A/N: There was a lemon scheduled for this story and I was debating on whether to squeeze it in this one or just wait until the next chapter. Decided to just wait until Chapter 7 so it wouldn't appear rushed and last minute. Anyway, I do hope you enjoy this one! And the usual thanks to my wonderful reviewers, you all brighten my day :)
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece
There was something irresistible about the warmth that had Ember snuggling closer to whatever the source may be, craving more of it's feeling of safety and comfort. Helpful arms provided assistance by pulling her towards the delicious heat, wrapping themselves around her small frame to envelope her front to back in the warmth she sought for.
Her cheek rested on a firm chest; the sound of the heart beating within almost lulled her back to sleep if it weren't for the conflict taking place in her thoughts at the moment. Ember could care less right now about where she was; it was obvious she was safe and in good hands, but her curiosity buzzed loudly in her head, not allowing her to slip back into dreamland until she questioned who or what was providing such wonderful hospitality.
Who else but Kid? She reassured her inquiring mind, hoping it was enough to put it to rest but it only did the opposite as it made an alarming observation.
Kid doesn't cuddle.
Ember's relaxed body came alive and on the defensive, pushing herself far away from the chest until the wall against her back left her with no where else to go. Red eyes met the dark greys ones of Trafalgar Law, who just returned her angry glare with a sleepy yet smug smile. Law laid sideways propped on an elbow to support his head, raven hair slightly tousled from the pillow while the comforter cover rested rather low on his lean hips. Ember bit her lip harshly to scold herself from finding the sight rather...attractive.
Seeing Law so bare in front of her had Ember question her own state of dress, as he looked down only to feel a part of her die inside. She was completely nude, her chest out in the open for Law's dark-circled eyes. Hands snatched for the sheets like lightning, drawing the curtain on the unintentional peep show.
With the half naked Law and whole naked Ember in the bed, she couldn't help but feel sick as her mind began putting these pieces together.
"Did…Did we?" she whispered, voice laced with dread. She held a hand to her mouth, just in case she vomited.
Law's grey eyes darkened with a malicious intent as a very soft but rather mischievous smile played on his lips. "Well, of course." He responded.
Ember felt her heart sink further and further down into the sea of shame and disgust where the pressure practically made it collapse in on itself. How did this happen? This had to be some form of a twisted nightmare that she just hasn't woken up from yet. How did she go from kissing Kid to being in bed naked with this detestable man? It just had to be a cruel dream.
Unfortunately, Law made it all too real by yanking the sheets from Ember's grasp, leaving her briefly exposed under his analyzing eyes. Tattooed hands found her thighs, pulling her away from the wall in one swift movement until she fell onto her back, replacing the loss of the sheets with his form on top of her.
"Why, Miss Ember," Law cooed in her ear. "I find it rather hard to believe you have forgotten our intimate encounter already, especially after the grand finale I delivered to you last night."
The sickness she felt at his statement encouraged her to try to wriggle out of his grasp. Law retaliated by holding her firmly in place, his morning glory unintentionally making it's presence known by nudging between her legs and Ember was all too grateful for the thin fabric of Law's sleep pants providing some form of barrier between them.
"I will make you say my name, Miss Ember," Law whispered before leaving a slow trail of wet kisses down her neck. "In the same desperate moan similar or exact to that of last night."
Before Law was able to make his way down to her breasts, Ember gave him a good, strong shove. What took place next had captured Law's eyes in fascination as black scales began to ripple up her body like a wave, starting from the tips of her toes until they stopped right beneath her jaw, encasing her in a sleek, black armor.
"Shows over, Law." Ember growled.
"The show is never over when it comes down to you, Miss Ember. You are just filled with all sorts of entertaining aspects."
Although amused by this demonstration of an ability he has never witnessed before, Law couldn't help the small part of him that felt disappointed from the abrupt ending to the little game he had going. It was fun leading her into believing something occurred between the two of them but perhaps there was too much fun involved as Law found himself falling for his own fabrication of last nights event. His gestures were so convincing that he practically believed it himself and the alarming part of it all was the rather crestfallen feeling he experienced when reminding himself that it was just his twisted idea of a joke.
Cautious eyes watched Law carefully as he lifted himself off of her. He sat on the backs of his heels, stretching his arms in a wide and casual manner that suggested he wasn't fazed at all about what just briefly took place or about what occurred last night for that matter.
