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Jess was left feeling confused and alone, not sure of what to do with herself when Alex wandered off.

The elder man kept looking over at her but didn't come back over, and she wasn't really sure what to do, standing on the edges of the dance floor, looking around idly and smiling falsely at people who looked over.

After a few minutes, Christian came over, eyes sharp and looking around the room, handing her a drink.

'I saw you dancing with Alex'.

Her expression was blank and she shrugged slightly 'Some guy was talking to me and he didn't like it'.

Christian narrowed his eyes slightly, expression unreadable. 'Yes, I saw. Apparently he isn't too bothered about his wife seeing it either. Dick. I suggest you stay with Alex if you have to, I don't want any creeps near you, alright?'.

Jess nodded awkwardly and sipped her drink, not really sure of what she was supposed to say, looking around in an absent minded way. 'I'm going to go for some air, I'll see you later'.

The veranda was huge, covered in flowers and fairly lights, and otherwise empty. Jess stood there for several minutes before she heard a noise behind her.

Jess turned and saw Alex, who looked uncomfortable 'oh, I didn't know you were out here'. He shook his head slightly 'I came out for a cigarette'

Jess frowned 'I didn't think you smoked?'. He exhaled deeply 'I don't usually'.

'And what's the issue tonight?'. Alex looked up, eyes wary 'you'.

She blinked, looking confused 'have I done something?'. Alex rolled his eyes, taking out a packet of cigarettes from his inside jacket pocket, and taps them angrily against his hand jaw clenched.

'Alex- I asked you a question'. He looked up, jaw tight, simply looking at her for a few seconds before standing up and putting the cigarettes back in his pocket.

Swiftly, Alex closed the gap between them, looking down at her, as she was slightly shorter than him even in her high heels.

Despite the fact they were otherwise alone, Alex's voice was hushed, and his face inches from her own.

'Men like that only want one thing from you, and I had to hold myself back from beating the shit out of him'.

Jess was looking Alex directly in the eyes, her voice also at a hush. 'Why? Why do you feel the need to protect me all the time?'

After a second, Alex ran his hand along her jawline and leant towards her, kissing her deeply for a brief few seconds.

Alex pulled back suddenly, and looked horrified and confused by what he'd just done

'I don't know why- I'm sorry Jess, I shouldn't have done that, but you have no idea what you have done to me for the last four months'.

Alex turned sharply and disappeared quickly back into the main ballroom and moved swiftly through the crowd, leaving Jess standing there confused and alone, just blinking in surprise.

Thankfully the event didn't last for too long, though Jess didn't see Alex again, he either left after the kiss or decided to keep as far as possible out of her way that she didn't spot him.

Jess spent the rest of the night with various people and many of the Grey's, getting on very well with Carrick's parents, who had taken a shine to her.

On the journey home Christian made a comment about Alex having already left, taking a cab home earlier, and neither he nor Ana particularly noted that Jess was quiet, assuming she was tired.

The next day Jess was still feeling awkward and confused about the passionate kiss that Alex had given her the night before, and was glad it was a Saturday, meaning she wouldn't have to see him for a few days.

Her social worker had asked to see her briefly in the City and Jess begrudgingly agreed to see her at around 6pm, deciding she could get her hair cut afterwards.

Christian wasn't thrilled about her going around Seattle alone, but he was meeting Elliot at around 6.30 anyway for dinner, so said he would take her home if they met up after her haircut.

Jess was wearing black skinny jeans, a long sleeved emerald green top and a grey jacket, leaving Harry at Escala so she would be in and back quicker, rather than have him distract her.

The meeting with the social worker lasted only about half an hour, Jess didn't really say much, nodding and making noises to pretend she was as the middle aged woman banged on about progress and other things she wasn't listening to.

It was getting towards winter, and by half six, when Jess got out of the meeting, it was already dark and freezing cold.

