He knew. He just fucking knew the minute he got out she'd have something for him to do. They'd long ago stopped the whole favor for a favor thing, but even he knew how bad he owed her. She'd basically used every bit of leverage she had and instead of 25 to life he'd gotten a 9 months to a year. He was a good boy in an overcrowded system and had gotten out in 4.

Just in time for Veronica to start college and a rapist to cause havoc on campus. He needed a job—Veronica needed help with the case and just like that he was the newest janitor at Hearst College.

Although if Logan kept smirking every time he saw him in uniform he might be back in the orange jumpsuit pretty damn soon.

All in all it wasn't that bad. The job paid fairly well. It was the night shift so he could see his abuela during the day and work at Angel's shop. Between him and Anita they were able to keep the family afloat and take care of abueleta's medicine.

He spent the night cleaning and snatching bits of information from drunken college boys who had loose lips and no one bothered to worry about talking in front of the Mexican cleaning their floors.

The only problem was the other part of his gig. Also know as Mac-duty. V had made Mac get a taser after the first attack. But when the second girl who was attacked turned out to be a black belt she'd decided that wasn't enough. So every night he took Mac wherever she needed to go. It wasn't really a hassle except the girl was so depressed, and just defeated. He told himself not to care. He was just doing V a favor, but despite his best efforts he couldn't help the need to somehow make the girl feel better.

So it became a nightly ritual. He'd walk her from the library to her room, check it out and lock her safely inside, but on the way he did his best to cheer her up, make her laugh. Even just get a small smile out of her. He had no idea why the hell he cared, except well he remembered getting his math test back and showing it to her. She'd been so excited, hugging him and looking at him like he'd fucking solved world hunger. It had been…nice, but her eyes didn't shine like that anymore. And it bothered him.

But he had a great story to tell her tonight. Unfortunately when he walked into the back of the library where he'd left her several hours ago all jokes went flying out of his head.

Mac was still there, but she wasn't alone. Two guys were with her. One sitting almost on top of her. The other leaning over her, caging her in, trapping her between them.

"Come on, don't be like that. We could have a good time," the guy reached out to trail his finger down Mac's throat down towards the skin exposed by a shirt. He never got there as Eli lifted him up and away. The kid landed hard on the ground, his friend on top of him 5 seconds later when he charged at Eli. Both got up as Eli moved between them and Mac. The guys looked at each other, clearly questioning if it was worth a fight. Finally deciding not they turned to walk off, one of them stopping to say, "Whatever. You can have the frigid bitch."

He thought about going after the son of the bitch, but Mac still wasn't moving. She was just staring at her hands, which were clenched together so hard he was afraid she might not have any blood left in them.

"Mac," he said it quietly, cause it was a library and cause he was fucking afraid the way she wasn't blinking, "Mac, they're gone, are you…okay? Did they do something?"

She still wasn't blinking, "Mac, tell me they laid so much as a finger on you the wrong way and I will hunt them down and kick their asses."

She shook her head, her eyes still focused on her hands.

"Mac, do you want me to call V?"

"NO!" her head jerked up then and there were unshed tears in her eyes, "Please don't call Veronica."

"Okay, okay," he soothed her, "I won't call her, just say something okay? And blink for fuck's sake."

She chuckled then, pushing air out of her like it's been held in by some invisible force, "Okay," she said. "Okay, I'm okay, well not okay, frigid and apparently a bitch, but."

"Hey, that was complete bullshit. They're assholes. Seriously, if I wasn't still on probation I would kick their ass."

She smiled at him, "Thanks, that's…a nice thought. But they're kind of telling the truth. Ever since Cassidy……," she turned her head away for a moment, "I went on a date the other night and the guy tried to kiss me and well, it didn't end that well. Guess word got around?"

"So you didn't want to kiss this moron and people found out. So what? What business is it who you kiss and when? That doesn't make you a bitch. It makes him a bitch for telling anyone what went on with the two of you."

"But it's not a normal reaction."

"It is for someone who's gone through what you have. You need time. How much is your own damn decision, no one else's."

She sighed, "I don't want to be like this forever. I mean sometimes when Veronica and I are making fun of sorority girls or Logan's making an idiot of himself or," she looked down, her face flushing, "Or you're walking me home, telling me a story, I feel…normal, happy, but then, then it's gone and I'm…I'm back there and I hate it."

Eli sighed and rubbed his hands over his face, because he couldn't actually kick the ass of the guy who really caused this whole thing. "But you feel good some times, right?" She nodded, "So, eventually you'll feel good more of the time then not. I mean, no one feels good all of the time. Take it from me...that would not be normal."

She laughed again, "I guess not. Thanks for taking care of those guys, and me."

"All part of the Eli Navarro protection package V bought for you."

"Is that the only reason? Cause it's your job?"

He looked up into her eyes. Deep blue staring at him with a big huge question in them.

"I think you already know the answer to that question."

She nodded her head a little, "Tell me anyway."

He picked up her right hand, which was no longer clenching her left and brought it up to his lips. He brushed his mouth over her wrist, felt her pulse jump as he sucked lightly. Frigid, my ass. His breath moved over her skin as he spoke, "It's not just a job."

She smiled then, a real smile. He's been around her smile before, she smiled at him before, but this time, this smile, she's smiling because of him, for him.