A/N: Awwww this one will make you feel warm and fuzzy. Unless you're totally cold-hearted like me, in which case it's just kinda nice. Either way, this chapter = ^_^
Thanks for reading, you champs. Means a lot to me.
This is the second chapter tonight to make up for not updating last night. Read and enjoy. :)
Chapter Six - Rescued
Darkness, total darkness. The cold bit into him like razor sharp teeth, making him gasp and shiver. Sweat ran in rivers down his skin, chilling him to the bone, goosebumps rising as he heard the screaming. Echoing, distant, the scream of someone in unspeakable pain, of someone who wonders if they'll make it till morning.
Gino sat upright in his bed, gasping for air, chest aching with every breath, heart hammering at an ungodly pace. He clutched at his sheets, forcing himself to calm down. Just a nightmare, nothing more. Just a dream.
Gino sighed, and he ran a hand through his hair, feeling the stickiness of sweat. He felt disgusting, and the aftertaste of cold fear still lingered from the awful nightmare. It's alright, he told himself. In ten minutes I'll have forgotten about it.
Glancing at the clock and groaning as he saw the time. It was early, but not nearly enough to permit him to go back to sleep again. Sighing once more, Gino got out of bed and went to take a shower, deciding he'd clean up and then go visit Kallen. Even if she was still asleep, just being near her would make him feel better, would chase away whatever was left of his dream.
Gino felt a smile tug at the corner of his lips, quickly showering and throwing on his Knight suit, pulling on his gloves as he walked out the door. It was so early that the only noises was the gentle, soothing sound of the odd car driving by, background noise that soothed the city like a birdsong to the country.
Gino rubbed at his eyes, very nearly totally awake and he picked up a good pace as he wandered through the building, the elevators seeming especially slow as he went down a few floors, the gentle rush of the elevator another familiar morning greeting.
Adjusting his coat around his shoulders as he reached the lower chamber, he swiped his card-key and wandered through, lifting his eyes to see Kallen, yearning for the soft glow of her skin, the strong defiant glint in her blue eyes, the gentle curtain of perfect red hair falling down her neck.
But she wasn't there. Gino frowned. Where was she? He couldn't see her. Picking up speed, he hurried to the glass cell, and as he reached the bridge towards the door, he saw her lying on the floor on the other side of the chair. That was why he hadn't seen her. But whatever was she doing on the floor…?
Gino felt his chest tighten uncomfortably as he saw how she was slumped awkwardly, and he was very nearly running towards the door when he noticed her body jerk as she sobbed, her face pressed against the cold, hard floor. Gino fumbled with his card-key, trying to open the door as fast as he could, and he swore as he dropped it. It opened the second time around, forcing his hands to keep still and he threw himself through the door and on the floor beside her, and he said in a desperate voice, "Kallen? Oh god, Kallen, what happened?"
Kallen trembled as she lifted her head, raising herself up on her arms slightly to look at him, and then she cried out and turned away, trying to drag herself up and get away from him.
"Kallen?" Gino cried, "What's going on?"
Kallen's voice was tiny, wavering uncontrollably as she said, "Go away."
Gino was hurt when she said this but he knew she didn't mean it. Somehow, the way she said it wasn't because of him. It was because of something else.
"Kallen, look at me," Gino said softly. "I – I want to help you."
Kallen shook her head, and Gino looked at her closely, noticing how her hair was especially messy, her dress torn and ruffled in an unpleasant way, and Gino felt the anger and hurt bubbling inside him like molten lava when he saw the bruises and cuts on her arms, the blood on her clothes.
Gino reached out and touched Kallen's shoulder, and she flinched away. "Please, let me help you," Gino begged. He tugged on her elbow, trying to turn her towards him, but she wrenched herself away.
