*Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much!*
"Dean," I say as I see him heading toward the door. "Don't, please don't," I say begging.
"Don't?" he asks, "The hell with don't. He raped you, Ana, he fucking raped you and you don't want me to handle that piece of crap? No," he says, "I'm going to kill him."
"Dean, it's going to be like 5 on 1 don't do anything stupid," I say with tears in my eyes. "I'm okay. He didn't hurt me."
"He raped you, Ana, he violated you. He hurt you. He's not getting away with this. I'm not letting him get away with it."
"Dean, really, I'm okay," I say.
"Bullshit, Ana, you don't see the hurt in your eyes like I do. You don't hear the pain in your voice that I do," he says as I block the door.
"Let's just relax," I say as I cup his face. "Take away everything he did to me, Dean. Make me forget."
"Ana," he says as his body is pressed against mine, our foreheads touching. He strokes my cheek with his thumbs. "If I don't take care of this now," he says as I rub his stubble. "He's going to keep doing it. I have to stop this now. Ana, he violated you. He touched you and took away your security. You may not feel hurt but I know you are, Ana. Let me handle this. I have to take care of this."
"Fine," I say as I move away from the door. "But be careful."
"Hey," he says as he grabs my hand and pulls me into an embrace. "I love you, Ana. You're my world and that baby is my world. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you and not take care of it. I'll be careful. I promise. I love you," he says before he kisses the top of my head.
"I love you too," I say with a soft smile as I take in his scent and enjoy my time in his arms. "Go do what you need to do," I say.
"All right," he says before he gives my lips a soft kiss before we break our embrace. He opens the door and walks out to the living room as I follow behind him. As soon as we are out in the living room the smell of cigarette smoke fills the air and the smell of weed is mixed in with it, bottles of alcohol lay over the coffee table and the music is loud playing some type of rap music. "MACK!" yells Dean getting his attention before he charges at him sending me into shock as he slams him up against the wall. "You think it's okay to rape a 17 year old girl?"
"I ain't rape anyone. She wanted it. She wanted to see what a real man felt like," he says as he winks at me.
"You raped her," says Dean. "She said no. That means you raped her."
"She wasn't saying no earlier," he says with a smile. "She wanted it."
"She didn't want it," says Dean. "You took advantage of her. You raped her. She's not one of those whores that you work on the streets. That is my girlfriend, the mother of my child you don't put your hands on her. You don't touch her."
"What are you going to do about it?" asks Mack. "You think someone like her is going to stay with someone like you? She wants a man. She wants someone that's going to get the job done. You're just a little boy. If I want to put my hands on her I'm going to put my hands on her. She wants it. Look at her, she needs a man."
"Shut up," says Dean as I hear the anger in his voice. "Just shut up. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't snap your neck right now."
Mack lets out a laugh and that upsets Dean even more. "You think you can handle this?" he asks. "I want to see you try," he says. "Come on, tough guy. Let's see what you can do. With that baby of yours coming Ana is going to need a job and I'm going to work her out on the streets and I'm going to do whatever I want to her and you're not going to stop me."
"Son of a bitch," he says before he punches Mack in the face.
As soon as the punch is thrown Mack laughs and pushes Dean away. Mack's friends gather around Dean and start beating him up all together. Mack stands and watches as Dean gets his ass kicked. They are throwing punches and kicks while Dean can't get up to defend himself. One of Mack's friends picks Dean up from the ground but Dean starts to fight back, taking on all four of Mack's friends. He breaks free and gets to Mack. Mack and Dean start fist fighting in the living room. I close my eyes each time I hear Mack's fist connect to Dean's skin. Dean does well holding his own as his friends jump in so it is 5 on one. Dean is doing well until one of Mack's friends breaks a beer bottle over his head. "DEAN!" I cry out as I watch their assault. There's nothing that I can really do. Ellis walks in the door and sees the fight occurring.
"What is going on?" she asks.
"Your son attacked me," says Mack, "I had to take control of him."
"Get off of him," says Ellis as she tries to pull Mack's friends off of Dean but Mack pushes her back so she falls to the floor. "Mack, get them off my son and get them off now," she says as she sits on the floor.
