Hey darlings :)

So if you read my last work, it was a pretty lengthy one lol. So while I get back into writing something for the long haul, I'll be posting little ficlets and one shots here and there. And here is one of them!

Trigger Warning: There are heavy implications of sexual abuse/trauma - please keep yourself safe lovelies, and don't read if you think this might upset you xxx

One second, the road was clear, the next, there was an out of control truck. It was the quickest moment of Murphy's life, yet somehow still felt like slow motion. Glass flew across his face; the car swerved, potentially flipped; his head hit something hard, and he instinctively reached for Aalyah in the passenger seat.. but that's all he could remember.

Murphy's eyes shot open, taking a huge breath as he attempted to sit up and find his girlfriend; several hands pushed him back down, and the panicked young man frantically attempted to digest his surroundings. After having an oxygen masked placed on him, and registering that he was in a moving vehicle, Murphy realised he must've been in an ambulance. Two doctors were tending to him - one was adjusting his morphine dosage, while the other appeared to be wrapping bandages around his legs.

"A..Aalyah.." He managed to croak, slowly slipping back into unconsciousness as the pain killers took over his body.

Groggily, Buddy's eyes peeped open, the white ceiling causing him to squint. The room was incredibly bright, almost to the point of being disorientating - although, his mind was far from steady to begin with. Once he managed to fully look around, Murphy found himself lying in a bed, inside a lone hospital room with a nurse stood before him. The nurse was preoccupied with completing charts on her clipboard, but noticed Buddy once he groaned from the the pain.

"Oh you're awake! My name's Freya - do you know where you are?" She asked, a warm smile on her face.

Yes, Murphy knew why he was there, and yes, he was perfectly aware of why. But where was Aalyah? If he ended up unconscious in a hospital bed, what the hell happened to her?!

"Wh.. where's Aalyah? She's my partner, she was in the car with me? Is she okay? The truck.. it-it came out of nowhere.." Buddy stuttered.

"Try to stay calm Sir, the accident wasn't your fault. The man driving the truck was discovered to be under the influence." She explained. "Your girlfriend is perfectly fine. A little shaken up, and she sprained her wrist, but the doctors are helping her as we speak. She'll be free to come and visit you soon."

Taking the biggest sigh of relief, Buddy sank into the soft cushion of the bed - he wouldn't have been able to relax without hearing that news. Regardless, his blood still boiled at the thought of a drunk hurting the woman he loves, despite the injury being minor. However, with the adrenaline of worrying about Aalyah beginning to subside, Murphy's own pain came to the forefront; his head was in absolute agony, and generally felt very weak. It felt as though he'd gone through an attitude era style, hardcore, 60 minute iron man match of some kind.

Being honest, knowing that Aalyah's safe is all he cared about. They could tell him his injuries were past treatment, and he'd find a way to be okay, as long as he still had her - Aalyah had already saved him from much darker places before.

"You seem quite alert, that's a really good sign.. you're quite lucky, all of your cuts are superficial. They'll be pretty painful for a few days, but will clear up with time."

"Can I still get in the ring..? I.. I wrestle."

"Of course, although I'd suggest easing into it very gently. We think you might've sustained a mild concussion, so maybe rest for a few weeks before taking any bumps?"

After exchanging smiles of gratitude, The nurse left the room to do the rounds with her other patients. Murphy intended to pour himself a glass of water, hoping to feel a little more 'with it'. However, due to the pain, he couldn't quite stretch his arm far enough to reach the jug. Frustratedly giving up, the fearful young man rested his head on the pillow, and desperately wished for Aalyah to turn up soon; Not many people know, but Buddy's somewhat frightened of being alone.. it forces him to think about things he'd much rather forget - things he'd never even told Aalyah.

Eventually, there was a knock at the door. Buddy smiled almost goofily, and attempted to sit up before his bruised ribs pulled him back down. Regardless, he looked up, excited to see his girlfriend safe and well.

"Well, this isn't where I expected our reunion to be." A deep voice said, close to sinisterly.

