The Traveling Circus

"Everyone except me, so why don't you spill?" Tom watched her closely, lifting his eyebrow in question.

"Not everyone does..." Alana said softly. "It's not important, Tom. Just leave it be. I'll be fine by tomorrow."

Tom frowned deeply at her, not liking that she wasn't telling him. What was the big deal anyway? "Look, if it's something embarrassing, I've heard it all. Really."

"I'm just sick." Alana murmured, "Zeke...punched me."

Tom stared at her, unsure if he had heard that clearly or was just imagining it. "He punched you." He repeated, tone quiet and angry. "That bastard." He got up from his chair, heading out of her room.

Alana shot up from her bed and stumbled after him, grabbing onto his arm. "Stop!" she said, "You don't understand!"

"What don't I understand? That he's a sick bastard who gets pleasure out of beating you? " Tom demanded, turning to face her. "I understand that."

Alana trembled slightly and shook her head, "Don't look for him." she begged, "Please, he'll kill you and take the rest of it out on me."

Tom was watching her with narrowed eyes, feeling her trembling. "If this doesn't stop now, you'll always be his punching bag."

"He loves me...he keeps me safe." Alana tried to reason with Tom, "He'll hurt you and I don't want you to get hurt because of me."

"If he loved you, he wouldn't leave bruises on you." Tom was disgusted by her sticking up for this guy. He pulled his arm free and headed for the exit. "Go lay down."

"Why the hell do you care!?" Alana asked, glaring at him. "You don't even know me. Maybe I like it when a guy is rough with me...so..there!"

"I care because I've seen women beat to death because of their husbands. Girls just like you who were to stupid to see what was happening to them!" Tom snapped at her, yanking his arm free of her grip.

Alana went silent, eyes wide as she watched him. "Go ahead, then." She said flatly. "Try and beat him up. I'll be at your funeral."

"Where is the bastard? I'll find him." Tom growled, clearly wanting to teach this guy a lesson in what happened when he laid a hand on a woman.

Alana shrugged, "I don't follow him around." she said, laying back out on her mattress. "Find him yourself."

Tom glared at her a little before he left the train and went to find her stupid boyfriend. He didn't go back to the old cart, but the one that had drunken men in it supposedly.

Zeke was in that car, pacing around the cart anxiously. He wanted to get back to his job, but he was stuck making sure that none of the drunks fell off of the train.

Tom eventually hoped down and landed in the room where the guys were. He spotted Zeke and went up to him. "Hey, what are you doing?"

Zeke looked down at Tom and crossed his arms, "Who want's to know?"

Tom gave him a glare and then hauled back and launched a punch at his face, his fist clenched tightly as it collided with his chin.

Zeke took a step back, growling as he rubbed his chin. "Who the fuck do you think you are?" he snarled, grinning as he stepped forward and shoved Tom as hard as he could.

Tom fell backward and hit the wall behind him. "Somebody who doesn't beat women." He told Zeke, narrowing his eyes at the grin on his face. He launched himself at him again, fists raised.

Zeke grabbed Tom's arm and twisted it behind his back easily, his free hand clamping down on his shoulder. "You've been watching my Laney?" he growled, "If you know what's good for you, you'll stay the hell away from my girl."

"It's not hard to watch her when she has bruises all over her!" Tom yelled, then socked him in the gut with a blow from his elbow.

Zeke grunted slightly and quickly grabbed Tom's hair, giving it a hard yank before he shoved him forward. "I'll throw you off the train if you come near her. Understood?" he growled, rubbing his stomach.