A/N: If you don't like the plot or characters or character pairings, then don't read my fic.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any variation of American Horror Story.

WORD COUNT: 4, 658

BOLD: Lines spoken in the actual episode.


CHAPTER 6

My Hero


Valentina woke up in a cage, with three other people, with her hands tied behind her back and she tested the bonds, and sighed in defeat. They were too strong.

She slowly lifted her head, hissing in pain at the dull throbbing that seemed to pinpoint to a lump at the side of her head, she could feel the dried blood that had dripped down her face from the open cut. Cursing in Spanish, she lifted her eyes to see the two young boys and woman about her age. "W-what is this place? Where am I?"

"You're in the killer's trailer." The young woman said, looking down at the beautiful freak, not recoiling in fear as she once would have. "The one they put a curfew on the whole town for. He's a clown."

"Are you all okay?" Valentina asked, scooting closer to the strangers.

"As good as we can be. We haven't had food or water in days." The little boy said, tears erupting in the corners of his eyes.

"We have to get out of here." The teen boy said and Val nodded.

"I agree. We need-" Valentina's sentence was cut short when the trailer door was thrust open and Twisty the Clown showed himself in his horrific costume. Val gasped, scooting back a little more.

Twisty turned his eyes to her and glared at her, staring daggers at her ears and tail, before unlocking the cage and he bowed, before turning his back. Val slowly stood, before nodding to the girl and she quickly ran out of the cage and shouldered the clown to make his stumble. She jumped out of the trailer and took off running for the road, screaming as loud as she could, with Twisty hot on her heels.

He had made up his mind, the magic trick they were going to perform, would be on her, nobody would miss a freak.

(..)

Jimmy and Maggie were walking, sticking close to the shadows when they heard a female scream, it was full of terror and fear. Both Jimmy and Maggie hid behind a thick bush when he saw Val, blood dried on the side of her face as the terror on her face was obvious, with the clown chasing her.

Jimmy immediately went to run for her, but Maggie pulled him down. "You wanna die too?"

"Listen! That is the love of my life. I don't care what you believe my intentions are, but if you are as good as you say you are at predicting the future, you'll damn well know that I'm a loyal man and she's my future. I don't care the slightest bit for you in any kind of romantic way. Valentina's the only one I love and I'm not going to sit around and let her be the next victim on that deranged clown's list. I love her more than words can say, now divine that in your crystal ball!" Jimmy growled as he turned back to see Twisty picking her up off the ground, having knocked Val out and was carrying her back where she had disappeared from.

"Shit," Maggie whispered as she followed Jimmy, feeling slightly perturbed. She'd need another approach to gain his trust, because he was her best bet to becoming trusted in the freak community, and getting the money her and Stanley needed to last them a lifetime.

Jimmy followed the clown's footsteps and both Maggie and he stopped at the trailer, careful not to be seen or heard. When Jimmy climbed on the trailer to see inside, he saw the captured kids he had heard about on the news. "Holy shit!" Jimmy whispered, before walking back to Maggie. "Those are the kids, this is the guy. This is the killer." Jimmy whispered, his heart beating a million miles a minute.

"He's a maniac!" Maggie stated the obvious, horrified.

"We gotta get the cops!" Jimmy whispered, but he was struck in the head by the second clown and Maggie was shortly after, unable to call for help.

The second clown removed his mask to reveal to be Dandy Mott. "Time for the real Halloween show to begin."

(..)

Jimmy awoke to the sound of off-key tunes from what sounded like a children's piano toy.

"Ladies and gentlemen, creatures of all kinds, children of all ages; you nasty little brats." Dandy introduced. "Welcome to the greatest show on Earth!" Jimmy stared at his bound hands, before quickly turning to the two clowns who put on a sick show. "Meet, my lovely assistant, the wonderful woman/wolf hybrid from that freak show."

Jimmy saw Valentina whimpering, tears running down her cheeks, stuck in a makeshift box and she had gag so she couldn't speak. His heart raced. He then caught sight of the three kids and Maggie all in a line as an audience. Dandy touched Valentina's head before tugging on her wolf ears and she screamed in pain, to which Jimmy tried to get the ropes off his hands and feet, desperately trying to untie himself to get Valentina out of there and kill those two sick bastards.

"And my accompanist, the amazing Mr. Clown!" Excited piano tunes went off at the introduction of the clown and Valentina sobbed, looking at Jimmy who was desperately trying to get out of the bonds, looking at her. "I've always wondered how this trick was done," Dandy patted his hand on the box, "haven't you?"

