Authors Notes: This might be a trigger chapter for those who don't want to read about torture or rape. Their isn't any in this chapter, but its implied, and talked about as a past event.

Frozen Timepiece

Chapter 27

If

Kate sat against the wall across from Echo. Her legs firmly pressed against her chest, and her arms around her knees. Echo sat against the wall, his legs in front of him. Tears slowly rolling down both of their cheeks. Neither knowing what to say to the other. Kate had apologized to him when she woke up thinking it was something about her. Even though she knows what Pixal said was true, she still felt responsible somehow for their relationship. Or what she called, a failed relationship.

"I have...trust issues." Kate began rubbing her cheek against her leg to get the tears off her cheek.

"I know... " Echo whispered. She could hear the hurt in his voice. Kate wanted so bad to go over to him, but she honestly wasn't sure if she was allowed to. Was she still his, should she even try? Would it matter since she was going to die in an hour.

"Pixal told you didn't she?" Zane asked from the corner. He was forced to just watch as his sibling, and the woman he loved were attempting to talk out what happened.

"Yeah...but it doesn't stop it from hurting. It doesn't stop me from questioning whether he was right. Maybe I am to clingy...maybe I…" She jumped when Echo yelled.

"Stop that! Now you just stop that questioning yourself like that. I enjoy your hugs, I enjoy seeing you. I wake up in the night just to look at your face. Its why you wake up with me holding you, I just can't...not." Echo said standing up pacing around the room. Kate had stood up afraid he was going to go after her.

"Kate...I'm going to ask you a question and please do not cover it up." Zane began having noticed something. "I'm noticed you cringe or pull away if someone moves to fast. Did your father beat you?" Zane asked.

Kate sighed and leaned against the wall. Her eyes seemed to glaze over as she remembered things with her father.

"I said he wasn't the best father, and I see the reason why my brother ran away." Echo walked over to her noticing her mood had changed greatly. He reached out and took her hand in his. She slowly stepped forward resting her head against his chest. She took a deep breath, she hadn't opened up like this even with Echo. But if she was about to die she might as well tell them everything.

"When I was young I used to get put into a room and left there for hours. No food or water...nothing to do. Or even a window to look out. After a little while my dad would come back and pull me out of the room and make the housekeeper deal with me. If I made a noise the house keeper would slap me around till I stopped making noise. Eventually I went to father about the housekeeper beating me...he fired the housekeeper…" Echo smiled at his brother. But his brother narrowed his eyes and shook his head.

"Continue Kate. Its alright, we will not judge you." Zane prompted stepping forward in a protective way. Kate put her arms around Echo hugging him close. Echo could feel her shaking.

"Instead of throwing me in that room he began to beat me if I said anything. For three solid years I wasn't allowed to say anything. I learned that 'ladies do not speak unless spoken to.' For my twelfth birthday…" She took a deep breath and shuttered. Echo rubbed her back and put his cheek on the top of her head subconsciously knowing what was coming.

"He hired two men to…'make a woman out of me' as he said. I was to afraid to tell anyone and I don't think Ronin knows about that." Kate said looking down at her feet.

"Why would Ronin know anything about you? You only met him last year." Echo said looking at Kate. Kate backed up and fished her wallet out of her pants. She handed him a picture from the inner fold. She handed it to Echo.

Echo looked over it and his eyes grew wide. Zane looked over his shoulder and smiled.

"You look like your mother, but Ronin looks a lot like his father."

"At least he's nothing like him. He tried to save me on the Bounty. Told the others that their were Mercenaries out to get me. Their were just to many.

Kate looked up at Echo and held out her hand. He took a deep breath and took her hand.

"I will never do as your father did to you Kate. I will never hurt you like that. You have got to trust me. I did what I did to protect you. Please believe me." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring. He took her hand and got down on one knee and looked up at her. Her eyes softened and she leaned forward.

"But we already said o…"

"No...for real. I want to marry you, and I'll go to court to get it officiated. I want to be with you Kate. I want you to be a Julien."

"Echo...I…" She was blushing so hard. Zane turned away to give them some privacy.

"Please Kate…" Echo whispered Kates hand was shaking in his. She honestly never thought he would go that far. But here he was his hand in hers. Not one ring, but two in his hand.

