#antnbvll

shining armor, accepting. / @antnbvll !

this was a trap. while the alarm in the building is blaring, there's another one going off inside her head. this wasn't right. they did this before - they tested her just to see what she would do only to knock her on her ass before she even reached the end of the hallway. whether they had considered that a failure or a success didn't matter much, the punishment afterwards was bad enough to have her hesitating now. she doesn't recognize him. she's never seen him before, she's sure. that was new. last time, it had been one of the scientists and he's definitely not a scientiest. the sirens that are causing a ringing in her ears are making it all the more convincing and yet all she does is stand in the middle of her cell. every single muscle in her body is tensed up as she stares him down.

he's not blocking the door. she could easily run past him right now and by god does she want to. so badly does she want to take the chance of freedom. it's all she's wanted for years but her fear has her frozen in place. you need to get out of here! go! i'll buy you some more time! urgency in his voice is allowing both doubts and hope to seep through the cracks. heart is pounding in her chest. bare feet take hesitant steps towards the busted door. she's ready for an attack at any moment though, braces herself for the impact of a punch or a tackle. instead, he's continuously looking left and right, seemingly checking for guards.

penelope keeps checking the clock.

10:23 pm. 10:27 pm. 10:30 pm.

the tower is silent — stone and wind and distance, the kind of quiet that belongs to high places. everything below her sleeps.

her head doesn’t.

10:32 pm.

thoughts pace where she won’t, loud and relentless, turning shadows into edges, edges into something sharper. she sits on the bed instead, trying to hold back her sobs, counting on stillness to keep them contained.

10:34 pm.

she’s fine. she’s always fine. right?

10:35 pm.

a knock — soft, careful — taps against the glass.

her breath catches. her mind goes quiet.

she quickly wipes her face, then crosses the room in three quick steps, unbolting the window and pushing it open just enough for the night air to rush in. anton is there on the ledge, steady and familiar, fingers curled into the stone like it belongs to him — like she does.

relief hits her all at once, sharp and overwhelming, drowning out everything that came before.

" so sure of yourself. baby, don't get greedy. "

it wasn't her first time in a police station by any means, and there was no doubt that this wouldn't be the last. that didn't mean that layla actually had any desire to be there, however. "you know, i really need to get you to lose my number. calls from police stations always unnerve me." she never had been overly sympathetic, but given who she now worked for, she had extra reason to be concerned by a police presence. "good thing i hadn't started drinking yet, or else i'd have had to leave you here over night."

a snort came from the dark haired woman before she shook her head . " what is with you british men of letters ? one pretty face and you risk it all . it's amusing , really . " he wasn't the first and in some ways , he sort of reminded her of ketch . hands tucked behind her back and she took a few steps closer to him . teeth sinking into her bottom lip ever so gently . " so , what's a guy like you -- wanting from a witch like me ? after all , you did just come pretty close to dying . "