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Realistic or Modern Those That Remain

She knew now, at least a quarter of what her mother had been through to try and protect her.

The pain. The humiliation.

Ruby knew what Grant's intention was. He wanted to break her, wanted to destroy her soul, her will, wanted to encourage her to leave herself behind and become nothing more than a shell he could use, could toy with, could bend and break until he was done with her, until he'd had his fun, until she wasn't of use to him anymore. The redhead also knew, that when that day came, if it came would be a blessing.

For now however, as she cowered in the corner of the dark cell, her face, her body littered in bruises, in marks, in dirt - Ruby knew that she couldn't give up. Not yet. Not while she didn't know if he was still alive, because if he was... She needed to keep a part of herself, for him. Only for him. And so when they'd asked her questions she'd spat at them, she'd growled, hissed, thrashed and although she gave them satisfaction in the tears that streaked down her face, she didn't once, truly give them anything that they wanted. She didn't submit and she wouldn't.

Not yet.

Th next time that somebody brought food to her cell, Ruby had merged into some kind of unconsciousness. It wasn't sleep exactly, but somewhere between that and rest, something that allowed her to remain on high alert, just in case. As it would seem, such an instinct had been sensible because as metal scraped along the ground, the redhead snapped back into consciousness, pulling her stiff body into sitting with a soft whimper as her eyes landed upon the man responsible for all of this, as Grant knelt down in front of the bars with a smile, and pushed a tray of food beneath them, warm, inviting food that made her stomach complain, her mouth water. Ruby couldn't help but lick her lips, but she made no move towards it as olive eyes stared with blazing fury at Grant Rivers who was peering back at her, his expression for once, unreadable.

"You know, your mother was as tough as you are, at first," he began, softly, causing Ruby to bare her teeth a little while Grant just chuckled. "And that's not the only thing that you have in common with her. You both... had something to lose. Or someone." His head tilted slightly to one side as Ruby's heart rate began to pick up, her expression showing more than she wanted it to and Grant seemed to notice.

"You ought to be careful, little one. There's only so far my patience will stretch and if you don't want that boyfriend to have his head impaled on a pike outside my camp then... I'd consider very carefully how you want to behave here."

There was a pause before Ruby finally spoke, her voice cracked. "He's... He's alive."

Rivers' eyes shone like the predator he was. "Oh yes, little one. He's very much alive and on his way to find you, no doubt. And when he gets here... well. I don't think I need to explain to you the chance he has of living long enough to see you again. Unless... you're willing to give me something in return for... sparing him."

Ruby swallowed, her mind racing because even if she gave Grant anything, the chance he'd stick to a deal with her was... slim, at best. Right now however, she couldn't think of any other options, couldn't bear the thought of him... "What do you want?" She whispered and Grant smiled, a long, slow, wicked smile.

"I want what any man wants, my love." And then he added in what could only be described as a dark, filthy growl. "Fun."
 
The twin beams of light shining down the way made Grim squint, and when Stanley growled once more the weary warrior moved to rest a hand on the dogs side. Both man and beast watched as the lights drew nearer until finally Grim could make out the shape of yet another vehicle that looked to be out of Grant's collection. It was a smaller heavily armoured SUV, and from it's designs on the side Grim recognized the car to be one of River's scouts, moving along on it's usual patrol. Grim didn't waste a second, reaching for the rifle he'd tucked on the ground of the passenger seat, kicking open the door of the truck Grim's feet landed heavily on the grassy dirt; his weapon already cocked an aimed towards the front window.

He wasn't sure what stopped him, what halted him from making the fight too easy. Without Ruby's guiding heart it was all to easy to crave the delicious screams and close up pain reflected in his victims eyes. It didn't take long for the SUV to come to a screeching halt, it's old rusty brakes making the tires skid slightly as the vehicle came to a stop. Both of the doors flung open and Grim's amber eyes took it all in, the driver that scrabbled to get to his holster, but he was already too late. With a squeeze of the trigger his quarry jerked back roughly, the blood from his shoulder spattering over the window and armour of the car. Quickly he diverted his attention to the passenger, the man had been quicker and for a moment the dust kicked up around them as both men regarded one another with hate filled eyes- only to come up short with recognition.

"The fuck are you doing, Jasper! Shoot him!" The injured driver screamed from ground, his body curled around itself as he struggled to staunch the flow of blood from his shoulder.

"Grim?" Jasper's voice sounded just as gravelly as Grim had remembered- other than Ruby this had been the man he'd spent the most time with after the fall of civilization. He'd lain over a musty table and let Jasper's ink glide over his skin for hours at a time. They hadn't spoken much during those sessions, the buzz of the needle driving deep the only sound and the consistent burn of blade and ink was more comfort than Grim or Jasper could have realized. Grim had needed the pain and Jasper had needed the canvas.

"I see River's is making good use of you- How many more years left on your debt?" Grim didn't lower his gun and neither did Jasper.

"Fuck if I'm going to tell you that. Heard about that little stunt with the weapons. Thought you were smarter than that, especially if the rumours around the camp are right; shame to have such a pretty thing taken." Jasper grunted back, his teeth gleaming gold as he grinned at Grim.

"JASPER!" The driver bellowed, mustering up all his energy to sound like the officer River's had appointed him to be despite the fetal position he remained in. "Kill him!"

"Shut up." Jasper grunted, quickly turning the barrel of his gun to the soldier and squeezing the trigger. Jasper didn't blink, didn't spare the man a second glance as he slumped over, blood and brain spilling to the ground. Grim's gun finally lowered and his shoulder's drooped at the mention of Ruby.

"She's alive?" The words were husky, filled with more emotion and pain than Jasper had ever seen. The artist and the soldier weakened a little at the sight of his finest work and he felt a hand drag down the side of his face as his heart tugged him away from his duty.

"Yeah- River's got her in the holding cells." He let out a deep sigh as Grim sharply whistled calling Stanley to his side.

"You gotta get me in there. Jasper, I need to get to her." Grim pleaded. When Jasper didn't answer him right away Grim was about halfway to resigning himself to killing the man when Jasper dropped to his haunches a tentative arm held out to Stanley. Stanley didn't waste any time in stepping forward, his head bonking into Japser's hand after a quick sniff. The scene was adorable and Grim watched with a tight chest as the dark haired man let out half laugh, half sob.

"Look at you. I had a dog just like you as a kid." Jasper crooned, rubbing his hand along Stanley's fur until the great dog rolled to his back and offered his tummy to him. Grim couldn't muster a smile, couldn't find it within himself to appreciate what he was seeing- because Ruby should have been there to witness it with him. She should be here right next to him and he should be holding her.

"Listen, Jasper- this is important." Grim spoke after it seemed the tattoo artist was more than happy to spend his days petting the dog. The man let out one more great heaving sigh before lifting himself up, with a wry smile he looked towards the dead soldier.

"Well Grim, lucky for you I think a spot's just opened up in River's army."
 
Knowing that Grim was alive changed Ruby's trajectory completely.

Before Grant's second visit to her cell, she had been aimless, her main goal attempting to keep her head above water, to keep herself alive for as long as there was a possibility that Grim was still out there somewhere. In the back of her mind however, the thought that he wasn't... Ruby wasn't sure what would have happened to her then, if someone had told her that he'd perished with the rest of her home, her family, as she assumed that they all had.

Knowing now that he was coming to find her though and that he was in danger. Well, that changed things and for the first time since Ruby had been brought to Fort Haven, her mind began to tick, began to plan and her behaviour... just as Rivers suggested it should, began to change. Little by little, Ruby started to... give in. Not so much to startle anyone, but she began to accept the food that Riley brought to her, she began to chat to him when he tried to engage. She knew he was feeding back her progress to the man at the top, knew he was nothing more than Grant's little lapdog and while it turned her stomach to be in the same room as him anymore, she gritted her teeth and fought through it, knowing that she needed to do this. If Grim had a chance in hell of getting out of this alive, then he couldn't do it alone, and Ruby was going to give everything, everything that she had to make sure that he would. Because she loved him, and just like her mother, suddenly she had something, someone to lose.

It was a day later when Ruby was taken from her cell, wrists strapped together with binds as she was led to a new room, somewhere that she didn't recognise... somewhere that didn't have a bed in the middle, at least. The relief shuddered through her until exactly where she was came to light; the candlelit table, the smell of delicious food and there at the end of it... was Rivers himelf.

"Ah, so nice of you to join me, little one. Boys?" With one flick of his wrist the two men who had been leading her stepped forwards, and the rope around her own was cut so that she suddenly had complete freedom, and although it was tempting to act on it, Ruby clenched her fists, rubbing at the rope burn on her skin. Not yet. Not yet.

"Take a seat, darlin'. Riley has been telling me that you've been such a good girl recently, that I thought it was high time you received a little... reward. An incentive, if you will."

Without saying a word, Ruby sat at the other seat at the table, dirtied, her red hair a mess of grease.

"To do what?"

Rivers sat forwards a little, the candles gleaming in his eyes. "An incentive to keep on doing what you're doing, of course. To show you that you're on the right track... to remind you, what good behaviour can lead you to. This... is so much better than where you've been the past few days is it not?"

