A/N: Alright here I go. Not my first time writing a fanfic. It IS my first time on this site though, so I don't know how well this is going to go over. I'm just gunna post this intro and see how it goes. Responses will tell me if I should continue or just crawl back into the hole I came out of….

Disclaimer: If you recognize it from somewhere else, then I don't own it.

Prologue

It's a beautiful day outside. Birds are singing. Flowers are blooming. On days like this, people like you should be out enjoying the day.

Not that that matters at the moment.

*slap!* the sound of skin hitting skin echoes through the empty room, your head whipped to the side from the force of the blow. Blood drips steadily from a rather large cut above your right eyebrow and your ribs feel like their on fire. 'Probably bruised' you think to yourself with a grimace as you remember the handful of kicks to the ribs you had the misfortune to receive a few minutes ago.

Your attacker's eyes narrow in anger. "Wipe that fucking look of your face." he sneers at you before turning towards the living room, "Make yourself useful for once and get me something to eat."

As he walks out you try to regain your composure. Breathing heavily, you struggle to your feet before limping your way to the kitchen. There are no tears to wipe away. You learned a long time ago that crying only made it worse. 'At least he quit smoking' was one of the thoughts that found their way into your mind as you get the bread out of the bread box. The last thing you needed was fresh cigarette burns on your back. It's bad enough you just got blood all over one of your favorite shirts. Getting lost in the familiar processes of making a sandwich, you reflect once again on what exactly lead to you living with your abusive asshole of a boyfriend.

You met Ash during your freshman year of college. First day, first class, first thing in the morning. Ash held a lot of firsts for you. You were the quiet type around strangers back then (still are really) and didn't really take an interest in the guy plopping his stuff down on the seat next to you. That didn't stop him from having an interest in you though. "Hey!" he greeted you with a small wave, his sunny disposition almost blinding you. You gave him a small smile and turned back to the front of the room. He was undeterred by your obvious dismissal. "I'm Ash. What's your name?"

You glance at him from the corner of your eye. "Y/N" you mumble. His grin seemed to grow twice as large at your response.

After that, it seemed almost impossible to get away from him. After a while though you didn't really want to. He was thoughtful, funny, and sweet. And when the semester was over he packed up and moved down with you to meet your family. Your sister thought he was the coolest person ever! Your parents on the other hand… they pulled you aside and told you to be careful. Told you that there was something about him that just didn't sit right with them. By the end of the visit, your dad had threatened to kill Ash if he ever hurt you so many times it became an inside family joke. Ash didn't think it was very funny.

A couple more years past and you started to see what your parents were talking about. Ash started acting distant. Aloof. His sweet words became sharp insults and his jokes became hurtful. you were almost finished with your degree and planned to move back down south to be closer to your parents when Ash asked you to move in with him. When you told him of your plans you expected him to become angry, but his face just went carefully blank and he walked away.

It was a Friday afternoon, two days since you had talked to Ash, when you got the call. "Is this Y/N?" a male voice asked me when you answered the phone. "Yes?" you asked cautiously. "I'm with the Ebbot city general hospital. I regret to inform you that your family was in an accident…"

your world fell away.

Turns out that they had decided to come up to the college to visit you. They were just outside of town when your dad lost control of the car and sped right into oncoming traffic. It caused a fifteen car pileup that took hours to sort out.

Your entire family died on impact.

You decided to move in with Ash after you graduated. There was no point in going back to your home town if your family wasn't there anymore.

It was the worst mistake of your life.

Now here you are. Stuck with Ash in an abusive relationship that leaves you an emotional and physical wreck any time he came home.

You come back to the present, finish up the sandwich, and bring it to the living room. Snatching it from you Ash takes a bite, chews, swallows, then turns to look at you thoughtfully. You look back at him. Your eyes carefully avoided from his face and your face carefully blank. "I'm gunna be out of town for a few days." He says to you after a few moments of silence. You show no outward reaction, but inside you are ecstatic. Days? You are going to be free of him for a few DAYS? This is the happiest you've felt in a long while. As if sensing your thoughts, he gives you a glare. "Don't get any funny ideas when I'm gone. If I come back and see anything out of place, you're gunna wish you were dead."

You hold back a snort.

You've been wishing that for a while.

"I'll be gone before you wake up in the morning." He said gruffly before getting up and going to his room. You stay a few minutes longer, relishing in the feel of freedom you don't get to see very often.

'Huh' you think to yourself. Maybe I can finally go visit that park that just opened over by that mountain on the edge of town. What was it called again? 'Mount Ebbot?''.