Fawn opened her eyes slowly and her vision was blurred. She blinked a few times to clear it and when she did, she was hit with a pounding headache. Fawn sat up and let a seething breath out through her teeth. The first thing she noticed was that she was in a room she had never seen before.

"Comfortable enough darling?" Clay's voice made Fawn's whole body go rigid immediately. She looked for the voice's source and saw Clay sitting in a chair, his smile gave her chills. Fawn swallowed.

"Where am I?" She managed out in a calm tone.

"Why dearest, you're in my quarters. Remember? Garth gave you to me." The memories hit Fawn in a flurry.

Gunshots, Ruth, Garth...Travis.

"Travis!" Fawn exclaimed and tried to get herself off of Clay's bed. Her legs collapsed underneath and she almost hit the floor.

"Now, now, love. Let's not get too hasty here. You've been out of it a couple of days." Fawn felt his hand graze the side of her leg and yanked away from him, which ended with her thumping down on the bed, legs dangling over the edge. She sat up.

"Is he dead?" Fawn asked, dreading what Clay might say. His lips curled into a smile that confirmed her worst thought. Fawn tried to choke back a sob, but it still came out. That was it then. She had lost everyone that had ever mattered to her. She was alone and she was scared to death. Clay was in her face and Fawn partly gasped.

"Don't cry love, you have me now and that's all you'll ever need." He leaned closer and put a hand on her leg.

"Get your filthy hands off me!" Fawn screamed at him and jumped away, this time her legs supported her, but she was a little dizzy. Clay chuckled.

"I like a girl with spite, but you're weak right now. I'm going to have the servant's bring something to help liven you up and put color on your cheeks. Also change out of those hideous clothes." He nodded toward the bathroom.

"I picked something out for you. Something more...comfortable." Fawn curled her hands into fists.

"I'm not wearing it, whatever it is." Clay looked at her.

"Oh, you'd better. Or you're going to wish Garth shot you instead of Travis." Fawn lowered her head.

"I already do." Clay walked over to her, his eyes flickering with annoyance.

"You're mine now girl. Do you understand that? I am your master."

"No one is my master." Fawn hissed. Clay grabbed her shoulder, his nails digging into her skin. Fawn let out a cry of pain as he pushed her into the bathroom.

"I have a meeting to attend to and you'd better be in that dress by the time I get back." He let go of her and then slammed the door shut. Fawn glared at the back of it, but she didn't have much strength for fighting him. Glancing around, she noticed the dress he had referred to, hanging up. The site of it made her gut wrench. The dress was red with black lace. Thin straps and a low cut made sure to highlight her shoulders and neck, not to mention, the dress was short. Fawn took a deep breath before changing into the dress. When she was finished, she glanced in the mirror. A bruise marked one of her cheeks where Garth had slapped her and her shoulder was red from Clay's iron grip. She had gone from the hands of a maniac to a monster. She had once been beautiful, hadn't she? Fawn pulled down the skirt and walked out of the bathroom. The smell of food greeted her and despite her anxiety she knew she needed to eat. Maybe it would help later. Fawn sat down on a chair and poked at her food. She ate slowly, observing her prison. Two guards were posted outside the door, she could hear them talking. There was a balcony, but when Fawn tried the doors she found that they were locked by a key, not a simple lock, like her room. There wasn't anywhere else to get out of the room so Fawn knew escape was practically impossible. Fawn ground her teeth together as she felt her emotions threatening to spill over again. Anger or sadness couldn't bring her friends back and now she needed to protect herself. Clay could be back anytime now and from the clothes he had given her there was only one thing he wanted. Apparently, old habits died hard or not at all. Her fingers curled in fists, holding the silk. She wasn't going to let him have her. She would fight him with every bone in her body and if she died, she died. There was nothing left for her on this Earth anyway.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Clay came back almost an hour later. Fawn stood by the window's of the balcony and looked out at the garden as best she could. It was storming outside and the thunder was crashing loudly.

"Enjoying yourself?" Clay asked her. Fawn turned and saw him shrugging off his jacket that was slicked with a little rain. He sat down in his chair and smiled at her, looking her up and down.

"I see you listened to my advice." He said.

"I didn't have much of a choice, now did I?" Fawn said tightly, wishing he would stop probing her with his eyes.