"Don't look at me!" she cried out, voice dry and breaking. Gino ignored her, and he moved so he was sitting in front of her, and then he reached out and brushed her hair away from her face, only the very edge of his fingertips touching her skin and he saw the bruises, the black eye, cuts and swollen lip. He frowned, confused and angry, and he said quietly, "Kallen, what happened?"
She shook her head and began to shake, and Gino took her face in his hands and ran a careful hand over her cuts, over the dried blood and her swollen lip. He stared at her face and then he stared at her eyes, the sea of bruises nowhere near as dark as the blue he saw there, and he whispered, "I promise I won't let this happen again. I'll – I'll keep you safe, until you can be rescued."
Her eyes flickered as she stared right back at him, and then she threw herself into his arms, a strangled cry erupting from her throat as she began to sob into his shoulder, clinging to him for all she was worth. Gino wrapped his arms around her gently and drew her close, protecting her, and he heard Kallen whisper shakily, "I don't want to be rescued."
Gino frowned. "But Kallen – they hurt you. They're breaking you down. You need to get out of here, and I –"
"I don't want to be rescued," Kallen whispered, staring up at Gino, interrupting him. He hesitated, and then Kallen said quietly, "If I leave, I don't – I won't be –"
Gino waited for her to finish what she was saying, knowing that she bottled up her emotions, knowing she was more fragile than she let on, but she fell back into silence as she clung to him even tighter, seeking warmth, seeking safety.
Gino rocked her back and forth gently for a while, waiting for her heart-wrenching sobs and moans of pain and hurt to recede, stroking her hair gently, easing the knots out of the mess. When she finally fell into silence, Gino carefully lifted her chin with his fingertips, and he leaned forward, and brushed his lips across her cheek, kissing away her tears. He felt her go rigid as though she were made of stone, and he pulled away, touching her cheek gently with one hand.
Kallen's eyes went wide, her bad eye flinching as it battled against the swelling, and her lip trembled as she watched Gino, trying to figure out what to do. Gino sighed, and he pressed his forehead against hers, wanting to much to kiss her, to let her know how he felt, to show her it didn't matter that they were supposed to be enemies.
But he knew she was probably confused and hurt enough right now without his meddling. He whispered gently, "I'll take you to the hospital. There's an infirmary here. They'll let you stay in one of the wards – they can't leave you like this. It's against the law."
Kallen nodded slowly, clutching at Gino's jacket like it was all she had. Gino stared down at her, and he touched her hair again as he said, "Tell me who it was, Kallen."
Kallen pulled her legs closer to her chest, making herself even smaller. "No," she said. "I – I can't."
"I promise they won't touch you ever again. I'll keep you safe."
Kallen shook her head. "He won't – he'll know. I can't," she whispered.
Gino sighed, but he let it go. "Alright. I'm calling down the doctor." Without another word he pulled out his phone, and dialled the number for the infirmary reception. There'd be someone there, a nurse sorting out medicine or a doctor taking care of a patient. The phone rang for a few moments, before a tired voice answered saying, "Yes, hello, Eastern Lower Infirmary reception, Doctor Wilhelm speaking."
"Doctor Wilhelm, this is Gino Weinburg."
The tired voice immediately became slightly more awake. "Oh, of course, sir. What, ah, what seems to be the problem?"
Gino glanced at Kallen. "There's been an attack on a person in the building. She needs immediate attention."
"Of course, bring her in, we can –"
"I can't move her, Doctor."
"…Where are you, Sir?"
"Lower floor chamber."
"…"
"Doctor Wilhelm?"
"…Has the prisoner attempted an escape?"
"No, Doctor. Prisoner 107 is in need of medical attention."
"…"
"Doctor, I don't want to have to call the Knight of One."
"…We'll be there as soon as we can, Sir Weinsburg."
Gino sighed and put away his phone, holding Kallen closer to his chest. "It's okay, Kallen," he murmured into her hair. "It'll all be okay."
Kallen sighed, and then closed her eyes and rested against him.
"I'll keep you safe. You'll be okay…"
