We arrived back at the Sanctuary in one piece. Downs pulled me from the car and handed me off to Funny Bones who completely ignored Valkyrie's protests as I skidded by her.

"Ah, it'll be fine, li'l darlin'," I called to her. She rolled her eyes and sighed in exasperation. Funny Bones silently pulled me along past all the cells. Some guys I remember catcalled for no reason; it took a lot outta me to not kick their faces in. Funny Bones stopped abruptly to a cell and opened it. He removed my cuffs and motioned for me to step in.

"Are these charges really serious, Funny Bones," I asked, "or are you just doin' this to spite me?"

"A little of both," he answered. "Ghastly, for the most part, is doing this out of spite, yes."

"That doesn't seem like him."

"It isn't like him." He shrugged. "I can't do anything about it, now can I?"

He turned and left, stridin' purposefully down the hallway the way we just came. I watched him shut the main door and hit my head against the bars.

"I'd feel bad for you," a voice behind me said suddenly, "but you helped get me locked away."

I turned and watched as Colonel Red emerged from the corner. His green hair was matted, and he looked pissed.

"Ain't like I wanted to arrest you or nothin'!" I said, tryin' to defend myself. "If ya kill me, these guards are gonna be all over you for it."

"I don't need to kill you," he simply answered.

"Why's that?"

Red smirked but didn't say anythin'. He brushed past me and sat down cross-legged on the little bed. He placed his palms on his knees and stared at me.

"There are already rumors floating around."

"Yeah? What do they say?"

"You've been sleeping with Detective Cain in order to get a shorter sentence."

I laughed. "My, I guess that just shows how false rumors are, huh? That ain't true. At all."

"Really? Well there must be some little thing that's true about it – otherwise; there wouldn't even be a rumor. Don't most rumors start with some little bit of truth? That's what my mother always told me, at least."

I hesitated. Should I really tell this stranger what's really happenin'?

"I ain't sleepin' with her to get a shorter sentence," I muttered.

He seemed surprised. "You're really sleeping with her? That's true?"

I nodded.

"But why?"

I shrugged and didn't say anythin'. I sat down against the bars of the cell door and stared at the floor.

"There's another rumor going around, too," he said quietly. "I've been hearing that you'll be killed tomorrow."

I froze. Bespoke wouldn't kill me…just for that, right?

"But they ain't allowed to execute us anymore! There's some law that prevents that or whatever! He can't kill me just for bein' with Valkyrie like that!"

Red shrugged. "The Sanctuary does have a law against execution. There's a difference between formal execution and death, you know? I've also heard talk of Russians visiting us but that's not clear."

Oh, God. They really did call the mob on me. I'm bettin' they're just gonna let me loose and wait for some hulkin' Russian guy to take me down. And Bespoke can just look the other way, can't he?

I moaned and slammed my fist on the ground. I gave a slight cry at the impact and kneaded my now injured fist. I could tell Red was watchin' me. It looked like he wanted to say somethin' but couldn't find the right words.

For a while we sat in silence. I tried to clear my mind and not think of upcomin' death, but I just couldn't stop driftin' back to Valkyrie's face as we left that stupid white buildin'. She seemed so hurt and confused. It made me wonder if she had developed any kind of feelin's for me, like I had with her. A part of me hoped that she did. But another part wished she didn't; I was just hopin' she hadn't become attached, so then when they killed me, it wouldn't hurt her.

"Hey," Red whispered.

I looked up at him and asked, "What? What is it?"

"You want to get out of here to see your lady love one last time?"

"Yeah, I'd also like a million dollars."

"I can't help you with that," he muttered and got down on the ground next to me, "but I can help you escape. I think, at least."

"Yeah? How?"

"The cells are magically bound, you know. You can't use any type of magic when you're inside a cell. But what about those hallways right there? I've seen countless guards and detectives lash out with fire or the likes at prisoners in their cells."

"I guess yer kinda right…"

He nodded shortly. "Care to help test my theory? Of course, after you escape, they'll search everywhere for you. And they'd probably change around the restrictions with the cells. However, it would be quite fun to pull this on those guards."

I smirked but then frowned. "Why are ya helpin' me?"

Red shrugged. "I've been in love before," he said. "I can sympathize with you."

"I ain't in love," I growled. People gotta stop tellin' me that, or I may start to believe them…

Red shrugged again and smiled. "You keep believing that then." He stood and stretched and suddenly kicked the bed and fell over hard onto the ground. He began moanin' and groanin' in pain. I thought no one would come to help or at least find out what was happenin', but finally two guys came rushin' down the hall. I backed away into the corner and stayed out of their way as they asked what had happened. Apparently I was too cooperative, since they didn't pay me any mind. Red answered their questions, comin' up with very nice lies on the spot. I watched him intently. He finally jerked his head over to the door. I ran from the cell and began burrowin' down into the ground as I kept runnin'. When I was safe underground, I started laughin'. I can't believe that actually worked. Kind of a stupid plan, but it still worked.

