"Eggs? You made eggs?" A man in the shadows growls, snarling in a way that only animals and the truly wild do.

"Yes… I just thought…" Temperance's voice wavers.

"You thought nothing, you… you… woman." His voice sends daggers down her already weak form.

Almost in sync her head ducks just as the plate makes contact with the wall behind her, causing the remnants of breakfast to scatter on her clean clothing.

"Clean it up, bitch." He smiles, making a fresh print on her bruised skin, "Make yourself useful for once."

She opens her mouth but nothing seems to flow from her already bruised lips. What is the point? Another lashing and that is all. It is not like he is going to change.

Only if there was a reason to change, something to look forward to. A reason when being alive just isn't good enough.

"Morn' Tempe." A young, brown haired man nods and smiles as Temperance slowly walks into the library.

"Hey Pete." She briefly smiles, trying to hide the tattered body behind her long and baggy clothing.

"Isn't it a little warm for all that?" He grins, setting down his book and walking around his table to get a better view of the woman he has been staring at for the past two years. She barely notices but one day she will, he is betting on it.

With a soft shrug Temperance turns away, making a b-line for the same desk she has been sitting at for the past two years. At first it was out of necessity but as the weeks turned into months, being just far enough from everyone that they left her alone was a way she had grown accustomed to.

"Tempe!" Pete shouts but Temperance is too lost in her own thoughts to notice, "Tempe… I just…" As soon as Pete's hand grips her wrist he knows it is clearly a mistake.

"Owe." Temperance lowly growls, flinching as his nails dig into her fresh scars.

"Sorry Temperance…" Pete slowly hangs his head in shame, in awe at his small frame's capabilities.

"It is fine, really." She tries to assure both of them but the blood pooling on her sleeve tells a different story, "Just had rough day boxing is all."

"Oh, okay."

"Is that all you needed?" Temperance turns, pointing toward the empty desk a few feet away, "I do have some studying I would like to do before class."

"No!" He almost unnoticeably snaps. Why won't she listen to me? Damn woman.

"Then what is it Pete?" She glares, clearly impatient.

"You see…" He slowly fumbles, "My big hot shot cousin is having this event in his honor and I need a woman to take with me and this woman needs…"

"I do not understand what you are implying Pete. It is not as if your family will think any less of you because of your lack of a partner." Her blunt rebuff was enough to send him over the edge but he knew he needed to keep his calm for once this woman was his; his life would finally be complete.

"I just thought… maybe… that you would accompany me?" Pete's soft pleading brown orbs shoot up, "I know it is a long shot but if I brought you then maybe… they would be proud of me unlike that ass of a cousin. He knocks some damn cheerleader up and now all of a sudden he is the king of my damn castle."

"Pete…" Temperance's lack of understand is quite apparent as her words barrel through his heart, "I am already involved."

"Just as friends," Pete steps back, his cheeky grin somehow soft and reassuring, "My cousin's got this thing… and if I show up with a pretty little lady like yourself at the ball well old Seels he won't know what hit him."

"So I will be your…" Think Temperance, think. It is not as though he has asking much of you, clearly you can rationally accept his conundrum and solution.

"Date." Pete's smile breaks through her path of mental destruction, "A friend who I will dance with a bit and have on my arm. That is all."

"Just friends." Temperance's small smile creeps up filling her whole body with life, "That is if we can come to a reasonable amount of rules dictating the event."

"Yes! Whatever you want, just tell me and I will do it."

"That seems acceptable."

"Thanks." Pete beams, unable to keep his joy to himself, "I know you may not be the only woman at the event but to me… hell to all the men there you'll be the queen of the ball."