Salutations! (that one won for this time. Focus on the Family, a Christian organization that makes these stories on tapes had a guy called Eugene, who said hello that way all the time. It was kind of funny when I was really little. He always used the big words and stuff. The stereotype geek. But nice, none the less.)
We left off at a lovely place, didn't we? The school year's almost done now. I shall really have to hurry. Review sooner people, and I will be able to finish the story!
I was really happy this morning. Seriously. I have never gotten so many reviews in twenty-four hours.
AgiVega: I almost updated before I got your review. It came in just a moment ago. Thanks. Of course she can't escape... Yet.
aperfectattitude: Yes, I know. They really are a good couple. Especially in the end. Of course, like in Dead Dreams, it gets teary...
The Blazing Blade: Tickled pink your reviewed. Anyway, maybe it's not healthy to update everyday, and maybe people won't add me to their alert list, but they will next year. And I wrote this all in three days, months ago. Not every day, so HAH!
Trouble Kelp: Thanks for reviewing all of that. I was really happy to hear from you. Update sometime, why don't you? And yes, you do do cliffhangers, but I'm glad you agree about Juliet.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything except the things I own. The things I own are the things not owned by Colfer. Colfer owns everything except the things I own. The things Colfer own are the things I do not own. :) Try that one, all you people who think you're the next Artemis Fowl.
Juliet fumbled with the keys, trying to find the one to open the door. There were only three certainly, but she was sure she would need to have her fingers reset all over again once she was gone. At each movement, she could feel the bones grating against each other in protest. It hurt. She had no doubt that nothing she was doing was good for her fingers. None at all.
The third one clicked in the lock, and Juliet leaned against the copter a moment, setting her forehead on the smooth, cold metal. She was sweating horribly. And she hadn't even been working that hard. Perhaps it was the pain.
"What are you doing?"
Juliet spun with a scream, taking a step backwards in fright. She couldn't ever remember being this startled before. Probably all the adrenaline built up in her.
Justin dove at her as she started to pull open the door, slamming into her, and throwing her down roughly.
She whimpered, once, and tried her best to lay still and keep her pain under control. Her arms burned and throbbed worse than ever, and she could feel blood trickling over her fingertips now, rubbed raw from pawing at the concrete and metal.
"You're a clever thing. Truly, you are. I don't suppose you want to tell me how you got out without anyone noticing?" Justin stepped forwards, setting a foot on her chest.
"No," whispered Juliet, and spat up blood.
"Interesting." He pressed down harder, watching her cough and struggle to breathe. It was harder lying down. Especially with a weight on your chest. "I wouldn't have thought you were capable of going anywhere. And I was wrong. You almost got away."
"Don't. Please."
"It will get a lot more painful than that. Believe me. I'll make sure of that. I promise."
"You would have done the same thing," gasped Juliet.
He didn't answer, but put his full wait on her, ignoring her as she choked on blood.
Juliet let herself settle, and stopped trying to breathe. Finally Justin lifted his foot, allowing her more room. "Take a moment to rest. Then we're checking out of here. I'll trust you more once you're locked up in a ten by ten concrete cell. Which you will be."
His phone rang. "What now?" For a moment, he looked annoyed, but it passed.
"We haven't seen her."
"I caught her. She almost got away in the helicopter. I just barely got to her in time. We're checking out right away. We can take care of her back at the manor once she's nicely locked up in her cell. It's too dangerous. I know she'll keep trying until she gets past us."
"Right. You want us to get the car?"
"Yeah. Go ahead."
Justin hung up, and leaned over, picking Juliet up roughly. "You keep your mouth shut, and lie still. I told them you had an abusive mother, and waking up in the hospital with all the tubes sticking into you triggered memories. I had opened the window, and you wandered outside. No one else was to look for you, because you might have jumped."
"Yeah. Okay." Juliet gave up trying to act like it didn't hurt, and slumped against him, glad to be carried.
"Cry. Cry like you're a little kid who had a bad dream." Justin took the keys from her, and stepped inside the landing to return everything to its place and relock the door.
"I don't cry," mumbled Juliet, half asleep already, mind dulled by the pain.
Justin picked up her hand, and snapped one of her fingers in one of the few places it wasn't broken. "I told you to cry!"
After a moment of silence, Juliet burst into frightened, childish sobs, burying her face in Justin's chest.
Justin slid down the slope of the roof to the next floor, and hurried around the corner to the room. In side, three nurses were waiting, along with a doctor. They were obviously worried about getting sued or something.