Last night…she couldn't even remember last night. All she could remember was Kid.
Oh no, Red! If she was here, waking up to Law on his ship, then something bad must have happened, but the pounding headache from her hangover disrupted her thoughts from uncovering the truth.
And if her headache wasn't enough to discourage her from thinking, her mind completely shut down when she saw the black sleep bottoms of Law fall into a neat bunch at his ankles after he approached the large armoire that stood in the corner of his room. Did he simply forget that she was still in the room? The knowing smirk he sent her over his shoulder answered her question.
He slipped into his spotted pants, which took Ember by surprise since she did not expect Law to be the type of man that would go commando, but the doctor was full of surprises that she would have much preferred not to know about. His lack of an undergarment preference being one of them.
With her attention now off his rather irresistible tan rear, Ember's eyes soon landed on the abstract artwork of scabs that now lined his back. Oh goodness no! Hopefully those weren't scratches from raking her nails down his back in pleasure or she may just have to throw herself into the ocean, unable to live with the fact if it were true. She studied them carefully and was relieved that her first assumption wasn't the case since the slashes were in haphazard angles. If those were love scratches, they would have been in straight lines down his back. The pattern jogged her memory as she recalled the exact order of each cut she delivered when she was over his shoulder.
"You lied about last night, didn't you?" she stated rather than asked.
Law chuckled as he pulled one of his countless spare hoodies over himself. "You truly are such a gullible creature."
"Why on earth would you have me believe such a thing?"
"I find myself running out of creative ways to conjure those horrified yet amusing expressions of yours."
"You are a sick man."
Law chuckled. "That depends on what your idea of sick is, Miss Ember. I find myself to be an average, healthy male."
Tattooed fingers messily combed out his bed head before placing his spotted hat on his crown. "I must leave to take care of my responsibilities as captain, so you will just have to give yourself the grand tour."
"For a man who is constantly questioning my decisions, you're making a poor choice as well by allowing me to run amuck."
"I regret to inform you that escape is not an option this time. Now run along and try not to cause me any more trouble. I have real duties to attend, duties I am sure you were never familiar with in your short term position as captain."
Law left, leaving Ember to her own devices on his submarine. Her head pounded heavily as if stuck inside was a monkey with cymbals, banging over and over to disrupt any coherent thought that attempted to form. With Law being a doctor, there was bound to be pain medication somewhere on this forsaken vessel. All it would take was a little snooping around, thus a perfect way to give herself a 'grand tour' and perhaps stumble across her wings in the process.
Ember stood to her feet shakily, fighting the away the dizziness that swam around in her head. Although she was covered in her scaly armor, her mind briefly fell on the idea of borrowing one of Law's many hoodies to cover her top half at least. The scales covered her flesh but they still revealed her womanly shapes and curves, causing the feeling of nakedness to remain with her. What was more important: her security or her pride? Well she couldn't have possibly gone any lower than being held captive on his ship in such a short amount of time so what the hell?
The trademark piece of clothing felt thin and baggy over her form, just the way she liked her sweaters, the sleeves long enough to where they went a little passed her knuckles. Although it was a nice touch, her main concern was satisfied when the hem was long enough to cover her plump rear. Keeping her arms tightly folded to conceal the Jolly Roger she was unfortunate enough to represent at the moment, she exited the room to pad down the halls, poking her head through the occasional door she would come across.
It was all just storage spaces and spare cabins, one of them occupied by Shachi who was in the middle of slipping into his boiler suit. Ember quickly shut the door once her eyes fell upon that sight, the string of curse words echoing behind her as she scurried down the hall in embarrassment.
The next door she opened was the washroom where she found more pieces to the incomplete puzzle of last nights events. The neat pile of her clothes caught her attention and she shivered as the memory of Law undressing and bathing her hit her hard. Oh, how she was beginning to regret ever picking up a damn drink.
She picked up her clothes, finding the piece of paper Kid handed to her. Well, to her breasts anyway. She examined it front to back becoming irritated with the blank sheet. Was Kid that thick in the head to forget to write whatever information he wanted to give her? She sighed in annoyance, stuffing the paper in her shorts pocket.