Without noticing, Jimmy was able to free his legs.

"Let's find out!" He said, before turning back, to grab the saw and Valentina screamed in fear. He put it to the box and she screamed louder, sobbing, trying to get out of the box.

He started to saw, which made Valentina scream and Jimmy roared. "LEAVE HER ALONE!" Valentina couldn't scream any louder as Dandy kept sawing and Twisty continued to bang at the keys. Jimmy finally freed his legs as he ran toward them and used his bound hands to use all of his strength and punched Dandy in the face. He fell to the ground, unmoving as Twisty stood, staring at the freak with wild eyes, before turning to the audience and clapped, to which all four of them clapped.

Jimmy bit the knot and loosened it, getting the rope off before lifting the lid and cradling Valentina out, looking at her, checking to see if she was okay, before screaming. "Everybody, run! RUN!" At his words, they all ran and Twisty grabbed Jimmy, putting him in a headlock and Val roared, launching herself on his back.

"Let him go!" Valentina screamed, sinking her fangs into his shoulder and the clown cried out in pain. Dandy grabbed Val and did the same, putting her in a headlock before she slumped against him. They both laid them down in the trailer before Dandy, seeing the green mist, took off.

Val slowly regained consciousness as she heard an English accent that made her blood run cold. "Don't stop now, we came for a show."

(..)

"If I have to ask you a second time, I fear it will be less polite. Remove your mask." Edward Mordrake commanded, standing in front of the clown with cool elegance.

The clown looked uncertain before he did as he was told and revealed the grotesque disfigurement that he had long since covered, moaning in protest, considering he couldn't form words. Valentina hid underneath the window, shaking and pale. "Calm yourself. Focus your mind and I will understand you. Begin at the beginning."

To Valentina, he still sounded like a corpse that had risen from the grave, but Mr. Mordrake seemed to understand him. "Ah, the world in flames. People were in need of clowns and laughter."

Valentina hid her face, trying so hard to keep the memories away, she wasn't scared of Mordrake, he was polite and understanding to her, but she associated him with her bad memories and when she saw his second face, she heard it speak, heard the evil things it would whisper to Mordrake. She had heard more than what she intended and at the tender age of 14, she cried for the ghost, cried for the suffering he always endured.

She was afraid of the face and when she had looked out the window, she saw that face and it recognized her and started to whisper once more. She was more than afraid.

Valentina was terrified. "Never cared for dwarfs, power mad; the lot of them." Mr. Mordrake commented. "So they drove you out?" The clown continued to moan and Valentina looked at Jimmy, who was still unconscious and she tried to wake him up.

"Jimmy?"

"It's a sad tale, isn't it? A pitiful one. So noble. So misunderstood. Tell me about the children."

"Jimmy!"

"From what, did you save them, I wonder?"

Jimmy slowly came to, lifting his head as he looked up to see Valentina, who put a slender finger to her lips, indicating for him to be quiet and she pointed outside. He shot up, realizing where he was and Valentina shushed him quietly.

"I have met many, a craving killer, many a sniveling coward in my time, but every one of them could admit the blackness in their own hearts when the hour came. You have caused the demon to weep."

The clown mumbled as Jimmy sneakily lifted his head to see what was going on. "Stand up, clown!"

Valentina heard the raspy voice and her heart raced and she screamed involuntarily, clutching her head. 'You are the one.'

Edward Mordrake turned and stabbed the clown again and again, Jimmy gasped and turned back to Valentina, who was clutching her head as if in pain, before he turned back to the strangers. They all gathered around the dead clown and Mordrake extended his hand. "Come, brother. Join us."

The clown stood and his face was normal. The ghosts all put their hands on him before walking away, as it seemed to the trailer. Jimmy grabbed the scissors and the door opened, and he shielded Valentina as Edward Mordrake came in and looked at the couple. "Calm yourself, young man. I have found the soul to accompany me to the roam the nether-realm. I do not wish to take you nor your lovely companion." Jimmy looked confused as Edward Mordrake came closer and shifted his intense blue gaze to the familiar girl. "You have grown, young girl into a beautiful lady." Edward spoke with a soft smile on her face.

"How do you know, Val? Who are you?" Jimmy demanded. "Answer me!"

"You will not speak to me in that tone, boy." Edward Mordrake snapped at Jimmy.

