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Juliette was pleasantly surprised to see that Anne had done exactly as she had asked and put everything away and she was currently washing the dishes Juliette had used to cook with.

As Brendon sat and started getting food on his plate Juliette went over to Anne and smiled warmly at her, "oh honey why don't you go eat a little more? I can finish these."

Anne stole a quick glance at the table and at Brendon then shook her head. "I-I'm very full but thank you Juliette." The girl said, looking terrified.

Juliette smiled and shook her head as well. "You aren't full and you need to eat. It's what makes you strong. So go sit down and fill that tummy." Juliette urged her.

Anne couldn't help but smile as she looked at Juliette's kind face, "Do you have any children Juliette?" Anne asked and Brendon looked up as well.

Juliette laughed, "Again you think me older than I am." Juliette said though she did realize that 22 was old enough to have children. People could have children at any age once puberty hit. "But no Anne, I don't have children."

"You would make a great mother." Anne said, grinning as she stood next to Juliette still too afraid to go back to the table.

Juliette's face lit up but then quickly dimmed as she thought of her failed relationship with Pierre and her current situation. She touched Anne's nose and smiled at her, "Thats a kind thing to say but I'm not sure that's what fate has in store for me."

Anne sighed, "I still think you'd make a great mother." She concluded then she blushed, "Um Juliette..." She started, seeming too shy to ask for something.

"Yes?" Juliette asked, scrubbing at the pan that Anne had cooked eggs on. It had eggs stuck to it but Juliette didn't mind at all. She had fun cooking with Anne and she knew Anne had enjoyed it as well.

"I saw orange juice in the fridge... May I have some?" Anne asked, blushing.

Juliette smiled warmly and looked over at Brendon, "I'm sure Brendon wouldn't mind... Would you Brendon?" She asked.

Brendon shrugged. "She can have whatever." He said, seeming uninterested as he continued reading the newspaper he had clutched in his hands while he ate.

Anne smiled, "Thank you." She told Juliette, "It's my favorite."

"It is quite good." Juliette said, nodding. "Would you mind pouring Brendon and I a cup as well?" She asked.

Anne nodded and took out two more cups and poured orange juice in to each while refilling her own again since she had downed it quickly. "Do you want yours next to your plate?" Anne asked.

Juliette shook her head, "No, right here is fine. Thank you." She said, pausing from cleaning the plates to drink some orange juice.

Anne approached Brendon slowly, holding his cup of orange juice as she took it to him. Brendon made a movement to grab another piece of bacon and it startled Anne, causing her to spill his orange juice all over him and the table. Anne started shaking immediately, "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry." She started saying, again and again. Her eyes were glued to Brendon.

"Oh honey... It happens." Juliette said, rushing forward with a dry dish towel. She started patting Brendon dry as she looked at the ruined food. "Did everyone get enough to eat?" She asked.

Brendon nodded, "Get out of my sight." He snapped at Anne, angrily.

Juliette dropped the towel in Brendon's lap and turned to the frightened girl, "Come on honey... Come with me." She said softly, taking Anne's trembling hand and leading her out of the room.

Juliette could hear Brendon cursing angrily in the kitchen as she led Anne away from him. "Come on. You need to get some rest anyway. I'll clean that up, it's no problem." Juliette reassured her. She wanted desperately to cover the girls ears so that she wouldn't hear Brendon in the background but she knew she couldn't so instead she led her to a few rooms, looking in each until she finally found a suitable slightly normal bedroom with a bed in it. "Here... This works. Just lay down, okay? Sleep a little bit. Once I'm done cleaning the kitchen I'll come back and we will get your wound cleaned." Juliette said, pulling the covers back from the bed for Anne.

Anne trembled. "Is he going to come in here?" she asked.

Juliette shook her head, "No. I'll talk to him. It's fine honey." She said, unsure of how she would cool Brendon down but she had to, some way. "Just sleep. Would you like me to leave the light on?" Juliette asked, knowing how scary the dark could be sometimes.

