What if's #3

Getting hurt

::Jacob::

Training with Jacob was amazing, he was an expert at hand to hand, one would think that he'd be so precise and clean with each move, most gangs I've seen haven't had anything like him. Come to think of it I had never bothered to ask about what he did or ever bothered to get to know him at all.

"Are you paying attention?" I zoned back in, Jacob was standing in front of me in a defensive position.

"My apologies, could you repeat that?"
I asked nervously, one thing I knew from my short time with the younger twin was his inability to maintain a cool head for long periods of time.

"I said you've got your legs in the wrong position, mirror me." He repeated, I looked down at my legs and then to his, I fixed my stance and then looked back up for the next instructions.

"Good, whenever you have to fight, always keep your stance low, and eyes on the attacker." I nodded and committed the words to memory.

Our session went of for most of the morning until Jacob got pulled away by one of his Rook's. I picked up the cloths I had discarded before training and walked towards the exit of the small secluded area. The cloths I was wearing now was a shirt, pants and my own shoes, Jacob had lent me the spare cloths from his sister and said that I didn't have to return them. I though it was sweet, but it could be that it's easier to correct movements of the body compared to wearing a dress and all the cages and petticoats underneath.

Deciding not to walk home straight away, I decided to walk into the nearest bar, once inside I placed the large bag of clothing onto the floor beside me and ordered a drink. Being honest with myself, I wasn't a drinker, the thought of most alcohol made me ill, but today was different. It was different because I had this constant feeling in my chest whenever my mind wondered to Jacob, I was trying any method to relieve myself of it. Half way down the glass I had managed to consume when someone barges into the bar, turning in my seat I saw two gentlemen in red clothing picking on a clearly drunk man by the bar's entrance.

"You owe us you prick!" The smaller one barked, the larger man stood to the side keeping an eye on the rest of the crowd.

"Leave him alone!" My voice suddenly slipped out, both aggressors turned their attention to me, normally I would feel frightened but the alcohol seemed to dampen my fear.

"What'd you say girly?" The smaller one asked as he stepped closer, the larger one held the drunk man in place.

"I said leave him alone you twit!" I really should have apologised and went about my business, but it was becoming harder to concentrate on being socially acceptable.

"You ought to hold your tongue, or I'll cut it out!" He hissed as he got inches away from my face.

"Make me!" A few moments after I had uttered those words he grabbed me my the collar and slammed me against the bar's counter.

"Have you no manners? You don't hit a lady!" The owner growled as he pulled the man off me, I felt my back ache but it didn't seem to stop me from continuing on.

"If she's a lady, I'm the Queen!" He teased, I glared at him before placing a hand on the owners shoulder.

"How about you and me take this outside?" I challenged the two, they both smirked before heading out into the street, I followed behind them, ignoring the pleas of the others in the bar.

I wasn't even two steps out the door when a fist came flying to my stomach, I fell to the floor and gaged, nothing prepares you for the first hit, I tried to stand up, but my legs were kicked out form under me.

"We'll teach you to talk back!" I covered my face with my arms as they continued to kick me.

"Oi!" I waited for a minute before standing up, my whole body began to sting and throb, I wiped the tears away from my eyes and watched as a group of men gang up on the two blighters.

"You won't be so lucky next time, we'll be seeing you!" I didn't say anything back, I just flipped them off and turned back towards the bar.

"Hey!" A hand grabbed me from behind and spun me around to face them.

"What was this, I gave you tips to protect yourself, not to go around starting fights!" Who else would come to my rescue other than Jacob.

"And without me no less!" I sighed in defeat and hung my head in shame.

" Let me look at you, you're battered all over." He asked, his voice lowering down a few tones.

"Let's get you someplace safe." He began to walk we away from the bar when I remembered I left my bag in there.

"Wait." I tried to pull away, but his grip even if it was gentle never left my shoulders.

"Stop, I left my things in there!" I said as I continued to wriggle out of his grip.

"Stay here, I'll get it." He sighed, his hands left my shoulders and his footsteps walked away from me, moments later he returned with the large bag.

"Thank you." I slightly slurred as we walked towards a carriage, my eyelids felt heavy like the rest of my body, I began to lean on Jacob's side.

"Easy love, stay with me." I felt his arm drop from my shoulder to my waist, he gently directed me into the carriage and quickly spoke with the driver. Minutes later he climbed in and sat across from me, his figure slightly blury.

"You need to stay awake for a little while, you've hit your head rather hard." He stated calmly, I nodded as I straightened myself up and looked out the window.

"What started all this anyway?" I smiled sleepily, before looked back to Jacob.

"Two blighters were picking on a drunk man, I wouldn't stand for it." I watched as a smirk slowly made it's way onto his face.

"You were drinking weren't you?" I blinked, it wasn't that obvious was it?

"Half a pint, why?" I questioned, he leaned forward.

"I just didn't expect you to drink is all." He replied with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Oh no, I'm just a proper lady, I've never touched alcohol in my life!" He laughed at my sarcasm before he took a hold of my hands.

"What am I going to do with you?" He asked as he brushed his thumbs over the backs of my gloved hands.

"You could turn a blind eye to me, you've gotten all the worth I had to you and your organisation, you don't need me anymore." I squeezed his hands slightly, I didn't like the thought of him disappearing out of my life, but perhaps it's for the best.

"I don't thinks so, if I didn't you'd be dead by now." He laughed to himself, I tilted my head slightly in question, what head he meant by that? Before I could ask the carriage had be jolted slightly causing my ribs to smack against the seat, I hissed and held back the tears as they throbbed on reminder of what had happened earlier.

"Your lucky, from the looks of things you'll only bruise." Jacob stated as he leaned back into the carriage and the rest of the ride was quite but painful.