"Don't move," a spine chilling voice whispered with the thunder as Miley drew in a sharp intake of breath.

"What do you want?" If Miley was scared, she certainly didn't show it as she replied in a calm voice. Too calm.

"Huh. The tough type huh? That'll be interesting," was the hoarse reply of the culprit as he further pressed his knife against her throat until it drew blood. With his cold breath on her neck, Miley couldn't help as a shiver rocked her body to the core. "Chicks. They think they can do whatever the hell the want and still get away with it."

"What? Your girlfriend dumped your sorry ass? Sorry to disappoint but I'm not your girlfriend." The brunette spat as anger finally started to rise from the way he harshly grabbed her broken arm. Instead of wincing and appearing before this man- no, scum- as weak, her poker face never faltered as a mocking smirk enhanced her lips.

The culprit was taken back at her response for a second but did not loosen his grip. "Feisty…I like it. Now love, do us both a favor and shut, the, fuck, up."

"There's some psycho out there killing girls like you," Jake's voice suddenly echoed through her mind as she grinned caustically. "My, am I lucky or am I lucky?"

"If you think I'm afraid of sick bastards like you, think again. Someone's coming for me and he'll surely throw your ass in jail for the rest of your short, short life, seeing as you won't get killed by him first." Miley's tongue went off before she even realized what had happened. She didn't know where the sudden burst of new found confidence came from, but she was glad for it, and she'll bluff her way out of it if she can.

'Not like anyone's coming for him anyway, but this bastard sure won't find that out until I escape,' thought Miley. However, way, way deep down in her soul, she wished what she said were true, that someone would come for her.

"Your boyfriend eh?" The murderer grimaced momentarily with a false and mocking frown. "I'd hate to be rude to greet your knight with only your dead body. Don't you find that improper? I'm afraid I'd have to do better than that."

"Oh, I got an idea. Why don't you get your disgusting hands off of me first?" Miley shot back with little patience, seen as the pain from her arm was beginning to send signals to her nerves.

"I got a better idea," the culprit taunted, his free hand trailing down to push up her shirt, exposing her stomach area. "How about I claim you here and now and show him the ecstasy you've had with me?"

Miley gasped loudly when his rough fingers brushed against her bare skin as another wave of shudders hit her body. He pushed get against the walls of the dark alley as he towered over her with leer in his eyes. One second he was about to kiss her, and the next, he was gone.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!!!" A familiar voice cried, instantly snapping Miley from her shocked form as her eyes widened in disbelief.

Before she had the time to react however, a cry of pain was heard as she immediately ran to separate the two figures on the ground. The murderer swiftly kicked Joe in the stomach, sending him back before pinning Miley to the ground.

"Bastard, I said get away!!!" Joe growled and pounced as the criminal's eyes narrowed in sick determination. Turning back to the struggling girl, he aimed for her chest and—

"MILEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

There was blood.

All over.

As the culprit stood up and stumbled to the side while clutching his stomach, Joe's eyes could only focus upon the pool of blood upon the brunette. Without a second thought, his legs carried him as fast as he could to her side. He could hear her staggered breath as her chest heaved up and down, but her eyes were shut tightly in pain.

"Miley…Miley…MILEY!!!"

As blood began pouring out of her shirt, Joe instantly pulled her into his arms, holding her with the determination to never let go anymore.

Then, sirens.

"Boy, are you alright?" a voice asked, and at the moment, he didn't quite care who it was. "You're bleeding!"

"I'm fine," Joe replied hoarsely just as a pair of blue eyes finally revealed themselves.

One moment he was trying to get her from a serial killer and the next, his blurry brown eyes were looking down at…everything he had thrown away. There she laid, conscious and breathing (much to his relief), and covered in a puddle of red— something he could've prevented. She, however, did not utter a single word as her features carried a look of recognition and disbelief, and most of all, relief. Relief of being safe in his strong arm.

"Miley…" Joe murmured again, this time with less urgency and more warmth as he lifted her away from the ground before wrapping her in his jacket, gently pressing on the bloodied wounds. Miley winced slightly.

