Chichi hung her head as she followed her husband out of the back room at the police station. She hurt all over as fresh bruises bloomed on her skin. The split in her lip was twice as bad as it had been before and she was relatively sure that one of her teeth was now loose. Even with her blood on his knuckles, Maxwell strutted through the police station, completely unashamed of the fact that he'd just beaten her for trying to file a restraining order. Not a one of the officers looked Chichi's way, but they greeted Maxwell like an old friend. She couldn't believe it.

She felt her heart skip as she saw the front doors. Maybe once they were outside, she could make a run for it. He may have been cocky inside the police station where he'd obviously paid everyone off, but would he still feel the same way out on the street where potential clients could see him? She doubted it. After all, that was the whole reason they were married. So that he could project the image of being a family man, of not being a threat to other men's wives because he had one of his own. It was all a disgusting ruse she'd fallen into.

As soon as they were outside, Chichi ran. She had no direction in mind, just to put as much space between herself and her abusive husband as possible. The frosty air made her face sting as she sprinted down the sidewalk. For one fleeting moment, she thought she'd managed it, but then she felt his fingers snarl into her hair and she cried out as she was yanked painfully backwards. "Maxwell, please! Just let me go!" she begged, trying not to sob.

"Look around you stupid cunt," he hissed at her, clenching his fingers tightly in her hair and jerked her to scan the street. "Do you see anyone? No. The police aren't coming to your rescue. No one is. I knew where you were the entire time after you left the house this morning. I knew you called your friend, I know where you met for lunch. I even know that you took a dump in the restaurant bathrooms. Do you really think I would leave it to chance that people would be out here on the street in front of the station? Do you think I like wasting my resources on a stupid bitch like you because you just won't accept your goddamn place in the world?" He shook her hard, "Do you?!"

"No!" she squeaked out, tears burning her eyes again. She clawed at his hand in her hair, but he refused to let go. She felt helpless then; she was truly trapped. She was going to spend the rest of her life stuck with this horrible man and there was nothing she could do about it. A cry escaped her then as the reality of it all settled in. Her fate was sealed. She would never break the curse that had been placed on her all those years ago. And there was no undoing it; she didn't even know if the old witch was still alive at this point. "Maxwell, stop! Please! I won't run again. You're hurting me! Please stop!"

Maxwell reached his hand back and slapped her across the face again. "Good! I want you to hurt. Your words are lies to me. We are going back to the house and you are going to spend the rest of the day locked in a bedroom while you think about what you've done. I might even handcuff you to the bed so I know you won't try to jump out the window. Then we will see how you are feeling in the morning." He growled and threw her at the side of the waiting car. "Now get the fuck in the car."

"Hey, asshole. Step away from the little lady before I break your face."

Chichi felt all the air rush from her lungs as she hit the car and slid down the side of it. She squinted up at the tall silhouette before her, disbelief washing over her. Oh, of all people to come to her rescue. Still, she wasn't picky at this point. She'd have welcomed the sight of anyone in that moment, as long as it meant Maxwell didn't hit her again. Fresh blood trickled down her chin and she wiped at her face before she spoke. "Mr. Satan?" she asked, not knowing what to think.

Maxwell growled at the martial artist that stood in front of him. What the hell was he doing out here? He glanced down the road, seeing some of his hired men lying sprawled on the ground. So much for keeping the street clear. "Move along, Champ. I don't care if you saved the world from the aliens, from Cell or whatever else. This doesn't concern you. I'm dealing with my ungrateful wife. Fuck off."

Hercule puffed his chest out and he strode forward, unafraid of the man and put himself between him and the woman on the ground. "Now, call me crazy, but this sure is a funny way of dealing with a wife. A way that I'm sure you know that I don't approve of. So if you don't want to see your ugly mug posted all over the six o'clock news, I'd suggest you get in your car before I make some calls of my own."

Chichi forced herself up, using the car behind her to get to her feet. She was relieved that at least someone was there to defend her, yet at the same time, it only made her more fearful. Maxwell would be livid that someone dared question him. Especially about her. "It's okay," she said in a timid voice. She pulled her purse up on her shoulder and looked down at the sidewalk, pieces of her black hair falling from the bun, making her look terribly disheveled. She pushed the pieces back, trying to get them to stay in place. She sucked her lip, warring with herself. Part of her wanted to hide behind Mr. Satan; the other part was afraid to defy Maxwell now that she knew just truly how much influence he had over the city. No, it was better to just go home and take her punishment and hope that Maxwell would go out with one of his girlfriends for the night and leave her alone. "It's just a misunderstanding. It's not as bad as it looks," she lied.

