Title: Adrift
Chapter: Seven
Author: squeezynz@free.net.nz
Rating: PG

...recovery,relapse and relationships explored.....

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Mark didn't want to wake up. He knew that he should try to open his eyes but his brain simply didn't want to, his body wonderfully languid and relaxed. His senses told him an encyclopedia's worth of information but the only sensation that had his complete attention was the feel of the warm body next to him. That in itself would have been surprising enough, but even without opening his eyes he knew whose body it was, and that was almost enough to shock him to his toes. What really surprised him was how right it felt, how normal to wake up with that person sleeping next to him. Despite being fully awake, he hadn't moved or changed his breathing, not wanting to do anything to wake up his bed partner who was still completely relaxed, her breath even and deep, her body trustingly tucked into his, spoon-like. Its just a dream, Mark told himself, his arm tightening slightly where it lay across the very feminine curve of Valerie's trim waist, his hand resting, fingers splayed, across her soft belly. Just another dream.

Valerie felt the muscles flex as Mark's arm pulled her fractionally more firmly into his embrace, her heart starting to thump as the enormity of her situation tried to fight its way through the fog enveloping her brain. She knew that there was something shocking about the whole scenario but for the life of her she couldn't drum up the energy to break the intoxicating lethargy that melted her bones and made her want to lay in Mark's arms forever. His fingers were tracing lazy circles where they rested just above her belly-button and she almost felt like purring as she felt his lips start to nuzzle the nape of her neck, his warm breath sending sparkles of awareness down her spine, to her toes and back again. Oh god, this has to be the best dream yet, its so real Valerie thought, her body starting to respond to Mark's gentle caresses. Finding it impossible to remain still, Valerie stretched and flexed her legs, her mind registering that she appeared to be in a bed covered by a sheet and that her legs were completely bare, in fact she belatedly realised that she wasn't wearing a stitch, only a slight heaviness to tell her that she now had a cast on her left hand to support her broken wrist.

Behind her, Mark was becoming more insistent, his hand moving up her body while his lips found her ear and suckled on the lobe. Finding the whole dream very arousing and incredibly intense, Valerie let out a gasp and reached down to stop Mark's hand. At the feel of Valerie's hand Mark froze, his body as still as a rock. At the same time, Valerie opened her eyes, blinking to clear the last of the fog from her brain.

"Oh my god, its not a dream!"

As they both came to the same realisation, Mark hurriedly withdrew his hand and scooted backwards, pulling the sheet with him. In desperation, Valerie grabbed the sheet before it completely uncovered her, twisting around to wrap it across her body as she turned to face the man behind her.

Valerie could feel the hot flood of colour that rushed hotly to her cheeks as embarrassment stained her face and body a bright pink. Facing her across the bed, Mark's face was flushed as well, the bruises standing out luridly on his forehead and cheek.

"I'm....I'm so sorry..I thought...I thought it wasn't real," Mark stammered, inching away to the edge of the bed, but stopping when he realised that he apparently had also lost his clothes somewhere and only a thin sheet preserved his modesty.

"I thought it was a dream....oh god, I'm so embarrassed," groaned Valerie, burying her face in her hand, the other still gripping the edge of the sheet, pulled high to cover her chest.

Raking a hand through his short hair, the other still clutching at the sheet about his waist, Mark turned away to look at anything other than at Valerie, his eyes taking in the curtained alcove and plain walls on three sides of the room. On the floor beside the bed were a pair of pyjama-like trousers and Mark reached down to snag them, still keeping a tight hold of the sheet.

"Um....I'll just get something on," he muttered, swivelling round so that he had his back to Valerie as he quickly pulled on the loose trousers, knotting the ties with shaking fingers. Feeling a little less self-conscious, but still avoiding Valerie's eyes, Mark started to explore the room, pulling back the curtain to reveal a doorway leading into another room. He also saw what looked like the top to his pyjamas laying on the ground. He scooped them up and tossed them onto the bed, all the time keeping his back turned.

"These...ur...these appear to be all they've left us for clothes," he said, "I'm going to see what's in the other room."

Without waiting for a reply he walked away, his bare feet noiseless on the wooden floor.

