A/N: I just wanted to say that you guys are awesome! The reviews for this story have been so inspiring! Thanks for the love!

Chapter 10: Unlikely Savior

I collapsed under the weight of the water.

Sitting in the shower, letting the constant pour cascade down my sore shoulders felt unbelievably good. It was weird how having someone root around inside your head made you ache all over. The memory of the pain was still very fresh in my mind and I knew I had to focus on the simple task of bathing or the screaming would start… and I didn't know if I'd be able to stop.

"You almost done in there," an impatient voice asked on the other side of the door. Jack's voice.

I wanted to shout at him that I'd just been tortured and was entitled to a few minutes in the hot water, but my throat was too sore. It throbbed just to swallow. Using the last reserves of my strength, I reached up and turned the water off, slumping into the bottom of the bathtub.

I had to get up. It wasn't like I could escape from this bathroom, but my brain was too tired to work out a plan. Instead, I latched on to the new connection I'd just discovered.

I could feel Stephen. His emotions, his thoughts and worries. Maybe I'd never noticed this before because I'd never been this far away from him since I'd brought him back, but now I was extremely aware. It was the only thing that kept me sane while Sid was inflicting the crippling pain. That one connection to Stephen.

I still didn't trust him and there was an agony that started in my stomach and spread to every inch of my body whenever I thought of all he'd hidden from me, but I desperately needed a security blanket right now.

Stephen, I called out in my head, searching for that spark that would connect us. He was there instantly.

Rory!

He was shouting. I had the sense that he'd been shouting for a while. It was obvious he didn't understand how he could hear me, and likely thought he was having a psychotic break, but it was still comforting.

At some point, I'd started shivering as the air from the vent blew over my still wet skin, but I ignored it, holding on to the sound of Stephen's voice in my head.

Rory, we're going to find you. I swear it!

I'm scared, I admitted. I couldn't help it. I wanted to curl up on his lap and cry. They want me to do the ritual again and then they're going to kill me.

No! I won't let that happen. Do you understand me, Rory! It won't happen.

I could feel the connection start to fray as my strength faded, but I felt a renewed sense of peace. That didn't sound like a man that had handed me over to be murdered. That was the sound of someone who still cared about me and was fighting.

"Seriously, come out or I'm coming in," Jack shouted, pounding on the door.

With a sigh of frustration, I hauled myself upright and stumbled out of the tub, only to collapse on the floor. Drying off and dressing took an infuriatingly long time and I was surprised Jack hadn't knocked the door down by now. At least the jeans and t-shirt Sadie had given me were comfortable.

Holding onto the counter for support, I eased the door open, half expecting the unwelcome sight of Jack leering at me… but he wasn't there. My legs were shaky as I walked out into the bedroom. It was dark, all the lamps off. I had left them on. I was sure of it. Why would Jack just leave? Wasn't he under orders to watch me?

But Jack hadn't left.

Flicking on the lamp beside the bed, I saw his still form lying in the center of the room with Sid standing over him.

"Is… is he… dead," I squeaked out. Not that I actually cared about Jack, but after everything, I really didn't think I could handle a dead body right now. Why was I constantly surrounded by dead bodies?!

"Don't be dramatic. Of course he's not dead," Sid answered quickly. "Though he'll likely be soon. It depends on what answer he gives me when I wake him up. Now, come along."

He made a grab for my arm and I backed away, colliding with the wall.

"Please don't be difficult," he sighed as he gripped my arm and pulled me after him out the door. "I'll explain everything outside, and do try to be quiet."

Had Hobbs and Winchester returned with the stone already? Was Elias going to have me perform the mysteries now? Was I going to be left to die in that dark, cold basement? I attempted to pull my arm free of Sid's grasp, but I was still too weak, and only succeeded in nearly falling on the steps. Sid hauled me back up and continued to drag me down the stairs and out the door into the snow.

I'd been cold before, but now the shivering intensified and I could feel ice in my veins.

"Here, take this," Sid ordered, draping his wool coat over me while I shoved my arms through the holes. Taking off his shoes, he bent down and shoved my feet in them. They were several sizes too big. "In the pocket you'll find one of those new mobile phones. Please tell me you know the numbers of those people that were protecting you."

"Huh?"

"Did the torture addle your brain? I'm helping you escape. There's a café just down the street. Get there and call them to come pick you up."

