The first thing I heard when I got back with Moriarty was Amanda's piercing screams.

I broke into a run as we got back inside, and I hiked up the stairs, tackling two at a time. I quickly located Mandy's door, and when I tried to burst in, I bounced off. I banged on the door with my fists, trying to break it open with my shoulder.

"Mandy!" I cried out. She couldn't hear me, she was screaming too loud. "Mandy! Open this door!" I panted. "Open the god damn door!" But nobody heard me. Or they did and chose to ignore me.

What are they doing to her? It should be me. I got us into this mess. I remained by the door in a shuddering, huddling mess, as I heard Mandy continue to scream and plea and beg for it to stop.

When abrupt silence started, I scrambled to my feet. Just as I got to my feet, the door opened. A man with a stern-looking gaze filed out, and I was alarmed at the sight of blood on his hands. We locked eyes, and I felt like cowering into a ball on the floor.

The man didn't speak a word as he left, and once I realized he left the door wide open, I rushed in. Mandy was sobbing, trembling, and bleeding. Her face was puffy and swollen, her arms were cut into. I saw a thin red line across her neck. Her skin was layered in sweat.

"Mandy," I whispered in horror as I timidly approached her.

"Get away from me!" she howled, thrashing her head up, her blonde hair getting in her eyes. "Stay away!"

"Mandy, Mandy!" I put my hands delicately on her arms. "It's me. It's Rachel. Mandy, please, shh." She was blubbering nonsense which turned into a mixture of crying and hiccupping.

"W-w-why?" she moaned.

"I'm so sorry," I whimpered. Does Moriarty have that man hurt her when I'm not around? Or it is because I tried to sneak a gun past him? Either way, Mandy was in pain, and there was nothing I could do to make it stop. "I want to help you."

"Y-you can," she sniffled. "I-I may not be able to walk around, but y-you can. H-hurt the bastard for me. A-anyone you can find. O-or better yet, f-find the key." She wiggled her shackles weakly. "T-they only let me s-shower o-once since I've been here. T-they gave me l-little water. S-scraps of stale food."

I pursed my lips. If anyone should be getting this treatment, it should be me. He's doing this to punish me. If I play nice, he plays nice. I sucked in a breath. I really didn't want to have to play good girl to Jim Moriarty of all people, but I couldn't let Mandy keep going through this.

It was a conflicting thought, something I knew I was going to wrestle with for a long time. I have to pledge full, utter allegiance to that son of a bitch. Or fake it as best as I can and hope he doesn't see through it.

* * *

Most of my dreary day consisted of searching for the key to Mandy's shackles and trying to avoid Moriarty at all costs. I managed to succeed in one, the other, not so much.

Night fell, and it made the barred windows feel much more intimidating. I sighed as I stared gloomily. This is what prison feels like...only it's better treatment, no cells, and not a lot of prison mates to share the experience with. I rubbed my temples. They need to find us. I need to get some sort of signal out to them to let them know Mandy and I are alive.

Deflated, I left the dining room and lugged myself up the stairs to the top floor of the building. There's got to be a way to fight back without consequences. I tried to use what brainpower I had at the moment to think up any sort of plan. If I pushed back with fire, Moriarty would match that fire, and turn the heat up. If I played my part passively...

The idea of playing by his rules sounded like the better option, despite how difficult I knew it was going to be to abide by the said rules. If I play dirty, he plays dirty. He can leak those pictures, he can kill Mandy.

I twisted the engagement ring around my finger. It gave me a little bit of happiness, remembering that day.

~*~

"Seriously, Bayley, what is all this?" I asked. We were having a picnic in the park, which we never ever did. Normally I would accept it as a nice change and gesture, but I had my reserves.

"I can't surprise my girl?" he taunted back mockingly, poking my nose. He glanced down abashedly. "Wow, this sounded so much better in my head. I was picturing it a lot better too..."

I cocked my head. "What are you talking about?"

Bayley turned to me, and he produced a little black box in his hand. Oh, crap. Is this what I think this is? He offered me a tender, blue-eyed look. "We've faced our hardships, but we've pulled through them. We were just strangers whose worlds were sort of intertwined." He smacked his forehead. "Oh, god, this sounds awful. Okay, okay." He exhaled. "Rachel Watson, I love you, and even though we've had our differences, they've made us better. Will you do me the highest honor and marry me?"

