<span style="font-style: italic">Jasmine wanted to do more. She really did but she had given Laveen her word. He had begged her and made her promise not to do anything to get her badly hurt again. It was at his insistance that she stayed out of it. He was always more worried about her than himself. She wanted to intervene but before she had a chance to tell Felix about this he gave her a short see you later and left the kitchen. It actually hurt but she at the same time knew he didn't know the situation. He didn't know of the promise Laveen had made her make to not do anything to get that badly hurt again. She sighed and looked down. Hopefully Felix would give her a chance to explain why she didn't do anything. Right now he wasn't going to listen to her. In fact right now he totally didn't want to be near her. If only she could make him understand she had no choice. That it was Laveen's orders and decision that she stay out of it. She watched Felix as he left. She would have to tell him the next time he came to see her. She sighed and began cleaning up from cooking. Only Laveen and her knew why she didn't do anything. Before Felix came she had until Laveen forbid her to do it anymore. It killed her inside to not be able to do anything but she could not lie to Laveen when that is all those two ever did. Surely Felix would understand because she had never broken a promise she had made him.</span><br/><br/>Laveen wasn't sleeping. His face stung and he was coughing a bit still. He could already feel the throbbing bruise beginning to form. He didn't want Jasmine or anyone else to get hurt because they tried to help him. He knew that Jasmine wanted to help him. However, when he learned of how badly they beat her he didn't want her to do it anymore. He would rather he take the abuse than someone he cared about be hurt because of him. He had to make her stay out of it. He whimpered a bit as he barely registered the fact that the secret door opened. He heard Felix's voice and tried to blink away the tears. Sniffling a bit and winced as he moved his head. Trying to look at Felix. The bruise was almost entirely visible already due to the fact he was fragile and weak. He leaned into Felix and sniffled a bit more. The hug made him feel better. Sure it was a small gesture to Felix but to him it was a great gesture. "I make Jasmine stay away when they get like this. I don't want her to be almost hospitalized because of me." He was whispering between sniffling. "I made her promise to not do it anymore. Jenny made sure to tell me what they had done to Jasmine for intervening but I still miss the hugs and things she would do to make me feel better. It is best for her not to do anything....so she won't end up hurt." He was whispering.<br/><br/>"Thank you Felix...for the hug." He leaned into Felix and fell quiet. The lamp nearby making the bruise shine and shimmer. It was in the shape of a handprint. Even not fully formed there was only spaces in the middle but it was clearly a man's hand print. His eyes slowly closed and he relaxed. Sure it was just a small gesture but to him it meant a lot. It was positive attention that made all the bad seem to go away. In fact after his mother died Jasmine was the only one to show him such affection. Then they forbid her to enter the room. Some months later after getting a detailed description of what happened to Jasmine for trying to stop them...he forbid her to intervene. She was like his family and he couldn't bare her being hurt because she helped him. "If I get better I will make them go away. I will make them have to go far far away." He coughed a little bit but stayed quiet after that. A slight smile on his face as he relaxed. Such a small gesture amounted to so much more than Felix could ever really understand.