For a moment Valerie sat as if carved from stone, her head bent and eyes downcast. Mortified and hot with embarrassment, she reached out for the shirt Mark had tossed on the bed, her fingers scrabbling in their haste to pull on the large pyjama top, her clumsy efforts at doing up the buttons enough to make her curse under her breath. Finally able to let go of the sheet, she pulled the shirt down as far as it would go, finding that it reached to mid-thigh, longer, she thought absently, than some of her skirts.

Rolling up the long sleeves, Valerie sidled out of the rumpled bed and looked around the room, her free hand pushing back her hair and tucking it behind her ears, while her injured wrist remained tucked protectively against her chest. She stood there, unsure, still overwhelmed at finding herself in such an intimate situation. A movement at the doorway drew her reluctant gaze and she saw Mark standing there, his arms folded across his bare chest, his body language screaming an unexpected vulnerability.

"There's two more rooms, ones a bathroom, the others a dining room,"

"Any food or water ?" Valerie asked, remaining where she stood, the bed between her and the doorway. Mark only shook his head, his eyes unwillingly drawn to the chaotic bed between them.

Unexpectedly, Valerie's shoulders began to shake and she had to cover her mouth with her free hand to stop a giggle of laughter from breaking out. Thinking that she was crying, Mark dropped his arms and made to move towards her, only to stop when Valerie bent over at the waist and let go a whoop of laughter that sent his eyebrow shooting to his hairline in surprise. Completely unable to stop herself, Valerie continued to giggle and hiccup, her face buried in the side of the bed where she'd collapsed. Mark felt an answering smile tug at his lips until a chuckle pulled his mouth into a full blow grin.

"I'm sorry Mark...I didn't mean to act like an outraged virgin...its just.....it was a bit of a shock," gasped Valerie, lifting her head and using the sheet to wipe her streaming eyes. "I never dreamed....ur...never expected to wake up.....like that," she finished, waving a vague hand at the rumpled bed.

"I know what you're saying Val....we both reacted instinctively...before and after we found out....I'm sorry for embarrassing you like that," said Mark, sitting down on the opposite side of the bed.

"Don't apologise Mark, it wasn't as if you deliberately arranged what happened," said Valerie, getting up off the floor and sitting on her side of the bed, turning at the waist to face the man on the other edge. " Which leads me to ask...why did the giants put us into this situation in the first place ?"

The question hung in the air between them, they're eyes finally meeting across the bed, blue on blue, the atmosphere becoming tense as they both arrived at a similar answer.

"No way..." exclaimed Valerie at last, answering her own question, "its outrageous, I'm not some brood mare!"

"We don't know what they were expecting Val, maybe they thought we were...in a relationship and decided to put us together," said Mark weakly, realising as soon as he uttered it that it was an unlikely explanation. Valerie obviously agreed because she let go an unladylike snort and clambered to her feet, tugging at the hem of the shirt as it rode up her legs.

"And I'm the queen of mars....look, don't tell me that everyone else woke up in such luxurious surroundings....they obviously want us to...to....ugh I can't bring myself to say it!"

In direct contrast with her previous feelings, Valerie now felt outraged and very angry at being a biological guinea pig for the giants. Her eyes flashing blue fire, she marched past Mark into the next room, her hair swinging angrily around her flushed face. Startled at the sudden turn around, Mark waited until Valerie had cleared the doorway before following her into the next room. There he found her pacing, her good hand perched on her hip while her sore arm remained held protectively against her chest. Although as shocked as Valerie at the prospect of being used as a stud by the giants, he found himself more distracted by the sight of Valerie's slim legs, lightly tanned and well toned, descending in enviable length from the hem of the baggy pyjama top. So absorbed by the sight, he didn't realise that Valerie had not only stopped talking, but she had also stopped moving and now regarded his absorption with barely concealed fury.

"When you've quite finished ogling....can we turn our attention to our current situation!" she ground out, once more tugging in a futile gesture at the hem of the shirt.

"Um....what ?" asked Mark, his mind belatedly registering that Valerie was speaking to him. Shaking his head to clear the fog of lethargy that still clouded his brain, Mark walked over to the table and two chairs in the middle of the room and sat down.

"Sorry Val...I don't know what's wrong with me....I feel so...relaxed,"

Her anger evaporating as quickly as it had come in view of Mark's surprising admittance of weakness, Valerie plumped herself down in the other chair, her concerned gaze raking over Mark's battered face as he slumped across from her.