"What? Why? I thought you needed–"

"Let's just say I'm no longer interested in waking up Elias' friends. Look, I'll find you in a couple days. Just get lost."

I was still standing there like a lost puppy and finally Sid took hold of my shoulders and turned me in the right direction, nearly shoving me down the sidewalk.

"Please tell me those nutters that were protecting you before can do a better job," he inquired, and I felt a sudden surge of anger course through me.

"Nutters? They're not the ones worshipping Greek gods and digging through people's brains."

"Yes, hanging yourself in a boathouse is the picture of sanity."

"How did you–"

"Just go," Sid interrupted. "Before Sadie or Elias get suspicious. I'll find you soon and then we can discuss how fun the prospect of working together will be."

I had more questions. Actually, I had a million, but I'd just realized that this was really happening. For whatever reason, Sid was helping me escape. My legs were still wobbly and the sidewalk was slick from the still falling snow, but I managed to do a sort of hustle walk to the café Sid had indicated. The lights in the windows were warm and bright and it was still packed with people drinking their after dinner expressos.

I stumbled through the door and threw myself into a seat in the back, curling up inside Sid's warm jacket while I rifled through the pockets for the phone. And there it was, a sleek black iPhone, clearly brand new. As I brought up the call screen, I prepared to dial Stephen's number… and then hesitated.

Could Stephen be trusted?

He was the first person I wanted to call. I wanted to be wrapped in his arms while he muttered on about paperwork and procedures and his glasses slid down his nose. But whenever I closed my eyes, Hobbs' words came back to me.

You're right, he does care about you, but in the end, his loyalty is to England, to protecting the people.

As much as it hurt to admit it, I couldn't trust Stephen.

I dialed quickly, clutching the phone to my ear until I heard the comforting voice on the other end.

"Hello," Thorpe answered uncertainly.

"It's Rory," I croaked out, and the tears began cascading down my face.

"Rory! Where are you? What's happening? Are you alright?" His voice was controlled, as always, but I could hear the undercurrent of panic there.

"I'm okay. I… I escaped. Please come and get me."

"Of course. Tell me where you are and we'll be there–"

"No! Just you. Please, just you! Don't tell Stephen!"

"Rory… what's going on? Why can't I tell Stephen?"

"Please, just trust me," I begged, gagging on my tears now and drawing the attention of the couple at the next table over. "Come and get me. Please."

"I'm on my way."

~SoL~

The coffee was soothing sliding down my throat, but the cold still had me and I pulled the blanket Thorpe had given me tighter around my shoulders. Thorpe's flat was just as I remembered it, clean and professional. No pictures, no handmade quilt from his great-grandma. Just a place to eat and sleep.

At the moment, it was the loveliest place I'd ever seen.

"Rory," Thorpe spoke, his voice soft and low as though he were approaching an injured animal. "I'm going to need you to tell me what happened."

He took the seat beside me on the sofa, but didn't touch me. There was a worry in his eyes that I hadn't seen since the day Stephen… had his accident. My mouth opened, but I couldn't force the words out. Instead, the tears leaked from my eyes.

"It's okay. It's okay," he pleaded. "You don't have to explain everything now. But I do have to call someone. Stephen and the team are still searching for you. They're worried, Rory. Very worried."

My eyes widened at that. I wanted to beg him not to call. At least not until I found out the truth, but… I didn't actually have a way of doing that.

"Okay… call them," I said instead, and took another sip of coffee.

He stepped into the other room to make the phone call and when he came back, my tears were gone. Maybe it was the memory of the last time I was in this room, dazed after what had happened with Stephen and hiding from Jane. I'd known then that I had to be strong, that I couldn't let my emotions cripple me. Somehow I was always finding myself broken on Thorpe's couch and I had to find the will to woman up.

"Sid and Sadie took me," I started as Thorpe took his seat beside me on the sofa.

"Callum told us this," he confirmed. "You'd received a text from Stephen asking you to meet him, but when you both arrived at the club, Sid and Sadie were there and they had Stephen's phone."

I nodded. "They took me to this house. It was right up the street from that café you picked me up at."

Thorpe was watching me expectantly, waiting, and I had to take a deep breath before I launched into my insane story. I told him everything, meeting Elias – Thorpe's eyes widened in shock – the bodies in the basement – now they widened in horror – the black stones that stored human souls… and the deal they had made with the Shadow Cabinet.

"I thought Stephen said the Shadow Cabinet was fake," Thorpe inquired, interrupting me for the first time.

