A love to last

Her salty eyes told me stories, that made my heart weep. I wanted to wrap her in a blanket, and tell her she was safe forever."

FREYA HAD never felt so sore in her entire life. Every muscle ached as if she had slept with her arms and legs bent at unnatural angles, and her head pounded with every breath.

She kept her eyes closed, memories of what seemed like only moments before filling her mind. She was frightened that if she opened her eyes, she wouldn't see the usual ceiling of her house but instead an unfamiliar place.

That was until she felt whatever it was that had been placed under her head, move.

With a sharp breath, Freya's eyes snapped open, her head halfway off of whatever she had been placed on. She braced herself on the ground before looking to where her head had been only seconds before.

Legs were the first thing that registered in her mind. Legs that led to a strangely familiar torso and then-

Green eyes bore into her own as her heart slammed against the cavity of her chest. A muffled noise that sounded somewhat like a sob and somewhat like Falcon's name erupted from her lips before Freya's arms wrapped around his neck and dragged their bodies closer.

Falcon's arms curled around her waist, burying his face into her hair as Freya began sobbing into his shirt.

"Shh," Falcon cooed. "It's okay. You're okay."

Falcon rested his chin on her head, his hand finding its way to her hair before he combed his fingers through her locks. The action had Freya's tears drying up in seconds as her little hands clutched the material of his shirt.

Freya sucked in a strangled breath before sniffling and moving her head to look up at Falcon with red, puffy eyes. Her lips were turned down in a heartbroken pout and Falcon would be lying if he said it didn't break his own heart. Freya looked down at his chest, her hand rubbing at her swollen eyes as she wiped away the residue of tears.

Falcon released one of his arms from around her waist, using his hand to playfully flick up her chin so she looked back at him. He gave her a small smile, genuine even though it wavered around the corners.

"Frowning's not a good look on you, princess," He said softly.

Freya's mouth turned up at the corners of their own accord. She sniffled again, shyly smiling up at the man in front of her. Falcon grinned despite the situation, pressing the most gentle kiss to the tip of her nose.

"I love you, sweetheart," He dragged her closer so she sat properly in his lap. "And I'm sorry. So sorry for everything."

Freya's brow creased, concern flashing through her doe eyes.

"Bu-but you didn't do anything," Childish confusion shone through her voice as Falcon swept away a stray piece of hair from her face.

He didn't know how to explain it to her. How to tell her that it was his foolishness and his messed up life that got them into the situation. To tell her that would be to tell her what he'd done, and that had to be the single most frightening thing he could think of.

She'd seen him punch people. Hell, she'd seen him beat them up, but those weren't the things that got you a fifteen-year prison sentence with a slim chance of parole. No, those kinds of sentences were saved for the bad cases. The cases that were strewn with drugs and battered bodies. The kind of case Falcon had found himself smack-bang in the middle of.

Tiny, cold fingers traced the line of his jaw as it clenched. Falcon swivelled his eyes back to his girl's, his heart aching. He had to make this right. For once in his life, he had to do the god damn right thing.

"I'm gonna get you out of here, baby," He said, clutching her closer. "I promise to god I'll get you out of here."

Freya greedily snuggled back into his embrace, revelling in the comfort his arms provided. The comfort she had missed the past few days.

"As long as you're there," She whispered, unintentionally making Falcon's heart clench. The right thing, Falcon. Do the right thing.

~~

Some six miles away, Freya's father - Michael - had finally realised that they had been tricked. The police and himself had waited hours for some sign of life; searching aimlessly through the plot of land they had found themselves on.

It was so much like something out of a classic horror film that Michael cursed himself for not realising the situation earlier. An abandoned warehouse on a large property, flickering shadows adorning the wooden floor. Just add a dead body and some creaking footsteps and they were all set for the sequel of Graveyard Shift.

