A/N: This is a dark fic, so if you're sensitive please don't subject yourself to the darkness this is going to be. This fic was inspired by the cover of Love the Way You Lie by Ariana Grande (Victorious)
"You will always be my hero, even though you've lost your mind," Rachel Berry whispered to the body lying on the floor of her bedroom. Her eyes were filled with a mixture of blood and tears, which was blinding her most she could not tell. Sniffling slightly, she stood from next to the body and turned on her heel. "I love the way you lie," she mumbled before exiting the room for good.
Dressed in a dark business suit, the man entered the room where a beautiful girl lay sleeping on the couch. He sat on the arm of the couch and brushed a few strands of hair from her face, revealing a large yellowing bruise on her cheek. Shaking his head, he stood up and went into the bedroom of the apartment. In her sleep, the brunette stirred and put her hand up to her face. Though she barely brushed the bruise, she startled awake to realize the sound of the shower running from the bathroom. Looking to her watch, she realized it was nearing dinner time and she needed to have food on the table soon.
She stood and rushed into the kitchen, starting a pot of water on the stove to boil pasta in. Looking in the mirror, the girl noticed a gold star sticker stuck to her forehead. She laughed and reminisced how she used to sign her name with a gold star. That was why he had become hers; he loved how she did that. Now things were different, that was for sure, and she had to rid the gold stars from her life to make him happy.
He ran a corporation now and she was the dutiful housewife. If anybody had gone to Rachel Berry in high school and told her she would be a housewife, she would have slapped them silly. She had gone to Julliard for college, but she never went anywhere else in the performing world. Her marriage had come soon after she graduated as did his corporation. Now she had no time to perform the task she most wanted.
The water had come to a boil, though Rachel had hardly noticed from her memories. She removed the gold star and, hearing the shower turn off, tossed it in the trash can. Rachel smoothed her dress and poured salt and pasta into the water. She opened a frozen bit of tomato sauce from the freezer and began to thaw it in the pan. Her eyes closed as she stirred it, singing to herself in her head. A few minutes later, the sauce was bubbling gently and the pasta was nearly done. It was perfect timing because he would be out of the bedroom and ready for dinner in just a few minutes.
She had steamed vegetables over the boiling pasta and had baked rolls earlier that day. Rachel Berry had been transformed into the perfect wife. Of course, that was all out of necessity. In no other circumstance would she ever do this just to please someone. However, if she did not want to risk everything she would leave him right now. However, he held the key to her future.
"Smells good," his gruff voice came from behind her and she plastered on the fake smile. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her neck, the scratch of his stubbled beard on her cheek.
"Thanks, it should be done in just a moment," she said, nervous he would be angry after waiting too long.
"That's cool," he was calm today, that was a good thing for Rachel. Maybe she would be able to sleep tonight without being violated in the most ways she could think of. Not like the past few weeks. However, last night and the night before he had been calm.
He released her from his grasp and walked over to the kitchen table and sat down. He grabbed a roll and began to eat it, waiting for the rest of his food to join it. Rachel plated up his food and set it down in front of him.
"That bruise should really be covered up," he said to her. His tone was demanding, as if he was not suggesting it but telling her she should use makeup to cover it.
"I didn't go anywhere today so I didn't," she explained to him, hoping it would be okay.
Rachel turned to go back to the stove to get her own food, but he grabbed her wrist tightly and pulled her back. She held back a scream, knowing it would only make him angry once more.
"I said you should cover it up, and I meant all the time," he told her and shoved her, releasing her arm from his grip.
She walked back into the kitchen, rubbing the skin of her wrist gently. There was already a bruise forming, his grip was tighter than he could remember. At least that was how she had always blamed it at the start of their relationship. He just didn't know his own strength. Of course, that was as big a lie as saying her friend Kurt was straight. Rachel served up a portion for herself, smaller than she could actually eat. She weighed a mere ninety pounds at this point. She had ceased eating much soon after she had met him and she had gotten down to a slim weight. She ate only small portions now, he approved of it and let her know that every day.
Rachel took her plate to the table and set it down, said a quick prayer silently, and began to eat slowly. He watched her across the table but did not say anything to her. His brown eyes nearly slay her just from watching her. She was not feeling his aggression right now, it was kind of scaring her. Rachel finished eating shortly after he did and she picked up their plates, walking into the kitchen to wash them.
As she completed washing the dishes, he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her tightly, kissing her neck. He was not drunk, nor was he ever when he got this aggressive. Rachel was unsure what she had done to upset him, however most nights he did not need an excuse. He was just angry to be angry. He slid his hand down her front and into the jeans she wore.
"No, I don't want to," she mumbled and used all of her effort to try and push him away from her. That was a bad idea, though, because he wanted to fight tonight. He wanted her to push and shove and hit him. And he believed that was what she wanted.
"Stop being such a bitch Rachel," he said sharply and turned her around, grabbing her wrists and pushing her against the sink. She cried out in pain when her back hit the hard counter and arched against the corner.
"Stop, please," she cried and he shoved her harder into the sink before grabbing her and pulling her towards him. His grip was strong and she could feel her hands growing numb from lack of blood flow. Her eyes shut and he threw her onto the couch.
"You want it baby, I know you do," he shouted and pulled her jeans from her hips. She weighed so little they slid off easily.
"NO!" she screamed and kicked him, her foot making contact with his face. She never kicked him before but she had had enough. Her heel made contact with his nose and he staggered backwards, holding his face. She scrambled for the door but he grabbed her and threw her back on the ground.
"STOP FIGHTING ME!" he shouted and raised his hand to her.
Rachel rolled over to avoid his punch and kicked him again, this time in his stomach. She grabbed a lamp from the side table and threw it at him. It hit him square in the face and he staggered back.
"BITCH!" he shouted at her and she ran towards the bedroom door.
Locking the door behind her, Rachel scrambled to find something to defend herself with when he would ultimately break down the door. She shivered in fear and grabbed the DVD player off the TV stand. As soon as the door opened she threw the DVD player at him. The corner of it caught him in the arm and he picked it up from the floor, throwing it at her. He was athletic, so it hit her right in the head and broke the skin. She cried out in pain and felt the blood begin to trickle down her face.
"THAT IS ENOUGH!" she screamed at him and picked up the DVD player, throwing it back at him. This time it hit him in the face and, with enough force, knocked him backwards into the TV stand.
Rachel rushed over and pushed him a few times, hitting him in the face and arms and chest. He slumped down to the ground and looked up at her, hoping for pity.
"Never again," she mumbled and pushed the TV off the stand onto his head. The TV smashed over his head, breaking glass and bone was heard. His body slumped all the way down, not moving at all.
Rachel Berry dressed in a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. Her forehead bled and she was crying. She held a towel to the bleeding portion of her hairline and hoped it would stop bleeding soon. She breathed heavily, hoping that he was dead. At the very least she hoped she would be free from him for good. She dialed an old friend, Quinn Fabray, calling her and asking her if she could come stay with her in New Jersey. She finally got away, she told her.
Rachel squatted down next to the lifeless body and whispered to him, "even angels have their wicked schemes and you take that to new extremes, but you'll always be my hero. Even though you've lost your mind."
Looking at the body, Rachel stood up and turned away. "I love the way you lie," she whispered and exited the room. Turning to the empty apartment, Rachel opened her mouth once more. "Goodbye, Noah, wherever you are. Goodbye Puck, I hope that part of you dies," she said. The door slammed behind her and she exited the apartment, hopefully to never turn back.