Andy Barber... The Florist Next-door...

Prologue

Warnings: talk of reader being in an abusive relationship, descriptions of violence and blood

The darkness surrounded Andy as he sat in his home office listening.

How could Laurie just ignore your screams? How could she pretend everything was fine?

You were this beautiful, kind and caring soul that Andy had to see be beat down just a little more each day, by your asshole of a husband. The day you moved in next door over a year ago, Andy's life changed.

He remembers the first time you smiled at him and the first time he made you laugh. He remembers the first time you made him cookies for helping you out. He remembers the excitement and happy tears in your eyes as he brought you some flowers, along with Jacob, for your birthday.

'I've never had flowers bought for me before.'

He remembers the first time he thought he heard you scream in the middle of the night. He remembers Laurie's lack of reaction and the joke she made about you just being a screamer in the bedroom and that it was nothing for him to worry about.
Andy remembers the first time he saw a bruise on your cheek. He remembers the first time he saw scratches on your neck and bruises that look like you'd been choked. He remembers when he heard the screams become more frequent.

He remembers the night he saw your husband beckon you home from the BBQ he and Laurie had invited you to, after he'd returned home from work unexpected. He saw the way he grabbed your arm and shoved you inside the house. He remembers the feeling as he ran to his office where he knew the window in there looked directly into your living room and that was the first time he saw your husband hurt you.

'Just leave them be, Andy.' Laurie glared at him from the doorway. 'It isn't our business.'

He was a coward that day, he should have stopped him. He should have run into your house and beat the living hell out of your husband.

Andy's heart almost stopped as he heard something smash before your screams stopped but the smashing continued. He peered over his shoulder through the windows and what Andy saw made him leap up from his office chair and charge for his front door, ignoring his wife telling him to stop.

"Call the police, Laurie."

"Andy, stay out of-"

"CALL THE GOD DAMN POLICE!" He yelled at her.

He pulled the door open and ran across the lawn until he got to your front door, kicking it open.

"GET OFF HER!" Andy pulled your husband off the top of you, slamming him into the wall before delivering a few good hits before dropping him to floor to cough up blood. "Y/N!" Andy quickly crouched beside you, cupping your bloody and bruised face in his hands. "I'm here."

"Andy," You gave him a bloody smile the best you could as you weakly reached for his hands.

He scooped you up and took you back to his home. Ad he entered he glared at his wife as she stood there in the hallway with Jacob. "Still want to ignore it, Laurie?" He snapped at her.

Andy took you into his office and sat you on the couch beside him. You cried into Andy's chest, apologizing for getting tears and blood all over him but he didn't care.

"Tell me, you're going to divorce him now, Y/N, please?" He begged softly like he had a few times before when you'd passed comment about what your husband was like.

You nodded, "But, I- I don't, have, any money... I can't, afford, a good, lawyer... I'll loose everything, Andy." Your body shook as you looked up at him.

Andy shook his head. "I won't let that bastard take everything, okay? I'll help."

"Here you go." Jacob whispered as he handed you some tissues making you and Andy smile. "Would you like some water-"

"Jacob, come away." Laurie pulled him back. "Let your father deal with her." She tried to offer you a kind smile but Andy knew it wasn't.

He knew how she felt about you.

Andy let out a soft sigh as he turned his attention back to you as his wife and son left. "Sorry 'bout that."

You shook your head with a smile. "Don't be, he's a good kid." And you really meant it.

Jacob had always been polite and friendly to you, asking if he could help out in your garden during the summer.

Andy nodded with a smile, "I think so."