After all clothes were unpacked, laptop and notebooks set up at makeshift desk, and toiletries set up in the bathroom, Isabelle and Sweet Pea stood in front of the open refrigerator, trying to decide what to make for supper. The contents of the fridge included one jar of pasta sauce, a block of cheese, a jug of milk, three bottles of beer, a stick of butter, and various condiments.

Isabelle sighed and turned to the cupboards, pulling out a box of uncooked spaghetti noodles.

"Spaghetti?" Sweet Pea asked, looking bored.

"Unless you'd like to grab us some Pop's or run to the grocery store, yes, spaghetti." Isabelle retorted, not waiting for an answer as she pulled a pot out from the cupboard and filled it with water, turning the stove on high.

"Spaghetti it is, my little italian Isabelle." Sweet Pea said in a god awful italian accent, causing Isabelle to giggle as she leaned against the counter.

"Are you trying to sound french?" the blonde joked, fidgeting with the rings on her fingers.

"Ugh, forget it." Sweet Pea waved a hand dismissively, and started tidying the kitchen, pushing the chairs under the table and grabbing a cloth to wipe it down. Isabelle continued to monitor the pasta.

When all was said and supper was ready, the two seated themselves at the table, something Sweet Pea hadn't done in a while, Isabelle assumed.

"I have to run back to my house, Pea." Isabelle told him, breaking a silence that fell upon the two, the only sounds before her voice were the sounds of the radio and their forks scraping their plates.

"Why?" he asked, shocked.

"I forgot my summer reading books for English." she explained, and stuffed the last bit of pasta into her mouth.

"Screw it, we can go buy you new books." Sweet Pea seemed dead against Isabelle returning to that mad house.

"Pea, I'll be fine. I'll jog over tonight, when Rick's asleep." she watched closely as Sweet Pea ran a hand through his hair, his eyes on his plate.

He ignored her. "Thanks for the pasta, Iz. It was delicious."

"No problem." she shrugged, grabbing both of their dishes and sticking them in the sink. After another moment of just the radio in the background, Isabelle felt a strong pair of arms wrap around her. "I'm going to make you feel at home here, okay?" came Sweet Pea's deep, soft voice in her ear, and Isabelle leaned back against him, accepting the warm and safe feeling he gave her.

"Okay." she replied softly. It had been a long time since he held her like this, and Isabelle found herself cherishing it.

Sweet Pea slowly turned her around in his arms, the cold counter pressing into the small of Isabelle's back. Her eyes met his, and instantly memories from months and months ago entwined themselves in Isabelle's mind, and all she craved was him.

Sweet Pea seemed to feel the same way, because he dipped his head and caught her mouth on his gently, the kiss starting soft and slow, but after moments it escalated, a burning passion erupted between the two of them, and Isabelle found herself reaching up and wrapping her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss further as Sweet Pea's large hands picked her up and sat her on the kitchen counter, coming to rest between her legs and placed his hands on the tops of her thighs.

Isabelle twined her dainty, clumsy fingers in his raven locks, feeling one of his hands coming up to cup her cheek, and coming to rest on the back of her neck. The kisses soon slowed, and the pair came to rest their foreheads against one another's.

"I've missed you." came Sweet Pea's deep voice, his breathing heavy.

"I missed you too." Isabelle whispered back, and Sweet Pea pulled her against him, into a warm, strong embrace.

"Please don't leave me again." he said against her blonde locks, pulling her off of the counter and gently setting her feet on the floor.

"Pinky promise." Isabelle grinned, pulling back from him to extend her pinky, soon to have it crossed and wrapped with Sweet Pea's much larger one.

He smiled back at her, and Isabelle stepped away, and began pulling her boots on.

Sweet Pea crossed his arms, a confused expression on his face. "You really need your summer reading books now?" he asked, raising a brow.

"Well, if you're going to not get sick of living with me, I need something to busy myself so I don't bother you." Isabelle shrugged, throwing in a playful wink for good measure.

"At least let me drive you." Sweet Pea offered, pulling his jacket on before Isabelle could respond. Isabelle had reluctantly allowed him to give her a ride to her mother's, and soon enough they arrived, seeing every light in the small house on.

"Yell if you need me." Sweet Pea squeezed her hand before she hopped off the bike, and ran up the side steps to her house, quickly and quietly.

Her plan was to sneak in and out, unnoticed. Upon slipping in the front door and up the stairs, came a growl mixed with a shout. "Who's there?" it was Rick's voice, and he sounded drunk.

"It's just me." she called back, hoping nothing further would come of it.

