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[font "times new roman" As the two of them were talking, she was feeling ore and more comfortable around him. That was a really strange feeling, but at the same time she was enjoying it. When he mentioned not really wanting a family that kind of threw her off. What man didn't want to start a family? She could understand the line of work, or at least whatever he did. She was curious as to what it was, but she wasn't going to push him to tell her either. That wasn't like her in the least. He would come to her and tell her when he was ready.]

[font "times new roman" When he excused himself to go and change she was left alone. She looked out the window over the sink and bit her lower lip lightly. She wrapped her arms around herself and sighed. She hated being so cooped up. She wanted to go out and explore. Maybe that's what they both needed. To go out for a nice hike or something. She then turned and walked out of the kitchen and back into the living room where he was. She leaned against the door jab watching him with silent eyes for a moment.]

[font "times new roman" She cleared her throat just then and spoke [#cc6699 "I think you and I need to go for a hike. There's no other cabins around, and you and I are pretty much the only ones here, so no one will be able to follow us. There's this really pretty waterfall I want to show you. I at least want to get out of this cabin for a little bit. We have both been cooped up, and I'm not going to take no for an answer on this one"] she said in a stern voice.]

[font "times new roman" He had been telling her what to do for the longest time, that it was time she took charge at least for a moment. She then made her way to the bedroom and found some suitable hiking boots. Even if they were a bit big on her, she didn't care. She then pulled her hair into a ponytail, and gathered up some hiking things. When she was done she made her way back into the living room to see if he was ready or not. [#cc6699 "I'll be outside"] was all she said.]

[font "times new roman" She walked over to the front door and opened it and walked out. The cool morning air hit her skin and she let out a small sigh. It felt like she was home. She could get used to this that's for damn sure. She walked down the front steps and rounded the cabin towards the back. The sound of the birds chirping helped her relax a little bit. She was working on not being so stubborn, and she had to trust this male if she wanted to survive. She stood there looking into the woods waiting for the male to join her.]

Elijah considered her question for a long moment. And how she hadn't really seen him as the reading type. Then he shrugged. "A little bit of everything, really," he told her. "Whatever I can get my hands on when I'm on the move. There's not a whole lot to do when I'm on the job, hunkered down in my car. So I read."

He sensed the air change a bit when he told her how old he was after this, but it didn't last long. Perhaps he imagined it. And suddenly she was talking about cake mix and making his birthday up to him. Just as he was about to refuse this special treatment, she interrupted him. It was obvious she was not the kind to take no for an answer. He couldn't help but hold his hands up in surrender.

There was a short moment of silence. The pancakes were gone and he was thinking about getting up to get changed when she spoke again. His blue eyes glanced up to hers. He smirked a little. "I wish I fucking knew," he said, a little softly. "I doubt I'd have a family even if I wasn't in this line of work, though. Can't really imagine myself as a family man but maybe that's a personal thing." He started to gather up the dishes. He wanted to avoid the topic of 'his line of work' for as long as possible.

After rinsing their plates off, he used changing as an excuse to escape her gaze. He didn't know what it was about her, but he felt like she might be able to see right through him.

[font "times new roman" As the male answered her questions in order, she was kind of surprised he said that blue was his favorite color. The way he had first spoke about it, it had been in the form of a question. That was a first, normally people would be spitting them off right and left. The way he had to think about them made her smile a bit. She didn't really understand it herself, but she was kind of glad he was opening up to her. It was really nice to be honest. She could really get to know the male that was bound to protect her.]

[font "times new roman" When he spoke about the hobbies she smirked a bit. [#cc6699 "I know a lot of people consider it a hobby, so I'll let it slide this time. As for reading, what do you like to read? I honestly wouldn't have pegged you as that type of person"] she admitted. It was weird knowing he liked to have a book in his hands, but at the same time it made her feel like she could trust him a bit more. She took one more pancake and slid the plate towards him, letting him have the rest. As he spoke about his age, her heart dropped a bit.]

