The Good Life ~ Troyler AU

thirty-nine - tyler

In and out. In and out. It was hard to remind myself to breathe when every muscle in my body was cramping with fear as I tried to run as quietly as possible down the corridors, darting around corners whenever I heard footsteps and holding the key to Dan and I's room so tightly it branded my hand. I could just about remember the way to go, but Carter's terrifying presence as he dragged me along had blurred most of the route in my mind. I had come pretty far anyway, tip-toeing down a staircase, when I heard a shout.

"Hey! Who's that?"

Footsteps. I started going a little faster, still holding onto hope that they might not technically know that I was an escaped prisoner, but when my pursuer started to run I did too. My lungs were on fire, but I shot down the stairs and skidded around a maze of corners until finally, the footsteps faded - and I recognized this hallway, with a few plain doors leading off of it. The room was here somewhere. I just had to look in a few windows and - 

Dan. I knocked on the window and heard his shout of delight through the door as I tried to get the key into the lock. My hands were shaking, but there was an impossible smile on my face - we were getting out of here, I wasn't sure how but at least we'd both be free - 

Dan's hand smacked the window, a warning that came just a little too late, before my head met the wall with the most startling burst of scarlet.

My ears went fuzzy and distant as blood ran down my face from my nose and I sank to the floor, barely hearing Dan's muffled screaming as Carter dragged me up and smashed my face into the wall again. "You little bitch, I'll kill you! I'll kill you!" he was screeching, and my head felt so full of pressure that it was about to explode, and there was blood running into my mouth and he did it again and I couldn't breathe - 

"Carter."

The pressure faded enough for me to recognize the voice, and Carter let go. I slid to the floor like a deflated balloon, Dan going quiet now, and Connor came a little closer. "You are not allowed to kill him." he continued levelly, and Carter sneered.

"And you're out of bounds." he said sarcastically. "Get lost, Fra..." His voice died suddenly. I didn't know what Connor had done, but suddenly Carter was aiming a half-assed kick at my side and scarpering, disappearing in an instance. He was a coward, I realised, but that didn't change the fact that my nose was broken and I was sure my whole face was bruised and I was scared, even after he was gone. 

Immediately Connor knelt down beside me in a gesture that was so Troye-like that it made everything hurt more and touched my nose tentatively, withdrawing his fingers when I winced. "It's broken." he said softly, and I would have rolled my eyes at any other time. "I can help -"

"Connor?"

Dan's snarl made me wince and Connor snap upright, his head jerking towards the door like a puppet on a string. He stared unseeingly at the wall. Vacant. His hands curled into white-knuckled fists.

"I know you can hear me." It sounded like Dan punched the door. "Finally decided to come and visit me, huh, after all this time?" 

"Dan," Connor whispered, far too quiet for him to hear, almost to himself, and I drew back, unsure of whether I could trust him suddenly.

"Oh, the things I have to say to you, Connor Franta. Actually - no, why don't you get everyone down here? Why don't you get Phil down here?" I wonder was the jagged agony in Dan's voice cutting Connor as deeply as it was cutting me. "Where's Phil, Connor?"

"I can't be here." Connor said, standing suddenly, his face completely blank. "I can't be here."

"Connor," I choked out, "Don't go -"

He looked down at me, towering and cutting me off without words, and I scrambled backwards, wiping my nose with the back of my hand and smearing it with blood. "Connor, please," I said, voice shaking pathetically, and he took a slow step towards me, bending down.

I screwed my eyes shut tight, expecting a blow - and instead heard him sigh. 

"Just hold on," Connor hissed in my ear, and my eyes flew open again in surprise. "There are plans in place, you need to wait this the fuck out and stay in line, okay? Stop being heroic and wait. He's coming." And he was standing and opening the door before I could say anything else.

"Well?" Connor asked brusquely as if nothing had happened and, my face throbbing and my brain still trying to process what he'd said, I crawled over the floor and into my cage like a dog, and he slammed the door behind me.

"Son of a bitch," Dan sobbed dryly - I hadn't noticed when he started crying, but all I could do now was sleep, and I barely had the presence of mind to roll onto my side so all the blood didn't go back up my nose before I was gone.