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KIRSTY'S P.O.V.

He was standing up, hooked up to tubes and leaning against a desk for support. He was furious. His eyes were almost twitching with rage and his jaw was clenched as well as his fists. I was suddenly frozen with fear. If he was strong enough to hold himself up, he was strong enough to swing his fist.

"Shut the door." He ordered in a tone almost inaudible. I daren't disobey and as I turned to close the door I caught Adam's eye in the corridor outside. As he realised what I was doing, he shot up. "Go." I mimed. I wasn't going to allow him to get involved, although truth be told I couldn't stop him if he wanted to.

Door shut, blinds closed, I turned back to Warren. I was biting my lip with anxiety.

"Come 'ere." He made a sudden lunge for my arm, but I shifted out of the way too quickly. This angered him. He was literally growling.

"I didn't come here for another beating." I scoffed. I knew I was fuelling his anger but he was fuelling mine. As he clutched his throat and attempted to catch his breath I felt strong.

"What did you think was gonna happen?" He mocked.

"I thought we could talk-" I began.

"Talk? Everthin' tha's happened and you think we can jus' talk? You cheated on me. You're a whore an' ya know it. I'm your husband, not him. You cheated righ' in front of me! What'd Nita say, eh? What'd she think of 'er mum now? You told me you wouldn' leave me-" He was wild and creeping his way slowly towards me, spitting as he shouted and sweating as he raged. He was forcing me to back into a corner.

My feeling of power over him left and I felt helpless again. He cupped his hand around my throat and pressed his forehead against mine. It was de ja vu; Saturday night all over again, although no stairs to fall down this time, and no way to stop his fury.

"And what are you going to do, eh? How are you going to stop me and Nita from leaving?" I'd pushed him to his limit and paid the price: as he raised his fist I brought my hands up to shield my face, which was foolish. He slammed his fist into my stomach so hard that I was winded. The force threw me off balance and my back crashed against the wall.

It felt as though my stomach was in my chest and my heart was pounding in my throat. The pain brought tears rapidly pouring from my eyes but I made no sound; a talent I had taught myself in order to save Nita from hearing what she needn't hear. Now, however, my instinct was to scream for help as I knew Warren too well to think he'd done his worst. In fact, he'd only just begun.

"You won't leave," His hand tightened around my throat. "'Coz if you do, I'll report what 'appened last night. And I'll tell 'em you pushed me. And I'll tell 'em how my illness was too much for yeh, how you tried to put an end to it."

"You can't do that – I'll report the abuse, how it was self-defence." I sneered, his face was so close, his breath was hot and his nostrils flared.

"You've got no proof."

"I have a witness." I glanced towards to the door, I'd have given anything for Adam to burst in at that moment.

"Adam!" I yelped as I took another blow, this time to the head. It sent a shock through my spine. I'd taken so much abuse from Warren but only in extreme anger would I be struck in the head. My vision blurred momentarily as my brain pulsated in my skull. As Warren snatched me by the hair I saw the door burst open. My eyes were blurring from the tears and the pain and as Warren was pried off of me, I fell to the floor. It hurt, but I was free of his grasp. I blacked out.

Adam. My hero.

ADAM'S P.O.V

I'd failed her again. I hadn't got to her in time and once again she was covered in blood. From what I could see by a quick glimpse, she was coughing it up and bleeding from the back of her head. How could I have been so stupid as to let her face him alone? I know she was being stubborn but I knew what would happen if I let her go.

I seized Warren by the collar and shoved him into the bed. I didn't care what happened to him after that, I'd shoved him hard and it must've hurt, but I turned my full attention to Kirsty. She'd collapsed and I could see the blood dripping from her hair. In a dire frenzy with shock, I fell to my knees beside her, placed one hand carefully over the wound with slight pressure, and took her wrist to check her pulse with the other. Her heart rate was slow and she breathing as if she barely had the will.

"Kirsty? Kirsty, can you hear me?" No response.

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