Mal's POV

This is it, he's done with me. Ben and I are currently screaming at each other in our appartment in the middle of the night. This is the biggest fight we've ever had and our relationship has been extremely rocky for the past few weeks. We've been dating since we were sixteen and we're now twenty two years old.

"Well at least I'm not all screwed up! God what did I ever see in you?!" Ben screams and we both freeze in place. Tears gather in my eyes and he looks at me in horror, a mix between shock and devestation in his eyes.

"Mal...I-I'm sorry I didn't mea-" he starts to say.

"No it's okay...if that's how you feel I'll just go, I'm sorry I'm such a screw up" I sniff before bolting away, grabbing my wallet before I exit the apartment building and run out into the dark dimly lit street, it's raining cats and dogs and my clothes immediately get soaked. I fainly hear the front door open and Ben scream my name but I don't stop, I just keep running. Eventually I make it to the south side of town and I collapse on to a random bench before sobbing into my hands.

'He's right I'm all messed up, I should've known our relationship was too good to be true' I think to myself as I curl up and beging to sob into my knees, not even caring that I'm getting more and more soaked by the minute. After a few minutes I feel a hand gently touch my shoulder and I brace myself for Ben to yell at me some more.

"Excuse me miss, are you alright?" an unfamiliar male Scottish voice asks. I lift my head up slightly and see a guy about my age with brown hair and silver gray eyes in a red leather jacket and black pants looking down at me in concern.

"Oh um...yes, yes I am" I sniff, starting to lower my head.

"No you're not, would you like to come inside? I'll fetch you something warm to drink" he says while pointing to the brick building across the street. A glowing neon sign above the door says 'The Jolly Roger' and a glowing red neon sign in the window says 'waitress needed'.

"Oh um...you don't have to" I mumble, feeling guilty that I'm making someone take pity on me.

"I insist, a beautiful girl like you shouldn't be crying alone on a bench in the pouring rain" he says gently and I let out a small sniff as I nod my head. He smiles and gently helps me up before wrapping his arm around my shoulders and leads me across the street. He opens the door for me and leads me over to the bar and seats me on one of the tall stools.

"Wait here darlin" he says as he goes behind the bar and disappears behind a dark green curtain. I hear him go up some stairs and look around the bar/restraunt. It's old fashoned but has a very comfy feel to it. The walls are a dark red and have pictures of ships on them. and on shelves there are models of ships in bottles and various objects you'd find on a ship.

"Here you are love" the guy says as he comes out from behind the curtain holding a blanket and comes out from behind the bar to wrap it around my shoulders.

"Thank you" I mumble as I shiver and pull the blanket closer.

"You're welcome, would you like a cuppa tea or coffee?" he asks gently.

"Coffee please" I say and he nods with a small smile before getting to work on brewing my drink.

"I've never seen a bar so empty" I say as I look around, we're the only ones here.

"Our last customer left two hours ago, we close at Eleven" he says with a playful grin.

"Oh wilI you get in trouble for me being here? I can go" I say worriedly, I don't want him to lose his job because of me.

"Oh no! You don't have to go, my dad won't mind I promise" he says reasurringly.

"Your dad owns this place?" I ask curiously and he nods with a kind soft smile.

"Yeah and one day it's going to be mine, but for now I'm just the bartender that lives upstairs" he laughs and I manage to crack a smile and let out a small laugh.

"How do you like it?" he asks as he puts a mug of plain coffee and a spoon in front of me.

"Oh um...some cream and sugar please" I say and he nods before putting said items in front of me.

"Thank you" I say as I stir some cream and a bit of sugar into the cup.

"Thank you Mr-" I begin to say gratefully as I grasp the handle of the mug with my left hand.

"Oh! Where are my manors? My name's Harry, Harry Hook" he says as he holds out his hand.

"Mal, Mal Diaval" I say as I shake his hand. I take a sip of the coffee and I almost moan at the taste, this is the best coffee I've ever had.

"Well Ms. Diaval it is a pleasure to meet you" he says with a bow and we both laugh.