"You don't look good Mark....how do you feel ?"

"Kinda groggy...and....spaced out,"

"drugged ?"

"Yeah...but not in a good way...if that makes any sense,"

Alarmed, Valerie sat back and considered just how she was feeling now, in the face of Mark's obviously strange state.

"I had a slight headache when I first woke up, but now that's gone and I feel.....invigorated, not at all tired...almost the reverse, like everything is brighter and sharper," she explained, getting to her feet and starting to pace again. "I feel full of energy and wired....its weird."

"Maybe the giants are testing some new drugs on us," said Mark, the weakness in his limbs seeming to spread, making him slur his words and battle to keep his eyes open. "I....I think I'll go and splash some water on my face....maybe that'll wake me up,"

He pushed himself up from the table and stood for a second, feeling the room start to spin.

"I don't think....Val...I...urgh..." he started to say, only to find the room rushing up to meet him, Valerie's cry of alarm sounding right beside him as the cool floor connected with his already bruised face.

"Oh my god...Mark!!"

Falling to her knees beside Mark's body, Valerie tried to turn him over onto his back, her breath sobbing in her throat as she tried without success to use only her good arm. After managing to get him onto his side, Valerie sat back on her heels and tried to think past the fear gripping her.

"Please wake up Mark...please," she sobbed, hugging her aching wrist across her stomach. Holding the back of her hand to Mark's forehead, Valerie let out a gasp at how cold his skin felt, like ice.

With a supreme effort she managed to get him on his back, his head lolling bonelessly on his neck, his eyes still tightly closed.

"Please don't die on me Mark...please don't die," Valerie whispered, picking up Mark's hand and threading her fingers with his.

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"We have a problem,"

Elish lifted her head from the microscope and looked across at the technician who was currently pointing at one of the screens.

"What is it ?" She asked, removing the current slide and reaching for the next.

"The male specimen in cage number four appears to have collapsed,"

For a second Elish didn't react, the unemotionally stated report from her technician failing to ring the alarm bells, but after a couple of seconds the text of the statement sunk in and Elish looked up in alarm.

"Collapsed ? where...which screen...which cage ?"

"Here," pointed the technician, moving out of her superiors way. Elish peered at the screen, taking in the scene of Valerie crouched over a prostrate Mark. Glancing down, Elish picked up the appropriate clipboard and flipped through the charts, noting the drugs used and dosage.

"How long have they been awake ?" she asked without looking up.

"About half an hour...I'm still recording if you want to play it back,"

"Show me,"

For the next few seconds Elish watched a replay of Mark and Valerie's awakening, her finger on the fast forward until they scenes showed the two Little People in the main living area. "Stop it there," she instructed, watching while Valerie and Mark played out their roles culminating with Mark's collapse.

"Get the resus unit and the emergency kit,"

Without waiting to see if her assistant to carried out her instructions, Elish hurried over to the cage and pulled away the mesh roof, reaching inside and lifting out Mark's body. Carrying the inert figure across to another bench, Elish laid him out and positioned him under a large, illuminated magnifying glass. Under the glare of the light Mark appeared pale and lifeless, and Elish swallowed hard at the thought of explaining to Sherik that one of the Little People had perished under her care. Her assistant arrived at her elbow and placed the custom designed oxygen unit beside the small pallet. Elish instructed her to plug it in, while she positioned what amounted to an oxygen tent over Mark. The small compressor hummed quietly while Elish selected a syringe small enough to draw a sample of blood.

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His second awakening proved less enjoyable for Mark, his head ached abominably and he had difficulty drawing in a deep breath, a cough racking his sore chest as he rolled slowly onto his side and drew up his knees. The only similarity to his previous experience was the feel of the bed under his back.

"Woah...deja vu....without all the nice stuff,"

"Oh thank god...you're awake...you scared the life out of me,"

Valerie's familiar voice proved a balm to his aching head and Mark carefully rolled onto his back to watch as she came to sit on the edge of the bed.

"So what does the other guy look like ?" he quipped, easing himself up onto the pillows that Valerie positioned behind his shoulders, his movements small as various bruises made themselves known all over his body. Glancing down he noticed a bandage on his arm with a faint blood stain at the centre.

"You scared me to death when you collapsed, I don't know what they did to you out there, but they returned you about an hour ago, without a word of explanation,"

Noting that Valerie seemed close to tears, Mark managed to form his lips into a faint smile.

