These two segments are gonna really establish the conflict of hurt in this story, and what happened to Blossom. Hope you enjoy reading it.

Segment 6 - Is This A Date?

Bubbles had her headphones in as she engaged in her daily walk "She's gone, She's gone, Oh I, Oh I!" She sang along to the song as she walked "I'd better learn how to face it!" Bubbles continued to sing and dance to the music as she walked until she crashed into something, rather someone. Bubbles eye's shot open and she realized who she bumped into. It was Brick.

"OH! Goodness, I am so sorry Brick!" Bubbles spoke

"Ah it's nothing." Brick shrugged it off.

Bubbles was stunned at the change in the ruff's personality. The old Brick would've certainly been begging for a fight. "What are you doing out here?" Bubbles asked "Just getting some air, usually I fly, but today, figured i'd try walking." Brick responded "I walk all the time, it's so relaxing!" Bubbles spoke "Really? Gonna have to try it more often." Brick spoke "By the way, good song." Brick spoke and Bubbles smiled sheepishly as Brick waved goodbye.

Blossom tossed away the joint she was smoking and closed her eyes. She lied to Brick. She wasn't getting high to unwind. She was doing it to calm down. She had smoked more than she usually did because of the tight feeling that wouldn't escape her. As she got home and laid in bed she completely dodged Buttercup asking if she was alright.

Blossom laid on her back, and stared up at the ceiling, the tight feeling was still there whenever she thought about Brick. She closed her eyes and suddenly it felt less like she was laying in bed, and more like she was pinned in bed. Blossom started to feel uncomfortable at the feeling, which came to a head when she heard a voice

"You still think about me don't you?"

Blossom's eyes shot open and she quickly sat up. Her breathing heavy, she looked around the room and realized she was alone. The tightness was starting to take shape. It was fear. Fear she'd fall in love. Fear she'd be treated the way her ex treated her. Fear she'd be used and abused. Blossom got out of bed and looked in her mirror. She smiled at herself, looking away for a moment to grab her brush. When she looked in the mirror again she saw her ex, a horrific memory seemingly playing, as Blossom's reflection showed a darker time in her life.

"You love me say it." Her ex spoke and Blossom shook her head no. "SAY IT." He repeated and Blossom held her head down

"I love you." She said

"And don't you ever forget it."

her ex responded and Blossom looked away from the mirror, and began to cry at the memory. She may have been superhuman, but her heart was just as human as anyone else's and being hurt the way she was hurt, was something that rattled her. Blossom then remembered Buttercup's words "Not all guys are the same…." Blossom took a deep breath. She was ready to go and see Brick.

"Almost thought you weren't gonna show Red." Brick spoke as he watched Blossom land on his porch "So where we going?" Brick asked "Gotta fly there." Blossom smiled "Not gonna tell me?" Brick asked and Blossom sealed her lips and shook her head no "Oh you're gonna be like that? Fine, surprise me then!" Brick spoke as Blossom was shocked when Brick took her hand in his before the pair slowly ascended to take flight.

Hand in hand the two flew as Brick awaited Blossom's surprise. Finally they arrived. They were outside of Townsville, quite a ways out. "Hope you know how to get back cause i'm lost." Brick admitted as they landed near a cave."In here." Blossom spoke and Brick followed. "Man it's dark as hell in here." Brick spoke as Blossom led him through the cave. Brick heard a noise and jumped a bit "Oh nah, forget this!" He said and Blossom grabbed him "It's just water. You stepped in a puddle." Blossom explained and Brick noticed there was a little bit of light.

"Through here." Blossom spoke and she walked Brick through what were weeping willow trees to reveal a swimming hole. "Wow." Brick spoke and Blossom looked at him. "Crazy the things you can discover by just looking around." She spoke as she sat down, took her shoes off and put her feet in the water. Brick shortly thereafter joined her. The two sat in a brief period of silence before Blossom spoke up.

"I like spending time with you." She admitted and Brick looked at her

"I like spending time with you too." He responded

"It just didn't seem possible, considering that, you know, we used to fight all the time." Blossom spoke and Brick nodded. "We grew up." Brick spoke and Blossom nodded "Yeah." She concured and suddenly Brick wrapped his arm around Blossom "I have to ask now Red…" He started and Blossom felt herself flush "Ask what…." She prodded, looking Brick in the eyes "Is….Is this a date?" Brick questioned and the tightness returned vengefully in Blossom. She shuddered a bit even before pulling herself away from Brick. "What?" Brick asked. But Blossom wasn't seeing him. She was seeing her ex. Blossom looked away and put her shoes back on. "Blossom, Blossom….what's wrong?" Brick asked putting his shoes back on "You're shaking like a leaf. Here, take my jacket." Brick spoke and he took off his jacket. He handed it to Blossom who backed away. Brick started to see where he messed up.

"I get it…Too fast." He spoke and Blossom finally started to stop shuddering. She saw Brick once more instead of her ex.

"I'm….I'm sorry." Blossom started as she hugged Brick. The confused ruff returned the hug. "You just have to go, really, really slow with me." Blossom admitted without telling him the whole truth. "We can go as slow as you need Blossom." Brick spoke as he cupped Blossom's face and landed a soft kiss. Blossom smiled and felt her heart skip a beat. "It's just you." Brick spoke and Blossom cuddled Brick. "Just you." Brick repeated as he held Blossom close, the couple simply enjoying each other's company in the moment, and Blossom disregarding the tight feeling that relentlessly haunted her.

Segment 7 - Ghost of The Past

- 1 YEAR BEFORE -

"Blossom." The voice called. "Blossom!" He called again.

