Feeling ill :( So, thought I'd post to make you guys feel better haha.

Hope you like it!

x x x x

Cath's POV

"Thank you." I read with a small smile.

The single leaf of paper was lying on my pillow when I returned; the delicately written words decorated by a border of tiny flowers.

A long-stemmed rose trailed up the edge of the paper, and one lone petal was falling from it to form the letter 'o'.

It isn't technically the day that we are allowed to the shop, but I had managed to sweet-talk one of the more kind-hearted guards into stealing me a notebook and set of pens from the storeroom. He will undoubtably expect something in return, but at least it will keep Sara content for a while.

Speaking of my young cellmate, she's fast asleep; face down in her brand new notebook.

I smile, crouching down beside her.

"Poor little Sara." I sigh, brushing her hair aside. She doesn't stir so I carefully try to extract the notepad from her fiercely protective grip. After a little gentle persuasion she relents control and I manage to manoeuvre her into a more comfortable position. She curls up, murmuring something incomprehensible before settling down again.

"Good girl." I beam, pressing a kiss to her temple. I move to put the book on top of her completed one when a devious thought strikes me.

X x x

Sara's POV

I have never been particularly good at expressing my emotions, but hopefully Catherine will understand from my little doodle that I truly am grateful for the gesture.

I'm not sure why she did it, I certainly hope that she isn't feeling guilty; but I imagine that it has something to do with my reaction to her attempts to help me.

I must have fallen asleep because I don't recall her coming back in, yet when I finally blink my eyes open and stretch my sore muscles she's sat at the end of my bed with a book propped up against her legs.

"Hi." I groan, shifting uncomfortably until I am slouched against the bedpost.

"Hey there sleeping beauty." She replies absently, carefully turning the page.

Upon further inspection, she's not reading. She's flicking through my completed notebook. My instinctive defences instantly kick in but I manage to restrain myself from pouncing on her. Instead, my hand twitches at my side involuntarily.

"These are very good." She comments at last, putting it aside. "Dark, but good."

"I draw what I'm thinking." I shrug bashfully, eyeing the pad. "I don't have happy thoughts very often."

"I can tell." She nods, regarding me cautiously. I pull my legs up to my chest, as if trying to protect myself from her intense stare.

"I don't usually let anyone touch my work."

"I know." She retorts to my confession coolly. "That's why I waited until you were asleep."

I'm a tad stunned by her blunt admittance and I can't argue with her logic so I settle for not saying anything.

I think she must be waiting for me to reply, because she leans closer.

"Sara, hon, about earlier…"

"No, it's okay." I hold my hands up, snapping my gaze from my lap to meet her own. "I … I'm sorry for running off."

"No." She frowns, darting out to grab my hand before I can retract it from her reach. "You don't have anything to apologise for."

I drop my gaze again, still struggling for words.

I can feel her eyes on me, waiting for me to speak again. When I do, I don't think it's something either of us expected me to say.

"My foster father raped me."

X x x

Cath's POV

The statement hangs between us like a lit firework, just waiting to explode.

I stand up slowly, moving to where she is curled against her pillow. Without saying a word, I sit down as close as I can without sitting on her and pick up her hand again.

"Jonathon wasn't the first." She continues, swallowing hard. "But he was the first one that I stood up to."

"How?" I ask when she doesn't speak again, desperate not to lose her to her own thoughts; as has happened on so many occasions like this. "How did you stand up to him?"

"I punched him." There is a hint of pride in her trembling voice that almost makes me smile. "That's why they threw me out – I think they were scared I might tell someone."

"Can they do that?" I scowl. Surely there must be rules against foster carers booting children onto the street.

"Apparently." She shrugs, seemingly nonplussed by the callous attitude of her guardians. On the other hand, I suppose living on the streets can't have been much worse than that house.

"Social services shouldn't let things like that happen." I spit, shaking my head in disgust. "You're just a kid!"

She turns her watery eyes to me, desperation burning behind the pretty irises and all my anger subsides in place of concern.

"I want you to help me." She whispers. "I want you to show me how it's supposed to be."

I open my mouth to speak but nothing comes out. Instead, I settle for a weak nod.

