The victim had brought little comfort to his troubled mind. Since she had shown him such tenderness he was having trouble being content with just victims. He wanted something more, he wanted affection, but he didn't want to risk getting hurt again. Everyone he had gotten close to in his life had hurt him, either physically or emotionally.

Alice was woken in the middle of the night by an ear piercing, she sat bolt up right in bed at the shock of the noice, wondering what on earth it was. She was used to hearing screams coming from Otis's room, but this was no victims scream.

Slowly she went into Otis's room to check on him, quietly opening the door she saw Otis sat bolt up right breathing heavily. His dingy white vest and Otis's face was damp with sweat.

"Otis, you alrigtht?" Alice asked concerned.

"Alice what the fuck get out"!" He growled.

"Otis I..."

"I said get out!" Otis shouted.

"I just wanted to make sure you were alright" Alice huffed.

"What do you care?" Otis snarled at her, Alice sighed and walked into his bedroom sitting on his bed. It was a daring move, she didn't think Otis would ever hurt her but she wasn't sure he was very unpredictable when angry.

"Otis of course I care, what happened, was it a nightmare?" She asked, she could see him shaking still from fright.

"Ain't nothin' but nothin" He muttered, shrugging it off.

"Your hands are still shaking Otis, talk to me" Alice said softly, taking one shaking hand into both of hers. Hopefully to provide some form of comfort.

"I...I just get dreams about them sometimes is all" Otis said shrugging.

"Your parents?" Alice asked and Otis replied with a nod.

"Oh Otis" She soothed brushing a strand of damp hair out of his face.

"I didn't want you finding out, I know you're gonna think I'm weak and fucked up now"

"What! Otis no, you're strong" Alice gasped reaching to touch his face causing him to flinch "I don't know what you suffered but you survived hell" She said gently stroking his cheek. "I'd never hurt you like your parents Otis, I just want to be lucky enough to be the one to get close to you" Otis's cheeks flushed red, noone but the Firefly family had taken the effort to gain his trust without an alterier motive.

Alice stood up and went to leave, but a strong hand grasped her wrist to stop her.

"Alice... I, stay" He managed to stutter.

"Are you sure?" Otis quickly nodded before he changed his mind.

"Ok Otis if you're sure" Otis pulled back the orange sheets to make room for her. She laid down beside him and he wrapped his arms protectively around her. Despite Otis's horrific crimes he still really wanted to feel loved ever since he was little. But he was scared, once his parents had realised he wanted their love they used it against him, so he was still afraid to let someone close to him. But he wanted to treat Alice how he wanted to be treated.

Otis awoke to find Alice curled up to him fast asleep, she looked so happy and comfortable there. Otis cursed himself under his breath, what had he done! He never let women spend the night in his bed. True he had had his fair share of women, willingly or not but he had never taken them to his room to have sex let alone let them spend the night sleeping next to him. Otis began to panic, this was a big mistake he shouldn't have done that, shouldn't have allowed himself to get too close to her. Pretty soon she would use him or hurt him just like everyone else who he had allowed in. No! he had to undo this, he had to built the wall back up he wasn't going to allow her to get close enough to hurt him, no matter how tempting the affection from her seemed.

Slowly he slipped out of her grip, damn this girl was like an octopus all arms and grabby. But she didn't wake up to his movement. He had to put some boundaries between them, he needed to go out and clear his head. Otis stormed into the workshop and slammed the wooden door behind him. He gave out a loud roar and punched the bonnet of the car they were doing up with his fist.
"Hay don't take it out on the car man" A deep voice mumbled from underneath the car. Otis jumped and swore at the unsuspected voice.
"God Dammit Rufus I didn't know you were here" Otis said startled.
"What's rubbed you up the wrong way to damage my new paintwork?" Rufus asked sliding out from underneath the car.
"Nothin' I'm fine" Otis snapped, grabbing a metal bucket, tipping it upside down and sitting on it.
"You're a terrible liar you know?" Rufus chuckled, wiping his hands on a rag.

Otis gave a heavy sigh as he knew he'd been found out, he was a fantastic liar to everyone else. It's what made him so good at what he did, but he was terrible at lying to his family they knew him too well and could tell when he was lying. There was no point trying to pretend everything was alright.
"It's Alice..." Otis began.
"What about her... you finally drove her mad putting up with your shit?" Rufus joked causing Otis to glare at him and give him daggers.
"No!... She, she stayed the night last night" He managed to say.
"Well of course she did, she lives there" Rufus laughed.
"No you asshole! you know what I mean" Otis snapped "In my bed" He whispered.
"Nooo, you're kidding, you're always at each others throats"
"Thanks...that doesn't help at all" Otis sighed rubbing his face with his hands.
"Well what of it?" Rufus frowned, unsure where he was going with all this.
"She...she's getting close to me I can feel it and I, I seem to be letting her" Otis explained sounding nervous.

Rufus knew 'some' of what Otis had gone through before he joined the Firefly family, but not all of it. Otis had kept some to himself, hadn't dared open up to anyone fully for fear of someone using it against him. Rufus looked down at his older brother and smiled sympathetically, it seemed strange to always have to act like the older brother with Otis. It was always Rufus that had to give advise and listen to Otis's problems, calm him down and make him feel better. Although they could very often be as childish as each other and that's when accidents happened.
"Otis, surely you're smart enough to see that she's not like your parents, she cares about you, no matter how much you bicker"
"Yeah but what if?" Otis sighed, Rufus walked up to him grabbed another bucket and sat beside him and put his arm round Otis's neck.
"There is no 'what if' with Alice, no way on earth would she hurt you on purpose"
"You think?
"I bet my life on it man" Rufus smiled, he noticed a touch of relief on his face. "Come on lets get this heap of junk fixed, YOU can sort that dent out you made" Rufus laughed.
"Hay RJ it could've been worse, it could have been your face" Otis chuckled.
"Hahaha, in your dreams little man, in your dreams" Rufus laughed smacking Otis on the back and standing up to get to work.