Once In A Lifetime • Link Neal

twenty-two.

Link liked to think he was a pretty perceptive guy, and when she walked into his office he could almost instantly feel something was off. She usually didn't wear makeup, but when she did it was a light dash of mascara and maybe a little lipstick if she was feeling it. Today, though, her mascara was blotchy around her red rimmed eyes, lipstick that has long since been wiped away tinted just the slightest bit on her lips. 

"What's wrong?" Link asked, pushing himself up to stand before he really even thought about it. It was on instinct, almost like he would be ready to fight off anyone that had harmed her, despite him being the furthest thing from a fighter. She raised her brows at his question, stopping middway between opening the door, one hand on the handle with the other carrying today's lunch. 

"What?" She asked, a little taken aback. "What do you mean?" 

His squared shoulders loosened up a little when she spoke, but his gaze was still trained on her face, like he was waiting for her to burst into tears or something. 

"You look...Ah, never mind. Sorry, I just thought there was somethin' a little off with you today." Link replied, his tone sheepish as he smiled warmly. Lucy was still stuck with his greeting, and how he was so easily able to see something wasn't right with her. As much as she wants to keep her troubled past behind her, she felt an obligation to tell Link. 

"Oh. Well, I guess you could say that." She closed the door softly, making her way towards his desk where she set the bag of food down. 

"So I'm not crazy, thinkin' there's somethin' wrong." Link commented, walking his way around the desk to approach her. She turned around to face him, tilting her head back to make eye contact. The gentle look on his face was breathtaking, an adoration in his eyes that was saved for the most special people in his life. It brought a warmth in her chest, and she found herself reaching out to him without saying a word. Link was momentarily surprised, but quickly melted into her embrace, her slender arms wrapping around his torso to pull him snug against her. He rested his chin atop her head, savoring their sweet embrace as he waited for her to speak. 

There was a painful tightening in her chest the entire day, after hearing about her ex. She had been biting her nails down to the skin, fiddling with her clothes enough to pull the strings from the seams. Just being around Link was enough to cease the anxious pounding of her heart, and calm her nerves in a way she never really experienced before. 

"I need to tell you a few things..About me." She finally breathed out, her cheek nuzzled against the hardness of his sternum. He hummed in response, before finally dropping his arms to the side. She took the notion, taking a small step back despite the urge to continue touching him. 

"I feel like I have to tell you, otherwise I'd be hiding a huge part of my life from you." She began, eyeing Link's confused expression. "I don't want you to look at me any differently, or treat me any differently after I tell you, okay?" 

"Okay..." Link said, slowly. He wasn't sure where she was going with this, the possibilities endless. But the tone in her voice was enough to accentuate the seriousness of the situation. He braced himself for whatever was to come from her mouth, but he knew that she could tell him just about anything, and he would still be there. 

"Before I moved here, to California, I was married." The words spilled from her lips quickly, like she was ripping off a band-aid. Link, understandably, was visibly surprised. 

"What?" She found found herself glancing away from him, knowing full well this was just the beginning of her confession. 

"I was married to a man named Gavin, and he...Well, he was abusive. Verbally and...Physically. I stayed with him for seven years, I got married when I was 18. I was stupid, and young and I didn't know anything about him." Link looked like he wanted to ask her a million questions, his expression softening to a look of what she could only describe as pity. It made her stomach turn, as that was he last thing she wanted from him. 

"Lu.." He whispered, reaching a hand out to touch her face. She breathed out, shakily. 

"There's more, Link." Her eyes flipped up to him, and he pursed his lips as he waited for her to continue. "We had been living together for years, I was miserable, and then I got pregnant when I was about twenty four. A-And..." Her voice cracked as she tried to finish her sentence, tears brimming her waterline and threatening to fall, before she took another deep breath. 

"I was a little more than six months pregnant. It was a girl, and I already had a name picked out, but I never got to have her. He pushed me down the stairs in our apartment. I had a broken ankle...And I lost her." Her words grew quiet near the end, like she was ashamed of what happened. Avoiding Link's gaze, she continued on quietly. 

"I moved here to get away from him. I've been running from him for the past two years, and California was the furthest place I could think of." Before she could dare a glance upwards, she felt Link's arms wrap around her, her breath escaping her in the form of a sob. She pressed her forehead against his chest, the rhythmic thud of his heart faster than usual under his sternum. She could feel his fingers glide through her hair to cradle the back of her head, his lips pressed against her hair in a soft kiss, before he spoke up. 

"I am so sorry, Lucy." 

They stood together a moment, the soft cries that escaped her lips muffled by his embrace. As much as it pained her to relieve the memory, she felt relieved. He knew this about her, when damn near no one else did. She curled her fingers into the fabric of his T-shirt, and he tightened his grasp around her. Link knew he would stand there for an eternity holding her, if that's what it took. 

"Thank you." She managed, pulling herself away to wipe at her eyes harshly. 

"Thank you, Lu. For trustin' me enough to tell me." He quickly replied, his hand finding the soft curve of her cheek as he eyed her, "I can't imagine goin' through that. But you...You are so incredibly strong for making it through. I'm sorry that it happened to you at all, and there's nothin' I can do about the past. But I swear, as long as you're with me, I won't let anything happen to you. I promise." She reached upwards to place her hand atop his, managing a small smile as she sniffled. Link's heart felt like it was breaking into pieces at the sight of her, and the painful confession she had made. He meant it, in all honesty, he would do anything for her. 

"I wanted to tell you, because...He's looking for me again. He knows that I live here, in Los Angles. And if I need to disappear for...I don't know how long, I wanted you to know why." 

Link knit his brows, before shaking his head. 

"You mean, if we disappear." 

"Link, you know that's almost impossible." She countered, lightly. She loved the idea of it, just the two of them falling off the grid, traveling to God knows where, but there was too much on Link's plate for even the thought of it. 

"I already told you, as long as I'm with you, nothing bad will ever happen." He reminded her softly, before leaning down to press a soft kiss against her lips. "So I'm not going to leave your side, anytime soon."