Oh My God! What was I doing?

I pushed open the door to Toppers room and stepped cautiously inside, pleasantly surprised at how tidy it was, then I remembered they had been planning to be away for the holidays so they had probably tidied for that. I grab my jacket from where Ivo had left it and hurry back to the common room, not trusting Ivo to leave and lock me in here.

"Come along" he snapped at me, turning towards the door. I stuck my tongue out at his back, only to hear a chuckle for the side, I turned expecting the worst and there was Thad watching me with laughter in his eyes. I blushed at being caught.

"Per!" Ivo snapped and I rushed forward embarrassed, then realised I still had to pull my boots on. Nuts, these guys were making me nuts!

"Hang on Ivo" I snapped back and leant against the wall to pull on my boots, then rapidly buttoning up my jacket before looking his way.

"You didn't have to rush, we are still waiting for Rupert" Ivo told me with a smirk and I hissed at him.

"Careful poppet, he will know he is getting to you" Rupert warns in my ear, making me jump and my heart race, I had not heard him come up next to me.

"Steady" he grins his arm linking through mine as he turns his grin toward Ivo. "lead on fearless one" he instructs with a plummy accent and I cannot help but laugh.

"Thats beautiful, you should do that more often" he whispers looking down at me, as I hear Ivo growl... wait what... he growled.

"Did Ivo just growl at us?" I whisper to Rupert in shock, this time its him laughing.

"Yes poppet, Ivo growled at us, but don't worry I will protect you from his beast"

"BLOODY HELL RU!" Ivo barks out from the door before slamming out and stalking off, leaving me staring and Rupert laughing again.

"Come on my dear, best get moving" he looks back over his shoulder and I realise the others have been watching too "See you guys later" he calls and ushers me out.

The hallways are much darker than their dorm area, the lack of natural lighting opportunities making the original gothic building seem dark and scary. I could hear Ivo somewhere ahead of us and was glad of Rupert at my side, guiding me.

It was a relief to walk out the door into the snow covered courtyard, our earlier footsteps mostly covered and the sun glinting off the pure white snow making me squint at the brightness.

"This way" Ivo calls from across the quad and I follow Rupert as he creates a path in the snow to join his friend.

"Where to first?" he asks as we reach him.

"The Gatehouse" he suggests and we all tramp down the snow covered driveway, I can't help but look around at the simple clean beauty around us as we walk in a comfortable silence. The building is all locked up when we get there, including the main gates, no-one was going in or out that way.

"They must have been locked after we returned but why didn't anyone tell us?" Rupert says to Ivo, who is circling the building, trying doors and windows.

"Maybe they didn't realise we were here" he mutters back before rejoining us "Okay if we follow the wall to the left we should eventually come across the keepers cottage, its about half a mile" he looks at me "You okay for this, the ground might be a big rough" he warns and I nod.

"Its fine, lead the way" I reply with a small smile and after a quick shared look, Ivo starts, Rupert encouraging me ahead of him with a grin.

I shake my head at their level of chivalry, one again surprises by these boys.

There is smoke curling from the chimney when we finally reach the Keepers cottage, and I can feel some of the boys tension release that we had actually found signs of someone. Ivo steps up and bangs on the door, moving back as we join him and the door is opened by a middle aged man.

"Yes" he growls out and I take a little step back at his obvious hostility. Rupert notices and I find my hand in his as he offers silent support.

"We are students at the school and are trying to reach some staff, the caretaker preferably, we are stranded and there is no power"

The man continues to glare at us, his eyes fixing on me and I feel almost dirty as he looks me up and down.

Ivo clears his throat and takes a step to the side, blocking me from the mans sight.

"Headmaster warning all the staff to go home, due to the forecast storms, I was told all students would be off site till after the holidays" he mutters to us.

"And the caretaker?" Ivo prompts.

"His wife had a fall, he took her down to the town to the hospital, ordered the gates shut up, don't know when he will be returning" he tells us.

"Damn it" Ivo barks out "Do you know anything about the power at the school?" he asked him and the man sneered at him.

"Whole area is out, the storms are keeping the crews from getting to the damaged cables and reconnecting, don't expect anything to change until the storms are over" he says.

"What do you suggest we do, there's no power and no heat?"

"I can keep the pretty lady warm here, but I've no room for boys" he leers and I hear Rupert's exclamation before I hear a thud and howl of pain.

I hear the sound of violence and my mind shuts down in fear as I freeze, almost unable to understand what I am witnessing.

"You dirty filthy..." Ivo shouts as Rupert pulls him back off the man now crumpled in the doorway.

"Ivo, come on, let's go, come on man, you're scaring her" Rupert pulls him back and towards me. Ivo's dark gaze finding mine and then I am in his arms as he soothe me, his whispered declarations of 'its alright' and 'shh' his hands rubbing circles on my back.

"Come on" Rupert urges both of us and leads us back the way we came. Ivo's arm firmly around my shoulders as we leave, Rupert behind us.

The shock has worn off by the time we get back to the gatehouse, the mans comment still circling in my mind and I couldn't help the shiver that racked my body. "He won't come up to the school, will he?" I ask them and they share a silent communication before Per answers with a sigh.

"I don't know, I don't thinks so but we are not going to take any risks, we know now a bit more about what's going on, so we can plan around that"

"Okay" I whisper and its Rupert who this time pulls me into a comforting hug.

"Come on, lets get back and warn the others, then we need to sort out a fire, I know we don't use it by I am sure the fireplace in the common room is useable, we just need wood and I think there may be some camping stoves in the supply closet by the kitchen, heat and food, that what we need to focus on" Rupert instructs and Ivo nods.

"Good idea Ru, come on Per, let's get you safe" he grins at me, before taking my hand and leading me back to the school.

I follow bemused at his change from aggressor to protector but im not going to complain, the thought of that man is far more of a worry.

Thad and Topper are waiting for us when we get back to their dorm, Ivo quickly filling them in and this time when Ivo suggests I stay put I agree and the boys leave again, to gather wood and find the stoves. Thad taking a long metal poker from the fireplace just in case he needs to break in, all of them having decided a little B&E was not a bad thing in these circumstances.

"Rest" Rupert had ordered before they went, knowing I was still a bit shaken and I wandered back into Topper's room and sank down onto the bed.

Falling backwards onto the mattress and let my mind race over the last day. Reaching for a pillow I held it over my muffled scream at the situation I was in, pulling it back slightly as I smelt Topper on it before holding it closer again and taking in his scent.

When I had seen them this morning in the kitchen I had felt panicked and wanted to run, I had fought against coming with them but in the end their argument made sense, we were safer together. Then I had to prove that I was as good as them and it led to that man... now he too was a worry not of us being stranded with no contact to the outside world and no heat or power.

The least of my worries should be those boys but they had a reputation, and I hated being bossed around, rebelled against it normally but... I held my hand over my heart and felt my racing pulse, they were everything and nothing like I imagined.