A/N: Okay, here's the next chapter. Thanks for all the reviews so far -smiles- they make me happy! And I've been asked quite a bit if Petey likes/loves Brooke but he doesn't -sobs-. As much as I love Petey, nothing goes on but there's some affection between the two but it's more brotherly/sisterly love I suppose.

10. In Safe Hands

Blowing warm breath into her gloved hands, Brooke hopped on the spot trying to get warm. Bullworth was hit with snow in late November and had snowed ever since.

Looks like it's going to be a white Christmas...

The blonde haired girl was waiting for Petey, Jimmy and Zoe in New Coventry. Zoe needed to see Edgar about something, so Brooke had rang Jimmy and said she would meet them. She had been plagued with homework now that the school term was over for Christmas and she was trying to fit it all in before Christmas Day so after, Brooke could relax. Brooke was staying at Bullworth for Christmas, along with Petey and Jimmy. Zoe was going to stay at her parents house on Christmas Eve then return on Boxing Day. Heidi was now back in London but would return when the new term started at the academy.

"Okay, maybe this wasn't such a good idea, Brooke..." muttered Brooke. She was cold, hungry and tired. Writing seven pages worth of history had really took its toll.

Brooke shivered and wanted to lie on the floor and curl into a ball to get warmth into her body, instead she paced around for a while until the feeling in her legs return.

Another shiver ran throughout Brooke's body. "Stuff this. I'm going."

Brooke walked away from where she had been standing for a good half an hour and decided to make her way back to campus. It was too cold to stay outdoors for so long without catching a cold or getting hypothermia and it was also pitch black out, save a few dimly lit street lights on.

Brooke started walking hastily, wanting to get back into the warmth of the dorms, she was also on edge. A few times Brooke had been out with Jimmy and Zoe around New Coventry and even came with Johnny one time, she didn't like the area. It was rough and creeps were about. Although Brooke could hold her own, walking down a street by herself with empty buildings around here and not much lighting was frightening, she was still a girl and the thought of some drunk or weirdo about following her gave Brooke the creeps.

Her breathing pitched as her pace quickened.

Stop worrying yourself. You're only making it worse!

Thoughts of what could happen to Brooke raced through her mind and she had to stop before she had some sort of panic attack. Stopping wasn't the best idea to Brooke but she needed to calm herself down... slow, easy breaths...

Brooke exhaled her breath one more time before walking again. She tried thinking of a song to help came the nerves bubbling up in her stomach.

Five, long, calm minutes had past and Brooke was now nearing the overhead bridge. A fire in a can burnt brightly with a few men stood around it, trying to keep the December chill out of their bodies. Brooke felt like jumping on the fire.

If she were a cat, her hackles would of risen. Looking straight a head, Brooke walked calmly under the bridge, past the homeless men until she stopped dead in her tracks when she heard a perverted wolf whistle.

"'Ey... girly, you got some spare change for a coffee?" a gruff voice asked.

Brooke turned slightly to look at the group of men and smiled politely. "No, sorry..."

Turning on her heel, Brooke carried on walking. She could feel all three pairs of the hobos eyes on her back which made her speed up. Great! Just make yourself look even more scared...

After ten minutes of walking, Brooke had reached Bullworth Town, which made her feel a bit better. At least some people were about, and the lights lit up in store windows made her feel safer. Brooke walked past 'Santa', ringing his bell and asking for donations to go to charity. Fishing out her purse, Brooke grabbed $5 and popped it into the bucket and smiled at the man dressed as Santa.

"Ho ho ho! Thank you, young lady!" the jolly man said. Brooke smiled again and carried on walking.

She came to a quiet street, a few lights up in the taller buildings were on but the sidewalks were still deserted. The crunching from her boots against the snow rang in Brooke's ears until she heard another crunch.

Brooke stopped and her eyes widened in fear. The blonde turned her head around quickly but nobody was there. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Brooke carried on walking, wanting to get the heck out of the town and back to the dump known as Bullworth Academy.

Goosebumps rose on her pale skin then she felt her arm being pulled not so nicely. Brooke yelped loudly but was cut off when a rough hand clamped against her mouth, her screaming muffled by the fingerless gloved hand. Brooke's arms were held firmly by her sides from where the other arm of the man was holding her.

Warm breath tickled the back of her ear and tears immediately ran down her cheeks. The man chuckled darkly.

"You know... a pretty, young thing like you shouldn't be out on a cold night like this..."

The man's arm let go of Brooke's arms but she didn't move, frozen in place with fear. His hand travelled up her right arm, then past her neck, pushing back her loose hair behind her ear then stroked her cheek. A few more tears escaped the brown orbs and they rolled over the man's stroking fingers.

"Shh, don't cry." he teased. He stroked away the tears then kissed the apple of Brooke's cheek, she tensed and let out a sob behind the rough hand holding her mouth.

After another chuckle coming from the man, he moved his hand on her cheek away. Brooke's eyes tried following his hand but couldn't turn her head as the grip on her mouth was firm and solid. Thoughts of him running his hand up the back of her coat and down the back of her pants crossed Brooke's mind and she sobbed again, fidgeting in his grip until a sharp object could be felt through her red pea-coat.

