"Fractured Fairytale" by Blackbriar.

WARNING: This chapter contains non-consensual elements but does *not* progress to rape.

The first thing I registered when I began regaining consciousness was a terrible headache. The second was that I was laying on a bed. I slowly opened my eyes. I didn't recognize the room I was in. Almost everything in it was a pale baby pink. The bedspread on the bed was an old, rose pattern that looked like it would belong to an aging grandma.

I sat up, fighting the wave of nausea that went through my body. The window informed me that it was night time. So I've been unconscious for at least a few hours.

"You're awake," Aidan said calmly as he stared me down from the doorway. I hadn't even realized he was there. The expression he was wearing terrified me. There was no love or look of familiarity there. When I didn't say anything in response, he sighed, walking over to me. "You have always been trouble. Why should it surprise me that your boyfriend thinks he's a vigilante?"

Aidan leaned close to me, putting his hands beside my hips as he stared me in the eyes. He was trying to unnerve me. It was working, but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of pulling away. He rubbed his cheek against mine, inhaling the scent of my hair. My lower lip quivered as I tried not to cry.

"I tried to protect you. But you just can't stay away from danger, can you?" He kissed my neck, pulling away. There was a rage behind his eyes that I hadn't seen before. "No, of course you can't." He moved away from me abruptly. "I'll bring you something to eat at dinner."

And then he was gone. I rubbed my eyes before getting up and trying to open the window. It wouldn't budge. The door was also locked. I sighed, sitting on the floor in front of the bed and staring at the wall. I guess I just wait to find out what Aidan's going to do with me.

I wasn't sure how long I had been sitting there when I heard more voices outside of the room. Quietly, I crawled over to listen. Russians. Aidan isn't Russian. I don't think so anyway. Why the hell am I here? Oh god, it's a trap for Murphy and Connor.

Walking away from the door, I ran my hand through my hair. The door opened. Aidan was standing there with a sandwich. He closed it behind him, setting the sandwich at the foot of the bed and leaning against the wall.

"Why am I here?" I asked, ignoring the food. I didn't trust it and I wouldn't touch it.

"Bait." He shrugged. "I wouldn't get too wrapped up in the idea that you'll escape from here. The Yakavetta don't make the same mistake twice. After they're dead," he smirked at me, "they don't really care what happens to you. That's my decision now."

I fought to keep my expression neutral. He sighed and picked up the sandwich.

"I'm trying to do the right thing here, Cecilia. You just make it so hard sometimes." Without warning, he struck me with the back of his hand against my face. I fell over from the force, not expecting such a blow. Before I could react, Aidan was on top of me, his forearm at my throat, cutting off my air supply. Just before I lost consciousness, he pulled his arm away, still bracing me with his body weight.

I coughed violently, gasping for air.

He grabbed a fistful of my hair at my forehead, pulling it back and forcing his lips onto mine. I just wanted to disappear. I started crying silently. I didn't want any of this. I wanted to be at home with Murphy before the twins went to jail. Before St. Patrick's Day.

"You've gone soft," Aidan murmured, releasing my hair and getting off of me. He took the plate with him and left. I pulled my legs up to my chest, pressing myself into the corner of the room at the head of the bed, and began to cry with my face buried in my knees. I had never been this scared before.

The rest of the night was silent. The men silently went to bed except for one or two of them that patrolled the hallways. Aidan didn't return to my room. But I didn't sleep at all anyway. I'm just trapped here as his plaything.

I watched the sun come up over the trees and tracked its slow ascent into the sky. It was about noon before anyone in the house got up. Aidan didn't come back to check on me, thankfully. I wasn't sure what he would do the next time he was alone with me in here. I'm not even sure he really knew. It seemed like he was just acting on instinct.

I must have fallen asleep at some point. I was woken up by a loud commotion downstairs. I couldn't tell what was happening, but it sounded like gunfire. It was over quickly. Aidan came into the room shortly after it ended, looking all too pleased with himself.

"Oh have I got a treat for you!"

He came over and grabbed my face in his hands, kissing me.

"We got them. They're downstairs and Il Duce will finish them off! And we get to watch. Front row seat, baby." He rubbed his face against mine again before his expression fell from glee to rage. "Now stand."

He yanked me up to my feet before I was able to move. He gave me a once over, a smirk gracing his lips. Pulling me close, he kissed me again. I put my hands around his waist, feeling for anything that could save me. He had a gun tucked in the waistband of his pants. I grabbed the gun, kneeing him in the groin as I did so.

Aidan grabbed my leg as I tried to run away, trying to wrestle the gun from me as he crawled on top of me. I won't die like this. I can't die like this. I managed to get the gun under his chin and pulled the trigger as he pushed it forward. It hit him enough to startle him. His hands reflexively went to the wound. I aimed it at his eye, pulling the trigger again as I closed my eyes.

There was an eerie silence as his body fell onto mine, blood flowing freely from his head wound. My hands were shaking as I got out from under him. More nausea. I pushed it down. No time for that. The boys are in trouble. I slowly opened the door, peeking out into the hallway. It was deserted.

As I stepped out, the door at the end of the hallway opened. It was a man dressed like a woman. I lowered my gun as he lowered his. He used a finger to motion me over to him. I kept my hand on the gun but followed. The man led the way, shooting down anyone that we crossed paths with. I was glad I didn't have to do it. I'm not sure my hands are sturdy enough anyway.

Eventually we got to the basement. The twins were kneeling before an older man wearing a very complicated looking vest with many guns strapped to it. Rocco was lying lifeless on the floor. Murphy immediately stood when he saw me. I just stared at Rocco numbly, feeling like my whole world had shattered. Murphy wrapped my arms around me, forcing me to look away from Rocco. Tears flowed freely from my eyes. I hadn't even realized I was crying. Would I ever stop after today?