AN: Sorry this chapter took so long guys. My lecturers have just discovered the joys of 'homework' and realised that this means they can get me to do lots of work without putting in any effort themselves. *SIGH*
She woke in a softly lighted room with a face smiling over her. The smile widened as she opened her eyes and stood from where it had sat on the side of the bed. The Soft Voice was revealed in the light from a small lamp on a bedside table.
"I'll be right back, OK? You stay here." The smile radiated into his words, but it didn't soothe her as it might once have done. Instead it put her on edge and she was glad when he stepped out of the room a few moments later. She sat up when the door closed behind him and looked around her. This was a different room to the one she had found before, but the quilt that covered her was the same one that had been in place where she had woken and the scent matched as well. This room must belong to the person who owned them. But the scent did not match any of the other four. She wondered who it could be, and whether they were still here somewhere. Whether they would miss their bed.
It wasn't until she went to get out of the bed that she noticed the changed binding on her wrist. The bulky white plaster cast was gone, replaced by a fabric substitute, a plastic frame holding her wrist tightly but not obstructing or heavy like the previous one. It didn't take her long to find the Velcro straps across the side.
Pulling gently on the straps she eased the binding off. Wiggling her fingers she found her hand looser than before, not so stiff. It was only as she went to turn her hand, to look at the deep cuts across the back of it that she realised what the binding was for. Intense pain burned up her arm, making her shoulder cramp and pulling her in on herself. It was the work of several minutes for her to overcome the pain enough to unfold her body and replace the restraint on her wrist, fixing it clumsily with her right hand. Even the slight pressure that the half-fixed binding offered was enough to lessen the pain and she lay back again, breathing deeply and holding the arm away from her as if she could lessen the pain further with distance.
As the pain began to fade again, into the background of other smaller hurts, she thought again about her situation. It was obvious to her that the Soft Voice would want payment for his protection. Nothing came free, and what he had offered her would undoubtedly be expensive. Maybe that was why she had been brought in here, out of the way of the other's eyes.
As Adam stepped back into Shalimar's room he faltered in his stride. She had taken off the light pyjamas that Emma had helped her change into after aiding her in bathing off a month's worth of grime. (An experience that had left Emma pale and shaking; when he had checked on her later he had found her crying alone in her room, though she refused to talk about it.) Now she lay on the bed, posed as you might expect to find some model in a boy's magazine, though there was no relaxation and leisure in her body, she looked worried and uncertain. A shadow of fear in her eyes and tension in her shoulders betrayed the frightened child that hid behind adult's games - as though not quite understanding, not knowing what would come next.
Adam felt the anger rise in him - for the violation of his innocent child, that made her think that she needed to offer him such a thing. Realising he would not be able to hide his anger from her, or be able to make her understand why he was angry, he busied himself in his wardrobe.
Coming out baring a large sweater and an old pair of jogging bottoms near gone to holes from the back of the wardrobe, Adam steeled himself and returned to the bed, still fighting with the fuming anger.
Dressing her gently, he tugged her upright and led her to the door.
"Come with me." He spoke gruffly.
He led her out into the main hall of Sanctuary. The awe in her eyes reminded him that she hadn't seen this part of Sanctuary yet, but he continued to lead her until they stood before the dojo where Brennan and Jesse were sparing. They both stopped, startled as they saw their two onlookers.
"Carry on." Adam called out to them. He looked back at Shalimar as she watched them with curiosity. In the bright lights of the hall the most recent cut on her cheek fell into deep relief and Adam had to fight with his anger again before he could continue. "This this and only this is what you will do for me. When this," He motioned to her wrist. "Is healed you will fight for me again and that is how you can repay my protection. OK? But you must get better first." He had his hands on her shoulders and could see a hint of fear in her eyes. He had taken a role as her protector - one that he had always tried to fill, even when it was unasked for - but who would she look for to protect her from him? He looked back down at her wrist as his eyes caught up with his mind. "Oh, what have you done here." His anger deflated as he saw the untidily replaced binding. Taking her arm in his hands he felt her flinch away but ignored her. Gently removing the lighter cast he held her wrist tight and still as he put it back again correctly. He heard her take a sharp breath as he tightened it, and winced himself, but soon the binding was fixed back in place. He sighed as he released her hand.
"How can I make you understand?" He appealed.