A/N: This chapter deals heavily with emotional abuse, so if that's an issue proceed with caution

Riley unlocked her door and let Lucas into the apartment. Smackle was spending the night with Farkle, and Maya was going to spend the night with her new girlfriend Lindsay. So it was just Riley and Lucas in the girls' apartment for the night. For this Riley was grateful, she didn't have the energy to try to convince Maya she was okay because in truth she wasn't. She was being haunted by the memories of the end of her relationship with Paula, and she just knew she was going to be having nightmares. She was glad she had Lucas with her; his presence alone offered a sense of comfort.

At this point they've been dating for a few weeks and Lucas occasionally spends the night, wither its because a sleepy Riley wont let him go or because they were up to late talking for Riley to allow him to walk back home. He has a few things here so that its not impossible or uncomfortable for him to do so. They brush their teeth side by side without much talk and Riley takes off her makeup while he gets changed and goes to the bathroom. She steals one of his shirts, its one of the reasons Lucas has a few shirts stocked here he knows Riley likes to sleep in them.

They get into Riley's bed on their sides and Lucas can feel the tension rolling off Riley in waves. But he knows she won't talk until she's ready. Riley tucks herself into Lucas chest as they both lay on their sides. Lucas drapes his arms around her and pets her hair trying to offer some comfort

"Tell me a happy story Luke" Riley mumbles and Lucas launches into a tale about a bunny rabbit and purple cat and their happy adventure through the gum-drop kingdom. It takes a bit but once hears Riley's breathing steady out he knows she's fallen asleep and he feels comfortable letting himself slip off as well.

All of a sudden Lucas is jolted awake, as usual Riley is laying completely on top on Lucas but unlike the peacefulness he usually sees on his girlfriend when he wakes up she is sobbing in her sleep and struggling in his grip. He tries to think of if he should wake her or not when her eyes shot open and she begins to cry harder. Lucas sits them both up and cradles her in his lap as he attempts to soothe her. It hurts his heart to see Riley cry like this but he isn't sure what else do to besides comfort her. Once she finally stops crying she sighs deeply and gives Lucas a sad smile,

"I've been having nightmares about Paula. And I thought if you stayed with me tonight they'd stay away. But apparently that isn't the case."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Lucas asks brushing some hair away from his girlfriends face

"I don't really remember a lot about my nightmares all I know is that I wake up crying and they're about Paula. They're mostly about our breakup and the end of our relationship and I really want to tell you about that...if its okay with you Luke." She gives him a sad smile and Lucas gives her head a kiss

"Of course Princess anything to make you feel better. How about we make some coco and we can sit on the couch and you can fill me in?" Riley just nods and follows him to the kitchen. He hands Riley her coco and she sighs.

"Okay like obviously Paula is a bitch and um like now I know that um it was an emotionally abusive relationship. And it became really apparent at the end, and you have to promise me that you won't punch a wall when I tell you about it. Please Lucas, I don't want you to hurt yourself." Lucas can tell that his girlfriend is already close to tears so he quickly agrees grabbing her hand and giving it a kiss.

"I promise and I'll be here through the whole story okay?" Riley nodded and took a sip of her coco.

"So things were really good in the beginning. But then slowly Paula started to bring me down and do things that I know now are not okay. But then I didn't see a problem with it. Like" Riley took a big gulp, "If I was five minuets late she'd make me pay her five dollars, and when she'd get stressed she'd take it on me. Like completely ignoring me for a few weeks, which made me feel like shit because I had thought I had done something wrong. And like if we we're playing a game she had to win and if I won she'd ignore me. Like she wouldn't talk to me or touch me for the rest of the day, and she'd make sure I knew it was my fault." Riley sighed deeply and took another sip of coco as Lucas drank some more of his "I've never felt so alone than the times she did that. And this is stuff that like Maya, Smackle and Farkle know because I'd come home sobbing about it. They all knew it wasn't right, but it had been going on for a while I just thought that I deserved it."

Lucas couldn't let that comment slide, "Riley you didn't deserve to be treated like that. You deserve to be treated like a princess."

Riley gave him a sad smile, "Thanks Luke, but um that's not the worst of it. So Paula's always been a jealous person who needs a lot of attention. She's an only child and her family is a big deal in her hometown. So she was just used to a lot of attention. So she'd always get mad when I hug out with other people. Which is mostly why you and I hadn't met until this year. Even though our friends were friends. That happened slowly and I didn't realize it, I just barley spent anytime with anyone besides her. But I liked her so much that I figured it was fine. Until about two months before I broke up with her." Riley took a sigh and closed her eyes. She hated this, she hated that she hadn't known it was abusive or wrong for Paula to treat her this way.