"Get off of him," says Mack. "Let him go." His friends retreat and back away from Dean as he lies on the floor. I cover my mouth as the tears flow from my eyes as I rush over to him.
"Dean," I say as I am on my knees beside him. "Are you okay?" I ask as I see his face bloody from the broken beer bottle and his skin red from the blows.
"Ana," he says. "I'm good," he says as he sits up wiping the blood from his forehead.
"Someone better start talking," says Ellis, "what happened? I come home from work and see this going on in my living room. What is going on?" she asks as I get up to get Dean a towel and some ice for his face.
"Mack raped Ana," says Dean. "He raped her, Mom. I was at work and Ana was here by herself with him and he raped her."
"I didn't rape her," says Mack as his friends start to leave. "She came on to me. She wanted me. I didn't rape anyone."
"Dean," says Ellis. "You brought that girl into my house."
"You believe him?" asks Dean. "You think Ana would really come onto Mack? She's terrified of him and has been since the day she met him. She would never come on to him. He raped her."
"Ana," she says as I bring the towel and ice for Dean. "Is this true?" she asks as I help Dean to the couch.
"Is what true?" I ask as I start to clean Dean up.
"Did you come on to Mack?"
"No," I say. "He came on to me and I told him no. I tried to get away but he didn't let me. He raped me."
"I find this hard to believe," says Ellis.
"It's the truth," I say, "he raped me."
"You wanted it," says Mack. "You know you did."
"I didn't want it," I say. "I never wanted you. You attacked me."
"She's pregnant dude," says Dean, "and she's 17."
"Talk to your little girlfriend," says Mack. "She's the one that came on to me."
"I can't have this," says Ellis. "You know that, Dean."
"What are you saying?" asks Dean as he puts the ice on his swollen eye. "What are you talking about?"
"I can't have your girlfriend coming on to my boyfriend," she says, "you two are going to need to find a place to go. You two can't stay here," she says. "You need to leave."
"Are you kidding me?" asks Dean. I'm in shock myself. The fact that Ellis would take Mack's word over her son's word is pathetic. Mack raped me and not to mention the woman he was with before he violated me. "You're kicking us out?" he asks.
"Yeah," she says. "You have to leave. I can't have this in my house."
"After everything I've done for you, Mom you're just going to kick me out like this? You're really going to choose that asshole over me? You know what he's like and you don't believe that he raped Ana."
"I don't know what to believe," she says. "It's just best that you two leave."
"Mom," he says, "she's pregnant where are we supposed to go?"
"I don't know, Dean, but you can't stay here."
"This is bullshit," says Dean as he stands up and I stand up with him. "You choose this jerk again over your son and now you're future grandchild. What if he would have hurt the baby or what if something happens to the baby because of him? How are you going to feel? You're just going to choose him over me. That's fine, Mom."
"Dean," she says, "it's what's best. I can't have your girlfriend coming onto my boyfriend. It's better that you leave."
"We're going but what about your grandchild? What about it?"
"Dean," she says, "just go."
"We're going," he says taking my hand as we walk to his bedroom.
Dean starts to pack and I pack with him. "Where are we going to go?" I ask. "I mean where are we going to stay?"
"I don't know. I have some money for us to stay in a hotel tonight but tomorrow I guess I better start looking for an apartment for us."
"But how are we going to afford an apartment?" I ask. "What kind of job do you have that's going to get us an apartment?"
"We'll figure it out," he says.
"Maybe we can stay at my dad's for a while? We could go tonight and talk to him and see what he suggests. I'm sure he wouldn't mind letting us stay there for a while."
"I don't think your dad likes me too much, Ana so I'm not sure that's a good idea."
"But it's still better than staying in some hotel."
"Ana, you know your dad hates me and feels some type of way about me. Staying there may not be an option."
"But it's worth a try," I say.
"All right," he says, "we'll do it we'll talk to your dad and see if he can let us stay there."
"Are you okay? Do you need to go to the hospital?"
"For a little cut and a few bruises? No," he says, "I'm good. Do you think you need to go to the hospital to check on the baby? I mean after this afternoon you have to be stressed out which isn't good for the baby. Do you think we should go to the hospital to get checked?"