He motioned them back as they started to step forwards. "Don't, you'll make it worse."
Juliet felt him tighten his grip, and struggled weakly, clinging to him. "No! Make them go away, Justin! Please! They'll hurt me, they will!"
Everyone moved hastily to the other side of the room.
Justin stepped inside, holding her gently, and looking his part perfectly. "We'll be checking out now. I'm going to take her to our personal doctor. He's worked with her several times before, and is better equipped to take care of her. I'm sure you won't mind?"
The doctor shook his head quickly. "Oh no. Not at all. We apologize about what happened. I'm afraid we weren't expecting it, and—"
"I understand. I forgot to mention it before. It was my fault really. It's happened before though. I'm just glad she didn't jump or fall. She was wandering around out there, and…"
He leaned down, kissing her forehead lightly. "Nothing happened to her though."
Juliet bit his arm.
An hour later, Justin lifted her carefully into the car, along with help from a nurse, and wrapped a blanket around her. Juliet went to sleep right away, not caring how deep of trouble she was in. Right now, she hurt, and that was pretty much all.
A few minutes later, once thy had pulled out of the hospital lot, Justin shook her awake. "Do you want to explain?"
"About what?" she asked drowsily, as her eyes closed again.
"Several things, if you don't mind! Like why you bit me like that for no reason. You have nasty teeth! I have a bloody hole in my arm!"
"Good," muttered Juliet darkly. "I would have liked to have bitten your head off."
"What for?"
"You kissed me."
In the front seat, Justin heard snickers. It did not help to improve his attitude. "I was acting, damn it! Do you think I enjoyed kissing you?"
"Probably. And don't deny it, you pervert."
Justin wisely decided to change the subject. "And running off like that— why?"
"Wouldn't you have?"
"I wonder!"
Juliet pushed back on the seat, and winced slightly. "Same reason. I wanted to get away. I wanted to live. So I took the first opportunity I got, and left as fast as I could."
He glared at her. "You try it again, and I will—"
"And you'll what?" Juliet smiled. "I don't think Chance would be very pleased if I had any accidents. After all, I am the prize catch of the year, and he needs me to bargain with. Of course we're still much better than you, but he knows you'll be able to do better with me as a hostage."
Justin glared harder, and decided to drop of the conversation there. It was no use.
When the car pulled into the manor drive, about two hours later, Justin shook her awake again. "Come on. Wake up. Chance will be here. Don't you dare sass him!"
Juliet smiled crookedly. "And what if I do? Whatcha gona do about it, Justin?"
Justin pulled the blanket off of her with a jerk. "Your clothes are filthy! Bloody, and dirty, and everything."
"Why should you care? I thought only girls worried about their looks. Standing in front of the mirror, and tittering all day. You don't do that, do you?" She smirked slightly at the sound of more snickers in the front seat.
"I don't."
"Good then."
The car slowed, and then stopped in front of a manor. On the steps were quite a few people. It amused Juliet. She felt special. They were all curious about her. Funny, sort of. She was curious about them.
All except one. One she was a little nervous about. He was as big as Dom, and standing at the bottom, waiting for them. Or her, more likely. Chance.
Suddenly, she was glad the nurse had brushed her hair. It was the most random thing to pop into her head, at a moment like this, but she was. She was glad. Because if her clothes didn't look neat, then at least her hair did. So long as her hair was fine, she was.
Justin opened the door, and stepped out. He was greeted enthusiastically, but Juliet could tell they were most curious about her. Obviously. They must have heard plenty.
"Come on!" snapped Justin. She could tell he was annoyed that she would receive so much attention.
Juliet smiled, though it was more of a smirk, and slipped lightly out of the car, setting her jaw, and somehow managing to look exactly like Dom, when he wanted to be noticed.
Of course, it was hard to ignore Dom, but he had this look he gave people that made them shut up and pay attention without him having to say anything.
It worked for her too. There was a sudden silence.
No one moved for a moment, and then Chance stepped forwards with a nod. "So. Juliet. Butler. I've heard plenty about you the last few days. I think everyone has."
Aren't you angry now? But of course I shall make you wait until I get reviews to update again. This story is immensely fun to write. I think I'll go into mourning for a day or so when it's done. Not for a while yet though. I still have quite a bit to go. This will be a much (maybe) longer story than my other one. If you haven't read it yet, go read it. You don't have to review there, but mention it when you review here. I would like to know what you think.