A/N: Massive thank yous to everyone who has reviewed so far and to anyone with the patience to still be looking out for this - final year of uni really took it's toll on my writing, but I graduate next week so here's hoping I can put in some more time, though I ain't promising anything! Sorry it's a bit shorter than the last few parts, but I figured it might be better than nothing! :)

9.

At first, Molly didn't know how to respond – why the sudden concern from Jericho of all people? First he's telling her all the comments about her figure are bullshit and now he's asking what's been going on? She couldn't help being suspicious of his motives … Maybe he was in on all this? But, no; that was ridiculous. Sure, in recent times, he had proved he could be as heartless as the rest of them, but he worked alone …

"So … What, I gotta guess?" he said with just a hint of impatience; his voice cutting into the thoughts of her overwrought mind, preventing her taking her conspiracy theories too far. "Frankly, I ain't that interested. I know Barbie and the Beast back there must have been hassling you, the rest …"

"Someone slashed the tyres of my car."

Chris turned to glance at her, not wanting to give away the fact that he was actually shocked by her admission and so, simply raising a quizzical eyebrow.

"What, all of 'em?"

"Just two – isn't that enough?"

"Guess so. And you reckon it was Trish?"

She shook her head with a little laugh, "She'd be too scared she'd break a nail – the smart money's on BuhBuh Ray Dudley, but I don't doubt she was behind it. And then, they just happened to be there to see my reaction – kinda convenient, huh?"

"What are you gonna do about it?"

Molly looked over at him as they stopped at a red light, a strange look on her face. "Nothing – get the tyres replaced and forget about it. Oh, and just feel grateful they didn't cut the brake cables for me!"

He shook his head grimly, inadvertently tightening his grip on the steering wheel. "So, let them get away with it in other words – no wonder people walk over you, you make it easy for them!"

"You don't know what it's like! Who would I tell? Who would care?" she demanded forcefully, her voice cracking with unshed tears, "You have no right to judge me – you don't KNOW!"

Shocked by such an outburst, he turned to her and would have yelled back had he not seen that anger was the only defence she had – and he of all people knew what that was like. In fact, he knew a lot more than she realised …

"You think I don't know?" he said, striving to check his own temper and keep his voice low. He was about to continue, unsure of what he was even trying to say or why he was even bothering at all, when he heard the driver of the car behind him blare its horn. Startled, he glanced up and saw the lights had changed to green and he was holding up the traffic.

"Look, Molly …"

The horn again.

"Yeah, yeah; the horn works - try your lights!" he shouted into the rear-view mirror, seeing the man waving his fist impatiently before blasting the horn again, loudly and persistently. "Bastard!" snapped Chris as he gave in, pointedly giving him the finger, without even turning round, before driving on.

As he was forced to focus on his driving for a while, an uneasy silence descended on the car and it lasted until they were turning into the parking lot of the hotel. A few times, Chris had looked as if he was about to speak, but the right words evaded him each time and he turned back to concentrate on the road ahead. Now, pulling into an empty space, he turned to Molly, who was looking at him warily.

"Thanks for the lift." she said; sounding as if she expected him to reveal there was some sort of catch, as if he would want to be paid or something.

"It's not like it was out of my way." he said with a shrug.

There was an awkward pause and then Molly opened her door and scrambled out.

"Wait!"

Chris didn't really know why he had said that or what he was planning to say next, but he couldn't help thinking of the look he had seen in her eyes – that same hurt, helpless look he had seen in the parking lot of the stadium when she had thought he was making fun of her. He may never have let that look be seen in his own eyes, but that didn't mean he couldn't identify with it.

"Don't let them get to you." he said finally; well aware of the inadequacy of his words but lost for anything better.

That same wry little smile and sad look as she gave him a brief nod which he knew she didn't really mean – they both knew it was a little late for that.

"Night, Chris."

And she was gone.

tbc...