[font "times new roman" She hadn't realized there was that huge of an age gap, but it wasn't going to stop her either. She cocked her head to the side taking everything he had spoken of in. What was so special about this male before her? She felt some kind of connection to him, and at the same time she didn't want to let him in. Hell she didn't really want to be here either. Her heart dropped even more when he spoke about being in his car on his birthday. She bit the inside of her cheek just then thinking.]

[font "times new roman" [#cc6699 "There might be a cake mix or brownies here somewhere. Considering I didn't know you until about a day ago, I'm sorry you had to spend it alone, and in your car. Let me make that part up to you at least? I'm not going to take no for an answer either. Everyone needs to celebrate their birthday, because honestly you don't know when your last one could be"] she said lightly. She was somewhat rambling now, and she was silently kicking herself for that part. She felt bad that he had spent so much time on watching over her.]

[font "times new roman" She wanted nothing more than to make all of that up to the male. She then leaned back and pushed the uneaten pancakes on her own plate towards him. She wasn't that hungry anymore. She was getting wrapped up in her thoughts on what to ask him. She cocked her head to the side and crossed her arms over her chest. [#cc6699 "If you didn't know me, where would you be right now? Would you have a wife? Kids? Or would you be chasing after your dreams?"] she asked. Might be getting a bit personal, but she was curious.]

Eli couldn't deny that she had a point. If anyone was being a bitch between them, it had been him. If he was trying to build trust with Tatum, he wasn't doing a very good job of it. And he needed her to trust him for this to work. So he nodded.

He wasn't the most talkative guy, either, so he hoped allowing her to hear him and get to know him would help their situation. She was better than him, more polite, and didn't talk with her mouth full. He expected rather invasive questions and not the [i favorite color] question. He shook his head, amused, as the questions continued. Just further proof that he couldn't predict her in any way. That was a first for him.

Elijah folded his hands in front of him and let out a low chuckle. He through for a moment, brows furrowed together. "Uh... Blue? I guess? I don't really..." he stumbled over his words. He hadn't thought about favorite colors since he was a kid and it occurred to him that most normal people had one. "I'll go with blue." He looked at her, noticing her eyes were the blue he was thinking of. He looked away. Scratched his neck. "Playing football with my dad," he added for the next question in line. "Soccer, I mean," he added, remembering football meant something else here. He was surprised how hard that memory hit. He didn't let himself think about his time before the agency.

"Hobbies? I don't..." he thought about this. Seriously thought about it. "Don't really have enough time for anything. I guess I read a lot. So, reading? Does the gym count as a hobby?" He felt himself unfolding before her. They were simple questions, but he was a brick wall and he hadn't even asked himself these questions in years. He was hardly human, he realized. And then the age question. He looked at her. "I'm thirty-eight," he said. "I celebrated my last birthday freezing my ass off in my car watching your dorm," he added with a small laugh.

There was no blame in his voice. He didn't regret what he had done or how he had spent his time protecting her. He looked down at the plate with the leftover pancakes. "You gonna eat those?" he asked.

[font "times new roman" Watching as the male awoke, she was surprised he wasn't jumping to his feet. Then again he had looked so peaceful, and she hadn't really yelled at him, so there was that. When he climbed to his feet and made the way to the kitchen and voiced his question she shrugged a bit. [#cc6699 "Honestly, it was sitting there pretty much calling my name. That and I wanted to do something nice for you. I know it's not much, but it's my way of apologizing as well.. I know I'm not that easy to get along with, but I'm trying here"] she said softly. She was too. It was really hard on the two of them.]

[font "times new roman" As the male sat down and grabbed a plate she smiled lightly as he dug right in. She still had it. She might not know how to make those really good dishes you saw on T.V. but at least she knew how to cook. She finished the batter and then piled a couple onto her own plate and started to eat. She stayed near the stove watching the last couple pancakes cooking. She then turned her eyes back towards Eli. The way he was looking at her was kind of strange. It was like he was checking her out. She couldn't blame him though, she had done the same thing he just hadn't seen it.]