She leans forward, catching me off guard as she kisses my lips softly. A shy thanks, I guess.

"Not now." I manage to enunciate. "Tonight. When it's quiet."

She seems to think about this for a moment before agreeing.

I reach out, cupping her pink-tinted cheek in my hand.

"You're going to be okay." I assure her. "I promise."

X x x

I can tell she's anxious. It's quite cute to watch her pacing in small circles around the room, pausing only to look at me and chew on her lower lip before continuing her repetitive pattern.

She thinks I can't see her. She thinks I'm reading but the truth is I haven't taken in a word of this book since she first started wandering.

"Will you pack that in, you're making me dizzy." I state at last. She stops, hanging her head.

"Sorry." She mumbles. "I'm just nervous."

I put my book aside and sit up straight.

"We don't have to do anything, you know." I try to keep my voice light, although I'm not sure it works. "It's entirely your choice."

"I know." She smiles shyly. "I want to."

I return the gesture, hopping down to place my hands on her arms and rubbing small comforting circles there with the pad of my thumb.

"Good." I state. "Why don't you get changed before lockdown and we can just talk for a while?"

"Okay." She agrees tentatively, stepping out of my grip in order to undress.

I want to take things slow with her, since she's clearly terrified about this. I don't know why, I'm not going to do anything she's not comfortable with. But I guess her past experiences have tainted her view of intimacy somewhat.

Hopefully I can change that.

X x x

"Come here, babe." I beckon, waiting for her to hop up. She shuffles for a moment, folding her legs beneath her.

"I'm sorry." She murmurs. "I know this probably seems ridiculous to you."

"No, it doesn't." I assure her. I am lounging comfortably across my propped-up pillow and I reach out, gripping her arm lightly. "Come here."

She allows me to pull her down, until she is curled up half-beneath my body. My right arm is wrapped underneath her, stroking her shoulder gently.

"Tell me about Harvard." I state after a moment of silence.

"What?" She looks up me in perplexity.

"Harvard. You want to go there, right? Tell me about it."

"Okay." She frowns, racking her brain for something to say.

I don't have the slightest interest in Ivy League colleges, but I want to get her to relax and this is the only topic she has ever seemed truly happy discussing.

I would have asked about her childhood, but clearly that would have the opposite effect.

I haven't heard a word she's said, but she doesn't seem to have noticed as she is getting more and more animated in her spiel.

That is, until she feels my lips on her neck. She stills, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"What are you doing?" She asks.

"Keep talking." I mumble, moving my lips along her jaw line and up to her ear.

She does, although it's much more stunted and absent-minded than before.

"Uh, Cath." She half-asks half-moans when I slide one hand under her shirt.

"Shush." I press a finger to her lips, changing position until she's entirely cocooned by me. "Trust me."

I can feel her slender body trembling beneath my hands but she nods her consent and I continued to pepper gentle kisses on her face and the corner of her lips.

She begins to respond, seeking out my mouth with her own.

"Good girl." I murmur into the kiss. She moves and suddenly her hands appear on my waist.

To my surprise, they start to wander down my back and beneath my waistline. I pull back abruptly, reaching behind me to grip her wrist.

"My turn tonight, remember?" I remind her, placing her hands firmly above her head.

She nods, a small smile twitching at her lips.

"Sorry, force of habit." She shrugs as best she can in her restrained position. I peck her lips again and slide down her body. She seems slightly startled at my sudden movement south but lets me carry on anyway, voluntarily interlocking her wrists through the bars of the bed in order to prevent them straying again.

I inch her shirt up, peppering kisses across her thin stomach. Her skin reacts to my touch, clearly tickled by my ministrations. I hook my fingers around her waistline but pause.

"Sara?" I whisper, glancing up at her.

"Uh huh?" she breathes. Her head is tipped back, her eyes closed. In pleasure or fear, I'm not quite sure anymore.

"If you want me to stop, just say the word."

She looks down at me, our eyes meeting in the dim light. Her breathing is ragged and her skin is on fire beneath my fingertips, but her voice is steady as a rock.

"I don't want you to stop."