Her folded arms held the only and definitely dirty clothes to her chest, as she continued on with her exploration of the submarine. The halls echoed the occasional soft clank of metal every now and then, the unconscious sounds of the submarine as its parts powered the ship.
Wait a minute…
Ember choked back a gasp of horror as she ran down the halls, not stopping until she reached the deck outside. Her clothes fell from her hands as she took in the overwhelming surroundings.
Blue. All she saw was vast amounts of blue from the ocean water that surrounded them as the sailed along the surface.
I regret to inform you that escape is not an option this time.
Ember slowly approached the rails, gripping them for support so she wouldn't buckle under the weight of this heavily dreadful news. This wasn't Kid's ship where she was granted the freedom to fly away and back as she pleased. No, Law had her wings clipped, grounding her until the day he decides to return them, whenever that may be. Footsteps approached from behind her but she didn't care enough to see whom they belonged to.
"You're an ex-captain too, just like Jean Bart. So that means you're under me in pirate hierarchy."
The hurtful reminder of her lost title caused something her to snap, spinning around to release a terrifying snarl that almost made the white bear jump out of his boiler suit and fur.
"Why don't we go according to animal hierarchy hmmm?" Ember said with a teeth-baring smile, making sure Bepo noticed the sharp fangs she usually tries to keep discreet in her mouth. "What creature is higher up on the food chain? Bear or dragon?"
She circled Bepo in a predatory manner that had him trembling in his boots. He was relieved when his comrades finally came to his aid after watching the ordeal from afar but was less than pleased with how they went about doing so.
"Please ignore this fur ball. He likes to play big shot around new recruits." Penguin stated as he walked over to them.
"I am not a new recruit." Ember defended.
"That's not what the captain's been telling us. Besides, you're already wearing our logo." He pointed at her, well, Law's hoodie.
Ember released a loud huff, refusing to stoop down to the level of bickering over the subject and stormed off back where she came. Penguin spotted her clothes on the floor and scooped them into his arms, taking it upon himself to wash them since she probably didn't know where the laundry room was.
All this irritation was adding more fuel to her raging headache as she became more determined to find a medicine cabinet, medical stock room or something. She temporarily gave up on her wings, having not a clue where to even begin her search. Pain medication however, should prove to be an easier task since they weren't purposely hidden away; she simply was just looking in all the wrong places.
Ember passed by unfamiliar, large double doors during her unsuccessful hunt and by peeking through one of the rounded windows, she realized this is the room that probably housed her needs.
She slipped inside and immediately felt uneasy as the overwhelming combination of latex and alcohol hit her full force. The room was semi-dark; the light from the powerful fluorescent lamp in the center of the room stretched pretty far, leaving just the edges of the space untouched. Underneath the lamp however, absorbing all the spotlight and attention it had to offer, was an operating table.
Forgetting what she originally walked into the room for, she circled the creepy furniture, letting her hand test the firmness of the thin cushion that was layered on top of the stainless steel. Her fingers played with one of the binds found on all four corners and she pushed away a troubling thought. Probably for the patients who were…less cooperative.
When Ember's eyes landed on the tools that rested neatly on a tall tray with wheels, spotting a rather large syringe in particular, she immediately scurried toward a large cabinet hoping to find what she needed quick. She did not want to spend any more time in this space than she needed.
Countless vials and bottles were found labeled with long words that Ember didn't even attempt to pronounce. Nothing could ever be easy on this damn ship, not even finding a bottle of damn aspirin. It was probably right there in front of her face but since she wasn't exactly up to par with her medical terminology, it might as well be at the bottom of the ocean.
When Ember heard the double doors swing, the two bottles she was holding for comparison, which might as well been apples and oranges, flew in the air in result of her surprise. They fell to the floor loudly, pills scattering everywhere.
Ember had her back pressed against the cabinet, watching Law slowly reveal himself by stepping into the edges where the light stretched. He wore a disappointed frown.
"Such a waste of good medicine."
"What use is medicine if it's unidentifiable?" Ember said, her annoyance apparent in her tone.
"Its use is for trained doctors, Miss Ember. A qualification in which you lack, thus questioning your business in my operating theater."
"I was looking for medication to nurse this hangover."
Law shook his head. "And you're ingenious logic told you to take it upon yourself rather than seek the assistance of the only medical specialist aboard this ship?"
"My 'ingenious logic' told me I would be damned if I ever came to you for help."