[font "times new roman" When he spoke about not knowing why whoever it was wanted her dead, and they had to stay ahead of them for a while she nodded lightly. [#cc6699 "I understand. Just maybe can you try not to be a total asshole about it? That's another reason as to why I've had such an attitude towards you. I'm not always a bitch, but when someone comes at me like you have, I go into defensive mode, and I don't like that. You want me to respect you, then you need to respect me as well. That's all I'm asking from you right now"] she admitted.]

[font "times new roman" She placed the fork down onto the plate and then pulled the last three pancakes off the heat and put them onto the plate with the other's. She shut the stove off and made her way over to the table. She sat down with her plate in front of her. That's when he threw her through another loop. She was allowed to get to know him? That's a small shock. There was so much she wanted to ask. He was giving her permission, and she wanted to take full advantage of that. She took a bite and mulled over a couple of questions.]

[font "times new roman" She swallowed the bite she had in her mouth before she started to speak. [#cc6699 "Alright, well I'm going to make this easy somewhat. What's your favorite color? Favorite childhood memory? Hobbies? and lastly how old are you?"] she asked. He knew she was twenty-two and yet she didn't know how old he was. She would save the tougher questions for later. Right now she wanted to know those ones, and then move from there. She leaned back into the chair waiting for his reply.]

Eli managed to sleep a full night for the first time since he had started to look after little miss Tatum Dallas. Even before they met officially he was losing sleep. He mostly slept in his car right out front of her dorm room just in case anything happened. And she was still here because he had taken up that habit. So it only made sense for him to find the couch just as comfortable as a bed. He didn't even wake up once in the night like he usually did. He only woke when he heard her calling.

His eyes fluttered open urgently, worried she might be shouting for help in her half sleep, but the words came back to him and his brow knitted together. He stood up and wrapped one of the afghans around his shoulders to help keep him warm as he moved into the kitchen.

He saw the mess on the counter. The pancakes smelled delicious, he wouldn't lie.

"What's all this?" he asked, his voice still husky from sleep. He lowered himself into a chair and pulled a plate towards him, offloading several of the pancakes she had already cooked onto it before buttering them up and digging in. "Thanks," he mumbled around the mouthful. "You didn't have to go to all this effort."

Something about this small gesture made things feel different somehow. Like she was trying. Elijah realized he should, too. She was hardly what he envisioned her to be. Sure, she was little high maintenance, but for the most part she was intelligent and she hadn't given him any true trouble. Things could have gone a lot worse, he reminded himself.

He sneaked a glance at Tatum as she finished making the rest of the pancakes. He hated that he found her so... so... [i Don't think it.] Attractive. [i Fuck.] He looked away and shook the thought from his head. He wasn't here to get laid. He was here to protect her. To make a point to those he had once called family. Still, it wouldn't hurt to at least be friendly.

"Listen," he said softly, pushing his empty plate away. "I'm sorry. I don't know why they want you dead, but I'm planning on finding out. In the meantime, we just have to keep ahead of them. And... If we're going to be stuck together, maybe it's best if we're not complete strangers." He tried not to let his eyes linger on her for too long. "I know quite a bit about you already," he admitted, though he knew this was not news to her. "Is there anything you want to know about me?" he asked, spreading his hands out.

Of course he might have to bend the truth if she got into dangerous territory, but there was nothing wrong with telling her simple fact about himself.

[font "times new roman" A small smile passed over her lips as he mentioned taking up on her offer. She was already thinking of what to make in the morning. That's if she could get up early enough. As he spoke about her being spoiled, but not a bitch it kind of surprised her in a way. That's the first time [i anyone] hasn't ever called her a bitch. It pleased her in a way she didn't know how to really handle. She bit her lip lightly as she took a bite of the sandwich. It brought back memories of being a child, and it broke her heart a bit.]

