(Trigger warnings for Domestic Abuse and PTSD)

July 2055

"Where have you been?" Nathaniel asked quietly.

"With Allegra," she answered, her hand still resting on the door handle, not quite letting it close all the way. "I told you this morning that she'd invited me for drinks after work."

"And I told you that you couldn't go." He leant forward, his hands resting on his knees, his body blocking the stairs where he was sitting.

"N-no," she stammered. He hadn't said no, she knew he hadn't. She'd listened to his words so carefully. "Y-you said that it wasn't a nice part of town and that you didn't want me going there."

"But you still went, even after I said not to?" His tone was still soft, reasonable. But she knew it was a lie.

The door handle was slippery under her sweating hand but her fingers felt icy cold. She shouldn't argue with him, he hated that. But was it arguing if she was just trying to explain?

"No, I mean, yes, but we didn't go there. I called Alli and she let me pick somewhere else to go."

His head tilted to one side, his eyes firmly fixed on hers. She wanted to look away from that penetrating gaze but if she did he would think she was hiding something.

"We went to the Bridge Inn," she continued. "We were just down the road, you know where that is." He had to understand. She wasn't trying to disobey him or make him angry, she'd tried to do the right thing, she'd picked a place that he knew and liked. They knew the owners there, they always greeted them by name and knew just how he liked his pint. Surely that couldn't be wrong?

Nathaniel's fingers flexed, curling into a fist, then relaxing. Curling and relaxing. Her eyes darted from his, down to his hands, and then back again. She hated when he did that. For some, it might mean they were trying to control their anger, but for him, it usually meant the opposite. The walls, the fridge, the doors, they all knew the power behind his punches.

"I told you not to go out with her."

"I know, but I thought-"

"YOU THOUGHT?" He moved so quickly that she barely had time to unclench her stiff fingers from the handle before he slammed his hand down on top of hers. She felt the hard edge of the handle hit bone and bit back a whimper of pain as the door slammed shut fully, the lock engaging.

"Tell me then, what did you think?" His breath tickled her skin bringing with it the sour notes of old whiskey and unbrushed teeth. "What ridiculous thought entered that empty head of yours?"

"I...I…"

"Come on then, spit it out." His hand ground down on top of hers, trapping it in place. "Why did you think that you knew better? Or did you not actually think at all?"

"I thought it would be OK to go somewhere close by that was safe. We go there all the time."

"Yes," he snarled. "We go there. Together. Not you alone."

"But I wasn't alone-"

"NO," he roared, practically screaming in her face, flecks of spit hitting her skin. "YOU WERE OUT WITH ONE OF YOUR WEIRDO FRIENDS!"

The fist slamming into the door beside her head made her jump more than his raised voice did.

"I…I'm sorry," she stammered. "I didn't think-"

"No, you didn't. You never think." He chuckled under his breath, a harsh, humourless sound that made her wince. "I doubt you're even capable of it."

"I didn't mean to-" She needed to calm him down. The more worked up he got the worse it would be. If only he would listen, just for a moment so she could explain.

"STOP ARGUING WITH ME!"

"I'm not." She wasn't arguing, she was trying to get him to understand.

The air whooshed out of her lungs as his chest slammed against hers, pinning her back against the door. His eyes locked onto hers, holding her in place as effectively as his body did. She stared back at him, like one would an advancing tiger, knowing if you looked away for even a second it would strike.

His hand lifted and she stiffened, bracing herself for the slap that she felt sure would come this time. She'd pushed him too far. She'd thought she'd been clever, following his orders but still managing to go out. She hadn't disobeyed him outright but she knew that she'd deliberately interpreted his words in a way that would benefit her. She was in the wrong. She deserved it.

She forced her eyes shut, not wanting to see the look on his face when the blow landed…

His fingers tangled in her hair but instead of roughly yanking at the delicate strands as she expected, he stroked them softly. His fingers slid up through her hair and skimmed along her cheek, caressing her skin.

What was he doing? Why was he being like this? She could feel his breath fluttering across her ear as he leaned in closer. She stiffened, fighting with every fibre of her being to stay put and not move away like she wanted to. Her instincts were screaming at her to run, to get as far away as possible, but she remained frozen on the spot. Surely he must feel the frantic beating of her heart, recognise the panic that she felt?

"I just worry about you," he said, his tone back to that soft, caring way he sometimes had. She used to like it when he spoke to her that way, it reminded her of when they had first met, but now it set her nerves on edge more. He used that tone to calm her down, to lull her into a false sense of security.

"I didn't mean to make you worry," she whispered, blinking back the tears that gathered. What was he going to do to her? How would he punish her this time? She hadn't meant to make him worry because, in truth, she hadn't meant for him to find out. She'd even left early intending to be home before he was, but unfortunately, he'd had the same idea.