Ruby once more stayed silent because in truth, she'd take that god damn cell a thousand times over rather than sitting here, looking at the monster who was devouring her with those milky blues. Olive eyes flickered over the table as she tried not to fidget, noting that there was a steak knife in front of Grant, next to his plate. Not in front of hers, though. But If she could just...

"I have to say, I'm surprised that boyfriend of yours hasn't shown up here yet. Unless... you think he might have given up? Or worse... gotten lost or... hurt along the way."

Again, Ruby said nothing, trying not to rise to it. "What do you think, Ruby? You know him better than I do, after all."

The redhead gave a shrug, trying to let the words wash over her, the worry, as Grant finally dismissed the two men who had been stood by the door. She couldn't think about why that was right now and instead she reached forwards for some of the bread that sat before her, trying to use it to feign nonchalance, bravery.

"Does anyone really know anyone anymore?" She asked around a mouthful, to which Rivers gave a delighted laugh. "I'd like to think so, little one. Especially considering that I plan on getting to know you very well after this meal of ours."

Ruby's hands tightened around the bread roll, the food in her mouth suddenly turning to what felt like cement.

"But first... eat. You'll... need to keep your strength up."
 
"We'll have to finish the route if we want to get you in without rousing any suspicion." Jasper said, one hand on the wheel and the other over Stanley's head who had chosen the centre console as the perfect pillow. They were on their way, dust kicking up in their wake as Grim adjusted in his seat. It felt wrong to be a passenger in this capacity and he didn't quite know what to do with his hands, so he focused on emptying his gun and cleaning it with a rag he'd produced from a backpack.

"You'll have to follow my lead Grim, I can only get you so far and then it's up to you. I'm this close to be finished with Haven and all it's shit." Jasper kept his eyes on the road and he missed the way Grim's head jerked up and looked towards him with a sort of stunned expression. It hit him then, like a wrecking ball to the heart that this was how Ruby must have felt. How blind and stupid had Grim been to think that River's had any sort of honour left. Here was Jasper, clinging to the same hope that had driven Grim to do terrible things. There was no such thing as freedom or honour in this world and he'd been so caught up in his own sense of right and wrong to even understand that.

"He's never going to let you go- you know that Jasper?" Grim turned back to the weapon in his lap, his fingers skillfully turning the screw near the handle.

"What else am I supposed to do Grim? I'm not like you, I can't just leave willy nilly and survive on my own. I did that once and you know what happened." Jasper's dark eyes finally turned on him and Grim had the sudden image of Jasper's mangled limb hanging at an odd angle. He still limped everywhere. "At least this cage is safer than the one outside." He muttered. "What are you gonna do? What is Grim's master plan to get the girl back? Kill Rivers or something?" Jaspers mocking voice made Grim's jaw set.

"That's the plan." He muttered, ignoring the look of astonishment Jasper sent his way.

"Well shit..." Jasper let out a breath before tilting his head back and letting out a rich booming laugh. "You're stupider than I thought." They fell into silence after that, the cab filled with Stanley's soft snores and the metal clank of Grim's gun as he put it back together.

Fort Haven was just as Grim remembered, the old buildings seemed tossed together with the precision of a toddler and it's old metal walls were broken and falling apart in places. Haven was far enough away that they hadn't seen an infected attack in months. It made the encampment a more raucous environment than other places, with it's faded lighting and shrill screams that occasionally pierced the air. Grim forced his soldier's cap low on his head, hiding his face away from the guards who stood sentry at the gate. Jasper waved his hellos to the men before driving in and taking Grim into the streets he knew well. They'd arrived at streets Grim knew well. The brothel was the closest to the gates, placed there especially to lure travelers to the site- it made stealing their possessions that much easier. Grim caught the sounds of fake moans from the thin wooden walls as he and Jasper pulled down the lane, headed for the large area set aside for all of River's military vehicles. Once parked Grim turned to Jasper.

"I'm not asking you to come with me-"

"Good, cause I wasn't gonna." Jasper cut him off.

"You'll watch Stanley?" Grim didn't bother to roll his eyes at Jasper.

"You'll find me and buddy boy at our place." Jasper put a hand over his heart. "Oh and Grim?" Grim halted in the act of getting out of the car, turning his amber eyes to the man. "Give him hell for me." Grim gave a jerky nod in response, stepping out into mass of cars and trucks, bending low and keeping his gear and weapons close as he rushed for the nearby barracks. Through there was his easiest bet to get to River's unnoticed. Only three men stood in his way inside, their shocked faces rendering them still- though Grim didn't hesitate. He didn't fire his gun, instead choosing to opt for the more quiet route. His blade was sharp and deadly and the way he descended on the men was nothing short of herculean. Within seconds all three lay dead at his feet, their throats cut wide from ear to ear.

Grim wasted no time, working to hide the men in a nearby bathroom and freeing them of any ammo and weaponry. He donned the jacket next, the one that signaled to the camp that he was an officer for Rivers. Grim felt his mind go blank, slipping into the space of nothingness where his goal was the only option, where nothing would stop him from achieving it. In a strange way it almost felt peaceful, like the calm before the storm.

The walk across the camp was easy enough, those that were under River's rule were quick to avoid one of his officers and those that worked for him were quick to move along not wanting to face the wrath of man who seemed almost worse than satan himself. River's home was also the military base, and Grim slipped through the front door with little to no issue, though once inside his luck turned.

"Hey y-your that guy!" One of the officers standing guard pointed at him and Grim offered the man a cruel smile before lifting his gun and erasing all life from the soldier. His gunfire brought the attention of those around him and with expert aim Grim took down more men than he could count, their bodies littering the floor as he charged through the base, searching for the holding cells. Only when he got there, they were empty. A sick hollow feeling filled his stomach as he looked over the barren walls. The smell was horrible and Grim's eyes quickly scanned the floors and walls, looking for any sign of blood.

"She's not here." A cocky voice sent his head twisting and Grim turned his spiteful gaze towards Riley and the weapon he had trained on him. A sick sort of smile moved over Grim's features and he took an unhurried step towards Riley.

"You're going to take me to her." His voice was barely over a whisper, but Riley heard the cruelness tinged with each word all the same.

"No actually, I'm going to kill you. Once and for all and bring River's your head." Riley stood up straighter but Grim didn't miss the way the gun trembled in the boys hands. "Then Ruby can finally accept what River's and I already know." That statement showed Grim two things: One- Ruby was still alive. Two- she was fighting them every step of the way. That's my girl, he thought to himself.

"And what do you already know?" Grim stood at the end of the gun now, looking just unhinged enough that Riley took a step back from him.

"Th-that she doesn't belong to you. She's mine!" Riley bellowed. Grim didn't dignify Riley's stupidity with words, the boy was so far in River's pocket he wasn't worth it. When he got Ruby out she would belong to no one but herself. Grim would see to that. He moved like lighting, grabbing the gun in Riley's less than sturdy grip, barely blinking as it went off, the bullet careening into the cell just behind him. Riley's shout of dismay filled the air and Grim took great pleasure in turning the weapon on him. Oh he was going to enjoy making the boy suffer.

"Hold it!" A sharp voice drew him away from all thoughts of torture and Grim turned to see a good number of men pointing their weapons at him. "Drop everything! Hands in the air." He was too far away from the men to do anything but listen, his pack hitting the ground with a thunk followed quickly by his weapons. "Good." The soldier directed him forward and Grim stepped to where he was told and the large group of soldiers began to walk with him down the hall. He didn't have to ask them where they were taking him- he knew behind whatever door they opened River's would be there.

The solider knocked and at the sharp command that they enter Grim was unceremoniously shoved inside. He took in the scene, the dinner table, River's sitting at one end looking like a snake and Ruby at the other.
Ruby.
It took everything within him not to rush forward, grip her chin and take stock of every cut and bruise over her skin. Instead he stayed where he was, lifting his chin high as River's beamed at him like he was an old friend.
 
It was hard not to watch the steak knife as Rivers cut through the meat on his plate, the blood that coated it. From subtly glancing around the room, Ruby knew that was her only chance. The butter knives weren't sharp enough - there were a few plates and bowls that could cause a little bit of damage, maybe if she managed to smash one of them... Whatever she decided on though, it had to be quick, effortless. Grant was a snake, he was strong and she was weak after days of malnourishment and torture. One wrong move could undo everything she had worked for these past couple of days and so... for what she hoped would be the final time, Ruby did as she was told.

Her movements were almost robotic as she tried her best to feign nonchalance, as she answered Rivers questions about herself, about her camp with next to no waver in her tone. He didn't broach the subject of her mother, at least not yet and possibly wisely, because the redhead wasn't sure she'd have been able to keep it together if he did. Right now, the only thing that was keeping her from crumbling was the thought of Grim, of keeping him safe, of sticking to whatever deal Grant wanted to make with her to ensure that happened.

What she hadn't been expecting though, what she could never have been expecting, was the knock that came at the door in the next instance, with an irritated looking Rivers calling in the company and then... him stepping into the room.

