A/N: This idea had been in my head for a long time. Just a couple chapters. My idea of why 7 left and why she took the twins. Just a small break from my story 10 and 0.
Disclaimer: I own nothing! 9 is property of Focus Film.
6 never came...
7 waited and waited but he never came out of his inky corner. She knew he was there, she had seen him before sunset drawing and humming. He was quiet now…possible sleeping? She didn't know. Well if he was sleeping she certainly wasn't going to risk waking 1 or 8 by calling to him. 6 had been staying up with her every night. Poor little guy had to be tired. Still…she felt lonely.
7 had been very careful not to reopen her injury when 8 brought her back to the throne room. Walking this time under her own power instead of being carried. 1 smiled wickedly in triumph at her from the throne. She had not struggled at all since being taken away. 7 had watched him hauntingly act like he won, that she was concurred now and forever. That she would be fearful and obedient, loyal to him and him alone. Ugh, another 8, she was sure that's what 1 had in mind.
No, she shook her head in the dark of the throne room pulling her rag covering closer. She was just acting now…it was an act. 7 mentally reassured herself at she was only playing a role and that 1 had not taken her spirit from her.
Playing….it was only ….a part….
"Are you ready my boy?" 2 gently asked 5, touching his arm. Tonight was the night. Her gifts had been hidden quite well at the entrance. The plan was for 5 to free her as quick as he could and lead her to the back entrance of the sanctuary. A small crack in the wall just big enough for the stitchpunks to use. The main reason? It didn't face 1's window. No chance he or 8 would see her go.
5 nodded silent. He had his lock tools and the bit of wire and fabric, he would leave making it look like she freed herself. 5's gears were aching, if they got away with it he would never see her again. He looked sadly into 2's optics. His mentor smiled slightly.
"It's for the best. She'll be free."
"I know." 5 whispered as he turned to walk the long lonely walk to the bucket lift. His gears were heavy as he slowly and silently wound the bucket up. Going extra slow to keep the noise to a minimum. It wouldn't help things if 1 woke up.
5 couldn't believe he was doing this. 7 was like his little sister. She was created after him and all. He hated 1 for treating her like this but 5 was afraid of what life would be like without her here. He smiled to himself recalling a time soon after she was created. He and her had had their first and only real argument. He had won….though in an unconventional way. 7 had tensed, expecting him to strike her, like 1 had already done so many times. 7 being only a few days old, two and a half to be exact, already understood pain, a thought that bothered him. 5 had decided sometime during their argument that she needed to learn the opposite of pain. He had come at her, charged her really… and as he predicted, she raised her arms, covering her face, protecting her optics…and leaving her oh so sensitive sides open to attack. He could still recall the way she shrieked and wiggled as all her angry melted away in a fit of giggles. 5 remembered every word…
"This is called tickling 7….do you like it?" 5 voice was playfully cruel.
"Haha ha Ah hee hee haha tee hee ha!"
"I'll take that as a yes…Say I was right and I'll stop." 5 purred.
She shook her head no, all the while laughter pouring from her voice box.
He had pinned her now, arms above her head, back against the wooden floor of the lab. 5 was vaguely aware a small crowd consisting of 3, 4, 2 and he was pretty sure somewhere in the far back 1 had gathered to watch.
5 smiled down at her…"Then I'll just have to tickle you…forever!" 7's optics went wide with horror. 5 smiled widened, she wasn't very old yet and probably thought he would tickle her forever.
Still keeping her arms pinned above her head with one hand, 5 slowly reached for her sides once more.
"Youwereright!"
She blurted it out so fast, 5 thought he had misheard. "What?"
"You were right!" 7 yelled out again.
He had let her go then and helped her up. Though she held a playful grudge until she got revenge anyway. And it had been three fold revenge since she had gotten the twins to help her. 5 stifled a laugh. Whenever he thought of this event it made him laugh, like he could still feel the tickling. 2 had mentioned something about sense memory. 5 sighed….it was more than that.
7 could hold a conversation really well, when she wanted too. 5 could talk to 2 but sometimes it was nice talking to someone…more your own age. 6 sometimes couldn't talk or really express himself and living in the throne room. 5 was too scared of 1 to visit much.
And the twins…oh the twins would miss her. They knew of his plan but they didn't know it was tonight. They would have begged and pleaded her not to go even after 5 freed her. The twins weren't above begging, 5 knew they would throw themselves at her feet and beg and beg and plead. 7 would give in if that happened. 5 couldn't let it, she had to go. No telling what 1 would do to all of them, including the twins if she was freed and didn't leave.