"It's dangerous out there, you know that," he continued. "Anyone could be out there waiting to attack. You just never know."

"I know, but I wasn't alone, I was with Al-"

"You weren't with me, that's as good as being alone," he insisted. He backed up a little, the heavy weight of his chest lifting from hers, allowing her to suck in a deep breath. "What would your little friend have been able to do if someone came at you with a knife?"

"I…"

"This is London, not your little backwards town, you can't just strut around like you own the place and expect that to be enough."

"I know that but-"

"People would see a woman like you and think you're an easy mark," he lectured. His arms were folded across his chest, his hands tucked under his biceps in a move he used to push them out and make them look bigger than they actually were. She called it his intimidation pose. "You're too nice, Selene. Too sweet and trusting, and people can see that. They'll take advantage of you. You know that, right?"

She nodded, feeling that she had to agree now that he'd calmed down. Arguing was getting her nowhere and if she continued she risked winding him up again. It was better to play dumb and just take the lecture than to have him continue to rage at her.

"It worries me to think of you out there alone where I can't protect you."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you worry."

"I just don't want to see you get hurt," he soothed, his voice lower, more caring, like it used to be as he drew her into his arms, pulling her tight to his body. "I don't know what I'd do if you got hurt."

Her nose wrinkled at the smell that emanated from his unwashed body, wafting up from his sweat-soaked armpits as he cradled her head against his chest with a firm hand on the back of her head. She didn't want to be this close to him but if she pulled away now he'd get angry again.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I won't do it again."

"Promise me."

She looked up, a small frown creasing the space between her eyes. She'd just said sorry and said she wouldn't make him worry again, what more did he want from her?

"Sorry?" A question this time, not an apology. Promise him, promise him what?

"Promise me that you won't go out without me again," he pushed. "You know how things can be, you know that there are nasty people out there that won't think twice about dragging you into a car or a dark alley."

"I know but-."

"So promise me you won't go out alone again, especially after dark."

"I…I p-promise." What else could she do? He never listened to reason. Once he'd made up his mind he never changed it.

"It's only because I care about you, you know that?" He stroked the hair back from her face and wiped away the tears from under her eyes with his thumb. "It's because I love you, you're mine and I want you to stay that way."

She nodded, just like he wanted her to. He loved her, that was the important thing. He might not show it in the right way sometimes, but it was only because he cared and didn't know how else to show it. He was right, it was her fault, she'd known how he would react and she'd done it anyway. She should have told Allegra that she wasn't available and left it at that. But she hadn't wanted to, she'd wanted to hear more about the coven that Allegra was part of, to learn more about the things they did there and to understand the things she herself experienced. She wanted to feel less like a freak and to know that she wasn't alone.

"Say it," he pushed, his fingers squeezing her chin as he lifted her head up so she was looking directly at him. "Say you promise."

She licked her dry lips and forced out the words he wanted her to say. "I promise."

"Promise what?" He tightened his fingers, digging into her skin hard enough to leave bruises.

"I promise I won't go out anywhere without you," she whispered, the words feeling like she'd just uttered her own death sentence.

"Good girl."

His lips tasted as foul as his breath had smelt as he kissed her, forcing his tongue into her mouth in a blatant show of dominance. She tried not to tense up or pull away as his tongue flopped like a slimy slug against hers.

He broke the kiss and smiled possessively. His hand slipped from her head and down her spine to her backside. He grabbed a handful of her cheek and squeezed hard.

"That's my girl, you know what's good for you."

-x-

March 2057

"Are you listening to me?"

Selene dragged her eyes away from the strand of hair she'd been absently twirling. The colour was so different to her natural one that it still took her by surprise when she caught sight of herself in a mirror. "Sorry, were you talking to me?"

"Who else would I be talking to, the wall?" Celia dropped her hands to her hips, throwing a glare her daughter's way. "Though I might as well for all the notice you take."

"Sorry, I zoned out for a moment there. Say it again?"

"I asked if you had picked out an outfit for cousin Elaine's 70th. That hair is bad enough, I don't want you turning up in one of those horror frocks too."

Well, didn't that just sound like nightmare fuel? Honestly, a sandpaper bikini wax sounded more appealing than a night spent surrounded by her nosy family. Her mother was bad enough, but throw in a few aunts and some alcoholic cousins and you had yourself a shindig organised by Satan himself.

"I think I'll give it a miss if you don't mind, I'm not really feeling up to a big family party." There, that sounded polite enough, blaming it on herself was always easier than trying to explain anything to her mum.