Ruby's breath caught in her throat at the sight of him, that large, bear of a build, the tattoos that swirled across his skin, the light of dazzling fury in those amber eyes. She was sure her heart had stopped beating at that moment as she stared at him, unsure whether her mind was playing tricks on her, if she'd finally been driven to insanity... but then when she dared to flicker her gaze back to Rivers, when she saw that sick, wicked look of excitement on his face.... she knew that this had to be true. And that he'd seen how she looked.

Fuck.

Everything within Ruby had to work to stop herself from running to Grim, from forgetting everything else in that moment and hurling herself into his arms. He was alive and he was here... but that also meant that he was now in just as much danger as she was, if not more so.

"Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in. So nice of you to join us, Grim. Took you a little longer than I expected, I have to say. Your timing though, is impeccable. Ruby and I were just... getting to know each other a little more, weren't we?" The redhead swallowed, forcing herself to nod, much to Rivers' delight.

"Good girl," he crooned. "I bet it's quite a shock to see him again, isn't it? Or... is it? Now that Riley's finally helped you to see the light, the truth about what kind of monster you were so quick to jump into bed with." Ruby said nothing as she stared at the table and Rivers let out a rumbled chuckle.

"As touching as this reunion should have been, Grim, you have to understand, I don't think Ruby wants to see you as much as you do her... not anymore. Isn't that right, Rubes?"

There was a pause, before slowly, Ruby nodded her head. God, she didn't want to do this, everything within her was screaming to disprove the lies but... she had to. To keep him safe.

"Come here, little one." Those olive eyes, so conflicted looked back to Grant then and she could feel her heart rate beginning to pick up, the nerves... the nausea. But knowing she had no other choice, and knowing that if anything this would get her close to that damn knife, she stood from her chair, swaying a little and began towards the opposite end of the table, which once there... Grant did not hesitate in pulling her small form down onto his lap.

How Ruby didn't cringe away from him was some kind of miracle, as she felt the warmth of him pressing into her back, his lap beneath her. Grant hummed his approval, his finger trailing down her cheek, encouraging her to look at Grim and the men that surrounded him.

"Why don't you tell him, Ruby? Tell him that you don't want him anymore."

Olive eyes flickered once more from the knife, and then to Grim's shining ambers, almost pleading at him to understand what this was. Almost angry that he'd interrupted the plan she'd been so meticulously planning. "I..." She breathed, slowly, tentatively. "Don't want... you... anymore."

Grant let out a more raucous sounding laugh. "You see, Grim my old son? Doesn't take much for someone to see the real you, does it? Now boys, why don't you show ink here to the guest suite, hm? Stick him in Ruby's old cell. She'll be upgraded to my room tonight for her good behaviour."
 
Before Grim understood what was happening he felt hands restraining him, pulling him back as Ruby nodded her assent to Rivers. A low growl building deep within him as the man who had taken so much from the both of them crooned his praises, praises that Grim had once called Ruby. It couldn't be real- not after everything they'd been through. Grant kept speaking though, his venomous words slicing through his each vein in his heart like a knife. He knew better than to think Ruby had truly betrayed herself but when River's voice forced her to her feet and around the table to perch on his lap, Grim felt the tethers of his control snap.

He wanted to scream for Grant to keep his hands off Ruby, that he would enjoy tearing each finger from his hand and feeding it to him but instead Grim let out a noise that almost sounded like a bark as more hands took him, holding him back from Ruby and she claimed not to want him anymore. There was fire in her eyes and for one delirious moment Grim thought she might be angry at him- but surely that couldn't have been right. He was locked in on her, watching as her gaze slipped from his to the bloodied knife on River's plate then back to his. It clicked then and Grim pulled against the hold of his captors once more, leaning into the crazed look he was sure lit up his eyes.

"Sending me away already Rivers?" Grim jeered as he was shoved landing hard on the ground on his knees, the sound of a gun clicking and then the cool press of metal to his skull made him laugh. "What is this? You leave nothing but fodder in my way- letting me get to you and you're just gonna send me away right when your revenge is here for the taking?"

"Shut up." The gun pressed against his head reared back and then came colliding with the hard spot of bone just above his temple. Grim refused to do the soldiers the honour of making a noise. Instead he gritted his teeth, forcing a smile to his lips even as the sensation of split skin burned through his skull. Already he could feel the warm trail of blood leaking it's way down the side of his face. He could smell the deep copper of it as it dripped to the floor.

"You know I'm right Rivers." Grim spat out, his eyes narrowing on the way Grant tugged Ruby tighter to his body jostling her closer to the table. If only he could get the man riled up enough... Maybe then Ruby might have a chance. "You've never shied from an audience before, but then again-" His eyes shot to Ruby quickly almost imperceptibly, "-I suppose I would be a little gun shy too, knowing I could never make her mine in all the ways that counted." The flow of blood had seeped down towards the corner of his eye and down his cheek, cascading over his mocking grin. "Hard to make a woman come when she'd rather die than touch your weak useless dick."

"Oh Grim..." River's sighed like a parent might just before grounding a child. "I hardly believe someone of your... stature, could ever keep up with this little spitfire right here, but I'm sure we're more than happy to give you a little education." Grim couldn't stop his mocking grin from twisting into a sneer at the sight of River's clutching tightly to Ruby's hips, dragging her closer on his lap.

I'm gonna undo all this pain princess.

"Go on then. Educate me." Grim rumbled, someone gripped the loosing tie of his hair forcing his head back. From this vantage point he could see the four men crowded around him, though all of them were looking towards Rivers with a sick sort of fascination, like they were eager for the show. Angling his eyes down, Grim could see as River's considered his next course of action- clearly he hadn't been ready for any sort of audience. "I think he's scared boys." Grim laughed out, it sounded strained from the way his head tilted back. "Can't get it up, can he?" He taunted.

"Go on then boss. We don't mind." A soldier grinned at Rivers, his hungry gaze roving over Ruby as his tongue darted out to lick his lower lip. Grim made a mental note to cut it out.
 
Seeing the cold of the metal press into Grim’s head pretty much caused Ruby to stop breathing. Her whole body seemed to tense, even as she tried desperately to relax it in fear of whether Grant would notice, that he’d find out this was all an act. The flinch however, that came when he was hit hard in the temple, the stream of blood pooling and dripping down his face was inevitable, one that Ruby could easily explain as a natural reaction to such violent means, but one that was actually born out of the way she ached to go to him, to stop his pain, to claw the eyes out of the man who was responsible.

Even though she couldn’t, the feelings were all there, reflected in those olive hues that thankfully weren’t in Grant’s eyesight any longer. That also meant that she couldn’t see his reaction to Grim’s words but she could feel it, from the way he tensed under her legs as she tried to block out everything that wasn’t that steak knife, glinting on the table in front of her. If she could somehow just shuffle without him noticing, if she could just…

A rumble of something vibrated against her back then and before Ruby knew what was happening, a harsh grip was forming around her shoulders, jostling her, pushing her forwards. The redhead moved quickly even though she was off balance, swiping the knife with agile fingers as she was pushed onto the floor and the weapon went clattering a few feet away from her.

On all fours now, Ruby had only one focus, until the words… the actions of Rivers and his men finally seemed to filter through to her conscious thought, ones that she had successfully managed to block out until now.

Go on then boss. We don’t mind.

“You boys really want a show, huh?” Rivers growled as he fisted a handful of Ruby’s red hair and yanked her towards him, the small redhead whimpering softly between lips pressed together to try and stop any sound from escaping, preventing her from giving the monster who gripped her the satisfaction of knowing he was hurting her. “Then I’ll give you a show. You’re gonna regret the day you questioned my manhood, Grim. Mark my words.”

With a harsh push, Rivers pressed his hand against Ruby’s back, pushing her front into the floor. Panic was enveloping her now, gripping at her mind, threatening to freeze her body. This was all on her; she had to do this, had to reach that knife… otherwise… she could hardly consider the alternative.

Rivers was strong, keeping her in place as Ruby struggled to reach for the handle that felt like a million miles away, trying to wriggle, to squirm towards it as she heard the buckle of a belt behind her, as white noise began to filter through her thoughts, quieting her mind. If anyone spoke, yelled, screamed, she couldn’t hear them – everything about her in that moment had one focus, her fingers stretching desperately, clawing along the floor, praying for a miracle, anything…

Ruby was forced onto her back, with what intention she wasn’t sure but then…

The thrust came from nowhere, or seemingly from nowhere as Ruby timed her shot perfectly. No sooner than Grant flipped her over did she drive that steak knife through his chest, the vile creature letting out a cough and splutter as blood filled his mouth and his eyes looked down to where she’d pierced him in shock. Flecks of liquid scattered across her dirtied face and Ruby panted as she held the knife, leaning in just that little bit closer…

“That’s for my mother.” And then with one final pull, she wrenched the blade from Grant’s flesh, leaving him to topple on top of her, making it difficult to breathe, difficult to do anything that wasn’t see red and try to force herself from under him so that she could drive the knife into him again, and again, and again. There was blood everywhere as she straddled him, as she thought about all of the times she’d heard her mother scream, of what he’d been about to do to her… Nothing would ever be enough, she realised. Not even this.
 
