No one can hurt you now. [Tag Marina]

John guided his horse back through town, holding Marina the best he could with one arm. He tried desperately to keep his horse steady, seeing as moving Marina would only hurt her more. He hated himself for leaving. He knew it had been a stupid idea with the fact that the attacker was still out there. But, she was safe now.

As they arrived at the house, he slid from the horse and held her securely in his arms. The mansion door was already opening as he approached. "Oh, dear! What happened to Miss Marin-" "Shut up, and go clear the couch," John ordered mutely. The woman flinched, but nodded and hurried to move the pillows so that she would only have one to hold her head up. John laid her down and moved her bangs from her forehead. He kissed her forehead before jogging off for a moment to get a medical bag. He brought it to her and took out the bandages. The doctor that stayed on sight there stitched up her thigh and leg, finding it most important for the moment. Once done, John wrapped her skin and then shuttered as he saw the carving at her hip. When he was finished wrapping her skin, he lost it.

"God damn it..." he whispered, crumbling as his forehead rested on the edge of the couch. He squeezed his eyes closed tightly as he clenched his fists. How could he have let this happen to her? He should have been there with her -- it wasn't safe out and they both knew that. He looked up to her, his vision blurry, but him not able to find a will in himself to care. "Marina...I'm so sorry..." he took her hand with both of his and leaned his forehead against it, closing his eyes again.

((try to be mad at that, babe. XD))

Marina was losing her strengh slowly during the time she rode with John. First her legs got loose, and all her right side was aching with the wounds, then her arms collapsed by her sides and her head fell into his chest. She felt like she was dying, and a stitch on her abdomen broke her down and she fainted into his arm.

She didn't remember of coming into the house, or how she was on the couch, the next thing she remembered was feeling warm lips into her forehead, and then everything was cold again. The next thing she felt was the needle on her thigh. She tried to scream, and to get out from those hands, but she didn't find her voice and neither her muscles moved a inch... All she was able to do was scream into her head, and pray for that pain to go away. Then, those hands left her alone, and she felt relieved when she felt a familiar warmth on her hand.

When she finally opened her eyes it was already night, and she heard some voices from far, but the warmth was still holding her hand. She looked down to it, and tried to recognize it... ''John?'', she murmured so weakly she wasn't sure he'd heard her.

[OOC: Don't tease me... XD]

John looked up instantly as he heard her soft voice. "Marina...!" He whispered, sitting onto his knees and cupping her cheeks. He brushed his thumb against the wound on her cheek and closed his eyes. "Marina..." He repeated, leaning over and gently kissing her forehead, and then her lips tenderly. "I'm so sorry..." He apologized, his lips gentle against her ear.

"Are you feeling all right? Here, the doctor brought some medicine for you to take to help with the pain," he stammered over his words and his movements as he turned to take a small glass of water and a pill. He brought it over to her to offer it to her. "I'm sorry, Marina...I should have been here...I should have..." He whimpered, wanting so badly to pull her into his arms, but knowing that moving her would be a bad idea.

Marina didn't know what to do. She stared John with wide eyes, as he kissed her forehead and her lips... ''John, I...'' She started with a weak voice, and then she looked around, trying to recognize where she was.

''Pain?'' She stared at him again, and looked to herself. She was wearing his cloak, and she lift its hem. She studied her body for few seconds, and then she gasped a silently 'no' as she remembered what happened... ''The attacker... He found me John... I helped Mowgli finding Esmeralda... and then I got lost... and-and...'' She trailled off, looking helpless towards him.

John took her hand as he set down the pill. He could tell she had forgotten for a moment. God, how he wished he could just let her forget it all. As she did remember, he frowned and bit his lip. "Marina...you're safe now. He can't hurt you anymore," he promised, kissing her hand. "I took care of him. I'm just so sorry I didn't get there before...I love you," he sighed, kissing her forehead.

I took care of him
Marina rememebered how fast John killed the man. So why did he have to torture her father before killing him? Her father was a saint in comparison with this man, why did John keep messing with her? She started crying looking up to the ceiling.
''It would be the best for both of us if I was killed...'' She cried and tried to sit, but as she moved she grimaced and clenched her fits feeling her sore body.