Maxwell snorted as he straightened his jacket. He glared at Mr. Satan. "You are one to talk about ugly mugs. I'm surprised the cameras don't break every time they snap a picture of your unshaven, broken nosed face," he spat and moved as if he was going to reach behind Hercule and grab Chichi. "You have ears and I assume a brain somewhere in that big head of yours. The lady says she's fine."

Hercule stepped in front of Maxwell's hand and grabbed the wrist tightly, squeezing hard. "Oh, I don't know. You know how we fighting types are. I might have been hit too many times in the brain, and my hearing might be going. You'll have to speak louder," he growled out as he pushed the man back. "I'll be taking the little lady with me, seeing as you have seemed to forget how to treat this one without hurting her."

Chichi could see the rage in Maxwell's eyes. It sent a terrified jolt down her spine. How would she ever get out of this mess? "Really, I'm okay," she said. Oh, how she wished she could let Mr. Satan take her away from this. But she knew she couldn't. Maxwell would track her down, make her suffer even more for it. This whole plan was stupid. She shouldn't have filed any paperwork; she should've just disappeared. She mentally shook herself as she realized even that was impossible. Maxwell had far too much money and influence in their city. He could get away with anything. She edged around to stand closer to Hercule's side, but not too close to him. She couldn't forget who he was, the man who had taken all of Goku and Gohan's credit for Cell. That had always bothered her. "Maxwell, I'm sorry. I… I won't file for divorce. Let's just put this behind us. Please? We can work this out," she said, loathing the words that fell from her lips. But she would do anything to avoid being beaten again. She was tired of hurting. Yet it made her feel weak to give up so easily.

"There, you see you big oaf? It's all just a big misunderstanding." He narrowed his eyes at Chichi, his blood boiling as he considered Hercule the next moment. His mind was going all sorts of places and none of them were very kindly towards the Champ who had just somehow saved the world from the aliens. "Not everyone needs saving in that mind of yours, but I'll understand if you are a bit slow on the uptake."

Hercule snorted and shrugged his shoulders. "Fine, if that's the way you want to play it. I am inviting this lovely woman to my house for dinner. Call it a promotional gig or whatever. My random person for the day who just won. I will be deeply insulted if she says no and I am sure the press would love to have a field day for that one. Make your choice there, slick. I'll have her back before dark."

Chichi blinked in surprise. Hercule was really taking her to dinner? She was dumbstruck. It would certainly get her away from Maxwell for a bit. Maybe if he had time to cool down, she could smooth this over until she hired a lawyer and found a safe place to stay. Then again, nowhere in this city seemed safe now. Not with the police in Maxwell's pocket. She would have to go somewhere far away where his influence couldn't reach.

"Maybe that would be best," she said nervously, her eyes flicking back and forth between the two men. "We could both take a few hours to calm down, clear our heads." She looked around at the people who were starting to fill the sidewalks again, glancing curiously at Maxwell's guards on the ground or admiring Hercule with awe. "I think it would be best if no one made a scene here," she suggested firmly.

Maxwell growled as people began to trickle in past his unconscious guards. He was going to have them fired later for being so easily overcome by some celebrity. The star struck fools. He moved his hand, slicking back his hair and straightening his suit once more and forced the words out of his mouth, "Yes, she would be the fool to turn you down on such a generous offer." He wanted to murder the Champ for forcing his hand like this. "I will see you at home, my dear," he bit out before he moved and quickly got into his car, driving away.

Hercule let out the breath he was holding before he carefully touched the woman's shoulder. "This way. My car is just around the corner." He laughed, "Good thing I decided to personally check out the location of the next women's shelter. I saw his guards turning people away from the streets and figured there was nothing good going on there!" he said as they made it to his limo and he opened the back door for her. "Ladies first."

Chichi had mechanically walked with him, not trusting Maxwell. She half expected him to turn around and run her down with his car. She blinked now at Hercule, not understanding. "Wait, what?" she asked, confused. "Mr. Satan, you really don't have to take me to dinner. I understand that that was all just a ruse to get me away from my husband. I do appreciate your help, but I wasn't honestly expecting you to treat me. I'll be alright on my own from here."

