Nathan felt his eyelids opening, and he reluctantly woke up from his slumber. He wondered what had awoken him. It was still incredibly dark, meaning that it was still night. A sudden coldness attacked his body, and he felt himself shivering. His entire body was freezing, not too far off from being completely frozen. Convulsions racked his body as his teeth furiously chattered.

The natural environment of the part of the planet they were on was a desert, making it extremely cold at night. Nathan had little to insulate himself from the cold, other than the clothes on his back and the hair wrapped around his body, which did close to nothing in terms of warmth. He was still tied up tightly, with some more of Isabel’s hair beneath him to act as a sort of cushion. This wasn’t enough though, if he didn’t warm up soon, he’d undoubtedly freeze to death.

He was able to stop his body from shaking for a moment, and he tensed his muscles. Pushing his stomach inward, he thrusted his hips and body upwards, arching his back. He used this movement to push himself closer to Isabel’s left arm. It only moved him a few inches closer, but he could make it if he kept trying. He readied his stomach again, and thrust upwards, jumping up a little his right. He continued the cycle, until he was laying right next to the fabric of her sweater that covered her arm.

“I-Isabel,” he called, “please wake up.”

No response.

“Hey, w-w-wake up please!” He said between his chattering teeth.

He slammed his body into her arm with what little energy he had left and called out again.

“Isabel, p-please.” He begged.

She stirred slightly, and her head slowly rolled to the left. Hey eyes opened groggily, eventually focusing on Nathan.

“What is it Nathan?” She mumbled, still mostly asleep and with a tone of annoyance.

“I’m f-f-freezing down here. C-can you warm me up, or s-something?” Nathan whimpered.

Her eyes opened wider and she lifted her head up slightly, showing more concern. She removed her left hand from Wesley and reached out for Nathan. Her forefinger and thumb clamped around his waist, grabbing hold of him securely.

“Oh my gosh, you really are freezing.” She whispered, feeling his tremors through her fingers.

She raised him up to her face, dangling him dangerously close to her mouth. If he wasn’t worried about freezing to death, he might have given some thought to the terrifying fact he was mere inches away from the her cavernous mouth.

Isabel’s eyes had adjusted to the dark and she looked at Nathan for moment, just able to make out the shape of his body. She felt her heart drop a little, taking in the sight of her freezing prisoner. He was shaking violently, and his teeth were audibly chattering.

“Here, maybe this will help.” She said, bringing him closer to her lips.

Isabel took a deep breath, inhaling from her nose. Then, she slowly breathed out, blowing her hot breath over Nathan. He felt chills go down his spine as the warm and moist breath washed over his body. Despite the wet feeling, it comforted him greatly, not only physically in warmth, but psychologically, in that her indifference towards him looked like it was starting to fade. She took another deep breath through her nose and kept the air in her lungs for a moment. Then, she breathed out again, bathing Nathan in another blast of warming air. He started to feel himself regaining his heat. Isabel noticed his shaking had calmed down, she couldn’t feel anything at all now.

Though his head was hanging down, Nathan managed to look upwards, to get a view of Isabel’s face. Her saw the glint of moonlight in her eyes, and he realized they were staring intently at him. Through the darkness he could make out what looked like a facial expression of compassion and worry, undoubtedly for him. Underneath her cold and uncaring façade, it looked like she cared about him, at least to some degree.

He noticed she stopped her breaths and he dropped his gaze once again.

“Do you feel better now?” She asked him.

“Yes. Thank you for that.” He replied.

“I… I don’t really know where I can put you, so you don’t freeze again.” She said.

Nathan looked around her body, searching for a suitable location to stay warm.

“Can’t you just set me next to your brother?” He asked.

Isabel furrowed her brow and gave him a disapproving look. Nathan had stepped too far, he had to remember that there wasn’t much trust between him or her.

Nathan sighed, “Next to your neck I guess?”

Isabel didn’t move a muscle. It was clear she didn’t like that idea either. Nathan looked down dejectedly, there probably wasn’t any idea that would sound good to her. Suddenly, her face lit up.

She raised her head up, giving her right arm enough room to slide out from underneath her head where it had been. She reached over for Nathan, swapping his place into the fingers of her right hand. Then, she extended her left arm, and slowly brought him to the inside of her elbow. She tucked him directly on the line of skin opposite side of her elbow. She flexed her arm inwards, and Nathan watched as the sea of blue fabric of her sweater approached from all sides. He felt some pressure on his sides, and she stopped just before it got uncomfortable for him. She lowered her forearm back down, returning her left hand to rest onto Wesley’s sleeping form. Her right arm went back into its original place, a pillow of sorts for her head.