And in that exact moment - Buddy's heart stopped. All oxygen left his lungs, and his body didn't move an inch. What the hell was he doing here?! The figure standing at the foot of his bed was all too familiar, and the mere sight of the man was causing Murphy's brown eyes to pool with tears.

Seth Rollins.

"Why hello Murphy. It's been a while since we've seen one another, hasn't it?" He said, spine chillingly calmly.

A surge of determination rushed through the younger man, and he desperately reached for the button to call in the nurse. If only he could get to it, have someone find him and force Seth away. How did he even know he'd be here?! After about twenty seconds of relentless stretching, Murphy began audibly whimpering - he simply can't reach the remote with his bad arm - but he was petrified over what would happen if he gave up.

Tormentingly slowly, Seth strolled to the side of the bed with this remote, creepily smiling towards his prey as he did. With a mild, demeaning chuckle, the self proclaimed 'Messiah' picked up the remote, and if almost to taunt him, placed it on the side table in the corner - there was no way Murphy could've reached it now, even if his arm was healthy. Seth took a sigh as he pulled up a chair, sitting uncomfortably close to the tearful Buddy.

"H.. How did you know I'd be here..?" He asked, his mouth extremely dry.

"I have my sources." Seth responded, cryptically as always. "Oh Murphy.. You're crying like a silly little boy, what on earth are you afraid of? Surely you aren't afraid of me..? I'm your closest ally, remember? You're my disciple.."

Crying more openly, Buddy briefly considered shouting for help - yell at the top of his lungs and hope that a kind face comes to the rescue. But he's completely frozen with fear, what if Seth tried to hurt him for shouting? Or even worse, what if he tried to hurt Aalyah when she eventually turned up? The word 'disciple' was forever scarred in his mind; Murphy's time with the Messiah only ever taught him that people were capable of the most horrific and cruel acts.. and Seth was always the one to show him that.

"I know what'll help you relax.."

As Seth leaned in closer, Buddy's heart rate spiked - being in the same room with this man was enough make him nauseous. Maintaining cruel eye contact, Seth entangled his fingers into Murphy's long hair; he recoiled at his touch, but Seth continued to stroke his hair regardless. This was stirring up the most painful of flashbacks, and the memories caused physical pain to relive.

"P-please.. please stop.." Buddy weakly begged, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"But you love this, don't you remember Murphy?" Seth defied. He moved his lips to Murphy's ear, growling into it huskily. "I used to stroke your hair for hours.. I'd do it while you fell asleep, right after you showed me exactly how much you worshipped me.."

There was an acidic taste in the back of Buddy's throat, as if he was about to throw up. He remembered what Seth was talking about too clearly - it consumed him with shame, every single minute of every single day - thinking about it drove him completely insane. But it wasn't worship, it was never worship. It was always terror, fear of what Seth would do if he didn't follow his every word, every command. Buddy never really stopped hating, despising himself for allowing Seth to have that power over him.

"Wouldn't you like that again, my disciple..?" Seth whispered, his unusually soft tone feeling more intimating than any threats.

"Wh.. wha.." Murphy uttered, breathing uncontrollably.

"I know that you betrayed me - and I was very, very angry with you. But I'm the Messiah, Murphy. I have a duty to look after those who need me. And you definitely need me, my boy. If you show me just how sorry you are, then perhaps I'll find it within my heart to forgive you, and things can go back to how they were."

Buddy screamed, but no sounds came out; He was entirely frozen, eyes wide with horror. Leaving Seth behind, finding his beautiful Aalyah was the true saving grace of his life. Things going 'back to how they were' was his single greatest fear in the world. Reliving the trauma in his nightmares felt sickening enough, he simply couldn't experience it again! Murphy hated him.. he knew that carrying hatred was unhealthy, but he couldn't imagine ever forgiving what Seth did to him. And Seth had the nerve to claim that Buddy did anything wrong?!

"No.. No.." He managed to breath, starting to involuntarily shake.