"Remember how I told you that I lived in a circus for a while?" Valentina spoke, her voice shaky as she started to perspire. Jimmy nodded, turning his gaze to her. "I was fourteen and our leader didn't believe in the superstition of Edward Mordrake, and I was young, so I took any example. We performed a show, but later that night, while I slept, Mr. Mordrake visited me and woke me up. I told him my story and he said that I was not the one. But before he disappeared, I caught a glimpse of his second face." Valentina's eyes welled with tears as Jimmy looked at her, horrified. She took a shaky breath, before resuming. "It spoke to me. The legend was true. It was a demon. It spoke of things that were only in Hell." Valentina broke out in heartbreaking sobs and Jimmy abandoned the scissors and took Valentina in his arms.

"This young girl, shed tears of sorrow for my demise. She spared a place in her heart for me, she wept for the suffering of listening to the pure personification of Hell being whispered into my mind for all eternity. Not a single person had ever heard the demon's true voice, only what I chose to reveal. This poor girl had heard the words of evil and she wept for my soul." Edward Mordrake finished, looking at Valentina with a warm expression. "I have never met an individual with such pure heart or soul. I would never harm her." Mr. Mordrake spoke, before turning his back, and Jimmy saw the second face and it was everything his mother described. "I will leave you now. And to remind you; do not perform on Halloween." Then he was gone.

It was then they heard the sirens and Jimmy pressed soft kisses to her forehead. "It's okay now, baby. The cops are here." Val took a deep shuddering breath before turning to look up at Jimmy and she smiled, a flood of relief coursing through her body and took his face into her hands.

"Hi," Val whispered and Jimmy chuckled, pulling her close and kissing her deeply and lovingly, no words needed.

(..)

It was morning and the cops were all around the scene as Jimmy and Valentina were still embracing against the police car as they spoke to the officer. "So you never got a good look at the masked clown, who was going to cut you in half?" The cop asked, handing some hot coffee to Val who refused and handed it to Jimmy.

"No, I was in the box and I was kind of panicking, it was hard to get a good look."

"They were both dressed as clowns?"

"Yeah, both of 'em." Jimmy said, wrapping an arm around Val as he took a sip of the coffee.

"Did you hear anything?" Another officer came out of the trailer, looking at Jimmy. They both recognized him. The officer that took Meep.

"One talked, the other one didn't say a word." Jimmy spoke blankly.

"Would you recognize his voice if you heard it again?" He asked, his eyes on Jimmy, looking sympathetic, but both Jimmy and Val had their guard up.

Jimmy shook his head. "It was muffled through the plastic."

Valentina looked over to where Maggie was, who was talking to another detective.

"The clown was killed here, did you see what happened? Nobody would blame you if you had to defend yourself. Killing a maniac like that would be a public service." The officer stated and Jimmy looked up at him as Val bristled.

"I didn't see anything." Jimmy lied.

Valentina heard the other detective praising her. "Important thing is, you brought those kids back, alive. Way I see it, you're a hero."

Maggie shook her head. "No, Jimmy's the real hero."

Val couldn't argue with that.

"I didn't do anything special." Jimmy said.

"I like you, kid. Humility is going to take you a long way." Jimmy looked unfazed, as Valentina stared at him hatefully.

"Detective, why don't you write your name down so the reporters can spell it when I talk to them. I wanna tell them about the real hero."

The Detective looked at Jimmy confused. "You pulling my leg?"

"The real hero, is the person that got killed at the police station after you arrested him. Meep didn't deserve to die, and somebody's gonna pay for what happened to my friend." Valentina backed up Jimmy's words with a low, menacing growl, her eyes flashing in rage as the Detective looked at them with fear.

"Meep was a child. He treated me as his mother and as such, you wouldn't know the pain we all felt when Meep was thrown at Jimmy's feet. Imagine the agony we felt when we saw Meep, laying there, beaten and bloody by your inmates." Valentina snarled. "You knew he was incapable of murdering Detective Bunch, yet you wanted to satisfy your own warped goals and tell the press that you found the killer. When the real killer, is there." She pointed to the dead clown, saving her friends with a single point and Jimmy was proud of his girl, while enraged at the injustice that Meep had been delivered.

The Detective looked at them, before walking away as Jimmy spat.

(..)

Jimmy and Valentina found his bike and had pumped it full of gas as Jimmy ran his hands through her soft hair, looking at the blood drying down the side of her face. "That was a very brave thing you did, baby. " Jimmy said, pulling her face and he touched his forehead to hers. "You're a hero in my eyes."