After wasting their time waiting for Falcon to show up, Michael found himself hightailing it back to his home. He swore on everything holy that if that delinquent had so much as touched one hair on his little girl's head, he was a dead man. He knew he shouldn't have caved in to her pleads, but it hurt to see her cry like that.

Like she was heartbroken. Like she had fallen in love.

It was a look he knew all too well.

Michael shook off the memories that threatened to shake his composure. Now was not the time. Pulling into his driveway, he had never hated the extravagant front gates as much as he did at that moment. It seemed like an eternity before they opened up enough for him to squeeze his car through and floor it down the stone road.

He pulled up near the front steps, slamming his car door shut behind him as he raced up to the front doors. His heartbeat grew faster with adrenaline as he pushed the doors open with both hands, his eyes searching the interior as soon as it came into view. The doors swung back to hit the wall behind them causing a small side table to topple over with a clatter. Michael ignored the noise as he quickly marched towards the front stairs, calling Freya's name.

He took the steps two at a time, his voice echoing around the empty space. A feeling of dread pooled in his gut, heavy and guilt-ridden. Call it father's intuition; he knew she wasn't there. "Freya?" He pushed open the door to her bedroom, frantically searching for her small stature. He walked into her closet, his hands shaking as his mind grew more panicked by the second. He felt his legs begin buckling beneath him as the knowledge finally settled in. He fell to his knees, his hands clutching his head as he gripped his hair in frustration. A gut-wrenching wail tore from his throat as tears began to escape down the side of his face. He rocked himself back on the heels of his feet, sobs racking every inch of his body.

His little girl was gone.

~0~

Freya had fallen asleep on Falcon's lap around an hour ago. He was thankful for it; it gave him time to think. Time to figure out how on earth he was going to fulfil his promise of getting her out of here.

He knew his brother would never budge. He'd sooner kill the precious girl he was holding than let Falcon go free. Falcon may have no fear of the man, - as brothers never do - but he knew Kace wasn't sane. There was something terribly wrong with his mind; something that made his threat of hurting Freya very much real.

He couldn't let that happen. He needed to find a way out that didn't involve an encounter with his brother. But even though Falcon could remember the clubhouse like the back of his hand, he came up short. No lightbulb moments, no divine intervention - until a thought struck him. Ryder.

Once upon a time, the two had been the best of friends. Ryder had been an orphan, taken in by one of the kinder men in the group, Falcon had been the almost forgotten son. Two kids that felt like the world was against them found companionship with each other. That was why it was his betrayal that had hurt the most when Falcon found out that he had been a part of it the entire time.

But, if his reaction to Falcon showing up again was anything to go by, perhaps he could be swayed into helping. It wouldn't be the first time that Ryder had helped sneak Falcon out of some kind of punishment; there just happened to be a life on the line this time. A very important

one.

The problem was, how was Falcon meant to reach him?

There was only one option Falcon could think of, and it didn't sit well with him at all. He'd have to accept his brother's proposal - for now. It was the only way he could get to Ryder without seeming suspicious.

Besides, his change of heart was easy to believe. They had threatened the life of the girl he was in love with; who wouldn't do all they could to keep their loved one alive?

With that in mind, Falcon took in a calming breath, resisting the urge to desperately cling closer to the girl in his arms. He adjusted her in his lap, making sure his movements were slow so he wouldn't wake her up. He stood up with her seated on his hip, his movements a little shaky after having sat on the ground for so long.

He calmly walked up the small staircase, reaching the door before raising his fist and giving the wood two sharp knocks. His lips tightened into a thin line as his jaw clenched.

He had to do this. For Freya.

A few seconds later, the door creaked open and suddenly Falcon's plan was made a whole lot more simple. A familiar head of shaggy blonde hair appeared in his line of vision, followed by a pair of brown eyes.

"Ryder," The name rolled off Falcon's tongue with a softer tone than it had the last time they had

met.

Ryder's curious eyes fell to the girl in his arms and his brow creased in confusion.

