Peyton's eyes were sore. She had been crying so much that her eyes physically hurt. Derek had been determined to sleep tightly by her side all night, spooning her, and she was completely exhausted from it. She hadn't slept at all, as he had held his arms around her, and every now and again stroked her back or kissed her neck, sending chills down her spine. She had been shivering and crying quietly, hoping she would not wake him, her body rigid, fearing he would do what she most feared he would. It had been an endlessly long night, but he had not made a move other than to hold her, stroke her body and kiss her. Not that that hadn't been bad enough to endure. He had been stripped down to his boxers, but had not made a move to undress her. Not that she would ever allow it if he'd tried. The next morning, he had kissed her head and left her alone, as she pretended to still be asleep. When he left, she could finally relax her tense muscles a little, at last. She was still too frightened to sleep, though. Peyton did not know how long he had left her there by now, but she kept praying he would never come back. Only wishful thinking, of course.

He did come back.

"Good morning, sleepyhead. I made you some breakfast." He beamed at her, and closed the bedroom door behind him. Peyton refused to look at him or talk to him. She had decided that the best way to rebel would be not to acknowledge his existence. It seemed to work, as he looked annoyed when she did nothing to show she had noticed he was there.

"It's chicken soup. Warm and delicious… you haven't eaten since coming here, you must be hungry, precious," he continued, and sat down on the bed. Peyton kept lying in the same position, staring at the wall. She could feel him starting to finger her hair, and was tempted to slap his hand away, but avoided doing so. She was too afraid of him.

"Peyton… look at me. I don't want us to fight. I need you to eat for me, okay? You look really pale, baby." Peyton closed her eyes in loathing. She hated when he called her that. And sure, she was hungry as hell, but she'd rather starve than eat anything from him.

His jaw tensed. "Why do you have to be so difficult, Peyton?" he said irritably, his brows furrowed. Without warning, Derek grabbed her face, turned her to him and pressed her jaw open. Peyton gasped for breath as he shoved a spoon of soup into her mouth. It got caught in her throat, and she started choking and coughing, tears streaming down her face.

"Are you going to be a good girl now, huh?" Derek asked sharply. Peyton stabbed him with her eyes, but silently opened her mouth as he fed her another spoon. Peyton could feel her fear turning into anger, and after he fed her another spoonful, she spit it back out angrily, hitting him right in the face. She saw his face turning angry and his shoulders tense in anger. He slowly wiped the soup off his face, and raised his hand in the air, slapping her. She whimpered in pain, and then he slapped her again, making her face fall to the pillows.

"Someone can't behave today," he sighed. Peyton raised herself up from the pillows and stared at him, her chest filled with hatred she had never felt for another human being before.

"I don't want to hurt you, Peyton. But you're making it really hard when you behave like a stubborn brat."

"Why are you doing this to me, Derek? You're better than this, I know you are! Please! You don't even know what you're doing! Please…" she pleaded, hoping he would somehow realize what how sick this was.

"I know what I'm doing. I love you."

Peyton couldn't understand how he could be so delirious. How could Derek not see how wrong this all was?

"This isn't love, Derek! Don't you see that? This is insanity! If this was love, then why did you have to take me by force? If this was love, then why am I being held captive against my will? If you really loved me, you would want me to be happy. If you really loved me, you would let me go…"

"Let you go?" he sneered. "I didn't force you into this. You wanted me to do this! I saw you on your webcam, and it was like you were giving your soul to me. I know you were calling to me. You forced me to do this. Because of the way you dressed, the way you flirted, the way you looked at me with those pretty eyes… You made me crave you, and now I'm just doing what you wanted me to. What you needed me to, but you couldn't say out loud."

She shook her head indignantly. "I-I didn't, I didn't ask for this-"

"Yes Peyton, you did. Your body and soul called out to me, even if your brain didn't recognize it..." He stared intently at her. "I had already been watching you for almost two years when I introduced myself to you," Derek said and smiled lovingly. "On you podcasts, you kept talking about how you were afraid you'd never meet the right guy. But I'm right here, Peyton. I'm right here, your Mr. P. Sawyer, and I'll never leave you. You say people always leave. I will never leave you, ever. I promise you that." He looked lovingly at her, but all she could feel was cold fear. He had been watching her for two years?

Tears of anger and denial started falling down her face. She didn't know how to get through to him. And she wanted to hurt him. She wanted to make him feel just a little part of the agony she was feeling.

"But you're not Lucas," she whispered.

"What?" Derek said, his eyes growing smaller.

"Lucas. I don't love you, I love him," she said, her voice growing stronger by each word. "I will never love you, no amount of time will make that happen. Not even when Hell freezes over… it'll still be Lucas! You make me feel sick." Peyton fiercely said, with extra pressure on the last word. She knew she had gone too far, but it felt good.

"Take that back," he said seriously.

"No! I love Lucas, Lucas, Lucas!" she growled, enjoying the provoked look on his face.

Then he cracked. The bowl of soup fell to the floor as Derek stood up and punched Peyton hard in the face. She screamed and felt the warm blood streaming from her nose into her mouth. He punched her in the face again, slamming her into the wall and she fell to the bed, bleeding and breathless, tears streaming.

"Don't you say his name again," he panted furiously, oozing of jealousy. "Yeah, you just lie there and cry, you little bitch! You asked for it! You hear me? YOU ASKED FOR IT!" he yelled, leaving the room and slamming the door behind him.

Peyton couldn't believe how it was possible to transform so fast. In one moment, he was this "caring" guy (in his own sick way), and in the next, he suddenly became a furious monster. Peyton sobbed into the pillow, feeling the intense pain from his violence hammering in her face.

She just wished to be anywhere but here. She wished for this to end.

Please… someone help…