At the sound of Ruby hitting the floor Grim struggled intensified against the hold of the men, they were distracted- their gazes focused on the heartbreaking sight in front of him. She was on all fours, red hair matted and knotted cascading down her face until it gripped tightly and Ruby was wrenched backwards, her neck curved backwards. Grim let out a low growl, the edges of his vision burning as tears he'd long thought himself incapable of shedding began to mingle with the blood on his face. Rough laughter grated against his skin and Grim felt his muscles riot at the idea of being caged while the woman he cared for more than anything struggled against River's. He'd meant it to go this far, knowing the distraction would be easier, but now that he was witnessing the brutality of it he hated himself for pushing Rivers this far.

He hated that he was witnessing what had likely made Ruby hate the man in the first place, hated that this world had birthed something so precious only to hurt it at every turn. As Ruby's hand inched closer and closer to that deadly blade on the floor Grim let the animal within him free. He could have sworn the floor beneath him rumbled with the force of his bellow as he forced himself forwards, ripping himself out of the men's distracted grasp- they were all too focused on the press of Ruby to the floor and the jangle of River's belt. In the same instant Ruby drove her blade into the Rivers, Grim swept his legs, knocking into four sets of legs with devastating force. The men fell backwards, shouting in surprise and tangling up with themselves as the hit the floor with a dull thud.

Grim wasted no time, lunging forward and ripping the gun stained with his blood from the soldiers hand. It was quick, and soon the men who'd leered at the sight of a woman on the cusp of irrevocably violent assault looked up at the ceiling with cold, dead eyes. He shot them twice in the head each, knowing it would also never be enough. Nothing would be.

Behind him Ruby straddled the corpse of her attacker driving the blade deeply into his body, raising the knife high over her head each time. It was like with each slice of the blade she imparted the revenge not only for herself but for those that had been hurt before. River's was a man who had found power through pain and it only seemed fitting that it be returned to him tenfold. Ruby's legs and arms were covered in his blood and Grim winced as she brought the blade down once more. There was a part of him that wanted to stop her, to pull her away from all the violence but he couldn't, not when the rage burned so fiercely in those olive eyes of hers. Finally when she seemed to tire he moved forward, they weren't out of the woods yet- the quicker they got out of Haven the better, but that rush didn't show. Not when Grim stepped to Ruby's side, carefully he dropped to a crouch so she could look at him when she was ready.

"Hey Red." The urge to gather her in his arms and hold her tight was overwhelming, but he couldn't bring himself to do that, not when River's had taken so much from her. He felt another tear escape the confines of his eye and he wiped at the stupid thing. Now wasn't the time to get emotional. Still, his voice cracked a little when he spoke next. "How about we make a trade?" Memories of their first meeting and their time in the camp rushed through him like water through rapids. I don't like sharing with strangers. Give me your name Little One. "I'll get you out of here, if you promise to never leave my side again." He gave Ruby a weak smile and stood offering his hand to her. It was time to get her out of here.

"You did good Ruby." There was so much more he wanted to say, so much he needed to say. It would have to wait, he could wait for her.
 
She couldn’t see, hear or smell anything that wasn’t the pain and suffering of the only family she had ever known.

The screams, the bruises, the torture that had been inflicted upon her mother at the hands of the man who now laid beneath her, oozing crimson red onto the floor around him, his cold, dead eyes staring, unseeing at the ceiling above their heads. Yet still Ruby brought down the knife in her hand, again and again until blood was sloshing up into her face, covering her, seeping into her clothes.

The actions were reminiscent of all of the heartache that Grant Rivers had bestowed upon her life and the people around her, as well as herself. Not only had her mother, had Grim suffered at the hands of this… monster, but she had too. In unimaginable ways.

Ruby needed to make sure. Needed to know that he was gone and he was never coming back. That she was safe. That Grim was safe. It’s all she had left.

It wasn’t exactly clear when her actions began to slow through sheer exhaustion alone. Her chest heaved with the exertion of the movements, her body and muscles trembling, soft whimpers pulling from her lips. For a small while she wasn’t aware of Grim moving towards her, of the gunshots that had echoed around the room, the pile of bodies that lay at his feet. All she could see was the mangled corpse she now sat on top of, or at least that was until she realised that there was a body beside her and a voice… a voice that was soft, familiar, tickling her ears.

Her initial reaction was to start slightly, to cower; she couldn’t help it, not when the only contact she had known for days was violence. However, it was when those olive hues, looking out from beneath the dirt and blood met amber that the glaze that had been covering them seemed to dissipate, as if seeing where she was for the first time, seeing what she’d done… “Grim?” Her voice sounded unfamiliar, distant as she looked from him, back to Grant and very quickly began to scramble off the body, dropping the knife onto the floor beside her.

“I… I didn’t… I…”

His following words to her however, ignited the same memories from their first meeting as they did for him and she looked at him again, wide-eyed, fearful… but not of him. Never of him. Perhaps usually she might have made a joke at this point, might have recited something to him that now meant so much to them but Ruby… couldn’t. She was just so relieved that he was here, that he was… alive. And she was with him.

Placing a shaking hand into his palm, the redhead allowed him to pull her up to standing but upon doing so, she launched herself at him, the tears, the sobs finally escaping her as she buried into his shirt, into the familiar warmth and sheer size of him. “I’m sorry,” she gulped, her voice raw emotion, unrecognisable; though for what she was apologising for, it wasn’t exactly clear. Her small hands fisted into the material of his top as her face pressed into him, hiding, seeking solace.

“I-I thought… I thought I’d never s-see you again.”
 
The woman at his feet had been through hell, crimson blood dripped from her clothes and skin, soaking the very ground he stood upon. Through the claret mottling her skin he could see deep purple green bruises, and it took every fiber of control within him not to reach for her hair so he might see better where the bastard had touched her. She flinched at his voice, at the words that had been shared between them and he felt the pressure in his throat intensify. Ruby reminded him of a caged animal- one that was too wary to test the bounds of her freedom. It seemed as if the reality of what she had done, what she had been through caught up with her and he watched helpless as she scrambled off the mangled corpse. What he would give to hold her.

It was clear, so clear to him that River's torture had been more than skin deep and for half a moment he hoped the corpse might let out on more weak breath so that he could snuff it out again. She looked at him then, finally resting those fearful eyes on him and Grim fought off the urge to wipe away the tears he knew were streaming down his face, the ones that mingled with the blood from his head wound. Instead he held his hand steady, hoping against all hope that she would take it. His breath caught and held and every muscle tensed as Ruby's crimson hand rose. It almost seemed as if Ruby didn't quite believe what she was seeing, that he was a mirage in the desert and reaching out to touch him would snap her back to her jail cell. Her skin was sticky against his but he didn't care, all that mattered was Red and how she launched herself at him, burrowing deep into his chest.

The scent of blood filled his nose, a deep copper that he could all but taste, but it didn't matter. Ruby shook, her whole body convulsing with the weight of her sobs and the gravity of what had been done to her. Strong arms, covered with ink circled her, one hooking around her waist anchoring her to him while the other found the back of her head and softly caged her there against him. Finally she spoke, her apologies shaky with the force of her cries.

"I've got you." Grim murmured, his own throat raw with emotion. His head bent and he rested a tear stained cheek against her temple, letting his eyes close as the two of them took what they needed from one another. He was exactly where he needed to be, and that was with her. When she confessed that she had thought they might never see one another again Grim let his hands softly cup the line of her jaw, drawing her gently back so he could look at those gorgeous tired eyes. "There is nothing, and I mean nothing in this world that would have kept me from you Ruby." He growled the words, his throat incapable of speaking normally.

From outside Grim caught the sounds of laughter as soldiers walked down the hall, unaware that their leader was no more and he was reminded now wasn't the time for grand declarations. Jaw setting and eyes blazing with determination Grim turned back to Ruby. "I need you to listen to me very carefully Red. We're gonna get out of here but I need you to stick close to me. I'm going to do everything I can to make sure this doesn't end terribly but I need your word you won't let go of me." To demonstrate where he wanted her he let his hand gently circle the small line of her wrist. He moved slowly, his grip loose so that she could pull out of it if it got too overwhelming and placed her hand at the belt near the small of his back. The two of them were covered in blood but they would take care of that later. "You've got me?" Grim asked, peering down at her and once he was assured she was good with the plan he turned.

"I want you to close your eyes for this part Red." Grim looked down at the corpse of Rivers, knowing he needed his proof. It was time to cut the head off the preverbal snake. Ruby's knife still lay embedded in the man's chest and Grim leaned down to pluck it out. It was duller now, but would be sharp enough to do what he needed. "Don't look Ruby." Grim grunted with the effort as he brought the knife down- wincing at the sound of tendon and bone snapping as he sliced. It was an old archaic tradition but it's message was just as powerful now as it was when men first used it. Soon the camp would know what had become of their ruler; now that Rivers couldn't exert his rule over the people of Haven it was far more likely they wouldn't have to fight their way out. Grim gripped his prize by the hair, and once he was assured Ruby was holding onto him he led the way out into the hall.

