Raymond looked at his watch and frown. George had left about an hour ago and he had not yet return or even tried to contact him. Raymond gave a deep sigh and tried to focus on a newspaper in front of him. Police still have no leads to the museum robbers, or the bank robbery. 'The police have their hands full already with that thief, The Cat. What a horrible man too...'
Suddenly Raymond heard a noise and looked up. He could tell it was Mister George, because the way his shoes sounded on the floor, but he gasped at the sight he saw. A very serious George walked past him, with a woman in his arms. She seemed very pale and was curled up tightly against his chest. Raymond raised a brow.
"What is going on here, sir? Who is that?"
"Not now Raymond." George said calmly.
Raymond began to follow him. "Sir, I must now? Who is this woman? Surely people saw you carrying her! They will now something is wrong! Think of the media and what they will say. Oh the scandal..."
"Raymond!"
The older man jumped back a bit in both surprise and fright. George was not looking at him, a shadow had covered most of his face but by the way he was standing, Raymond knew he was very serious.
"This is a young lady I met a day ago. I do not know what has happened to her since then, but it is clear she is hurt. I found her like this and I plan on making sure she does not leave like this."
"How can you expect me to believe that sir? I can see it in your face, there is something more than a girl with an injury. Oh! The newspaper will have a hay day with this information! I can see it now, the company looses all it's business over some fling. Mister George I must protest you bringing that young woman here!" Raymond continued on with his rant about how the company was doomed, not allowing George a word edge wise.
Becoming irritated with the man's bellyaching, George shook his head and headed for the stairs. "Yes, yes Raymond, I know the company is going to crumble and it shall be my fault. Please, take a moment from your panic and prepare some tea for my guest and I." He made sure he had a good grip on Rachel and made his way up to a spare bedroom.
"But sir! Mister George! Wait…" Raymond let out a sigh. "Tea…right…"
Once inside the room, George carefully set Rachel on the bed and shook his head. "I'm sorry about that Miss, uh, I mean, Rachel. That man can become worked up over such simple things. That's not important now, how are you feeling?"
There was no answer.
George raised a brow and leaned over Rachel. "Rachel?" He asked in a more concern tone. He raised his hand and gently touched her shoulder. Her eyes were closed, but she made a moaning sound. He looked at her for a moment and then looked at her side. He could see a patch of red forming. He frowned and turned to his bathroom. He returned just as quick with wrap and rubbing alcohol.
"Since you won't let me get a doctor, I'm going to have to look at your wound myself." He didn't wait for her to respond and lift her shirt up. He frowned deeply at the sight. Right away he could tell her ribs where broken, and a large cut was bleeding. She had bruises everywhere on her. It made him sick.
"Who did this...who WOULD do this?" He asked to himself as he began to apply the rubbing alcohol to her cut.
"AAH!" She cried out, causing him to look at her in alarm.
"It's alright, it's alright." He put his hand on her hip. She looked at up with drowsy eyes and then nodded. She closed her eyes again and bit her bottom lip as he added more. He listen to her make sounds of displeasure but she did nothing expect jerk her body a little ever so often. He frowned more at the thought of him bring her pain but he could not prevent it right now.
"Now...let's try to cover this up and help it stop bleeding," He said in a gentle tone.
Rachel made an odd sound but forced herself to sit up. George looked at her for a moment, now realizing he could see a great deal of her body.
He blushed and then shook his head to make him focus once more. He leaned towards her and gently began to wrap the wrap tightly around her. She made a few noises but like before, did nothing about it. George listen to her groans and a odd feeling entered him. He made a vow to himself. If I ever find out who did this to you...I'll make sure to repay the favor, and slowly.
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"Did you think I wouldn't figure it out? We had a picture of the brake in at the museum." Sai pulled the picture out of his pocket and held it up for her to see. "What about the way you always act? Like someone is spying on you, it wasn't hard to piece it together."
Jill frowned and looked to her feet. "It's… It's not me."
"Stop lying! I just watched you steal a wallet!" Sai shoved the picture back into his pocket. "That girl Rachel, she's the other thief. It's probably her doing, the reason you do what you do."
"Leave Rachel out of this! I do things on my own will." Jill looked and glared at Sai. "If you're looking for answers, too bad!" She gave him a rough shove and took off running out of the alleyway.
"Jill!" Sai frowned and took off after her. "I know it's you!"
People turned to watch the girl run from the boy. They would scratch their heads and then shrug it off as they went back to whatever they were doing. However it was different for Jill and Sai. Their minds raced just as fast as they ran.
