Around These Corners (tags: John Rolfe)

Odette started to walk around the town square and sighed before she leaned against one of the buildings. She knew she should have been on horseback at the very least but she couldn't go back to her home...not now. She bit her lip....anytime she thought about what happened in the past few days, she got even more upset. She started walking again not really paying attention to where she was going.

John paused as he noted a familiar blonde making her way through the town. Odette? His heartbeat increased, which only made him shake his head and clench his jaw. He made his way over to her, hooked his arm around her waist and tugged her to a less populated area of the town square. "Start talking," He said simply, his eyes obviously irritated.

Odette was not prepared to be grabbed around the waist and stared up at John in shock. "I..uh....I wasn't planning on being gone as long as I was. I ran into someone I knew...and he asked me to help him...next thing I know, I was knocked out and handcuffed to my bed in my home. He..he raped me." She said quietly and looked down, not wanting to see the look on his face. "Flynn managed to save me...but a day after I was with him, I stepped out again and the same guy...found me and finished the job." She said darkly. She looked down and away from him, "Marina found me though...and she helped me." She said quietly.

John felt like he was going to be sick as soon as he heard her words. He shook his head, tilting her chin up to look at him. He didn't care who helped her. He'd been the one to promise to protect her. He swallowed the lump in his throat and suddenly wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close against his chest and burying his face into her blonde hair. "I'm sorry..." He whispered, his voice breaking, though he obviously tried to stay stronger than his heart wanted him to.

(*eyes go wide and then the freaking out commences*)
Odette leaned into him, "Its not your fault." She whispered as she rested her head against his chest. Everything was starting to unwind and she couldn't contain the small sobs that left her as she clung onto him.

John smoothed her hair down lovingly and shook his head, kissing the side of her head. "I promised..." He had to swallow roughly to get his voice to come out clearly. "I promised you I would always come running if you were in danger..." He whispered, not even caring that a tear slipped down his cheek. "I'm sorry I let someone hurt you like that...But I swear, I'm not going to let them get away with it."

Odette sighed, "No, that's my job...once I heal I'm taking him down. I don't care what anyone else says...he hurt me and I...I can't live with that." She said quietly "How could you have known I was being raped anyway? It means a lot to me that you care as much as you do." She said quietly.

John held her close to him, refusing to accept that he'd actually let her get hurt -- not once, but twice. He pulled back enough to kiss her forehead. "Odette...I'm so sorry, no matter what you say," He whispered, leaning back and brushing her tears from her face.

Odette sighed and then bit her bottom lip, "I know you are...but really its not your fault. I only have myself to blame for this...trusting the wrong person." She said quietly.

John frowned and cupped her cheeks, getting her to look at him. "Odette...even if you did trust him, I won't let you blame yourself for what happened. Belle does the same thing, and I hate to see the pain she goes through when she thinks about it...I won't let that happen to you," He said quietly, his eyes intent on hers. Odette was stronger than Marina, at least as far as dealing with things went. He could tell that much.

Odette stared back up at him and sighed, "Its so hard not too....its like everything that could have gone wrong happened to me all at once. I was visited by the man who killed my parents, and whose own son raped me. I was stabbed by him at the ball and then Phoebus broke up with me. I mean I can handle a lot...but this is getting ridiculous." She muttered.

John frowned at her words, shaking his head and swallowing the lump in his throat. "I'm so sorry that you've had to go through so much...But, Odette?" He whispered, biting on his bottom lip for a moment. "You're not going to be alone anymore, all right? I'm right here," He promised quietly.

She shook her head, "You can't say that...you have Marina and I don't want to be the one in the middle." She said quietly and then pulled back. "I'm a grown woman John...I can take care of myself." She said softly.

[YES!!!!!
Goes back lurking!!]

"Obviously, you can't," John said sternly. "Odette, I gave you my word. A noble man doesn't back down on that. I don't care if you want my help or not. I'm not going anywhere. Get used to it," He said simply, a small smile tugging on his lips.

She sighed and then looked at him, "And what about Marina? She loves you John, and she seems to think you like me or something." She said with a frown. She honestly couldn't understand that...Marina was lucky to have a man as devoted to her as John was.

John sighed, looking away. "Marina...She's my fiance. She knows how much I love her...Any normal girl would be jealous if they saw their lover around you, Odette," He admitted honestly, looking back at her. "You're an amazing girl, Odette...I mean that, honestly," She said softly, cupping her cheek. "But, you know the difference? Sadly, you're not Marina," He said simply, giving her a light smile. "So, that's how I can say I'll always be there for you and know It's not going to affect how I feel for Marina."

She started to smile, "Well that's good then...thanks...for saying that, I just, I'm so used to males only focusing on one thing when it comes to me." She admitted with a roll of her eyes. "I..I won't intrude on you and Marina though...I'm staying with one of my friends." She said with a small smile.

John sighed, nodding and brushing her hair back behind her ears. "Will you be safe there?" He asked simply, crossing his arms.

She nodded, "Yeah, I should be...no one's broken into my room yet." She said and then froze...she hadn't meant to say that.

John's frame went stiff. "...Excuse me?" He questioned, narrowing his gaze as his hands clenched. "Someone broke into your room?" He hissed, obviously fuming that she had been put into danger again. Who the hell was supposed to be watching over her? Hadn't she said she was staying with Flynn for a while? Oh, how he'd love having that talk with Rider.

She flinched and looked down, "Uh...well yes ok the same guy who raped me...he may have broken into my room twice. He didn't do anything though..he just was trying to scare me. Minus the night where he got into bed with me while I was sleeping...and planted one on me but that's just not important." She said with a forced smile.

John glared at the ground. "This guy has got some nerve," He muttered, shaking his head. "Odette, it sounds to me like you need someone around you 24/7," He said simply, arching a brow.

Odette hung her head, "Honestly it didn't used to be that way....and I..I've never been comfortable with people watching my every move." She said quietly, not after having lived with a man half her life who would sexually assault and abuse her.

"For once, I'll have to agree with the council guy."
At their side, the younger of the Korso twins was leaning against the wall, with his usual bored and unreadale expression plasterd on his face. He wasn't even looking at the two, but instead focused on the knife in his hand he was cleaning off.
"I see Eric became a regular now too."