Looking at Seth's eyes, Buddy was terrified by them. They appeared soft, but he could see the evil behind them. He'd never met a man so heinous - he refused to believe that such a monster could exist.

"Oh Murphy, I appreciate you're nervous.. But everyone must pay for their mistakes."

Standing up from his chair, Seth seemed impossibly authoritative. Murphy's simply defenceless.. he was injured in a hospital bed, and Seth could've so easily shut off the machine supplying his former disciple with pain relief. But no.. this was a man so wicked, so vile, that causing Murphy pain by proxy would never be enough for him.

With a cold, hard stare into Murphy's closed, petrified eyes, Seth moved his hands to the front of his own waist. Buddy heard the chilling sound of a belt unbuckling, and he finally lost it.

Crying to the point of being hysterical, Murphy's adrenaline shot through the roof. He was able to sit up, burying his head in his hands, sobbing intensely as the memories flooded back. Maybe, in the past, Buddy would close his eyes and get whatever cruelty that night entailed over and done with.. He let Seth hurt him over and over, because he didn't feel like he deserved any better. But now..? He had so much to live for.. he had a future wife, and a family who'd welcomed him in as their own.

"No! No! Seth, please.. please don't do this.." he cried.

Angrily, Seth pried Buddy's hands away from his face, then grabbed his beard and yanked it; Murphy was used to this, it was something Seth always did whenever he stepped out of line.. but this felt different. It felt worse.

"I am not Seth, I am your Messiah, and you will refer to me as such." He said intimidatingly. "You betrayed the only person who ever cared about you. You are nothing without me, Murphy. Now you have to prove to me how sorry you are. And you are very, very sorry. Aren't you?"

Murphy didn't try and move - he knew it would've only made the situation worse. Hell, he was in a car crash, overpowering Seth wasn't realistic. But he needed to get through this, he needed to end up okay. For Aalyah.

"Aalyah cares about me.." Buddy grits his teeth, perilously fighting back the urge to hysterically sob.

"You think that Mysterio scum wants anything to do with you? She only has you to keep the bed warm. But she won't even want you for that anymore.. not when you've driven her straight into a truck."

"That wasn't my fault!" He defends, narrowing his eyes.

"Oh Murphy, don't you see? Everything is your fault! You're a pathetic, waste of space. You owe me everything." Seth spat. "Now, you will do what I want. I'm the Messiah, you're my disciple, I think you need reminding how that works!"

Seth kept a firm grip on Buddy's beard as he reached back towards his belt once again.

Suddenly, without any form of warning, Murphy experienced an intense rush of determination, swinging his right arm and punching Seth on the side of his nose. Acting on the adrenaline, the young man climbed out of the hospital bed, grabbing Seth by his shirt collar and pinning him against the wall. His nose was bleeding, and although he'd never admit it, there was a hint of fear behind his eyes also.

"No!" Buddy yelled.

"Now.. Now Murphy, we can talk about this.."

"No! I'm finished hearing you talk!" He screamed. Murphy had lost all inhibitions, and built up emotion was pouring out of him like a fountain. "I am not a waste of space! Aalyah loves me! And a woman that angelic wouldn't love someone who's worthless! And yes.. I said Angelic. Because if a part of Heaven really did walk among us, it would be her.. not you."

"I'm your Messiah!"

"You're nothing!" Buddy exclaimed, lifting Seth's collar higher up the wall. "...You're no God. You're a coward of a man who used me to make you feel powerful.. but you're not. You don't have power at all, not over me at least.. Because no matter what happened in the past - I am not scared of you anymore!"

Satisfied with the look of anxiety across Seth's face, Buddy released his hold on Seth's collar, and the monster stumbled to the floor. He seemed raging, but for the first time in months, Murphy was standing tall, and he was standing up to the man who attempted to ruin his life. But that was exactly what gave Murphy the strength - knowing that his pathetic attempts, while excruciating to endure, ultimately failed. Buddy was a better man than Seth. And he always would be.

With a heated expression, Seth stormed out of the hospital room, slamming the door behind him.

