Picking Up Where This Left Off:

It has been a few days since S.T. Musician took responsibility for the wellbeing of The Deadly Demoness. As a result of the life being more exposed certain people began to take notice including the Boss that spotted them together. S.T. and Light Harmony were mulling things over.

S.T.: I tell you, while I'm happy I feel like things are trying to split us up. Not us two, but outside forces. That freak claimed to be her father, I had a feeling it was BS, but I had to play along to see the extent of it. I think if I can find her real family, that it may help her get out of this life. I did ask her if she wanted to try the potion and while she is interested, even she thinks she's not ready for it.

Harmony: Well if she's interested in it, then that's a start. You can't help anyone that doesn't want help.

Light: So how was the progress with her?

S.T.: Well for starters I had to make some parts of my room more presentable, you know me and my tendency to keep my room a mess. I also try to be nice to her and value the limited privacy my apartment provides, yet she does things that surprise me. For example. I asked her to use the bathroom as a changing room. I had plenty of clothes, given to me by some of the people I helped, so anything that didn't fit me I gave to her. I wanted to let her know that even if we like each other, it doesn't mean we have to see anything we don't want to yet. However, here's where it gets strange. Rather than use the bathroom, she changes in front of me. I don't look at first, but she looks at me as though I should look.

Harmony: Well it could be more than just romantic and sexual attraction. Maybe she feels so safe around you, she could be naked and you wouldn't do anything. Still, too much information S.T., but I see your point.

Light: Still I get the feeling, because you're not like most men, that you looked at her for more than her assets.

S.T.: Actually yes. I noticed something about her, that despite being an adult and is very smart, she has the personality of a child. One time I had these yogurt drinks from a popular brand and when she saw one, she sang, squeed and drank the thing like she just walked through a desert. I think I might have triggered a positive childhood memory.

Harmony: Makes sense, but what does that have to do with her clothes being off?

S.T.: Well on top of noticing how.....very beautiful she was, I noticed some slightly disturbing thing. Her body was covered in bruises and scars, both drug use and signs of abuse. It means that some of her customers haven't been treating her good.

Light: That does explain why she hates being called a dog, they probably called her that during the job and it stuck with her through trauma.

Harmony: So you have a beautiful Escort with a heart of gold pining for you, with the wisdom of an adult, a heart of a child and signs that she's being abused. You don't think.....oh god no. Shane, say it isn't so.

S.T.: I'm afraid it is, she was trafficked. Possibly kidnapped at an early age, groomed and sold to the streets. And the worst part is, I know who abused her. One time she was walking past me and I saw many of the men including members of the Wannabe Dark Divide surrounding her like vultures. She looks at me, with the mother of all depressed looks. It was like she was saying to me "This is how my life usually is. Please. Help me." Now there is nothing more than I want to do, than to grab these guys and castrate each and every one of them with a pair of pliers. However, I'd be breaking my oath of pacifism. Not only that, but even if it does escalate into a battle, even I can't protect her all the time.

Light: Ya it's a real dilemma. What can you do?

S.T.: The same thing I did for you two. I'm gonna help her. In her case, she has among most things a self confidence issue. It's a bit of a wonky one. For context. As both an escort and a villainess, she has the confidence to flirt and fight her way out of any given situations. Yet when actual love is on her mind, her self esteem lowers. For example, she'd get any guy to bed her for money, but when she really wants someone she likes, she's shy, she barely says things and it isn't until her love is at her peak that she just goes for it. That kiss she gave me in November took a lot of courage. Not to mention in terms of her line of work, she is a submissive. Which is both good and bad. Good because if I did tell her something she'd listen. However, unfortunately it's not all natural. Part of it is the result of her abuse and I feel bad if I have to tell her something because I'd contribute to it in away.

Harmony: Plus this is all very new to you, so you had to tip toe your way through for a while. So if I'm guessing right, you're gonna give her some self confidence boosts. You saved her soul, but you had to save her will.

S.T.: Ya, because I did notice something. While she didn't really mean anything by it in my case. Every expression of affection she's given me, had a hint of aggression in it. Which means, that deep down, she's dominant. She wants to pin me down and get it over with one day, even when we agree to take it slow, but at the same time, this is the first time she's found someone she genuinely wants everything from. It's weird, I'm in love with her, but I can't help but analyze it.

