A/N: So I just finished writing this story and I think the ending is so-so. It's kinda happy but kinda not. I dunno. Let me know what you think! And please check out the poll on my profile-the winning character will get a oneshot all about them. (Send in your ideas for the oneshot, too!)

Chapter 3

Griffin was running through a sand dune frantically, trying to get away far enough to lose the Paladin that was chasing him. He had done exactly as he planned, but still managed to get seen. Stupid arse, Griffin thought as he jumped, propelling himself forward. As the sun beat down heavily and the two ran through the desert, Griffin looked back to see the man reloading his weapon as he ran. Fuck. Griffin jumped behind the Paladin and pushed him hard into the sand. I did not wanna have to get bloody today. He pulled a knife out of his pocket as he kicked the man a repeatedly. "Where is he?" he asked in a vicious rumble as he leaned down, holding the knife to the Paladin's throat.

The Paladin squirmed a bit under his grasp. "Gone. You won't get him. He'll get y-"

Griffin slit the man's throat mericlessly. He was tired of playing this game of cat and mouse with Roland through the other Paladins. Griffin stood up, wiping the sand off his jeans and getting a smear of blood on them. He looked at his hand. "Cripes," he moaned. He had some of the man's blood on his hand. "An' I liked these jeans," he grumbled, kicking the bleeding Paladin's corpse before taking hold of it and jumping to a high cliff. He flung the limp body over the cliff and jumped back to the lair. "I'm back!" he called into the living room.

He was taking off his jacket when he heard Penny walk into the room. "How'd it go?" she asked.

"Just swell. I got blood on me good pants," he said while removing his shirt and throwing it on the floor angrily. When he looked up again, Penny was sitting on the end of the bed in a blue strappy nightgown. He raised an eyebrow. "When'd yeh get tha'?"

An innocent smile crept across her face. "I got bored, so I went out." She stood and walked to him. "It's not the only thing I bought," she quietly said running a hand down his chest.

He moved his arms around her waist but remembered the blood on his hands. Damn it. "Uh..." he held up his hands, showing her the blood.

Penny grabbed his hands and pulled him towards the enclosed shower he had installed in the lair. "Let's get you cleaned up then," she said pulling off her nightgown and turning the water on. Griffin wasn't going to protest to this. He pulled off his boots and pants as he saw Penny step into the shower in the corner of his eye. Griffin just stood their for a minute in his boxers, admiring her slender, yet muscular figure. He had an ugre to get his sketch book and draw her, but he didn't. "You coming?" she asked, poking her head out from behind the door and dripping water on the ground. He stripped down the rest of the way and joined her, deciding he would draw it from memory later.

It's official. I fuckin' hate Italy. Griffin was strapped to a cold metallic table in a dull grey room. He couldn't remember how he got here, but he could remember the last thing he had been doing: tracking a Paladin he thought to be Roland in Italy. Fucking Roland, Griffin thought. It had all been a trap, obviously. Griffin cursed himself for not seeing it sooner. Why would a Paladin ever go out alone? Especially Roland since they knew he was after them. Such a simple trail too. He cursed himself silently again.

He heard a door open and shut from somewhere behind him. He was slightly nervous and tried to move his hands as if to defend himself, but had no luck. Griffin looked down, seeing clasps locking, keeping his feet down. Identical ones were holding his wrists. Turning back to facing forward, he saw Roland himself walk in front of him. Griffin's anger rose and he once again tried to move his hands. Roland smirked. "We've finally caught you, O'Conner. After all these years..."

Griffin scoweld. "When yeh gunna kill me? I know you're just itching to."

Roland shook his head. "As much as I would love to, I can't. The snatch was for a reason."

Snatch? So It was a planned trail. "Why?"

Roland cleared his throat and narrowed his eyes. "We need to know where the girl is," he said in a low booming voice. His face looked dark and Griffin wanted nothing more than to punch him for talking about Penelope like this. "Now would to like to tell me or do I have to use force?" Roland asked as he walked to the side of where Griffin was. His hand lingered over a button on the wall.

"Fuck off," Griffin spat.

"Fine. Suit yourself," he said pushing the button. Griffin's body spasmed as if he was being electrocuted. As a matter of fact I am. Damn, I need to jump out of here!He attempted a jump, but only caused himself more pain. He trembled violently as the electricity pulsed through him.

Roland pushed the button again and the pain stopped. "Would you like to share the location now?"

Griffin twitched once and threw a glance at Roland. "I'll never tell you," he panted. Roland pushed the button again and leaned against the wall casually. "You sick-" Griffin began, but the electric current began moving through him. This time he screamed. How much of this can I take before I die?Griffin wondered as his body convulsed. Roland pushed the button sooner than before and repeated the question. "Why?" Griffin managed to ask. "Why do you want her?"

Roland's eyes narrowed. "She could be special to us. We need her. Now tell me where she is! This is your last chance!" His voice grew louder with each word he spoke and made Griffin flinch.

Once again, Griffin wouldn't answer. He shut his eyes and shook his head. I'll die protecting her if I must. He felt the electricity again and his body shook and trembled. He heard Roland's voice say something about miserable jumpers before everything around him grew dark and he blacked out.

Griffin rolled onto his side, trying to open his eyes. He remembered being tortured by Roland and from the way his muscles felt, it wasn't a dream. He started to sit up, but felt dizzy when he tried. "Best not to move right away," he heard a voice say. "There's a wall a few inches behind you though. Brace yourself."

Griffin made a groan to let the person know he was listening. He inches back, pulling against what felt to be concrete. "Who," his voice felt rough. "Who are you?" Must have been out for a while.

He heard a chain rattle. "David. My name's David. And you?" The voice had an American accent Griffin noticed as he began to sit up with his back against the wall. The wall was as cold and hard as the floor was. He cracked open his eyes.

Griffin leaned his head back and forward, setting his now open eyes on a man with short hair. Blond from the looks of it. He was wearing a tattered and dirty green jacket with blue jeans. "Griffin," he replied.

The man, who was David, looked him over. "What do they have you in for, Griffin?"

David seemed to be an upbeat guy in his opinion. Here we are in what looks like a jail cell. Chained down after being tortured half to death and he's smiling? Griffin smirked. "They're after my girlfriend." Griffin couldn't remember using that exact term with Penny but it seemed to fit.

David frowned. "My girlfriend's dead. They killed her," he said while looking at his black shoes. "Her name was Millie."

Griffin thought he saw a tear drop onto the ground. "I'm sorry for your loss..." he trailed off. He never had been good at apologizing. Maybe since I've got free time it would be good to start.