Once Seth was away from him, Murphy's adrenaline completely disappeared, and his pain from the crash returned in an instant. The young man fell to the floor, groaning in what felt like agony. His heavy tears returned. The biggest weight in the world had been lifted from his shoulders, but the memories were still very much there; Getting rid of Seth didn't mean erasing his impact, and it felt overwhelming to know he might be struggling with this for the rest of his life.

"Buddy?!" A female voice called out from behind the door.

When the door opened, the pained Murphy looked up to see his angel. Aalyah..

"Buddy! Oh my God!" Aalyah shouted in fear, seeing her boyfriend on the floor. "I saw Seth leaving your room, are you okay?! Did you two fight? Was he scaring you?"

Aalyah ran to Buddy's side, kneeling on the floor with him and grabbing his hand. Murphy pressed his face into her neck, knowing that she'd keep him safe, no matter what. He felt perfectly comfortable crying in her company.. he loved her with all of his heart.

"I'll go and get the nurse.."

"No.. No, Aalyah, please.. stay here.. I need to talk to you.."

"I.. but.. Okay then baby, but here, let me help you back into bed.." she offered, trying to pull him up.

The couple clunkily aided Buddy to his feet, laying him down in bed. Protectively, Aalyah climbed into the sheets with him, snuggling into his side. She lovingly wiped his tears away with her hands, smiling comfortingly towards him; it killed her to see Buddy this way, but she had every intention on being there for him. And while they'd just been in a car crash together - she got the impression that his tears were related to his more than unwelcomed visitor.

"Aalyah.. I.. what've I told you about Seth..? Not about today but.. when I used to.. to be his disciple.." Murphy questioned, engulfed with guilt for ever following such as vile human.

"You weren't his disciple Buddy, he manipulated you.. and that's not your fault." She comforted him sweetly. "As for what you've told me.. not that much. Just that you were scared of him, and that he used to knock you about sometimes.."

"W.. well, there's.. there's something he did that.." He began, but broke down at the thought of admitting his experience to the love of his life.

Aalyah took a deep breath and held Buddy that little bit tighter. If there was anyone alive who loathed Seth Rollins more than Buddy, it was Aalyah. Her boyfriend was the most caring, sensitive and kind man she'd ever met.. he was incapable of hurting someone else. And the thought of someone so disgusting taking advantage of those qualities made her seethe.

"I promise you Buddy.. whatever Seth did.. I will stand by you, and I will help you. Not just me, but Dominik too, and my parents, we'll all take care of you.. I love you, Buddy." She said, extremely heartfelt. "Now.. what did Seth do..?

"He.. he used to.. to.. he made.." He stuttered, but then wiped his face and took some deep breaths. "He used to make me do things.. w-with him. For him.. I never wanted to, but I was so, so scared.."

Tears started pooling in Aalyah's eyes. Knowing that Seth ever laid his hands on Buddy broke her heart.. but in that way? It damn near shattered it. She just loved him so much, how could someone treat him that way?! He deserved the world, and Seth used him as if he meant nothing - the absolute bastard!

"He.. he abused me.. he took advantage of me.." Buddy finally revealed, crying into his girlfriends neck.

After the couple had weeped onto each other for a few minutes, embracing one another for any form of peace they could muster, Aalyah pulled back from their hug. She rested a hand on his cheek; Buddy couldn't help but give a half smile at her gentle eyes, she was the most beautiful woman on earth.

"I am so, so sorry.." Aalyah snivelled. "But, I mean it, Buddy. We will all help you through this.. Every single one of us"

Buddy fell back into his girlfriend's arms, enjoying how perfectly their bodies fit together. There was no one on earth he'd rather be going through all of this shit with. With a little bit of hope, he would never see Seth another day in his life, and he's determined that Aalyah will be in every single future day of his life. She's more than just the woman he'll marry one day - she's his life raft, and he couldn't be more grateful to have her heart.

"I love you Aalyah Mysterio.." He weeped.

"I love you too Buddy Murphy.. I always, always will."