"Who's that?" He asked.

He wasn't lying, Falcon could tell, and the knowledge that Ryder hadn't had anything to do with Freya's kidnapping eased the panic in his chest.

"I need your help."

True love is usually the most inconvenient kind."

RYDER STARED at Falcon for a moment as he let what had just been said sink in. He knew what this would mean for him; he'd be betraying his people. Guilt gnawed at his heart as he remembered the events of five years ago. He had already betrayed a member of their gang before - betrayed a boy he saw as family. As a brother. Helping him was the least Ryder could do. He nodded softly.

"I'll do it," He said, raising his eyes to meet Falcon's own.

Falcon breathed in a quiet breath of relief, shifting the girl in his arms ever so slightly. He gave Ryder a short nod, his chest seizing with nervousness.

"It'll have to be tonight," Ryder spoke again. "There's a big job on, so I'll be able to leave the doors open and a car waiting, but other than that, you're on your own. If I skip out your brother's gonna know something's up."

Falcon's jaw clenched but he nodded in agreement.

"Do what you can," He muttered in a low voice as to not wake Freya up, though she was already beginning to squirm slightly. "I'll handle it."

A short, high-pitched yawn sounded from Falcon's shoulder and his attention was immediately diverted to his girl. The hand that had rested at his side came up to rub Freya's back as she blinked a few times, adjusting to the light streaming in from the doorway. A tiny hand came up to rub the sleep out of her eyes and Falcon turned away from the door slightly as Ryder looked on in curiosity.

"Hey, baby," Falcon's tone was several notches softer than it had been previously. "Did I wake you?"

Freya shook her head, letting another yawn overtake her before closing her eyes again and snuggling back into his neck. She shifted, tightening her legs around his waist so she was more stabilised on his hip before taking her first peek at the man standing at the door. She didn't know who it was, but she assumed anyone from this place wasn't going to be particularly kind so she drew herself even closer to Falcon. She hid her face behind the curtain of her hair just as Falcon pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"It's alright, Freya. He's a," He paused, his gaze flickering towards Ryder before seemingly making up his mind. "He's a friend."

Freya peeked out from her hair before deciding to trust Falcon's word. She tapped his chest, pushing herself away from him slightly so he knew she wanted to be let down. He obliged, settling her on her own two feet before placing an arm around her waist. Freya's hands wrapped themselves around Falcon's shirt as she situated herself right up against his side, peering up curiously at Ryder.

Ryder felt like he needed to crouch down in order to match her size, but he simply offered her a smile instead. Freya smiled back slightly before stuffing her face into Falcon's shirt, circling her arms around his waist.

Falcon instinctively began running his fingers through her hair in a comforting manner. He knew she was still a little shaken up about being here, though she was handling it awfully well. He just prayed their escape would work and that what came after that would play out the way he wanted.

Ryder cleared his throat, causing the couple to look up at him as he gave them a tight-lipped smile.

"I've got to go," He took in a breath, glancing down the hallway next to him as if searching for something. Suddenly, one of his hands scrambled to get off a watch that was lying on his other wrist before holding it out to Falcon. "Take this. We'll be gone by nine, go then." Falcon nodded to him again, but just as Ryder began to turn away, Falcon pulled back his arm from around Freya and stepped forward, grasping his shoulder. Ryder turned back to face him, questioning him with his eyes.

"Thank you," Was all Falcon could force out of his mouth, the bitter taste of betrayal still lingering.

Ryder's brow furrowed as he frowned.

"Don't thank me," He laid a hand on Falcon's own, stilling for a moment before softly pushing it off. "I don't deserve it."

Without another word, Ryder made quick work of the distance down the corridor before turning out of sight. Falcon let out a breath, slowly pulling closed the unlocked door. He turned back to face Freya who looked both confused and concerned. He placed a hand to her back, leading her back down the staircase and into the main area of the basement before removing his hand and running it through his hair.