Hercule raised an eyebrow at her. "Little Lady, I am, if anything, a man of my word. I said I would treat you to dinner, so I will treat you to dinner. I'm going to have my head of house look at your wounds and make sure they are bandaged up all right. Then we will see about getting you those divorce papers? Restraining order? Both?" He chuckled, "Relax, I swear I'm not going to hurt you. Sarah up there, the driver, she'd kick my ass if I did anything. Not to mention Ryan and Madeline would have my ass too."

"We're going to your house?" Chichi asked, surprised. Not that she had expected any of this to happen, but she certainly hadn't expected that. She hesitated, looking worriedly back down the street. She would definitely be safer with Mr. Satan than she would out on the street on her own. With a nod, she got quickly into the limo and slid over to the opposite door. Normally she would've been impressed by such luxury, but not now. It surprised her how little it mattered to her now. She looked over at him as he got in and shut the door. "Are you sure this is okay? I don't want to cause problems for you."

Hercule chuckled and tapped on the window separating the driver from them and the car started moving. "Of course it's alright. It was the only thing I could think of to get him away from you," he said as he turned, looking over the wounds her face and he winced on her behalf. "I'll have my staff take a look at those and get you fixed up. Then we can figure out where the best place for you to go would be. I hope you don't mind that I stepped in. Even us hero types have to help those in need. That's what makes us who we are!"

"I don't mind that you stepped in. Thank you for that," she said. "He's just really angry right now." She touched her face, feeling the bruises there. It hurt, but she could deal with it. "You don't have to bother anyone. This is nothing. I can fix it with makeup. Trust me, I've dealt with worse." She cringed internally on instinct; Maxwell threw a fit if she mentioned any time he'd hit her before. She'd tried to train herself not to bring up the past, but sometimes it slipped. She forced herself to look over at him and gave a tiny smile. "Really. I'm okay."

Hercule rubbed at his face as she admitted the truth. "It's never okay when someone hurts another person just because they can or because they are angry. I've dealt with worse and I think I'll sleep easier at night knowing I did what I could to help you as much I could," he said quietly as he looked out the window as the car sped home. "Seriously, after Cell, after the aliens, this is nothing. I got this."

Chichi had to force herself not to roll her eyes. Yes, Cell. The aliens. She knew better. Even though no one had told her, she was certain that he'd had nothing to do with the fall of the aliens. That was Goku. Or Gohan. One of their family or all of them had been the ones to stop that threat to the earth. She chewed at her nails as she looked out the window, trying to figure out what she would do once this "dinner" with the champ was over. She sat stiffly in the seat, feeling very out of her element. Never in a million years did she dream that she would be in a car with Hercule Satan. "So you do this often?" she asked. "Picking up damsels in distress on the street?"

Hercule chuckled and looked over at her. "Nah, not often at all. I rarely see anything like that out on the streets. If I did, I'm sure it would be a more regular occurrence, but let's face it. It's going to be a dark day when more of those become commonplace. I think we can do without. I really was just passing through and when his lackeys wouldn't let me by, I knew something was up and then I heard you and him fighting," he said as he saw his house come up in the distance. "Madeline has this special balm she can use on those wounds. I use the stuff so much after my fights. It's like magic."

Chichi remained quiet as they pulled up in front of Hercule's mansion. She'd seen it from a distance before and had always thought it was a gorgeous place. But that was before. She'd been envious of his money, of the wealth he'd received after claiming to have saved the world. That should've been her family's money. But now it didn't matter to her. She didn't care if she ended up in a tiny apartment with no luxuries at all, so long as she was free from her husband.

They were greeted at the door by Madeline, a young-looking woman with a pretty, round face and dark brown hair. Chichi lingered near the door as Hercule briefly told Madeline who she was and what had happened on the street. She tugged on the torn sleeve of her dress, pulling it up to cover her shoulder. She knew she had to look horrible. All she wanted was to wash her face, fix her hair, and try to cover up the marks Maxwell had left behind. "Sorry to impose," she apologized to both of them and looked down at the marble floor. "I do appreciate the help, though."