"Oh no, you don't. You can't keep hiding away, you know," Celia told her firmly, flicking her duster at an imaginary speck of dirt on the top of the already spotless fireplace.

"I'm not hiding," Selene protested mildly. It wasn't really worth trying to argue but she felt like she ought to have a whack at it.

"Really?" Celia rounded on her daughter. "You spend all your time in your room mindlessly watching reruns. What would you call it?"

Selene waved her hand dismissively. "Reliving my teenage years so it feels like I never moved out?"

"Try again, missy." Celia shook her duster in her daughter's direction like she wanted to rub away her annoying self.

Selene shrugged, completely unbothered by the duster threat, there was nothing she could say that her mother would understand anyway. Celia was a doer, she stood up and pushed her way through any situation no matter how awkward it was. Whereas Selene was more like her father, she needed to sit back, take some time for herself and process the situation before she could move on from it. Celia didn't like to think too long or too hard about the negative things in life, she simply ignored them as if they had never happened, keeping busy. Selene wished she were more like her, less sensitive to every emotion, stronger, more determined. Which was scary in itself, no woman wanted to turn into her mother, let alone wished for it.

How did you explain to someone that never stopped doing things, that you needed the time to think? That you needed a mental reboot, to do a control, alt, delete on the past three years? How did she explain that she, who had once been the life and soul of the party, a confident, bubbly girl that loved to socialise with everyone, had turned into a homebody that craved the quiet stability of her childhood home so much that she didn't feel like she could leave it?

"I just don't feel like going out." She knew it was a copout that her mother would never accept, but it was the only answer she could give with any degree of honesty.

Celia huffed, a snorting noise like an angry dragon. "This won't do. Adam! Take her with you to see Granddad, will you?"

"Mum, I really don't wan-" Selene protested but her mother cut her off with a wave of her hand.

"Your brother is taking his shopping round, it won't hurt you to go with him and see him."

"Mum, I'm tired, I just want to stay here. I'll go and see Granddad tomorrow."

"Selene Cassandra Faye Tempest, you have been back under my roof for six weeks and you have only left the house three times, you are going with your brother and I won't hear another word from you." The look on Celia's face warned her that arguing could prove fatal.

Her natural instinct was to argue and keep arguing until she got her point across, but honestly, it would be a waste of breath. Her mother had tried her best to understand, she had been just as horrified as her father and brother when Selene had turned up on their doorstep sporting a busted lip and bruised face, with freshly dyed hair and carrying nothing but a few shopping bags. Of course, there had been questions, and there had been lots of cuddles and support, all of which she had appreciated. But Selene hadn't dared tell them the full extent of the emotional and mental abuse that she had suffered, so to her mother, it was just a relationship that had turned nasty and now that she was out of it it was time for her to 'pull her socks up' and get back out there.

If she was being honest with herself, the thought of even leaving the house terrified her, let alone going anywhere vulnerable members of her family lived. She knew Nathaniel and, once he got his hands on something, he never gave it up. He considered her his property, something to be hoarded and locked away to be kept for himself. He had never liked to share her, not even with her own family. She had missed out on seeing her grandparents in the time they had been together, meaning that she hadn't seen her grandmother for four months before her death and even then she hadn't been allowed to stay for the wake after her funeral. Nathaniel had said it was because he didn't like seeing her so upset, but she knew better now.

Her mum was right, Granddad's health had been in a steady decline since the loss of his wife and it might do them both good to see each other.

"Alright, I'll go with Ads."

It was a nice day outside, a pleasantly warm afternoon in early spring where green shoots and buds sprouted everywhere you looked. They could feel that winter was almost over, though she knew that the cold could come back with little warning when you least expected it. But, until that happened they were able to get away with just a light jumper and jacket. Carrying a shopping bag each they stepped out into the bright sunshine, inhaling the fresh, damp morning air.

The estate on which the Tempest family house sat hadn't changed a bit, Selene realised as they ambled along the pavement. It was still what most considered to be a 'nice area'. One of those places that parents loved but had been incredibly boring to grow up in, especially when you were a girl like Selene who tended towards the weird and wonderful.

Populated with families, it echoed with bird song right now but soon the peaceful quiet would be shattered by the laughter of children playing and muted music after school finished for the day. Above all it was safe, everyone knew everyone else, and everyone looked out for each other. Anything out of the ordinary was spotted and reported to the neighbourhood watch before you could say boo. When she had needed a place to run after leaving her relationship, she hadn't hesitated to return home. She just wished she felt as safe now as she had then.

But safety was an illusion, that was something Nathaniel had taught her. Whenever she had started to relax and feel safe in her own home, he had brought up something she had supposedly done wrong, or some way in which she had screwed up and without warning. Then she went right back to feeling scared of her own shadow. The person she was supposed to have been able to trust had taken that trust and abused it, turning her very nature against her until she didn't even trust herself.