Falcon let out a sharp breath through his nose, his lips tightening as he mindlessly tapped the watch in his hand. His eyes flickered around the room before landing back on Freya who's head

was tilted in the most innocent way.

"Are we getting out?" She asked softly.

Falcon felt his shoulders slouch in relief that her question was simple.

"Yeah,” He nodded to himself, gaze falling to the floor. "Ryder's gonna help us. We'll be safe and sound by tonight."

Falcon winced slightly as thoughts of what came after filled his head. He tucked the watch into

his pocket before looking back at Freya, his brow drawing in as he motioned for her to come to

him.

"Come here, baby," He held an arm out to her which she gladly fell into. Once she was safely tucked away in his side, Falcon lowered his voice as he spoke again. "When we get out of here, I have to speak to you about something. I don't want you to be scared about it, it's just very important that we talk, alright?"

Freya nodded her head, confused, but agreeing nonetheless.

"Just keep an open mind about it, princess," An inch of vulnerability crept into Falcon's voice as he felt his throat begin to close up. "Remember I'll always be there for you, even if it's not physically."

Falcon squeezed Freya in an embrace for a moment, pressing a hard kiss to the top of her head before pulling her face back from his chest. He smoothed away the hairs that crowded her face, trailing over the soft skin of her cheek and revelling in the way she closed her eyes and nuzzled closer to his palm. How he had ever managed to have her, he'd never know.

"I know," Came her whispered reply.

Falcon felt his lips twitch up into a smile as they often did around her and he let a hand trail down to her chin, tilting her head up so he could mould his lips with hers. Kissing Freya had to be the eighth world wonder. A wonder that Falcon had somehow fallen upon and would never let anyone else discover for as long as he lived. It was, in every sense of the word, euphoric. A personal addiction that he, quite frankly, wouldn't mind dying from. Falcon's hands fell to her waist, pressing her closer as her hands gripped the material covering the wide expanse of his chest. He let his tongue lazily trace over the seam of her lips until she submitted to him, allowing their tongues to mingle as Falcon squeezed her hips. His arms slid around to her back, the kiss growing more demanding the second he felt her tongue tentatively stroke his own. A groan built up in the back of his throat before it tumbled out, low and hoarse. Freya felt a wave flow through her body; every inch of her tingled with energy and it made her fists clench tighter to his shirt. She felt like she would float away if he hadn't been there to ground her. Her legs began shaking as she pressed herself closer, squirming to satisfy some kind of urge that she didn't completely understand. She could feel the burn in her lungs becoming more prominent but refused to detach herself from her man. She had no doubt that this was where she belonged, and this was where she would stay.

Extremely reluctantly, Falcon tore himself away from her lips. His breathing was harsh and his fingers shook with adrenaline as they cupped her neck, leaning his forehead on hers. He was painfully aware of his current situation.

Not only was he turned on. He was being held in a basement, with a girl that he loved, completely and irrevocably turned on.

The primal part of him couldn't give fewer fucks. He wanted her, and that was that. But he knew

he couldn't. They were being held captive for god's sake, but that didn't stop the growing bulge

in his pants nor the thoughts that filled his head.

"Fuck," Falcon groaned, releasing Freya to drag his hands down his face. Seeking some kind of solace, Falcon grumpily wrapped his arms back around Freya's waist and stuck his face into her neck. Freya's hands reached up and began playing with his hair, her nails scraping against his head every so often which brought Falcon one of the most physically satisfying feelings he had ever felt.

His urges finally took a backseat and his head cleared from distractions. He had to watch the

time, he realised. He took the watch from his pocket, keeping his position and letting out an unsatisfied grunt when Freya stopped playing with his hair. She resumed the action and Falcon read the time from the watch over her shoulder.