Law chuckled, picking up one of the bottles that managed to maintain some of its contents. "Acetaminophen and Hydrocodone. This is pain medication."
"I had a feel-"
"For cancer patients."
Ember fiddled with her hands behind her back, so Law couldn't detect her feelings of foolishness.
There was a hint some type of dark thrill when Law spoke. "Why don't you take a seat on the table over there?"
Ember knew what table he was talking about, the only table in the damn room that was highlighted under the lamp so obviously.
"I would rather not. The last time you told me to take a seat in a medical setting, the results were less than desirable."
Law scoffed. "Please, I would hardly even consider what you housed on your ship to be a sanitary setting, let alone a medical one. Now take a seat while I find a remedy to your problem."
Ember didn't argue. How could she when the man spoke of making this dreadful sickness go away? She sat herself onto the center of the table, red eyes glaring at the tray that supported the syringe with distrust. While Law had his back turned, her foot discreetly pushed at the trays base, wheeling it as far away from her as possible.
Her feet dangled off the edge, ankles swinging back and forth in short, timid kicks. Hopefully this will be a quick fix because she most certainly did not feel comfortable sitting on a table where countless bodies were probably dissected on. Ember blamed the shiver that racked her body on the chilliness of the room, probably set to a low temperature so bacteria would be unable to breed. She wouldn't dare admit how fearful she was actually feeling just being in Law's medical territory. She would prefer his blue "Room" to this any day.
Law gathered a glass beaker and some water, dropping two tablets in where they began to fizz and dissolve slowly. Speeding up the process, he stirred the clear contents with a tongue compressor, all in plain sight for Ember to see so she doesn't make any false accusations.
He hands her the glass and while she takes a hesitant sip, a smug smile played on his lips when he noticed what she was wearing.
"I see someone has taken a liking to my dress code." He teases.
"I would have taken a liking to a pillow case if it were able to cover myself up. Unfortunately this was the only thing available to me."
"I rather enjoy the way it looks on your frame so it will continue to be the only thing available to you." Law then scratched at his goatee in thought. "Along with those garters you're so fond of. It would make a perfect uniform for you."
Ember made a sarcastic sound while chugging whatever mixture Law had prepared for her that made her stomach feel fantastic.
Law watched Ember drink the simple remedy on his operating table. There she sat, absolutely oblivious to his true, twisted intentions of experimenting on a Zoan user, something in which he has fantasized about for some time.
Zoan users fascinated Law to a great degree. They were not like Paramecia or Logia fruits, which didn't really have a solid explanation as to what allows one to stretch like rubber or transform into an element such as fire. Hell, no amount of self-experimentation was going to come up with a valid reason as to why that Law can cast a blue film. He just simply could and that was the extent of his knowledge. The body of a Zoan user however, goes through obvious physiological changes that a surgeon like Law just couldn't ignore. He wanted to see the inner workings of a Zoan user and learn of the changes the body undergoes during transformation from human to beast.
And Ember made the perfect test subject.
"That look in your eyes is making me rather uneasy, I must admit."
Law recovered from his deep thought, smiling darkly. "Does it now?"
"Not even Red stares at me with the intensity you have."
"That's because Mr. Eustass isn't hungry for knowledge like I am."
Ember eyes him suspiciously. "What do you want to know?"
"You."
She could have sworn the room dropped several more degrees. Ember calmly raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to elaborate further.
"I want to understand you, a Zoan user. What changes, whether temporary or permanent go on during transformation?"
Ember tried to laugh as if amused by his reasoning, but it came out sounding nervous instead. "Grown tired of regular human anatomy, have you?"
"Tired no, but highly interested in yours, yes."
Ember looked down into her empty glass, fingernails tapping the sides timidly. Law relieved her of the glass, placing it along the counter top by the sink where he usually washes the blood off his hands.
"Was that your plan all along when you destroyed my ship?" Ember asked, doing her best to maintain a composed tone. It all began making sense.
"It was my plan before I destroyed your ship."
Ember swallowed hard as her throat went dry. Law, that conniving bastard. If these are the results of successful planning, she will definitely start taking notes from the master of premeditation himself if she were left alive to do so. It is of course until now, when it has already become too late, that she realizes what she is truly up against. And to think she was going to escape with her wings as if it was a walk in the park, what a joke that was. What a joke her pirating career was.
