Tia's POV

Hannah smiled painfully, shifting her hands in her cuffs. She didn't look too bad, though her blonde hair was matted, and dirty, with fluff and dirt sticking to it, and her face was covered in black dirt, save for small streaks of her pale skin showing where she had cried the dirt away. Her skin was pale and hanging off her bones, and through the tears in her top you could see her rib cage under her almost transparent skin. It was obvious she hadn't eaten for days, or weeks. 

"How...How long have you been here?" I whisper. This place seemed to quiet, so cold, I daren't disturb the cold, dead silence. Despite the hundred or so people in here, no noise was made, other than the occasional cough, or groan, or the clanking of chains. 

"I was in jail for a year. Ridge got me out, and payed the cops to keep quiet about it. He took me here and locked me up, telling me I could become useful one day. I've been here for...I think, a year." she sighs quietly.

"Has he hurt you?" I ask, dreading the answer. An awful feeling filled the pit of my stomach when she looked away and nodded.

"What did he do?" I ask, waiting patiently for her to answer. Turning back to me, she shut her eyes for a while before responding.

"No different to anyone else in here. Whipped me. Beat me. Slammed my head against the wall. Broke my bones. Let me starve to the point where I would collapse and then he'd feed me bits of lettuce and, if I was lucky, cucumber. I got so thirsty, at one point, I was drinking my own blood. I got so hungry I began to eat some of my own skin" she whispers, tears brimming past her closed eyes as she squeezes them shut. 

The door to the cell room suddenly banged open, and I felt like every vein in my body ran cold. 

You know those moments, where you are so scared, you can't even move? Like every bone, every muscle, every little part of you stops moving at the same time? You can't shake, you can't breathe, you can't even move your gaze. Because that would draw the monster's attention to you, and no one wanted that.

No one wanted to be the center of his attention.

He walked deliberately slowly, his footsteps echoing on the stone floor. Those who were further down the rows of cells, who I had to squint to see, were shaking as he walked past.

The torches on the wall reflected his shadow, getting closer and closer. 

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

At first, I thought those were his footsteps speeding up, like he was running.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

But then I realized it was my heartbeat, so loud I was sure even Hannah could hear it.

Thump.

Thump.

I could see his face now, and it looked...oddly curious. His eyes scanned everyone's cages, taking in details with those mad, blue eyes. 

Until he got to my cell. 

He smiled, letting his hands slide round the bars as he pressed his face in between the gap. Hannah had gone deathly silent, not even breathing, her eyes fixed on him.

"Having fun in there?" he grins, and I swallow, realizing too late that my hands were shaking madly like I was a druggie who hadn't had my fix.

Clank.

The metal door clanged open, swinging round slowly. I look away, shaking madly in fear. I hadn't feared him before, but now, seeing what he had done to this people, that woman's child, Lomadia...

I didn't feel so safe anymore.

"No need to be scared, my dear, I won't hurt you" he smiles, and those eyes...they look so innocent for a moment. The same eyes that had promised me so many things. I fell for them. All this time, he had been playing me the fool. I knew right from the start getting involved with him would be a disaster. Everyone told me, and Duncan...

My eyes squeezed shut tightly. Duncan. If only I had listened to him. He was only trying to protect me.

I remembered now, when I left the kitchen and got hit over the head by Simon and Lewis, I remembered him saying to Kim...

"I just wish she would see that I'm trying to protect her"

A hand brushed my cheek softly, and I forced my eyes open. This is what he wanted, I realized. He wanted me to feel scared. He wanted me to shake in fear. He got a kick out of this stuff. 

I vowed to never give him the satisfaction of hearing me scream.

Looking him straight in the eye, I glared defiantly at him. Anger replaced my fear, and though I was still trembling, it was from determination, not fear.

He looked at me in surprise, and I took in a deep breathe, exhaling slowly, reigning in my temper. And so our staring match continued.

"You really are a strange girl, aren't you?" he murmurs, blinking slowly as he gazes at me with...with respect.

I blink, not sure what to make of it. I didn't feel so scared now. After all, Lomadia even said, "You're lucky. At least he likes you."

"As much as I like seeing you in chains, you don't look very happy" he frowns, as if it was a massive shock that, breaking news! Tia does not like sitting in a damp, dark cell surrounded by tortured people!

"It surprises you?" I ask sarcastically, and he flashes me a grin.

"You know what? I'm gonna let you go" he purrs, and I frown in confusion. 

