inthe bars of the cage. It made a soundtoo familiar. When Shade stopped thegaud fell lifelessly over, Shade had a bit of worry in his voice when he said"are you okay? He didn't hurt you did he?" I looked over at him in shock thathe took the guard out, and replied with awe in my voice "yes, I'm fine and nohe didn't hurt me." Shade seemed relivedafter I said that. After a little whileof talking we decided we needed to break out of this shit hole. "Look if we leave, I don't want you to leavemy side, ok?" I said, Shade looked over at me and then shock me by saying"well, in that case will you marry me?" Itwas shocking but I think he wasn't expecting my answer of "of course". He looked over at me "a-are you sureone-hundred percent sure?" I giggled a little, because of his aghast expression"hey what are you laughing at!" he said with an even more shocked expression, Icouldn't help myself I burst out laughing I was replying to his answer in laughingpants "I'm.... sorry... I couldn't... help it... your face...Is hilarious!" He let out a relived sigh "you fucking scaredme, I thought you were laughing at the proposal." It was after that did I shutup, I then remember the guard "so, Shade? What will happen to use when theyfind the dead guard?" His face filledwith confusion then shock "I didn't think I killed him" after a quiet moment oflooking at the guard "he's not dead, look he is still breathing." Shade said,indeed I did see his chest move a little. A light flashed on, guard rotations I thought. The guard came over and saw his friend on thefloor, he then called out "hey guys, looks like we have another fighter, let'sshow her how we fix that problem." I was staring intensely with confusion. Two other guys appeared, the opened the doorthe two guys held Shade back as the one guy came over to me. A sharp pain echoed through my head, when Ilooked up I saw a baton in the guards' hands. He repeatedly hit me over and over again; he grabbed the back of my headby my hair and tossed me to the floor. He then started to kick me, I could hear Shade in the back strugglingwell yelling "AKARI!" or "LEAVE HER ALONE DAMIT! IT WAS ME NOT HER!" He wasn't the only thingI could hear, when the guard would stop kicking me he would use the baton whichI could hear the smack of stick on skin. I was fighting to stay consciousness, when he stopped kicking and pulledthe attack away. The last thing I saw and heard was Shade falling to his knees andwrapping me in a comforting hug well saying in a soothing voice "Akari, itsokay I'm here your safe my love, your safe now." I felt myself go numb and slipinto unconsciousness. What I didn't knowwas that Shade held me all the way through the night. When I woke up I had a splitting head ach butfrom what I could feel I was wrapped in some ones arms, it felt safe, I knewright away it was Shade. "Morning" Isaid trying to keep the pain from affecting my voice but failing miserably."Morning Akari, how are you feeling?" he sounded tired, I guess he stayed up tomake sure I was okay. "I guess my headhurts...a lot" after I said that it seemed that Shade hugged me tighter. "I amso, so sorry, I should of tried harder to help you" his voice seemed so sad thatI started to feel bad for him "can you forgive me? If you can't I understand."I started to twist in his arms so I could look at his face, when I saw his faceI was shocked I could see that he had tears in his eyes. I gently grabbed his face, my hands on eachside of his face and pulled him in. Ikissed him passionately, I think he was still shocked because he didn't kissback until a few moments; it was like time stopped as we sat there in eachother's arms. I moved my arms so theywrapped around