'Rachel was right. I should have never let myself get close to him. I should have listened to her! Everything would be fine. Rachel wouldn't be in the condition she is in now, Wong wouldn't be upset with us, and we would be closer to our freedom. Why did I screw everything up just because of him?' She bit her lip and ran twice as fast as she turned a corner on the sidewalk.
Sai gave a shout as she sped up. 'I'll get her! I can't let her go. Why didn't I see it before? Am I that stupid or blind? I was too distracted. I should never let a pretty face cloud my judgment! I won't ever again! Damn her! I won't let myself lo...' His eyes went a little wide at his thoughts. Let myself do what? He shook his head and hurried after Jill.
Jill made another quick turn, hoping to loose him, only to find herself down another alley. She turned to run out again, coming face to face with her pursuer.
"Jill, tell me what's going on…" Sai managed to get out between breaths.
"Nothing, I can't tell you anything. Leave me alone." She reached out to shove him again, this time he grabbed her arm.
"Why are you stealing things?" Sai held her arm tightly so she wouldn't pull away.
"Leave me alone!" Jill jerked her arm back and was able to throw him off balance causing him to let go. "You should just forget me and everything you think you know!"
He looked her in the eyes before asking again. "Why are you stealing things?"
It was obvious he wasn't going to let her be, the only choice she was left was to fight him off. Without a warning she made a quick spin and threw a punch at his side. "I gave you a warning! Leave me alone!"
Sai stumbled back and held his side. "I'm not going to let this go!" He staigtened up again and took a step toward her. "Please, don't make this difficult."
Jill growled lightly under her breath. "Just let it go! It's none of your business!" She took another swing at him, onle to have Sai grab her wrist.
They stayed that way for a few moments, just staring eachother down. The city around them fell silent. Neither one of the two moved.
Suddently Jill pulled her arm back and yanked free of his grip. "Back off!" She looked for an opening and dropping down, attmepted to trip Sai. She hoped he would fall and it would give her a chance to get away.
"Stop this, please!" Sai took a step back, to keep his balance. "Why are you stealing things? Jill, I..." he was cut off as she jumped him in an attmept to make an escape.
He fall back as she gave him a kick as well. He watched as she landed on her feet with the ease he saw from the museum.
"Damnit!"He shouted and he stumbled to his feet to chase after her.
'Damnit'. She thought as she noticed he was following her again. That's it. She turned to towards an back alley and came to a skid halt. She turned quickly and faced him. He came to a stop as well.
"I don't want to fight you Jill."
He said with a serious face.
"They only way you're getting anything from me is fighting me."
She said just as serious. The two stared at each other for a long time until Jill's hands went into fist. Sai frown but then nodded.
"Alright then...if that's the way you want it.."
He rolled his sleeves up and then he too took a battle stance.
They jumped at each other. It seemed rahter pointless. Even though they were struggling against eachother, neither wanted to hurt the other. It as a half hearted fight, the punches and kicks doing hardly anything. They both stepped back and looked in the other's eyes.
Jill glared. She just wanted to get away. 'Rachel, was right.' she thought to herself. 'I never should have gotten invovled with him.'
While lost in her thoughts, Sai had advanced on her. Grabbing her right arm, he twisted it around and held it aginst her back. "Now stop!"
She was surprised that she had let her guard down long enough for him to grab her. She glanced to the ground. The way he held her arm back, just like the way the police arrested a person. It made her wish that was the case, instead of what was really going on.
"Well, is that it? Do you give?" Sai held his grip tightly. "Why are you stealing things?"
She didn't say anything, nor did she try to pull away. Eyes still on the ground, she lightly shook her head, silently wishing she could just wake up. That this was just a bad dream, even though she knew it wasn't.
"Why do you steal things? Jill? Answer me, then I'll let go. I don't want to fight with you anymore." He frowned, and loosened his grip slightly. "Well? Are you listening to me?"
"I like to steal." She said coldly.
Sai was taken back a bit. He held her arm for a moment longer and then let her go. "Why? Why Jill? There's not future in that! It's wrong!"
"I don't care!" She shouted as she turned to look at him.
He looked at her face. Her cheeks were red from holding back tears.
"I like to steal...but not like the night we met." She looked down again. "All my life, it's just been me and Rachel. We started to steal for food but as we got older and began to change, so did our stealing."
Sai watched her face as she talked. His eyes soften greatly as he listen to her tale.
"We like to do it...not to hurt others or to gain ourselves. Most of the stuff we took we gave back or gave to someone else who needed it more."