Jess silently wished she hadn't planned to have her hair cut after the meeting, pulling her coat closer around herself and begrudgingly beginning the long walk across the City, not wanting to bother wasting money on a taxi.

The streets were relatively busy but not too bad, and it was after five minutes of walking that Jess began to realise the presence in her peripheral vision.

She didn't turn around, frankly she knew immediately who it was.

Marcus must have worked out who Christian or John were, and followed the trail up to Seattle.

Christian Grey and John Flynn were hardly low profile in Seattle, or even within Washington State- anyone could easily trace them.

And from that all they would need was to sit around and wait.

Marcus had waited for long enough, and now he was following her through Seattle.

Jess continued walking, her heart sinking as she realised there was no way she'd be able to stay away for long.

This was a part of Seattle she knew, and sent a text to two of her contacts as covertly as she could, not wanting Marcus- who was around four meters behind her- to see what she was doing.

Elliot and Christian both stood up from there restaurant table, Elliot literally throwing a pile of money on the white table cloth next to their barely touched main courses.

Elliot didn't even care that he'd just put $335 on the table, hurrying out of the door after his brother, who was already half way out.

The messages had come through on their Blackberry's at the same time, the same message on both.

FROM: JESS

NEAR SEATTLE ART MUSEUM, HELP

They weren't far off, running at full pelt and hoping that they would make it in time before anything happened.

Marcus managed to round Jess off into an alleyway, dragging her out of sight behind a large set of discarded boxes from whatever building's alleyway they were in.

He pushed her roughly against the wall, pinning her arms up at her side, breathing heavily and snarling at the terrified young woman in front of him.

'Well, well, well, if it isn't my favourite little red head'.

Jess tried to struggle against Marcus's much stronger grip, but he simply dug his nails in further, not even noticing the blood welling up under them as they dug into her further.

'Get off me!'.

Marcus sneered 'oh no, I don't think so Radcliffe. See, I want to see my son, and I've been following you for a while'.

Jess tried to keep herself from going pale

'What?'. 'I saw him, the boy when we were in Gatewood, and I've heard all about him'.

Jess's lips curled 'he's not your son Marcus, you're not the only person I slept with back in Gatewood'.

Marcus saw red, and immediately slapped her so hard that she gasped, and felt the harsh sting come up over her cheek.

Elliot and Christian were frantically searching the criss-cross of streets and alleyways for absolutely any sign of Jess.

Christian saw her first, noticing the dark red hair and the man in front of her, shouting angrily before running down the alleyway like a feral animal.

He didn't really notice Jess, seeing Marcus and feeling anger well up inside of him, tearing after the fleeing man.

At the end of the alleyway, Christian began to wrestle the smaller man to the ground, throwing a few punches at him in the process.

Jess had scratch marks on her neck, chest and nail marks on her upper arms around the deep bruises.

Her left eye was swollen and the bruising was dark and heavy, accentuating just how pale her skin was. Jess's nose had a small amount of dried blood around it, her lip was cut and her hair and clothes were messed and disheveled.

She barely even noticed when Elliot ran into the alleyway, seeing her slowly fall to the ground, shaking and looking dazed.

He ran at lightning speed, skidding over in front of Jess, cutting his knee badly, though he didn't even notice the broken skin or bleeding, crouching in front of her.

'Jess, shit, shit, Jess are you okay?'. She was shaking uncontrollably and it took her a few attempts to get her words out

'y-y-yes, fine'. Jess tried to stand up, shaking so hard that she stumbled and stopped, vomiting suddenly onto the floor, glancing over and seeing Christian now had Marcus lying on his front, arms painfully pinned behind his back.

Elliot looked back to Jess, reaching out to her gently 'come on, let's get out of here'.

As Elliot lightly touched her arm, Jess flinched sharply away from him, going deathly pale and looking terrified, her voice high-pitched and sharp 'don't touch me!'.

Elliot didn't know what to do or say, completely thrown by the comments and her reaction, but quickly pulling out his phone and dialling 911.

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