Safe

Belong

"What did he threaten?"

"He threatened to kill me if I didn't take him back. He tackled me, and started beating me again." She cried. She was sobbing her way through the story. "That's why I have all those bruises. I fought him into the kitchen, and he started choking me. I couldn't breath. There was a bread knife on the kitchen counter so I took it, and stabbed him in the leg. He was strong so it was just enough for me to get away." Rocky wrapped his arms around Laura, and pulled her into his embrace. She sobbed onto his shoulder, and she wrapped her arms around his torso.

"Now they made him look like a saint on the news, and me like a hardened criminal. The police are probably looking for me, and so is he."

"LA is a huge place he won't find you here." Laura stepped back.

"Yes he will. You don't know him; he will find me with whatever it takes, and now that you know why, you can't be around me. He'll hurt anything that gets in his way including you, and I won't let you get hurt I love you too much. That why I was so reluctant to get involved in the first place."

"I'm not going anywhere. You need someone to protect you from him, and I love you too much to leave, and just let you get hurt." He spoke tucking a piece of fallen hair behind her ear. She wanted to argue with him, and tell him no, but she couldn't. She needed him. Rocky looked deep into her eyes. "There is no safer place for you then here in my arms."

The way he looked at her, almost made her heart stop. He was her peace, and serenity. With everything around her that scared her, he somehow was able to make her feel calm. He cupped his hands around her face, and brought his lips to hers. The way he kissed her put butterflies in her stomach. It was soft, and romantic but held all the passion a kiss could contain.

"SO YOU'RE THE ONE THAT'S SCREWING MY WIFE." The bar door slammed open, and hit the wall before collapsing back into its position. The noise startled Laura, and she jumped back. A view of an drunken, scraggly, angry man appeared in the doorway. She screamed at the sight of him. It was different then she had imagined seeing him for the first time would feel like. For one she had hoped that day would never come; but that if it did, she would be strong, courageous, and stick up to him. That day had came. He was there standing in the doorway with not a scent of change. He still looked a mess with his greasy hair, and glazed bloodshot eyes. She could tell the clothes he had been wearing had probably not been changed in a few days. Being hammered all the time, he probably didn't even notice. He had a large bottle of an unidentified liquor in his hands. It could've been anything, she knew that if it could make you drunk he would drink it. The day had come when she was face to face with him, and she was completely disappointed with herself. She wasn't strong, or courageous; she felt nothing but terror. She stood there in shock, completely silent, completely still.

"Laura getaway now!" Rocky encouraged her.

"WHY DON'T YOU STAY AWAY FROM MY WIFE." Her angry, drunken, ex Eric slurred. You could hear in the tone of his voice how drunk he was. That, and the ridiculous scent of liquor you could smell all the way across the room. She could see Rocky tense, and it made her incredibly nervous. Rocky didn't know the fight Eric had in him. Eric was strong, and cocky about it. He had no inhibitions when it came  to his anger. It was impossible to erase the nights when he brutally beat her up, from her memory as much as she tried. She knew just how much damage Eric could do to a person.

For a while Laura almost believed it was her fault. There must've been something she did to set him off. She settled on the idea of "love" being harsh, and cruel. The reason she never wanted to let people in, was because she didn't trust them. She didn't want to return to the experience she had, that was until Rocky. Rocky somehow was able to show her what real love looked like. Within the past two, and a half weeks she had fallen more madly, and deeply in love with Rocky than she had with anybody else in her life. He was the one they talk about in cliche movies. He made her feel like she was the only one that mattered in the world; and that feeling had never came to her before. Not by her parents, not by her friends, and especially not by her horrible last relationship. Before she met Rocky she didn't even think she was valued in the world. Something just clicked with him. Something passionate. It was almost if it was fate. Meeting at that park bench as strangers. That's why she was so scared, if Rocky got hurt in what was about to go down with Eric, she might break.

"She's not your wife anymore!" Rocky asserted. She could see both of the guys get extremely angry. She knew the look in Eric's eye all too well. It scared her to death.

