Mark and Tyger worked together in the kitchen cleaning up the dinner dishes. Tyger playfully flipped bubbles on him. Mark pulled her to him and put a handful of bubbles on her nose. "Hey ya big bully." She said wiping them off. Mark laughed and gave her a quick kiss. "Go on git. Go take your shower and we'll watch some TV before we go to bed. "Okay." She said giving him a kiss before she went to the bedroom. Mark sat down and picked up his coffee. His good intentions had went right out the window after the first time they had slept together. He had vowed he wouldn't touch her again. It was just going to be a one time thing. But that next night she had crawled into bed beside him and snuggled up to him, every thought but making love to her had left his head. The last month had been wonderful. They worked and played together and at night made hot passionate love together. Tyger never said she loved him again, not that he heard anyway. Hell that had blew him away when he heard her say that and it also scared the hell out of him. Two failed marriages had left him gun shy. He couldn't say what he felt for her. He cared about her but love that was too much for him right now. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. But he really didn't have a choice.
Tyger got out of the shower and put on her boxers and a t-shirt. She went out and plopped on the couch waiting for Mark. She flipped through the channels till she found a movie. She had to tell Mark that the roads were clear enough to pass. She didn't want to. She didn't want this to end. For awhile she had made believe that there was no one in the world but her and Mark. She could pretend that Mark loved her and that they would always be together. But cold hard reality had slapped her in the face today. She had gone to check the roads and sure enough they had been passable. She wasn't afraid of turning herself in, she knew Mark would keep his word and do everything in his power to help her. What scared her was losing him. Mark had walked in and seen the frown on her face. He went and sat down beside her. "What's wrong sweetie?" He asked. Tyger looked at him. God she loved him. She threw herself into his arms. "Hold me Mark." She whispered. Mark held her and rubbed her back. "What is it Tyger?" he asked. "The roads are clear. We can leave." She said keeping her face buried in his neck. Mark felt as if he had been slapped. The real world had finally invaded his fantasy. He hated it he didn't want to leave but he knew they had to. "Shh Honey its okay. Didn't I promise to take care of you? As soon as we get to town I'm calling a good lawyer I know. I'll have him waiting on you in Virginia. Don't worry." He said trying to sooth her. "I'm not worried about that. I don't want to leave you." She said in a quite voice. Mark tightened his hold on her. This is what he had been dreading. "Tyger I will always be your friend. Anytime you need me. I will be there for you darlin." He said kissing her cheek. Tyger was heart broken. She heard what the words really meant. He cared about her but he didn't love her. He thought of her as a friend. Tyger was determined not to let him see her pain. She pulled back to look at him and gave him a smile. "Okay." She said. 'That's my girl." He said pulling her back to his chest. Mark held her till she fell asleep and put her in the bed. He climbed in and pulled her into his arms. Many times after that night he would wish he had made love to her just one more time. But he didn't. He just wanted to hold her and watch her sleep.
Tyger stood beside Mark at the ticket counter. The last two days had been crazy. Packing all their stuff up and getting in touch with the lawyer. His Name was Randy Silva and he was going to meet them at the airport in Newport Virginia. Tyger thought back to the morning they had left the cabin. She had to fight the urge to burst into tears. She had put on a brave front for Mark though. Never once shedding a tear. Mark would have felt better if she had cried. He had watched her bravely pack her stuff and leave the cabin like a brave little shoulder and it broke his heart. "Come on Tyger." Mark said. She looked up and seen he was ready. She followed him to their gate where they boarded the plane. Tyger sat down beside Mark and strapped her self in. Mark looked at her she looked so small and vulnerable. He wanted to protect her. "Tyger honey we need to talk." He said. She looked up at him with those big trusting eyes and he dreaded what he had to tell her. "When you turn yourself in you'll have to wait for an arraignment or a bail hearing. Your going to have to spend some time in jail." He said. Tyger nodded she had figured as much. "Since you ran before it's pretty likely you will be denied bail until your trial." He said. Tyger looked down. The thought of spending months in jail were scary. "I got you a good lawyer. He will move for a quick trial. And I'm going to be working on a plan to trip your aunt up. So I don't want you to get discouraged or give up." He said tilting her face up to his. "I'll be fine Mark don't worry about me." She said. Damn she was trying so hard to be brave. He kissed her gently on the forehead. She leaned over and laid her head on his chest. Mark put his arm around her. Pretty soon she had fallen fast asleep. Mark vowed once again to do everything in his power to help her.
