A/N: I own nothing! I only own this story. Please enjoy my fan fiction and feel free to review! Any type of comments are accepted, what kind of writer would I be if I couldnt accept critisizm? I know Matt is much younger in this story but it will all fall into play later on. I had another story a lot like this one but I was having such of a hard time with it that I switched it up to make it flow better.

Chapter One

The only only sounds that filled her ears were her skates grazing the ice of a local ice skating rink just down the road from her house. As she turned in circles, the screaming which once invaded her mind faded. The memories of violence inflicted upon her just a couple hours earlier were replaced by a cold breeze toying with her long, blond tousled curls. She slowed down some as she took a corner, bending too far she remembered how her thigh came in contact with the corner of the kitchen table.

She hugged her leather jacket around her small body while she made a mental note to wear pajama pants under her low rise jeans next time she went for a skate.

" Sam, it is just a tank top! If you go out in public, you see girls her age wearing them every day!" Jo stated defensivley while Lizzie huddled close to her side.

" I know the the fuck the thing is called! She is only seventeen! I don't want people thinking I raised a whore! Look at her!" He sent a hard glare in her direction. " Elizabeth, change your top right now!. You are not leaving my house looking like a slut!"

" But-"

Lizzie was cut short by her arm being twisted behind her back, she was then slammed onto the coffe table. A cry forced its way from her throat as she felt a sharp pain stab in her side. She then felt a hand some in contact with her cheek. Her eyes locked with her baby brothers, he looked scared and helpless hiding under the stairs. The four year old boy held onto the ragged blanket in his grasp for dear life.

Her green eyes then shone at her mother, pleading without words. Jo had come to know her bounderies. She knew that when it was the wrong time in her eyes to step in, otherwise it would result in another trip to the emergency room and more lies; like the time Lizzie sprained her wrist snowboarding, or the time that Jo tripped fell down the stairs.

Sam released her roughly and then pointed to the stairs leading to her room.

" Now get upstairs and put on something to cover yourself. Why in the hell would you want to where a tank top in winter anyways? Are you an idiot?"

Tears scalded her eyes as she hurried up the stairs. Her cheeks burned with that question. Was it not normal for girls her age to want to be noticed by the opposite sex? She heard a noise behind her and jumped after crossing the thresh hold of her window.

Lizzie turned to see two big blue eyes pleading her not to leave.

" Izzie!" The young boy cried out.

" Sweetie, I will be right back. I promise. Just wait for me in here, okay honey?" She was met with an unsure nod. She gave her little brother, who felt like a son to her, a quick kiss and escaped out of the window, skates in tow.

A voice called out to her in the distance, slamming her back into the present. She didn't even notice that she was sitting on the ice, apparently from falling a couple seconds earlier.

" Liz! Are you okay? I was worried when you didn't pick yourslef back up.."

Strong hands grabbed her small, delicate ones and pulled her up and to his body for warmth. Lizzie's eyes traveled up the muscular frame, taking in his appearance.

Gordo wore loose fitting blue jeans and his usual hooded black sweatshirt. A dark colored winter coat hugged his upper body. His brown curls were sparkling with snow flakes as they peeked out from underneath the blue ski cap which fit his head. A smile decorated his welcoming face.

" Thanks..."

" What are you doing out here this late? It's 2:45am! You shouldn't come out here by yourself, something bad might happen..."

'Speaking bad things happening tonight..." She thought to herself.

" You should speak for yourslef, Mr. Gordon...why are you out here so late?" Lizze replied while flashing a smart ass look his way.

" Well...I couldn't sleep and besides, thats different! Im not a young, attractive female asking to be mugged."

" Oh, I am really asking.." Lizzie giggled and tucked her hair behind her ears.

Her laughter was cut short when she seen a confused look on Gordo's face. His hand caressed the side of her face, this caused her to wince a little in pain.

" Lizzie...what-who...what happened?" His voice was barely a whisper.

She quickly turned away, embaressed by Gordo's discovery but forgot she was on ice skates. She felt herself lose balance but then felt Gordo's arms securely wrap around her waist.

Suddenly a feeling washed over her...the rush from almost falling? Was it the cold? No...it was safety. That feeling you get when you are little and 'hear' a monster under your bed and then your parents look under your bed and reassure you it's all okay. This feeling you feel when you find a hiding place from something you're afraid of. When you take shelter from a storm. He was becoming her hiding place.

The nights she didn't want to go home, so she stayed over at his house watching movies and eating popcorn. All of the times she had woken up in the middle of the night from the yelling and the fighting, she would sneak out and throw rocks at his bedroom window with excuses of nightmares and loneliness.

It was then that she knew he was her safest place to hide.