Silence met them, shocked expressions while others looked almost... relieved? Even Clay, River's right hand man stopped midway through pulling out his gun, his eyes settling on the man that had made him bear witness to all sorts of depravity. They walked out of the bunker, passing River's rooms filled with prizes and goods from a world long dead and when the fresh air and open sky's greeted them Grim threw what remained of Rivers at the ground. Carefully his hand laced through Ruby's and he walked them past onlookers and shocked faces all the way to Jaspers home. Jasper had nested in the remains of a shipping container, choosing to cover the metal walls with his brush and paint and marking it with bright paintings. The artist in question lounged on an dilapidated looking camping chair, his sketchbook out as he captured the image of Stanley resting at his feet.

"Well I be damned." Jasper huffed out a heaving laugh. "You fucking did it."
 
Gods, she never, ever wanted to let him go ever again.

Ruby fully gave herself to Grim in that moment, mind, body and soul, letting him hold her, letting him soothe away her tears, her weaknesses, her vulnerability. She had never been very good at not being the firecracker that everyone had come to expect her to be but right now, that part of herself… it had been dulled by the pain, the torture that the bloody corpse had inflicted upon her since she had been taken away from the one that she loved. Because she did love Grim. There was no doubt in her mind about that. Not anymore.

For a long while she let herself be protected by him, ignoring the wetness of the crimson that coated them both, ignoring everything that wasn’t the familiar warmth of those inked arms coddling her into his chest. When he pulled her back to softly run his hand along her jaw, teary olive met amber for the first time properly, taking in how they glistened with tears too, how there were salty streaks creating tracks in the blood that had dried upon his face. Ruby wasn’t the only one who looked like she’d been through hell and though it took her a couple of seconds, her eyes eventually flickered to the gash in Grim’s temple, processing, though her mind couldn’t quite catch up with the prospect of considering what he might have been through before he was speaking again, his voice a growl through his emotions that sent a shiver of… something down her spine. Need. Want.

More tears brimmed and spilled over upon hearing his words and it was all Ruby could do to nod, to show that she understood, that she felt the same because fuck, nothing would keep her from him again, not ever. All of her fears, all of her uncertainties; none of them mattered anymore. She knew what it felt like to lose Grim now and she wasn’t going to do anything that wasn’t making the most of every single second she had with him going forwards. Because she would be a fool not to. They both knew better than anyone how difficult it was to live in this world, and how lucky they were to be given an opportunity to not have to do so alone.

The next half an hour or so passed by in a blur, which saw Ruby all but glued to Grim’s side, even with Rivers’ head held by his hair in his large, inked hand. She was very much like a wounded animal, her eyes wide and fearful of those that surrounded them, that came out of the surrounding buildings to see what had become of the man that they followed, perhaps because they’d never had a choice to do anything but. It was for this reason that they made it through the crowds unscathed, to a place that Ruby didn’t know, to a man that Ruby didn’t know, though… she trusted Grim and from the way that the stranger greeted them, she knew that she could probably trust him too, even though it was the last thing she wanted to do right now. She simply didn’t have the energy to do anything different, however.

Olive eyes peered warily around the room, at the paintings, at the man in question as she sat up from his camping chair and took in the sight before him. Ruby considered Rivers’ remains on the ground outside for the first time then as the reality of the situation hit her in a wave; she hadn’t watched the process just as he’d advised but she knew it was there on the ground, knew what it meant, knew what she’d done… Her breaths turned a little shallow at the consideration but almost as though he sensed the impending panic, Stanley was in front of her in an instant, snuffling softly, looking for a hand, his brown eyes large and concerned. The redhead looked down at him, her fingers trembling a little as she reached out, letting him press his nose into her palm.

“Hey boy,” she whispered, before dropping into a crouch, her focus now upon the dog and absolutely nothing else. “You made it too, huh? Has Grim been looking after you? He has?” Stanley’s tail seemed to wag faster at Ruby’s tone and she giggled a little when he tried to lick at her face, her hand capturing his neck, his scruff and scratching just behind his ears where she knew he liked it. It was the therapy she needed, a moment of normality in amongst the chaos although what came out of her mouth next was perhaps rather unexpected, as her expression wavered and she stood suddenly, the fear that had melted from her back now in full force. She hadn’t even spoken to the stranger yet, but right now she couldn’t consider that, not when they could still be in danger.

“Grim… what… what happened to Riley?”
 
Grim didn't have a witty or snarky line prepared for Jasper's inevitable surprise, so instead he remained silent, letting his eyes drift over Ruby as she crouched in front of Stanley and whispered her greetings to the clearly excited animal. The small giggle that followed was like music to his ears and Grim only noticed the slight upwards curve of his lips when Jasper gaped at him, clearly astonished that his face was even capable of something like smiling. The smile fell away however when Ruby turned those olive eyes to his and asked about the boy who had started this whole mess for them in the first place. Truthfully, Grim hadn't given Riley much thought, his sole focus had been getting Ruby away from Rivers and his deplorable hands.

"I ran into him near the jail cells." Grim considered, "I haven't seen him... since." he trailed off, unsure of what to say that wouldn't bring a flood of memories back to either of them.

"Is he still looking for you?" Jasper asked. Grim lifted his gaze from Ruby to peer at his friend. Jasper's dark eyes scanned over Ruby, taking note of the blood and bruises that covered her. Grim nodded and caught the sound of a faint crack. It took him a moment to understand the pencil gripped tightly in Jasper's hand had snapped. "You remember the hideout, Grim?"

"Yeah... What about it?" Instead of answering him, Jasper dug through his pants pocket and pulled out a small key that opened a heavy duty lock. The one Grim knew would be on the cellar doors of Jasper's hideaway. It could be found just twenty minutes outside the walls, a small unassuming cabin that had long since been looted. Most of the patrol paid it no mind, but Jasper had found it's wide cellar had been the perfect place to tattoo and earn his coin without River's skimming from the top. It was a place that Grim knew well having spent many an hour in the dim lighting. Despite it being a cellar he knew it to be comfortable enough, with a shower, bed and enough supplies to stay out of sight for a few days. Grim caught the keys sailing towards him with a single hand and twisted the metal in his hands.

"You're sure about this?"

"Yeah, I say this with all the love in my heart but the both of you look like shit. I'll keep my eyes open for this Riley guy." There was a moment where Jaspers eye's lingered on Grim's before slipping to Ruby and then back up to him, the silent question all but screamed in the space between the two of them. Was Riley responsible for this? Grim could only give a small barely detectable nod, once more the pencil in Jasper's hand gave way to the anger roiling through the artist. "I'll update you as soon as I know anything more."

"Thanks Jasper." Grim shook the man's hand before turning back to Ruby. Jasper only grunted in return and slipped away past the metal doors of his house. Carefully Grim crouched next to Ruby, wincing only a little at the hazy pain that lanced through him. Gods he was tired. "Just a little bit further to go Ruby. Then we can rest." He gave her a soft smile, one that would tell her in no uncertain terms how he was looking forward to that.

Together they traversed through the small hole in the wall Jasper had cut out long ago and wandered down an old dusty path that led the way to the cabin- completely unaware of the shadow that followed them with its greedy gaze. It waited as Grim and Ruby unlocked the old cellar doors and flipped them open. It watched with baited breath as they disappeared into darkness. He would keep waiting, watching with his grip held tightly over the knife in his hand.

"Soon Ruby." Riley whispered into the darkness.
 
There was an undeniable tremble that had begun in Ruby after she had asked her question, her eyes suddenly darting towards the door, to the shadows in the corners of the room, as if Riley himself might jump out of them at any moment. While he was still unaccounted for it was a very real, haunting possibility in the redhead’s mind because… he was responsible for a lot worse.

The snap of the pencil brought her back to the present and she straightened from where she had been crouched with Stanley who whined slightly with the sudden lack of contact. The panic in her stance was evident and although she didn’t show it, she was grateful for Grim and the stranger taking charge, making a plan, one that she would only have to follow. She nodded silently in response to Grim’s assurance that they didn’t have far to go and this time, she did speak to Jasper as they passed him by. “Thank you,” was all that she managed to utter before she and her gentle giant were climbing through the whole in the wall and heading to wherever they might be able to rest.

It didn’t take them long to follow the dusty path to the hideout and Ruby waited patiently, shivering a little in the wet clothes that clung to her but saying nothing as Grim fiddled with the lock that once undone, finally allowed them inside. For a long few moments olive eyes took the place in, assessing, blinking, as though they couldn’t quite believe this small space of haven really existed, as though she couldn’t quite believe that she and Grim were here. “H-He really kept this place a secret from River for all that time?” She asked with a small shake of her head, brushing a matted strand of hair away from her face.

“I don’t know how he did it. Being with his men, down in those cells… they had eyes everywhere, Grim. I didn’t think… I wasn’t sure you’d ever be able to…” Another shudder rippled through her before Ruby’s gaze finally met Grim’s and tentatively, almost a little hesitantly, she began towards him, stopping just in front of him and raising her hand towards his temple. It felt almost… experimental, as though Ruby was testing out how touch like this felt again after… everything.

Needless to say she remained completely oblivious to the threat that lurked in the darkness.

“You’re hurt,” she whispered, her fingers cold against the warmth of his skin. “I’m sorry that I couldn’t protect you. I-I tried, Grim. I really, really tried.”
 