"Hey....I don't remember what happened...but I feel we've been here before,"

Mark was surprised to see Valerie blush to the roots of her hair and wondered what had happened to make her so acutely embarrassed. He felt, rather than saw, Valerie withdraw from him, her eyes downcast, fiercely focusing on his hand laying passively on the bed cover.

"I'm just glad you're back here with me," she said finally, her eyes lifting to meet his.

The seconds lengthened into a companionable silence, then Mark noticed the new cast on her wrist.

"New cast, new clothes, I wonder what else is in store for us ?"

"You really don't remember....do you," Valerie stated, one hand smoothing down the front of her unflattering pj's, her gaze dropping to the trousers she now wore.

"Nothing much....a few images and sensations, but nothing I can pin down,"

"Never mind...it wasn't important, I'm just glad your back...and in one piece,"

Outside, Elish watched and listened in relief as the man she'd treated appeared to have recovered adequately from his brush with death. The blood test had revealed a dangerous level of the drug they'd injected prior to returning him to the cage. It had been intended to alleviate the worst of the side effects of the anaesthetic as well as act as a mild aphrodisiac, but the dosage had almost cost the tiny man his life. Keeping half an eye on the monitor, Elish continued writing up her notes, thankful that they had managed to save his life. The only fly in the ointment was the insistent nagging of her conscience that kept asking just what sort of life had she saved him for.

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Sherik sat contentedly at the large desk, several reports and schematic plans scattered around him, one in particular holding his attention.

"These are impressive Sarn, your team have done an excellent job,"

"Thank you Sherik, I'll pass on your praise to my technicians."

"How accurate are these internal schematics ?"

"Without actually breaching the hull...I'd say they are as accurate as you're going to get at this stage, what I'd like to do is start with one of the Little People and get some real details about the propulsion system,"

"Patience Sarn...we're all eager to get this project off the ground, but we need to get our little friends settled in and comfortable,"

"They're enemy invaders...aliens...I don't understand why you're treating them like pampered pets!" said Sarn, his face darkening with anger. Sherik continued to study one of the reports, ignoring his subordinates outburst.

"We have them Sarn...they aren't going anywhere...we have all the time we need to study them, learn their secrets, re-create their technology...we have it all now Sarn,"

"And I know that they have an impressive record of evading anyone who has captured them...if we are to believe the SID, who, I might add, have also managed to capture, then be outwitted by these Little People."

"Our security measures are more than adequate, there no possibility of them escaping," said Sherik soothingly, still absorbed by the paperwork.

"I don't have your confidence Sherik...I've read the reports, they are incredibly resourceful and adaptable, they're not tame animals or mindless dolls,"

"I'm surprised Sarn, I didn't realise you had such an interest in our offworld visitors...you have obviously been studying all the information we have,"

"As have you Sherik."

"Don't worry Sarn, all the necessary measures are in place, the Little People won't be escaping our possession anytime soon. Now lets drop this subject and turn our attention to this wonderful ship,"

Sighing in frustration, but not prepared to argue any further, Sarn turned his attention back to the plans spread over the desk.

"We've reached the point of needing one of the Little People to walk us through the more detailed technical aspects of the engine and support systems," said Sarn, drawing Sheriks attention to one of the schematic plans.

"I agree...and according to my report from Elish, the individual most likely to provide that information is the one called Mark Wilson. According to the boy, he's a renowned engineer."

"And according to this report, he's likely to prove extremely reluctant to co-operate," added Sarn, dropping the transcript of Fitzhugh's interrogation on the table.

"Yes....along with their Captain, these two men are going to prove difficult, but that is why I currently have Elish and her team working on a pharmaceutical answer to that particular problem,"

"How soon ?"

"Patience Sarn, Elish will inform me when the tests are completed, in the meantime we are making sure that both men are made aware of how much will be a stake is they refuse to play ball,"

"Is this to do with your breeding programme ?" asked Sarn, almost spitting the words, his mouth twisting with obvious disgust.

"Oh come now Sarn....my little experiment will reap several benefits...we'll be able to expand our knowledge of these offworlders, in both the physiological and psychological fields, as well a provide ourselves with the necessary lever to make sure our captives co-operate fully with whatever we ask them. What more could you want ?"