I didn't know why I didn't see this coming. "Bayley..."

"You may not be ready, but I am. And I'm willing to wait however long you want me to. Life is too short, and we need to seize what we can before the chance passes us by. I didn't know what my life was going to look like. I never expected it to be so wild, and I never expected to wind up with you."

"I feel like that should be a compliment," I squeaked.

His cheeks were going bright red.

"Bayley, please." I grabbed his wrists firmly. "I think I get the message." I laughed. "And you're wrong about one thing."

"What's that?"

"You thinking I'm not ready." I beamed. "Because, I am. Yes. Yes, I will marry you."

The picnic was long forgotten about. The ring slid onto my finger, and I was kissing my fiancé. In that moment, the world felt perfect. Our lives felt perfect.

~*~

Come find me, Bayley. Please.

"That could've been us, Rachel."

I jumped. Why is he so quiet? Or am I just that oblivious? Moriarty was standing in front of me. It was just the two of us in this hall. "I don't see you as the settling type."

"You're right, I'm not," he admitted.

I looked around. "This where you keep all your potential victims? Seems like a big place with few occupants."

"I know people. I like to use this place now and again. It's never really been full though." His mouth pressed into a line.

"Guess it can't be. People would pick up on a lot of activity in this place."

He chuckled. "Those who observe would pick up on it. Others, the boring people, they wouldn't think anything of it."

"Who else is with us? You had someone torturing Amanda." I scowled.

"Oh, right, him. He comes and goes as he pleases."

"Do I get a name?"

"Oh, no." He shook his head. "You're not that privileged here, Rachel."

I swallowed. Maybe I can take advantage of this. "You know, I hate to admit one thing."

"Which would be what, kitten?"

"That sometimes, whether I like it or not, you bring up points." I kept the word "good" out of my mouth. "I fight you, I get punished somehow. I play by the rules, nothing bad happens." I shrugged. "It's not that I didn't believe you, I wanted to see what a taste would look like."

"No, you wanted to try and escape. Did that plan involve leaving your friend behind?"

"Never." I took a few steps towards him. "If you want me to play your game, you need to meet some of my demands. Make this interesting, Jim."

He closed his eyes, purring. "Mm, I miss hearing my name from you, darling."

I shuddered. "You let Mandy out of that chair. Give her time to heal. Properly give her food and water. I'll make sure we're both on our best behavior."

"It is intriguing," he mused, slowly circling me. "But how can I trust you?"

"You can't. I guess you'll just have to bet and see. Are you a gambling man, Jim?" I raised a brow. "Is it worth the risk? Is it worth the trouble?"

"You were worth the risk. You still could be."

"That's up to you. I've said my piece. Those are my terms. Do you want to play or not?" I asked impatiently.

"Hmm, I suppose I could," he drawled. "But, I need to know you're serious."

"Name the price."

"Hmm, I could have you do something damning, but then again, those photographs I possess say that you already have." I followed his line of vision. "Give me the ring, then I'll know we've got a deal."

I looked down at the engagement ring. It was my one thing that held me to Bayley. I can't possibly give Moriarty this. Who knows what he'll do with it?

I felt a part of me leave when I removed the ring. I thought I'd give myself more time to think on it, to refuse. I tricked myself on that one.

Moriarty held an open palm, waiting. I exhaled as I dropped the ring into his palm.

He smiled. "Good girl. You'll see how beneficial this will be."

"I gave you the ring, now you give me what I asked for."

"Of course. I am a man of my word."

I snorted. Really? Because from what I remember, you're a lying sack of crap. I held my tongue. I committed myself to this. I need to play it well, for my sake, and for Mandy's. "If you go back on it, I'll know. I'll make sure you know that I know."

"You won't do a damn thing about it if I do, kitten. You may talk a big game, but all you are is a pawn just hoping to not be sacrificed." He clicked his tongue. "You can't outplay me, Rachel. You're smarter than the average person, I will give you that, but to be on my level...well, you have to be on my level. Which you aren't. In other words, I'm superior here."

Talk a big game. We'll see who's laughing from the outside world, Moriarty. Game on. 

**I love Moriarty...

Did I say that out loud, even though he's putting Rachel through this stuff? 0.0**