Madeline sucked in a breath of air as she saw the woman after Hercule explained the situation to her. "Oh you big oaf. Go on then, I'll make sure she is patched up. Ryan is in the training room if you want to work off some steam," she said as she gingerly reached out and cupped the woman's hand in her own. "Come on then, miss. This way." She led her further into the house. She shook her head and waved away other servants who came to her for questions. "Later," she said quietly before leading Chichi into her own room. She turned on the lights and led her to the bathroom, "Here, have a seat on the toilet and I'll take a look at those cuts."

"This really isn't necessary," Chichi insisted. She caught a glance of herself in the mirror. Sure, it looked bad, but she'd been through much worse. She hadn't ended up in the hospital yet this time, and in her mind that made it not too bad. "The marks just show more because I'm pale. Really. It's not as bad as it looks." The words rolled easily off her tongue, she'd said them so many times before to nurses, doctors, whoever accidentally saw her after a row with Maxwell. At least this time she didn't have to lie about falling down the stairs.

Madeline hummed at her as she got down the usual supplies. Mostly from whenever Hercule had a bad match or Ryan picked a fight with someone she shouldn't have. "Might have to get the eye doctor in here while I am at it." She mentally scolded herself. Victims of abuse like this didn't want to blame the abuser. She turned back to the woman, setting the kit on the sink. "You can stop. He can't hurt you anymore. Not here," she said as she wet a wash cloth with warm water and carefully took Chichi's face in hand. "Let me know if it's too hot."

Chichi let her eyes fall closed as the heat from the cloth seemed to seep into her face. "It's fine," she said softly. It was strange to think that she was safe here. She couldn't remember the last time she felt safe. Without opening her eyes, she pulled the tie from her hair, then quickly slicked it back up into its usual bun. It felt better like that, having her hair tight against her head. She'd always worn it like that before because it kept her hair out of her face while doing housework, but after years with Maxwell she'd learned it also made it harder for him to grab her by the hair. "This is really nice of him. He didn't have to do all of this," she said quietly as she opened her eyes again and Madeline moved the washcloth to a different part of her face.

Madeline smiled warmly at the woman. "You are one of the lucky ones. He's never done this before. Never. He either finds them when it's too late or helps them through other means, like the shelters and charities," she said as she finished washing away the blood and cleaned up the cuts so she could better see what she needed to do. Her face was bruised and she knew which areas were going to turn colors. She reached for a small jar of cool cream and dipped her fingers into it before she gently passed over the swollen areas on her face, taking her time as she did so. "No one deserves to be beaten like this."

It surprised Chichi to hear someone say that. Maxwell always told her it was her fault that he hit her. And it seemed even her own children thought the same; Gohan had never stood up to Maxwell for her even though he knew what was happening. He'd known for years and had never said a word. She pulled back slightly from Madeline, blinking in curiosity at her. "Sometimes they do," she said softly. She looked down at her hands in her lap. "I thought that, maybe, somehow, things would change after that mess with the aliens. But it didn't. I guess this is just my fate," she said with a shrug.

Madeline gave Chichi a sad smile, reaching up and tucking a stray strand of hair behind the older woman's ear. "Only if you want it to be. Everyone has the power to change their fate. You just have to believe it. Whatever you've done, whatever you think you've done, more pain cannot be the answer," she said quietly as she soothed the cream around Chichi's eye with her thumb.

Chichi swallowed the moan of relief as the cold cream spread over her skin. It seemed to numb the pain almost instantly and left a pleasant tingling on her skin. "Oh wow," she whispered. She let Madeline spread the rest of it over her face before she pulled back. "Thank you," she said quietly and got up to look in the mirror. She cringed at the way she looked, the ugly bruises on her face. She dug quickly in her purse for the makeup she carried with her and hurriedly worked to cover the marks. She had to admit, she'd gotten rather good at that. And she'd learned to always carry some with her in case it got smudged or washed off while she was out in public. She checked her hair, making sure all of it was in place before she gave an approving nod. "That's better."

Madeline watched her carefully, noting how well the other woman flawlessly covered up the marks on her skin. It made her sick as she wondered how long she had been doing that to become so proficient at it. She managed a smile for the other woman. "Come, let's sneak into the kitchens and grab a snack before dinner is ready," she suggested mischievously. "We also have a wide variety of drinks to choose from," she said, slipping back into her head of house manner, "Oh, would you like to change? I think you and I are about the same size." She paused on her way out, detouring to the wardrobe.

