A/N What is wrong with me I take so long writing these chapters!! This must be driving you guys mad!!! I really am sorry, this is unintentional. But, wow... Thank you SO much for all of your reviews! You've been really supportive,despite how long it takes me to write chapters. Thankyou!!

Dustfinger paused to catch his breath. His arms were aching, his head pounding with pain from the icy water cascading on his head. He was numb with cold, but selflessly all he thought about was Farid. They needed to get some where out of this rain and by just taking a breath, he was delaying him the attention he so desperately needed. Guilt flooded into his heart as looked down at Farid, shivering with fever and cold. Farid managed to look at Dustfinger with those large brown eyes of his.

"A-are you o-k-k?"He whispered,as if exhaustion had dragged his voice down to an almost silent undertone. Dustfingers concerned face revolved around him. He blinked hard. The dizzyness made him feel sick.

"Are you mad!?"He gasped, staring at the boy incredibly "I should be asking you that question!"

"D-don't worr-ry. I-I'm f-fine"He said, lying through his chattering teeth. Dustfinger snorted, but said nothing more. Ignoring the stitch stabbing into his side, he broke into another painfull run.

Dustfinger didn't know how long he ran after that. The night seemed endless, as did the rain. Lightning lit up his path, though he nearly walked into trees many times and the thunder roared in his ears. The three main things he was worried about was if Farid got worse, if Basta found them and if he would collapse from exhaustion. Farid's silence scared him, but he didn't ask him to talk. He couldn't waste his precious energy on words. His eyes were shut and his skin was so pale he looked almost dead. He compulsively kept listening to his heart to see if it was still beating. He couldn't loose Farid. Not again.

XXXX

Meggie was curled up on one Elinor's comfortable chairs, her head buried in a book and listening to the pounding of the rain against window. It was around midnight. Her favorite time for reading. The light coming from the lamp was dim, but she didn't mind. She traced her fingers on a page of the old book. It was beautiful. The illustrations entwined themselves over the page, consuming it with colour. Suddenly, a loud banging came from the door. Her head snapped up as she stared at the door with wonder and caution. Who would be knocking on her door at this time of night?

"Meggie! It's Dustfinger! You have to let me in!"

Even more confused, she laid the book down on the table and got up from her chair. "What do you want?"

"Meggie, it's Farid! He's got a fever! Please!"Dustfinger sounded desperate.

At this she ran to the door and undid the locks holding it. She opened the door and in a flash of lightning saw a sacrred face. But the shadows and sudden light, he looked more like a muderer in one of her books. Meggie screamed and turned to run, but tripped over the hem of her dressing gown. Mo sat up in bed at the sound of his daughter's scream. He got out of bed and ran down the stairs to see a soaked Dustfinger and a terrified Meggie.

"What are you doing here!?"He yelled at Dustfinger, confused and angry.

Meggie turned and saw who it really was. Blushing, she scrambled to her feet. "I'm sorry - the lightning - it just - I over reacted"

"Really!?"Dustfinger said sarcastically. Resa walked down stairs and saw Dustfinger. "What's going on here!?" She asked with her fingers.

"Resa I-"He was about to explain when a loud, booming voice cut him short.

"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE!?"

Dustfinger groaned and managed to cover his face with one of his hands. She marched down the stairs to join the rest of them then she saw Dustfinger. She had disliked him enough from his previous visit, but now that he had woken her up in the middle of the night, she was prepared to hit him round the head with the biggest dictionary she could find. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?"

"I was just going to explain that when you came"

She frowned at him and was about to open her mouth but Dustfinger quickly intervened. "We're in danger and-"

"So why should we help you!?"Scoffed Elinor. "And what you mean 'we'?"

Dustfinger glared at her. "Are you blind!? What do you think I'm carrying!?"

She looked at what was in his arms and stared. Farid's skin was chalk white and he was visably shaking. He had passed out before he could even reach the door. He now turned to Resa. "He has a fever and... and I don't know what to do"His last words were filled fear. "I don't care about me but you have to get him better. Please"Resa stepped forward and placed a delicate hand on his forehead. She turned to Meggie and said something that Dustfinger couldn't make out and then she ran off to the kitchen. "Come on" She led him past Mo and Elinor and up the stairs.