"Are your intentions to kill me before opening me up?" She was unable to hide the shakiness in her voice.
Law spoke with a genuineness that made her sick. "Why, Miss Ember, I am offended that you would think I would waste such a precious specimen as yourself." Law picked up his scalpel, walking over to Ember so he was standing between her legs. "You are more useful to me alive than dead. I have no intentions to kill you, just simply put you under anesthesia on occasion to tinker around with your innards. No harm in that now is there?"
Law brushed some hair out of her face as if the gesture would be reassuring for his frightened pet. Goodness, he felt as if he has waited an eternity for this moment right here. The same hand held her chin, pulling her close to him so he could whisper in her ear. "You simply are a fixation that I can't seem to get passed."
Ember inhaled a sharp breath when she felt the cold steel of the scalpel trail lightly down the side of her face. Wait...steel. Ember felt some confidence return although she was nowhere near being out of the woods yet.
"May I share something with you before you slice me to pieces?" she asks kindly.
"You most certainly may." He said, trailing the medical tool down her neck. He was a little surprised to hear soft clicking sounds as he dragged the scalpel along the armored scales. They were rather durable.
"When you destroyed my ship, you destroyed some very important and very expensive medical tools of mine."
This statement actually caused Law to release a laugh. "And what important tools could they be that they were in such inexperienced hands?"
"Tools specifically designed to cut through my flesh."
The scalpel stopped its little dance along her scales. "What makes you think that my tools are unable to do the same? I spare no expense when it comes to my medical equipment."
"Well unless your tools are made of a precious metal like silver, gold or platinum, your scalpel will be the equivalent of a dull knife cutting through stale bread."
Law eyes narrowed. "You're bluffing."
Ember took the hoodie off in one swift movement. "Try me."
Law growled, hand latching in a vice grip around her neck that slammed her back on the table. He climbed on top of her, pinning her arms down with his knees to make sure she was completely immobile beneath him. The free hand held the scalpel above Law's most favorite place in all of anatomy, her heart.
"I get a little sensitive when my equipment is insulted, Miss Ember. Let this be a lesson learned, hm?"
"The only lesson being learned is the fact that you cannot cut me with those butter knives of yours."
Law smiled, taking the scalpel and with much force applied, slowly dragged the cutting tool down the side of her face. Ember howled in agony as she thrashed around beneath him, causing the tool to slice deeper into her now open flesh. The hand on her throat felt hot as she tried to access her fire but it just tightened its grip, practically cutting off her oxygen flow.
"A dull knife still cuts, Miss Ember. Just rather slow…and messy." Law stated.
Law continued his façade of confidence to disguise the true turmoil that brewed inside him as he sliced a jagged gash into her face, which was originally supposed to be a clean cut. She was right. Unless he had specific tools designed for cutting into this type of flesh, he might as well be a butcher hacking into her carcass, mutilating her beyond repair.
Concern rose in Law as he noticed Ember's struggles had begun to dwindle, realizing it was due to the lack of oxygen she was receiving. Upon letting go, Law quickly moved to the side to avoid the coughs of smoke and fire that escaped her throat, thus throwing off the weight proportion of the table. It toppled over to the side, spilling the both of them on to the floor. Ember continued to hack away on the floor, throat stuck between moaning in sheer agony and coughing up more puffs of smoke and fire from the constriction around her neck that trapped the flames.
Propped up by his elbows, Law watched with a vacant expression as the black tail curled around Ember's fetal position, hands pressed tightly to her face in an attempt to stop the blood flow, which just trickled through the spaces between her fingers. This was not how Law's fantasy was supposed to play out. Ember was not supposed to be in a bloody heap on the pristine tiled floors of his operating theater but lying neatly on his table, her body exposed to him without a fuss to do as he pleased with. That dream seems more than impossible now as Law wondered where on earth he could obtain such medical tools?
Trafalgar Law, the man who is usually a step ahead, was now a step behind.
When it comes to achieving a goal, for the first time, he was unprepared. And Law absolutely hated himself for it.
In the ever so rare times of defeat, Law simply shrugs off his failures and tries to busy himself with mind occupying tasks. Checking up on Ember seemed to be decent enough, so he crawled over to where she lay, being careful not to place his hands in he pool of blood that collected by her head.
