The Tattoo (formerly Unbreakable)

It's Just Me

Three hesitant glances told Meriddion all that she needed to know, they didn't trust her, and she couldn't blame them.  She knew that she had done many things to burn the bridges she had built with them, she only hoped now that she could rebuild them.  Looking away from them and walking into the kitchen she opened the refrigerator door.

"Do you want something to drink? Or something to eat?"

No answer, she knew now that she would have to try and explain herself. She slowly closed the door and sat down on a cushioned stool that sat in front of the kitchen island, she looked across the smooth stone surface at them.

"I know you have a lot of questions, I'm going to do my best to answer them, but if you have any more once I've explained please ask them."

She took a shaky breath in and began her story.

"When I left almost a year ago I came here, I was confused and I didn't know what was going on, months of my life were gone and I wasn't myself during them, I hurt so many people, especially you guys.  It took me a long time to figure things out, and it took just as long to get up the courage to actually start cleaning up the mess I made.  I don't expect you to forgive me, I know I've done horrible things to you, all I'm asking is that you give me that chance to make it up."

When Meriddion looked back up Ellie was no longer with the boys, she felt two arms around her shoulders, with a cry of relief she hugged her friend back.

"I'm so so so sorry!" Meriddion cried into Ellie's shirt, the older girl felt tears come to her eyes and they slipped down her cheeks another time that day.  They  held each other for a long while until they felt another pair of arms, Peter held onto them, tears coming to his own eyes even though he had not know Meriddion as well as Ellie. 

Ash watched the happy three and for the first time in a long while he felt as though this may be somewhere he could belong, a part of this little family.  Meriddion had done awful things to him, it would take a lot to convince him that she had changed back, but he couldn't express how much he wanted her to be.

Once the hug was released Meriddion wiped the tears from her eyes, hoping that her makeup hadn't smeared. 

"Um-if you want I can show you where your rooms are," she said as she stood from the stool.

She made her way to the basement, slaves following her closely behind.  They entered into the  theatre  and quickly found themselves in the hallway that split into four doorways, two on either side.

"The first two are bedrooms that are actually set up, it doesn't really matter who has which one, but Ellie your room is up in the loft next to mine."

Peter glanced at Ash and opened the door to the right, the younger boy going to the left.  Both rooms were simply furnished, a double bed in the far corner of the room with a bedside table next to it, the wall across from that furnishing a wardrobe that was filled with generic guy clothes that would fit either Peter or Ash.

"The bathroom is the second door on the left, there's only one down here.  The kitchenette in the main room is fully functional and I generally keep it stocked if you want to use it.'

"Thank you mistress," Ash said, poking his head out of the door.

"Please don't call me that, it's just me.  Mary."

"Well then thank you Mary," Peter smiled down at her.

"Ellie I'm sure you and Peter want to talk, I know my dad probably separated you two, I'm sorry, but you can just come upstairs whenever you like, or sleep down here, whatever you want."

Ellie couldn't help the toothy grin that spread across her face as she pulled the younger girl into another hug.

"Thank you so much."

Almost immediately after Ellie and Peter were behind a closed door, Meriddion glanced over at Ash who looked at the floor and shut his own door.

So much had happened to Ash that he knew he shouldn't trust anyone ever again but despite his better judgement he wanted to trust Meriddion as he once had.  He wanted more than anything to believe that she really was the girl he had met so long ago. He wanted to let her in and trust that she was telling the truth, but he knew that he shouldn't.  She had been so kind to them in the weeks past, she had treated them unlike any master or mistress any of the slaves had ever had.

She treated them like they were people.

In the weeks that Ash, Ellie, and Peter had spent with Meriddion, Ash had spent most of his time in his room.  He didn't find it easy to spend so much time around Ellie and Peter now that they were officially an engaged couple.  Meriddion had given her consent as their legal mistress, though she protested being their mistress.  It made him uncomfortable to think he had once felt those feeling towards Meriddion,

That was before she had starved, beaten and humiliated him of course.

He could feel the same nerves rising in his gut even after all she had done.  But hadn't she changed?  Wasn't she back? As much as he wanted to believe it he had seen her change in an instant before and he knew it could happen again. He didn't want to get hurt, so he couldn't open back up.