Luke bit his lip suddenly not feeling safe anymore. "Hush now sweetheart...it's ok...who did that to ya?"

Jaime shuddered gently, trying to cease her sobs but it only resulted in her hiccuping.

"M..M...Mom..."

"Oh Lord," said Luke to himself. "I'm getting you outta here..." he promised. Picking her up and holding her in a comforting hug, he carried her out the door, not sure where he was headed, but knowing he had to get away from the house immediately.

"No! No!" Jaime cried out, struggling half heartedly to get back to the house. "You can't, they're looking for you! Please, Bo doesn't want you to get caught, your his last chance. He wants you to bring help!"

"He wouldn't want you getting hurt!" says Luke walking with her away from the house.

Jaime cried softly against him, part thankful for her rescue but part frightened for what it would mean...would her mother come looking for her, would Luke abandon her if he found out her secret...she didn't know...and that scared her..

He carried her until he was satisfied that they were far enough away before sitting down with her by a tree. "Are you hurt?"

Jaime shook her head, wiping the tears from her cheeks with her hand.

"Jaime...why did she do that?" asks Luke softly.

Jaime looked to him with frightened eyes...she felt like such a small kid right now...unprotected and vulnerable. She knew her mother loved her, and that what she was doing was wrong...but it was out of love...it was because she was frightened of what could happen to Jaime...at least that's what Jaime told herself over and over...

She shook her head slightly...she just couldn't tell him...not after so long of having it drilled into her that she mustn't let anyone know..

"Jaime...I wanna help you....let me help ya sweetheart."

Jaime swallowed hard, trembling a little.

"You...I can't..."

"Jaime...whatever it is...I promise...you're safe with me...I promise."

Jaime looked into his deep blue eyes, swallowing as she could detect no trace of anything that could cause her to mistrust Luke.

"I...I....you can't tell anyone...please..."

Luke nodded. "You have my word as a Duke."

Jaime bit her lip and looked away, clasping her shaking hands together before looking to him again and saying quietly.

"I can read people's minds..."

Luke looked at her in disbelief. "You can what?!"

Jaime cringed a little in fear, shaking harder.

"Please...please don't hurt me..."

"If you can read minds, read this..." said Luke thinking that it was an amazing gift and he would never hurt her for any reason.

Jaime swallowed, not knowing whether or not she should...she was afraid of what she would find...afraid of what would happen to her. Years of being told her gift was bad, that she should never use it and should be hidden away and instilled this fear so deep in her it was hard to let it go. But eventually she did...

It is an amazing gift and I will never hurt you for any reason...

She looked to Luke in slight amazement, wanting to see if what he was thinking was true or whether he was just thinking that as a test. But in his eyes she could see the signs of someone kind, someone to be trusted....someone who would keep her safe...the only question was, for how long.

He looked straight back at her, able to see the fear in her eyes. Luke always was less of a talker than Bo, so seeing her fear he didn' try to reason with her or talk her out of it. Instead he silently pulled her closer into a hug and said only, "I won't hurt you Jaime."

Jaime hesitated briefly before throwing her arms back around him and hugging him tightly back, burying her face into the saftey of his strong chest that accompanied the strong arms that promised her saftey and security without any words.

"Th...thank you..."

Luke hugged her close, not saying anything, just hoping she felt safe.

Eventually Jaime calmed properly in Luke's hold and the trembling soon ceased although the fear of what would happen to her next was not relieved so eaisly. She sighed softly, content to rest in Luke's arms, feeling safe...

We need to get out of here, thought Luke. "You feel like walkin'?"