Hey guys!

I can see you sneaking around in here ;)

We have part two coming up here, same disclaimer and triggerwarnings as in chapter one. Hopefully you like it, please let me know (fishing for coments? Who? Me? Nah!)!

Ps. I've done my best with grammar and such, English is however my second language so any errors are my own...

Love D.


He had heard the doorbell ring and the person impatiently banging on the little bell by the cashier. The voices were muffled by the book and he didn't hear the words. Then something caught his attention; the girl's voice was pleading, almost crying. He had seen her face when he walked in even if she had tried to hide it behind a mane of wild, red hair. He cursed himself that he didn't understand what they were saying, that was the worst part about being abroad. He snuck closer and peaked around the corner only to see a broad-shouldered man that looked like he took steroids taking a hard grip around the girl's upper arm and dragging her into the back. She winced low and hug her head when she tried to keep even steps with him. She looked like she had given up. The next thing he heard made his blood boil, it was a language he understand all too well; a man hitting a woman. Something in him snapped and he stormed into the small kitchen. The sight that met him set him even more on fire; the nice, smiling girl from before was crouching in the corner, doing everything she could to cover herself while the man showered her with kicks and punches. Steve took two long strides over and yanked the man away from her; "What do you think you are doing?" The man said something in that singing language and tried to pry himself free from Steve's hard grip on his collar.

An angry voice and the hitting stopped. When she lifted her head and looked up, Adam was pinned to the wall by the customer that had come in earlier. Adam tried to break free from the other man's grip while yelling at her; "Tell this bastard to let me go! Jessica! You cunt! Let me go!" He wrestled the man but failed so he kept on cussing at her; "You are going to pay for this! You whore!"
Then his head hit the back of the wall when the blonde man head-butted him straight in the face, without even blinking. Adam slid unconscious down the wall and ended up in a pile on the floor.
The man came over to her and reached out his hand with a concerned look on his face, trembling she took it and he pulled her to her feet. She felt her knees shake and almost give in as she stumbled forward. He caught her and calmly lifted her up in his arms. She tried resist him, not wanting to be too heavy for him. He just kept a firm grip and walked out of the kitchen and sat her down by the cashier.

When he came back he carried a bowl of cold water and a towel she normally used to clean the dishes with. Still without saying anything he dipped it in the water and held it against her broken eyebrow. She hissed between her teeth when it touched her.

He was still extremely angry but he tried to hide it so he wouldn't scare her off. The way she had resisted when he lifted her up confused him, then he realized that she was ashamed of herself. Her head hung and she hissed when the cold rug touched her temple.
"You should report him. This isn't the first time, is it?"
"That will only make it worse. I tried. I reported him, broke of our engagement and moved across town but it didn't help. He always finds me. He knows I won't abandon my store, it is all I have."
"How long has it been going on?"
"Four years."
He cleaned her off in silence and then squatted in front of her, looking up at her hard face.
"Are you all right?" he put a hand on her knee and she jumped slightly, pulling away from his touch.
"I'm sorry." She whispered.
"Don't apologize, Jessica, was it?" She nodded and he continued; 'you don't ever have to apologize for something like that. It is not your fault."
"But it is, I'm fat and ugly, I don't take care of myself the way I'm supposed to…" She trailed of when he took her hand; "You are neither fat, nor ugly, Jess, trust me. May I?" He motioned towards her and with a confused look she nodded. He lifted her up again and walked over to a big window, the darkness in the room made it a perfect mirror. He put her down and placed himself behind her;
"Look." he motioned towards their reflection. He was clearly visible behind her, almost towering over her small, curvy frame.
"What I see is a beaten down girl, broke but not beyond repair. You are beautiful, I know girls that would kill for your hair colour and those eyes. And you are far from fat; look, what do you see?"
"You. I see you." She whispered then she broke down and covered her face in her hands, shaking with tears. He embraced her in his arms and held her, leaning his chin on the top of her head. An idea formed in his head and when she had calmed down he steered her towards a sofa placed not far from where he had been looking at books just a short while ago;
"Stay here. I will take care of him."
"What are you going to do?"
"Don't worry." He caressed her cheek and picked up his cell as he walked back. Two signals, then;
"Capsicle! What can I do for you?"
"Tony, I've got a problem, could you come down town to the bookshop I told you about, ASAP?"
"You managed to get into trouble at a bookshop?" Tony's voice was filled with mocking dismay.
"Sort of, just get down here and I'll fill you in."
"Sure, be there in five."
"Make it two."
"I'll have Happy run the red lights then." They hung up and no more than three minutes later the big car parked outside and Tony jumped out.
"What's up my old friend?"
"Come." Steve shoved him inside again and into the kitchen. Tony stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of the unconscious man.
"What have you done Steve?"
"You haven't even seen the worst part." Steve's face turned grim as he showed Tony out to Jessica on the sofa. The girl had drifted off but the bruises were clearly visible against her pale face and the dark fabric.
"Fuck." Tony cussed under his breath.
"I know." Steve whispered; 'could you perhaps take care of the issue in the kitchen? According to the girl it happened more than once and reporting it doesn't help, he just keeps coming back. I think it was pure luck that I happened to be here today, otherwise he would've beaten her senseless."

Tony took one look at his friend, the concerned look on his face told him everything he needed to know so he patted the bigger man on the shoulder;
"Sure, I'll make sure he doesn't bother her again. You take care of the girl Cap. Send in Happy on your way out, will ya?"
"I owe you one Stark."
Tony shrugged; "Bah, don't mention it, now shoo."