Dustfinger followed Meggie down a corridor and then another until they finally reached a room. She opened the door and in the room there was a double poster bed. He carefully laid Farid down on the bed. He stared at him. He looked so thin. Tears filled his eyes and he sat down on the bed next to him. The exhaustion of that night finally caught up with him and buried his face in his hands, no longer possessing strength to lift his head. He began to sob.

Meggie looked at Farid. He was so pale. Even in the dim light, she could the shivers running through his body. She stroked his heated face and then looked at the distraught Dustfinger. His shoulders were heaving, as if he were retching. He looked and saw that she was watching him and they both looked away in embarrassment. He bunched his sodden sleave and wiped the tears of his face, though it didn't make his cheeks any dryer. He sniffed and looked at Farid. He choked back a sob as he looked at his face in the light.

Resa walked into room, making them both jump. She was holding a damp cloth and glass of water in her small hands. She said something to Meggie and then she translated into hearable words. "She says you need to wake him up" He looked at Resa, confusion overwhelming in his tear filled eyes. "Why? He-he's exhausted!" She stroked his face gently and spoke to her daughter. "She says she knows, but she needs him to drink some water and see how bad the fever is affecting him" He glanced at Resa. Before, with rain crashing down on him and the adrenaline pulsing through him he couldn't really focus on his fear for Farid. It was more like some one was poking him in the ribs and he was scared. Now, it was more like someone was stabbing him in his chest and he was terrified. Trusting Resa knew what she was doing, he sat down next to Farid and gently shook his shoulders.

"Hey, Farid. Come on wake up"At first he didn't respond, making his jaw clench. He shook him a little harder and Farid groaned and murmured "Too tired. Don't wanna get up" Dustfinger smiled out of relief and how sweet Farid sounded. "I know Farid but you need to. We just need to check you're ok" Reluctantly, he slowly opened his eyes. He looked up at that familliar, scarred face that belonged to Dustfinger. "Dustfinger"He asked in a hoarse voice. "Where are we?" He looked around him. His vision was blurry and the face in font of him was swimming before his eyes. "We're at Silvertounge's house" He put his hands under his armpits and gently lifted him up into a sitting position. Resa put the cold cloth to his hot forehead. "She asks if you feel dizzy or if you see any spinning?"Meggie translated. Farid frowned at her. "M-Meggie? W-what are you doing here?" She smiled. "I live here" Farid stared at her as if he didn't know what a girl was. "Farid"Dustfinger squeezed his shoulder. "Are you feeling dizzy?" "Y-yeah, and it's like m-my body can't d-decide whether I'm hot or c-cold and my h-head hurts a-and I-I'm aching all over" He had never felt so ill. His head was still spinning as if he was twirling around on the spot. The fire eater stroked his hair comfortingly, which was still soaked by the rain.

"That was probably from the rain"Resa said, more to herself then anyone else. "She says that he's needs to take a bath as he's been out in the rain for so long, then he needs to stay in bed and drink lots of fluids,"She said watching her mother's hands intently. "Then we're going to call the doctor in the morning" "Doctor?"Dustfinger asked, frowning. "It's kind of like a physician" Farid turned to Dustfinger, a look of horror on his face. "D-Dustfinger!? Y-you're n-not going to l-let them p-pull out my t-t-teeth, are you!?"He looked at his dark, wide eyes. He smiled, shaking his head. "Oh Farid! Of course I would never let them do something like that to you!" Meggie looked at her mother in confusion, but Resa just shook her had and said "Never mind, Meggie" She stood up and Meggie got up too. "She says to tell her if it gets worse and the bathroom is four doors down the hall" They left the room, leaving the two fire eaters alone.