Chichi didn't know what to say as she followed Madeline. The rip in the shoulder of her dress bothered her, but she wasn't sure about borrowing clothes from the younger woman either. She barely had time to think on it before Madeline handed her a nice sweater and a pair of jeans. It wasn't exactly Chichi's style, but she thanked her anyway and quickly changed her clothes in the adjacent bathroom. She threw her ruined dress in the trash. She didn't want it anymore anyway. Not after today.

The sweater was warm and impossibly soft against her skin. She wasn't sure she wanted to give it back, to be honest. But she told Madeline she'd return the clothes just as soon as she was able, then followed her down to the kitchen. "Wow," she breathed as they entered. "This looks like what I'd imagine a fancy restaurant would have for a kitchen."

Madeline smiled at Chichi. "Twenty-four hour kitchen. The Champ's request. Everyone's running around at different times, training and working, so he always wanted to make sure the staff had something to eat." She waved her hand in the air to go on. She went around the edge, taking a pot of hot water from a chef who offered it to her and she quickly set up a small tea tray with little cookies. She gave a wink at Chichi before she led them back out into the larger dining room. "Sit, relax. You look as though you are ready to bolt at the first given opportunity. No need to run here."

Chichi sat stiffly in the high-backed chair and accepted a cup of tea. "Out of my element," she admitted quietly. From the little bit of what she'd seen, Hercule's mansion was even more extravagant than she'd expected. Every inch of it just seemed to exude luxury, comfort, and expense. It was all a bit over the top, unnecessary. It surprised her to find herself thinking so. Perhaps she'd changed even more than she realized. "I need to find somewhere to go. Is there a hotel or something you recommend around here? I wish I could go home and get my clothes and things, though," she said.

Madeline fixed her own cup of tea before she settled down across from Chichi. She pulled out a small notepad and a pen, jotting a few things down. "Right, this is just temporary of course. Hercule said you had some unique circumstances. Maxwell is your husband? I'll have some more information on him before the night is out. The rich ones with an ego and a sense of entitlement are the worst," she said bitterly. She pressed her lips together and looked up at Chichi, smiling, "The shelters that Hercule has helped build around the area are the safest places to be. Full gyms, kitchens, private rooms, bathrooms. Top notch security. Anything to keep unwanted abusers away from women and children."

Chichi immediately shook her head. It didn't matter how hurt or humiliated Maxwell made her feel, she still had a sense of pride. She wasn't about to go to a women's shelter. The very idea made her want to cry. She didn't want to go and be around a bunch of other women who were abused. She pictured tiny rooms with mothers and their children, all of it gloomy and depressing. No, she would have no part of that. "I don't think I want to go to a shelter," she said and sipped her tea. "Really, I have some money on me. I can find another place to stay until I get this all sorted out. Leave space there for other women who don't have options like I do."

Madeline raised an eyebrow at that. She remembered Tora's reaction to the shelter before they took him inside to see it. "Oh dear, you haven't seen one of these shelters, have you?" She gave the woman a smile as she poured some milk into her tea. "They are more like hotels than shelters. In suite bathrooms, spas, kitchens bigger than the one here. Open all the time, known for having some of the best comfort food on the face of the planet. We have volunteer counsellors and educators that come in weekly. Really, you must reconsider or hold off judgment until you see one. It's all free as well."

Chichi chewed her lip and instantly regretted it as she nicked the split there again. "I'll think about it," she said, though she'd pretty well made up her mind that she didn't want to go to such a place. She shifted uneasily in her chair, looking around the dining room again, hoping to change the subject. "It's even nicer in here than I imagined," she said. An amused smile played across her lips. "Even Maxwell would be jealous." He always hated anyone richer than him. There was something satisfying to her to know it was Mr. Satan who had rescued her from him that day.