(awww don't say that Marina DX)

[Let me torture him just a little, XD]

John winced at her words and shook his head, gently getting her to lay back down. "Marina...If I'd lost you, I would have gone insane with grief...I cannot, nor will I ever try, to imagine my life without you," He whispered, biting his lip. "I don't know why you would think I could ever go on without you here...but, you're wrong. Very, very wrong," He sighed, cupping her cheek and brushing her tears away.

((oh, he'll try to forget her when she tries to get his head chopped off, but until then, STOPMESSINGWITHHIMDx XD <3))

''But John... I only bring death around me...'' She cried, and looked upon him, her vision all blurred because of the tears, ''I brought my mother's death, later my father's... Even Flynn and Belle almost died after I met them'' She whispered, and hold his hands with hers... ''And I'll bring yours, John'' She closed her eyes, and regreted it, because it only made her relive the episode of the attacking. She remembered his laugh, and some of his words...

She opened her eyes widely, ''John, he wasn't alone... They'll come after us again when they find the dead body... You shouldn't have killed him, John... They'll come after us'' She gasped, feeling the fear taking control over her mind. She sat and brought her legs to her chest, ignoring the pain of her movement... ''They think Belle is dead, but they could have find the truth while she walked into the woods, to see Flynn... Oh no, I left her walk alone, she could have die, John...'' She whispered and her eyes got empty as she stared the floor. All she wanted was to forget about everything, but fear took her, and replayed the attacking into her head, over again. She shut her eyes, and pressed her hands on her ears. ''I can't make him stop laughing... I can't''

She didn't know what she was doing, or saying... She was crying silently and hoping the man stopped laughing, so she couldn't feel hopeless anymore.

His death? There was no way such a thing would happen to him. He was the most careful person he knew. John felt his mind instantly lock onto the bit of information about Belle and Flynn. So, she'd been going behind his back? Flynn had disobeyed his orders? Oh, part of him was ready to go after them right at the moment, but he knew Marina was more important than their naive romance.

He saw the look in her eyes and felt his heart squeeze. She was in both physical and mental pain and he couldn't help. It was like Belle's attack all over again. Though, he quietly reminded himself that he'd gotten there before Belle's injuries came upon Marina. Not to mention he had saved her as apposed to wandering upon her limp body as Flynn had.

"Marina, darling, you're all right," He whispered, gently turning her chin to look at him. He moved her hands away from her ears and pulled her into a gentle embrace, smoothing her hair down as he kissed her temple and moved his lips to her ear. "You're safe, Marina...you're here with me. He can't hurt you again. I won't let anyone ever hurt you like that again, I swear to you," He whispered lovingly.

"Marina, darling, you're all right,"
She opened her eyes and looked into his green eyes. She tilted her head, and still looked into his eyes as he move her hands from her ears. The man was still laughing into her head, but John's voice left the laughes weaker. Shyly, she wrapped her arms around him and sighed weakly when he kissed her temple.

Marina felt so weak even to be mad and cold with him as he spoke those kind words next to her ear. She tightened her grip as much her impaired body could, ''Please, John... Make him stop, I don't want to hear him anymore...'' She pleaded quietly and caressed the brown locks at the back of his head. She couldn't be mad at John, not now when she needed someone to take care of her, and he made her feel loved.


[Aww, John is so good, it's quite impossible to be mad at him... >>]

John held her carefully, sighing gently at her ear. "Just tell me what to do, love, and I'll do it," He whimpered, miserable as he couldn't find a way to help her other than to hold her and tell her things would be all right. "Just...focus on me. The sound of my voice," He instructed quietly. "He's gone, Marina...the men will get the point when they see he's dead -- they'll know I'm aware of who has committed the crime. They won't dare touch you again," He assured her quietly. He wanted to hold her, but found his position on the couch with her wouldn't be comfortable for either of them after a while.

He gently lifted her up and took her to his bedroom. His bed was large enough for them. He laid her down and then crawled in beside her, wrapping his arms around her small frame and holding her carefully. "I promise...I will not hesitate to defend my wife," He whispered, touching her cheek gently. Sure, they weren't married yet, but it made no difference to him. He already knew he wanted more than anything to spend his life with her.

