The start of this story runs concurrently with the series Stolen and then carries on afterwards. It deals with Ren's thoughts and feelings when he has to say goodbye to Sky.
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Ren lay on a sleeping bag spread out over a thick layer of straw, he was supposed to be trying to sleep but the feel of Sky's body pressed against his side was keeping him awake. As he lay there holding her against him his mind kept going over the events of the last night.
He could still remember his fear and horror when he had first seen the abandoned panel van on the side of the road. The drivers side panels had been smashed in by a sideswipe collision and he had searched the vehicle for any sign that Sky had been in the vehicle when it had been hit. There had been no sign of blood and Brad had found the leaked oil under the vehicle and they had concluded that the van might have been abandoned because the motor seized up.
Sky sighed in her sleep and snuggled closer, Ren began stroking her back soothingly with one hand. He wanted her to remain asleep so he could continue to hold her. Holding her eased the terrible ache that had started in his chest the moment Matty had told him she had ran away.
Ren was still awake when Sky lifted her head and glanced at him before looking away quickly.
"Do you need to go to the toilet?" Ren asked her after she rested her head on his shoulder once more.
"Yes." Sky replied.
"We'll go for a walk then," Ren said quietly and Sky sat up.
Ren got to his feet and reached a hand down for Sky. She looked up at him and he could see her uncertainty and fear as he pulled her to her feet.
"Come on." Ren said. He didn't release her hand and Sky tugged at it as she followed him from the shed. Ren glanced over his shoulder at her and Sky glanced down towards her hand.
"I won't try to run away," Sky said softly.
"Maybe I just like holding your hand." Ren said, his voice gruff with suppressed emotion.
Outside Ren released her hand near a tree and moved several steps away to afford her some privacy as he tended to his own needs.
Back inside the shed they washed their hands with a bottle of water out of the vehicle.
"You hungry?" Ren asked.
"Yes." Sky answered.
"Hey Brad! We're going to eat." Ren called to his friend.
"Why did you run away?" Ren asked Sky evenly.
"I want to go home." Sky answered softly.
"Did I do something to upset you? Something to make you want to get away from me?" Ren asked. He wanted to know what he had done to make her want to get away.
"I want to be with my family." Sky said with a trace of desperation.
"Are you scared of me Sky?" Ren asked.
"You bought me from Hawk! You're gonna ... you make me do things I don't want to!" Sky said as she moved several steps away from him uneasily.
"But I haven't forced you to do anything with me, have I?" Ren asked patiently even though he wanted to growl with frustration as she watched him fearfully.
"There's no way I can stop you touching me," Sky said uneasily and backed several steps further away from him.
"Sky, there hasn't been a night that I have laid beside you that I haven't wanted to fuck you. And there hasn't been once I acted on that except that night in the van and you wanted me to that night." Ren explained trying to show her she could trust him.
"You were doing things to me! You made me want you to!" Sky accused.
"That's the way making love works." Ren told her.
"You took advantage of me!" Sky accused.
"I only meant to comfort you because you were upset. Things kind of got out of hand from there."
She crossed her arms over her chest and hugged herself as she paced backwards and forwards.
"Look come and eat. It's not much, just sandwiches and fruit with some soda but I know I am sure starved." Ren said as he got a bag out of the front of the vehicle.
Sky paused in her pacing to look at him.
Ren pulled out a wrapped sandwich and opened it. He held out a half towards Sky. "Cheese and tomato."
"Let me have a look at what's in the bag. I'm so hungry I could eat a horse!" Brad exclaimed as he walked towards them.
Sky turned to watch him warily, but he ignored her as he walked to the vehicle and helped himself to a packaged sandwich.
"Come on Sky. Come have something to eat," Ren coaxed.
Sky eyed him for nearly a minute then slowly walked over to take the piece of sandwich he was offering her. She bit into it hungrily and chewed it eagerly.
"Let's go and sit down to eat," Ren coaxed.
Ren walked over to the sleeping bag and sat down with his back against an old drum. He reached into the bag and helped himself to another sandwich. Sky approached cautiously and Ren patted the ground in between his thighs, Sky watched him for a few moments before sitting down between his knees.
"Help yourself to more to eat." Ren told her as he leant forward to get another sandwich. He felt his chest press against her back as he delved into the bag again and she leaned back into his body. Gently Ren slipped his arm around her body just below her ribs and pulled her back to nestle against his chest.