Anne nodded, "Yes, please. Thank you Juliette." She whispered, "You saved my life."

Juliette simply smiled as she closed the door. She put on a brave face and headed back to the kitchen to meet Brendon's anger head on.



**

"Where is that stupid bitch?" Brendon asked once Juliette came back in to the room. Brendon had taken off his shirt and his jeans so now he was in his boxers, just standing and waiting for her to come back.

"Anne is sleeping." Juliette said softly, removing the plates from the table and placing them in the sink so that the juice wouldn't continue to drip. For just being one cup there seemed to be a lot of it and once the table was cleared she started wiping it up fully aware of Brendon's eyes on her.

"She should be out here cleaning this up. I'll go get her." Brendon said.

Juliette shook her head, "No Brendon. I'm cleaning it... It's fine. Let her rest."

Brendon stared at her, an angry look crossing his face.

Juliette noticed this so she immediately rephrased what she had said, "I'm sorry Brendon.... Please let her rest while I clean this."

Brendon shrugged, "Fine. If you want to clean up after her then be my guest but I still want to go talk to her. She intentionally doused me with orange juice."

Juliette rolled her eyes, "She really didn't. She was nervous. It was my mistake for asking her to bring it to you so if you'd like to be angry at someone then be angry at me."

That shut Brendon up momentarily as he started helping her by grabbing a mop and cleaning the sticky floor.

They cleaned in silence for a bit as Juliette finished the dishes then once done she checked and made sure that she had placed some meat in the fridge which she had so everything was done in the kitchen for now. "May I go?" Juliette asked, trying to be polite to Brendon since he was already in a foul mood.

"Where?" Brendon asked, annoyed. He wanted Juliettes attention.

"To tend to Anne. Her wound needs cleaned and she needs to shower." Juliette said, looking at her feet and hoping Brendon wouldn't object. "Can I borrow a shirt of yours for her as well? She needs to change out of those clothes. Do you have a washer and dryer so that I can clean them?"

Brendon rolled his eyes. "I want to get rid of her." He admitted.

"What?" Juliette asked in horror, feeling her heart start beating faster as she felt cold panic sweep over her.

"You're so wrapped up in that stupid girl." Brendon said, wrapping his arms around Juliette's waist and pulling her in to him. Juliette froze, unsure of what to do.

Brendon noticed and backed away, frustrated. "Washer and Dryer is in the basement. Shirts are in my top drawer. I'll be in the bedroom waiting for you." He said, heading towards the bedroom.

Juliette followed him quietly as she grabbed one of his shirts and then left after stealing a quick glance at his upset face.

Juliette quietly opened the bedroom door to where she had left Anne. She could hear Anne softly snoring and regretted the fact that she had to wake her up. She gently shook the girl and flinched as Anne struck out at her wildly, panicking. Juliette's face stung a little from the hit she had recieved in surprise but Anne stopped screaming and flailing as she realized it was Juliette. "Oh... Juliette I'm so sorry." she whispered, noticing that Juliette was holding the side of her face.

Juliette took a second to compose herself, shocked at the reaction but now that she thought about it... It made perfect sense for Anne to freak out like that. She was probably dreaming of what Brendon had done to her. "It-" Juliette started but was interrupted as Brendon pushed her aside gently and placed his hand around Anne's throat, choking her.

"Brendon! What? Why?" Juliette asked, immediately trying to pry his hand from Anne's throat but his hand wouldn't budge.

"She hit you." Brendon said, through clenched teeth.

It turned out his bedroom had video for each room. Juliette didn't know that though. "She didn't mean to... Stop! She can't breathe!" Juliette yelled, tears falling from her face as she tried getting Brendon to let go. Anne was struggling and tears were pouring from her eyes as she flailed helplessly.

Juliette tried hitting Brendon and she looked around the room, grabbing a shoe box that was sitting near the closet in the bedroom. She uselessly whacked him with it and he finally let go of Anne and faced Juliette, who dropped the box in terror at the look he was giving her. Anne was gasping for breath on the bed.