"Well she still belongs to me! I saw you on the news hanging around with her. The only reason she's going around sleeping with guys like you is because she's a little whore."

"DONT YOU EVER CALL HER THAT! LAURA NEVER BELONGED YOU, AND SHE NEVER WILL." Rocky got right up next to Eric in his face. All of his veins were sticking out, he was completely red with rage, and his fists were tightly clenched.

"ROCKY STOP!" Laura yelled continuing to cry her eyes out.

"What are you going to do about it pretty boy." As soon as Eric muttered the words he gave Rocky a little shove. Both of the guys were pretty tall, about the same height, and both built. Rocky stepped forward again.

"Look there's no need for anything violent to happen. If you just leave now, we'll all just forget about all of this. Stay away from us, you've already hurt Laura so much, and you won't be doing that anymore. If you care about her. you'll leave her alone." Rocky tried to put subtly. Laura was proud of him trying to handle the frightening matter, but she knew Eric would never buy into it. When he was drunk, he was aggressive. There was no backing down.

"Aww Laura your little boyfriend here is a softy." Eric mocked. He let out a estranged drunken cackle. "I've been beating that girl for over a year, what makes you think I can't take you down." He continued. Rocky's anger peaked, and he finally wound up to punch him. Eric as strong as he was though, caught Rocky's arm then used it to twist it around his back. "Dumb move pretty boy." Eric muttered gritting his teeth.

He shoved Rocky onto the ground, and kicked him in the ribs. He leaned over, and punched Rocky in the eye, then by the nose. Laura ran over to stop him.

"ERIC GET OFF OF HIM NOW!" She yelled. He did stop beating on Rocky only to turn his attention towards her. He picked her up, slung her over his shoulder, and carried her by the waist. Laura screeched at the top of her lungs.

"HELP ME! ROCKY, HELP ME!" She saw Rocky groan, and try to move but he couldn't. She beat her legs, and arms rapidly against him as he tried to carry her away. She continued to scream. Fear had completely taken over her.

Rocky came running up to them, and pulled Laura's legs away from Eric. Her torso was moved out of his grasp, and she felt her body resting in Rockys arms. She was wholly relieved just to be out of Eric's greasy hands. Her feet met the floor, again but then so did Rocky's body. He passed out cold on the ground after Eric pushed him over once more again.

The view of Mel standing next to Eric was clear when Laura looked up. She was holding a large cast iron skillet. She wound up, and this time was successful in hitting Eric in the head with the large pan. Eric collapsed to the ground.

"Nobody messes with my kids." Mel gritted staring down at him. Laura quickly stumbled over to Rocky. She looked into his weak eyes to see if he was okay.

"Rocky, are you alright?" She urged. He only groaned in response. "ROCKY!" She cried. Tears started to pour out of her eyes, she couldn't imagine the thought of losing him. She laid her hand on his cheek, and pressed her lips onto his. She pulled her head up, and a tiny smile crept onto his face.

"Gee, maybe I should get beat up more often." He mumbled. She let out a sigh of relief.

"Dang it Rocky, you scared me to death." She spoke another tear starting to trickle down cheek this time in relief. She wrapped her arms around his torso to try to lift him up, but he winced in pain. She slowly lifted him up, and was able to get him to rest onto a barstool. Flashing sirens invaded through the glass windows. Police cars pulled up against the bar. Laura thought maybe for a second they were coming for her, but when they burst into the building the handcuffed, and picked up the regaining conscious Eric. Laura shuffled over to Mel.

"Did you call the police for us?" She asked.

"Did I ever tell you my husband Frank is a police officer. The bar owner, and police officer what a pair right? When I saw that story about you on the news this morning I knew something was up. I had Frank working on this all morning. When I heard the racket out here, I called them up to get here as quick as they could." I quickly wrapped my arms around Mel.

"Thank you." I muttered. "For everything." She joined the hug by embracing me into it as well.

"You know I think of you as a daughter now." She admitted. "We can handle this creep. Go take care of your boy."