Lost and Found

9

Thick beads of sweat began to form along Elyse's forehead, beneath the burlap sack that blocked her vision, while she trudged alongside the large man with silver hair, whose name she'd figured out was Elijah.

Once Ben realized she truly didn't know anything about Penny, he'd sent her away. She supposed she was headed back to the cage, she hoped at least. She needed to know that Desmond was alright before she could even think about planning an escape.

Just as she had the thought, the sack was removed from her head, and she was thrown back into the cage from earlier. She was thankful they'd decided not to put the handcuffs back on when she slammed onto the hard ground in front of her and was able to catch herself a bit to buffer the fall.

The door slammed behind her and she quickly got up to her knees and looked around for him, ignoring the throbbing of her wrists from the impact of the fall. She immediately spotted Desmond's mess of brown hair, and relief like she'd never felt before washed over her.

He was lying up against the back corner of the bars, with his head down and his eyes closed. She rushed over to him to check for his pulse and examine him carefully. She winced at the sight of him when she was close enough to see the full extent of his injuries.

He was beaten so badly there was almost no uninjured skin left on his face. She gently placed her fingers on his wrist and focused for a moment, feeling her palms sweat when it took her a minute to notice a pulse, and then, she did.

She let out a deep breath and reminded herself why she had a degree in philosophy and not medicine.

She wasn't sure if he was unconscious or just sleeping and she didn't want to wake him if he needed the rest, but her anxiety wouldn't let her leave him be. She gently brushed the disheveled hair from his face and studied him for a moment, before he slowly blinked his bruising eyelids open to showcase his soft, golden, brown eyes.

"Elyse? Are you alright? Did they hurt you?"

He asked her , sitting forward at once and looking her up and down to search for any signs of injury.

"No, I'm fine. Are you okay Desmond? They really messed you up."

She said, trying not to cry again while she watched him try to stand, and fight to keep his balance. He immediately stumbled back down to his knees and laid back against the bars again, closing his eyes for a moment.

"Aye, I'll be alright. I'm alive and that's what counts isn't it?"

He said, opening his eyes and attempting to sit forward again.

Elyse couldn't help the flutter of her heart at the sound of the new rasp in his smooth voice, mixed with his thick Scottish accent, which she'd grown so fond of now.

"What happened Desmond? What did they do to you? What did they ask you?"

She pressed him, wanting to get them both on the same page so they could outsmart Ben and his people, and plan an escape. She knew she couldn't say much with the cameras watching them, as she wasn't sure if they picked up sound.

"They beat the bloody hell outta me is what happened. I wouldn't give them the information they wanted, so they beat me until they assumed I would. I think they just got afraid they were gonna kill me and let me go."

He explained, finally seeming like he was really looking at her now, with his newly gained consciousness.

"And I'll bet ya anything they'll be back for me soon, once they've seen on their little camera that I'm awake again, ready for my next beating."

He added, his tone laced with sarcasm and defeat.

"What did they want you to tell them?"

She asked again as she grew slightly impatient. She knew the answer would be about Penny but she didn't understand why he didn't want to tell her. She figured Penny was still a sensitive topic for him but now was no time to be broody and mysterious.