"What made you change your ways?" Sai asked her.
She looked up at him, into his eyes and she couldn't control the few tears that fell. "One day...one night...I wasn't paying attention. And...and..."
She began to cry. She hated to cry, it made her feel weak, but she couldn't control it. Not right now. She felt Sai's arms wrap around her and she didn't know how to react. But she took a few sniffs and put her arms around him.
"Rachel tried to get us way in time, but..but his men surrounded us."
"Who's men?" Sai asked with some concern. He felt her tense up some as she squeezed the back of his shirt."Jill?" He pulled her back a little to look at her face. She was biting her lip but she gave a large sigh.
"Wong."
Sai's face fell in compete shock. "You're working for Wong?!"
"Not by choice!!"
He looked at her for a moment and then let her go on.
"We tried to excape many times...but...he finally threaten to do something very..very bad."
"Like what?"
She was quiet for a moment.
"Jill? Like what?" He asked in a concern tone.
She looked at him and in a small whisper. "Kill the mayor."
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Rachel sat up with a start. Her head was filled with fevered images and it took a moment for her to realize where she was. The room was large, and she was in the middle of a equally large bed. Taking a few slow breathes she realized that her injuries were all bandaged. The last thing she remembered was His face, looking down at her. "George..." She shook her head trying to come to her senses.
Slowly she made her way to the egde of the bed and stood up. Glancing around she noticed a robe hanging on the back of the bedroom door. She felt awkward, though she was covered by the bandages, she grabbed the robe and pull it on. It was soft, and well made. 'Probably cost a fortune.' She thought to herself.
Quietly she opened the door and peeked out into the hallway. Seeing no one, Rachel slipped out the door and made her way down the hall. She came to a staircase and looking down it she was a large room. More importantly, her eyes landed on a couch and the person sitting on it. "George..."
He wasn't looking at her, in fact his back was to her. This was her chance. With her skill she could easily sneak out. She began to move towards the door when she heard his voice.
"Do you not trust me Rachel? Is that why you are trying to leave?"
She hadn't made a sound, not a sound at all. She turn to look at him. He still wasn't looking at her. 'How did he...' She frowned and stood up some, only to cause her ribs more pain. She made a face and a gasp. That caused George to look at her. He looked concern and hurried to her side but she put her hand out to stop him.
"I have to go..."
"Why?"
She looked at him and then gave a sigh as she looked to her side. "I can't tell you...it's not because I don't trust you...it's because..."
"Because of what?" He said, placing a hand on her arm to keep her steady.
"Because I don't want you to get hurt."
He raised a brow at this and then smiled. "That's very kind of being the one who is hurt."
She made a face at him, which only made him smile more. Before she could comment on it though he picked her up once more.
"Agh!"
She made a odd sound, surprised that he had picked her up, once more with such ease. But he wasn't hurting her, and she didn't want to fight, she let him. Placing her back on his bed, he made sure she was alright. She didn't look at him at first and then as he was pulling the covers over her, their eyes met.
"Why are you helping me?"
He did not know how to answer that. "Well, you need help."
"But you could have taken me to a doctor. Get me off your hands. I might cause a scandel."
He raised a brow at that. George's face seemed serious but also as if wasn't effected by the idea. "A scandel can be caused by anything. A rumor, a lie, a simple look." He said just as he looked at her hand. Rachel studied his face and decided to change the subject. "I barely feel much pain. You really know what you're doing."
"You be surprised at what I know." He was now sitting on the edge of the bed, looking at her, as if he wanted to ask her something.
She smiled at him. She did not know why but she did. She moved her hand a little and placed it on top of his. He looked at it for a moment and then back at her. She felt him rub his thumb over the back of her hand and oddly enough, it caused her to shiver. George noticed and was about to ask if she was cold when there was a knock on the door and Raymond poked his head in.
"What now Raymond?"
"Sir, I..." Raymond stopped and looked at the scene in front of him. He shook his head lightly and continued. "We really need to discuss the matters of..."
"This isn't the time to talk about my life, women, or the combining of the two." George looked back to Rachel. "Can't you see I'm busy helping Rachel?"
Raymond made an irriated face. "We need to talk about that as well. If someone were to see what I am right now it..."
"It doesn't matter. She needs help. That's what I'm doing."
Rachel listened to the men argue. She laughed lightly, the exchange reminded her of the small arugements she had with Jill. How they never went anywhere, and how they always cut eachother off.