"I'm pretty sure everything is okay," I say with a smile as I rub my stomach. "I feel good," I say.
"All right," he says, "I've been reading my books and if you start to feel dizzy or light headed please let me know so we can get to the hospital right away. I still feel like we should go get checked but you say you're fine so I'm not going to push you. I just want to make sure everything is okay with you and the baby. You should file a report against Mack. You should at least get checked for an STD as well. I mean Mack is a dirty guy. I don't know what kind of girls he has been with. Did he use protection?"
"No," I say, "you think we should go to the hospital?"
"I think it's a good idea just to make sure the baby isn't under any stress and to make sure you don't have an STD or anything like that."
"All right," I say. "Let's go to the free clinic and then we can go to my dad's."
"All right," he says with a smile as we finish packing before we head to the free clinic. I have to hand it to Dean he is ignoring his own injuries to worry about me and the baby to make sure we are both okay.
A COUPLE HOURS LATER:
"Well," says the doctor. "Everything is looking okay with the baby. Its heartbeat is great and it's perfect. It looks good it doesn't appear to be under any stress or in trouble. Given the events of the day Anastasia's blood pressure remains normal and hasn't elevated. That's a good thing because she isn't under any stress. Everything appears to be good with the baby and mommy. You two are doing a great job during this pregnancy," he says, "everything looks good."
"And what about the STD test?" asks Dean. "Is she clean?"
"It is going to take a couple days before we get the results of those back. We will have to do another test in 6 months for HIV," he says.
"Why?" asks Dean. "Does she have HIV?"
"No," he says. "Sometimes it takes longer for it to show up in the blood stream. She could have it now but it wouldn't show up on the results but could show up in the next 6 months."
"Then what?" asks Dean, "what if she has an STD what happens to our baby?"
"We will have to put Anastasia on antibiotics to kill the infection as for the baby it could cause some defects and issues."
"What kind of defects and issues?" asks Dean with concern in his voice.
"Well, in some cases the infection could cause blindness depending on which STD it is, preterm labor, miscarriage and sometimes the infection could be transmitted to the child during delivery."
"So what you're saying is our child is at risk?"
"If there is a disease but as long as it is treated it should cut these risks down."
"And you said a couple days we will know for sure?" asks Dean.
"In a couple days," he says, "but I do want to put Anastasia on bed rest for a couple days even though she isn't showing signs of stress it doesn't mean that she won't in the next couple days. Her body just experienced a trauma. I think it's best that Ana just take it easy the next couple days."
"Okay," says Dean. "That we can do."
"Any other questions?" he asks.
"No," I say, "Dean?"
"No," he says, "Thank-you."
"You're welcome," says the doctor. "Everything looks good but just take it easy for the next couple days and we will call you with your results."
"Thank-you," I say with a smile.
After we leave the free clinic Dean and I decide it would be better to go stay at a hotel for a couple days rather than go talk to my dad. Dean feels talking to my dad might stress me out and he just wants me to relax and take it easy for the next couple days like the doctor suggested. I don't ask questions when we check into the hotel and Dean pulls a roll of money out of his pocket, there has to be at least $2,000 in his hand. I look at him as he hands the clerk the money it costs for two nights. "Very nice, Mr. Ambrose," he says with a smile. "Here is the key to your room. Please enjoy your stay."
"Thank-you," says Dean as he grabs the bags as I take the key. We make our way to the elevator.
"Where did you get all that money?" I ask.
"From working," he says, "I told you it's under the table stuff. It's not a big deal."
"That's like 2 grand, Dean, what kind of work are you doing?"
"Just work for a friend," he says, "it's nothing. I promise."
"Okay," I say as we step off the elevator and make our way to the room. "You're not dealing drugs are you?"
"I told you I was going to give that up," he says, "of course I'm not selling drugs."
"So why not just tell me what you're doing? Why are you being so secretive about it?"
"I'm not. I just told you I was doing work for a friend, Ana. It's not a big deal. It's good money and it's getting our baby what it needs. I was looking at a crib today when I got off work."
"Whatever, Dean," I say. I am too tired and too exhausted to even want to fight about it. Dean locks the door to the hotel room as I get settled into bed. "You were looking at cribs?" I ask with a smile as he climbs in next to me.