Juliette watched Brendon, expecting him to hit her but instead his calm scared her even more. "Finish up here and then I'll be in the bedroom." Brendon said, quietly.

Juliette stood trembling as she listened to Anne sobbing on the bed for quite a few minutes before she finally moved, closing the bedroom door and locking it just in case. "Come on dear." Juliette said softly, urging Anne to get off the bed and in to the adjoining bathroom. She had the first aid kit sitting on the bed where she'd left it with the shirt when she tried to wake Anne up.

Anne complied, wiping her tears. "I'm sorry..." She muttered but Juliette shook her head. "Does your throat hurt?" she asked the young girl.

Anne nodded but didn't say anything as Juliette started a warm shower for her.

"I'm sorry. I'm trying... I'm trying so hard to stop him from hurting you." Juliette said, slumping against the wall and crying freely.

Anne stepped forward and hugged Juliette. "Just worry about yourself." Anne whispered, worried for Juliette but Juliette couldn't worry for herself. Not when there was another person that needed her.

"It's going to sting your open wound just a bit but I need you to wash up." Juliette finally said, breaking away from the hug as she looked in the shower. Thankfully each room seemed fully equipped but Juliette assumed they did that purposefully when people rented their club.

Anne slowly started to strip as Juliette pulled out some clean towels for when she was finished. "Would you like me to wait in the bedroom?" Juliette asked, not wanting to invade Anne's privacy.

Anne shook her head. "Please stay." She said as she slowly started getting in to the shower. Juliette heard her cry softly as the water hit her wound and it pained her to hear it but there was nothing she could do but wait until Anne got out. Then she would do her best to help her heal.

Anne washed her hair and sighed as the soapy water hit her wound, "Does he love you?" Anne asked.

"What?" Juliette asked, having heard her but pretending she hadn't because she didn't particularly want to discuss that but Anne repeated herself and Juliette played with the hem of her shirt as she responded, "I don't think he knows how to love."

Anne turned the shower off and Juliette handed her the towel over the curtain so that she could wrap herself in it and when Anne stepped out they walked to the bedroom together.

Juliette handed Anne the shirt, "I'm going to wash your clothes so this should do while you get some sleep." She said.

Anne smiled, "Juliette you really did save me. I had no hope before you."

Juliette blushed, "Let's see that wound." She said, not used to being praised. Anne lowered the towel and showed her. Juliette fought the urge to flinch back. It looked so painful. Had he just torn in to her aimlessly with a knife?

Juliette started cleaning the area and dressing it as she started conversation with Anne to keep her mind off of the pain, "So gonna help me with dinner tonight?"

"I would really like to." Anne said, wincing in pain but continuing on. "You're a good cook. I can already tell from this morning."

Juliette smiled. "You're too kind." She stated, "But together I think we will make the best dinner ever."

Anne nodded in agreement and yawned, "I think so too."

Juliette smiled. "All bandaged." she declared and Anne looked down in surprise. She was pleased that it had seemed so quick and almost painless. "Now shirt on and we can both get some sleep. Just stay in here until I come and get you later... Okay honey?" Juliette asked, smiling.

Anne nodded. "I will stay put." She said as Juliette picked up her clothing and left the room.

Juliette went to find the washer first and found herself walking down steps in to a dark poorly lit room. The lighting sucked when she flicked on the switch but she kept going.

Juliette started the small load of just Anne's clothes. She figured she could do Brendon's later if needed but she really just wanted Anne to be as comfortable as possible and she knew that clothing really helped with comfort.

As she looked around she started getting the chills so she went back upstairs quickly, realizing she still had to face Brendon. Fighting the urge to go back to Anne or to go clean the kitchen again or just to really do anything... Juliette found herself walking in to Brendon's bedroom. He was laying on the bed in his boxers watching a movie that she wasn't familiar with. His eyes flickered to hers and then back to the tv screen as he ignored her.