Hi guys
Very tired today, so I hope this makes sense. If not let me know in a review and I'll try to clarify haha
Enjoy x
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Sara's POV
She's doing it again.
She thinks I can't hear her but I always do. In the dead of the night, when no one else is awake, her soft cries echo around our tiny cell.
Normally I would bury myself beneath the covers and pretend I can't hear her, like I usually do; but not tonight.
I have been trying fruitlessly to think of some way to repay her for everything she has done for me, and I finally have an idea.
Crawling out from between the sheets, I lift myself onto her bed. She jumps at my sudden appearance, instinctively tugging the covers around her.
"Sara?" She asks quietly, her breath hitching slightly as she attempts to wipe away her tears without me noticing.
"Hi." I start dumbly, suddenly wishing I'd put a little more planning into this.
"Is something wrong?" She asks when I don't speak again.
"No." I shrug. "I just wondered if you wanted to talk."
She shuffles upright, pulling her knees up to her chest beneath the blanket. It had been two days since her run-in with Harper and though her bruises were still causing her some pain, her movements were becoming less rigid. We had yet to discuss the subject, which was clearly the way she wanted to leave things.
"Okay." She agrees tentatively in a puzzled voice. "Why now?"
"Because I couldn't sleep, and I know you couldn't either." I say simply.
Even in the darkness I see the blush creeping up her cheeks.
"No, I couldn't." She agrees, clearing her throat. "So, uh, what did you want to talk about?"
X x x
Cath's POV
I bite my lower lip, trying not to make a sound. I have lost count of the number of times I have done this. Every time I am consumed with guilt and shame and swear it is the last time; but sometimes the lonely nights are just too much to bear and I inevitably cave into temptation.
It feels pathetic and necessary all at the same time.
I suck in a sharp breath, biting my tongue, when suddenly I feel a weight land on my bed. I jump, startled, as Sara's bright eyes shine out at me in the dim light.
"Hi." She states randomly.
It takes a moment for me to react, carefully shifting so the covers remain wrapped protectively around me.
"Is something wrong?" I inquire curiously when she fails to expand on her brief greeting.
Apparently the brooding, mysterious creature I have been living with for the last few days has picked now as the optimum time to talk.
"I couldn't sleep, and I know you couldn't either." She explains her reasoning, running her hand along the edge of the mattress idly.
Well, there was no denying that.
"How long have you been in here?" She asks at last, cocking her head to the side. For a moment I actually have to think about that. How long has it been?
"Eight months." I clear my throat. "Unless you consider living with my ex a type a prison, too."
She laughs softly, dropping her gaze into her lap.
"I guess it gets pretty lonely in here, huh?" She mumbles, flicking her gaze up to peer at me from beneath her long lashes.
I feel my face flush and my eyes widen as the reason for her impromptu late night visit becomes obvious.
"You heard that?" I ask weakly, my cheeks flaming with embarrassment.
"Yeah." She breathes, quickly holding her hands up. "It's okay, I'm not … I don't mean it to sound judgemental."
"You were supposed to be asleep." I mumble sheepishly, looking away.
"I'm good at pretending." Sara shrugs. True to her word, she seems surprisingly okay with it. She licks her lips, considering her next words carefully. "I think I understand how this place works now: a favour for a favour." Not quite following the line of the conversation, I nod slowly for her to continue. "And, since you've done a lot to look out for me since I arrived, I thought maybe I could do something in return."
"Like what?" I ask suspiciously.
"Anything." She shrugs again. "Anything you want me to do…or want to do to me."
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Sara's POV
It takes a moment for my shy suggestion to register and as soon as it does Cath's eyes go wide. She blinks, her mouth falling open in shock, but I daren't meet her gaze and keep my eyes glued nervously to my lap.
All of a sudden this doesn't seem like such a good idea.
"You're not suggesting…" She begins tentatively.
"It would make us even." I point out, hesitantly inching closer. "And it might get Harper off your back for a while. Literally."
She recoils, curling against the wall.
"You saw that?" She asks timidly, unconsciously reaching up to touch the bruise fading on her cheek.
"Yeah." I pause, softening my voice. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." She attempts to straighten up but the action obviously causes her some pain as she visibly winces. "It's nothing I haven't had before." She adds quietly.
"Sorry." I mumble, although I'm not really sure what I am apologizing for. Deciding that this conversation was probably a bad idea from the start, I clear my throat and hold my hands up defensively.
"Look, uh, the offer stands if you change your mind."
I hop off the bed, unable to meet her gaze any longer, and curl up under my own sheets to lament my terrible people skills.
X x x
Cath's POV
We remain in silence for a while, each wondering where to go from here.
Shuffling back down the bed, I roll onto my side and fold an arm under my head.
I hear Sara's breathing starting to slow as sleep begins to claim her at last. Taking a deep breath, I speak up before I lose her to slumber altogether.
"I didn't say no."
I can almost hear her smile in the darkness and the mattress below me creaks with a small movement.
"No, you didn't." She agrees quietly.
I feel like I should say something else, to clarify that I won't make her do anything she doesn't want to do, but it doesn't seem warranted at the moment.
Leaving things as they lay for the time being, I curl back up into a ball, wrapping an arm around my stomach.
Unconsciously, my hand began to creep south again, but I quickly stop it. Despite my reservations about the idea, I can't help the small smile that dances across my lips as I find myself actually considering Sara's offer.