Darkness surrounds me even as I open my eyes. Groaning I try to lift my arms but find them handcuffed behind my back.

All I can remember is the heavy thud of something hard on the back of my head as I waited for Katie.

My eyes become accustomed to the dim light, but the room, or rather the cell, is empty save for a bucket in the corner. I don't even want to think about what that bucket will be used for.

My head is pounding, from both the beating Katie's father gave me and then the thwack to the back of the head. In short my head has had a really bad day.

I must have fallen asleep. I didn't realise I had but a slamming of a door wakes me up abruptly.

Light streams in through the now open door but I can barely make anything out the light is so blinding.

Then I hear a whimper, a whimper I know all too well.

"No." I gasp out, please God don't let them have Katie too.

I watch, helpless and bound, as they carry her unconscious body into the cell.

"Don't hurt her!" I call out, pleading to our captors. I don't care if it makes me seem weak.

They lay her down beside me, admittedly with more care than I expected and then retreat. The door slams shut behind them, leaving us in darkness.

"Katie." I shuffle over to her, ignoring the protestations of my muscles.

"Katie, girl. Wake up."

She groans and whimpers at my voice but she doesn't wake up.

Sighing, I shuffle close to her and wish I could touch her, but I can't. Instead I press my leg to her back, attempting to keep her warm until she wakes.

Eventually, after what seems like hours of staring at the stone walls, Katie wakes up. She sits up with a gasp, her eyes wide with fear.

"Hey, Katie girl. You're ok." My voice calms her and she lets out a small whimper of relief.

"Liam." Her voice comes out slurred and I realise they must have drugged her as there is not a mark on her.

"I'm here, baby."

"What's going on?" She whispers as her head rests on my shoulder.

"I don't know, beautiful, but everything is going to be alright."

"How can you tell." She demands, the fear and shock evident in her tone.

"Because your dad loves you and would do anything to protect you. The bruises all over me tell me that."

"I don't know..." Katie's voice trails off and I feel her frown appear on my neck, "he's really mad at me."

She begins to weep, a deep, guttural, heartbroken sound.

"Come here, beautiful." I wish I could hold her in my arms but her sitting in my lap will have to suffice.

Katie sniffles and clambers into my lap where she snuggles down and rests her head on my chest.

"They didn't hurt you?" I ask, feeling rage bubbling in my stomach.

"No, just scared me."

"Well if they didn't hurt you, that's good news."

"Why?"

"Because that means they need you unharmed, my guess is they're gonna ransom you back to your father."

I say it like it's meant to be reassuring but I appear to have forgotten who I'm talking to because it makes Katie shake even more.

"And what about you?" She sniffles, "will they hurt you?"

"I don't know, Katie girl. But you'll be alright and that's all that matters."

Katie nods her head weakly and then rests it on my shoulder once again. Her head grows heavy eventually and I can tell from her breathing she's fallen asleep.

I feel a moment of relief, knowing she feels safe in my arms enough to sleep, but then I realise it's the sedative still in my system and the rage returns again.

When the door bangs open again, we both startle awake and I wish I could spare Katie this fear, but I can't.

"Good news Liam." Our kidnapper spits out, "your father has paid the ransom. As for you, Katie," his tone is harsh and makes her flinch back into my chest, "your father hasn't responded to our demands."

She once again begins to sob and I'm using every ounce of strength I have to try and break these handcuffs, but so far it's unsuccessful.

"Leave her alone." I growl, practically baring my teeth at the man, I'd do anything to protect Katie.

He chuckles cruelly before slamming the door shut again, the look clicks ominously behind him.

"Katie, Katie, stop crying baby please."

"B-but my d-dad doesn't w-w-want me and you're gonna leave me here."

"Does that sounds like something I would ever do, Katie girl." I demand, tipping her tear streaked face up to look at me.

"No-no." She stammers out and I nod my head, satisfied.

"Exactly, now these guys have made a mistake. They say my father has responded to my ransom, that means my father has got Hacker, our tracker, working on our location."

Katie doesn't reply, she just sniffles and wipes underneath her nose with the back of her palm.

"That means my father and all his men are coming to rescue us, you hear me. I'm not leaving you here, not now not ever."

"I-I just can't believe my dad hasn't replied."

"I know." I rub her back before my hand moves up to cup the back of her head.

I'm truth I can't believe that scum bag of a man isn't moving heaven and earth to protect the daughter he so fiercely protects. It makes me think it was all about control, nothing about care.

"Liam?" Katie asks after a good few minutes of silence.

"Yes, beautiful."

"They are coming to rescue us, aren't they?"

"Yes, Katie girl. They'll be coming."

I press a soft kiss to her forehead before saying a little prayer that I'm right and they are in fact coming to get us.