Ember was not crying. She wasn't whimpering nor shaking. She simply lay there, taking steady breaths through her nose as she clutched her face, absorbing everything that just took place in a matter of moments. It was when Law tried to turn her over, did she stiffen.
"I think you did enough damage." She said, her struggle to keep a calm tone apparent.
"I am a doctor, therefore I can easily fix whatever damage is done."
"Real doctor's don't mutilate their patients Law!"
Although Law loved when people acknowledge his sadism when it comes to his profession, Ember's comment irked him in a way that he just couldn't shake off. Law may have performed unorthodox procedures in the past and sometimes in the present now, but he has never once had a patient come out looking like a butchered mess. Law was very meticulous in the operating room, handling every surgery with the same delicacy as if performing on own of his own valued crewmembers so it was offensive when someone questioned his craftsmanship.
"That is true. Which is why you should allow me to stitch up that nasty gash."
Ember's laugh was filled with delirium, unable to find words for this sick man. He had some nerve, some real fucking nerve to offer stitching her wound when he was the one who deliberately caused it. There truly was no reasoning with this man, or fighting against him for that matter. This must be a sign, a sign that this was her fate all along. To be Law's captive until the end of her days. If this is what life has had planned for her all along, she figured the sooner she accepted it, the less treacherous this new path will be.
Bloody hands hesitantly peeled away from the deep facial wound for Law's analyzing eyes to inspect. She tried to read his expression for an estimation on how bad it may be but the attempt was futile. Instead, her eyes bore into his in search for any possible sign of regret or remorse, but with his eyes fixated her wound, it was pointless.
Law hated the way she looked up at him, eyes hardened with animosity and disgust. He felt a bit guilty as this was not his intention, but his curiosity had gotten the better hold of him. He knew she was right. He knew his tools were no match for her scales but he just had to test the theory against her flesh before confirming his scalpel obsolete. He got his answer and now he found himself slightly regretting ever discovering it.
His thumb repeatedly wiped away the blood that seeped out of the gash before reaching to grab her chin once the several attempts were proven pointless as more just spilled out. He tilted her face, leaning in close to get an up close view. It was definitely deep, several more stitches than he assumed off hand in order to close the wound. Law felt absolutely disgusted with himself as he studied his first ever hack job on the one patient he never had wished to mutilate. Some strange persistent urge to produce some form of apology bubbled inside of him. Law has never apologized for anything in life and although he was a very articulate man, he couldn't seem to find the appropriate words to express his grief.
The thumb that once held her chin was now lightly tracing over her lips, blood smearing around like poorly applied lipstick. Her eyes watched him in confusion, still trying to figure out Law's intention, which the young surgeon wasn't even sure of himself. What was his intention that he had his face so close to hers, eyeing her lips with temptation? Law decided to ignore the need for explanations behind his actions for once and to follow the magnetic pull that drew his lips to Ember's.
Ember released a shocked whimper as Law once again takes her by surprise. Slashing her then kissing her, just what in the world was this doctor planning? Ember quickly gave up trying to figure that one out, since she hasn't once made a correct prediction of the doctor's actions. Whatever it was, she much preferred an affectionate Law (as strange as that was to her) to an aggressive one.
Law was a little surprised when Ember opened her mouth to him but he quickly took advantage of the opportunity that was given, exploring her mouth for the first time.
Ember's flavor was tainted with the coppery taste of blood but Law didn't seem to mind despite his inner surgeon shouting numerous illnesses he possibly could contract. Law shut out his thoughts as he indulged in this unexplainable feeling, hand cupping her slashed face to deepen the kiss, wanting more than what she was providing.
Ember didn't know why she was kissing him. She didn't know why she was enjoying it either. Was she just taking the easy way out? Giving into Law simply so he wouldn't make her life anymore than a living hell that he already made it? She has never felt enjoyment and disgust at the same time, and the mix of these completely differing emotions sparked major conflict as she fought between giving in to the rather wonderful lips she wasn't aware Law possessed or maintaining her dignity.
Her mind raced, distracting her from the intimate kiss she was sharing with her captor. She couldn't continue on with this, not with all the chatter going on in her head, so she swiftly pushed Law away form her. They exchanged glances, both equally expressionless, revealing nothing to each other. Ember broke the awkward gaze to quickly stand to her feet and bolt out the double doors.