"What, so you chain me up for a few minutes and you're already sick of me?" I snap, not in anger, but in frustration-why did he always change his mind?

"Why, do you want to stay in chains?" he grins, and I shake my head rapidly, already fighting desperately against the metal hopelessly.

"Why are you letting me go?" I ask curiously as he unlocks my rusty cuffs, but I still don't move-he was in the way of the door, and I knew even if I stood up he would not let me pass.

"Because letting you go means you will tell your friends," he spits, emphasising the word, "that Lomadia is here, thus making the game more...exciting" he smirks, evil glee glittering in his eyes. I glance over at Hannah who looks away, breathing heavily. 

"Let her go" I demand. He raises an eyebrow, looking slightly bored. 

"Why would I do that?" he murmurs, standing up gracefully, and gesturing to the open door.

"Let Hannah go, or...or..." I threaten, not finding anything, however, to threaten him with.

"Or?" he repeats, waiting with a smirk for me to finish the sentence.

Deciding to take a different approach, I swallow. I remembered something that I told Kim, when we were talking about Ridge in the kitchen. "Play your cards right, and you could get into his good books." 

I had the cards. It was time to play.

"If you let Hannah go, I'll...I'll..." I stutter, racking my brains. What could I do that would please him, and wouldn't mean I would stay locked up in a jail cell with no coffee machine? 

A thought strikes me, and I hesitate, trying to dismiss it. Glancing over at Hannah, I realize it's the quickest and easiest way to get my own way.

Flirting.

God, I hated the idea. I loathed it! I had never flirted before, and I have never wanted to. But Hannah had been here for God knows how long, and now, I was the only one who could free her. I imagined the look on Lewis's face when he sees his Lomadia coming home after all these years, the tears in his eyes...

I hated Lewis, but at the same time, he was the one who took me in when I was abandoned by my parents. He treated me like his daughter whilst I was there. I knew he had kidnapped me, but he knew that Ridge would not hurt me, and deep down, I knew it was because he was so desperate to get Hannah back. If he treated me like a daughter, but was willing to ship me off to get Hannah back, how would he react if I brought her home?

"...and you'll what?" Ridge asks, waiting for my reply. His blue eyes bore into mine, but he looked bored-he probably had better things to do, like torture people, than stand around talking to me.

Inhaling deeply, I avert my gaze back to Hannah for a moment, and she looks confused, and sad. She thought I couldn't do anything to get her out.

Wouldn't she be in for a surprise?

"What do you want me to do?" I purr, reaching out and grabbing the top of his coat, pulling him closer to me. Oh God, I whined in my head. This was awful!

He raised an eyebrow, glancing down at my mouth which was dangerously close to his. My entire body was bristling-he was too close. I couldn't do this!

Think of Hannah, my mind urged, think of her back with Lewis, both of them happy, both of them crying happy tears...

"Nice try, but you know I'm not falling for fl-" he starts but I lean forward and brush my mouth past his slowly, lingering slightly before pulling away a few centimetres. Was this really how it was done? Did couples always do this? It was horrible!

Leaning up to his ear, my cheek brushing against him, I whisper as seductively as possible, which sounded a bit like I had something stuck in my throat, "Let her go, and I'll see what I can do for you."

I was going to have to shower after this. I felt so dirty.

He was silent for a while, and I tilt my head, running my lips down his neck. I resisted the urge to back away, batting at myself in a girly way. This felt too wrong. He was never going to leave me alone now.

The door to Hannah's cage suddenly opens, and her restraints break. I pause, glancing over at her, smiling triumphantly as she stands up shakily, exiting quickly out of the cell before Ridge changed his mind.

I moved to go after her, but Ridge tugged me back, throwing me into him, before he slams his lips to mine, groaning loudly. 

Freezing in shock, I submitted to him pushing me against the dungeon wall, letting him have his way-if I didn't, Hannah would be put back in the cell. I'd gotten so far now, it would be a disaster to let it all be for nothing.

His kisses were rough and frantic, just the way I had expected them to be. His hands couldn't stay in one place, and my whole body felt so weak, so vulnerable as he pawed at my clothes. He could take me right here, right now, and there would be nothing I could do about it.

Surprisingly, it didn't feel too bad. He was a good kisser, whereas I had no experience. I found my brain shutting down, and I automatically began to respond, though my arms stayed stiff at my side-I couldn't allow myself to lose control, because he would take advantage of that.

When we parted, he leaned against the wall, panting loudly. Instead of feeling disgusted, I felt...smug. Very smug. Peering over his shoulder, I rolled my eyes at Hannah, who smiled faintly back, though it was a tight smile and her eyes betrayed the disgust she was feeling. 