"So tell me, what's beautiful girl like you doing down this way all alone in tears?" he asks gently.

"Oh um...it's a long story, I'd hate to bother you" I say sadly, lowering my head to look at the mahogony colored bar counter.

"Hey" he says gently, and I feel him put his haand flat over my right one. I look up at him and see he's looking at me with a kind, gentle expression.

"You wouldn't bother me, and a girl like you shouldn't be left to cry alone" he says softly lightly stroking my hand. I bite my bottom lip as tears begin to form in my eyes again.

"Well my boyfriend and I have been together for six years and-" I begin to explain. And for the next two hours I tell him my six year long love story. He just sits next to me and listens, occastionally asking questions. By the time I finish telling him about the fight Ben and I just had he is silently seething with anger.

"And then I ran out of the building and didn't stop until I made it to the bench you found me at" I finish and he looks over at me sympathetically.

"Mal I am so sorry..." he says apologetically and I let out a small sniff.

"I-I don't know what to do, I don't have any clothes, only a little bit of money and nowhere to go" I sob and he reaches around me to rub my shoulder comfortingly.

"Well...you could stay here, if you wanna" he suggests bashfully and I look over at him.

"Wha-" I start to ask him.

"Well like I said earlier I live in the apartment upstairs...it's not very big but there's enough room for two" he says and my eyes widen slightly in surprise. He just met me a few hours and he's already been incredibly kind to me and now he's offering me a place to stay in his home? Why can't there be more people like him in the world.

"You can have my room! I'll sleep on the couch!" he says quickly after seeing my look.

"Do...do you think I could apply for a job here? I don't wanna just stay here for free, I should earn my keep" I say and he nods eagerly.

"Yes of course, we're actually down a waitress and I think you'd be perfect for the job" he says and I grin.

'Well then it's a pleasure to meet you roomie" I say playfully, holding out my hand to shake. He laughs and shakes my hand. After I finish another cup of coffee I pull out my wallet but he stops me before I can try pulling out any money.

"On the house" he says with a genuine kind smile and I smile back.

"Come on, let me show you your new home" he says as he stands up and walks behind the bar. I get up and he holds the cirtain to the sidside for me. We go up the stairs and the first thing I notice is the living room is pretty much empty, not very many personal things except for an occastional picture and some swords crossed hanging over the fireplace. There's one red leather couch and a matching reclining chair in the living room and a big flat screen tv on a stand that has several movies on the little shelves.

"Have you and your girlfriend just moved in?" I ask curiously as I go to examine the swords.

"I don't have a girlfriend and I've lived here for three years" he says as he comes to stand next to me.

"Oh I'm sorry I didn't mean to-" I begin to apologise.

"Don't be sorry you were just curious" he says with a small smile, but I see a hint of sadness in his eyes.

"Well while I'm here maybe we could fill this place up more" I say with a small smile, trying to cheer him up.

"I'd like that" he murmurs and I playfully bump his shoulder. I can tell we're going to be good friends. He then shows me the small kitchen that can be seen slightly from behind the living room and the bathroom that's in the hallway to the right of the doorway and the bedroom at the end of the hall.

"You can wear these tonight and tomorrow on my break I'll take you to get some clothes" he says as he hands me some black shorts and a dark green shirt.

"Thank you Harry" I say as I give him a one armed hug. He hugs me back and I go into the bathroom to get changed. After I'm finished I put my wet clothes and the blanket in the hamper and put my leather jacket on the coat rack by the apartment's entrance and my boots on the floor next to his. I go back into his room to see him pulling an extra pillow and blanket out of his closet.

"Are you sure it's okay I can sleep in here? I'll take the couch" I offer and he shakes his head.

"Nonsense I'll take the couch, I sleep there a lot anyway" he says playfully before closing the closet's sliding door.

"Night Mal" he says as begins to leave the room.

"Night Harry" I say as I crawl into the big comfy bed and curl up under the deep red comforter with matching sheets and pillows. After a moment the stress from today overwhelms me and I quickly fall asleep. My new life starts tomorrow.