"What I want is to get this...Mark Wilson...and have him tell us everything he knows about the ship," growled Sarn, glaring at Sherik as if sheer force of will would change the man's mind.

"Patience Sarn...once Elish has the drugs sorted out we'll only need to ask the they will fall over themselves to impart the knowledge. Now that is an end to this discussion for the time being, leave me now, I want to inspect this information thoroughly."

Realising that further argument was patently futile, Sarn got to his feet and left, leaving Sherik poring over the scattered paperwork.

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"You told them *what* ?"

"I wasn't in a position to demur, Mr.Ericson, they had me in a very vulnerable situation...I had to tell them everything,"

"Oh I'm sure you did tell them *everything*," said Dan in disgust, jumping to his feet and starting to pace around the room. Fitzhugh, sitting at the small table, put on an aggrieved air and decided to remain silent in the face of Dan's obvious agitation.

"Just what else did you tell them Mr.Fitzhugh ?"

Hating the way that Dan spat his name out like an expletive, Fitzhugh folded his arms across his chest and glared at the co-pilot.

Throwing his hands up in the air in frustration, Dan walked back and leant on the table, drawing in a deep breath in an effort to calm himself down. Neither man noticed Barry standing in the doorway, knuckling his eyes and yawning.

"For all we know they could be torturing Mark and Steve right now, thanks to your runaway mouth...didn't you even think before confessing all ?"

"I'll ask you to modify your tone with me, Mr.Ericson...next time you can be the one strapped to the table and interrogated...then you might have some grounds for vilifying me, but until you are in that horrible situation, I would ask that you refrain from treating me as a traitor. I wasn't the only one in the hands of the giants....for all I know, you could have done exactly the same, or Barry for that matter....or...or any of us,"

"But I only know about you Mr.Fitzhugh," replied Dan, darkly, his eyes dangerous. Realising that Dan was close to cracking, Fitzhugh stumbled to his feet, backing away from the table and the angry man facing him. A movement from behind Dan alerted Fitzhugh to Barry's presence and he grasped the diversion, skirting around Dan to reach the boy, grabbing Barry's shoulders and pulling the boy in front of him like a shield.

"I'd remind you to watch your language around the boy," announced Fitzhugh pompously, keeping a firm grip on Barry's shoulders.

Ignoring the older man, Dan drew in a deep breath and turned to regard the boy, Barry returning his tight smile with one of his own.

Pulling away from Fitzhugh grip, Barry approached the co-pilot and stood, head bowed in front of him.

"What's up Barry...did you want to say something ?" asked Dan gently, his anger draining away.

"I think...I might have told them....I gave them....our names," gulped Barry, inordinately interested in his bare toes curling against the cold floor. Confused, Dan reached up and laid a gently hand on Barry's shoulder, shooting a glance at Fitzhugh to see the same expression on the older mans face.

"Are you saying the giants interrogated you as well...like Mr.Fitzhugh ?"

"Yes Dan....they wanted to know if Steve or Mark were my father, and who everyone else were....I told them," Barry confessed, still staring at his feet. "I didn't think it would hurt....it didn't seem to be that important.....I mean, I don't know anything *really* important, do I?"

For a second Dan closed his eyes, feeling a headache coming on. When he opened them again he saw Barry eyeing him expectantly. In the face of the boys confession, Dan couldn't bring himself to hold onto his anger.

"I'm sure you didn't tell them anything they didn't already know Barry, but lets talk about something else....how are you feeling, any after-effect from that gas they used to knock us out ?"

"I'm fine....a bit achy but otherwise, just hungry," Barry informed him, looking over to where Fitzhugh still stood by the doorway.

"I'm sorry Barry, there's nothing here for us to eat...we just have to hope the giants aren't planning on starving us," said Dan, looking up at the mesh ceiling above them.

"Starve us!!" gasped Fitzhugh, one hand covering his mouth, "they can't mean to do that...I mean, why put us into what are certainly more comfortable surroundings than a box cage, only to torture us with starvation ?"

"I don't know Mr.Fitzhugh," Dan bit out, "maybe they thought you could lose some weight,"

"How dare you....I'm not fat...just big boned," Fitzhugh declared defensively, pulling in his stomach muscles with limited results. Dan only snorted in amusement before turning to ignore Fitzhugh and sitting down at the table, his hands clasped together in front of him.

