Two Broken People

Desperate Help

Tori's P.O.V.

  As we walked back to the subway, in silence 'Mr. Robot' was looking every direction for anyone who looked suspicious. He even helped me into the subway, shielding me from the view of anyone who dared look our way. It honestly made me appreciate him a little more. There wasn't much I could do to save my family, but if I could persuade my dad to take down the company that he works for, then they would be safe. At least that's what Mr. Robot had said. Could I trust him? It seemed like I had no choice. When we got back from Elliot's apartment stop from the subway we grabbed some Chinese food and came back to the apartment. "Should you feel like you can eat again, the microwave's up here.", he pointed to the small microwave on top of the refrigerator. "Thanks, I've been here before though.", I snorted sarcastically. There was a pause while he gave me some kind of pissed off look and then gained a neutral face again. "What exactly do I need to do in order to free my family?", I asked getting ready to take notes even if I didn't have to. "Nothing right now.", Mr. Robot shook off my comment. "What do I need to do? You said they'd kill them!! NOW WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?", I shouted angrily. "Right now you need to get some rest, and maybe eat a little. Tomorrow we have a big day ahead of us.", Mr. Robot said calmly with a tinge of annoyance. "What's going to happen to them? Every second we get closer to their deaths!", I shouted at him. I was so tried and fatigued from vomiting that I plopped down on the couch and the fact that my family was not safe made me even more sick. What was I going to have to do? If I wasn't safe how was I even going to do it? "Tori, you're not thinking clearly. You need to relax.", Mr. Robot said which was out of character I thought. "RELAX?! RELAX?! THE LAST THING I NEED TO DO IS RELAX!! YOU JUST DUMPED A LOAD OF CRAZY ON ME AND YOU EXPECT ME TO RELAX?! I NEED TO GET MY FAMILY BACK!", I shouted breathlessly. I was starting to hyperventilate. "WE WILL GET YOUR FAMILY BACK! BUT YOU HAVE TO TRUST ME! YOUR FAMILY WILL LIVE! THEY WILL LIVE ANOTHER DAY, BUT NOT FOR LONG! TOMORROW WE ARE GOING TO GET THEM BACK!! LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING, TORI. WHAT GOOD ARE YOU IN A FIGHT IF YOU ARE NOT RESTED, ARE HUNGRY AND AFRAID?", Mr. Robot tried to reason with me. 

  "Fine. I'll listen to you. I'll try to trust you. This is so hard. I don't want my family to die. I don't want them to get hurt.", I started to cry. Mr. Robot paused at the door. He locked every single lock, the last one he made sure I could hear it loud and clear. "You're safe here. And your family is not dead. Not yet.", he walked slowly over to the couch and sat down beside me, and patted my back gently,"Let us take care of you. No one will mess with you, and your family." There was another pause. "I promise.", I heard him say quietly. When I still didn't relax, he pulled me over to him in an strong embrace. I cried and relaxed into it. 'What am I doing?', I thought,'Just trusting a stranger I barely know with my safety and my family's?' I hardly knew Mr. Robot let alone Elliot, and yet I had no one else who was willing to help me. I had no connections in this big busy city. Only Elliot and Mr. Robot, who somehow had been willing to help me if I helped them. 'How would I help them?', I thought. My dad. He was the only key to end this madness, yet I haven't spoken to him in over a year. It was time to get extremely uncomfortable. It was time to trust strangers, time to face down people that were dangerous, and time to trust my dad again. Tomorrow was a very big day indeed. 

  I must've cried myself to sleep in Mr. Robot's arms because the next thing I knew, I woke up in his bed. My clothes were still on so my guess was he didn't try anything last night. I sat up and looked over at the couch. Mr. Robot/Elliot was bundled up on the couch still asleep breathing deeply and slowly. I struggled to get out of the huge comforter that was tucked on both sides of me.  I smiled to myself. He cared enough to tuck me in too. Maybe there was a softer side to Mr. Robot that no one had ever accessed before. It made me like him. Today. Today's the big day, however I look over at my new phone and it said 2:30am. Still night. How was going to make it through this? My family was still in danger. And I had only a snowball's chance of convincing my dad that the whole family was kidnapped and would only be set free if he helped hack the system of the company he worked for. Unless there was proof. There had to be proof. The Dark Army wouldn't just kidnap an entire family and not broadcast it along with their demands......would they?

  I thought about and thought about it. There was no way this was going to work. I wasn't going to get my family back. I was going to lose. Just when I had thought these thoughts I heard someone stirr. It was Elliot/Mr. Robot. Who of the two I didn't know but they were tired and walking my way. "Can't sleep?", he said in a confident voice. 'Mr. Robot.', I thought. "Yeah. I just.....can't.", I whispered. "Do you want-", he started but I cut him off. "No, I don't want to sleep with you!!", I whisper-shouted. "That's not what I meant. Do you want me to actually sleep with you?", he asked with a huff of annoyance. There was a pause. Then I thought about how out of character he was acting, and how he kept his distance. At least he asked this time. Then I nodded and he climbed in beside me and cradled me in his arms. "Everythings.....everything is going to be......just try to get some sleep.", he attempted to comfort me. It was sort of impossible to sleep but I did what he said and tried to fall asleep in his gentle, strong embrace.