Noelle didn't speak as she was drug forward, she couldn't, she didn't know what to say. They hadn't brought Aya, she couldn't communicate with them even if she wanted to. Noelle tried not to think about what they were going to do to her, truthfully, she had no idea what would happen. She noticed that the sun was low in the sky, meaning that it was starting to get late in the evening. The only thing she could think about though, was what Mac was doing? Could Aya keep him from coming after her? Angus was a fighter and he wasn't going to just give up. Noelle saw the frustration and determination in his eyes when she'd been taken away, she knew that he wouldn't stop fighting until she was brought back and she didn't want that, she wanted him to calm down, to relax, if he broke open his wound and started bleeding again, then they'd be dealing with a whole new problem. Noelle stumbled and Khyri snatched her forward. They reached another house, this one had also been cleared out of its family. Noelle saw that a camera was set up in the middle of the bedroom, and another man was standing behind it. Nabil began speaking and Khyri shoved Noelle onto the bed. Her heart leapt into her throat, she didn't know what they were going to do, but the camera and bedroom were terrifying. Nabil and the other man spoke back and forth quickly while Khyri stood to the side, glaring at Noelle. The conversation halted abruptly and Noelle found all eyes and the camera, on her.

"Take your clothes off." The man Noelle had never seen instructed her. Noelle's hands immediately came up to the bottom of her shirt.

"No." she said defiantly. A new fear washed over her in a wave of cold.

"Off!" Nabil shouted. Noelle felt anger and panic clog her throat.

"No." she shook her head slowly and the word was angry. Nabil jerked his head and Khyri came forward. Noelle was prepared, she leaned back and kicked Khyri as hard as she could right in the nose. She felt his nose crunch beneath her barefoot and blood poured out immediately. Nabil came at her from the side, grabbing a hand full of her hair and snatching her backward. Khyri flew off the handle, his rage was unbridled. His fist struck Noelle in the face and pain exploded in her cheek and eye. Noelle's shout of pain was cut short when Khyri wrapped his hands around her throat and shoved her backward onto the bed, closing his fingers around her neck. Noelle reached up and clawed at his hands as panic overwhelmed her. Something cool and metal touched the skin of her arm and then a burning hot pain replaced it. Noelle tried to scream, but black spots danced across her vision as Khyri growled words Noelle did not understand in her face. The blood from his nose dripped onto her face, and she knew she would die. As soon as darkness began to creep around the edges of Noelle's vision, Nabil shouted something and Khyri was jerked away, still screaming at her. Noelle coughed and hacked, trying to catch her breath, she rolled onto her side and pulled her arm up to touch her throat. Her eyes widened at the sight of blood running from a long-jagged cut on her forearm.

"He said that he should have cut your tongue out." The man behind the camera said, a smile playing on his lips. Noelle narrowed her eyes, but barely had time to think because hands grabbed her jeans and snatched them down her thighs. Noelle screamed in shock and rolled back over, trying to pull back quickly. Khyri was back, not as angry, but determined.

"Stop!" Noelle screamed, but they paid her no attention. She lurched forward, ready to hit someone, instead she was hit again, this time from the side. The blow stunned Noelle, sending her sideways in a pile of limbs. She felt the tingle of cool metal again, this time it was used to cut her shirt away. Noelle recoiled, trying her hardest, despite her stunned state, to get away, but when they backed away, she was momentarily relieved. Nabil said something while Noelle pulled her arm up, it was still bleeding, but slowly.

"He says to sit up and look at the camera." The man said. Noelle had no will to move, her face throbbed relentlessly, her arm burned, and she was cold, her bra and panties the only things covering her skin. She didn't have a choice though, Nabil grabbed her arm and yanked her up.

"Hold this." The man shoved a newspaper into her hands. Noelle knew what they were doing, they were making a video, they wanted something. That meant they would keep she and Mac alive for a while longer, so long as she cooperated. Noelle held the paper up and looked at the camera as the light came on. Nabil pulled a black mask on and then stepped over next to Noelle. He began speaking and waving his hands around, gesturing to Noelle every few moments. When he'd been speaking for a few minutes, he pulled a long knife from his hip and Noelle panicked.

