Taylor sat down on her bed and listened for the water to start. Once it did, she towelled off and changed into her clothes that weren't actually her clothes. The clothes that were here was something she'd never wear, for it was sheer and curving to her figure. The shirt was some netted thing with a black bra attached to it, the pants were black leggings. She wondered how these clothes had gotten there because she didn' remember shopping for clothes. If she had gone shopping, she never would have bought this type of shirt, but she put on the clothing anyway because she didn't have anything else to wear. She walked to the mirror hanging on the wall and combed her fingers through her hair to brush it as best she could without a hairbrush. She heard the water turn off and quickly jumped into bed and covered herself up just as she heard the door open. A short time later, Stone walked out in boxers and no shirt, Taylor closed her eyes and half opened them in as she took in the chiseled scarred body. Her eyes grazed over the red marks on his back, and the X on his right pectoral.

"See something you like?" He asked huskily. She jumped as she wasn't aware he'd caught her.

"Uh no." He frowned "I mean yes, I mean- ugh." She covered herself up with the sheet, her face reddening. She felt the bed dip and then a hand pulled back the covers. She stuck her lip out in a pout

"It's alright to look." He said softly with a hint of pride as he grabbed her hand and brought it to the scar shaped in an X. It was bumpy and soft, the feeling tingled Taylor's fingers with wonderment at how it had gotten there. She sat up and moved her hand from his chest to his back, fingering the short and long ones that laced his back. On his shoulder blade, she saw a tattoo of a wolf with glowing red eyes. It freaked her out a little, but she thought it was cool at the same time. At the top of it, between the ears was a little gray mouse staring out with beady soft light green eyes.

"H-how did you get these?" Taylor asked softly as she pulled her hand away. He turned and faced her, sitting with one leg bent and the other on the ground.

"Now that, you can know!" He said with a smile. Taylor snorted and rolled her eyes as she lifted her hands into the air

"Finally! I get to know something." She said loudly then brought her hands down. "But in all seriousness, how did you get them?" Stone bent his head down as he rubbed his nail against the skin of his right hand.

"My father." He said as he slowly looked up. Taylor's heart cried out for this lug of a man. She touched his hand softly

"How dreadful. I'm sorry. D-do you-would you mind telling me your story of how you got them? Of how he was to you?"

"I-I suppose not, but why don't we walk around town, I hate talking and just sitting."

"Um okay." Taylor nodded her head as she saw the glint of hurt pass through his eyes. He rose and she climbed out of bed. He threw on a shirt and then she saw him glance at her, twice, looking her up and down.

"See something you like?" She questioned. He jerked his head away and she saw him smile embarrassedly.

"Uh actually yeah." He said, turning and winking at her. She picked up the pillow off the bed and threw it at him.
"Ohhh." She said, crossing her arms as she struggled to cover up her own smile.

"It's nothing bad Taylor, it's good." He said with a smirk as he walked to the door. "Are you ready?" She put on her boots and then followed him to the door. He opened it and out they went into the hallway, sneaking softly through the hallways to the elevator. The ride down was quiet and Taylor felt weird just standing there as the elevator jerked its way downward. The bell dinged and the doors opened, they came face to face with two police officers, they both froze for just a minute before

"Excuse us." Stone said as he grabbed Taylor's hand and led her out the doors. They walked quickly out of the parking lot and up onto a sidewalk.

"Do you think they knew who we were?" Taylor asked stopping him

"No. No I don't think they did. I saw no recognition in their eyes."

"Oh good. I thought my heart was going to jump out." She said with a nervous chuckle. Stone blew out some breath

"To be honest I was a little scared myself." He said as he began walking up the hill. Taylor followed and soon they walked in time with only the wind as their music as they walked through the streets of car noise and chattering people. They found a park bench to sit on that overlooked the city with a million lights. Taylor heard something click and light flash in the corner of her eye, she saw that Stone had lit a cigarette. She held her breath because the smell always made her stomach roll but she wasn't about to say anything for fear of annoying Stone or making him mad. She let out her breath after feeling lightheaded, the smell had vanished somewhat, only smelling when he took a drag from it. Stone and Taylor sat in silence for many minutes before Taylor couldn't contain herself

"So, are you ready to tell?"

"Yes." He said huskily as the orange glow from his butt lit up. She watched the smoke billow out from his mouth and she wrinkled her nose at it knowing how much it was hurting his lungs. But it was his choice to do it.

"How does your father have anything to do with those scars?" She asked, looking at him. He remained forward, not looking at her

"Before I tell you that. I must go on and tell you that this was all over my brother. And our rights to lead my fathers gang. Only one of us could become leader, and my father thought that Igor was too weak, so  he was going to kill him. I discovered this plot and took Igor to an alley, I shot him in the gut then called my father. He came and kicked him over and over and over a thousand times about to see if he was really dead. My father said it was good that someone had shot him because he had no use for him." Stone paused

"I'm so sorry. That must have been a very very terrible night." Taylor said as her eyes searched the side profile of his face.

"It was. After my father left, I rushed Igor to the hospital, they patched him up and he stayed there until he healed. Then I brought him to a safe house where he's been ever since. He has not stepped out for fifteen years, it's time he comes out of hiding, but I can't do that with my father still alive. Anyways, my father took to beating me with a whip when I did something he did not like. I was his work horse, selling drugs for him, moving guns around, beating up other people."

"You did not enjoy doing those things did you?"

"At first no. but as I grew older, I realized it was the only thing keeping me alive. And the money that he gave me, I gave to my brother so that one day when I had enough, we could both leave and be free."