"Yeah," he says with a smile. "I want to buy a crib so I was looking at this white wooden crib. It was awesome. It had drawers connected to it as well as a changing table. I thought maybe I could pick it up for the baby."
"That would be wonderful," I say with a smile. "Let's go to the baby store together and pick out some stuff for the baby."
"Okay," he says. "I'm doing everything I can and everything I need to get money for our little Guppy."
"I know, Baby," I say as he wraps me up in his arms. "Thank-you for standing up for me today."
"You're my girlfriend and the mother of my child. It's my job to stand up for you. Mack took advantage of you."
"Yeah," I say as I wrap my arms around him nuzzling into his neck. "I love you, Dean."
"I love you too, Ana and I'm going to take care of you. I'm sorry that I got us kicked out but I promise we'll have a place to live soon. We'll talk to your dad about staying there till we find a place and then we'll move in together."
"Do you think we can afford it?"
"I'm going to try," he says as he plays with my hair. "I'm sorry about Mack. I should have never left you alone with him. I knew he was trouble and I'm sorry. If I hadn't left…"
"Dean," I say tracing his lip with my finger. "don't blame yourself. It's not your fault."
"It is," he says as he twirls my hair around his finger as he nuzzles into my hair, his lips on my forehead. "I knew he was an animal I should have known he was going to try something. I'm sorry, Ana."
"Don't apologize," I say, "it's okay. I'm fine, the baby's fine. I'm going to be all right. I passed out from it all so I don't really remember too much which is good."
"But still you're always going to know he raped you," he says, "and then my mom choosing him over me I am sick over it."
"It's okay, Dean, Mack has her blinded and she's scared of him. Of course she's going to choose him over you. She doesn't want to get hurt. Look, we're going to figure this out. Everything is going to be okay."
"I don't know I don't trust Mack. I don't' want him alone with her in that house but she doesn't want us there. How am I supposed to protect her now? I failed to protect you and our baby now I can't protect my mom," he says as I hear his voice crack. "If something happens to her, Ana.."
"Shhh," I say, "it's okay." I snuggle closer to him as he cries into my hair. I do my best to comfort him. I have never seen him so vulnerable and emotional as he is now. I know he loves his mom; she means everything to him so I know it's hard for him to be away and not be able to protect her from Mack. "I know you want to protect her and keep her safe, Dean, I understand. It's okay."
"You, my mom and that baby are the only things I have in this world. You three mean more to me than anything," he says through his cries. "I let you get hurt and now who knows what he's going to do to my mom."
"Shhh," I say comforting him as I feel him nuzzle further into my hair, suffocating me with his body as he wraps himself tighter around me.
"I love you, Ana," he says after a few minutes of crying but I can still feel his chest heaving. "I love you so much," he says, "and our baby. I love you both. You two are my family now. I need you, Ana, don't leave me."
"I'm not going anywhere," I say. "I'm going to be right here. I'm not going to leave you, Dean. It's you, me and the baby," I say, "we're going to be okay. We're not going anywhere."
"Please, Ana, don't, please don't leave me. I need you. Just hold me tonight. I need to feel you and smell you. I need to know you're here."
"I'm here, Dean," I say almost breaking at his need and his desperation. He's emotionally hurt. He's emotionally torn apart. He needs to know that someone is there for him. He needs to know that I'm not going to leave him. "I'm here."
"I love you," he says before his lips are on mine.
"I love you too, Dean," I say against his lips. "I'm not going anywhere but I don't want you to leave me either."
"I'm not going anywhere," he says. "I'm never going anywhere."
"Me either," I say before I kiss his lips softly.
*A/N: what did you think about Dean standing up for Ana? Was it unfair that Mack's friends jumped in? Would Dean have the upper hand if they weren't there? What about Dean's mom choosing Mack over Ana and Dean? Do you think them staying with Ana's dad is a good idea? What do you think he will say? What do you think about Dean's need for Ana to be there? Would you say he's emotionally dependent on her and she's emotionally dependent on him? Why do you think it's so important that they promise not to leave each other? HOw long do you think Dean can keep his secret about his job? Please review and thank-you for reading.