Madeline looked around and nodded. "Thank you. I try to stay on most of the decor. If Hercule had it his way, there would be a great deal of martial arts baubles lying around. Nope, not on my watch. I did give him a nice den of his own to play with, comfy armchair, dark room, television, whatnot. Gotta have some place for him to relax when he's not out there helping people or at the tournaments. Most of the money comes from donations. He gives it right back to his charity, but there's always more," she said as she studied Chichi. She had a good vibe from the woman, the way she held herself. She just wished she could get the other to open up, to relax. "I suppose, after everything you have been through, it's okay to be a bit uneasy. If you like, lunch can just be Hercule and you. Or just yourself if you would like some time to your own thoughts. Though, we will have to discuss what to do for you sooner or later. I imagine it's going to take a little bit longer than normal for those documents to be sent over. Maxwell strikes me as the kind of man to throw up all kinds of red tape if it will help himself."

Chichi nodded. Maxwell wouldn't make this easy at all. "I don't mind eating lunch with Mr. Satan," she said. "It seems incredibly rude to have a meal at his house and expect him not to eat at his own table." She gave a little laugh. "That wouldn't be proper at all! I wouldn't dare be such an ungracious houseguest." Even if she didn't think much of the world champion, she refused to make a bad impression in his home. She gave a startled jump as the door opened, but it was only Hercule. She quickly placed her hands in her lap to hide how they shook as she fought to calm her breathing. It was like she just expected Maxwell to jump out at any given second.

Madeline smiled at Hercule before she gave Chichi an understanding look. "These are very unique circumstances. If it makes you uncomfortable, we can just tell the big brute to leave," she teased, winking over her shoulder at her boss.

Hercule shook his head. "Never good to see two women plotting together in the same room." He smiled at Chichi, "You are looking much better, Little Lady. How did that cream feel? You want to take some with you until the swelling goes down? I tried to use it on my chin, but I'm still waiting for it to shrink." He laughed at his own bad joke, ducking when Madeline chucked a little cookie at him.

"It was nice, thank you," she answered, grateful that her voice didn't shake. "I don't think I need any more though. I'll be alright." She shook her head slightly as he merely picked up the thrown cookie off the table and ate it. He confused her. He seemed to have calmed a bit from the loud, boisterous man she knew from television, yet she could still see it in him at the same time. She didn't know what to think of him. "I was just telling Madeline how nice your home is," she complimented him, thinking of small talk, trying to turn the attention away from herself. If there was one thing Maxwell had taught her to do well, it was to keep the attention off of her, maintain a polite demeanor for any clients of his she met or had dinner with.

Hercule moved to sit down across from Chichi as the staff brought out dinner. Roasted pork with a thick brown gravy, mashed potatoes with butter and sour cream on the side and some skillet green beans, still glistening with butter. He leaned his head on his hand as he studied Chichi for a moment. "Thanks, Madeline is the one who really runs the whole thing; I'd be lost without her by my side," he said, laughing.

Madeline shook her head, pausing as she had a forkful of potatoes halfway to her mouth. "Is Ryan not joining us to eat?"

Hercule huffed and used a spoon to push in his potatoes so he could pour gravy over them. "Oh, no. He's got his panties in a twist today," he said with a knowing look, laughing with Madeline at the joke. He wanted to talk about their next plan. What to do with the woman now sitting across from him. He had a hunch that she wouldn't eat if they talked about it, so it could wait.

Chichi felt weird not having to cook her own food. She was expected to prepare Maxwell's dinner every night. He didn't take her out to restaurants anymore unless it was a dinner meeting for his work. He only took his girlfriends out to dinner now. And even on those nights, she still had to cook for herself. "This is really a treat," she said. "This food is amazing. You must have a five-star chef in that kitchen."

Hercule chuckled. "I'm trying to, but I keep getting turned down offers. We don't have many house parties for anything, but the staff need to eat," he said as he chewed slowly for a moment, watching as everyone ate in only slightly uncomfortable silence. "Eat as much as you like. They cook to feed a small army."

Chichi finished what was on her plate and didn't ask for more. "So, ah, I suppose I should call a taxi or something," she said, reaching for her purse which she'd sat on the floor next to her. She pulled out her cell and frowned at the number of missed calls she had from Maxwell. There were numerous texts, and none of which did anything to make her feel better. Threats about what he would do to her if she didn't come home. How Mr. Satan couldn't hide her or protect her forever. "On second thought, maybe I should go home," she said quietly.

Madeline exchanged a glance between Hercule before she set down her fork and looked at Chichi, glancing at the phone in her hands. "Dear, he is just going to hurt you again. There's going to be a time when he hurts you and there won't be anyone around to save you. Stay at a shelter, get the divorce papers going, a restraining order. Something."

