The Aviators (A7X)

"Please..."

There's a commotion outside my room. I can't really hear what's going on, but I can sense it. The tension is absolute. Robert was here moments ago, telling me that things were looking up and for me to just sit tight – I've heard that before – I'll be out of here soon. I don't know whether to believe that, or not. My luck, it won't happen. I'm a slave after all; at the end of it all nothing much good ever happens to me. And, that's not being down on myself or anything, it's just a fact of life.

Sure, Matt happened, but even that seems to have gone ass over heels. I know pinning my hopes on something as fleeting as a single master is probably the silliest thing I've ever done. I guess I got complacent, living with him...and the fact that... damn it, I love him....

Pressing the heel of my left palm over my eyes I rub furiously as the familiar sting of tears begins to overwhelm me. My breath catches as I fight not to succumb.

"Please," whispering out loud, wishing someone will come, hoping someone is listening. "Please..."

And then it's as if there is really someone up there who hears me because my door seems to just swing open – Robert mustn't have locked it when he left. There's no one there, but I can hear what's going on now. Loud, angry voices are echoing along the corridors and the sound of what might be fighting reach my door. I don't dare to get up to investigate. The whole self-preservation part of me at work. Instead, tucking my hands beneath my thighs, sitting frozen on the edge of the bed, I just listen.

Running feet approach and then Robert reappears, red in the face, shock in his eyes. He grips the edge of the door frame and looks in at me. I blink at him, wondering at the confusion in his expression.

"Val." He frowns faintly, glancing back over his shoulder then back at me. "Come with me." He disappears again without waiting for me to react.

I shake my head and gingerly get to my feet going to the door and leaning out into the corridor. Robert is at the end peering up and down an adjoining hallway. Stepping out of the room, I wrap my arms around myself as I head to where he's standing.

Robert casts his gaze down at me as I come up next to him. "They're here."

It's all he says, but it's all I need to hear. Swallowing hard all I can do is nod in response. My stomach drops to somewhere in the vicinity of my nether region and my heart rate increases. It's almost too much to hope for. That Matt, and the others, whoever they may be, are here...at the Guild. To... rescue me?

"You fucking son of a bitch!"

I gasp at the voice, as there's this sudden blur of motion.

Next I know I'm on the floor on my ass and Robert is being swung away from me and against the wall. The heavy thud as his body hits the solid plasterboard reverberates under me and I shudder. Warm hands grasp me by the shoulders and urge me to my feet. I look up into the anxious blue eyes of Jimmy. Biting my lip, I can't find words so just nod to him and let him pull me back out of the way of the other figures that are filling the corridor.

JD is standing to one side a dark scowl on his face. Then there's Robert against the wall, arms up covering his face. Blinking hard I recognise the man that Robert is attempting to shield his head from.

Matt...

Matt has a fistful of his shirt in his hand and is pounding him, fury evident in each blow he manages to connect. No one is moving to stop him, not JD, not any of the officials who have appeared at the end of the hallway. Even Robert isn't really trying to fight him off, just wanting to minimise the damage. He grunts as a particularly hard punch gets through his ineffective defence and glances across his left cheek.