Tyger shook hands with Randy Silva. True to his word he had met them at the airport. He was a middle aged man with brown short hair and twinkling blue eyes. He smiled at her with confidence. He put her at ease immediately. "Okay you two; let's go to my hotel suite. We need to get a plan of action together before we go to the police." Randy said. They went to Randy's car after they had picked up their luggage and headed for the hotel.
They were sitting in Randy's suite going over Tyger's story. Randy wanted all the details from start to finish. Tyger had told him everything that had happened that day holding nothing back. Randy listened to her story. Mark sat close to her knowing it was hard for her to talk about that day. When she had finished Randy finished up taking notes. He then told them he already had his investigators talking to people who had known Tyger. They had backed up her story 100 percent. Former teachers and people from her community had known her as a quite child and a very good student. She had never been involved in gangs or drugs. There were also neighbors who had been witness to the poor way Tyger was treated by her aunt. Randy assured her the case was looking good because it showed that her aunt had lied about her being a troubled teen. Randy was honest with her. He told her she would probably be denied bail. Tyger told him she understood and that she was ready to face jail till the trial if she had too. "Well let's get this going then, if you two are ready?" Randy said. Tyger nodded and stood up she was ready to get this over with. Mark came up and took her hands. "It's going to be alright Tyger." He said. "I know, I'm fine really." She said. Mark took her hand and they left.
Tyger felt like a total criminal. She had just had her mug shot taken and now was being fingerprinted. She had been officially placed under arrest. She hadn't seen Mark since they had placed her under arrest but Randy had stayed right with her. They told her to sit down while her paperwork was processed. Randy sat beside her. "Tyger when their through they will take you to the county jail. I have already been in touch with the prosecutor's office. Your bail hearing will be next Tuesday. It's just a week that's better than I thought. I don't want you to worry. Were going to do everything possible to get you out on bail." He said. "Okay Randy." She said. She was so scared on the inside but she didn't show it. Just then the police officer who had been processing her told her it was time to go. Randy pulled him aside and talked to him for a minute. The police man nodded and went out of the room. A minute later he walked in with Mark. "Just a minute." He said to Mark and Randy. They both nodded. The police man left and Randy went to wait on the other side of the room. Mark came and took her in his arms. He laid her head on his chest. "Honey… I promise you I will take care of this. I will see that you get out of this." He said. "I know Mark. Thank you for everything." she said. Mark lifted her chin and looked at her. He kissed her gently on the lips. "That's my brave girl." He said. "You just hold it together honey and I promise when you get out and this is over with you can cry on me all you want." He said. "I'll hold you to that." She said smiling a little. The police man came back in. "Okay gentlemen. It's time." He said. She turned and the policeman put handcuffs on her and led her away. Mark watched after her. He was sure his heart had never heart like this before. "Come on Mark, we got work to do. Mark nodded and followed Randy out the door.
Tyger lay on the top bunk in her jail cell. This had to be the most depressing day of her life. She wanted nothing more than to cry but she didn't. She had told Mark she would hold it together and she would. The strip search had been the worse part but it was over now no point dwelling on it. Her roommate hadn't really bothered her. She said her name was Emily. She had asked Tyger what she was in for when Tyger told her she had left her alone after that. Tyger was glad she didn't feel like chit chatting about all this right now. She felt her self getting sleepy. She thought of days at the cabin with Mark trying to focus on happier times. She fell asleep with memories of Mark's loving in her dreams.