((that's the point. ;3))

Marina did what John said, and only focused on him. She listened to his voice, and felt the scent of his skin. She had never noticed that before, but his skin smelled like sea and wood, and she rested her head upon his shoulder so she could feel him better. As he spoke she closed her eyes, smiling shyly while the attacker vanished as time passed by. ''You did it, he's gone now, John'' She whispered softly, and sighed again, this time glad for the silence into her mind.

She gasped a little when he lifted her, not only feeling him, but also the wounds on her side. She breathed relieved again once he laid her into the bed, and couldn't help but smile maidenly as he wrapped his arm around her, feeling safer than never as she laid on her side, facing his face. Although, her smile faded for a second when he called her 'my wife', and she hoped he didn't notice that. She put one hand on his cheek, caressing softly with her thumb, while she rested the other on his chest, feeling his heart beatings under her fingers. ''Thank you, John... For saving my life, and for loving me'' She whispered weakly, looking him deeply into the eyes. She leaned closer and kissed him softly into the lips, before leaning back again and staring at his face again.

John felt his heart falter as he noticed the slight change in her expression at his words. Did she not approve of being called his wife? But, that couldn't be right. She would be soon, after all. He tried to make himself believe she was just upset over what had happened to her -- that it didn't have anything to do with him.

He gave her a small smile and kissed her forehead. "You do not have to thank me for such things..." As she kissed him, he found himself not responding to the kiss. He sighed and touched her cheek, brushing back her hair gently. "I love you, Marina," He reminded her quietly.

As he didn't correspond to her kiss, she leaned back frowning a little... That never happened before, and liking or not her heart squeezed. ''What's wrong John?'' She asked after he told he loved her... ''Are you feeling okay??'' She asked softly and brushed his bangs gently from his forehead as she looked deeply in his eyes.

[Awww, John... Don't make this to Marina, not yet... Dx]

John looked to her and sighed, smiling softly and shaking his head. "Nothing, Marina...I was merely lost in thought, that's all," He assured her. "You need rest...Why don't you try to sleep," He suggested, his hand gently rubbing her arm.

His smile reassured her a little... The day must be so stressful at him as it was to her, she didn't want to confess but she was terrified of sleeping and see the man into her dreams, but John was there with her, and she hoped that nothing could inflict her... ''I love you'' She said softly and kissed him again, this time on the cheek.

She curled into him as much it wouldn't hurt her, and all the medicine she took early helped her fall fast asleep again.

John smiled softly and gently tugged her hair down so that he could run his fingers through her silky brown locks. "I love you, more, Marina," He whispered into his ear as he wrapped his arms fully around her and held her close, gently rubbing her back.

Marina slept well almost the whole night, but as the dawn was arriving, her leg started aching terribly, and she could feel shivers all over her body... She woke up sweating coldly and crumpling the sheets tightly... ''John!'' She screamed the moment she realized he wasn't there by her side.

John jolted, dropping the tray he carried with coffee and a small breakfast, listening to it shatter on the stone floor. The maid looked to him with scared eyes as everyone in the mansion had heard Marina's scream. John quickly gave her a gesture to clean it up as he moved to hurry to his bedroom upstairs.

"Marina?" He called, jogging into his bedroom and over to his bed. He rested his hand on top of her clenched one and brushed her sweaty bangs away. "Marina, you're all right..." He promised, seeing the fear in her eyes.

''John... My whole body is burning... I-I don't know what's wrong'' She cried and grabbed his hand, as her body trembled violenty on the bed.

John furrowed his brows and noticed just how hot her hand was. "Nurse! Run a cold bath, now! Put ice in the water!" He called out, brushing her hair away from her face and kissing her forehead to feel just how hot she was.

She barely heard what he said, her eyes and ears were turved, and she got weaker instantly, though her body was still trembling.

John quickly carried her to the bathroom where he got her down into the water. "Marina? Marina, please, stay with me," He whispered, cupping her cheeks. "Please, stay awake," He pleaded.