Rosalina POV

"It'll be okay, I promise. Don't worry about me, just don't get hurt." There was a question on the other line, and I bit my lip nervously.

"Nat, promise me. Everything will be okay." His voice rose and broke suddenly, and my heart swelled. Tears gathered in the corner of my eyes and I wiped them hurriedly.

"That was touching." I glared at the man in front of me.

"You won't get away with this. No one is going to believe in your so called officers much longer." His laugh startled me – It was deep, gloating, and full of contempt.

"Miss Tai, if you think my ultimate plan was to get your friends in prison, then you are way off base. Prison has just become one of the wonderful by-products of my plan." I glared.

"If you don't want to see my friends suffer behind bars, then why else would you go through all this trouble?" He turned off the lights and switched on the television in answer.

"Well, let's see if my plan has worked – The effects were especially pleasing this morning. People feed on news like this, you know." He flicked through channels, and my mind was trying to figure everything out. A small chuckle snapped me out of my reverie, its glee sending a shudder down my spine.

"And by the way, I'm not so sure you can call any of them your friends anymore. You've burned a lot of bridges Miss Tai. How can you be sure any of them will be able to forgive you?

They have to, I thought. They have to, because if they don't… I put my head in my lap, not bothering to wipe the few tears that strayed down my cheek.

They have to, because I would have never left them without a real reason to.

Nat POV

Deagan grabbed my arms and pushed me the whole way back to the cell. He shoved me onto the cell's floor, growled a little, and walked away.

"Are you okay?"

"Nat?"

"Oh no! Nat, what's wrong man?" I shook my head. How could that have really been her? But I would know Rosalina's voice anywhere, and that wasn't anything any one could copy.

She told me not to get hurt.

"Nat, are you alright, you don't look too well…"

She asked me if the guys were all right.

"Yeah, come on Nat. Say something."

She told me she never wanted to leave.

"Nat?" I looked up and made eye contact with Christa, who seemed nervous. She laid her hand on my shoulder and I fought the urge to close my eyes again.

"Nat, we just want to make sure you're okay." I could only nod in response. "Um, the girls were released." I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. Christa was babbling now, shooting me furtive glances and tightening her grip on my shoulder – She was worried.

"They didn't have evidence that linked them to us, or the kidnapping. So they were all released."

"And the van story didn't check out, so Jessie convinced your dad to demand release as well. They said they'd be able to help you better when they're not sitting in a cell with us." Quassim added.

"Don't worry dude, we'll get out of this for sure." David and Alex proclaimed confidently. I could only nod along, not really focusing on anything. Should I tell them? If they knew Rosalina still cared about us… If they knew she didn't really want to leave…

I just couldn't believe the phone call existed.

"Nat, I'm so sorry, tell all of them I'm so sorry. I was just trying to protect you guys. I love you."

Maya POV

"I can't believe we actually got out of there."

"Yeah, but that's not really important. What about Thomas?" Lisa worried. "What are the guys and Christa going to do?"

"They'll be fine. They didn't actually do anything, right? It's not like the police can pin 'em for a crime they didn't do!" Lianna patted Lisa on the back.

"Maya, are you alright?" Cati was looking at me carefully. My hand was in my pocket, fishing for my phone, and I knew a determined look was plastered on my face. There was something suspicious about Rosalina's situation this whole tour, and I was determined to find out what.

"Maya, no. We're not doing anything dangerous. We can't afford to," I cut Trina off quickly.

"Yes, we can Trina. I'm not asking you guys to help, but Rosalina's in trouble. I don't buy anything those stupid policemen say about the Naked Brother's Band."

"Maya,"

"NO. Okay Cati? NO! We've been keeping Rosalina away from Nat thinking that he and her old band was the reason she's been acting so strange, but it's not. I heard her talking to Quassim about the real reason she left, and he didn't believe her. But there's someone out there who's had it out for the Naked Brother's Band, and Rosalina's been trying to stop them on her own. I don't care what any of you say, I'm going to find her, whatever the cost."

Rosalina POV

"Put her in the room again. And don't forget to bind her hands a little tighter – The rope's already become a little looser." I grimaced, and the man next to me blindfolded me again.

What was I thinking? "I love you?" Of course I would go there, after months, months of telling myself not to. He was still dating Christa for God's sake. But still…

He wanted to know if I was safe.

He still cares…

He wanted to know where I was.

I groaned as my elbow hit the door. "Get in there bitch." Another moan escaped my mouth as I was shoved to the floor. The door behind shut tightly, and I curled my legs to my chest.

He asked me if I was hurt… Like he wanted to make everything better. I laughed to myself: Of course, because that's what he does, it's what he's always done…

I'd get in too deep, and he'd be right there to pull me back out. I evened out my breathing; if there was ever a moment to be religious and pray, it would be now, I thought. If there were ever a reason to hope against all hope that someone would come, it would be now, when the cold was soaking through my shirt and the cramped space was making my brain fuzzy.

I closed my eyes and steadied my breathing, and for a few seconds everything seemed okay. Behind my eyelids there were memories of rushed band practices, loud laughter, and a group of insane kids: A bassist and her family, a girl and her boys.

I had plenty of reasons to wish for any type of help, except I grew up learning not to rely on prayers, but anchors. And every word, every smile, every laugh that came from that boy was my anchor. I couldn't fight my way out of here, or even loosen the knots in the rope. Every joint ached for rest, and my brain pleaded for sleep.

It wasn't great, or even good, but the whispered rush of words at the other end of the line lulled me to the first calm sleep I'd had in quite some time.

I love you too.