[font "times new roman" She knew the male had seen the notebook, and she was about to fight back on it, but he didn't say anything so she had a feeling he was okay with it. At least for now. She knew she wouldn't lose it, and if she did then they would be in a shit ton of trouble. When they were finished with their meal, she threw the plates away, and without another word made her way towards the bedroom. She shut the door behind her, and sighed lightly. She leaned against the door a moment, and closed her eyes.]

[font "times new roman" Things were slowly changing, and she wasn't used to all of this change at once. Maybe things will slowly start to look up but she doubted it. She pushed herself away from the door and climbed onto the bed. She found a pen and opened up the notebook. She wrote the day, date, and the time. She didn't want to forget anything. She chewed on the tip of the pen for a moment before she finally started writing.]

[center [i [font "times new roman" [#cc6699 Dear Journal,]]]]

[center [i [font "times new roman" [#cc6699 Holy shit, I can't believe I'm doing this right now. Writing all of my feelings down. I don't know what to really do, or how to feel about everything that's happened. There's a man in the living room of Dominick's old cabin, and he's been following me for awhile now. He claims that I have some sort of hit man on my ass, and I'm supposed to get killed... At first I didn't want to believe it, but when shit happened with Bryson and my so called best friend, it made me believe that it was really real.]]]]

[center [i [font "times new roman" [#cc6699 We are pretty much on the run right now, and I don't dare go into more detail than this. He's worried about me losing the notebook, or spilling the beans to the wrong person. I guess I can understand a little bit about that, but why me of all people? Why would anyone want me dead? I'm not that horrible of a person.. At least I don't think I am. I mean I've pissed so many people off but I can't think of anyone who wants me dead. Is that a bad thing? Or am I just getting into my own head?]]]]

[center [i [font "times new roman" [#cc6699 There's so much change, that I can't wrap my head around it. I'm scared to say the least, but at the same time I have to be strong. So about the man in the living room. His name is Elijah, and he's ten times older than I am but that's not going to stop me from anything. He's handsome to boot but he won't ever hear that from me. I mean I wouldn't mind testing some things out with him, but at the end of the day I know it'll never turn out the right way.]]]]

[center [i [font "times new roman" [#cc6699 He's too much of a hard ass and doesn't know how to let loose and relax. I guess that's all I have to say for right now. It's getting late and I kind of want to be up early enough to make him breakfast. You'll be hearing a lot from me that's for damn sure.]]]]

[font "times new roman" She read the page over a couple of times and then shut the book. She slipped it under one of the extra pillows and then shut off the light and snuggled down for the night. It was kind of nice to be in a warm bed, instead of a bloody car.]

[center [i [font "times new roman" [b [u The next morning.]]]]]

[font "times new roman" If Tatum hadn't needed to go to the bathroom she would have slept longer. She untangled herself from the bed sheets and slipped out of the warm bed. She then made her way to the bathroom. When she was done, she made her way out of her room and down the hall to the kitchen. She stopped long enough to check on Eli. He was still asleep, and she stopped there and watched him for a moment. He looked innocent, and not ready to kill someone. A look she wanted to capture on film.]

[font "times new roman" She shook her head lightly wishing she hadn't thought about that just now. She did admit to herself though, he was even more handsome while sleeping. She bit her lip lightly and then made her way to the kitchen to start making breakfast. She didn't have any eggs or anything, but there was some pancake and waffle mix in the cupboards. She pulled out the pans, and the mix. She then started adding it into a bowl, and added water and mixed it. She then waited for the pan to heat up.]

[font "times new roman" It didn't take too long for that to happen. When the first round was done, she walked into the living room and kept her distance. [#cc6699 "Breakfast is ready sleepy head"] she called out. She didn't know if he would have reacted differently if she had touched him, but she wasn't about to chance that. She then turned and went back to the kitchen, finishing their little breakfast.]

