Ashley shook me awake, opening my eyes rubbing the sleep out I didn't understand but she wasn't looking at me, no her eyes wide with fear stared at the front of the truck where Charlie, Joe and Mark all stood with hand guns. I gulped and cowered feeling stupid at letting them get to me. Joe barked an order which I assumed was something like get up because they all jumped up with Ashley pulling me to my feet. We followed them out of the truck, Sean and Aiden helping us girl's down.

Joe was the leader, this I was sure of, but what did he want from us...what could five teenagers get him besides money. Because there was no way I lost my hearing and went thru that pain for some stupid cash, there had to be more at stake than just that.

Licking my lips I felt Ashley intertwine are hands, not just cup them like I was used to no she went all out, running her thumb over the back of my hand. My heart slowed considerable that is until Mark pushed me to the ground with Sean, Chelsea and Ashley while Aiden was handcuffed...his hands raised above his head put on a hook, his legs shackled to the floor. I noticed we were in a hanger like the last one, a private plane sat toward the far end of the building.

Sean leaned over and whispered to Chelsea while Joe talked probably telling us that if we moved he would die same thing he told them about me when I was locked up. My eyes darted around looking for the machine that they would use but saw nothing until Charlie wheeled over a barbeque which I have to say sparked my attention, what could they...ohhhhhh! My mind quickly put two and two together as Aiden's shirt was ripped off and a flat metal rod was placed in the flames dancing high in the pit of the barbeque.

It seemed Charlie was the one who enjoyed the actually action as he was the one with a sick smile as he walked over to the teenager hanging and helpless. Aiden shot off his mouth earning a smack across the face as the hot rod placed on his stomach, his mouth opened but I couldn't hear, my eyes transfixed on the smoke traveling off his flesh. His body shook trying to dislodge himself but the chains held fast, in the corner of my eye I saw Sean holding Chelsea's head into his chest covering her eyes and ears while he screwed his eyes shut tight almost turning his lids white. Ashley too glanced away staring at the ground but I couldn't, I watched as he jerked...as flesh seared into a bright red and the rod sunk in before it was pulled away.

I didn't know it at the time but I was crying, the tears traveled my cheeks as I watched them burn Aiden on the chest and back until Ashley's arms wrapped me up forcing me to look away, forcing my eyes shut into her chest. I struggled desperately wanting to see what was happening, I couldn't hear so my eyes became my security blanket and she was taking it away, she was taking away my ability to protect myself because with out me looking they could easily hurt me without a warning unlike the others who would hear them approach. After a while I realized she wasn't going to let go, she held me tighter the more I squirmed until finally I snuggled in. I felt her salty tears dripping from her chin onto my head and I didn't know what to do but hold her close to me as well.

We sat down or should I say pushed down roughly while Aiden was handcuffed and hoisted up for what ever they had planned which we found out quickly. Charlie wheeled over a barbeque and I can honestly say I had no clue what it was going to be used for until a flat metal rod was heated and Charlie brought it over to Aiden.

"You'll love this," Charlie cooed.

"Burn in hell!" Aiden spat.

Charlie back handed him, "You're the only one here that's going to burn!" he said while applying the rod to Aiden's stomach. God he was screaming so loud and the smell of burned flesh made my stomach topple over, I swear I was going to throw up. The empty hanger made the screams echo off and back to us, Charlie was laughing along while Joe and Mark talked casually like some teenager wasn't being viciously burned in front of them.

I couldn't look anymore so I turned my head figuring it would make it less real, my eyes settled on Spencer, her baby blues which should never have landed on the scene before her, was entranced with what was going on. Tears streamed down her face and I knew she shouldn't watch so I grabbed her and tucked her head closer to me she struggled for a while but I couldn't let her watch, the more screams echoed the more she thrashed in my arms the worse I felt as tears fell down my cheeks and on to her head soon she stopped trying to force me away and snuggled closer as if she sensed that I needed her at the moment.

"Okay up!" Mark yelled at us, I nudged Spencer telling her silently we needed to get up. Her eyes locked with me and a small smile tugged on her lips but it didn't reach her ears like when she read one of her favorite mystery novels while sitting under the tree, the sun hitting her hair just right making it sparkle.

Once again we were loaded into the truck this time Aiden being carried in side, they laid him down making his body jerk in response to the solid texture on his skin. Shutting the lift we were left alone to care for one of ours that they damaged, Chelsea crawled over to the whimpering boy running her hands thru his hair like I had done to Spencer.

"We need to clean his wounds," she whispered.

"We can't use the soda it'll sting," Sean sighed rubbing his temples clock wise. I knew I had to help out but the minute I moved Spencer's hand wrapped tightly around my wrist. I saw in her eyes she thought I was leaving her even though she'd be able to see me since the back of the truck wasn't big. I don't know why she took a liking to me since I'd hurt her emotionally for so long but honestly I wasn't complaining it was in fact what I wanted since the first day I saw her.

Giving her a half smile I tried again but she held tighter sighing I stared at her, blonde locks floating around her head which was constantly shaking back and forth telling me I couldn't leave because she was panicking. Leaning forward I captured her lips between mine feeling her gasp at the sudden motion, for a minute she sat there unsure of what to do but than she started kissing me back feverishly like if she stopped we'd die. The kiss grew more heated as I ran my hands up and down her arms, this was the perfect kiss I'd been waiting for. The one that sent me head first into cloud nine, hell past that outer space. My whole body tingled, I needed more...wanted more, I scooted closer tugging at the back of her neck clashing our lips together harder causing her to moan.

"Cut that shit out!" Sean yelled angrily, I pulled away looking at him. He sat with his arms folded glaring, "He's injured and you want to make out...keep it in your pants Davies," he said disappointed in me.

My brown eyes looked back to Spencer, her blue's glazed over in confusion and happiness. I could tell I totally just made her question her sexuality and in one instant I was glad that maybe I did have a chance with Miss. Straight-and-narrow, I mean she did kiss me back but on the other hand I felt guilty for putting her thru more than what she'd already been thru. Her shock gave me time to crawl away and help Chelsea and Sean clean Aiden up the best we could with no supplies.

When we finished Aiden curled into a ball whimpering quietly, I draped a blanket over him careful to not place too much pressure on the burns. I sat there for a second just staring at him, he had been a friend to me once before he went and got popular and stupid. The memory of his screams and her screams planted deep inside my mind never to escape, tears flowed down my cheeks yet again making me feel weak and undeserving to even be here with these people. Glancing up I saw Sean and Chelsea talking quietly while settling down and going to sleep, turning my head to see Spencer with her lips pressed firmly together eye brows furrowed in deep thought but once she realized I was looking held her arms wide open inviting me into her warmth this time and I didn't need to be told twice as I hurriedly tumbled into them. She wrapped me up and rocked me, I pulled her down so we both were on are sides, yanking the blanket over us we stared at each other silently communicating because she saw my fear, she reached deep down in my soul and was forcing me to deal with the situation and I was doing the same for her. Blue became my favorite color as I drowned in a sea of smiles and tears, anger and depression...we teetered so close to the edge of reason both clinging to each other as a raft, neither letting go of the other as we fell into dark dreams of what may happen next.

TBC.