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Her touch left his skin tingling as if someone had charged every nerve ending. The pounding in his head seems to travel down to his heart, but he would control himself. Raquel would not be someone he would sleep with, ever. Taking advantage of her like that would only sink him deeper into his hell.

It seemed he had already been brought into one, though. Damian could honestly say he had never been in a slum environment before... all he could think of then being Lorey, of course. She had lived in an apartment, all broken down and crime-ridden. How had she done it, he wondered? How had Raquel survived?

"She... used to work as a cleaning woman in the Ballroom," he began. Her sudden change of heart made him feel like he could confide in her, and good Lord, did he need to tell his story. "I tossed her out of doors to make her become something better. But I unwittingly brought her into the arms of another man... the worst part being that they are seemingly perfect for one another."

His eyes scanned the ugly place carefully, wondering what Richard had seen in his years of darkness.
"Both carry on in hysterics, both have these open hearts... both are as poor as anything. I suppose I should be happy for them."

During her unveiling, he quickly turned his back, only once more facing her when he was sure she was properly clothed. Listening to her words afterwards proved to be a bit more shocking than any removed shirt, but he listened, and nodded. There was no arguing against that logic, really.

"It wasn't that she was perfect for me," he tried. "It was that... she is so beautiful." Uttering the very word said it all. "And she deserves so much better. I could give it to her, I could have... but it was not to be."

And as if that was that, he extended his hand to her gathered things in a silent desire to carry them.
"And you are much the same. You deserve to be in a better environment and taken care of. I am not trying to come on to you in any way and am not asking or expecting or wanting any part of your body, just... trying to be kind where I never could be."

There was no smile upon his face, not even in his eyes. It was all just desperation. Damian just wanted to help.

Again, that charged feeling entered his skin. Damian followed her, enchanted for just a second before reminding himself he didn't actually know her.

As a gentleman did, he took her arm, and began walking her back to the hotel room. Goodness knows what would happen when he came back with this bruised and fascinating creature.

"I will buy you new ones," he said as they walked. "Ones that you want to wear. You do not have to look like you just walked out of the Ballroom, but if that is what you want... then that is what we will buy."

Buying, buying, that was all he did and knew how to do (or at least he thought so). In his first conscious effort to verbally express something like friendship, Damian said, "And I will be here for anything you need. I won't turn you into the cops, or doctors. I will pay you for what you lost tonight..."

Was there anything he had failed to address? "And I will be your friend. Employer, in a way, but friend nonetheless."

"Lorey has, too," he said without thinking. "All of hers have gone away... except for Richard and I. Perhaps you could become their friend as well."

--

It was a rather normal walk back to the hotel room. Through the doors, in the elevator, ride it up and up until it stopped and opened up to another hallway. Damian once more pressed his finger to his lips before opening the door.

Pale morning light was starting to lighten the darkness here and there. Damian gently took Raquel's things from her to place on the kitchen table, where he saw a bottle of aspirin sitting, next to the soggy pile of ice.
"Here," he said, popping open the little bottle. Out came two little white pills, which he offered to Raquel. "They'll help the pain. I'll make you a better icepack, and you can sleep on the couch. It's rather nice."

It was so odd how... not pitiful, but overly concerned he sounded as he fussed. Damian hardly seemed like the same person anymore, and all because he had someone to dote upon.

"Not in so many words..." Though the odd redness brought to his cheeks gave him away. "I would only put my arm about you. Whatever you are comfortable with. It is more just so that I don't seem utterly alone and in bad company. It sounds terrible, and I am not proud, but I cannot have people thinking anything is out of place."

He would take her to dinner every now and then, walk in the park with her... but behind the scenes, he promised himself he would take care of her. Damian needed a stranger to play this part so no one would ask questions, and yet he kept finding himself feeling so guilty that he almost wished he had went out to find an older acquaintance.

As a distraction, he fished a bottle of water out of the fridge and handed it to her, as she had taken the pills without any water at all.
"Here. We'll discuss everything once you wake up. If you need anything, just call for me. For all you're agreeing to do, I owe you the world."



As this conversation was taking place, Lorey was beginning to stir. She had always risen with the sun for as long as she could remember, but this time, she knew she had no job to go to. There was only a marvelously comfortable bed, the kind she dreamed of having... there was warmth as well, found in the arms of a man she loved. She hadn't had that kind of warmth and security in years. Fearing it would all go away in some kind of waking dream, Lorey stayed put, right where she was. Richard's arms were around her anyhow. Not that she minded, but moving would be difficult without waking him.

He stood stock-still as her soft lips kissed his face, and it wasn't until he found himself giving a laugh that he realized he'd been holding his breath. Damian still seemed wracked with grief and a strange desperation, but at least he had found someone to focus that care on. Lorey had Richard... and he would have Raquel, though not quite. There was always a catch there.

In the silence of the room, Damian heaved a very deep but soft sigh. Where were the blankets? he wondered. Usually there was an extra one in a utility closet somewhere. He went off to find that, still light-headed from that soft little kiss.

Lorey, though, was sitting in bed, utterly confused. Who was the female she had just heard and seen go to the couch? And why was she bruised so on her face? And just what was going on? Honestly, it seemed a few hours couldn't go by without something happening, and nothing ever good.

Lorey turned upon her back in her lazy morning way. Good morning, she whispered back, and kissed him upon his forehead. Would she tell him? Better wait a few more minutes, she reasoned, before telling Richard that there was yet another guest in the room. Lorey kept her quiet voice next to his ear, so as not to wake the poor girl.
"I haven't woken up like this... ever. Or felt safe like that since my mom."

As Lorey and Richard gently woke up, Damian kept to his word. First he fished out a wash cloth from the bathroom, and found a rubber band in a drawer by the phone. Then came the ice to make it a proper ice pack. All was safely tucked inside, tied off on the top, and ready to be used in case the pain woke Raquel up. Next came the thinner blanket that he found in the closet where coats were kept. It was a bit scratchy, and an unattractive yellow color, but it would keep her warm in the slight air conditioning.

Damian practically tiptoed over to where she was upon the couch. Carefully he threw that blanket over her, making sure her hands and feet were covered. The icepack was placed on the table in arm's reach just in case. It was all he could do for her at that time... everything else would have to wait.