George looked down at her and raised a brow. "Are you feeling better?"
"Huh? Oh, well, yes." She looked down for a moment. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh at you, I was just thinking about..." Then it hit her and she sat up quickly. "Jill!...ow..." A sharp pain ran through her chest.
"Jill? Oh, your friend. I remember her." Gentally he pushed Rachel back down. "You shouldn't sit up quickly like that."
"No, you don't understand. That girl...she dissappered earlier today when she was suppose to be getting me medicine from the store. I have to find her..."
"You need to stay in bed." George gave her a stren look. "She seemed like the kind of girl who could look out for herself. I'm sure she's fine."
Raymond watched the two rather annoyed. "Excuse me Sir, but we really need to discuss some important matters."
George was about to stand up and shout at him when he heard Rachel laugh.
"What are the important matters Raymond? Maybe you need a woman's opinion on it, uh?"
George looked at her with a smile and then back at Raymond, who rolled his eyes a little.
"Well, really I..." It was then Raymond noticed the odd spark in George's eyes. He raised a brow and then gave a sigh. "Well maybe you have a point, maybe you can talk some sense into him."
Rachel smiled. "My reason for living." She joked. George looked at her with a soft smile as Raymond walked into the room with a folder.
"I have here the files on many women George should take an interest in."
George gave a sigh as Rachel raised a brow.
"A interest in what?"
"Marriage..."
George groaned. Rachel looked at the two for a moment and then burst out laughing only to moan after from the pain.
"All this is over marriage!? You've got to be kidding..."
"This is a serious matter, if Master George does not marry and marry soon, it could mean the down fall of our company."
Rachel smiled. "Then marry someone and dump them later."
George burst out laughing but Raymond gasped.
"Do you know what a scandel that would cause!?"
Rachel laughed a little and then cleared her throat.
"Alright then, let me look at those..." She put her hand out for the folder.
Raymond looked at her then at George who nodded. Raymond sighed and gave her the folder. "Very well, maybe you can convince him to meet some of these women."
Rachel opened the folder and looked at a picture of a beautiful red headed woman.
"Liza Jewel. She enjoys fine arts, horse back riding and spending time in her country home." Rachel said in a british mocking voice.
George chuckled a little and added on. "Also she likes to spend money as if it is on fire."
"Oww." Rachel made a face. "Bad choice..." She tossed the picture away from her, causing Raymond to sigh and shake his head.
George laid back on his bed and picked up another picture."What about her then?" He said in a playful tone, not really caring who it was.
"Hmmm?" Rachel glanced at the black haired woman in the picture. "Let's see... to me, it looks like another one just after some spending money." She flipped through the folder glancing breifly at all the photos. "Well, that they lack in personality, they make up in looks."
George sat up some and laughed lightly. "Oh, now you've really got me interested. Oh well, time to take out the trash." He reached for the stack of photos.
"Honestly Sir, you have to give it more thought than that!" Raymond snapped and picked uo the photos before George could grab them. "Look, Miss Rachel, here is even willing to help you. At least give them some consideration."
Rachel laughed slightly and shook her head. She took the photos back from Raymond and looked them over again. "Hmmm.. well George, if these women don't interest you.. then what are you looking for?"
He was a bit taken back by the question and glanced between Rachel and Raymond. "Well, I want more than a pretty face. Um... I..." George stumbled on his words, still a bit startled by the question at hand. "She would have to be, special. I don't really care about where she comes from, or her financial status. I'm looking for somone different. Unlike the women in these photos."
Rachel raised a brow. "Okay. What else? Personality wise or whatever. You have to be less vauge."
George's eye brows scrunched together. Why was that question hard to asnwer? Rachel looked at him for a long time, it was causing him to become distracted and more frustrated.
"Should she be sweet? Have nice legs?"
"Should she be funny, or talented in some skill?" Raymond added. Rachel laughed and looked at George.
"Do you want my opinion?"
George looked at her as his face went a little serious. She smiled.
"You don't know what you want."
"You're wrong there." He said harshly. It caused Rachel to lend back a little and Raymond to jump. George looked at Rachel, her eyes were wide. He suddenly felt very ashamed of himself.
"I'm sorry. Maybe you're right."
"Maybe I'm wrong."
He looked at her again. She seemed so quick to forgive. "I know what I want. I know who I want.".
Raymond gave a sigh of relief.
"But I do not know how to get her."
Rachel cocked her head to one side. "What do you mean? If you know who you want. Go get her."
George looked at her and then licked his lips. Why was he so nervous all of a sudden?