This was where my throat closed up. Part of me still didn't want to believe that Stephen had anything to do with this, and I needed to talk to him before I explained this part to Thorpe.

"Maybe he didn't know," I whispered. I'd tried to sound convincing, I really had, but Thorpe was eyeing me with suspicion now.

"And they want to return the power in you… to the stone," he asked.

"By killing me."

For a long moment, he just watched me… and then, he took my hand in his, squeezing it tightly. "You're safe now, Rory. I promise, no one will hurt you."

"Thank you," I breathed.

There was a loud commotion in the hall then, voices all talking at once. Stephen's voice. Just outside the door.

I leapt off the couch, unsure if I wanted to run to the door or run and hide. Thorpe seemed to sense my alarm.

"Why don't you go to the bedroom and lie down. I'll talk to them first," he offered, and I nodded my head, rushing into his room and slamming the door closed.

Here, at least, there were some touches of personality. There were pictures, one of a woman I thought might be Thorpe's mom, and paintings hung on the walls. Stacked on the bedside table were nearly a dozen books of poetry. But all this couldn't distract me from the urgent sound of Stephen begging to see me.

I curled up on the bed, pulling my knees up to my chest as I listened to Thorpe trying to calm them.

"She's really shaken up right now. Just give her some time," he began, but Boo cut him off.

"We don't want to interrogate her," she yelled. "I just want to see that she's safe and whole. Just let me hug her and then I promise we'll let her rest!"

"I'm sorry, Thorpe," Stephen spoke up, his voice tight with anger, "but I am going in that room now. I have to see her now!"

"Stephen, wait," Thorpe called out, and the arguing escalated.

Callum's deep voice chimed in, trying to diffuse the situation, and I pulled the pillow over my head. Stephen was livid now, but Thorpe held an authority in his voice that couldn't be questioned.

As I listened, I couldn't deny the longing I felt to see them… or the horror that bubbled up at the thought of confronting Stephen. Pulling the pillow tighter around my head, I prayed for it to be over soon, and then…

The door opened softly. For just a moment, the arguing grew louder before whoever had just stepped in shut the door again. The bed dipped down beside me and a tentative hand touched my shoulder.

"Rory," Boo called, and she pulled the pillow away from my face. She sat there with fresh tears on her face, looking like an angel sent to save me from hell – if angels usually had blue hair. I opened my mouth to speak, but all that came out was a sob. And then I threw myself at her, wrapping my arms around her shoulders so tightly that it was a wonder she could still breathe.

"We were so worried about you," Boo confided, squeezing me back. She smelled like vanilla perfume and rain and London and it was the happiest scent I'd ever inhaled. "Rory, Stephen has really been freaking out. He's been losing it. Thorpe said you needed to be left alone for a while, but… can he please come in?"

She pulled back just enough to see my face. I had no idea what she saw there, but it must have been enough to shock her.

"Rory… what happened?"

"I…"

But that was as far as I got before the door opened again and Stephen stood there. His glasses were crooked on his face and his hair was sticking up in wild tufts all over his head, and his eyes… they were so filled with awe and relief that for just a moment, I forgot about the Shadow Cabinet and the torture. Forgot about the mysteries and my impending death.

"Stephen," I whispered, and that seemed to be the magic word that put him into motion. He was at the bed in a second, his hands cupping my face. I was vaguely aware of Thorpe standing behind him, looking apologetic, and Callum peering in from the doorway with his arm in a cast.

"Rory… look at me, are you alright," Stephen asked, his thumbs brushing over my cheeks. "I promise we won't ask you any questions now, but I have to know that you're alright. Did they hurt you? Did they…"

He sat there beside me, waiting for me to answer, but I couldn't speak, could barely even breathe. I had to talk to him now. I had to know the truth. He still looked like the same Stephen I'd been kissing just a few days ago and – God help me! – I still loved him. But I had to know.

"We need to talk," I ordered. I'd been trying to make my voice strong, but even I could barely hear it.

The recognition in his eyes was immediate. He knew exactly what I was talking about.

"Can I speak with Rory alone for a moment," he asked, eyeing Boo and Callum meaningfully. They both nodded, Boo patting my head for just a moment before following Callum out the door. Only Thorpe stayed.

"Rory, do you want me to stay with you," Thorpe offered, eyeing me warily. I'd never taken my eyes off Stephen and I saw his face tighten with hurt.