"Come here." Clay said softly, like he was calling to a child, he opened his arms out to her. Fawn planted her feet and swallowed.

"No." She said defiantly. Clay raised an eyebrow.

"I see the food pepped you up. No matter though. You either come to me or I'll come to you." Fawn tilted her head upward, staying rooted in her spot. Her heartbeat was beginning to echo in her ears. Clay stood up and walked over to Fawn. She refused to cower and looked up at him with hardened blue eyes. Clay put a hand on her face and Fawn immediately jerked away. Clay laughed.

"You're going to try to fight aren't you?" Fawn glared back at him. Clay leaned forward.

"Then you're going to force me to not be a very good gentleman." Fawn pushed back away from him, but Clay was done talking now. He made a grab for her hands, trying to keep her from being able to punch him. Catching one, Clay managed to snake the other one up Fawn's leg. Fawn felt adrenaline rush through her blood and pushed him forward with an angry shout. Clay was surprised by her velocity and actually stumbled a few steps before he regained his balance. Fawn let out a painful gasp when an elbow slammed into her ribs. This time she stumbled and Clay took full advantage of it. He slammed her back into the wall, preventing her from getting any air back into her lungs. His lips grazed her earlobe and neck.

"Stop fighting." He said roughly. Fawn coughed when oxygen surged back into her lungs. She immediately went back on the defensive, punching him in the jaw with her free hand. Clay let go of her and retreated a few steps. Fawn felt pleasure coarse through her as she saw blood trail down the side of his mouth. She had caught his lip. Clay looked at the blood on his hand as he wiped his mouth. He glared at her.

"You've done it now girly." Fawn didn't have much time to react when Clay slammed her body backwards, fist flying. Fawn's left arm hit his dresser, knocking a lamp to the floor. Her back was against the wall in a half crouched position. Clay grabbed her hair, throwing her onto the floor. Clawing at his face, Fawn tried to fight her way off the ground, but Clay punched her in the side, causing her to freeze for a second. Clay climbed on top of her, his fist pounding into the side of her face. Fawn screamed when her head snapped sideways.

"Stop fighting me!" Clay screamed at her. Fawn lashed out with her hands, that were now free, catching the side of his face. She felt blood underneath her fingernails. Fawn was now fighting for her life and she would do everything to make sure Clay didn't make it out alive. Fawn bucked underneath his body, knowing as long as she was on the floor she had the disadvantage. Clay had recovered from her hit and was now trying to stop her from hitting him again. When he grabbed her wrist Fawn didn't hesitate to rotate her head and sink her teeth into his arm. Clay yelped and let go of her, yanking his arm away from her.

"Surely you're the devil." He smirked. Fawn glowered at him angrily.

"Let me go!" She growled at him.

"I'm your master, you're never getting rid of me." He said. Fawn didn't have time block his oncoming hit that knocked her in the side of the head. It was hard enough that her vision blurred and made her attempts to defend herself sluggish. Clay began battering her body with hits and Fawn moved her hands to cover her face, catching the brunt of his attack. Despite her defense, there were areas of her body that were unblockable, like her already aching ribs. Clay hit them repeatedly until Fawn felt like she was going to blackout. Becoming desperate, she screamed, hoping someone in this palace had a heart. Clay slapped her hard, silencing the noise. Fawn could feel blood pouring out her battered lip. His ring had also cut the side of her head, causing blood to run down her face. Fawn gasped for air, her vision wasn't clearing and breathing was excruciating. The beating stopped and Clay leaned over her face.

"Some of you just have to learn your lessons the hard way." He growled. Fawn could just make out his face. She pleaded for death, hoping that he would kill her for her defiance. Clay pinned her body underneath his.

"This won't take long darling, soon you'll learn to just submit."

No! Fawn's conscious screamed when Clay's lips slammed against hers. In spite of the pain Fawn was feeling she tried to fight him, pounding her fists against his back. Clay wasn't fazed and his fingers trailed up the side of her body. Fawn wrenched her head away from his.

"Help!" She screamed desperately. Clay hit her on her already battered cheek, tears came to Fawn's eyes.

