Hey everyone. I would like to apologize that I didn't update this summer.

I had school and work so I was quite busy. I hope you can forgive me.

Anyway, enjoy the third chapter!

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"Hey, Butch, sorry I'm late. They just wouldn't let me leave." I said, jogging up to my friend. Butch was leaning against the side of the pool house, but straightened himself when he was me coming up. I had been hanging out with Butch for about three months, but it didn't feel like it. It was only the beginning of March but it was starting to get warmer, meaning Butch and I could start doing more things together. Mostly all we have done is walk around the park or go see a movie. With the warmer weather coming we could start sports, I try not to think about swimming in the summer, because I know it will just end badly for me. My sisters are still slipping me Antidote X whenever they can, so I doubt I will win any game, but that isn't really the point. My sister's abuse of me has escalated to more saver tactics and is borderline murder attempts then normal abuse. My diary keeps a record of everything they have done to me, as well as all the things I have done with Butch. He has made my life a lot more livable, although I still cut myself. I cut only when I am at my house now, I don't want Butch to know. I don't really know what he will think if he sees my wrist and the other places on my body to cut. I don't want Butch to find out about anything that is happening at my house. I did give an excuse as to why I am covered in bruises sometimes, and why I can't always come and he seemed to believe me but I don't know if he really did.

It may seem fast, but I have fallen for Butch. It sounds weird coming from me, I know, but I haven't been feeling like myself in quite a sometime. I don't know exactly when, but I can say I do love him. He is a flirt but he is a nice guy too. We are counterparts so we just sort of click together, I guess. I can talk to him and hang out with him without fear, and in my present life style it is a welcomed relief. I feel like dying after every time my sister's hurt me, but I never do in because I usually have plans with Butch the next day. I can't die without saying good bye to Butch, but every time I see him the next day I forget to tell him goodbye. It is completely stupid and I should just end it all as soon as I can, but I can't. Butch is my reason to live, whether he knows it right now or not.

"That's fine. I just got here too. I am not saying I forgot about you, it just took me longer than I thought it would to wake up this morning." Butch said smiling. It was a Saturday afternoon, so I had no doubt Butch had gone out partying last night and had a bit of a hangover. Butch offered to take me to parties but because of my sisters I knew I couldn't. I wish I could have gone. I used to go out before everything started, and I always had a really great time. However when everything started, my escapes were limited to school and these times when I could hang out with Butch.

"So where are we going today?" I asked, pulling my sleeves down a little. It was a deal we had made between us that whoever made it to the rendezvous point first would decided were we got to hang out for that day. It was a fun idea because it was always a race to see who would get there first. It wasn't uncommon for Butch to choose where we were going for a week. Not that I really complain, we like the same places so it's not like he's taking me somewhere I would hate. We go to our favorite burger store a lot considering the food is so good and it's so cheap with my discount. We go to the movies some times, if there are any action movies that look nice, sometimes we even see movies multiple times if they're good enough. Then of course we stay in the park if we can't think of anything. It's not always as boring as it sounds. Most times we just sit on the swings and can talk for hours. Sometimes we talk about school, Butch and his brothers go to a school outside of Townsville where no one really knows them. Sometimes we talk about nothing at all. I enjoy those times the most. We just talk and talk and enjoy ourselves and being with the other.

"Well, I thought we would… Buttercup where the fucking hell did this come from?" Butch asked, almost scared as he forced me to look up. I felt him run two fingers gently around my neck from ear to ear. I knew exactly what he was talking about, but I was not going to explain where. I was glad Butch was gentle when touching it, because I could still feel the pressure of it being made on my skin. I pushed his hand away from me, and took a step back adjusting my jacket to try and hid the purplish blue marking that encircled my throat. I knew it didn't work so well considering it was so high up on my neck, but I had to try my best.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I mumbled. I would rather play dumb than have to explain anything. "Now the real question is do you have a place set for us, or are you going to defer it to me because there is…" I started but Butch interrupted me.