Elijah felt her sit town across from where he was making their meal and he felt her eyes on her. He met her gaze, but she looked away just as he did and shook her head. He dropped his eyes again to what he was doing so he didn't cut his thumb off while he cut the sandwiches into triangles like a kid.

He couldn't help a smirk of a smile come to his face at her next words and he nodded. "I just might take you up on that offer," he admitted as he handed her one of the plates, then licked some of the peanut butter from his thumb. "I can't cook for shit. Can barely scramble an egg." He rounded the corner and took a seat on the stool next to hers. He nodded a thanks for the water before adding, "I wouldn't call you a bitch, though. Spoiled, maybe. But not a bitch." He glanced at her with amusement in his eyes. He took another bite of his food. "You've surprised me too much for me to think that."

His eyes fell on the notebook clearly titled. He knew she was bound to write in it about the things she had just been through and normally he wouldn't risk it being lost or left behind, detailing the whole account of their story for their enemies to find. But he also knew that Tatum was probably dying to talk to somebody about all this, and it was better for it to be a journal than a living person. He was also starting to see that she was more responsible than she seemed.

That night, Eli stared up at the dark ceiling of the living room from the couch. He knew he could have taken the other bedroom, but as he decided before, this was the most tactical place to be when asleep. And yet he couldn't rest. He sat up slowly and turned to look down the hallway. The light under Tatum's door was finally off. He stood quietly, making his way down to the bathroom, just across the way, and splashed his face with water. He looked at himself in the mirror. Why couldn't he sleep?

His reflection almost taunted him. [i You're afraid of failure. If you lose her, you lose everything. You're whole life will have been for nothing.]

He closed his eyes tight and balled his hands into fists against the sink. After a deep breath, he left the bathroom and found himself at Tatum's door. He opened the door without a sound, just a crack. He could just make out her sleeping form, her silver-blonde hair almost glowing in the darkness on her pillows. He closed the door just as silently as he had opened it and made his way back to the couch.

Content with her safety, Eli drifted off.

[font "times new roman" Tatum looked up towards the male when he said he was going to shower. She nodded lightly and debated on going outside to get some wood. That's when he told her not to even step foot outside. It wasn't like anyone was around, and she rolled her eyes but stayed where she was. She was itching to talk to someone about what was going on. She felt at a loss, and she honestly didn't know what to do. That's when she remembered she had a note book stored away here. She pushed herself up from the couch, and made her way to the spare room.]

[font "times new roman" She opened up the closet and reached up onto the top shelf. That's when her fingers brushed against a book type item. She pulled it towards her, and when she did a lot of dust flew into her face. She started sneezing right away. When the sneezing fit was over and done with, she took the book back to the living room, and found a pen in the desk. She then sat down, and opened the book. The words [b [i Tatum's Journal]] screamed out at her. A small smile passed over her lips remembering the day she had bought this. It was still really empty too.]

[font "times new roman" She would have a lot of fresh pages to work with. She hadn't realized that Eli was out of the shower until he spoke. The smile faded as fast as it had appeared on her face. She looked towards him and nodded lightly. [#cc6699 "That sounds nice, thank you"] she said lightly. The silence was really getting to her, and she wanted nothing more than to lock herself in the room and start writing. It wasn't really talking to someone, but at least she would be able to get everything down on paper, until she got a new laptop.]

[font "times new roman" She stood with the journal in hand, and followed behind the male. He looked more handsome than he had before. She couldn't believe she was really checking the asshole out. She shook her head lightly as she climbed onto one of the bar stools and watched as he made the sandwiches. [#cc6699 "Ya know, if you ever want a home cooked meal all you gotta do is ask. I might be a spoiled bitch, but at least I know how to cook"] she said with a shrug of her shoulders.]