Isabelle quickly grabbed an old purse and shoved in her novels, slinging it over her shoulder before she was stopped in the doorway by the man. His eyes were red and his gaze was angry, looking for a fight.

"Excuse me." Isabelle said, pushing past him, heading for the stairs.

"Now where in the fuck do you think you're goin', girl?" he snarled from behind her, reaching his arms out and pressing down on her shoulders from behind.

"Get off me." Isabelle tried to pull away from his grip, which resulted in a swift push from the nasty old man and a moment later, she was flailing down the stairs, landing at the bottom with pain in her shins and pain in her left wrist, which she tried to catch herself with. She must have screamed because her mother ran into the front hall, a petrified look on her face.

"Rick!" her mother yelled up at the old man, who was hopping down the stairs, unbothered.

"Mom, help me," Isabelle pleaded, tears welling in her eyes as she looked up at her mother, but the older woman turn and walked back out to the kitchen, knowing best to leave Rick alone.

"That's what ya get, girl." Rick scoffed, rubbing his hands together as he leaned over Isabelle.

"I think the fuck not, asshole." came a deep voice, and all of the sudden Isabelle saw a leather boot connect with Rick's groin.

"Sweet Pea!" she exclaimed, pushing herself back against the wall, watching as the tall boy in the Serpent jacket grabbed Rick by the collar and held him against the wall, feet dangling.

"You put a hand on her one more fucking time, and I come back here and cut your hands off." he said slowly and calmly through his teeth.

Rick tried to reach a hand up to come at Sweet Pea, but before it could get near him, the younger boy reacted and connected his brass knuckles with Rick's jaw, and dropped him to his feet where he crumpled to the ground.

"Come on Sweets, let's go!" Isabelle shouted, pushing herself off the ground, cradling her sore wrist to her chest and grabbing the fuming boy's hand, dragging him out of the house, the only sound to be heard was Rick spitting blood as he laughed.

The pair jumped back on the bike and sped towards Sweet Pea's trailer as fast as they could, and Isabelle could feel the anger radiating off of him and his heavy breathing. She lay her head on his back in hopes of calming him down, but when they arrived back inside, she saw it didn't help.

"I should fucking beat the prick's head in!" he exclaimed, slamming the front door and kicking a kitchen chair, his fists balled up at his sides.

"Pea, stop." was all Isabelle could plead, coming to stand in front of him. He towered over her, a fire in his eyes that Isabelle hadn't seen in so long. "Hold me." she wrapped one arm around his waist, keeping her sore one to her chest, and his arms circled around her in response.

"I'm not letting you go back there." he said, resting his chin on her head. It was like a switch had flipped the moment she touched him.

"I won't. I'm so sorry, Pea." Isabelle's eyes welled with tears again, but she hurriedly blinked them away.

"Hey, it's not your fault." he pulled back to look at her, and Isabelle regarded him, seeing a softness in his eyes, and that told her that he was calm. "Are you hurt?" he asked, finally noticing her wrist clung to her.

"It'll be okay, just need some advil and ice." Isabelle sighed, and he guided her to the bedroom, helping her undress and slide on one of his large t-shirts, and finally she held her wrist out for him to observe.

He silently danced his fingers over the injury, pulling away when Isabelle gasped with pain.

"I've seen many sprains, and that's a sprain." he muttered, and disappeared into the bathroom, returning moments later with a wrap and advil.

With a strange expertise, he gently wrapped her wrist, and fastened it with a pin, followed by placing a glass of water and two advil in her hand.

Soon, the pair of them were tucked back into Sweet Pea's bed together, him cradling Isabelle against his side, and she never wanted him to let her go.

"Thank you. For helping me." Isabelle said, staring up at the ceiling.

"I didn't know it was that bad. I would have gotten you out sooner." Sweet Pea sighed, running his fingers through her long strands of hair, "No one deserves to go through that."

"You went through it." she replied, remembering the poorly detailed stories of Sweet Pea's childhood.

"I couldn't do anything about it then, Iz. I can now, and that's why I'm going to protect you, you had my protection all along, but now you have the Serpent's protection too. They know what kind of man Rick is, him being a Southsider since birth. They won't let him get away with abuse." Isabelle noticed how sure Sweet Pea sounded, like he was already planning a way to get back at him.

Isabelle let out a breath. "Nothing more can be done. It's over. I don't want anyone else involved.

"Just know you're safe now, okay? You'll always be safe with me." Sweet Pea reminded her, and she nodded, tucking herself even deeper into his side, waiting for the advil to kick in and sleep to overcome her.