"I didn't do anything. I got caught trying to." Val said. "I almost got sawed in half. You saved me from that, remember."

"Yeah, but you know what you did, you got that second clown distracted and got the others to run before he went after them. He lost sight of them, considering their all safe."

"Nice try, but we both know who the real hero is." Val said, smiling as she cradled his face in her hands. "You, Jimmy Darling, are their hero and you'll always be mine." Val said, leaning up and captured his lips in a tender, deep kiss. "I love you so much." She whispered against his lips.

"I love you too, Val. I'm so glad you're alright and in my arms. You have no idea how worried I was." Jimmy whispered, tears in his eyes as they dropped and splashed against her bare shoulder.

"Now, now. No tears, Guapo." Val whispered, kissing his neck before they paid for the gas and gained some semblance of control over their emotions as they mounted the bike. Jimmy started it and Val wrapped her arms around his middle tightly, letting the breeze hit her face and ruffle her hair. She always loved the motorbike. It made her feel free.

"Val! I have to tell you!" Jimmy yelled over the roar of the bike and whistle of the wind.

"Yeah?" Valentina answered, pressing her head into the space between his shoulder and neck.

"Maggie tried to. . well, flirt with me. Said she knew every guy's intentions and basically tried to get me to agree with her that she had a pretty face."

"What did you say?" Val asked, oddly calm about the situation.

"I told her, that the only type I'm in, is with wolf ears and a tail, light green eyes and beautiful smile and rocking body, with even more a stunning personality. They have to be Spanish and go by the name: Valentina Garcia." Val grinned and Jimmy smiled in return. "I saw you running from that clown. I was going to get you, but she stopped me, so I said that you were the love of my life, and if she was as good as she said she was, then she would know that I'm a loyal man, and that my future is with you and that I didn't remotely have any kind of romantic feelings for her." Jimmy finished.

"Okay." Valentina said, resting on him.

"That's it? You aren't mad?" Jimmy asked, confused and shocked.

"I am mad, but only at her for thinking she could get her nails into a man she knows that is in a relationship, but she is incredibly beautiful, a lot of men would be dying to be next to her, but I know you wouldn't have taken the bait she offered. You told her exactly what you felt and you never took her challenge. You are a loyal man, Jimmy. No matter what your past may say." Valentina pressed a kiss to his cheek and rested her head on his shoulder as he smiled crookedly and they drove home.

Maggie was already there, due to having been driven by a police escort which was fine with her and after talking with Elsa and giving her boss the lowdown, she went to her tent to wash up and rest, desperately needing it.

Elsa waited patiently for both Jimmy and Valentina and she sighed in relief as they came in sight on his motorcycle, and they stopped in front of the dining tent. Elsa ran to them and pulled them both into a large hug. "Oh, my darlings! I'm so glad you're safe!" Elsa pulled back to look at their tired faces, and she caught a glimpse of the blood on Valentina's. "Oh, my sweet girl." Val smiled tiredly.

"I'm alright, Miss Elsa." Val said, before turning her gaze to Jimmy and she slowly slid off the bike. "Oh, Jesus, my thighs are vibrating." She commented and they all shared a small chuckle.

"And you, darling?" She took a look at Jimmy who nodded.

"All good."

"Esmeralda told us everything, no need to explain." Elsa informed as both Jimmy and Val nodded. "The camp had a visitor last night." She said.

Jimmy cast a knowing look to Val before back to Elsa. "Edward Mordrake."

"He came to you too?" Elsa asked.

"Something like that. But he claimed his freak." Jimmy said, getting off the bike.

It was then they heard sounds of cars and they all looked to see a line of cars showing up to the camp. Elsa whispered something in German before turning back to Valentina and Jimmy. "They've finally come to run us out."

The townspeople came out of their cars as Elsa, Jimmy, Val and the rest of the freaks came from around the back.

"You, Jimmy?" The older man asked, and Valentina slowly put herself in front of Jimmy protectively, her inner Alpha female starting to rise. She would protect her mate.

"What do you and the rest of this mob want?" Elsa asked, doing the same as Val, she was protecting her freaks.

"We wanted to thank you." The man said and both Jimmy and Val stopped, shocked.

"You saved our son." The blonde woman said, with nothing but kindness in her eyes and Val slowly moved to Jimmy's side.