Hercule shook his head. "She can't. That guy has been blocking her from filing any sort of paperwork. I think he's got a few higher ups in his pockets as well," he said quietly as he thought, the buzzing of Chichi's phone going off again caught his attention and he sat up straighter, reaching across the table. "Do you mind if I have a word with him? Man to man talk."

Chichi's eyes widened in alarm. "I don't think that'd be a good idea," she said quickly and set the phone in her lap where it continued to buzz. "He's, you know, probably calling to apologize," she lied. She almost cringed. If Hercule dealt with other abused women, he'd probably heard it all a million times over. "I just don't want to make him more angry than he already is. I have to go back to the house. I don't have anything with me. I wasn't expecting all of this to happen today. I thought after the police station, I'd be able to go back and get my belongings. I just wanted a few things. My clothes and some things that belonged to my parents. It's all I have left of them; that means more to me than anything else." She looked down as the phone began to buzz again. "Oh would you quit calling?" she hissed and hit the ignore button. It was useless. He'd call again. She knew he would.

Hercule pressed his lips together and nodded. "Okay, so I think what you will need to do is go back to the house, get your stuff together and then skip town for a while. Get away from him and his poison until the divorce can be finalized." He looked at Madeline. "Phil is on call tonight, right? He's a good, safe driver. He will make sure you get in and out without any trouble." He said as he looked back at Chichi, spying the number on the screen that kept calling her. He held out his hand again and this time, Chichi reluctantly handed over the phone. "Madeline, would you be a dear and get my lawyers in touch with Chichi?" he asked before he answered the phone in an overly cheery voice.

"Mr. Satan," Maxwell said coldly into the speaker. He clenched his hand into a fist before he relaxed it and looked out over his front yard. "It is almost dark, you did promise that my wife would be returned to be before then. You are running out of time."

Hercule had heard this before, the tone, the threat. "Ah, yeah, about that. Change of plans, I'm sending her back, but she is only going to be there long enough to collect her things and then my driver is going to take her where ever she wants. No clue where that will be. Oh, I know you'll have the car followed. Big men like you don't much care to leave the little ladies alone. What you do is disgusting and if you were a real man, I'd settle this with a good old punch out. Just don't forget, you aren't the only one with connections and I have a feeling mine like me better."

"She is my wife! Or did you just think I would forget that fact? I'll claim that it's kidnapping and then I'll have the great Hercule Satan arrested for kidnapping a woman. How do you think that will look to your press?"

"Oh don't worry about that. Since the police on your end of town seem to have their hands full of your money, I am going to have my lawyers draw up the needed papers. They will be filled out and all you have to do is sign them. Then you can go about your merry way. How does that sound?"

Maxwell saw red, it was clouding his vision and he took a moment before he calmed his breathing and spoke into the phone, a composed business man once again. "Oh, very well, if you must. Do be quick about it; I have plans for the evening," he said as he thought of all the ways he would like to kill that man for getting in his way. He would start by cutting off that smug smile on his face. He clicked his phone off and exhaled carefully before he punched the wall.

Hercule handed the phone back over to Chichi and blinked at the women who were staring at him, "What?"

"Was… was he really angry?" Chichi asked timidly, feeling her nerves starting to fray again. She was afraid to go back in the house by herself. But those few mementos were important to her, irreplaceable. And she couldn't very well go about finding a place to live without her own clothing. Madeline's clothes were alright, but they were a little tight and not her style at all.

Hercule shook his head. "Well, he didn't sound like it, but I know how they like to play tricks. Phil will walk you into the house and stay by your side while you collect your things." He scratched at his head, "And then he can take you wherever you want, road trip, airport. Whatever you like. My lawyers will send your husband the papers and if he hasn't signed them and sent them back, I'll pay him a little visit. That goes for you too, Little Lady, you give me a call some time so I know you are doing alright."

Chichi felt her cheeks burn ever so slightly at the nickname he'd been calling her all day. She didn't know why she liked it, but she did. There was something likable about this side of Hercule who truly seemed concerned over her safety. He wasn't bragging or yelling, but spoke to her as if they were just normal people. She met his brilliant blue eyes and gave a nod. "I will, Mr. Satan. Thank you for everything. It means a lot to me," she said.

