Halfway home the rain fell. By the time Cody got to the turn off the old truck was labouring. He stopped, got out and unlocked the wheels to put the vehicle into four-wheel drive. The rain stung his face. Cody couldn't believe how heavy it was. His boots sank in water and mud, and his clothes were soaked by the time he finished. He sat on the edge of the seat to take off his footwear. He threw them into the back of the truck. Her bundle of clothes was also in the back. Too late now, he thought and hoped the photo wasn't ruined.

Cody spun on the seat and closed the door. He put the truck into first gear and revved the engine. The vehicle slid in the mud but moved forward.

"I'm going to be stuck out here." She peered out of the window and wiped her face.

He didn't answer. Cody struggled with the truck. He didn't have time for her tears, he shrugged off the worry and concentrated on what he was doing.

The gully was now a running creek. The Toyota slid out as it laboured up the other side to the crest. He followed the track through the mix of scrub and rainforest trees and pulled up in front of the shack. He turned off the engine but left the lights on and climbed out. He felt her eyes on him as he walked around the front of the car, ankle-deep in mud and water.

Max stood on the verandah and wagged his tail. Cody chuckled. The pussy didn't want to get wet. He opened her door; she slid to the centre. Water dripped from his hair, nose and eyelashes as he looked in at her. "I'm going to carry you so your boots don't get wet."

She stared at him. He leaned forward to scoop her off the seat. She slid to the driver's side. "No! I can do it myself!"

Cody growled and straightened. Fuck. It was pissing down; he was soaking wet and cold, and she was going to be difficult. He gripped the door frame and looked at her from under his brows. "Suit yourself," he said then shut the door with force.

He grabbed her bundle, one bag of groceries, put them on the verandah then went back for the other two bags and his boots. She remained in the car behind the steering wheel. Cody panicked; he'd left the keys in the ignition. Perhaps she had ideas of starting the car and driving back home. He opened the passenger side door again. She pushed herself further into the corner. He said, "You need to get out."

"No. I don't want to. I don't like you."

Her words stung. He didn't understand why because she had every right not to like him after he'd just abducted her. He said, "We can do this the easy or hard way. You take your boots off and walk or I drag you out and carry you. What's it going to be?"

"Why did you take me? What do you want?" She gasped back a sob. "I never did anything to you. I never took money from you, only the hamburger because I was hungry but, you gave it to me." She gasped back another sob. "I don't owe you."

Cody wasn't sure what she meant but the stress on her face broke his heart. He climbed into the car and shut the door. She hugged her knees and buried her head against them. "What do you mean?" he said. "I never said you owed me for the hamburger. I bought it for you because I thought you'd be hungry." He sighed and added, "I wanted to buy it for you."

"You're not my friend." Fin lifted her head and peered at him.

Her words saddened him because he didn't think she had any friends. "How do I become your friend?" he said.

Confusion crossed her face. Cody gave her a minute to think about it, then opened his mouth to speak when she said, "You don't hurt me and you don't say I owe you." She dragged in a breath and wiped her face.

Cody thought she was done. He was ready to agree to her friendship terms when she said, "And you don't hit me or do it to me or tell me what to do. You have to listen and let me talk and say nice things. You have to answer my questions and help me do work and say I'm clever sometimes. And you have to read to me."

He tried not to laugh. Cody stopped before a chuckle erupted from his mouth but she saw the grin and frowned at him.

"And you're not allowed to laugh at me because I'm not stupid." She glared at him.

"I'm not laughing," Cody said. "You made me smile because you sounded sweet, not stupid."

She frowned, looked out of the window and then back at him. "Why did you take me? What do you want?"

God... what did he want? That was a good question. Not one he'd be honest about, just yet, especially after her long list of friendship demands. Cody said, "I brought you with me because the Gallos will try to hurt you again and I don't like the way your father hits you or treats you or that you have to beg people for credit and sit around waiting for him like you're some kind of mongrel dog."

Anger built in his chest. He clenched his teeth and said, "Your father needs a good kick up the arse. I didn't mean to take you tonight. I didn't plan it but didn't think there was another way because of the rain. I can't help you if I'm flooded in so I decided you'd be safer with me than with your father."

"He has a gun."

"The gun didn't help you before. They got to you before the gun and now they've tried again after the gun."

She hung her head.

Cody hadn't meant to upset her again. "I'm sorry, but it's the truth. It's because your father's a drunk."

"I didn't want them to do it." Her voice quavered. "They said they were my friends and gave me money for food. They said I owed them. They hit me. They hurt me. They held me down."

Cody got it. He now understood her earlier comments about, owing. Fuck he wanted to kill them and should have done more than just busted their heads.

She started to cry again. Cody sighed. He wanted to comfort her but was afraid if he touched her, she'd think the wrong thing.

"They ruined me," she whispered. "That's why Dad shot him. Now no one will be my friend."

"Hey... come on. You're not ruined and I want to be your friend. Will you let me?" Cody said. "I'll do all the things you want. I promise."

She looked at him with big blue eyes, tears trailing down her cheeks. Cody thought of his dream and smiled at her. He wiped away her tears with his finger. "Will you be my friend, Fin?"

She nodded.

He cocked his head. "Can we go inside now, because I'm wet and cold and my dog's wondering why we're still in the car?"

Fin sat straighter and looked through the windscreen. The Labrador sat on the verandah in the light from the headlights. She smiled and nodded. "I patted your dog at the Peterson's."

"You did," Cody said. "Am I going to carry you or will you take those boots off and walk?"

"I can do it," she said pulling at the laces.

Cody attempted to open the door but found he couldn't. He laughed. "Shit."

Fin looked over at him.

He said, "I'm locked in. I put the child lock on so you wouldn't try to get out and now I'm locked in." He shrugged and added, "I'll wait until you get out and slide over. I have to put the truck in the shed anyway."

"That was silly putting the lock on," Fin grinned.

"Yeah, but I wanted to keep you safe. I thought you might try to jump out."

Her head popped up as she gave him a curious look. "Why do you want to keep me safe?"

Cody took a chance. He smiled and touched her face with his fingers. "Because you deserve better than what you're getting and I think you're beautiful."

"Oh." She stared at him. Her brow creased and then she climbed out of the truck.

"Go inside," Cody said. "It's not locked."

Max almost knocked her over when she got onto the verandah. Cody grinned and called out, "He likes you already."

Well. Here they are. Do you think Cody has done the right thing?

I think Fin might like him already.

I hope it all works out. ♥