"Whatever they plan for us, we just have to keep our heads and try and learn anything we can when they finally make contact."

"What about the others...Miss Scott, Betty......Steve and Mark ?" Asked Barry, coming to sit opposite Dan at the table.

"That's what we have to find out...I can only hope they are okay and not suffering from Mr.Fitzhugh's big mouth!"

That mouth was starting to open and shut like a fish, Fitzhugh flushing an ugly purple before deciding to ignore Dan's slurs and turning his back on the room, his arms folded over his chest, one bare foot tapping angrily on the floor. His expression turned from outrage to terror when a sound pulled his attention to the ceiling, only to see it lift off and a hand reach down and close around him in a warm embrace. Dan and Barry jumped to their feet, unable to do more than gape in horror as their shipmate, with a shriek and a muffled wail, disappeared out of the room, carried off by an unknown giant to an unknown fate.

For a few seconds after the giant hand had left, carrying its screaming captive, Dan and Barry stood frozen, staring up at the mesh ceiling as if expecting the hand to appear again. Edging closer to the co-pilot, Barry slipped a cold, trembling hand into Dan's, making the man jerk in surprise and look down at the young boy. Focusing once more on the situation facing them, Dan tried to pin a shaky smile on his face to dispel the sick feeling in his stomach. Squeezing Barry's hand he picked up one of the fallen chairs and sat down, his body still thrumming with the unexpected adrenalin rush.

"You okay Barry ?"

"Um....not really...what do you think they're doing with Mr.Fitzhugh ?"

"I don't know Barry, but Fitzhugh was right about one thing, I don't think the giants went to all the trouble of putting us into these very nice apartments and then intend to harm us, we just have to wait and hope that they return Fitzhugh in one piece,"

As Dan stopped talking,a movement to his right drew both their attentions to the doorway where a groggy looking Chipper was walking unsteadily towards them, his tail wagging feebly.

"Chipper!!" exclaimed Barry, running over to his pet and kneeling down to ruffle the small dogs ears.

Dan watched the reunion with troubled eyes. Obviously the giants were pumping them for information, Fitzhugh and Barry both easy targets as the weakest links in their group. Dan could only hope that his comments to Fitzhugh would make the man think before spilling his guts, and in turn their future safety, to the curious giants. His only consolation was that Fitzhugh was hardly the right person to tell the giants about Earth technology, and in particular the inner workings of the Spindrift. Dan could only hope Fitzhugh kept the knowledge of who did know to himself. Unfortunately, that knowledge was already known and plans laid to use it.

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They came for Mark in the equivalent of the middle of the night.

He and Valerie were sleeping soundly after making the most of the apartments facilities as well as enjoying a meal provided curtesy of the giants. Mark appeared to have recovered well but remained below par, feeling unsteady and suffering some short term memory loss. He was more than ready to get some rest when the light in the apartment started to dim until they were barely alight, plunging the rooms into a night-like gloom. Despite shouting and banging on the walls they weren't able to get anyone to come and explain, so, despite refusing to give in right away, after sitting in the near dark for several minutes Valerie suggested they make a virtue out of necessity and get some rest, glad that the shadows hid her face from Mark's close scrutiny. After making themselves comfortable, at opposite sides of the bed with a wide gap between them, Mark and Valerie lay there, both of them acutely aware of the other but neither wanting to make the first gesture. Eventually Valerie, after trying unsuccessfully to ignore the fact that Mark was sharing the same bed, let go a huge sigh and rolled over to face him where he lay on his back staring up at the ceiling.

"I can't sleep," she stated in a whisper, barely able to make out Mark's profile.

"Neither can I," Mark whispered back, turning his head to face her.

They lay for a few more minutes before Mark lifted his arm up and Valerie shuffled closer, her head coming to rest on his shoulder, his arm coming to rest against her back, pulling her closer.

After a few more minutes of listening to Mark's heartbeat, Valerie drifted off, her breathing becoming deep and even. With a contented sigh Mark quickly followed her.

It made what happened hours later all the more bittersweet when Mark was literally wrenched from her arms and carried away before Valerie had a chance to come fully awake. The giants hadn't even bothered to turn on the lights, leaving Valerie sitting bereft in the middle of the crumpled bed, in the dark, terrified and alone.

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