"No, No." Noelle pulled back, but Khyri was there to grab her arms and hold her still. When Nabil's knife touched Noelle's throat, she froze. Nabil didn't move the knife, he shouted at the camera and pointed. It felt like hours before the camera shut off and the knife was removed from her throat, but finally, the men moved away from her and begin to speak to one another. Noelle stayed still, staring down at her pants wanting nothing more than to grab them and put them on. Her shirt was shredded, she wouldn't be getting it back. Nabil and the other man left the room and stepped outside the front door, leaving Noelle alone with Khyri. Without Nabil to keep him in line, Noelle feared for what might happen. She didn't look at Khyri, she kept her eyes on the floor. When she heard him move, her heart sped up, thumping harder. Khyri's hand landed on Noelle's head, and he pushed it backward, forcing her to look up. His nose was still bleeding, and Noelle wanted to smile, but she didn't, she tried to maintain a look of indifference, knowing anything could set him off. His hand moved down her cheek and over her jaw before dropping to her throat. Noelle fought the urge to slap it away and hit him, she clamped down on every single urge she had as his hand paused at her neck. He said something and grinned at Noelle, but she didn't even acknowledge him, which was apparently the wrong thing to do, because before Noelle could blink, he reared back and hit her again, this time though, darkness swarmed Noelle and she lost consciousness.


The first thing Noelle felt was pain, she hurt all over. Her muscles were sore from hours without sleep, her body ached from holding herself upright without rest, her face and jaw throbbed from the hits she'd taken, and her arm still tingled in irritation. Noelle opened her eyes to the sound of a door opening and heavy footsteps coming toward her.

"Up." A rough voice said, before a hand wrapped around her arm and pulled. Noelle let out a sound of discomfort and the puller paused.

"Ok, just…here." The voice was kind and the hands were gentle as they carefully took her wrists and pulled her upward. Noelle stumbled, but the hands cradled her and walked her forward. Noelle blinked up and saw that the man practically carrying her was Salim. He was trying not to touch her bare skin, being as respectful as possible. Noelle was still working her way out of sleep, but she had enough sense to be thankful for someone as kind as Salim. She briefly wondered how he'd found himself with Nabil and Khyri. Aya said he was forced, and he certainly didn't act like the others. He was gentle with Noelle.

"Walk." Salim instructed as they reached the front door. Noelle understood, he had to keep up appearances, and if he were seen being nice to her then he would certainly be punished. Noelle straightened as best she could, and she allowed Salim to take her upper arm, he was gentle though as they made their way across the dirt ground, back toward the house Noelle had originally been placed in. Noelle was nearly overwhelmed with tears as the house came into view. She didn't know how long she'd been unconscious, she didn't know if anything had been done to her during that time frame, and she was being paraded through the small town, half nude. The only thing that would make her feel better was the safety of the house she shared with Mac. Noelle was almost crying when she reached the door, something about being inside the room with Mac made her feel safe, when she was next to him she wasn't alone. He couldn't keep her safe, she knew that, but he made her feel like he could, he made her feel like someone was there for her to fall on when she wasn't strong enough to hold it together. The door opened and Salim carefully pushed Noelle through before he closed the door behind her while he remained outside. Noelle immediately spotted Aya who stood from the couch. Aya's face of surprise quickly turned to heartbreak.

"Oh little one." Aya rushed forward and reached for Noelle, putting small cool hands on Noelle's burning neck.

"I'm alright." Noelle looked around Aya toward the room, Mac was lying on the bed, his chest moving up and down slowly.

"He stood up, the pain overwhelmed him and he passed out." Aya said, glancing back. Noelle nodded and pulled away from Aya, heading into the bedroom.

"What happened?" Aya asked.

"Nothing bad." Noelle said softly. She approached the bed and laid the back of her hand on Mac's head, he was warm, but it was warm in the room, it wasn't abnormal, but it was slightly concerning. Noelle looked at his bandages, they were bled through, she needed to change them, but first she needed to find some clothes and clean herself up.

