You wrap your hands around the bars of your cage and test their strength against yours, for the thousandth time. You're not sure how long you've been kept here, days for sure, possibly weeks. Your only break in the isolation has been when your captors have brought you food, and to take pictures of you daily, no doubt to assure Oliver of your continued existence. You bang your head against the iron. You should have been more careful. You KNOW better. Now, they may be using you to trap Oliver into working for them. Or Oliver will refuse and you will be killed. Either way, you're berating yourself for letting this happen.

The door swings open and you are blinded by the bright light of your captor's camcorder. "Smile pretty Sunshine."

"Bite me." You walk away with your back to the camera and sit facing the far wall.

"Oh come on now, don't be like that. Your boyfriend wants to see your smile." You lean your head down on your knees and chew on your lip. You are angry, but you are also scared. "Don't screw this up now. You're close to going home. Don't start being difficult."

You grasp the metal tray they had brought your breakfast in on and fling it toward the bars. "LEAVE ME ALONE!!!"

"That's our girl." You hear the smile in his voice. You turn away again, covering your face with your hands, trying desperately not to cry.

"You heard the lady." It is unmistakingly Oliver's voice. You whip your head around just in time to see the camcorder, light, and cameraman go skittering across the floor.

"Oliver!" You run up to the bars. He has the keys in his hand, fumbling them as he tries to unlock your cell. You are touching his face, his hair, making sure he is real. He won't look at you. Your tears are starting to fall, and you notice one falling down his cheek as well. He gets the door unlocked. You rush into his arms and he embraces you so hard you can scarcely breathe.

"Are you all right?!" You nod against his cheek, beyond the capability to speak right that moment. He takes your cheeks in his hands and kisses you deeply. "Can you keep it together just a little longer Love? We're not out of this yet."

You nod your head yes. "You're alone?"

"Our benevolent Employers wouldn't sanction a rescue mission. But I had to come."

You smile at him. "I knew you'd come."

"Yes, well I am afraid our friends out here probably figured I would too, which is why speed is of the essence."

"I'm so sorry."

"Stop. You were home. Your guard was understandably down. You couldn't have known." He hands you a sig sauer and wipes the tears from your cheeks. "Be brave my Love, we're almost home."

Oliver takes your hand and walks to the door. Once he is sure the hallway is clear, he jogs down it with you in tow. As he starts to round a corner, you hear voices and pull him back. He spots a small room to the side of the hall and gently pushes you toward it. Footsteps pass the door and Oliver holds your trembling body, placing kisses on your jaw and neck.

Soon you hear an alarm sound. "They must have discovered you gone."

"Now what?"

Oliver looks above your head. "Now that." You follow his gaze and spy a vent, high on the wall. Oliver reaches into his back pocket and removes a Swiss army knife. He uses it to pry off the vent's covering. He makes his hands into a step and then boosts you up into the shaft. It is dark and confined. Soon Oliver is beside you in the vent. He senses your discomfort. "It'll be okay Love. We will be okay. Just crawl. I will be right with you."

You move forward on your hands and knees into the claustrophobic blackness. "Turn right just up here Love. I can see light ahead." You do slowly, Oliver keeping a hand on your ankle to keep the connection that is preventing you from panicking.

You reach a wall with a thin crack of light beaming in at the bottom. Oliver squeezes past you and delivers a sharp kick toward it. A metal grating pops off. You shield your eyes from the bright sunlight, the first natural light you have seen in many days. Oliver dangles his feet off the side and jumps down. You then feel hands about your waist, lifting you down into his embrace. Once your eyes adjust, you see that you are in a field bordering the compound you have been held in for so long.

Oliver keeps his grip on your hand and breaks into a run across the field. His superior stride and your physical condition after your confinement make it hard for you to keep up with him. Twice you stumble, only to be caught by his strong hands. "Nearly there Love, hang on." On the other side of the field is a tall stone wall. Again he boosts you up, and then scrambles up after you. When you sit up on the top, you see his car parked just below. Oliver jumps down and you follow. He catches you and helps you to the car.

Oliver peels out and drives for two straight hours, not stopping until you are in the mountains, in one of your Employer's safehouses. He has suggested you go to bed and get some rest. You kissed him and thanked him for worrying, and for rescuing you. But, you want a shower. You'd boil yourself if you could to get the smell of that place off of your skin.

You turn the water on as hot as you can stand it and lather up head to toe. As you are applying a handful of shampoo to your hair, Oliver steps in behind you. His arms come around your waist, rubbing over your stomach with a washcloth as his lips bathe your neck in kisses...

Have a Wonderful Monday!

GylzGirl :-)