Disclaimer: although i have dreamed of it....i don't own it

*****

He saw her as he rounded the corner, polishing the countertop of the hotdog stand and the few tables along the bleak corridor.

"Hey, babe." He said as he reached her. She looked up and smiled briefly.

"Hi." Her voice was heavy and mumbled, and sounded as though she was about to cry.

"Hey, hey what's wrong?" Meat shook her head violently and went back to polishing the countertop. Brit put his hands on her shoulders, stopping her and forcing her to pay attention to him. "Babe? What's wrong?"

She turned her huge blue eyes toward him, and he took a step back when he saw the tears.

"Meat? Baby?"

"Ah cannae stay here any more, Brit." He nodded.

"I know. That's why you're going to come with me."

"Come with ye?" He nodded again, taking each of her hands in his and pulling her closer to him so he could make sure that no one else could hear. "Where?"

"Place called the Heartbreak Hotel. It's like a kinda base for all us Bohemians. We live there." There was a glimmer of hope behind her eyes. "You're going to come with me."

"Which is your room?" Brit asked, looking at the upstairs windows. Meat crossed her arms and looked affronted.

"Ye cannae ask a lady that!" She joked, before pointing to one of the windows. "That one." He nodded and grinned at her.

"You want to get your stuff then?" Excitement crossed Meat's face.

"Ye wanna come up with me?"

"I should stay here and...keep watch." Meat nodded and took out the pass-key for her door, sliding the little card into the slot and opening the black door.

"Ah'll be as quick as ah can." She promised, disappearing behind the black door. Brit stood outside on the street, waiting for her. He was actually about to bring Meat back to the Heartbreak to live.

"Are they going to like me?" Meat whispered as Brit dropped down into the chasm and closed the grate above them.

"Course they are, babe. Now come on!" He took her hand and led her down the tunnel towards the Heartbreak Hotel.

The tunnel smelt funny and she wrinkled her nose as they walked, excitement building in her throat as they came closer to freedom.

"How far underground are we?" Brit shrugged and squeezed her hand.

"Far enough so that we aren't found." He replied.

It darkened for a while, slowing their pace as Meat wasn't so accustomed to the uneven ground beneath her feet.

They came to another grate in the ground, this one giving off tiny shafts of light which reflected onto Meat's face as she stood and waited for him.

"Ladies first." He said gallantly, helping her down through the hole, and then following her, pulling the grate back into place over their heads. "We're nearly here."

"Wait." She stopped, holding onto his arm to stop him too. Brit looked back at her and smiled. "Are ye sure they're going to like me?" He took a step closer to her and wrapped her in his arms, engulfing her slender frame completely.

"Babe, they're going to love you. They're all looking forward to meeting you." She nodded as he hugged her, cradling her like a baby and calming her nerves. "Now, are you ready to meet them?"

"Yeah."

She held one hand self-consciously over her bruised cheek as they reached a pair of double doors, chinks of light escaping from around it. Brit took her hand away and smiled kindly.

"Don't worry, babe."

*****

Sorry it took a while. R&R :D :D :D