Niall's POV**
I woke to the smell of Lavender in my face, I opened my eyes to see Cinder curled up in my arms. I remebered what happened from last night, I looked at the bandages that were wrapped around my arms.
I carefully removed my arms from around Cinder's body and got out of bed, my arms and stomach stung. I started to slowly remove the bandage from my arms and waist, I threw them in the bathroom laundry basket.
As I walked out my bedroom door I saw Greg half on the floor and half on the mattress, he was snoring as well... Perfect..
My feet touched the cold tiles in the kitchen which send shivers down my spine, as I opened the fridge I felt something warm touch my hips. I placed one of my hands over theirs, the thing was, they weren't Cinder's hands.
I looked down at my hips, hands with long midnight pink fake nails. I quickly pushed the hands off me and kicked my foot back which knocked her back the the counter.
I turned to see a shell of a woman, a woman who had been discarded by many, a woman who was no longer a woman, but a scared little girl.
I looked at the girl now in front of me, mascara dripping from her eyes. Dress torn at the ends, mud covering her. Hair in a mess, bruises down her arms.
"Ellie.." I say softly.
Her breathe was jagged and short, almost like she'd been running.
"Niall.. I'm so sorry, all the times I've lied to you, all the times I've hurt you. I need you right now, I need your help." She said, the heel of her shoe was broken which made her height uneven.
"Why? WHY SHOULD I?! AFTER ALL YOU'VE DONE TO ME! TO ED! TO HARRY!" I yell, I watched as she started to cry.
She dropped to the floor, I looked at her beaten body. I wanted to know why, I wanted to know what was going on.
"Niall.. Please?" I begged, her eyes filled with tears and apology.
"Niall? What's going on?" Cinder said walking towards the kitchen, my eyes widened as I look at Ellie on the floor of my kitchen.
"Ni-" Cinder cut herself off as she saw the terror now in tears on the floor.
"What's going on here..?" She asked quietly.
"Ellie, get out." I said.
"No!" Cinder said grabbing my arm, I looked at her in confusion.
"What?" I asked confused.
"Look at her, she's a mess, and obviously she's running from something or someone. She needs help." She said gesturing to Ellie.
I pulled Cinder aside as started talking.
"What are you thinking? She's tried things before and she will again." I state, my voice only a whisper.
"She's still a human being, she needs medical attention. No one deserves to be in that bad a shape, no one deserves to be hurt in this war. You know why I'm fighting, I fighting to change the way our people treat each other. We can't just throw her back into the street, she'll be killed in the first few seconds if someone after her. How would you feel if what's happening to her happened to me?"
"It's different."
"HOW?!"
"SHE'S NOT YOU!" I shout, I couldn't stand the fact that she was so determinded to keep Ellie safe. But I loved that she never held on to the past like I do, it takes a kind heart to do that.
"But you need to remember, no one deserves that." She whispered.
I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her tight, I whispered in her ear the word 'yes'.
She kissed my cheek before walking back into the kitchen and helping Ellie on her feet, she walked her to the bathroom to clean her off.
I walked to the lounge room and sat on the couch and groaned a little.
"Rough morning?" I heard my brother say from his bed.
"You bet."
Cinder's POV***
As I helped Ellie walk to the bathroom I heard her sobs become softer, I sat her on the toilet seat.
I picked up a wash cloth and started to wipe away the mud, a slight smile apeared on her face.
"Thank you.." She whispered, I looked up at her and smiled back.
"It's no trouble, I know that no one deserves this happening to them." I say cleaning off her bruised arms.
"What happened may I ask?" I asked out of curiosity.
"Well, I had just come back from the airport. As I was walking down my street I heard some noises from down an alley, I stopped for a moment and then continued to walk. I then heard my name from the next alley way, I stopped and saw someone I knew. His name was Lucas, I knew him from a long time ago. He walked out of the alley way with a gun in hand, he was smiling at me. I had a crush on him a while back and he took that as an advantage, he slept with me and kicked me out the next morning. He came over to me and started trying to kiss me, I didn't comply so he grabbed me and started hitting me. Then I came running when he let his guard down."
I felt my heart drop, if she was running.. That means that the person must have followed her, that means we're in danger too.
I got up as quick as I could and rushed to Niall, as I got to him I heard a knock at the door.
"Niall, don't answer it." I said looking at him on the couch, he looked at me confused.
"Why?"
"It' the guy that's chasing Ellie, his names Lucas or something." I say in a rush.
"Wait.. Did you say.. Lucas?!" He shouts.
The next thing we knew there was a blast at the door, three shots went off.
"HONEY! I'M HOME!"