"You saved our town." The man added, looking at Jimmy with gratefulness. "I wanna shake your hand." He said and held out his hand, Jimmy bristled. Nobody had ever done that, apart from his own kind and when he was taking money from the stand.

"Go on." Val whispered, before gently nudging him in the direction of the man and he walked forward hesitantly and shook hands with the man, who smiled kindly.

"Jessie." The young lady said, before the little girl stood in front of her.

"Homemade brownies? I only had one." Jessie said, justifying her own behavior, and Jimmy took the plate kindly.

"Thank you." He spoke gently.

The young girl looked at Desiree, who smiled and she asked. "Are you a real lady?"

"Jessie! Manners!" Her mother scolded.

"Oh, that's okay, darlin'." Desiree placated. "I'm a lady," she flourished, "and then some!"

The townspeople started to crowd Jimmy and the rest of the freaks started to mingle and one little boy came out to Valentina and handed her a plate of cookies before hugging her knees. Val sniffled and smiled, kneeling down to hug the young boy tightly as others started to come and shake Jimmy's hands who was smiling brightly. The young boy was taken by his father, who helped her up and shook her hand.

Valentina turned to look at Jimmy, and she smiled brightly. Desiree took the cookies out of Val's hold. "Two babies bee-lining for you."

"Huh?" Val asked, looking at Des, but it was too late and she was thrown off balance and her back hit the ground as her little twin brother and sister bombarded her. "Ooh!" She squealed as she made contact with the dirt ground and looked up at them. "Alejandro! Maria!" She exclaimed from her place on the ground, as they climbed on top of her and hugged her tightly.

"Vallie!" Both screamed in unison, holding her tight. "Papi told us what happened, he read it in the paper." Alejandro said, tears in his eyes.

"I'm so happy you're okay, Vallie." Maria whispered, her tears rolling down her cheeks.

Valentina sat up and held her siblings in her arms, rocking them back and forth as they cried. "It's okay. I'm here, Jimmy saved me." She said, before whispering in their ears. "Go to him." They quickly scrambled off her before running to the hero to give him twin hugs.

"Here, my cub. Looks like you could use a hand up." Val's eyes watered when she heard that voice. The voice that lulled her to sleep more times than she could count, that voice that (apart from Jimmy's) she felt safe as soon as she heard it. Valentina looked up to see her father, Miguel. She took his hand and he lifted her up, before studying her face, the blood that she hadn't been able to wash off and his own eyes filled with tears, that was uncommon for Miguel and he pulled her in a hug. "Oh my beautiful girl. My beautiful, darling cub." Valentina let out all of her fear, sadness, happiness and grief on her father's shoulder as he rocked her from side to side.

It wasn't until she felt a hand on the small of her back, that Valentina turned and through her tears, saw her mother, with her own tears trekking lines down her aging beautiful face and pulled her daughter in a tight hug, running her hands through her hair, before pressing gentle kisses to her forehead and cheeks.

All three of them walked to Jimmy, who saw them and excused himself, before Catalina launched herself at Jimmy, hugging him tightly and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead, before breaking away to sign. Valentina smiled and translated. "She says: 'I could never thank you enough for bringing my Valentina out of her shell, but now I am in your debt, for saving my Valentina. You are a hero, Jimmy. I love you like I would my own children and now I love you even more. I could never thank you enough.'" Val wiped at her tears, before Catalina gave Jimmy one last hug, who was still shocked, unable to speak and she walked back to Valentina, to which Miguel took his place in front of Jimmy.

Miguel lifted his hand and opened it in a handshake, to which Jimmy responded, but what neither Jimmy or Valentina were ready for, was the hug that accompanied. "Thank you, Jimmy. Thank you so much. .son." He whispered in Jimmy's ear, before pulling away and cleared his throat in an effort to brig some of his masculinity back as Jimmy was a tearing mess as good natured pats on his shoulders were still being delivered.

"I did what any man when his love is in danger would do. I'd make sure she's safe." Jimmy answered, before turning his eyes to Valentina and smiled a big, carefree smile as he shook hands with Miguel.

Elsa captured the attention of the townspeople and Valentina as usual, signed for her mother. "I'd like to invite you, to our grand performance, here. In our Big Top. Tickets are available over there at the box office." Elsa bowed as everybody clapped and cheered.

Jimmy wrapped his arm around Valentina and smiled brightly as they looked at each other, before she leaned up on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his lips. It was quick, but for the both of them, it was full of emotion.