Light: So basically you're gonna boost her self esteem and see if it will give her more courage to stand up for herself and fight back, when you can'?

S.T.: Exactly, my days as a hero may be seldom now, but my days as a teacher are far from over. Not only that, but she may have things to teach me that I don't know about.

Light Harmony: Good luck.

The days go by and after a few invitations of dinner and dancing S.T. and Winter settle down.

S.T.: First thing's first. I understand that people have been hassling you and while I can't defend you all the time, I know you are strongwilled and very tough, I once seen you stick your hand in a boiling pot of water, just to reach a cooked hot dog, with no mark whatsoever. However without skill, strength and durability don't mean much. But I know how pragmatic you are, so all I have to do is teach you SING. Solar Plexus, Instep, Nose, Groin.

Winter: That will come in handy thanks.

Another day comes and she ends up sleeping on his bed the second time. Resuming the usual drill, he kept vigil and went out periodically. However the day seemed to get tiring for S.T. as well. He went out for a smoke and Light Harmony joined him.

S.T.: I don't know how much I can wait for her to wake on this one, it's been nearly 15 hours and now I'm getting tired. But there's only one bed. For a small woman, she takes up a lot of it.

Harmony: Hehe. Get used to that. Still why don't you just lay next to her like you guys did when you made out?

S.T.: It's not that I can't consider that, but picture this. You're laying next to a woman, she wakes up, wondering what you're doing beside her and screams. I am not gonna get roped into that. Still it is my bed and I do need to sleep, maybe I can find a spot where we won't be too close.

Light: Good luck with that.

He goes back upstairs. He notices the plushie he gave her, was across the room. Implying she threw it at one point, be it awake or while she was sleeping. He gets tired as hell and lays on a spot that is somehow away from her, yet he could still see her face to face. Her eyes were still closed at first. But then they open, he's scared at first, but when he sees her smile, he sighs a little.

S.T.: Did you have a good sleep?

Winter: The best, but you look uncomfortable, here.

She shifts her body, so that he can lay beside her, but he still keeps his distance. She then reaches her hand out to his side. He initially thought she simply wanted to hold his hand, like many times before. But once his hand reaches hers, she yanks him close to her.

S.T.: Eep!!

She then proceeds to wrap her arms and legs around his body. It was then and there he realized, she didn't want to sleep alone. They have some dinner and he sends her on her way. He goes out to Light Harmony's pad and lights up a big joint.

Light: S.T.? What happened?

Harmony: You look like you escaped the jaws of a hungry predator.

S.T.: She didn't want to sleep alone. She literally dragged me closer to her in bed as soon as she woke up. I was shocked, aroused, but there was something else. It felt.....right. It felt like I was meant to have her around me. I looked up what she did. It's known as a protective lover's embrace. It felt more than just an affectionate sexual gesture. It felt like she silently vowed to protect me then and there. Before I used to be ok with sleeping alone, so long as I was able to make it through the next day. Now, after that, I no longer wish to sleep alone anymore. It's....it's.....

Light: She's madly in love with you. Oh my God.

Harmony: Ok I admit it, I do feel jealous. However, the fact that she was shielding you with her body, while showing you were well loved and protective. It shows that this woman would do anything for you. We all heard the saying "If he jumped off a bridge, would you do it?" and most of it is routed in stupidity. However, this one would honestly say "Yes" to that question. The scary part was, you didn't even try hard to get it. You just well, you were you.

S.T.: I know right, she loves me for who I am, not what I can give her. I don't care how long it takes, I'm gonna keep seeing her, find her family and try to find others that will help me get those Wannabes off her back. But until then, I'm gonna try something. See, I know she can function well in the real world, but I have to help her get out there more. So I'm gonna do a trial run. Use these buildings programs to help her in many ways. Including but not limited to Tomorrow's breakfast. I also realized something about our "Friends" part of why they got so into Dark Divide, was because they were High School Dropouts that never went anywhere and still cling on to the bad side of High School life. Drinking, Drugs, Loud Music, Women, Fights. You name it. All the stuff we tried to grow out of, they wanted to keep and they'd destroy all who disagree. To put it plainly. We set out to fight crooks and we got School Bullies.