Nathan was tucked tightly in between the lower end of her bicep and her inner forearm. Even though it was a little humiliating, he couldn’t deny the warmth his new position provided.

“Thanks.” Nathan said.

“You’re welcome.” Isabel smiled.

Nathan closed his eyes and fell asleep once more. Isabel, on the other hand, stayed up for a little longer. She was thinking about Nathan.

“Maybe he’s not so bad. I mean, after all I’ve done to him. I scared the crap out of him, almost suffocated him to death and kidnapped him. Yet, he still treats me with some respect. Or possibly not respect, but fear. I don’t even know what he’s been through here. Maybe I should give him a chance. Just one. Wesley did tell me Nathan was trying to help him, and he didn’t know the extent of the situation. Fine, I’ll give him one chance, to prove he’s not some maniac who’ll try to hurt us.” She mulled over the situation in her head.

She decided she’d give him a chance to prove himself, but tomorrow. It was late, and she needed to rest for the long walk she’d unquestionably have to do tomorrow. Her eyes closed, and she exhaled one last conscious breath.

---

Sunlight shined through the skylights of the warehouse, illuminating the room slowly. As time passed, the light passed over the three people inside of the building. The rays of sunlight met with Nathan’s eyelids, passing through the thin skin. He blinked a few times and raised his head upright. His initially blurry vision cleared, and he took a look around. Isabel’s peaceful sleeping face caught his attention. The light bounced off her olive colored skin, revealing her beautiful features. She had an oval shaped head, with structured cheek bones. Her lips were bright pink, contrasting her skin color. Her hair shone like strands of gold.

Nathan chuckled softly to himself, “If she wasn’t the size of a skyscraper, and keeping me prisoner, maybe we could have been something.”

He took a deep breath and tried to stretch, but then he realized he had much more room to move around this time than yesterday. His restraints were loose, probably from Isabel handling him. The girl’s arm had also widened up some as well.

“This is it! My chance!” Nathan thought to himself.

He held tensed his muscles and tightened his limbs close to his body, to make himself as small as possible. Very gently and slowly, he wiggled his body, to slide down the through his bounds. He felt himself drop a few inches, then stopped when he hit a tighter ring. He moved his arms outward to loosen it more, then returned to his slim form again. With some more patient wiggles, he completely slipped out. He slid down some of the sweater, falling onto the stone floor with a tumble. After he finished rolling, he picked himself up off the ground.

He started to scan the room, frantically searching for an exit. Right behind the top of Isabel’s head was a double door, and the windows on it showed the outside. Nathan made a beeline for the door, tiptoeing as fast as he could. He was dangerously close to her ears, and any sound could wake her up, crushing any hopes he had of escaping. The distance was closed quickly, and he put his hands on the door’s push bar that opened it.

But he stopped.

He turned his head around to his left, looking back behind him. Isabel was still asleep, and from his height he couldn’t see Wesley.

“If I leave, they might not make it.” He began to think to himself. “They don’t know anything about this place. Not the animals or the weather.” His eyes widened, remembering the most important detail he hadn’t told either of them about, “Or Jag.” He took his hands off the door and turned his body around to face the sleeping giantess. “If I stay with her, she might be able to protect me. Hell, if there’s still a ship inside Veran, then I can make it off this planet.” He sighed, “I guess this is the only thing I can do now.”

He gazed down at the floor with a defeated look on his face. Though he felt thankful to some degree for Isabel and the potential of rescue from Cansara, he would still be living his normal life if they hadn’t had crashed down in the first place. Well living is giving it too much credit, he’d be surviving his normal way. But he felt something deep down inside of him, something he hadn’t felt in a long time. Hope. Hope for escape from this terrible life he’s been cursed with. However miniscule that hope was, his heart grabbed onto it, and now, he had something to hang onto and fight for. His meaningless and wandering life now had purpose.

Nathan walked back to where he originally was, but he knew there wasn’t any way he’d get back into her hair or arm without waking her up. When Isabel gets up, she’ll know that he escaped. But hopefully, when she finds Nathan still with them, she’d understand that he decided to stay. Maybe it was too hopeful to think this could ease her tensions with him.

He strolled over to the wall nearest to her left arm and put his back against it. He slumped down to the ground and sat crisscross. There was nothing to do but wait for her to wake up, and with any luck, she wouldn’t smash him to bits when she finds him not in his place.