"Dustfinger, w-when s-she said b-b-bath, did she m-mean a bath t-that you s-swim in?" Dustfinger frowned in confusion, and then remembered which story he came from. "No, it's... it's a different kind of bath..." He never realised how hard it was explaining the concept of a bath to someone... not like he'd ever had to before. "You'll understand when you're in it, come on" He was about to lift him in his arms but Farid stopped him. "No I-I'm fine, seriously" He slowly climbed off the large bed, and braced himself to stand. When the young fire eater stood on his feet, dizzyness instantly got the better of him and he immediatly began to sway violently. In a flash Dustfinger by Farids and managed to catch him before he toppled over. "You don't seem very fine to me"He said, concern hidden beneath the sarcasam. "Come on let me carry you" "No, you've carried me every where, I need to walk"Farid said in a whining tone. "I'll let you walk when you can walk" And before Farid could protest any further, Dustfinger had swept him up in his arms. "I don't want you to carry me!"Farid said, but he knew he hadn't the strength to put up a proper fight. "Well tough, I'm going to carry you wether you like it or not. And anyway it's just down the corridoor, it's not like I'm walking a mile, is it?" "No, but-" "But, nothing" With his free hand, he put a finger on his lips. "Hush" He said sternly. That seemed to work. With difficulty, he managed to open the door without relinquishing his hold on Farid.

He carried the young arab down the corridoor, squinting in the darkness as he went. He opened the fourth door on the corridoor, and looked for the light switch. In the dim light of the corridor and the bedroom had hidden the dirt he trailed in from his eyes. Now, he saw the dark brown mud spread on the white tiles. "Oh dear..."He said to himself quietly, looking around at the filth around him. "Oh, well. A bit of dirt never did anyone any harm" Farid looked down, trying to ignore the fact that it made his head spin. Swallowing, he said "A little?" "Well... it won't hurt anyone will it?" Carefully, as if he would shatter into tiny pieces if he dropped him, he put him on the soft bath mat on the floor.

When he stood up again, he looked even smaller then he did in his arms. It seemed like he had shrunk in the last couple of days, not to mention he had lost an enormous amount of weight. The boy had always been fairly skinny, but his weight almost seemed to scare him. Ever since his kidnapping, Farid had lost his appetite. And Dustfinger was worried about it. He knew he hadn't been told about everything that happened in those tourturous days, and he didn't expect Farid to open up immediately. But he knew at one point, he was going to have to talk about it. And it wasn't going to be an easy discussion.

Putting the plug in the hole, he turned on the taps. Clean water gushed out of them. Farid winced as the loud noise of running water rung in his ears. He picked up one of the bottles and tipped half of the contents into the running water. It was conditioner, but it didn't matter. It still made bubbles. Dustfinger clambered down to sit next to Farid. They sat in comfortable silence between them, the sound of water compensating for the lack of conversation. Farid drew up his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around his legs, as if to protect himself from some hidden danger.

He glanced at him, noticing the position. What had Basta done to him? He used to be so full of life, bounding him after him like a calf who had just found the use of his legs. Now, he was a scared boy, nightmare ridden and scarred. If only this could of happened to him instead. He should never have been put through a fifth of the horrors that he had been. He should be able to sleep at night without having the lingering fear of Basta and his knife haunting him. Dustfinger sighed.

Farid leaned his head on his damp shoulder. Before all this had happened, he probably would have shook him off and given him a funny look. But now, he would never dream of shunning him away like that. He put his arm around his thin shoulders, pulling him closer into his embrace. With his spare arm, he reached into the rim of the bath, testing the heat of the water. He pulled back instantly, swearing quietly underneath his breath. Reaching for the tap he managed (with difficulty) to turn it off.

Farid stared emptily into space, feeling Dstfinger's warmth and presence. That made matters a little better. He blocked every thing else out of his mind. His head was pounding, his body was aching, he was cold, he was wet, and he was tired. He would like nothing more that to go to sleep, but Dustfinger said he needed a bath, and he hadn't the energy to argue. He hadn't the energy to do much. The nightmares and the fact that he was ill made an enormous lack of sleep.

It seemed that he was constantly tired, and there were dark rings under his dark eyes. He hated the fact that exauhested all the time, he hated how he was scared out of his mind that Basta would be waiting for him around the next corner, and he especially hated how even more reliant he was now on Dustfinger. He sniffed and shifted a little closer towards Dustfinger. "Maybe, when you get better, I could start teaching you how to play with fire again?"Dustfinger said, looking at Farid. "Would you like that?" Farid lifted his head from his shoulder and looked into Dustfingers hazel eyes. "Yes, I would like that. In fact, that would be brilliant" And he smiled a smile that Dustfinger had not seen for days.