[font "times new roman" It wasn't much, but at least the offer was out on the table. She took the plate when he offered it to her, and she placed it down onto the counter. She then placed the journal and pen beside it. She slid off the stool and grabbed two water bottles, and placed them both onto the counter top. She would kill for a little booze right about now, but she wouldn't say anything about it. Maybe when they were somewhere else, then maybe she would think about it more.]

[font "times new roman" She sat back down, picked up the sandwich and bit into it. It wasn't much, but at least she had something in her stomach. She just couldn't wait to escape the male's watchful eyes and hopefully get her thoughts and worries down on paper.]

Anyone else might not have picked up the sound of Tatum's sobs in the shower, but Elijah's senses were trained and sharp and he tried to ignore the sounds. He didn't do this out of spite or because he didn't care, but because he knew she wouldn't want him to hear. A few moments after the crying stopped, so did the water. He was just finishing up his tour of the house and was back in the living room when she emerged again. He turned from where he was closing the blinds over the last window to see her standing there in her pajamas. It was interesting to see her in something other than her usual attire.

Having watched over her for months, he had gotten used to the idea that her sense of style was rather high-fashion- if that's what you even called it- and to see her in pajamas, even if they matched, was just odd.

He nodded at her words, tearing his eyes away. He grabbed his bag and headed for the bathroom. "I won't be long," he told her anyway, even though he knew she wasn't worried. "Don't open any windows or anything." He slipped past her and down the hallway. After he closed the door to the bathroom he got himself ready for a shower. Perhaps she was right. Maybe they were really safe here. Maybe instead of five minutes, he would take a [i ten] minute shower. Indulge himself.

He shaved the overgrown hair from his face, leaving him with a rough bit of stubble. It felt good to get that off. Then he climbed into the shower and let the hot water pour over his tense muscles. Ten minutes went by and he was out again. When he left the bathroom he was wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt. Normally he wouldn't even change out of jeans, but he felt like this place was going to be okay. At least for a night he could relax enough to not sleep in denim.

He put his bag back on the couch, feeling Tatum's eyes on him. "I'm gonna make a sandwich," he said. "You want one?" He felt like he needed to at least offer her some kind of olive branch. He wouldn't be able to live with her if it was going to feel this tense all the time. He started to work on one sandwich rather sloppily, like a man who had lived on them for far too long and was tired of making them.

[font "times new roman" When the male mentioned that she could take the room, she shrugged lightly. [#cc6699 "There's an extra room if you decide to take it. I understand your worry, but at the same time you need to make yourself comfortable"] she said lightly. She then gathered up her things and made her way to the back of the cabin. It was just like she remembered it. The room was as dusty as the rest, but she would worry about that in a minute. She dropped her things onto the floor and then went to find another rag.]

[font "times new roman" She dusted everything off in the bedroom, and then went in search of the sheets. She found them, and made the bed before she finally was ready for a shower. She unzipped her bag and started digging around. She found what she was looking for, and then carried the change of clothes along with her wash bag into the bathroom. She shut the door behind her and turned on the water. She waited for it to heat up, and she looked at herself in the mirror. She didn't look the same at all. She looked different in a way.]

[font "times new roman" I guess when you have a bounty on your head, that would change a person and the way they look. She shook her head and undressed. She then climbed into the shower a second later and that's when it all came crashing down. She finally let the tears fall. Everything changed within a few short days, and she felt like she was alone. She couldn't contact anyone, her whole life was being turned upside down. She slid down onto the floor of the shower, and let the hot water pound down against her skin.]

[font "times new roman" She spent the next twenty minutes in the shower letting it all out. When she was done, she finally pushed herself up and washed her hair and body. She then shut the water off a little bit later and climbed out. The steam in the bathroom kept it warm for a little while longer. She grabbed a towel, dried herself off and then changed into her sleeping clothes. She then made her way back into the living room and spotted the male. [#cc6699 "The shower is free if you want to shower. I think you can relax a little bit, no one knows about this place, and as you can clearly tell it's not been used in years"] she said softly.]