He gave her his best grin and stood up. "I'll go let Phil know about the trip then. When you are ready, have Madeline take you to front of the house. He'll be waiting," he said before he turned and exited the room.

Madeline chuckled, "Gods, that man cannot stop playing hero even if his life depended on it." She shook her head and smiled at Chichi. "Sorry about that, he has a thick head and doesn't often stop to think."

"He's okay," Chichi said as she watched him leave. Part of her was almost sorry to see him go. She shook her head, snapping herself out of whatever line of thinking that was. She was grateful to have on so much makeup to hide her bruises; it often hid her blush as well. She got up and picked up her dishes. "I'll be ready to go just as soon as I help clean up," she said. "I don't want to leave a mess."

Madeline raised an eyebrow at her and gently reached out, placing a hand on Chichi's wrist. "Ah, ah! You are our guest and guests do not pick up after themselves. The busters will get jealous," she teased, looking over her shoulder back at the door that led to the kitchens. A head was sticking out looking to see if they were finished. "Come, you've been through enough for today," she said as she took a napkin and wrapped a few of the cookies leftover from tea in them and tucked them into Chichi's purse.

Chichi almost protested, but Madeline took her gently by the elbow and steered her towards the front door. "Thanks again for everything," she said quietly to Madeline. "I do appreciate it. I'll change my clothes when I get home and I'll send these back to you with the driver. Take care."

She hurried out the door and down the steps to the waiting car, muttering thanks to the driver who held the door open for her. She gave him the address and settled back in the seat of the car, thinking over what she would do next. First she had to get past Maxwell and get back out of the house without causing problems. Once that was done, the rest would be easy. She shivered again as she thought about all the disgusting things he'd said earlier. Anyone who was turned on by that sort of thing had to be absolutely depraved. She wouldn't spend another night in that place with that man. Not one.

She let out a slow exhale through pursed lips when they finally pulled up in front of Maxwell's home. It terrified her to think of him waiting inside for her. But she had to do this. It would be better to just get it done and over with. Then maybe she could get to work on making herself a better person, on changing her fate. Hope flickered in her heart again and the tiniest smile tugged at her lips. She strode forward and opened the front door, not even bothering to call out to Maxwell as she made a beeline for the bedroom.

Phil moved quietly behind Chichi, checking around corners they passed and paused outside the door to Chichi's room. "It appears to be clear, Miss, though I would prefer we do not linger," he said as he watched her go around and started putting clothes and small objects into a case. "That is not very mu..." He choked off as he felt large hands close around his neck, squeezing with intent. He tried to yell and he kicked out, banging the door in front of him as he reached up to claw at the fingers cutting off his air supply. He felt his eyeballs bulge out from the sheer pressure.

Maxwell let all of his anger go into his fingers as he strangled the man in front of him. "It's a shame. I much would have rather killed that stupid buffoon!" he spat as the man finally went still in his grasp. With a quick twist, he snapped the man's neck and tossed the body into the room with Chichi. "Just had to let him take you to dinner, put all these hope filled ideas in your head. Do you see what you've made me do?" He exhaled and straightened his tie. "Can't very well report this to the police, then the whole question of why comes into play and that man will never let me hear the end of it."

Chichi stumbled back in horror. "You killed him!" she cried. "He was just a car driver, he did nothing to you!" She'd barely spoken a word to the man who drove her home, but now she felt sorry for him. She squared her shoulders at her husband. "There are people expecting me. If I don't show up soon, they'll know something happened to me. They'll know that you did it. Even you don't have enough money to buy off everyone in the world, Maxwell. Someone will catch you and make you pay. Eventually," she said, sounding bolder than she felt.

"You and I both know that there is no one waiting for you. Besides, if anyone comes by, I'll just say that I haven't seen you or anyone." He sighed as he stared calmly at her. "Though, I suppose I will have to find something to do with you. Maybe keep you drugged up so we can go out in public together without you making a scene. I will have to figure something out to fix this mess that you've made," he muttered as he moved the foot of the driver to the side so he could close the door. "You need to think long and hard about the future, Chichi. I'll leave you to cool off and we will talk later," he said as he moved and shut the door behind him, locking it tightly. He looked to the room thermostat out in the main hallway and paused just for a moment before he punched in a code and turned down the temperature for that side of the house. "I wonder how long it will take for the body to freeze at 32 degrees."