Name: Help
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine....
Summary: Kris needs help with an abusive relationship

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Kris Williams sat on the porch that led into Grant and Jason's new purchase, the Spalding Inn. She was waiting for her boyfriend, Todd Parker, to come and pick her up to take her home. Todd and Kris had had a very complicated relationship since the beginning. Kris knew Todd cheated on her. She knew that he had cheated on her with her cousin, Miranda, and with Brandy from the GHI team while they were in the states helping investigate a plantation. Todd wasn't the best guy in the world, but Kris didn't believe she could do any better.

She stood up and pulled her leather jacket closer to her body as Todd's truck pulled into the long driveway. She smiled at him as she climbed into the passenger seat, but, as usual, he didn't smile back. He looked at her and then at the inn and pressed his foot to the gas while muttering, "Damn ghosts. No such thing." Kris had learned to deal with Todd's skepticism of the matter of paranormal activity. She just ignored it. She had learned the hard way not to question Todd. The first and last time she had done that had been on the subject of politics and it had landed her in the hospital with a broken arm and bruises that covered her body.

"How was your day, sweety?" Kris asked sweetly.

"Fine." Todd said.

Kris looked out the window and leaned on her door. She watched as the sky turned pink and orange with the approaching sunset. She hadn't expected Todd to ask about her day. He never did. The ride back to the apartment they shared was silent. Kris fell asleep half way there and woke up when she heard Todd's door slam. He was unlocking the door when she stepped out of the car. He never bothered to wake her up.

Kris followed after him slowly. She walked in and was greeted by her black cat, Goonie. Todd insisted that Goonie was evil. He wasn't. Goonie was a good cat. To the people he liked. Which was everyone, except Todd.

"What's for dinner?" Kris asked, smelling food in the air.

"Leftovers." Todd answered.

Kris walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She looked into his dark blue eyes and cocked her head to the side.

"Whats wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing. Today was long. Then I had to come pick you up from the meeting with those ghost freaks." Todd pushed her away from him and walked into the kitchen to get his plate out of the microwave.

"Don't call them freaks." Kris said softly. Unfortunatly, it wasn't soft enough for Todd not to hear. He walked out and looked at her, anger in his eyes.

"Did you just tell me what to do?"

Kris backed away from him, not in the mood for another beating. She hit her back against the wall and stared at Todd as he walked toward her, hate and disgust on written all over his face. Todd grabbed Kris's shoulders and pulled her toward him.

"Answer me, bitch." he growled.

"I'm sorry." Kris whispered. "I forgot."

Todd shoved her back towards the wall, hard enough to make the pictures shake and fall. Kris wimpered as her head made contact with the hard wall and she slid down, attempting to make herself disappear. She hated when he was like this. She hated the beatings he thought she diserved.

"You forgot? You forgot?! Look at me you whore!" Todd yelled.

Kris looked up at him as his foot made contact with her hip. She yelped in pain and attempted to crawl away, an attempt that she knew would get her in more trouble. He grabbed at her hair, his fingers getting stuck in her curls and he pulled her to her feet as hot tears started running down her face. She looked at him with pleading eyes. She wanted him to stop.

"When I say look at me, you better damn well look at me." Todd said as the hand that was not currently knotted in her hair, smacked her across the face.

"I'm sorry. Please, stop." Kris cried.

"You know better than to tell me to stop, Kristine." Todd said.

"I'm sorry." Kris whispered.

Todd pushed her toward the table, her backing hitting hard against it. She cried out in agony, the edge having hit a currently healing bruise from the last time her had done this. Todd loomed over her and shook his head.

"How did I ever end up with a ghost hunter? A pathetic little child that doesn't know fake from real. And those guys you hang out with only fuel the fire. I'll fix you one day. You can count on that." Todd said. He spit on her before walked out of the room.

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TBC....

R&R