8:39

pm

They had twenty minutes before they could get out of there. Nerves thrilled through his body and he sighed, rubbing his nose against the skin of Freya's neck before lifting his head. He pressed a kiss to her cheek, pulling her into his chest as he laid his chin on top of her head. Time had never before moved so slow.

They stayed like that for what seemed like an hour but had only been fifteen minutes. With another glance towards the watch, Falcon confirmed that there were exactly four minutes until the time Ryder had deemed safe to go. While Falcon knew the way around the building like the back of his hand - every forgotten stairway and hidden door was ingrained into his memory - he couldn't shake the fear of being caught.

It almost reminded him of sneaking out of the building when he was younger. Back then, it hadn't been fear, but adrenaline that would fill him as he crept down stairs and through windows. It was a sport to him - to see how far he could go without being caught. He hadn't been afraid of his brother back then; hadn't known that, given the chance, his brother would have preferred Falcon's life to be sacrificed instead of his own.

Falcon looked down at the watch in his hand and his heart lurched. It was time. He took in a deep breath, steeling himself before stepping back from Freya and grabbing her hand. "Let's go," He said in a hushed manner.

They climbed the small staircase towards the door where Falcon pulled it ajar just enough so he

could see out into the hallway. When he was satisfied that the way was clear, he pushed open the door, stepping out as he pulled Freya with him.

He glanced around the hallway again, walking with quick, determined steps towards the end. He leaned close to the wall as they came to the corner, pressing Freya against his back so he knew she was still there. With a glance back at her, he looked around the wall before continuing. His heart thumped against his chest - the sound so loud in Falcon's ears that he was almost afraid someone would be able to hear it. He walked further down the hall before coming to a stop in front of a dark wooden door, wrapping his hand around the handle and pulling it open. He did the same process he had coming out of the basement, looking through the room before stepping inside.

This room - if Falcon remembered correctly - led straight into the kitchen which was located next

to the lounge room which Kace had led him to before. He knew there would be people in that

room, but usually, the kitchen was left empty and from there, there was a door that led straight

outside.

Falcon rubbed his free hand against his jeans, his nerves making it slick with sweat, before carefully opening the door to the kitchen. He caught sight of a familiar tiled floor and his heart flooded with relief only to cease beating the next second.

A man stood in the kitchen, his hand halfway up a girl's dress and his lips on every inch of her

skin he could access. At the creak of the door, he stopped his assault and looked up, straight into

the

eyes of a panicked Falcon.

His brow furrowed before his mouth turned down in a scowl, realising who it was that had interrupted his makeout session.

"The fuck are you doing out?" The man didn't hesitate in grabbing the gun that had been tucked

away in the waistband of his pants, aiming it straight for Falcon's head.

On instinct, Falcon's free hand went up in a surrendering gesture, knowing he had no chance against a gun. He was frozen, his mind wouldn't work properly and all he could think about was the fact that there was a gun and there was his girl. He could not let her get hurt. Fear gripped his chest in a vice hold and he could feel everything inside of him begin to shake.

He couldn't form words as his breathing faltered. He had to get her out of here.

At that moment, the door behind Falcon slammed open and though he claimed to be a grown man - he could feel tears stinging the corners of his eyes. He was officially trapped. His body seemed to still know what to do as he pushed Freya behind him and against the wall where she was safest from both the gun and whoever had just entered the scene. Falcon glanced at the intruder only to have conflicting emotions fill him as his gaze landed on Ryder's face. He looked frightened, sweat-covered and pale as his frantic eyes landed on the couple in the corner. Relief seemed to fill him for a moment before a flash of light on metal had his heart returning to the bottom of his stomach. He locked eyes with Falcon, begging him to know that it a setup.

wasn't

Unlike Falcon, Ryder's mind was sharp and worked clearly as he steeled his expression before walking towards the man with the gun. He gave the man a grin - one that wavered ever so slightly at the corners but no one could tell the difference. Slapping him on the shoulder in a friendly gesture, he sent a quick prayer that his voice didn't betray how he felt and spoke.