The inside of the Jasper's hideaway was perfect for their needs, Grim's gaze swept over the softly lit space, taking note of how Jasper had ensured the windows near the ceiling would not allow for anyone to peek in while still allowing for light to filter though. Dust danced in the beams of light, drawing his attention to the back corner where a frayed shower curtain hid an old rusted shower head. He knew immediately that he wanted to get Ruby in there and wash away any traces of the blood on her before tucking her into the small cot Jasper had laid out as well. He locked the door behind them, pulling the thick wooden bar over the cellar doors and ensuring it was snug before stepping into the space fully with Ruby. While the space was certainly adequate, with him in there he felt almost as if he was too big.

"Jasper's got a good relationship with the guys that tend to patrol this side of the wall. They don't bother him and Jasper's more than happy to give a few free pieces to those that need a little extra push. River's was never the one to join anyone on patrol." Grim shrugged, his eyes taking in the matted hair that Ruby tried to push away. Dried blood clung to the strands and he regarded her with a gentle smouldering gaze as she stepped forward. Ruby's hand lifted, sending the small particles of dust in the air dancing around her as she tentatively reached up and Grim felt the deathly cold of her hands against his burning skin. At her apology he let out a low rumble of disapproval.

"Don't worry your pretty little head about me Ruby. I don't want you to regret or analyze anything right now, not when you did what no other person has been able to do. You saved a lot of lives today." He rasped, unable to help himself as he pressed his own warm hand over the fingers that seemed like ice. "All that matters right now is getting you clean and warm, we'll worry about the rest after." Grim and Ruby turned towards the shower and Grim resisted the urge to tuck her neatly into his side. He knew the act would comfort him but he still hadn't gotten enough of a read on Ruby to ensure his touches wouldn't trigger her. Instead he spoke softly to her, telling her that he was going to turn on the shower to get the water nice and warm for her and when he turned back to her he gave her a soft encouraging smile.

"Can I help you out of these clothes Red?" There wasn't anything pitying in his gaze, instead those amber eyes of his were filled with compassion and dare he admit it- love. No one, not even before the rise of infection had ever looked at him like she did. She looked at him like he held the answers to every question and desire that bloomed within her and he wanted so desperately to keep earning that look from her. He wondered what she might see in his eyes, if she knew how much she had changed within him for the better. Before her Grim had just been existing, with her at his side he felt alive.

Carefully he approached her, his strong fingers pausing just before touching the hem of her shirt. He kept his gaze on her, waiting for her permission.
 
Grim's tone was infinitely gentle and Ruby responded to it immediately, the guilty tension that had been held in her shoulders relaxing just a fraction, her too busy mind trying to focus on what he was saying, on breathing through her inner turmoil. She should have done better, it was as simple as that - she should have done more to keep him safe, to deter him from coming after her.

None of these thoughts however, could convince her that she wasn't glad he was here now, that they were reunited, together again. Olive eyes could see in amber that Grim meant every word, that he wanted to take care of her as much as she had wanted to him. All that she really needed to do now was let him.

Slowly but surely, almost a little robotically, Ruby nodded to his reassurance and again when he asked if they could remove the blood crusted clothes that now felt like they were sticking to her body. She regarded him quietly, when those large hands reached the hem of her shirt, when he tugged it over the top of her head and she held her arms up so he could do so.

The removal of the first layer revealed the extent to which Ruby was injured, the purple/yellow bruises that littered her back and her ribcage, stark against pale skin. She didn't shy away from it though, not that or Grim's touch. How could she when it was so incredibly different to the violence that had been inflicted upon her under Rivers' control?

Within minutes she was out of her clothes, already shivering against the cold, her body instinctively reacting to the steam that was pouring from the shower. Before they could start towards it though, the redhead paused again, her eyes glimmering in the shadows. "Your turn," she explained softly, maybe even with the faintest hints of mirth that softened once more if Grim obeyed.

Only then, would Ruby take his hand and guide him into the waiting shower.
 
With each layer of clothes that was removed from Ruby's body it unveiled a whole slew of new marks and bruises. It was impossible not to look at angry purple green marks and not feel the pulse of anger that seemed to always find its way to the surface with Grim. That fury lit up the compassion in his eyes and soon those amber eyes were blazing coals once more. He couldn't even begin to describe what it meant to him when she did not shy away from his touch or when she invited him to peel back the tattered remains of his own garb.

The water was warm against their skin, slicking away the dirt and grime. Even with the sound of the spray Grim could just barely make out the soft snores of Stanley as he curled up under the cot and waited for the two of them to return. Grabbing a nearby cloth, Grim wet it letting a floral smelling soap froth in the material before drawing it gently over Ruby's shoulders. The silence between them wasn't filled the looming pressure of needing to talk, instead to Grim found comfort in it. Ruby let him wash her from top to bottom, and it let him take note of every injury she'd sustained. It felt like both a blessing and a curse that he could no longer dish out his justice to Rivers- though Riley was certainly in a world of hurt if Grim ever got his hands on him.

When they were both cleaned and not a speck of blood remained stuck to their skin Grim found his hands gripping the strong line of her jaw, tilting her head up. His forehead pressed against hers, the lines of their noses matching as he rested his head there. Water dripped between them, sliding down the slope of his cheek only to land on the plush skin of her bottom lip. He stayed like that a long while, unable to find the words to describe how he was feeling. He could only hope that Ruby understood his need to press himself tight to her and never let go. When the water slowly started to turn cool Grim twisted off the shower and grabbed them both towels, making sure to drape the biggest fluffiest one over Ruby before starting to dry himself off.

"So I think we need a new rule." Grim said, digging through some of Jaspers supplies and pulling out shirts and pants for the both of them. While they might be a little tight on him he was certain Ruby would have to ties the draw string of the sweats thrice over in order to make sure they would stay up. The thought made him smile as he tossed the clothes her way. "In the future there will not be a single moment that you leave my sight." Grim couldn't decide if he was joking or not. With a great heaving sigh he let himself fall back onto the cot, a soft chuckle forced from his lungs as Stanley, the great beast he was tried to fit himself on Grim's lap. Grim's fingers dove into the dogs fur, clinging to the strands like they were a life line that might calm him. The energy and rush of what had occurred was slowly starting to catch up with him.

"Shit!" He sat up and Stanley gave a rumble of disapproval as he slid off Grim's lap. "You must be fucking starving." Cursing himself and his thoughtlessness Grim strode for the shelves filled with supplies once more. Grim peeked over his shoulder, the question of if she wanted soup or rations dying a swift death on his lips.

"Are you alright Ruby?"
 
Their shower was gentle, loving. It was everything that Ruby needed it to be.

For once, she allowed Grim to take care of her without complaint, without trying to return the favour. She was quiet while he washed her, lathered sweet scented soap into her battered skin, took care to clean away every inch of her ordeal until there was nothing left.

If only cleaning her on the inside were as easy.

While he held her face close to his, Ruby didn’t move, her gaze downcast, soft lashes dripping with droplets fanning against the tops of her flushed cheeks. The water from Grim’s nose poured onto her lip and Ruby for a long while basked in the warmth of their closeness, of feeling his breath tickle her skin, of the anticipation of wanting more but being much too tired to do anything about it.

There was time for that, even though the past couple of days had left her feeling as though she didn’t have any time at all. As though it could be dragged away from her in a heartbeat and she needed to make every moment count.

These churning thoughts were eventually broken by Grim turning the water off and encouraging them both into towels, which Ruby held around herself as she perched on the end of the bed. She didn’t say a word, only humming a small smile in response to Grim’s rule as her thoughts remained disjointed, distant. Even the sight of Stanley on his lap didn’t quite rouse her as it might have usually done, and she hardly noticed when he shifted the dog off and remembered that she must be hungry.

On the contrary, Ruby didn’t feel hungry at all, not when there was something much more important lingering on the tip of her tongue.

Water slid down her back from the ends of her fiery red hair, most of it slicked back behind her ears. Her gaze was elsewhere until Grim spoke to her directly, his words suddenly blinking her back into place, seemingly into her own body. It took her a few moments to process what he was asking her, but once she had, she smacked her lips in thought while she tried to formulate an answer.

Was she alright?

She didn’t know.

“Mm,” she eventually managed. “I… will be. I think.”

A small frown creased into her forehead and Ruby’s gaze dropped to the hands in her lap that were clasped limply on top of her thighs.

“Grim…?” She eventually started again, inhaling deeply and exhaling just as slowly before she looked at him once more, properly this time.

“I… you know that I love you, don’t you?” The words were spoken softly, barely above a whisper and they came out so suddenly that even she for a moment, wondered if she’d actually spoke them. She had though. The room could feel it and so could she, pounding like a fire within her heart. Yearning. Needing.

“While I was in the cell, I thought I’d never get to tell you that so… now we’re here, together, I just… I need you to know. I love you.”
 
She looked so small there, nestled against the edge of the cot, the towel draped over her like a comforting blanket. Ruby's shoulders seemed slumped, like she was caving in on herself as she struggled to find the words to express how she was feeling. Grim could relate in his own way, knowing how difficult it was to understand and connect the pain and suffering to what had happened. It was like the emotions had woven this impossible to untangle knot within him and the more he struggled to understand the tighter the knots became. Experience told him that what Ruby needed most was time, and when she was ready she could pull apart the strands of feeling and emotion and organize them as she saw fit.