"Boy, let me see her wounds." One of the medics smiled, kneeling down before Joe was finally able to grasp a sense of reality. As he treated Miley's cuts, a suddenly laugh brought the duo out of their trance.

"W-What?" Joe whispered shakily as Miley's head rested comfortably upon his lap.

"Those cuts aren't that bad," The medic grinned, "because of this!"

Miley's eyes widened as he held up the charm on her chest, and in it, was a metal piece with a dent in it, the metal piece that was once a part of—

"My ring!" Joe whispered in disbelief. "What's that doing here?"

"I don't know but it certainly saved her life," said the medic as he pointed to Miley's cuts, showing how the ring diverted the knife to graze her shoulders. As he explained the situation, he bandaged up the girl who still hadn't uttered a single word. "The blood is not all hers, I heard they just caught the kidnapper and he was heavily wounded too. Now can I see your wounds?"

"Nah, I'm good." Joe said, smiling gently as they were left alone once more. His smile, however, disintegrated into a frown when Miley weakly pushed against him to set a distance between them—too great a distance if you asked Joe. "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" She repeated incredulously with her hoarse and tear-filled voice that was just on the verge of cracking. "What's wrong?!"

Suddenly, a coughing fit took over her shaking figure before Joe rushed to her side, gently patting her back. Once again, Miley pushed away and forced herself to stand up this time around.

Blue.

Brown.

They locked for what seemed like hours, and neither dared to break the connection, that is until tears began rolling down her eyes in a silent cry for comfort.

"W-Where were you?" Was the first thing that came from her parted lips and Joe was taken back. Before he knew it, he was advancing towards her trembling form. No matter how much she wanted to move back, her legs wouldn't allow it.

A gasp.

Suddenly, Miley felt herself pulled into a set of warm arms that she had been longing so much to feel. Without mercy, Joe pushed her head onto his shoulder and crushed her fragile body with his arms.

"Looking for you," he whispered ever so gently that she wasn't quite sure she heard it correctly had it not been for his actions. Then, the brine that she had been holding for so long eventually spilled over his shirt as she buried her face into his neck, inhaling that sweet fragrance that just reminded her of grandma's cookies— of home.

"Joe…" she whimpered, and before she knew it, she was repeating his name as if she stopped, he would disappear. "Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe…"

"Shhh…" Joe murmured, slamming his eyes shut to prevent his own tears from falling as he buried his face in her dampened locks and rocked her soothingly. "I'll never ever ever ever leave you alone again. I don't think I can ever tell you how sorry I am. Oh Miles."

Miley simply nodded through her violent sobs as she pushed herself a little closer to him, a little closer to the place where she belonged.

"Joe did you—"

"Miley!!! You're back! What—"

With her head dipped and Joe's arms securely around her shoulders, Miley made no notion to answer as she tried to sneak into her room after a hot shower.

After setting her down gently, she felt Joe's warmth radiating against her cold body and soon, she was in his lap, secured by his embrace. He tenderly rested his chin on her shoulder and buried his face in her hair as she leaned back to him.

The seconds ticked by, and just when Miley thought she would fall asleep without hearing his voice, he whispered, so coarsely and pained.

"I'm sorry."

Sighing, Miley briefly shut her eyes and tightened her arms around his neck.

"Why did you do it? I've been thinking about that night, you were so angry, was it something I did?" She whispered, pulling away just enough to make him restless, but she didn't know that of course.

"I was being stupid, that's what, and paranoid, it wasn't you."

"Why?"

"I said it's nothing Miley." Joe persisted, simply wanting her to be close again, but Miley was never a pushover.

"Then answer me this: What am I to you?"

One answer. One chance. One mistake. One lie. Everything on the line.

Sorry I haven't upload in like forever, but you know this time of the month with all the testing and stuff. Well this one ends on a serious note but hey, hope you enjoy it! Hope everyone's doing well and don't forget to review!