Chapter 7

I sat with my back against the far wall, the farthest away from the cackling fire in the opposite corner. Liam lay on the hard floor in front of the heat, his body tightly wrapped in a old blanket. The only blanket we had. But, I suppose he is more important.

The fire is dieing but there is no way I'm leaving this spot. So all I do is wrap my arms closer around me. I can hear an old pipe somewhere, clanging, thirsty for something other than dry air. I close my eyes and try to see his face, try to picture what he doing right now. Is he being tortured? Have they lit him on fire and watched him burn to ashes? Is there coloured smoke? I shiver, but I don't cry.

"Don't you want to know what happened?" A voice croaks from across the room.

"No."

When I wake up later, my arms are beat red from the cold. The fire has gone out and my chin is chattering uncontrollably. I can't move I'm so cold. I moan. I close my eyes and will for the stinging to stop.

"Isabella? Hey, Bella." I opened my eyes a fraction and look up at Liam. I don't know who else I was expecting to come. I might have pictured Edward bringing me into his arms, but I knew it wasn't, because these arms were warm. I couldn't help myself. I rolled closer into his body, burying my cold face into his chest. His arms were strong, his hands quickly rubbed by body. I got warmer, but his touch stung me. I winced, but he and I knew that I had to get warm quickly. I wasn't crying, but tears ran down my face. Liam rubbed his cheek against mine, and held his hands on either side of my face. I was warm but I continued to shiver. Liam wrapped the blanket around us, and we just sat there. I opened my eyes enough to see that Liam had already started a new fire.

It must have been hours before I awoke again. The first thing I noticed was that I was warm. The second thing I noticed was my face pressed up against Liams neck, his scent, a mixture of the oitment I put on his wounds and the scent of the soap from his last shower, which was fading, filling my nostrils as I lie there listening to his steady heartbeat, which told me that he was asleep. His arms were still around me as I layed half on top of him and half off, his knee giving me support and comfort between mine. I closed my eyes for a moment and hide inside myself. I felt like reaching up and thanking Liam. No. What was I thinking? Uh. Edward. I had to find Edward, but first I had to get out of Liams arms. I slowly pushed on his chest, trying to get him to change positions so that I could slip off him, but it just stirred him and his grip on me grew tighter. He moaned and nudged the top of my head with his chin and I felt his lips in my hair. I pinched his wrist and he turned, his arms slipping from around me. I took the chance and stood up, amazed that he was still asleep. I wrapped the blanket around myself and walked to the fireplace, kneeling down to throw wood into the hungry flames.

I heard Liam behind me before I felt his hand on my shoulder.

"We'll get him back." He whispered.