[font "times new roman" She then sat on the couch, and looked towards the fire place. She chewed her lip lightly wondering if it would be wise to even start a fire or not. She leaned back, and pulled her knees to her chest, resting her chin on her knees, falling silent once more.]

Tatum called the shower first, which he had no problem with. He gathered his things and watched her circle around to the side of the cabin as he continued to take in the place they would be staying for a night or two. She came back with the keys to the house and unlocked the door. He followed her inside. Just as she had said, it was extremely dusty and she sneezed. Eli tried not to find the noise cute.

He looked around the place. It wasn't huge, but it wasn't tiny, either. He was already dropping his bags on the sofa when she told him to make himself at home. While she busied herself with dusting things off to make the place more livable, Eli went from room to room, looking for easy entrance and exit points. He checked the windows as he went, making sure they were all as secure as possible. When he returned to the living room she was standing there, just finishing with her chore.

"You can take it," he said. "I'm sleeping here." He gestured to the couch. "If anyone is going to break in, I'll be able to hear it from here." He walked to the door and fiddled with the lock. It was strong enough. It would have to do. "Take your shower," he finally said. "I'll bring in the food."

They had stopped several miles back to pick up some things they could eat while being far away from pretty much everything. After the incident before, Eli did not let Tatum out of his sight even for a moment during the whole trip.

He stepped outside again to bring the items inside, locking the door immediately once it was closed again. Then he set them on the counter. He didn't put them away anywhere. He didn't want it to feel like they were moving in or anything. Then he opened the cabinets, looking to see if there were plates and cups to use. They could all use a little wash after so long of not being used, but other than that, they were pretty much set.

Listening to the shower run, he continued around the cabin, looking in every closet and drawer. This was a ritual he had learned when staying in a new place. Learn where everything is. You never know when it will be useful.

[font "times new roman" Tatum was surprised when he handed her a couple of pills from the bottle. She looked towards him and shrugged a bit. [#cc6699 "Well, we can't really go to a doctor to find out, now can we?"] she asked lightly. She popped the pills into her mouth and washed them down with the drink she had. She then leaned her head back and closed her eyes for a moment. She thought back to the last day and a half, and wondered how the hell it had gotten so fucked up, and how fast it happened.]

[font "times new roman" She was still at a total loss as to who would do this to her, but made a mental note to majorly hurt those that did. She opened her eyes and watched as the male drove through the trees, and towards the cabin. When it came into view she was more than happy to see it. When he finally parked, she looked towards him and smirked a bit. [#cc6699 "Dibs on the shower first, then you are welcome to it"] she said as she opened her door and slid out. She opened the back door and grabbed her things, and slid the strap of her bag onto her shoulder.]

[font "times new roman" She slid the hard drive into her bag as well, and made her way around to the side of the cabin. She made sure Eli wasn't following right away, and she found the key right where she knew it would be. She then came back around dangling the car between her fingers. [#cc6699 "It's going to be really dusty, and cold inside. There's firewood in the back, but the cabin does have a normal heater as well"] she explained. She walked up the front steps and slid the key into the lock, and opened the door and stepped inside. The cabin was dimly lit from the outside light.]

[font "times new roman" She walked father into the cabin, and flipped on a lamp. The light washed over the room a little bit, and she sneezed. The whole cabin was covered in dust, because no one had been here. She was surprised that the lights even worked. So maybe the Maxwell's were paying the bill, or maybe the generator was still in working condition. Whatever the reason she as glad for it. She turned and looked towards Eli before dropping her things to the floor, and a puff of dust rose to meet her. She sneezed again. [#cc6699 "Make yourself at home, I'll get everything dusted"] she said waving her hand in the air.]

[font "times new roman" She made her way to the hall closet and opened it, and pulled a wash rag out. She then went about getting everything dusted, and some of the lights turned on. It was homey as you could tell, and it would be the perfect place to stay for awhile. They would just need to get some food and water, and that was about it. It took her about forty five minutes to get everything dusted, and cleaned up. She then turned to the male and locked her eyes with his, the rag hanging from her fingers. [#cc6699 "Who gets the master bedroom?"] she asked.]

