"Bella."

A voice wavered in and out, but it sounded so far away.

I felt a light slap against my cheek.

And suddenly the voice was right in my ear.

"Bella, wake up," Moretti's worried voice spoke into my ear.

My eyes flickered open to reveal his battered face looking up at me, showing dimly in the light.

"H-How long was I out?" I asked, rubbing a sore spot on the top of my head.

Moretti still sat under me. "It's only been around 10 minutes."

I nodded and looked around blankly, examining the fallen boards and walls around us.

Moretti reached a hand up to my face, careful to not let his bloodied knuckles brush against my cheek. "Bella...you saved me," he breathed out, "Y-You threw yourself on top of me."

I looked back into his eyes. "Are you kidding me?" I lifted a hand and brushed aside a stray black hair that fell into his eyes. "Of course I did. Don't be stupid, Moretti."

I slid off of him and sat beside him in the small space we were enclosed in.

He reached out and grabbed my hand, gently rubbing my hand with the pad of his large thumb.

"You think we'll ever get out of here?" He laughed.

I looked around at the heavy boards encroaching on us and over to the physically broken man by my side. And I chose to stay quiet.

And just squeeze his hand back.

_

I realized things had changed so much for me since I first met him in that alleyway.

I was terrified to admit I wanted him. Terrified when I realized he wanted me. Too scared to let myself me vulnerable.

But I wasn't scared anymore.

"I know I'm not good with the feelings stuff, I said aloud, breaking the peaceful silence.

Moretti turned his head towards me but didn't speak.

I looked down at my hands. "But i'm trying here, so...what is there that you'd like to know?"

Moretti laughed, "So I get the honor of asking the Psycho whatever I want?"

I huffed. "Yes, you do. But don't make it dirty. Or do."

He laughed again, throwing his head back the slightest bit. "Alright, alright let me think." He looked deep in thought for a moment.

I waited for him to continue.

"What was your childhood like?"

"Jesus, are you sure you want to know?" I asked him, looking in his eyes.

He grabbed my hand back, "There isn't anything you could tell me that would scare me off."

I sighed, "Alright."

He interrupted, "Like no, really, I literally cannot get up and run away."

I slapped his shoulder, "Shut up and let me talk," I giggled.

But the giggles faded.

"Okay, um my parents died when I was very young. Nobody ever told me how. I went to live with my Aunt. But she was," I sighed, "an addict. Would do anything to get her fix."

I looked back up to see Moretti still listening so I continued.

"And one day she did. She had just been fired from her job at the club and she couldn't round up the cash on her own. I remember her shaking and pulling her hair, desperate for something to take the edge off."

Moretti continued to rub circles on my hand.

"There was a man, he said he'd take me for a few thousand bucks. And she just...let him. Like I was nothing to her." I felt Moretti squeeze my hand tightly.

"And he was not a good person. He's the one who introduced me to all this," I gestured to the blood splatters on my dress. "And he would..." I drifted off and moved on. "H-Hank taught me almost everything I know about killing, but trust me I learned a lot of it on my own too," I laughed breathlessly. "Especially after I ran away when I was like," I paused to think, "17?"

Moretti continued to stare at me.

"And I've just been on my own ever since," I said, looking away from his eyes back down to my lap.

He licked his lips, preparing to say something.

"But you'll never have to be alone ever again."