Before It Breaks | ✔ |

Chapter 8: Help

Chapter 8: Help

This is the surprise! Double update! Enjoy!

"We're here," he smiled. Kristen looked up at the massive building. People bustled around, pausing now and then to respectfully say "Sir," to The Man.

"What will we be doing?" she whispered.

"Kristen, remember the rules."

"Right. Don't question. I'm sorry."

"Good girl," he smiled. "Now, come with me."

Kristen shrunk back when she saw the glint in his eye. She couldn't tell what it meant, but it was scary. It was something she had never seen before, and if she had seen something like it before, she couldn't remember it.

"I'm scared," she whispered.

"No need to be," smiled The Man.

"I don't want to go!" Kristen cried as his arm gripped her. "Leave me alone! Please, sir!"

"Do not question me!"

SMACK. He had slapped her across the face. "I'm sorry," sobbed Kristen.

SMACK. Another slap. "You had better be!"

"I am!"

"Now come on. I'll deal with your unfaithfulness later."

"No, don't!" Kristen whimpered. "It won't happen again, I swear!"

"That's what you said last time. Now come on."

And she was spinning into blackness.

She bolted upright, letting out a horrible scream. She could almost feel where she had been struck across the face.

Her hand flew up to her cheek in spite of herself as she let out loud, body shaking sobs.

The door burst open and Steve and Tony rushed in. Tony quickly ran to the girl and scooped her up. She clung on to his shirt as she cried. Tony's efforts to calm her down did not seem to be working, however, as she just shook, clung, and cried.

"It hurts, it hurts!" she wailed.

"What hurts, Kristen? What's wrong?"

"He struck me, Tony! He struck me! I didn't mean to disobey. I swear, I didn't! I was just scared! Oh, Tony, don't let him punish me! Please, don't let him hurt me! I told him I was sorry, and I am!"

"Kristen! He isn't here right now! He isn't gonna hurt you. I promise he won't hurt you! He can't! You're safe with me. It's me, Tony, and Steve's here too. You're OK."

"Tony, I'm scared. I'm scared. He won't go away. He was in my dream. He's in my head. I hear him. Tony, I can't take it!"

Steve wiped away a tear. "Kristen, listen to me," he said with a shaky voice. "We're gonna help you. We're gonna find the man that did this to you. He will not go unpunished."

"Do you promise, Cap?" whimpered Kristen.

"I promise," vowed the Captain.

Kristen leaned over and hugged Steve. "Thank you," she whispered, tears falling onto his clean shirt. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."

"You're welcome," whispered Steve, his voice cracking and a tear falling down his face.

Kristen drew herself into Tony's open arms, and he held her as she softly whimpered and cried into his shoulder. He just stood there, holding her, letting her cry as he ran his hand down her hair, as though he were petting a scared puppy during a thunderstorm.