Raymond moved a little close to the two. "Sir? Who is she?"
Rachel raised a brow. Why did she feel suddenly sad?
"Who do you want?"
George suddenly stood up. Excuse me for a moment...." He turned and walked out of the room. It caused both Rachel and Raymond to look at him in surprise.
"What was that all about?"
Raymond sighed once more. "Maybe I am putting to much pressure on him."
Rachel patted the spot next to her. "Tell me about George? Maybe I can help if I knew more about him."
With a light sigh Raymond sat down on the bed. "Well, sometimes, even I don't know about him." He shook his head slightly and thought. "He has this mysterious air to him. Though, he usually keeps to himself and his work. I know he enjoys art and visited the museum often."
"So he likes art and is a loner?" Rachel raised a brow. She never thought he seemed like the type who kept to himself.
"No, not a loner. He just spends much of his free time alone." Raymond thought for a moment. "He's very interested in those recent robbery cases."
Rachel looked a bit surprised but quickly shook off the look. "Really? What about them?"
"I'm not sure. He just seems to be interested by them. By those female theifs that the police have no leads on. Enough about that though. What else is there to note about him... lets see."
The man rambled on, but Rachel didn't hear any of it. She was thinking about what had been said. 'Why would he be so interested in the robberies?' She bit her lip in thought.
"I just wish he would pick someone. You have no idea how many deals we have lost because the other companies thought he wouldn't take things serious because he was single." Raymond sighed at the thought.
Rachel almost missed what he said from her thoughts. "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that."
"It doesn't matter, their loss."
Raymond and Rachel looked to the door. George was standing there. Raymond stood up quickly, half from the fact he was sitting close to Rachel and half because he did not like the answer George gave him.
"But Sir, you and I both know.."
"Yes Raymond, I know..." George sighed.
"George, please, just for once in your life will..."
The phone rang. Both George and Raymond sighed, but Raymond looked at George.
"Never mind I will get it."
"Thank you Raymond."
Raymond only rolled his eyes and walked out of the room. George stared at the door for a moment before turning to look at Rachel. She was laying against his bed rest and she smiled up at him. His stomach suddenly tied into a knot. He sat down quickly on the edge of the bed.
"Are you alright?" Rachel asked leaning towards him a little. He looked at her and nodded. Rachel was about to ask something else when she noticed a odd look in his eye. She sat up a bit. "What's wrong."
He said nothing, then finally. "I had to think."
Rachel raised a brow. 'Think about what?' She wondered. Before she could ask him he went on.
"I can't ask who I want..I can't ask anyone."
Rachel felt a odd mix of relief and pain, pain not from her ribs. "Why?"
"My life is to busy...the things I do...It would not be fair to the one I marry. I could hurt them."
Rachel's eyes went a little wide. Hadn't she said the very same thing to Jill? She looked down. "I know what you mean..."
No one said anything. George looked straight ahead as Rachel looked to a corner of the room.
"Guess I wasn't much of help..."
"No.." George said, still not looking at her. "You were more help than you realize."
Rachel smiled, small as it was, it was still a smile. "Ah!" She gasped suddenly. George looked at her, once more ready to help her. Rachel held her side asGeorge placed his hand on the one Rachel held on her side.
"Are you alright?" He asked. Rachel bit her lip and took a deep breath.
"Yeah..." She said after a moment. "I wasn't expecting it..."
Then suddenly she realized how close George was to her and where both his hands where. While the other was on her side, the other one was on the back of her head. Rachel's eyes widen greatly as a deep red covered her cheeks. George was looking at her side and was about to ask her if she wanted something to drink when he noticed her cheeks. He looked very concern.
"Are you alright?"
And then he noticed just how close her mouth was to his. She said nothing, but he noticed a odd spark in her eyes. Without thinking Rachel lend in towards him.
'Did Raymond turn on the heater?' George thought as he stared into Rachel's odd green eyes. Rachel had never seen such eyes before. They were purple, purple like Violets. Rachel reached up to brush some of his orange hair way from those eyes. Why was her heart beating so fast? Could he hear it? She felt his fingers lace into her hair and her free hand went to his shoulder. 'No Rachel! She screamed in her mind. You can't!! Remember!! YO-' she never finished her thought though.
Their eyes still open as they looked in shock at each other. He squeezed her hand on her side, she clenched the cloth from his shirt with her other one. Slowly their eyes began to close as their minds when numb. Their lips had touched, they were kissing, forbidden fuirt and everything around them suddenly disappeared.