Though if there was one thing her time with Nathaniel had done it was give her a highly tuned sense of danger, one that transcended any normal case of the heebie-jeebies. And she had it now, a feeling that something was off, that something was just not as it should be. A vague sense of impending doom, like something was hovering nearby, just waiting to strike.

She didn't spot it at first, cars not being one of her strong suits. She never knew makes or models, years or horsepower. The only way she remembered cars was if they were small, medium or large, what colour they were and if the headlights looked like a face or not. So she didn't immediately recognise the car as one owned by a friend of Nathaniel's. And because she didn't recognise it, she didn't notice it crawling along behind them. And because she didn't pay any attention, she didn't see the driver until the car was almost beside them.

"Selene!"

The sound of his voice made her freeze in her tracks. The bag she was carrying hit the floor as she grabbed Adam's arm, pushing him behind her.

"You aren't supposed to be here." She kept her tone as firm as she could, although she knew that Adam would feel her hand shaking in his. "The police-"

"The police," Nathaniel sneered. "There was no need for you to get them involved. It was a misunderstanding, that's all."

"What do you want?" She set her jaw, lifting her chin stubbornly, refusing to back down as he no doubt expected her to. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her looking scared, no matter how much had to fake it.

"What do you think I want?" He stared at her like she was stupid. She stared right back, keeping her face as impassive as she could.

"For you to come home where you belong," he eventually answered, realising that she wasn't going to play his little game. "Come back and I'll forget that any of this ever happened."

"You'll forget that this happened?" Selene couldn't believe what she was hearing. He had been the one to hurt her, to belittle her every moment of every day and he was out here acting like she was the one in the wrong. Again. "You? You're the one that shouldn't be here!"

"Oh come on, don't make out like you're all sweet and innocent. You're the one that made me angry and then got shitty because I reacted to it.You're the one that walked away and called the police over nothing." His finger drummed on the steering wheel. "You should be grateful that I even bothered to track you down, let alone be willing to forgive you and take you back. Now get in the car."

"You hit my sister!" Adam piped up, pushing his way out from behind Selene, unable to stay quiet a moment longer. He knew she was trying to handle things on her own, but he couldn't stand by and continue watching her be bullied into submission. "She's not going anywhere near you ever again."

"Oh yeah?" The car engine died and Nathaniel got out, slamming the car door. With deliberate, even, slow-paced steps he crossed around the hood toward the pavement where they stood. "You gonna do something about it, little boy?"

"Adam, get back," Selene ordered, trying to put herself in front of her brother again, but he wouldn't allow it.

"No! This dickhead hurt you and he needs to leave."

"You gonna make me, kid?"

"If I have to!"

It happened too fast for Selene to do anything to help. Adam stepped closer at the same moment that Nathaniel swung his fist. There was a sickening crunch as hard knuckles connected with softer nasal cartilage and an explosion of blood.

"What have you done? GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM US!" Selene screamed, grabbing Adam by the shoulders, trying to push him out of harm's way as he clutched at his dripping nose.

"Hey, what's going on?" a voice yelled from across the street, the neighbourhood watch doing its job at last. "I got that all on camera!"

"Nosy fucking arsehole!" Nathaniel snarled as he reluctantly backed away from them. For all his bravado, the thought of spending more time in custody didn't fill him with joy. Tossing the car keys in the air he rounded the back of the car, dragged open the driver's door and threw himself in. The engine screamed into life as he revved the shit out of it before peeling off down the road.

"Coward!" Adam shouted after him, his voice sounding stuffy and muffled, his nose swelling by the second.

"Are you two alright?" the man asked, jogging across the road to their side. "Do you know that guy?"

Selene nodded. "He's my ex…no don't try to talk anymore," she instructed Adam, digging in her pocket for a tissue to press against his nose.

"You're Rufus's kids, aren't you? I don't know if my security cameras actually captured anything of use but I'll have a look and pass it on if it has."

"Thanks, that would be a big help," Selene said wearily.

"I'll be a witness," he continued, "if you want to press charges or anything. Which for my money you should."

Selene nodded again, not really wanting to talk about it. How had it come to this? She'd been so careful to stay out of sight and give him time to forget about her, yet there he was the moment she stepped out of the house. She'd suffered in silence for years, not wanting her family to know anything about it for fear of Nathaniel turning his attention on them and still Adam had gotten hurt trying to protect her. What was the point if nothing she did made a difference? He'd never leave her alone. Never.

"You should get him home," the man said, nodding his head at Adam. "I'll help you with your bags."