"Please stop..." She whispered in a weak voice, but Clay wasn't a gentleman, nor a man of reason. His lips touched her throat in a hungry manner while he began to try and force her legs apart. With a finale effort Fawn tried to push him back, knowing she would have no more energy to fight him off any longer.

"No!" She screamed. There was a sudden bang at the door and it came flying open. Clay scrambled off of Fawn, his eyes wide. Fawn looked up and saw the angry look that shadowed a girl's face. A girl with raven black hair.

Willow!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Willow ran through the door followed by a very alive Sean. He blocked the door.

"Impossible!" Clay exclaimed. Willow glared at Clay, moving toward the fireplace.

"You seem surprised Clay. Something wrong?" Willow glanced over at Fawn for a brief second. The girl was seething with rage.

"You're supposed to be dead." Clay said. He had composed himself from the original shock. Willow lifted her chin.

"I don't look dead do I? And Sean certainly isn't." Sean smirked from the doorway. Fawn's vision cleared a little, but she wasn't ready to stand yet.

"Are you okay?" Willow asked, not looking away from Clay.

"It could be worse." Fawn managed out. She would be in more shock at seeing Willow alive if breathing hadn't been so hard right now. Clay curled a fist.

"Guards!" He shouted. Willow sighed.

"I doubt anyone can hear you, not with the bullet holes and sleeping drugs that might be affecting them." Clay's face slowly turned red with anger. He drew a knife from a pocket that seemed to be hidden on his pants. Fawn wondered why he hadn't used it on her.

"Then I'll be taking care of this mess myself." Fawn's eyes grew wide and she looked at Willow. She wasn't armed at all. Willow planted her feet.

"Let's see you try." She dared him. Clay charged across the room with his knife drawn and Fawn watched in horror. Willow moved a step back and her fingers wrapped around something unseen. There was the sound of slicing and halting footsteps. Clay gagged and then fell to the ground on his knees. A fire poker stuck out of the back of his throat and when he hit the floor Fawn could see it had went right through his throat. Blood poured profusely from his neck and his mouth was frozen in a half opened position. Willow calmly stepped over his lifeless body and looked at Sean. He looked surprised, but not shocked. Willow walked toward Fawn, who was still sitting on the floor in a state of demented shock.

"Can you stand?" Willow asked, crouching down and grabbing one of Fawn's arms. Fawn tried to lift herself to her feet, but instead her vision went red and pain shot through her body.

"Sean, help her." Willow said quickly. Sean came over and grabbed Fawn's other arm, hoisting her off the floor. Fawn leaned onto to him as she was hit with a bad case of vertigo.

"He's probably drugged you somehow, we need to get out of here, fast." Willow said, while they trudged toward the door. Fawn talked to talk, but with her beat up body and protesting stomach she was forced to stay quiet. Instead, she observed. The guards outside her door were unconscious so they hadn't been shot. Further down the hall though, she counted a few guard that were dead. Questions began budding in her mind. Willow and Sean dragged her out to an awaiting van and slid her in as best as possible. Fawn tried not to groan, but just moving made her ribs feel like they were cracking. The van took off just as Willow and Sean sat in front of Fawn. Willow looked less fearsome now and more concerned about Fawn's well-being.

"Looks like you might need a few stitches, and the doctors will have to check out your ribs." She said. Fawn's eyebrows furrowed.

"How. How are you two here?" She asked through a shaky breath. Sean glanced at Willow.

"Sean was poisoned like you were told, but he didn't die. We took him from the castle." Willow said.

"We?" Fawn asked in confusion. Willow rubbed her hands together.

"I never really went missing. After Garrett's death, I knew something was going on in the palace. I started investigating with Claus. The police officer, you remember him right?" Fawn nodded, remembering him from the trial. Willow continued.

"We started digging and we started to find something. That's when Sean was poisoned. I was on my way to the palace when I heard the news and then someone jumped me in the garden. Lucky for me, I got away. Later, I came back for Sean. Garth covered it up as a death, but really, he was just angry his plan hadn't fully succeeded." Fawn was stunned by the flow of information and her head was swimming.

"I'm so confused." Willow chuckled and touched her hand lightly.

"We have a lot to tell you, but it's going to be a long ride and you need to rest." Fawn let her head lay against the seat and closed her eyes. Rest that was the last thing she thought she needed.