Sorry it's been so long. I'll do my best to write a longer chapter for you guys to make up for it.

-George's POV-

After meeting the woman- Maria- I walk home, feeling rather useless. Helping her will take time, that's for sure.

Or... will it?

Suddenly, and option I hadn't realized was there before pops up into my mind. I wasn't sure if Maria would like it, but if she was anything like me, as I expected, she would go along with it and eventually grow to love it. I nod to myself, deciding I've got to get to know her a bit better until I introduce the idea, but then I'll tell her. I want to earn her trust first.

I can be helpful.

-Maria's POV-

Of course James was suspicious when I came home with far less groceries than to account for the time I was gone, and that didn't end well at all. Long story short, now he thinks I was trying to get away and I have more new bruises. I don't know if he'll ever let me out of the house again, which means I may not ever be able to see George again. But why do I care? Why should I care? I can't care. Care leads to heartbreak, and I don't need any more of that.

Despite insisting on not caring about my captivity, I still feel relieved when James allows me to go get a few cans of beer for him a week and a half later. I get Peggy to drive me there, immediately texting George when she hands me my phone. No matter how much I tell myself I hadn't missed him, I still feel that small tug in my stomach that I had missed for so long. Should I have missed it? Is it dangerous to enjoy it?

I know it is, but still I guiltily indulge myself in the feeling.

"Maria, are you alright?" Peggy asks me. "Any more... troubles?" She means with James, but it seems the only troubles I'm having currently are with myself and my damned heart.

And so I shake my head. "No more than usual." She nods in response to my short reply, probably sensing i was thinking abiut something, but knowing better than to ask. If she asked, I might have to admit my newfound feelings aloud, and that would make everything worse.

Finally, my phone dings, indicating a text from George.

George: Hey! I'm not up to much. Are you free?I can't help but smile and text back

Me: Yea, finally. Can we talk and shop at the same time?George: Sure.I slide my phone into my pocket just as we pull into the parking lot. We walk to the front door before I talk, breaking the heavy, but not awkward or even stony, silence surrounding us.

"We need to wait for George here..." I cautiously warn her.

"George? You mean, Mr. Tall, Dark and Brooding Savior? That George?" She smirks, obviously teasing me. I blush and respond:

"Yes. That George."

"Do you like him?" She asks, and the question hits me harder than a semi on a highway. I'm not quite sure yet. However hard I want- no, need- it to not be true, some times such as this time, I fear it is.

"I-I'm not sure..." I stutter, before being absolutely disgusted with myself. "Pegs, I'm married! I can't like him!"

She shrugs.She just shrugs. "Peggy! You're married! Surely you know what I mean when I say I can't-"

She cuts me off. "But you and I both know you don't love James. Me, I love-" Now, I cut her off.

"Pegs, it doesn't matter whether I love him or not. It's still marriage."

"So? Get a divorce."

I snort, amused at her ridiculousness. "Like James would agree to that."

"Sure he would. You and I also both know he doesn't love you either."

"Maria is right. James would never let her do such a thing." Another voice joins ours, and I whip around to find George standing there, for god knows how long.

"You scared me half to death!" Peggy yells, whacking him with her purse, and he just chuckles, sending my heart fluttering. I push down the feeling I had already become too familiar with.

"Hi." I say, giving him a small wave. In return, he hugs me, leaving my cheeks burning red and my body rigid. He shrugs.

"What can I say? I'm a hugger. How are things with James?"

"No worse than normal." I say, lying through my teeth. Peggy knew about my recent lock-in, but as far as I knew, George didn't. He seems to buy into my white lie, nodding.

"Good. C'mon, let's go in. We don't want you being late again." George responds, and I nod in agreement. He heads inside, and Peggy and I follow close after him. She elbows me lightly in the ribs, hitting an old bruise. Of course, I don't let her know that.

"You totally like him." Peggy whispers.

"Do not." I sound like a third grade schoolgirl denying a crush, but I don't take back the words.

"Do too." I decide not to respond, not wanting to delve too deep into a conversation about such an inwardly touchy topic. Instead, I address George.

"So... how much did you hear of our conversation earlier?" I ask nervously, afriad he might've heard more than i cared for him to.

Luckily, he shrugs. "Not much. Just stuff about divorcing James. Why?"

I shrug also, doing my best to give nothing away. "No reason. Do you think I can get away?"

-George's POV-

Well, I had planned on waiting to tell her. I clearly haven't earned all of her trust yet, but maybe enough to suggest the idea? This was, after all, the perfect opportunity. But did I need to take it?

As I look into her hopeful face, I can see something in her eyes, just barely there, locked behind several doors she's already thrown away the key to. I resolve to get there before I tell her.

And so I answer her.

-Maria's POV-

"Probably, but I don't know how." He answers after a lot of thought. My heart falls, but then again, I should've known. There's no way out of this hell I'm living, no matter how much I hope. I'm trapped here, and I decidedly always will be. I want to get out, but I can't. Why do I feel like this so often? Completely and utterly... helpless?

I'm so wrapped up in my own thoughts that I don't even notice when I stop walking, staring into space. It takes several minutes for me to snap out of my depressing haze and realize that both George and Peggy were staring at me, perplexed by my sudden stop. My face burns red as I continue walking.

"Sorry, just thinking. Come on, let's go."

Wondering what George's idea is? Well, too bad. You don't get to find out yet.What do you guys think so far? I love all the reviews I've been getting, and, honestly, I probably wouldn't have been motivated to write this chapter if not for those. So thank you for that, and feel free to leave any replies, whether positive, negative, informative, etc.Also, sorry that this chapter took so long to come out. I'll try and speed up my times, I promise.