Never Fear

14

Willow picked up her phone when it rung and smiled. "No, I've not found another job yet. Yes, I'm searching!" She laughed, Sue laughed on the other end of the phone before passing it over to Kevin, who then proceeded in giving her a minor lecture about upping and leaving like she did. "Yes, I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was leaving. It was just a spontaneous thing really." Willow twirled her hair and frowned when the sound of a key in a lock was soon heard. "I met up with an old friend and am staying...what? Yes, yes it's him. Oh, he's fine," Willow said and stopped suddenly when Jonathan practically collapsed through the door. "Hey, it's getting late, and I have to get up tomorrow for an interview. Call you tomorrow? All right, bye love you both!" Willow exclaimed and hung up, yes she lied, she had no interview tomorrow. Jumping up and putting an arm around Jonathan's shoulder she helped him in. "What the hell have you done?" She muttered and helped him sit at the table while running back and slamming the door shut.

Sitting in the seat in front of him she reached up and pulled the mask off. Jonathan's eyes slowly opened and looked up at her. Willow's eyes saddened, there were little scratch marks on his face, when she inspected him closer she noticed how his suit was cut up too. Tear marks were in the sleeves and in his shirt. "Oh, Jonathan, was your revenge worth it?"

"Yes," he whispered and winced, fidgeting he tightened the grip he had on his side. Pushing her head out of her hand, Willow reached down and pulled his hand away. A rather nasty looking gash greeted her.

Standing up, she disappeared from view and then reappeared with a first aid kit. "Now I have to remind you, that I am no doctor." Jonathan smiled lightly at this and got helped out of his jacket. Rolling up his shirt sleeves, Willow frowned. "What did you do? Crash through a window?"

"No." Jonathan muttered and then winced when antiseptic fluid touched his skin. Willow looked up at him and waited to see if he'd continue. "Someone got a little carried away with a kitchen knife."

Willow's eyes widened at this as she bandaged up his arm. Taking to sorting out the other one she shook her head. "You're lucky these aren't more serious," she looked up at him, "Or else you'd be going to hospital."

"Is that your medical opinion?" Jonathan smiled and then winced again when Willow pulled a bandage tight, narrowing his eyes at her, all he got in return was a smile.

"Yes." Willow clapped her hands and removed his hand from his side again. "Couldn't you have like...not attacked someone when they were near a sharp object?" Willow questioned quietly and leaned back in her chair. "Jonathan, take your shirt off." She said bluntly while crossing her arms.

Jonathan looked at her and smirked, "You're blushing. Embarrassed are we, Willow?"

"Hm, funny, I could just leave you to sort your own injuries out you know."

"You won't though."

"Bye," Willow smiled and stood up only to get stopped by him clutching onto her hand. Sitting back down, she took to sorting out the worst injury he had once he took his shirt off. "You're lucky, if whoever was taking to slashing at you aimed a little more up your lung would have got punctured." The knife had slashed against the skin, but not enough to warrant stitches which Willow was thankful of.

Placing a gauze dressing against the injury, she gently pulled Jonathan to sit up and away from the back of the chair so she could wrap a bandage around him to keep the dressing in place. Sighing lightly, Willow picked up a clean piece of gauze and dabbed some more antiseptic fluid on it. Turning back around she looked at Jonathan, he just sat staring curiously at her. Rolling her eyes she took to cleaning the small cuts on his face, all the while trying to avoid Jonathan's gaze which was fixed on her.

Once she was done, Willow put the gauze on the table and patted her knees. "All done, better?"

"Depends how you describe better." Jonathan answered.

Willow smiled and crossed her arms loosely. "Well, it's got to be better than bleeding everywhere."

"I wasn't bleeding everywhere."

"Jonathan, you've got blood on the chair, not mention you left a blood trail." Willow nodded over his shoulder, on the wooden flooring drops of blood could still be seen. She jumped and stood up, "I should clean that up. Blood stains on the floor, not very pleasant is it?" Willow smiled and picked up the first aid box and disappeared into the kitchen. She reappeared again and quickly cleaned up the few drops of blood which were on the floor. Jonathan stood up unsteadily and pulled his shirt on, frowning he looked at the blood stains. This shirt would have to be thrown away. Watching as Willow disappeared again and reappeared he nodded slowly at her. Willow smiled and clapped her hands together. "Jonathan?"

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Can I go out tomorrow?"

"You don't need to ask me," Jonathan regarded her quickly, Willow rocked on her heels and still looked up at him.

"But-"

"I've not been keeping you locked up in this apartment. You've had free will to leave any time." Jonathan said simply, Willow blinked in confusion. "You mean to tell me you never tried escaping while I've been out at work? Or even while I was out this evening?" Slowly Willow shook her head. Jonathan smiled slowly again and put a hand in his pocket, the other one he lifted up and twirled a dark curl of hers around his finger. "Want to know why? I know why." He leaned down to her level, "Stockholm Syndrome." He whispered in her ear, Willow gave an unwilling shiver. "You're suffering from it." Jonathan said while moving and looking her in the eyes. "That's why you've not tried escaping. Simple reason, no?" Jonathan said quietly, his lips barely millimetres away from hers. "You may try to pin more lame man term logic on it like: how could you leave here knowing what I'm actually up to in my spare time? But no, no the reason you won't leave boils down to something much simpler. You can't leave, you've simply not thought about it." Jonathan tilted his head to the side slightly. "Why, Willow you're being awfully quiet, you're never this quiet what's wrong?" Jonathan quickly looked her in the eyes. "Does the truth frighten you?" Slowly and gently he brushed his lips against hers. Willow shifted and leaned forward against him slightly. Jonathan responded to this by pulling her closer to himself and kissing her fully on the lips. Willow shifted in his arms and made no attempt at trying to get free. In fact she reacted to his kiss by pulling him closer to herself by his slightly bloodstained collar.

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(Edited: 30/Sep/2019)