Brooke's eyes widened and suddenly it felt like déjà vu; memories of Brooke attacking Heidi with a knife in her own lounge flashed before her eyes and Brooke thought this must of been some sort of pay back. Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth.

A knife was pressed firmly into her back, digging through the material of her coat, the point of the knife starting to very slowly pierce her delicate skin.

The man pulled Brooke further back until he heard a cry escape through her mouth into his hand, he tightened his grip on her mouth and whispered fiercely into her ear.

"Shut up! Do anythin' and I'll slit your throat, understand?!"

Brooke nodded meekly, the pain in her lower back felt numbing. The man hadn't stabbed her fully but with the force of him pulling Brooke back on the knife, she was sure she would have to get medical attention. That's if I get out of this alive...

The man chuckled some more and was about to remove his hand from Brooke's mouth until he felt two strong hands grip onto the back of his jacket.

"Ugh!" squawked the man.

Brooke was frozen in place, tears flowing down her cheeks and the pain in her back from where he had managed to stab her was now aching. Brooke could hear the yelps coming from her attacker, pleading for help, hearing sickening cracks of his bones whenever a fist or a foot had connected to his ribs and jaw.

"I suggest you get out of here before I do something a lot worse to you..." a harsh, angry voice muttered to the man. He pushed the man away hard and the attacker yelped in pain when his side collided with the cold floor. He scrabbled to his feet and ran like hell, getting away from his victim and his now attacker.

"C'mon, Blondie. Let's take you to the hospital."

Gary's warm hand rested on Brooke's lower back and Brooke jumped a little, her head snapped towards Gary. There was no expression on his face and she felt the tears well up in her eyes but held them back. Gary pulled his hand away from Brooke's back and saw the blood, he grabbed a few tissues from his pocket then held them firmly against Brooke's wound again.

Hailing a taxi, Gary ordered the driver to get to the hospital immediately.

Gary waited patiently in the waiting room, flicking through a magazine aimlessly. A doctor had come to take Brooke into a medical room to look at the stab wound. That was forty minutes ago. Foot fidgeting against the floor, Gary dropped the magazine onto the coffee table and stalked his way to the door that led into the room. Instead of barging in, Gary just looked through the window in the door, squinting to try and get a better look through the blinds. He could see a pair of feet, belonging to the doctor, so Brooke must of been on a bed.

Gary chewed on a nail, eyes wide and scorn plagued his face.

"Gary!" exclaimed Petey. The younger boy ran up to his 'friend' and gripped onto Gary's arms, not caring if he was doing this to Gary or not.

"Calm down, Femme-boy, she's just in there." said Gary, keeping his voice as nonchalant as possible.

"What happened?!" Jimmy came up to Gary, Zoe behind him with a worried expression on her face. Jimmy's was angry.

"I suggest you step away, Hopkins..." Gary scowled then shrugged Petey's hands off of him. Jimmy took a step back but his expression never left his face.

"What happened?!" demanded Jimmy, quietly.

Gary sighed, rather annoyed. "She got stabbed. I don't know what the sicko was about to do but it wouldn't of been anything good..." he trailed off and the same thought crossed everyone's mind. Awkward silence filled the waiting room.

Everyone jumped slightly when the door opened and Dr. Saunders came out, smiling politely to the four.

"Good news, no harm done. Although I suggest Miss Adlington took a nice rest for the next few days," he told Gary, seeing as he was the one who brought Brooke in.

Gary nodded, attention now fully focused on what the doc was saying. "And her bandages will need to be changed daily and her wound will need to be cleaned regularly. She's had stitches put in so make sure they don't get irritated."

Gary nodded once again then cast his gaze on when the door opened again, a very pale looking Brooke stepped out, eyes looking down.

"Brooke!" Petey exclaimed and latched his arms around his friend. Brooke stood frozen but managed to wrap one of her arms around Petey's small frame.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his worry shining through his eyes.

Brooke smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. "Yeah, I just want to get back to school..."

She never thought she'd say that, not in a million years.

Petey nodded, all saying thank you to the doctor quietly, except Gary. They left the hospital, catching a cab as it was rather late and cold. They arrived at the academy in silence, after making sure Brooke was okay, the boys left to go to their own dorm, leaving Zoe to take care of Brooke. Petey didn't want to leave Brooke but thought it was best to let her have some rest for tonight. If he could, he would stay up all night with her, making sure she got to sleep soundly.

Before the boys departed for their own rooms, Jimmy turned to look at Gary. The taller boy was staring head of him, his eyes focused on the wall and his face was expressionless but looked dark.

"Look, Gary... it was a good job you got there in time..." Jimmy wasn't really sure what he was trying to say but he sure as hell wasn't going to say thank you to Gary Smith.

"Whatever, Hopkins." said Gary. He turned away from Petey and Jimmy, walking to his and Petey's room, the door slamming shut.

The corner of Petey's mouth tugged up into what could of been a smile then he retreated for their room. He looked at Gary, his body looking tense.

Gary was lay on his side, face away from Petey. He was still fully clothed and although his body felt tired, his mind was still racing, thinking of what could of happened if he wasn't watching in the shadows.

A/N: Woah, what a depressing chapter! And right before Christmas... oh dear. Oh well, was it okay? Reviews would be awesome.