I tried to shove him away so I could take Hannah back, but his arm went round my waist and I grimaced-when would this be over?

"Hurry back to me when you're done" he murmurs against my forehead. Remembering I was supposed to be flirting, I glance up at him with a cheeky smile. "Maybe not today, but soon" I lie, fully intending to never return again. Damn him to hell for what he had done to these people. I vowed that I would free them all one day.

He sighs, removing his arm, though his hands linger a little too long on my waist. I brush past him, taking Hannah's arm and lead her out, not looking at all the prisoners-I was beginning to feel guilty now. 

We walk in silence, until we reach the front door. I pause.

"You haven't seen the outside for a year have you?" I murmur. She shakes her head, eyes glittering with happy tears. I throw open the door, and we are blinded by the sunlight, casting beautiful golden rays down on us.

She swallows, and we leave Ridgedog's house, and I hoped that it would be the last time I saw it.

We were silent for a while. The car that I had taken to get here was already parked up, ready and waiting for me to get in. Opening the car door, Hannah slips into it-I hadn't noticed it before but she was trembling madly, her eyes watering at the sun's bright glare.

"Oh Tia" she breathes out as we leave Ridgedog's turf. I guess she was expecting him to come flying out, all like "I've changed my mind again!" -but that, thankfully, never happened. 

"Thank you" she whispers, blue eyes brimming with tears as she leans forward, sobs racking her body. Clinging onto my arm, I smile sadly down at her-this assassin, who used to be like a sister to me, who was exactly like me-strong and independent with the same attitude, had been turned into a wreck of the person she was before.

I found tears of my own gathering in my eyes, but I blink them away furiously. Now was not the time.

"Come on. Let's get you back to Lewis" I murmur in her ear, and she nods furiously, blinking the tears away. It appeared not all of her strong nature had disappeared, though I guess it could be forgiven given the circumstances.

I gave the driver the address and he sped up, zooming through the streets of Mistral City. Watching Hannah as she peered out of the windows, I smile in relief. It had all been worth it. Now, Hannah and Lewis could hopefully have a happy ending. And this would also settle the feud between him and Duncan.

Pulling up outside of the house, I take a deep breath, stopping Hannah as she almost launched herself out of the car.

"I'll go in first. I'll open the door and show you to him. He's done some stuff and I need to settle it first" I tell her. Paying the driver, we step out of the car, her wobbling slightly, as it had been a while since she had stood up.

The door was closed, but it took me less than two minutes to lock-pick it. As the fancy brown door swung open, I cautiously stepped inside, before motioning for Hannah to follow me upstairs.

I opened the office door, stepping inside. Simon and Lewis were both there, chatting about something but they stopped when I came in-Hannah was behind the door, and they could not see her yet.

"Lewis" I say smoothly, staying near the door.

"Tia...look...I'm so sorry about what happened" he sighs, getting up, but I hold a hand up, and he stops, before continuing. "You know how desperate I was to get Hannah back. I acted selfishly, and I apologize" 

"Lewis, I know why you did it, and I accept your apology. It made me realize how much you wanted your Lomadia back so..." I start, barely keeping the grin off my face before opening the door further, letting Hannah step into the room shakily.

They both have a Mexican stand off for a while, and I raise an eyebrow. After all this time, they finally see each other and they do nothing.

"I found her for you" I finish, and it seems to trigger something in the two as they launch forward, wrapping their arms around each other, sobbing simultaneously.

"Hannah!" Lewis whispers, squeezing her impossibly tight, and I can't help the tears that were running down my face. Two years. Two years and they were finally reunited.

Simon was still stood there, watching in shocked awe as the two embrace. 

Finally, after what seems like hours of crying and hugging, Lewis turns to me, his eyes red.

"How did you find her?" he whispers, holding her hand.

"Ridgedog had her the whole time. He's got hundreds of other prisoners who he's been torturing." I sigh, shuddering at the memory.

Lewis goes pale, his eyes getting angry. "He hurt her?" he snaps, glancing at her, now taking in the bruises and cuts, and her skeletal, starving limbs. 

"He has Zoey" Hannah whispers, and my mouth drops open.

"Why didn't you tell me? I could of gotten her too!" I demand angrily, sighing. I was going to have to go back in there again...

"We have to tell Rythian and Duncan" Lewis commands, wiping his tears. "We need to tell them Zoey is alive."