"It's okay," I replied. "I need to talk to him alone."

Thorpe nodded, moving slowly out of the room. I waited until the door closed firmly behind him.

"I want the truth," I began. "What is the Shadow Cabinet?"

"You already know."

Stephen's hands were still on my face and his eyes were begging me to trust him. It was all very distracting; tempting me to forget about this argument and just forgive him and curl up in his arms. I jumped off the bed so swiftly that I nearly lost my balance and went down. Stephen was there instantly, reaching out to help me, but I threw my hands up, warding him off.

"I want to hear it in your own words," I demanded.

Stephen sighed heavily for a moment, the exhaustion clear on his face. "It's a secret organization that guards the mystical stones of London. Keeps the gateways functioning properly."

"And you're a part of this."

"Yes."

I backed up to the wall, partly to put some distance between us and partly because I was still having trouble staying upright. "Did you know they were going to take me?"

"Rory, you have to understand–"

"Answer the question!"

"I knew they were planning it, yes. But I was trying to stop them, hold them off."

"Did you know that Hobbs and Winchester want to kill me?! Or that they're working for Sid and Sadie, who just so happen to have a basement full of sleeping idiots for me to wake up?!"

"Rory," Stephen pleaded, reaching for me again, but the look on my face must have told him his touch would not be welcome. "I knew they were talking to Sid and Sadie, but I have no idea where they are or what their plans are. I never would have handed you over to them, Rory, I swear!"

"What about the plan to kill me and release the power back into the stone?"

"I… yes. They told me. And I told them it was insane! That there had to be another way. I would never have let them touch you, Rory!"

"Were you ever going to tell me? A secret organization wants me dead! How can you keep that to yourself?! They tortured me, Stephen! Let Sid mess around inside my head for hours!"

"What?!" This time, Stephen's hands latched onto my shoulders, his eyes roaming over me, searching for injuries. "Sid was…"

"He can get inside my head! He's been giving me those dreams for weeks. And when I went to get you… those memories I never could remember… I have them back now."

"You remember." He moved even closer, so close I could feel his breath fan over my face. "All of it?"

I nodded. "You never got to answer the question." He looked confused now. "Did you just pretend to like me? Was it all just for your job, to keep me close?"

I could feel my eyes fill with traitorous tears once again, but I refused to let them fall.

"No. Rory, I never pretended anything. Not when it came to the way I feel about you."

"Then how could you keep all this from me?"

Dropping his hands from my shoulders, he took a step back, removing his glasses and running his hand over his face. "This is why I told you it was complicated. Rory, it is my job to put aside my feelings for you and do what's best for London. That is the oath I took. And every day I'm with you, that becomes harder and harder to do."

"Doing what's best for London means killing me! Is that what you want? Will you let them do that?"

"No! Absolutely not. There has to be another way. We can't lose the Eye of Isis, but…"

"But?"

His eyes finally met mine now. "I can't lose you."

Before I could breathe, he was right up against me, bending down, his lips hovering just over mine, but I pushed him back.

"Don't," I begged, and he backed away as though I'd slapped him. "I just… I need time. I don't know if I can trust you, Stephen. You've lied about so much. You've hidden so much. Please, if you care about me like you say you do… then go."

"What?"

"Go. Just leave and let me think."

"Rory," he argued, "we just got you back. I'm not leaving."

"Stephen, go," I bit out between my teeth. I couldn't have him kissing me right now or comforting me or looking at me with those intense eyes. I had to sort through this, to determine if Stephen was the bad guy or not. If I could believe him.

"Rory," he called again, his feet firmly planted in front of me.

"Leave!"

This time, I yelled it, making him jump. The pain on his face was so great that I felt it too, punching through my chest. But he backed away, moving until he was through the door.

My legs could no longer hold me up. I was a heap on the floor as the tears finally broke free. The sobs were so great that I could barely breathe and I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to keep from breaking apart.

And then there were other arms holding me together.

Looking up, I saw Boo, staring down at me, and I fell against her, crying into her shirt. My mouth floundered open a few times before I realized that my throat was too tight to explain.

"It's okay," Boo assured me. "You don't have to tell me. Just let it out."

So I did. I cried and cried until my entire body was exhausted and my butt was numb from the floor. And still the tears came.

"I just… I can't breathe," I huffed out eventually, holding onto Boo for dear life. "I can't breathe, Boo, and it feels like I'm gonna die."