Jacks POV
I faked sleeping so that she would go to sleep. Once I heard her steady breathing, I got out of the bed and walked to the kitchen, rubbing my eyes. Having her here has been a challenge, but honestly, it made the decision of me taking a break so much easier, but now it's for a different reason.
It makes me sad that someone would do that to such a beautiful young woman. She's so vulnerable because of it to where she is scared of me doing that same thing to her, and I wouldn't ever do that to anyone. She's scared of me coming close to her, scared of me touching her, scared of me taking care of her. She is just terrified.
One thing I don't know how I'm going to deal with is the fact that Mark, Ethan, and Tyler are coming to stay with me in a couple days. I sigh as I throw some food in the microwave, pulling out my phone. While I walk upstairs to my recording room to skype mark, I think about how the week will work. I call Mark.
"Hey, jack! What's up?"
"Hey mark! So I have a bit of a situation." I say, looking up to see mark smiling dorkily at the camera. "I found someone."
"Oooooh did you get a girlfriend, Jackieboi?"
"No! I found someone who is staying with me right now because she was in an abusive relationship. I called the cops and they arrested the guy Evan at a bar. She's really scared. She woke up once screaming and wouldn't let me come near her for a little while, and other times she woke up having a panic attack. I don't think adding three more rowdy guys to the mix will help much. Do you think you guys could stay at a hotel?"
I look at Mark expectantly, shock scrawled across his face. "Uhhh yeah. We... we can probably do that. How long is she staying with you."
I sigh. "I don't know. Probably permanently. I don't want her going out to live on her own yet. Every time she wakes up, she's terrified from a nightmare and she is really beaten up. She had cuts and scars and bruises all over her body and she can barely walk. She had panic attacks consistently, and honestly, I feel nervous not checking up on her for this long. Hold on. Let me call you back on my phone." I hang up the call, recalling as I rush down the stairs.
"She's in one of my guest rooms." I see mark nod, then I hesitantly open the door slowly. I peek my head inside to see y/n curled up into a small ball, asleep with tears streaming down her face. Her knuckles are white as her nails dig into her own skin. I rush over, placing the phone down so that Mark can see, then sit beside her on the bed. I lift her petite body and hug her to my chest as she shakes like a dead leaf. As soon as she wakes, she screams and pushes away, falling from my lap onto the bed. She grabs the sam, hugging it to her chest and staring at me with wide, panic stricken eyes. She breathes jaggedly, her chest heaving. I hold out my hands.
"Shhhhhhh shhhhh it's just me. Shhhhhhh it's ok. You're safe. He can't get you here, ok? Shhhhhhhhh."
I keep a small distance between us until she calms down a bit more. Once she has gotten to crying, I crawl over to her on the bed, leaning against the headboard. I pick her up and place her in my lap, cradling her gently. She grabs fistfuls of my shirt and sobs into it, shaking violently. I glance up at my phone to see that Mark has ended the call. Sighing, I mentally thanks him.
"Shhh it's ok. Your safe. You're home. There's nothing for you to be scared of while I'm here. You're safe."
"But what if he gets out? He will come back. I know it. I'm sc... scared." She whispers.
"Shhhhh he's going to go away for a long time, and if he does come back, I will protect you. You're going to stay with me and he's not going to touch you ever again."
I rest my chin on her head and sigh, rubbing the side of her arm. She shakes for a long time, panic running through her veins. I run a hand down her back, causing her to flinch slightly, but she stays in my lap.
Progress.
I peck her forehead softly and lift her up into my arms, walking out into the living room with her. I set her on the couch and hand her the tv remote. When she looks up questioningly, I simply nod and run up the stairs to grab my laptop. When I return next to y/n on the couch, I see she had started the first episode of rick and morty.
"Have you seen this before?" She asks timidly.
"Yeah, but I love it so much I'll watch it again."
"Are you sure? I... I can change it."
"No, it's fine. You watch whatever you want."
"Are you s—-"
"Y/n, I'm here for you. This is your house too, so you watch whatever you want." She looks down, slightly ashamed before nodding and returning to the show. I mentally kick myself for possibly upsetting her then begin to read and respond to comments on some of my videos. I ran through the episode in my head till it got close to my favorite part. I quote it.
"I'm sorry but your opinion means very little to me." I burst out laughing.
Y/n laughs softly, before stopping and staring stricken at the wall. I reach over and touch her shoulder. She flinches slightly.
"Hey, whats wrong?"
"Evan would get really upset with me if I laughed. Can I laugh here?"
I hug her to my body.
"Y/n, you don't have to ask about that type of stuff. You do whatever you want. You deserve it. And please, laugh a lot."
She smiles, then returns to the show, while my arm is wrapped around her shoulder.
Progress. So much progress.