"She look a particular interest in keeping me from Maya. Maya and I have been best friends since birth, and she's basically my sister. But Paula thought there was something romantic there." Riley let out a humorless laugh, " I didn't even know that until I broke up with her. But I noticed it happening and I rather had a moment of 'its not okay that she's treating me like this'. So um. It was the day before I moved out we had just both finished finals and we were talking and I brought it up, the fact that she didn't want me hanging out with Maya." Riley's eyes pricked with tears "And she accused me of cheating on her, because I was bi. And Maya was bi. We couldn't just be friends. So I broke up with her and she-she lost it Luke." Lucas was just staring at her in awe, "I was crying because I didn't want to because I still liked her and wanted to be with her, but I wasn't going to loose my sister. And she started cursing me out and when I told her to stop. She decked me."

"She punched you in the face?" Lucas tried to keep the anger out of his voice, but that was impossible. After all the shit Paula had done to Riley while they were dating, the fact that she had punched her was over the line. Riley just nodded grabbing Lucas' hand and stroking her thumb across his knuckles.

"She was so mad, and hurt. I honestly don't think she saw me breaking up with her coming. She bruised my jaw and I fell on something weird so I cut part of my back open. I um actually have a scar from the fall." Riley lifted up the back of her shirt to show him, and there it was. Two inches long and a thin line, Lucas gave it a gentle kiss trying not to get lost in the site of her bare back. Riley sighed in content at the contact of her boyfriend's lips and her skin.

"Luckily everyone had moved out but me, my mom was coming the next day. So no one here knew. I just told them I broke up with her because I finally realized it wasn't healthy. I didn't tell them about her punching me or because it was because of Maya. You're the only one here who knows. Please don't tell them."

"Of course not Princess Riley-Bean, I won't say anything to them you don't want me to."

"And um toady when we were out she threated reminding me of the punch in the face I got when we broke up. And I just don't want to get hit again." Riley sniffled trying to hold in the tears, "And I was wondering if you'd teach me how to throw a punch. So I can defend myself?" Riley gave Lucas a hopeful look

"Of course anything for you Riley. You're one of the strongest people I know, you made it out on an emotionally abusive relationship and you seem to be doing so well. Anything I can do to help on the road to recovery. I'm curious you said I was the only one here who knew what was happening? Who else knows?"

"My mom, she had called me after it happened and it just came tumbling out. And then on our ride back home I told her everything. The first thing she said to me after I told her everything was 'You Riley will get through this; you are a strong amazon warrior. I so very fond and proud of you and I know you'll come out of this stronger than before.' Which made me cry because it's all I ever wanted was my mom to be proud of me." Riley let out a little laugh, "Then immediately after she started asking me if I wanted to sue Paula for assault. She's a lawyer so she knows people who could help if I wanted to. But it had just happened and I was still so confused on how someone who I almost loved could be so terrible to me. And how even through all the bad there was good. So I told her that I think I needed to heal first and she was okay with it. She got me signed up for therapy and filled my dad in on some of it, not all because he would for sure go after Paula." Riley sighed as she leaned her head on Lucas' shoulder, "And at this point I still don't want to press chargers for harassment even though I probably should. I just feel like this is something I need to do for myself. My mom keeps telling me that's okay, I talk to her every weekend anyway and I've been keeping her updated. She's been really supportive which has been really nice. It's made me feel less alone. Oh! She can't wait to meet you by the way, both my parents already think you're great."

"They do?" Lucas perked up hearing that the Matthews wanted to meet him

"Yeah I told them how great you are and how you haven't pushed me to share about Paula. I've told my mom how you tuck me in before you leave and how when you stay over you let me hog the covers. And how you don't mind that I somehow always end up on top of you when you sleep over." Riley gave him a smile feeling lighter after sharing her story.

"Wait, you told your mom I sleep with you sometimes?" Lucas gave her a look of hoar

"Well yeah, she doesn't care her and my dad have been married since like birth. Seriously Luke she doesn't care." Riley let out a big yawn as she snuggled more into his side. She was exhausted after sharing her story and she closed her eyes as she felt her boyfriend put a blanket over the two of them.

"Sleepy Princess?" Lucas gave Riley's head a kiss and set both of their hot cocoas down before putting his arm back around her shoulders and brining her closer.

"Yeah" Riley replied in a sleepy whiny voice

"You can take a nap Princess I'll be right here" Lucas gave her head another kiss. He was in awe of his girlfriend. She had been through so much with Paula and yet she was being so open with him, telling him things that not even Maya knew. He was glad that her mom had been there for her and that Mrs. Matthews had let her handle the situation how Riley wanted.

He was determined to keep her as safe as he could. He started thinking of how he was going to teach her to fight like she wanted he only fought of instinct. He figured he'd teach her how to box and he'd make sure to get some gloves. She didn't need to hurt her pretty hands. Lucas gave one of her hands a kiss and saw her smile in her sleep. Nothing was going to stop him from protecting this precious angel in front of him.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Let me know your thoughts! Don't be a silent reader!