"It's

got

all good, Donnerson," He nodded at the gun, smile still in place. "You can put that away, I

it under control."

The man narrowed his eyes at Ryder, disbelief flooding from his body.

"You got it under control, huh?" He sneered. "He got out and you think it's under control? I

don't trust you to deal with him. This has to go to Kace."

The man's gaze swivelled back to Falcon before he took a step forward. Ryder barely even had a chance to blink before his body took over and rammed into the man, pushing him to the ground. He pinned the man's wrists to the ground as he struggled underneath him. Knowing the man

was larger and he wouldn't be able to hold him down for long, he turned his head to face the

couple.

"Go!" He yelled. "Now! Go!"

Falcon snapped into gear and forced his feet to begin running towards the door. He pulled Freya beside him as they reached it, ignoring the grunts and curses filling the air around them. Falcon nearly pulled the door off its hinges as he swung it open, pushing Freya out first before quickly following.

He heard what he distinctly knew as Ryder, yelp before a sound that would forever haunt him out. A gunshot fired from the open door behind them.

rang

Falcon knew he shouldn't have looked back, but he glanced over his shoulder automatically at the sound and pain filled body at the sight. Ryder's eyes were wide as his hand touched the place he had been shot. Blood covered his hand in seconds and he pulled it back, staring at it in shock. His face grew pale within seconds and his eyes connected with Falcon's for a moment before staring ahead vacantly as he fell to the side, unable to hold himself up. Falcon turned away, not daring to look back again as he urged Freya forward and faster towards the waiting car. It was dark and difficult to see, but he knew the car Ryder had placed for him when he saw it. The same one he had stolen at thirteen and refused to give back no matter how many time Falcon had told him to.

Unintelligible shouts sounded from behind them but Falcon refused to look back again. Upon reaching it, He ripped open the car door, pushing Freya inside in a frantic nature before slamming it closed and sliding over the hood of the car to get to the driver's side. He slipped

inside and pulled shut the door just as the second gunshot rang out. They came in quick

succession

after that.

Without a word, Falcon pushed Freya's head down so she couldn't get shot and started the car with the keys that had been left in the ignition. He ducked as he put the car in gear, flooring the accelerator as he sped forward and away from the continuous gunfire.

He didn't release Freya or let his foot off the accelerator until the sound of gunfire had stopped ringing in his ears. By then, the sky was completely pitch black and they were surrounded houses and stores, though the streets were abandoned at that time of night. He didn't let himself relax until they pulled into the lot of a park.

Falcon slowly pulled up the handbrake, placing the car into park before turning off the ignition. He let out a shaky breath, allowing his head to fall into his hands before rubbing at his eyes. It was then that a stinging sensation erupted from his shoulder and upon looking at his arms, the streams of blood were enough to tell Falcon what had happened.

"Shit," He hissed.

The curse jolted Freya from her daze and she looked over to Falcon before settling her eyes on

his arm. Concern filled her as she pulled at his arm closest to her which thankfully remained

unmauled. "You're hurt," She stated, making Falcon look over at her.

His eyes were hard and frustrated but cracked ever so slightly under her gaze, he shook his head.

"I'm fine," He said, and he was - it wasn't the first time he'd been shot.

"No, you're not," Freya's brow creased as she tried to pull him closer to get a better look. "Let

me look."

Falcon leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes as he pulled away from her.

"Freya, I'm fine-" Falcon was cut short by her next words.

"Let me look," She snapped.

Falcon's eyes widened at her voice. She had never raised her voice, especially not to him.

Glancing towards her, Falcon was met with a determined glare and he supposed it best not to deny her of what she wanted at that moment.

Falcon manoeuvred so she could see his shoulder clearly. Freya's mind whirred into action as she

assessed his wound. She may be naive in most adult situations, but she had a working brain. She knew the basics of dressing a wound.

"We need to get it cleaned," She murmured