He dipped a finger into the water again and got up slowly. He turned off the tap, sighing. He put out a hand to Farid, and he took it, using his strength to get on his unsteady feet. "Right, I'll be outside, so tell me when you're in" Farid frowned. "But... what do I do?" He mirrored the young boys confused face. "But... Haven't you every taken a bath before!?" He blushed, looking down at his feet and avoiding his gaze. "They weren't that available to me in the other world" He swallowed looking guiltily at him. He should have guessed before hand that the thieves he had worked with hadn't given him necessary pleasures such as baths.

"Well..."He said, slowly. The young fire eater sat on the rim of the bath looking up at him. "All you do really is... take off your clothes then get in"Farid stared at him as if he just told him to take off his clothes and take a bath in the rain outside. "That's why I'd be outside and when you're ready I'll come back in again" He was still being stared at as if he was insane. "Don't look at me like that, everyone does it" "What do I do once I'm in?" Farid asked, slowly. "I'm not a very good swimmer" Dustfinger couldn't help but smile at his innocence. "You just sit there" "That's it?" "Well, yes" "So I'm just going to sit in a tub water and do nothing?" He raised an eyebrow at him. "I know it sounds ludicrous, but you'll understand once you get in" "It still sounds crazy to me"He muttered. He rolled is eyes. "Just tell me when you're, alright?"He trudged outside, closing the door behind him.

Farid gulped. Slowly, his limbs aching, he took out the damp and sodden clothes which stuck to his skin. Being Dustfingers old clothes he they were clearly far too big for him and hung of him like soaked drapes. He now stood over the bath, as if he had never seen a bath before. He still couldn't see the attraction of it. He wondered how he should get in. Lifting one leg over the rim of the bath, he put one foot in and gasped. The water was so hot! Farid put his other leg in and slowly lowered himself in, his arms shaking. He leaned back, his whole body trembling with tremors. Now immersed in the steaming water, he realised just how cold he was before.

Cupping the water in his hands, he splashed it onto his frozen face. He lay back, letting the water flood over his chest and shoulders. "Farid? You alright?" He sat up, looking at the door. He had forgotten about Dustfinger. "Yeah, I'm fine. You can come in now" He heard the door open and turned to see Dustfinger come in and shutting it quietly and locking it behind him. "Well? Do you like it?" "It's better than I thought it would be" He smiled. "I'll take that as a yes" "No, it's still a silly idea" "You just don't want to admit I'm right"He rolled up his sleeves and got a jug from the side of the bath. "Close your eyes and hold your breath" Farid frowned. "Why?" "You'll find out in a minute"Giving him a funny look, he held his breath and shut his eyes.

He filled the jug with water and poured on it all on his head, without any warning. He gasped as he felt the water cascade down on him. "Dustfinger!"He spluttered, shocked. "What was that for!?"He wiped the water away from his eyes to see Dustfinger pour a thick, white liquid on to his hand. "Dustfinger, I told you, I don't like washing my hair!" "I know. Thats why I'm doing it for you"Washing his hair was the only order from Dustfinger that Farid refused to do. He had no idea why. It was just one of those strange little traits that every one has. Like Dustfinger hated cars, Farid hated his hair being washed, and with a passion. He tried to move towards him, but Farid moved away. He sighed. "Farid, stop being such a child and let me wash your hair" "I don't need to have my hair washed!"The young arab whined, whilst trying to move away from Dustfinger's hand. "Oh yes you do! It's filthy! You haven't washed it for days!" "I never used to wash it in the other world, so why do I need to wash it in this one?" "First of all, that was different. You were wearing a turban then, so you didn't need to wash your hair. And secondly, different worlds, different rules, and one of them is wash your hair!" Farid glared at him.