She spoke his name, it was soft, barely above a whisper and it garnered his full attention. He shifted away from the dusty packs of food and when Ruby lifted her olive eyes to his he felt like a deer caught in the headlights. There was something so expressive in that face of hers, tired and yet so inexplicably hopeful despite everything. It humbled him and when she whispered her soft heartfelt confession Grim could have sworn he felt his knees buckle under him.

Him.
She loved... him?

Grim must have been looking at her so slack jawed and surprised that she hurried on, explaining that she'd thought of him even as the walls of her cell were closing in on her. Grim was standing at the opposite end of the cellar in one moment and in the next he was crouching in front of Ruby, pressing a warm calloused hand to the hands she held tightly in her lap. She looked at him like he'd hung the moon and for her he knew he would do his damnedst to have done anything she asked of him.

"Fuck." He bit out the word like it pained him, and without thinking about Ruby's most recent past experiences he reached out, gripping her chin with his fingers and holding her gaze tight to his. "You don't know what those words mean to me Red. What they fucking do to me." He rasped out. They dwindling space between them smelled like the soap and shampoo they had used and yet he could still scent the traces of Ruby underneath it all, the earthy feminine fragrance that was undeniably her. "I know you love me princess. You can't look at me with those fucking eyes of yours and hide that." He brushed her still damp hair from a cheek, tucking it with along with the other strands that had found rest behind her ear. "I love you Ruby, and I'm never letting you go again." He whispered his last words, something bubbled up deep within him as he spoke those three little words that he hadn't spoke in years. It was like a dam within him had broken open and his blood felt almost carbonated- he was buzzing with the new found freedom those words gave him and he cupped either side of her face and with a rakish grin he repeated them.

"I love you."
 
Oh, she knew. She knew what those words did to him, because they did the same to her too.

Even once she had spoken them, Ruby’s gaze never faltered, her voice settling around them, the meaning of them pressing into their shoulders like a weighted blanket. Maybe once she might have been scared of uttering them, scared of what they meant but… not anymore. Not when she had felt the fear of believing she’d never see Grim again. Nothing could top that and certainly not the fear of loving him.

Olive eyes stayed steadily trained upon his large form as he moved across the room and dropped down to a kneel in front of her. They searched amber, not wanting any particular response but just wanting to know that he’d heard her, that he understood.

The rasped response when it came, was more than she could ever have hoped for.

Ruby’s eyes were brimming with unshed tears as those warm, calloused hands cupped her cheeks, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. It was when Grim finally returned his feelings that they fell however, slipping from the corners of her eyes and meeting his fingers. Something within the redhead broke upon hearing them… or was it that it mended? Either way she felt something she hadn’t felt for a long time, she felt contentment, she felt warmth and she felt… so much less alone. The feeling was beautiful, unmatched in its intensity and she couldn’t help but hiccup a smile when Grim grinned at her and spoke them again, the meaning washing away the darkness she had held in her heart, salving it, curing it.

“I love you,” she whispered again through her tears and this time there was no holding her back. Ruby surged forwards, capturing Grim’s mouth with her own, fiercely, passionately… yet oh so softly all at the same time. Her arms looped around the back of his neck, pulling him into her, closer. It wasn’t even a want for him anymore, it was a need. Raw and vulnerable and oh so desperate.

Their lips danced against each other and Ruby encouraged Grim towards the bed, inviting him to cover her so that she could lay on her back and stare up at him, wanting to feel lost in him, engrossed, engulfed.

“Show me how much,” she whispered, her hand moving from his neck, trailing towards his shoulders, fingers lightly tracing his collarbone. “Show me how much you feel this, AJ. Please.”
 
A single tear broached the dam swelling in Ruby's eye and Grim caught the errant drop with his thumb, it's journey halted when it broke against his skin. Ruby seemed to bloom beneath his touch, comforted by the words that had been so easily given to her and truly it had been so easy; so right. She whispered those words again, I love you, and Grim could have sworn he was capable of fighting off a hundred infected in that moment. That unwavering trust she seemed to have for him fueled him more than he could have ever known possible. He felt young, less like the old weary man he'd perceived himself to be- but more like a mighty warrior who was relishing in his spoils.

Her lips met his and Grim let out a desperate groan of pleasure as the fire within Ruby roared back to life. She molded herself to his body, using the anchor of his neck to pull herself closer and Grim was all to eager to feel every bit of her against him. He obliged her silent plea and dropped his hands to her thighs, lifting them over his own hips and kept her anchored there. Their breaths mingled in the air between them, soon to be devoured by the crashing of their mouths once more as Ruby drew Grim down towards the cot. Her back hit the soft fabric and his hands found rest on either side of her head as he hovered over her.

Her touch was like fire over his skin, warming him to his very core as she dragged her fingers over his shoulders and in. Had she moved those sinful hands of hers any further up she would have felt his pulse jumping in his neck as her words settled deep within him. Ruby knew every bit of him, the good, the bad, the angry- the horrible name he begrudgingly loved and when she uttered it then he felt almost as if everything was right.

"Hold tight Red." The order was given through gritted teeth, ones that soon unclasped only to tug at Ruby's earlobe as he husked in her ear. "When we're through there won't be any doubt." His fingers found the parts of her he knew would make her arch against him, so that she could feel just how much every part of him loved her. There was a wry smile on his lips as he growled "You want me to show you? Open those pretty legs for me then sweetheart." He whispered his love as he drew her towards that delicious precipice. Praised her for her devotion as they joined, he worshiped her with his body and words. He told her everything, whispered the silly little thoughts that plagued him, confessed each and every feeling that was embedded deep within him for her. Sweat glistened on his shoulders, his back as finally he let himself fall.

"I love you."

In their usual fashion, Grim woke before Ruby, and while it took a bit of doing he managed to extricate himself from the tangle of limbs they had become. While he wanted nothing more than to lay there with her the truth of the matter was they both needed something to eat. Soon a small camping stove was lit and Grim stirred the contents of some canned soup while looking over the lounging form of Ruby. Her hair was mussed, having dried in precarious precision from sleep and from when his hands had gripped those strands tightly and held her close to him while his mouth devoured hers. She'd whispered his name time and time again during the night, and Grim's soul felt a bit raw after that. It was hard to describe the culmination of his past self and the one he'd grown into. A.J wasn't capable killing, let alone severing a mans head- and yet there were parts of that person who had once been that slowly flared back to life with each touch from Ruby. The man who'd relished in surviving wouldn't have cooked a meal for someone.

When the stew bubbled and it's aroma filled the small space Grim quickly filled a three bowls, offering a bit to Stanley who'd stood guard over them and then taking a seat on the edge of the cot.

"Rise and shine Ruby. I want you to eat." He'd started off the sentence bright and cheery, just like he'd meant, but by the end of it his concern for her well being was clear. "Hey, open those gorgeous eyes and let me take care of you." Grim grumped after a moment.
 
Their joining was everything that Ruby needed and more, as it always was. She needed Grim’s words, his touch; those growled demands that he knew drove her crazy, the roaming hands that would shoot her into bliss. She needed to lose herself to him, needed not to think, needed only to feel loved and desired and everything that she knew he could provide for her, and she repaid him in kind. Her own touch never faltered, her hands and legs clinging to him as she gasped into his ear, repeating the words that were so freeing, so vulnerable. Ruby had never, ever opened herself up to anyone like this before and she knew now, that she never would with anyone else again.

It wasn’t clear how long that Ruby slept for. It was the first time in a long time that she had felt safe, that she didn’t need to keep one eye open for what might be coming next. So, when she awoke it was to the soothing sound of Grim moving around somewhere not far from her, to the smell of home cooking. For a moment she found herself wondering if she was dreaming, considering that this couldn’t possibly be her reality, not after so many days in hell.

Her olive eyes were blurry as they blinked back to life and were finally met by the familiar sight of the man that she loved and Stanley on the floor, tucking into whatever Grim had cooked up for him. A small smile crept onto her features as she stretched her bruised body under the sheets, very much taking her time to wake up, which she knew that Grim didn’t enjoy. “Mm, too tired,” she mumbled, and then snorted at the grump that took a hold of his tone in response. “You want to take care of me?” She repeated, finally giving in with a sigh and pulling herself into sitting, her hair a ruffled mess of fire. “You sure you’re up to that, grandad? At your age?”

A flash of teeth immediately followed; Ruby was by no means miraculously better, but she felt… lighter this morning. Much more like herself.

Shuffling then, still half under the sheets, the redhead moved herself closer, her small hand tilting Grim’s bearded chin towards her own. “Alright,” she murmured before pressing her lips to his, once, twice, a third time. “I’ll let you. But be warned… I could get very used to this.” Another kiss, her fingers stroking the sides of his face, her own remaining impossibly close as her gaze raked over Grim’s features.