I stopped movin' and thought about where to go next. I couldn't really go to Valkyrie's. That'd be the first place they'd look. Unless! Unless they thought that I wasn't that stupid and wouldn't go there. I guessed at that point that people had already been mobilized to go searchin' for me. They probably wouldn't send out Valkyrie to go lookin'. She was already in enough trouble and probably wouldn't get out of it for a while. I started tunnelin' in one direction, but gave up and headed to Valkyrie's house. Damn the Sanctuary! They can't stop me from seein' Valkyrie if I want to.

As I made my way over to Valkyrie's, I thought. I thought a lot. I thought about where our relationship might've gone if I wasn't gonna be killed in the near future. Would we have become significant others? Lovers? Boyfriend and girlfriend? Would we have gotten married, had kids? She and I ain't the people to be tied down. But with her…I could see it. I could, and while it scared the crap outta me, see a life with Valkyrie Cain.

She probably wouldn't, though.

I'm a criminal and can do whatever I want; but she has a job and reputation to maintain. Ain't like she can just give it all up for someone like me. She at least deserves someone who ain't evil and criminally insane. She should be with someone like that Rory guy she talked about.

But I realized the thought of her dyin' was a pretty gruesome one. Not in the way that'd it be deliciously bloody and gory – but the thought of no longer seein' her sucked. I had panicked when daddy dearest held her with my razor to her neck. I didn't want to see her go like that. It probably would have been easier on everyone if I had just let her die like that, but I couldn't have done that. There ain't no way I'm watchin' her go like that.

I figured I was gettin' closer to her house by now. What would I say to her? If she even was there? Somethin' like, "Hey! Sorry yer a disgrace now!" I dunno if that'd go over well. I dunno if anythin' I say will go over well. Even if she was there and did listen to me, what would happen next? I'm guessin'…y'know, more sex.

That's all our relationship is, ain't it? Lust and physical love. That's it. Ya can't base a relationship around just that. It's impossible.

I could tell I was there at her house finally. I made my way upwards and broke free from the dirt and stepped onto the rich red carpets on the entry way. Before I could even move to look for Valkyrie, I heard her.

"Get the hell out!" she shouted from the stairs. She was on the top step but came runnin' down to me. "Get out of here!"

"What! Why?"

"Skulduggery and Ghastly were just here looking for you," she explained. "I said I didn't know where you were, but if they come back and find you, we'll both be in trouble."

She looked tired and frantic. I smiled softly and stepped forward and hugged her tightly.

"Sorry, li'l darlin'."

She sighed and relaxed and placed her arms around my neck. "They're not happy with you for escaping like that."

"Yeah, I know. Ain't like I can do anythin' to make them happy. I'm already gonna die soon, so I might as well just make 'em hate me more."

"They're not going to kill you."

"Apparently they will."

She pulled back, lookin' surprised. She almost said somethin' else, but I stopped her and said, "Let's not think about it, li'l darlin'. I can be here with you one last time, so don't make it bad."

Valkyrie frowned, but nodded anyway. She kissed me softly and gripped my hands and pulled me upstairs with her.

Valkyrie didn't redress. She instead just laid half on top of me; her chest touched my own chest, and one of her legs tangled up with my own. She traced little circles on my arm absentmindedly. I had my arms wrapped around her, like she was gonna float away if I didn't keep her grounded to me.

"Why didn't you let Scarab kill me?" she whispered into the silence.

"Hush, I don't wanna talk about it."

"What? Why not?"

"I'm tired."

"And you can't just answer a simple question?"

"No."

"Why!"

"My answer would take way too long to explain. I ain't gonna answer you."

Valkyrie huffed in frustration and moved off of me. She was climbin' from her bed when I grabbed her arm to stop her. "Don't get up. Please."

"Then just answer me."

When I didn't say anythin' she pulled herself from me and stood.

"Wait," I muttered. "Fine."

She turned and smiled softly and flopped down next to me. "Why didn't you let Scarab kill me?" she asked again.

I exhaled deeply and stared at the ceilin'. "…'Cause I care about you more than I really should, Valkyrie. And I really hate that I do, too. But my daddy said to me that no matter how hard I try, I get stupid overpowerin' feelin's. I always have. I thought I loved my girlfriend when I was sixteen. You don't love anyone when yer sixteen! I thought I loved someone when I lived in Egypt. I thought I loved Tanith for God's sake." I paused and intended to continue, but Valkyrie jumped in with, "What are you trying to say?"

"I think I love you."

Valkyrie sighed and buried her face in the crook of my neck. I added after that, "I don't care if you don't gimme the feelin's back, but I honestly think I love you."

She only hummed in acknowledgement and didn't say anythin' for a while. But when finally did speak, she said, "I don't think I love you, Sanguine. Not yet, at least. Probably with more time I could. But I don't love you right now."

I nodded and kissed her softly. "Fine by me, li'l darlin'."

I pulled away and held her close to me, fallin' asleep like that.

I had meant to upload this and a few other chapters before I left for Texas for a few days. The funeral was really quite beautiful, and I'm sad I really didn't get to know my great-grandmother that well.

So yep. Only a few more chapters left!

Thanks for reading and sorry for any mistakes :)