"Fine"He said moodily, crossing his arms and pouting. He rolled his eyes. "Oh stop sulking"He said, putting the shampoo onto his flattened and now lengthened hair and he began to rub it in. "I'm not sulking"He said darkly. "But you shouldn't make an ill person do something against their will" "Just because your ill doesn't stop your hair being filthy" "My hair's fine"He growled. Dustfinger managed to suppress a smile. He had a face of thunder. "How's that head of yours?" "Still hurts"He muttered, untensing slightly, trying to ignore the fact he liked the sensation of his hair being washed by someone else.

"Are you still feeling hot and cold?"He said, looking with concern at Farid. "I'm still feeling a bit cold"He said, truthfully. He pressed the back of his soapy hand to his forehead. "Has my fever gone yet?"He asked, looking up at Dustfinger hopefully. He smiled sadly back. "Unfortunately Farid, fevers don't just come and go"He tried not to look too disapointed. "Close your eyes"He said, smiling consolingly at him. He groaned. "Not again!" "Yes again! How do you think I'll get all that stuff out of your hair?" Reluctantly, he closed his eyes and held his breath. Again, the warm water was deposited on his head. He felt Dustfinger's strong, but gentle hand rub his hair as he poured the water on his head for the third time. "Are you done?" The arab asked, rubbing water from his eyes. He saw that the fire eater was putting conditioner his hand.

"Dustfinger, please!" He pleaded with him. "My hair's clean already!" "It's the last time Farid, ok?" He said, stroking the conditioner in to his hair. He sighed, but didn't protest as Dustfinger ran his conditioned fingers through his wet, tangled hair. He winced as some of the nots in his hair came loose. "You need to close your eyes again, Farid" He did so before the water was slowly poured on his head, once again. When Dustfinger was done being a waterfall, Farid now sat in milky, frothy water. He looked up to Dustfinger for guidance. "What now?" "Ahh... right..."He took a white towel of a rack and said "I'll turn around and what you do is you stand up and put this round your waist, alright?" "Ok"He turned his back on Farid.

He got up from the now not so clean water, but he got up too fast. Something in his back either moved or clicked, but what ever it was it hurt. He let out a cry of pain, and fell back into the water with a splash. He spun around to see the young arab fall back into the water. "Farid"Like a shot he was at the bath tub. "Farid, are you ok!?" "Ahhh! My back, I don't know what I've to it - oh god - it really hurts!!" "Ok, shh, Farid, shh, where does it hurt?" "Everywhere"Farid whimpered. "It hurts everywhere, I don't know what I've done to it" "Shhh, Farid, it's ok"He picked up the towel and carefully picked up Farid, wrapping him in the towel as he did so. He gritted his teeth as fire like pain burned his through back. "I don't know what I did"He said softly. Tying the towel round his waist, Dustfinger carefully put him down on a stool.

"Did you hear a click when you got up?" "I - I don't know"He said, sniffing and blinking back the tears in his eyes. "I just got up and, and I don't know what happened" He stroked his wet hair comfortingly. "You've probably just sprained it from getting up too fast, that's all" "You can sprain your back!?" He asked, feeling the pain in his back receding a little. "Yes, don't worry, it'll stop hurting in a little while" "Why do things keep happening to me?"He asked, quietly, looking down at his hands. He looked at the arab sadly. "Honestly, I don't know. But I wish they'd stop" "He smiled a little. "Me too"Dustfinger sighed and for a few seconds there was an awkward silence.

The fire eater picked up a smaller towel and began to dry Farid's bedraggled hair with it. "Ahhh! What are you doing!?"He stopped and looked at Farid, confused. "Drying your hair" "Drying my hair!? More likely trying to put it out!!"He squealed, putting his hands on his head as if trying to protect himself. "It hurts?" "Yes, very much so!"He said, now rubbing his head and looing at Dustfinger hurtfully. "That's the way I dry my hair" "Yes, but your older than me and stronger. It's not as bad for you" He sighed. "If you let me dry your hair, I'll be more more gentle. "Promise?"He said, looking at Dustfinger doubtfully. "I promise" He scrutinized him for a few seconds, then said. "Ok" He began to dry Fraid's hair again. "...It can't hurt that back can it?"He smiled a little. "Well, maybe I was exaggerating a little, but it did hurt!" He stopped after a bit and looked at Farid's hair that was now sticking out in odd places. He wrapped the damp but warm towel around Farids bare shoulders.