"But he is not free right?"

"Right. He has all the money still. All my life savings."

"What is the story behind the tattoo?"

The wolf. Is Igor, because that day he was the wolf. Strong and fierce."

"And the mouse?"

"Me. For that day I was weak. I was small. I allowed my flesh and blood to be beat up just to prove to my father that he was dead. I was the weak one that day. This tattoo is a constant reminder of Igor and it keeps me going."

"You shouldn't feel that way though. You were strong. You used your great creativity to save your brother from a real death that he wouldn't have been able to avoid. Just think about that."

"I don't think anymore Taylor, I just do." He said turning towards her slightly before turning back towards the city. She sighed and then asked,

"Have you killed people?" There was a long silence. Then Stone snuffed out his cigarette and nodded his head

"Yes."

"How many?"

"Too many to count." He said choking up as he glanced at her. Taylor saw the glimmer of tears in his eyes. She leaned her head onto his shoulder. He too leaned his head onto her head and put his arm around her shoulder.

"I will help you in any way I can, Stone. I promise." She said softly. They stayed like that for a long time before returning to the hotel and climbing into bed to take a short rest before going to the airport.

Taylor was shaken awake a short time later. She sat up quickly and swung her arms

"Woah woah, it's only me." A familiar voice washed over her. She calmed her breath. She'd been having a dream about Stone's father and let's just say it was not ending well for her.

"S-sorry. Uh, just a nightmare." She said as she climbed out of bed. HAnds gripped her shoulder and she looked up into his eye

"It will be alright. He will not touch you. I promise." She nodded her head and gathered her things. She couldn't shake the bad feeling though that creeped through her body as they stepped outside and took a taxi to the airport. They put their stuff on the conveyor belt and then boarded their plane. She was excited too at some level because they were almost there, but she wondered how her parents were doing. Taylor hoped that they were doing okay and weren't suffering too badly. The thing she really wanted to do was call them, just to hear their voices, she wouldn't have to speak to them, just call and then hang up.

"Stone?" She asked cautiously

"Yes?"

"Could I-Could I maybe uh-"

"Call your parents?" She looked at him with shock as she watched him smile

"Y-yes that's what I was going to ask. How did you know?"

"Because I was already going to have you call them once we got to Alaska. We will be far enough away with a weak signal that no one can track us."

"Oh. Well um okay. Thank you."

"Of course Taylor."  The plane lifted off the ground and away they went. With excitement, Taylor took in the flight around her even though there wasn't much to see since it was getting dark, but it was still beautiful to her. She wondered what her parents would say and if they would even pick up. She still had one more question to ask Stone. She tapped him on the arm and he took out his airpod

"Yes?"

"Where are we staying in Alaska?"

"In my Cabin. It's my safe house, tucked far away into the mountains and pine trees."

"Souunds beautiful. Will it be cold?"

"Yes. It gets very cold at night, so cold, you will get frostbite."

"Well that will be something new." Stone chuckled

"Yes. It will, but when we get there, we will buy you some gloves. But you won't need them until we get there, usually, when we land at the airport, there is no snow, it's only as you get more further away from civilization."

"Oh. What will the weather be doing?"

"Probably raining. That's how it always is when I first arrive."

"Oh. How did you even come to own the cabin?"

"It was left to me in an old man's will."

"That's very considerate of him."

"Uh huh. It was." Stone's eyes became far away and so Taylor stopped talking and allowed him to get back to whatever he was doing. She busied herself with a book until the Captain came on and said that they were going to land. She put her book away and clutched the arm rest and Stone's hand as they descended, joy sparked her heart as she couldn't wait to get off and find the nearest pay phone.

"You weren't kidding about the rain." She said as she watched it splash down onto the ground.

"I never pretend." He said as he rose and allowed her to go first down the aisle. Stone and Taylor scrambled off the plane and dashed through the rain into the terminal. They collected their things.

"Uh not to bug but, where's the nearest phone?"

"First, we should get a car. I'll go and rent one, you wait by the door." He left her by the door with the bags, she squished the rain out of her hair and wished she had a jacket on for the rain began to chill her skin. A short time later, Stone came through the doors. They grabbed their suitcases and he brought her out to a giant old hunk of a car. It was a Cherokee Chief Jeep and looked like it had been through many years of life. They hopped in and Stone started the car and the heat right away. He began to drive and Taylor held in her questions about the phone, he must know what he's doing and she feared that if she bugged him again, he wouldn't let her call. Soon though, she saw that he was headed to the gas station, and there a few feet from the building of the gas station was a pay phone, her heart thumped with excitement. He stopped the car and she ran out, not caring about what he was shouting at her. She put in the coins and waited eagerly. The phone rang twice, then,

"Hello who's this?" Tears pricked Taylor's eyes at the sound of her mothers voice.

"Mom?"

"Taylor oh my god! Are you all right?"

"Yes yes I'm going to be. I don't have much longer to talk. But  I wanted you guys to know I'm safe.

"Where are you?"

"I can't say. But tell dad I love him." With that she set down the phone and slanted her head back towards the glass and leaned it against the window of the phone booth. Rain hammered down and looking through the spots she saw that Stone was just coming out. She walked out too, letting the rain drench her. She got inside and he started the engine turning on the heat

"Did you get a hold of them?" He asked

"Yes."

"Are they okay?"

"I think so. Now that they know I'm okay." She said softly as she closed her eyes.

"You do know they will go to the police."

I know, are you okay with that?" She asked, looking at him.

"Yes. Yes I am."