The bucket lift reached the throne room and with as much stealth as he could muster 5 stepped out.
6 wanted to go to 7. 6, 7…it seemed so right. Tonight she would be taken away, spirited to the library until the 9th of them came. Then it would be only a short time before it would be the end of most of them. 6 knew this, all too well.
6 was bad with goodbyes, goodbyes were like forgetting, he could never forget…wouldn't…not her.
6 drew his knees to his chest and slowly rocked himself to sleep, remembering the joy of each past night he was by her side.
By dawn she would be gone…
7 was vaguely aware the bucket lift had come up. She was almost asleep herself in the cozy dreamy almost asleep state.
She opened her optics as a shadow crept towards her.
"5?" 7 asked wiping sleep from her optics.
"Hey 7…it..it's me." Shyness bled into every word.
"What are you doing here?" 7 whispered.
5 knelt at her side. "I've come to free you, well 2 helped give me the courage and the twins found the book on locks so…" he reached for her bound hands and just before putting the pick in the lock he spoke again.
"If…When I do this 7…you won't be able to stay here…1…he would punish all of us."
"I know." She nodded and 5 began.
It went faster then 5 expected. He knew he was a good study but wow. 7 rubbed her wrists as she smiled at him.
"Let's go." He whispered and beckoned her to follow him to the bucket lift. 7 hesitated and looked towards 6's corner. Still no sign of the little artist.
"I'll say goodbye for you, I promise, but please 7….we have to go." She nodded and followed. Glancing back at the scene 5 had set. It was perfect, the bit of frayed white fabric left there, the bent thin wire. 1 would think she escaped alone.
As the bucket headed downwards 7 sighed, she was going to miss them.
"This way." 5 whispered leading 7 toward the back of the sanctuary.
"But…this is a dead end 5." 7 whispered back.
He smiled and pushed aside some rubble. There it was a crack in the wall just big enough for them.
"2 found it while scavenging…He thought it would be best, if we kept it a secret. Speaking of 2, he…we made these for you. It's dangerous out there…in the emptiness."
7 at first had no words great enough to express her thanks at the beautiful gifts of spear and shield. Both were lovingly made, she could see that. They would be a constant reminded that someone out there in this desolate world loved her.
"Oh 5." 7 hugged him tightly. "Thank you and please thank 2 for me." She smiled letting him go.
7 grabbed the new weapons and hurried to the crack. "Please say goodbye to the twins and 6 for me…and look after them."
"I will."
With a whoosh of cool night air, 7 was gone. 5 waited a moment then another before replacing the junk covering the hole.
Turning towards the bucket lift, 5 couldn't help but feel the sanctuary would never be the same.
At the time he didn't know how right he was…
The twins were waiting for her just around the bend. They had no way of knowing which way she would go but this seemed the most likely.
As she approached they flashed desperately for her to stop, well aware she might run right past them….leaving them here at the sanctuary with….8. The twins shuttered at the thought. They weren't safe without 7. In her few days of captivity 8 had been….hurting them… knowing they couldn't call out… 8 had been doing, very bad things to them. The twins clutched each other tightly begging her again to stop with their optics. She slid to a halt near them.
"3? 4….you shouldn't be out here." 7's voice filled with concern as she took the scene before her in. The twins we shaking and not from the cold, they were afraid. The kind of fear that only comes from being afraid for your life. She noticed the strange oil stains on their cloth. What had happened to them?
"Guys what…?" 7 found herself latched onto, silent sobs were felt in her fabric as the twins buried their faces into her.
7 out of instinct began to rub there hoods and shush them. "Shhhh its okay, I'm here it's okay."
"But your leaving…."3 blinked.
"Please don't leave us to be hurt…." 4 flashed, quickly reburied his head and sobbed again.
"Hurt?" 7 questioned. 3 being the older and slightly stronger twin lift his face and project a five second film of what 4 meant. Of what had happened to 4 and himself.
It was short but it was more than enough, 7 now understood where the oil stains on their fabric came from.
"I'll kill him…" she growled turning back towards the sanctuary.
3 and 4 grabbed her flashing.
"No, he's strong…Too strong…just take us with you…please…please take us away."
She couldn't say no to that…but…
"Guys, I don't know where I am going. Or what will happen, you won't be safe."
3 and 4 didn't give up. "Yes safe…with you…" They smiled and 7 melted.
"Come we'll…show you place…great place…" 3 and 4 took her hands.
And hand in hand the twins lead her towards the library and their future together….
A/N: The END! Let me know what you think. : )