"Oh" Farid said, looking down cast. "What?" "I don't have any clothes"He said, blushing. Dustfinger paused, then said "Hold on. I won't be long"He got up and walked out, unlocking and closing the door behind him. He sat there in silence for a few minutes, wrapping the towel around his shoulder. He he was begining to shiver again. He returned with a shirt on his arm. "It was the driest garment I could find in my bag" He said, with a smile. "Another piece of clothing that's too big for me?" "It's my old nightshirt. Can you put your arms up or will it hurt too much"Wincing, he slowly put his arms up. Dustfinger put the night shirt over his head and put the sleeves on his arms. "I might as well be four the with the way you look after me"Farid said, pulling his hair out of the night shirt.

He grinned. "Sorry Farid, am I wrapping you in too much cotton wool?" "What does that mean?" "You've never heard of that expression before?" He shook his head. "It means if I'm wrapping you in cotton wool then I'm being over protective" "Oh. Then yes, you are wrapping me in cotton wool a bit" He stood up pulling the towel from around his waist and letting it drop to the floor. "But if I was over protective of someone I wouldn't wrap them in cotton wool. I'd wrap them in metal or at least give them a sword. That would protect them more" He heard Dustfinger chuckle and he looked at him. "What? It's true!" "Oh, Farid. Sometimes I wonder how I could've managed this world without you" That made him smile. He looked down and let out a snort of laughter. "I'm wearing a dress!"Farid laughed, looking at the nightshirt he was wearing. "It is a little big isn't it"He said, grinning. The shirt went down past Farid's knees and he could just see the tip of his fingers under the sleeves. He looked up at Dustfinger, chortling with laughter.

"Right, come on, bed time" He groaned. "Dustfinger don't say that! That makes me feel like a child even more!" He reached for the plug and pulled it out of the filthy water. "Doesn't stop it being true, though" He turned and walked out of the door, Farid following him. "I bet the others are going to be happy when they see what state we left the bathroom in"He said, looking back at the mess they had made. "Yeah. I bet that Elinor woman will have a fit" He smiled. "Wow, I've been given the privilege of walking"He said, grinning. "Yes, you have and be grateful for it."He said turning around and jabbing a finger at Farid, mock seriousness on his face. "And don't think this doesn't make you ill. You probably won't be doing allot of walking for the next few days" "I bet that's going to be fun"Farid said, put out. "It will. Lot's of bed and fluids for you" "What I've always wanted"He replied, sarcastically.

Dustfinger opened the bedroom door and Farid followed him inside. "Couldn't I stay up a little bit longer?" "No. And anyway what would you do in this old house?"He asked, shutting the door behing them. "I don't know. Look around, explore the house" "You're not going to do that even when while stay here! Now, go to bed!" "But, can't I just-" "No! Bed, now!"He said sternly, pointing to the bed. He wasn't joking any more. Sighing and pouting, he crawled under the cover. "Don't sigh at me. You know as well as I do that your tired" "I'm not tired"Farid said, trying to stifle a yawn. A smile crept onto his face. "You're just yawning allot" Farid nodded, closing his eyes and turning on his side. Dustfinger stroked his arm and sat on a chair near the door. "Hey, Dustfinger?" "Yes?" "You're not going anywhere are you?" He smiled. "No Farid, I'm not going anywhere" "Good" "Goodnight" "Good night....... Hey, Dustfinger?" "He sighed. "Yes Farid?" "You know I love you don't you" "Yes Farid, I know" "Good. Cos I do" Dustfinger smiled. "I love you too, Farid"

XXXX

A dark figure stood outside the large house, staring up at the window. He knew that his prize was in there, he didn't know how, but he knew. He licked his lips, hunger and lust alight in his eyes. He waiting so long for this. Too long. And now he would finally get what he needed. And he would never let him go.

A/N I think my stories are getting darker and darker as I write them. 0.0 I really am sorry for how long this took to write. I will try my ABSOLUTE best to get them in quicker. Thank you again for your reviews. The following chapter will involve ATTEMPTED rape, so If you I'm just warning you which I should have done before. I apologize for that. I hope you enjoyed this chapter :D Please R&R. 3