Harmony: That is pathetic. Plus we hate bullies. Unless they become crooks, they're a waste of time and energy. We should just ignore them.

Light: Easier said than done, they have a way of simply getting to people. Even S.T. let loose a couple of times, despite knowing better.

S.T.: Ya short of hurting them, I basically flip out on them the more I find out what they did. It's like everything I know, just pisses me off about them. Still, she's helping me by getting me to focus on better things. Not just her, but I've been rethinking a lot of my life and I want to simply move forward and be done with it.

Harmony: Ya, we been fighting this battle for a long time.

The trial run becomes successful so far. Friday, S.T. and Winter were able to enjoy breakfast. Even some of the staff was welcoming save for some dirty looks from a certain member that's been causing trouble. But it was otherwise ok.

Then lunch came. S.T. was waiting for it to go to the Take-Out hours. Even get extra for her, because neither one of them wanted to be in there. But she was hungry and he went in. The lunch room was packed and he started to realize, it was packed in a way no different than that of High School Cliques. As if the drop out analogy could not be more on the nose. They eat together quietly, but notice they got stares from the Wannabe Dark Divide Table. They were stares of shock, disbelief and rage. But the couple ignored them and continued with their lunch. With S.T. taking care of the garbage plates. Meanwhile Wannabe Dark Divide deliberate on what happened.

Wannabe Dark: Ok....would anyone mind telling me what the fuck that was? Those two were terrible by themselves and now they're eating lunch together. How are we supposed to corrupt this place when their little fling is spoiling my appetite? He's been at war with us for months and despite everything we try to do to break him, he keeps going. Now he has our property with him. The Deadly Demoness was ours by right, she's not a human being, she's a dog that needs to be slapped into submission. So why the fuck is she so happy with that piece of shit, Superhero Wannabe Loser?

Wannabe Divide: Maybe she's in love with him................HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEEHEHEHE!!! As if, she's probably manipulating him for money or something. Still, there is another problem. She could be telling him about us and vice versa.

Wannabe Dark: Ya, if either one went to the cops or other places, we'd be screwed. We have to separate them.

Wannabe Divide: It's fine. I have a plan......

Meanwhile at Light Harmony's Pad.

S.T.: Ya, they saw us. It was gonna happen eventually.

Harmony: They're small potatoes, but I suggest you be careful. Both of you individually pissed them off so many times, they'll do anything to be rid of you. And what is it that happens to superheroes, when the bad guys can't hurt them?

Light: They go after your loved ones.

S.T.: I know. I just hope I have enough time to help her, before the shit hits the fan.

Their watches beep.

S.T.: Oh shit. The computer got back to us on the last name. She's no ordinary escort. She's the Daughter of a very powerful criminal. Someone so powerful, even we couldn't touch them and we went after Putin on occasion. Someone I've heard of before a long time ago. Long story short, I basically dated, saved the life of and am trying to rehabilitate a criminal princess.

Harmony: Oh God. This is getting to be way more intense.

Light: Not that I give criminals credit, but it could be a good thing. I seen enough crime dramas to know that even if it's a cop or just some person, they save a boss' daughter and said boss is a friend for life.

S.T.: True, but at the same time I made out with his daughter so the reward I'd get is most likely a shotgun to the face.

Harmony: That is also true.

S.T.: I can take on some of the worst this city has to offer, without hesitation. Yet angry parents scare me. Regardless of walk of life they are the most dangerous animals known to Earth, come in many forms and all have the same mindset. "Protect their offspring at all costs." What the hell have I done?

Harmony: Don't sweat it, just focus on helping her for now. Deal with the angry dad later.

Light: Ya, besides if he's so powerful how come his daughter got sold to the streets?

S.T.: There's something else though, it's a bit repressed, but I am starting to figure out where I met her before. It was a long time ago, when we were very young.

To be continued......

S.T.: This is CIEIR Music with a very special announcement. In North America as well as all over the world, there has been a growing number of human trafficking victims. Many of them children. If you see anyone that has signs of Human Trafficking, call your local law enforcement and if you have it, contact a Support Centre for Human Trafficking. In the case of mine it's The Canadian Centre To End Human Trafficking.

Light Harmony: Save their lives. You have the power.