get you, where's Emma? Can I speak to Emma please Mandy." Joe says calmly. "They. They were trying to kill me, Emma pushed me out of the way but they took her. Emma's gone!"

Authors note: Thanks for taking the time to read my story feedback, the good and the bad means a lot and helps me to become a better writer thank you x