"Watch him for a second." Noelle said. Aya nodded and looked over Noelle while she headed for the bathroom. One look in the mirror had Noelle recoiling. Her face was bloody and bruised. The cut along her cheek that had been there from being hit on the first day had been made worse by the blow she'd taken. Her cheek was swollen and blue. Her lip was cut and swollen, and her eyes was starting to blacken. Noelle ran a hand down her neck where her pale throat was beginning to turn a nasty shade of purple and blue. Noelle grabbed a small cloth and wet it quickly. She took slow, long swipes on her face, cleaning it of the dirt and blood, both hers and Khyri's. Once her face was moderately clean, she gently cleaned the cut on her arm of the dried blood. It was a long wound, running from her wrist to the crook of her elbow. Noelle was lucky it wasn't deep. Finally, she paused, and looked down at her panties. They didn't appear messed with, and she wasn't sore, she didn't feel as if anything had been done. Noelle carefully slipped her hand into her panties and felt for any wetness, there was nothing. A wave of relief rolled through her, she doubted they would have gone through the trouble of cleaning her up and righting her clothing had they done anything to her, which relieved Noelle.

"Noelle, he is awake." Aya called from the room. Noelle dropped the cloth and turned the water off, coming out of the bathroom quickly. Mac was awake and aware as Aya helped him sit up a little in the bed.

"Here, let me help." Noelle rushed to his side and propped some pillows behind him. Mac groaned and panted a little before settling in, his breathing was ragged as he turned his head toward her, and then his eyes glued themselves to Noelle's face.

"Damn it." He growled. Noelle was a little stunned, he had hardly cursed the entire time they'd been there, but now he was angry, he was very angry.

"I'm fine, it's alright." Noelle said nodding, trying to convince herself as well as him.

"I'll find you some clothes." Aya ducked out of the room and went into a nearby closet while Noelle sat down next to Mac.

"I need to change these." She carefully touched the edges of his bandages. Mac's hand gently caught her own and Noelle lifted her eyes to his which were full of sympathy and kindness.

"Are you alright?" he asked quietly. Noelle swallowed and nodded slowly. Mac's hand lifted to her face and his thumb brushed the cut across her cheek.

"I will be." She said with a small smile, she knew it was a sad smile, and she knew tears were gathering in her eyes. She felt utterly ridiculous. Mac was the one hurt, he was the one in danger of losing his life, and Noelle could barely keep it together for him.

"It's ok, it's going to be ok, I swear. We're going to get out of here."

"I know." Noelle heard her voice crack and when Mac's fingers brushed her throat and his sad eyes met hers, she lost her battle. Tears began to roll down her cheeks and Mac didn't waste a second, he slipped his hand behind her head and pulled her forward. Noelle was careful to avoid his injury, but she went willingly, allowing Mac to tuck her against his neck. Noelle brought a hand up and slipped it beneath his arm, she pressed her palm to his cool back and cried into his throat. Mac held onto her firmly, his hand gripping her back, keeping her to him.

"I won't let them hurt you anymore, I'm sorry I couldn't stop them, I'm so sorry." He whispered into her hair. Noelle shook her head and let her tears run down his skin. She was so afraid that she wouldn't make it out of here, and she was terrified that she'd lose Mac on the way.

"You couldn't have done anything. They didn't hurt me. I can take a punch." Noelle murmured. Mac chuckled and it rumbled through his chest against Noelle's cheek.

"We're going to be alright." Mac ran his hand through her hair slowly and then he lifted the other hand to her face, pulling her head up to look at him.

"When you change these bandages, I need you to go through the house and make me a list of every single thing here, no matter how small, list it." He said. Noelle frowned, wondering why he needed that, but then she recalled his story about building extravagant things out of almost nothing. Mac cupped Noelle's face and stroked her cheeks with his thumbs, wiping her tears.

"I'm going to get us out of here." He said.