Eli listened to her answer while also reaching behind him, digging through one of his bags as he kept his eyes on the road. He couldn't help but give a chuckle, hearing what she had said to the stranger. She had a mouth on her, that much he already knew, but it was only becoming more apparent.

He found what he was searching for and pulled out a bottle of pain pills. "Here," he said, handing them over. "For your head. Let's hope you don't have a concussion."

He didn't say anything else about what happened at the restaurant, but he knew he wouldn't be able to leave her alone for long in public, even just to go to the bathroom. There were more threats out there for her than just the assassins after her.

He drove the way she instructed and in the long bits of silence, he thought about Durham. What did his once-father figure think about his sudden change of heart? How did [i Eli] feel about it? He had lost the only family he had ever known to save someone he didn't even know. He glanced over at the blonde sitting beside him, looking out the window. He had never felt so conflicted before. His path had always been clear ever since they had taken him in. Ever since...

He let out a sigh and pulled onto a gravel road that seemed to stretch on for miles under tall trees. The sun was just starting to set, but he could still see some of the sunshine through the leaves. Several minutes later and they found themselves in a clearing with a humble little cabin that looked like it hadn't had visitors in years. He pulled to a slow stop just out front, looking it over. He didn't see what most people would, like the windows cut from wood or the brick chimney that gave it character. He saw escape plans and places to take cover should it come to that.

He was relieved at how hard it was to find the place, though. The gravel road had been obstructed by greenery and almost shut off from the world. If Tatum hadn't known it was there, he might have missed it.

He clicked off his seat belt and climbed out of the car.

[font "times new roman" When he asked about doing anything rash she laughed a bit. [#cc6699 "I can see you doing something rash, just because of the fact it's me"] she said lightly. As he spoke about not letting the owners know, she understood where he was coming from. Yes it was hard, but at the same time what other choice did she have? She had to stop being so damn stubborn. She was about to speak when she saw him reaching for the door handle, and was surprised he had stopped himself just then as well, talking about not making a scene. Which was good on his part.]

[font "times new roman" [#cc6699 "You just proved my point. I'm glad you stopped yourself though, because right now I don't think I can handle anymore violence. My head is still pounding from the hit I took from Bryson or Diana"] she breathed out. Which was true. Sometimes it was a dull throb, and other times it was full on pain. She pushed through it though. She couldn't complain all of the time about something small. When he started to drive she let the silence wash over them. Silence was better than talking, at least for right now.]

[font "times new roman" That's when his question hit her. Did guys always think they owned her? She sighed lightly as she put her hands into her lap, and looked out the window before speaking. [#cc6699 "Yes they do. They think just because I have the money, they can pretty much tell me what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. I might not be the smartest person in the world, but I at least know what I want out of life. I know how to tell people no, and they don't like it.."]]

[font "times new roman" [#cc6699 "Yes he hit me, because I pushed him away from me. He was getting too close for comfort, and I could smell the booze on his breath. He told me to ditch you and to go with him. I kind of hurt his ego too, saying that I needed a man to please me in bed, and he was nothing but a boy, and that because of all the drinking he's done his dick was too little, and wouldn't be able to do the job"] she said with a small laugh. Thinking about it now, did make her feel a bit better. She hadn't meant to be a total bitch about it, but she had hurt the other's ego a bit.]

[font "times new roman" [#cc6699 "I think he had other things on his mind, rape included. The way his eyes kept scanning up and down my body... Yeah not gonna go there"] she breathed out. A shudder ran through her body just then thinking about the outcome of what could have happened. She started playing with her fingers as she tried to figure out where they were. She then rattled off directions to the cabin, and hoped they would get there in about two hours or so. They weren't that far, but the drive through the mountains might be a bit difficult.]