"How come you give me rings whenever we fight?" She giggled and leaned in kissing the nindroid. He stood up pulling her in deepening the kiss.

"Daww isn't that beautiful!" Someone behind them started to clap. "To bad she's about to die." Sanza smiled looking on at the little group. Echo grabbed Kate and held her to him. Zane ran around to hold himself in front of the two. His hand glowing with promise.

"Oh...you think you can protect her...how...adorable." He smiled. Kate pushed Echo away and marched toward Sanza.

"I'm going to knock those perfect teeth down that fat neck of yours." Kate yelled Echo grabbed her and pulled her back, she tried to push away from Echo again, but he held her close.

"Feisty isn't she?" Sanza said and snapped his fingers. Both Echo and Zanes bodies seemed to lock up. "Lets see how feisty she is now." He walked forward and grabbed Kates arm. Kate punched at him, not really making any progress.

"Let go! Let go of me! Echo!" She yelled.

"Lets bring them to the table room...they can watch me dissect her." Sanza said. The two men walked in and picked up Echo and Zane.

Sanza threw Kate down on the table and strapped her down.

"My what small wrists and ankles you have. Do you even eat?"

"I was malnourished as a child. My bone structure is probably crap too." Kate spat out at him. He chuckled and reached down shining a light in her eyes. He snapped his fingers and both nindroids seemed to unlock on command. They pulled against their restraints which came from a pole in the middle of the room. The pole held fast, and so did their chains.

"Let her go you insane freak!" Echo yelled.

"Oh I'll give her back...she may have some parts missing, but sure...I'll give her back." Sanza said and ran his fingers over her hair. "But first...I'm afraid this is going to get in the way." He pulled out a large pair of scissors and sliced into her hair. She cringed at the sound.

"Kate!"

"Oh its just her hair…" Sanza smiled.

"He's never seen me have my hair cut and he's been on an island all his life." Kate grumbled watching her hair fall to the ground. Sanza looked around at Echo.

"So who do you think will cringe first?" He asked Kate. Kate at first didn't understand till she felt him take hold of her hand and pushed the scissors onto her palm. He pulled it across as if it were a match stick. Kate gasped as the pain was immediate. Sanza laughed as Echo reached out trying to break his bindings. Sanza stepped forward just out of his reach. He smiled as he licked the blade. A small line of red across his tongue.

"Sweeter then I thought." Sanza smiled at Echo. Echo reached forward once again trying his hardest to get to him. His optics were tinged in red.

"I will have your life." He yelled. Kate had never heard him so angry before.

"Oh...I'd better run then…" He said and walked around the table to the end. He lifted Kates foot. Kate tried her best to pull her foot from his grasp. He pulled her boot off and locked her leg back down. He looked through his tools and smiled.

"I'm going to have fun with her for a little while. The look on their faces will be perfect." He smiled putting her blood sample into the machine. It lit up and began to glow. He turned around and picked up a very small tool.

"If there's one thing I'm good at...its torture. I have a degree in it actually. So trust me when I say...you'll be in a lot of pain by the time I'm done." He shoved the shirt tool into Kates foot. "I know how to produce...the most pain without killing you. Poor girl. But hey...they'll get an awesome show."

Ronin stood not to far from the opening to the service tunnel. His head was killing him because of the heat, but he watched the ninja as they got into position. They would be infiltrating this compound any minute now. He watched for the signal. Lloyd looked up at him and nodded his head. He slowly opened the door and jumped in followed closely by Jay and Cole. They began to crawl along the tunnel since it was so small.

"Oh if he hurt her...their will be hell to pay." Ronin grumbled.

"You'll have to get in line." Cole said.

"Yeah Echo and Zane will have him, and Samurai X too. If your lucky their might be something left." Jay laughed looking around Ronin. Ronin stopped and pulled something from his belt.

"Whats the hold up?" Cole asked.

"Its a code." He said and clipped a few wires and hooked up a device to it.

"Its a bit old school isn't it?" Jay asked.

"Sanzas an old coot...he likes his 80s junk." The door clicked and opened.

"But its easier to get in this way."

"Yeah but do you know anyone that still uses 80s stuff?"

"There's this one guy...that builds spaceships…" Jay said.

"Oh shut up and come on." Cole shoved Jay.