“So. What’s for breakfast?”
 
his automatic response to her teasing was to rumble out his feigned displeasure, though in reality Grim was secretly rejoicing in the it. He hadn't expected to see a flash of the Ruby he'd come to know so quickly, but truly it was a testament to the strength she carried within her. Immediately he felt the surging of pride flow deep within him, and he leaned into Ruby's touch as she tilted his chin closer to her. Her kisses were soft and sweet, and by the fourth he was quick to throw in a small nip to her bottom lip as she settled back in the bed.

"Stew, very fancy. It's from a can and everything." Grim deadpanned, pressing the warm bowl into her hands and remaining right where he was so they could both enjoy their meals. Whenever Ruby was in arms reach he couldn't seem to resist the urge to have some part of himself rest against hers. His knee did that now, lifting up from the ground to lay along the cot and press against the thighs that he loved being between. They chatted amiably for the duration of their stew and were washing their dishes when a pattern of rhythmic knocks came from the cellar door sending Stanley into a tizzy of excited barks and tail wags.

"Well..." Grim drawled as he made his way towards the cellar doors to unlock them. "Stanley isn't much of a guard dog." Grim pushed open the doors revealing a pleased looking Jasper.

"It's because he smells his best friend in the whole wide world." Jasper announced, hopping down the stairs and into the space. Now that he wasn't solely focused on returning Ruby to her rightful place Grim took the time to study his old friend as he bent to greet Stanley, chuckling softly as the dog laved him with kisses. Jasper seemed to be around the same size as him, in not a bit leaner. His old friend sported tanned skin and dark hair that was shaved along the sides, save for the top of his head where he'd let his hair grow into a more Viking sort of style. Dark swashes of ink decorated his exposed arms and if Grim looked close enough he could see the thin white scars the ink did it's best to hide.

"Ruby, I'd like you to officially meet Jasper." Grim's arms folded over his chest and he leaned against the wall, watching as Jasper stood and offered a hand to his girl.

"It's nice to see you looking a little less worse for wear." Jasper flashed her a smile, but Grim could see the empathy behind the artists eyes. "Things have been busy while you two have been resting."

"Any sight of Riley?" Grim asked immediately.

"One of the girls from our lovely establishment could have sworn she saw him sneaking through the streets last night, but she was also so high we just about had to scrape her off the ceiling. It's been quite the party now that River's isn't bogarting his goodies." Jasper chuckled. "I've got a few men on the lookout however."

"So what's next then?" Grim asked, bending slightly to pat Stanley as he walked past the two men and straight for Ruby. It pleased him immensely to see Stanley wrap his large body around Ruby's legs once, then twice before settling his rump right on her feet, as he looked up at the redhead with nothing but adoration.

"That's what I came here to talk about." Jasper looked longingly at the dog. "Haven's likely to go up in smoke without any leadership, but I'm sure we could snag a truck or two and all the supplies we need to move along, or..." Jasper trailed off, glancing down at his nails- failing miserably at seeming casual.

"Or?" Grim rumbled out, placating his friend.

"We could do something about Haven." His shoulder lifted in a shrug. Both men turned to Ruby, gauging her reaction.
 
Sitting and chatting with Grim over a bowl of a stew was just another small gift that Ruby needed. The conversation was free, easy and she all but wolfed down her bowl of food, having not eaten properly for days. By the end of it, she was practically licking her bowl and fighting Stanley off of her as they wrestled for the leftovers between them. It was this small flurry of happiness and excitement that the knock at the door interrupted and Ruby immediately froze up, even as Stanley's reaction itself was enough to tell them that they weren't in any danger.

The redhead turned slowly to watch Grim open the door and for Jasper to walk through to one hell of a greeting, though Ruby couldn't quite muster up the courage to smile just yet. She eyed him a little warily, but relaxed a little when he addressed her directly. This was fine. He was fine. Grim trusted him, Stanley did and so she could, too.

To his kind words, she gave a slow, thoughtful nod, olive eyes taking in the outstretched hand, the ink. Carefully, Ruby grasped his fingers in return. "Thank you for letting us have this place for the night," she offered back just as quietly, settling back against the kitchen units as the two men launched into their discussion.

At the mention of Riley, Ruby's gaze immediately dropped the floor, filling with guilt, shame and... fear. It was fear that was trembling through her body at the thought that he was still out there, waiting... Before she could spiral into the darkness of her thoughts however, the question was turned onto her and she lifted her gaze to meet amber, to roam over Jasper as she realised that they were waiting for a reply from her, a reply that wasn't immediate but measured. Much calmer than she felt.

"Why don't we let the people decide what they want to do?" She suggested with a small shrug. "They've not had a choice for so long, it only seems fair that they have some say in what happens to this place. Then depending on what they decide, we can make our decision, too. If I'm being honest," Ruby went on, holding out a hand for Stanley as he trotted over to her and pushed his nose into her palm. "I'd love to get out of here and never look back but... the world isn't set up for doing that anymore. Haven has supplies, safety." Her eyes flickered to Grim's then, searching, reading.

"We need to consider that."
 
It was to be expected that the addition of someone new might take a little getting used to, Grim's eyes bounced between the two people he felt the safest with and wondered what they thought of one another. Jasper tended to charm folks with his happy go lucky nature, Grim had seen countless men and women curl themselves into Jaspers arms without a second thought; and while he wanted Ruby to feel comfortable with Jasper there was a more caveman part of himself that was pleased to see that Ruby seemed hesitant of Jasper. Her trust was his and his alone. Both men waited patiently was Ruby worked through her thoughts and when she suggested that they give the people the vote Grim's lips turned up in a wry smile.

"How very democratic of you." Grim teased, his head shaking almost as if he didn't believe that such a person could still exist in this harsh world. "You truly were born in the wrong time, weren't you Red?"

"She's certainly on to something." Jasper gave Grim's arm a shove- his dark grey eyes lighting with amusement. "But I can respect the desire to leave such a place, Haven has always been famed for is debauchery. It'll be hard to change that, even if it's a team effort."

"Then I suppose we'd better put it to the people." Grim let out a sigh his inked hand running down his face. "You say it's quite the party right now, Jasper?" Jasper nodded. "I can't imagine most people would be receptive to talks of change right now, besides... I don't know how I feel about us leaving this place with Riley still on the loose." Grim's gaze slid to Ruby, the apology apparent in his eyes for even muttering the bastards name again. "I just want Ruby to be safe." He finished. For a long moment Jasper stared at him, a slow and easy grin blooming on the artists face, making Grim grumble. "What?" He muttered.

"You're fucking adorable right now man."

"Fuck off." Grim tried to ignore the blaze of his cheeks as Jasper leaned towards him to give a friendly boop to his nose. "I liked you better when you were afraid of me, there was less of this annoying...talking." That made Jasper bark out a laugh.

"Alright, how about this? I leave, join the party and start sowing the seeds of our idea and tomorrow I return for the both of you with a couple of my guys. That way the little fucker that's still after you has a few more folks to go through should he decide to do something stupid. We get you in front of the people and when they see the famous grumpy Grim turn into a love sick fool they'll listen to just about anything. Then Boom! Democracy!" Jasper finished his rambling with a clap of his hands for dramatic effect. "Or... you two could always come with me now... You know how Martha throws those great orgies, Grim. I'm sure we'll get one of those tonight." Jasper winked at Grim, and waggled his brows at Ruby. "It's quite the event Ruby, I assure you."

"Absolutely not." Grim rumbled out, the idea of anyone else touching Ruby making his hands form into fists.
 
Despite Ruby's uncertainty, she couldn't help but smirk and offer Grim a gentle eyeroll in return at his teasing. Had she always been so democratic? She wasn't really sure; it seemed that her time with Rivers had tempered her fire just a little, hopefully just for now, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing when it came to decisions like this one. Plus, if Ruby was honest... she was mainly thinking about what she would have wanted if someone had come along and murdered Grant while she'd been under his care. Not another leader hellbent on turning the place into their own vision, but an opportunity. A choice.

Ruby listened to Grim and Jasper with a blank expression until the latter began to tease the former; her heart swelled with feeling upon hearing the words that Jasper did, but her face blossomed with amusement too. She was absolutely warming to Jasper, there was no doubt about it and she could see why Grim liked him, and why they get on. Jasper seemed to be a very hard person not to like.

The redhead's smile only began to fade when Jasper outlined what sounded like a very solid plan, nodding along in agreement and unable to hide her elation at the prospect of she and Grim staying in their hideout for just a little bit longer. Although at the mention of Martha's orgies, her eyes narrowed. "Oh you know how she throws them, do you Grim?" Ruby asked, her expression turning to a smirk wen Jasper waggled his eyebrows at her. "I have absolutely no doubt," she giggled a little, "You go and enjoy yourself Jasper, I would still very much like to be able to look you in the eye again in the morning." Her smile was warmer than it had been since meeting him, and she watched as he laughed and gave them both a little salute before leaving them to it.

"Until tomorrow then. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

When the three of them were alone again, Ruby's attention immediately returned to Grim. "Mm, I didn't peg you as the multiple lovers in one go type," she quipped, eyebrow raised. There was mostly humour nestled in her expression because at this point, she wasn't even sure her assumption was correct. Either way though, she was more intrigued than anything, if not a little jealous at the thought of other people touching her love. "Quite the dark horse, are we grandad?"
 
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