"Yes?" Blossom responded "It's date night." He spoke and Blossom rolled her eyes "You and I are gonna take a ride." He spoke and Blossom looked at him "A ride where?" She asked "I don't know yet." He spoke standing up "Think that's what'll make it special." He continued and Blossom shrugged. "Not one for rides. Cause, you know…I can fly…" Blossom spoke and he turned to glare at her "We're going for a ride." He spoke and Blossom shrugged "Anything for you." She spoke in a sheepish tone "And don't you ever forget it." He spoke as he wrapped his arm around Blossom and pulled her in close, Blossom took in the smell of the man's cologne. The smell was familiar, he wore the same cologne the night they met, the same cologne when he took her virginity. The cologne was synonymous with their relationship.

"Come here…" he said as he pulled Blossom in to a deep kiss. "Still mad?" He asked and Blossom pursed her lips. "You're so hot and cold with me…" She spoke and the man looked at her as Blossom pulled away "Sometimes you're hugging on me, and kissing me, doing all this sweet stuff, then you're…" Blossom was cut off by the man grabbing her "What?! Then i'm what Blossom?" He asked as he moved his hands to Blossom's throat. "Wanna finish that statement?" He asked and Blossom shook her head no. The man let go of Blossom, who rubbed her throat after being grabbed. "I'll see you tonight." The man said exiting. Blossom leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. She allowed tears to fall, she was in love but she was also tired of being hurt.

"This is so unhealthy." Buttercup said looking at the marks around Blossom's neck. "He grabs you, he hits you." Buttercup continued as she stared at her sister "How could you not fight back, you're superpowered." Buttercup asked "I don't hit him cause I love him." Blossom spoke. "How could you love someone who treats you like shit?" Buttercup asked and Blossom held her head down. "Stone isn't that bad…." she said and she looked up at her sister "When he isn't…." Blossom felt her bruises.

"When he isn't…hurting me…He's sweet, romantic…he makes me feel loved." Blossom spoke and Buttercup shook her head "That's bullshit Bloss. He HITS you!" Buttercup spoke "Blossom, that's not love, free yourself! If he hits you again. HIT BACK!" Buttercup said and Blossom got up and left the room. "You deserve someone who'll treat you right sis, even if you don't want to believe me now. There's definitely someone out there who'll treat you the right way." Buttercup said as Blossom stopped and turned to face her "Yeah. His name is Stone." Blossom left the room following this statement.

Making love with Stone had changed the longer Blossom went out with him. What went from sweet and loving sex turned into aggression, and the occassional out of nowhere slap to the face or another physical hit during sex. If Blossom did something in bed Stone didn't like, he hit her. And even when she did things to his liking, she'd still be met with an unnecessary slap or hit.

After the latest session, Blossom sat up in bed, and rubbed the side of her face, it was still stinging from the slaps. If she told him to stop the slap would erupt into a punch instead. Blossom sat and remembered Buttercup's words "HIT BACK." They roared in her head "Stone?" Blossom called and the man sat up, planting kisses on Blossom's shoulder and neck. "How would you feel, if I changed up how we made love?" Blossom prodded and Stone stopped kissing her

"You know I don't like change." Stone spoke. "Yeah and I don't like being choked, slapped, or punched. Why can't we go back to the way things were, why do you have to hit me?" Blossom spoke and she felt nervous. She was expecting a hard hit from Stone, who's eyes looked wild at what Blossom had said "Who the fuck you think you talking to?" Stone stood up and slammed Blossom against the wall, putting a rough grip on her throat.

"Stone, stop….I can't breathe!" Blossom said "Talking about the way we were? This is the way we've always been Blossom, how bout you show some damn respect!" Stone asked and Blossom started to choke "You're hurting me…." She said and Stone saw the sadness in Blossom's eyes. "Oh babe, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He said and he loosened his grip before planting more kisses on Blossom. "No…Stop!" Blossom had to garner up her courage and she pushed Stone away, only to be met with a slap. "Who do you think you are?" Stone asked as he grabbed Blossom by the hair and threw her down. "What you gon do? Call the cops?" Stone asked and he took Blossom's phone and tossed it across the room.

"You're gonna stop hitting me." Blossom stood up only for Stone to shove her back down. She didn't want to hit him back, she was still in love.

"There's someone out there who'll treat you the right way." Buttercup's words echoed.

Blossom didn't want to lose the love she had, but she couldn't let herself keep being hurt. "What are you gonna do?" Stone asked and Blossom swung in self-defense. Being that she was superpowered, the punch had more weight to it, sending Stone across the floor. "Don't get up…" Blossom said as Stone ran at her, and Blossom nailed him with another punch. "You're not gonna hit me again…" Blossom spoke in a low tone grabbing her phone. "You're not gonna hit anyone again." She said calling the police. Stone ran to her again, and this time she froze him using her ice breath.

Blossom watched the police arrest Stone, her heart hurt but she knew she was doing the right thing. She was crying. Not because Stone was being taken away, but because of what she had to endure to feel loved. None of her previous relationships made her feel loved the way Stone did. But the cost wasn't worth it. She cried knowing she let herself be abused, just so she could feel loved. "If this is the cost…I can't love again." Blossom whispered to herself "Maybe I can't be loved…." She wondered as she continued to watch. "The things I went through, to just come close to feeling it….Maybe I just can't be…" Blossom held her head down and cried.

Very heavy stuff. Abuse is very serious, and obviously it was dramatized to an extent here, try to be there and help anyone that you know who could potentially be in such a scenario.

As for the story, Now we know what happened to Blossom, and how it's going to keep interfering with her feelings, do we think she's ever going to tell Brick what's really going on? It's a lot to think about.

POSITIVE VIBES ONLY!

STAY BLESSED!