"Buttercup, we are not going anywhere until you tell me where you got hurt. And you better not fucking tell me that it was some weird accident. I have caused enough damage to others and to you to know accident when I see one." I could tell that Butch was fighting to stop himself from yelling. I didn't know if he was doing it for my sake or for his. I bit my bottom lip, thinking. There was no way in hell that I could completely play it off as nothing, the look in Butch's eyes told me as much. He was dead set on knowing what had hurt me. I could come up with a lie, but I knew Butch would be able to see right through it. I was a good liar but Butch would not be taking any bullshit from me today. I would have to find a way to explain this as a onetime deal, and would never be happening again, plus I had to keep my cutting a secret as well.

"Fine, but come inside." I said, grabbing his hand and pulling him into the pool house. I didn't want to have to explain what happened but I knew Butch would not let it go. Thankfully, Butch followed me without a word. I knew he would blow up when I told him exactly what happened. I wondered if I would be able to hold him down when he did, most likely not. Butch was always stronger than me when we fought, and that was when I had my full power. Now that I am even below half power I was no match for him, but I knew I couldn't let him do anything in his fit of anger. I did not want to him to hurt anyone because he was too mad to think straight. I sat down on a lifeguard's chair staring at the ground, thinking of how I should phrase my predicament. Butch remained standing, glaring at me as if I was the one at fault for breaking his favorite skateboard.

"Spill it, Buttercup. Who hurt you?" He ordered.

"Okay, Bubbles did it. Are you happy now?" I yelled up at him. I noticed he flinched a little. I don't know why he would flitch at it like it was a hit or something. Maybe it was the bluntness of my statement, or it was just the way I said it. Then again if someone had told me that Bubbles had intentionally hurt them then I would be shocked as well.

"Wait, Bubbles? As in your sister Bubbles?" Butch yelled completely confused. I only nodded; I didn't know how he wanted me to answer that. He gripped my shoulders tightly, shaking me lightly as he spoke. "How the hell did she hurt you? Has she hurt your before? Tell me everything."

"Okay," I said almost reluctantly. "I sitting on the couch in the living room, and Bubbles came up behind me and wrapped her scarf around my neck and she didn't pull it off until after I lost consciousness. That is why I was late. It's not that my sisters wouldn't let me leave; it is that I didn't wake up until after we agreed to meet." I explained. Butch started pacing, and it was making me feel uncomfortable. I didn't know what was going through his mind right now. Was he planning to get revenge or not because Bubbles was still my sister?

"You are still not telling me everything, Buttercup." Butch growled while still pacing. I shifted in my seat and took a deep breath. I could start to feel tears well up in my eyes, but I didn't want to let them spill over. I was weak, I knew that, but did I have to go as far as lying naked in front of Butch. I wasn't ready to tell Butch about everything, couldn't he tell that? Was he really going to force this information out of me? "BUTTERCUP!" He yelled and I couldn't take it anymore.

"Fine you want to know, I'll tell you!" I yelled jumping to my feet. "My sisters are flat out abusing me. Blossom started it a year ago, pissing me off and fighting me. Then of course I was the one who always got in trouble for it because I was the problem child. I was the one who couldn't control my anger and threw the first hit. It wasn't long until I got tired of getting punished for nothing so I stopped fighting, and do you want to know what happened next? Bubbles started attacking me. I'm sure you know what happens when Boomer snaps, same damn thing happens to Bubbles. Every day they attack me, Bubbles leaving bruises you can see, Blossom leaving ones you can't, not to mention they're poisoning me. Why do you think I walk everywhere? It's because I can't fly, they are giving me Antidote X in everything I eat. That is also why I am always so hungry after school because I am trying to eat as little food as possible that has poison in it. I have a record of everything they have done to me, Butch. You would bow before the evil doings of my sisters." I could feel my tears flowing when I starting talking about Bubbles. I feel back into the chair, too weak to stand anymore. I pressed my fingers into my eyes to try and stop the tears. I sat there crying, not wanting to look at Butch but still waiting for him to react.

Next thing I knew was I was pulled to my feet in a strong hug. One of Butch's arms was holding my lower back; the other was forcing my face into his chest. I was glad that he couldn't see my face and I wrapped my arms around him and cried into his shirt. It had been a long time since I had cried so hard. One of the last times when I did was the night I had given up, the night before I started cutting. Everything, my pain and all the emotion I had been holding in came out as I cried. It almost felt like cutting, but I had to say cutting felt a lot better than crying. Butch started to rub circles into my back, calming me down the more he touched me. A gentle touch on my skin was foreign but welcomed at the same time. It took a while but my tears slowed and my snuffles were broken apart by hiccups.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Buttercup. I didn't realize it was that bad. I thought it was only a onetime thing. Please forgive me. I would never want to cause you harm, you have to believe me about that. I'm sorry I forced you to tell me. I understand why you were so defensive about it now. I should never have forced you to tell me. I love you too much to…" Butch froze mind sentence, and truthfully so did I. It took a second to really understand what Butch had said. I wanted to look up at his face, but he kept my face in his chest. He didn't say anything but I could feel his heart beating quickly. I tried to push away from him, but he was too strong. "Buttercup, before you stay anything let me explain. I do, I do love you. I have loved you for a long time. Three months ago, I was flying over the park trying to think of a way to approach you without you thinking about our past, when I saw you. I can't tell you how happy I was when I saw you were alone. And then I saw you start to fall, and I knew this was my opportunity. I caught you and you know the rest. The past three months have been the best time for me."

"Butch," I whispered, pushing lightly against him again. I didn't want to get out of his hold; I just wanted to be able to see his face. He was a little reluctant at first but eventually he let me look up at him. "The past three months have been an escape for me. Whenever I'm with you, I forget about the Hell that awaits me at home. You don't understand how happy I am because of the fact that I have someone I can go to and just relax. You are my only true friend I have had in over two years, and now you are the only person who knows what is really going on with me." I smiled, but I noticed that Butch didn't calm down. "Butch, I love you too." I said looking down to hide a two of us here; no one was going to over hear us. Butch pulled me into a tight hug again.

"Buttercup, I want you to call me whenever this happens, okay? I don't care how minor it is, or at what time it is. Even if you want to meet at midnight, I will be there." Butch said, and I only nodded. I wasn't against this plan but I didn't know how well that would work. I knew Butch would fly to my side at a moment notice but what would he do? Would he really take me away from that house if I asked him too? I doubt I could leave that house, even with Butch's help.

"Butch, how is this going to work?" I asked, looking up at his face. He seemed confused. Did he think that just because we loved each other that it meant it was going to be smooth sailing? It was going to be the exact opposite of that. "Everything will change. What will your brothers think about us going out? I know that my sisters will not like it. They barely let me have friends, why would they let me have a boyfriend? Besides my sisters probably won't let you anywhere near the house, let alone me. They would think you were there to take away their favorite punching bag. And without my powers I can't help you fight them off or fly up the volcano for escape."

"Don't worry. Nothing will change. My brothers don't care what I'm doing, so I doubt that they will care if I'm going out with you. And I do what to take away you away from them. I want to protect you Buttercup." Butch then leaned down closer to me. I could feel his breath against my face. "I'll do anything to keep you safe. I love you." Before I knew what was going on, Butch's lips were on mine. Butch was kissing me, and I couldn't be happier. I instantly kissed him back, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him closer to me. Butch's arms were still around my waist and they pulled me closer. I could have died happy at that moment. I knew then if Butch kissed me like this every day then nothing my sisters did to me would really matter. I was safe for the moment and I was loved. Those were the two things I had wanted for so long but was unable to have. When Butch and I pulled away needing air, I knew my face was bright red but I didn't care. Butch loved me and I loved him and we were together. He would keep his promise and keep me safe from everything. It was strange to think that I could be this close with someone who I had once hated with my entire being at one point in my life.

"I love you too, Butch." I whispered back, before kissing him again. We spent the rest of the day in the pool house just kissing and cuddling. We couldn't stay too long because of my sisters would start looking for me, but that was okay for now. I began to wonder what would have happened if we did have the time to do whatever we wanted. I wondered how far we would have gone; in a place where no one would interrupt us the possibilities were endless. I wouldn't have minded if we had down more, but now was not time. Butch flew me part way home because he had been running late, and he gave me a finial kiss before he left. I walked into my house in a daze, unaware of the pain that awaited me.

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IM SO SORRY FOR THE SLOW UPDATE!

I have so much to do, I'm barely awake through it all.

I will try to get the next chapter up quick but no promises, I'm sorry.

Thank you for waiting so long and reading, please review