I'll Take Care of You (Warning: Abuse: Could be Triggering)

I stood in my kitchen with my bag over my shoulder, and a rag against my bleeding nose. My father had seen that I was gone before passing out that night, and it turns out, he hits even harder when he's sober. Once it stopped bleeding, I cleaned myself up, and walked over to the Thompson's house. A man came to the door when I knocked this time. "You must be Meg. Come on in. I'll get you some breakfast."

"Thank you very much sir."

"Please, just call me Bob." I nodded just as Tony came down. We ate pancakes together, talking about what we were going to do today before Dottie came in, gasping as she looked at me.

"What happened this time?" She questioned, holding my face gently, turning it from side to side.

"I got into a fight last night. I'm alright." She looked wary of my story, but couldn't really do anything about it, and she quickly drove us to school.

"Meg. If you ever want to talk, I'm here." She told me and I smiled.

"Thank you, you're very kind. Maybe sometime we can." I said as the bell rang and I waved, jogging off to my locker. I got through the day, as if on autopilot, just thinking about Gregory and all that happened last night. He wanted to court me. To be with me, basically forever, as I understand, and for some reason, I like the idea of that. Tony told me that he found out today that the crest from his vision is the McAshtons and we decided we needed to tell Rudolph as soon as possible. "I'll meet you out back in an hour." I told him as the sun just began to set and we finished our homework. I ran home, putting away my bag, and shoving my pillows into my bed to make it look like I'm there, before shutting off the lights and climbing out my window. I got to Tony's house just as he was walking out the back door and we practically ran all the way to the cemetery. We were just walking inside when we heard Fredrick yelling at Gregory.

"You bit him!?"

"Just a taste." He responded and I felt like I was going to throw up. I kind of dazed out for a moment but when I came back I regretted it even more.

"What would you have us do?"

"Fight Back! Make these mortals blood run cold!" I couldn't take it anymore. I ran. I ran and I kept running until I got all the way home, where I was met with a fist to the face.

"You thought a pillow would trick me?! You need to learn who's boss!" My father shouted, smacking me again. I fell to the ground, only to be met with a boot to my stomach.

"I'm Sorry! Please! Stop!" I begged as he kicked me again. He grabbed me by my hair suddenly, dragging me into the bathroom, and throwing me into the bathtub, smacking my head against the wall, making me see stars. He turned on the shower, drenching me in freezing cold water and I watched as my blood went down the drain.

"I just came to tell you I'm leaving town tonight for a business trip. Well, I guess now since I had to wait so long for you to get home. I'll be back in a week. We could have avoided all of this if you had just been where you were supposed to be. Good night sweetheart." He turned off the water, before walking out and leaving me there. It took me about 20 minutes to get the energy to pull myself out of the bath tub and crawl to my room. Just as I was crawling out of the bathroom I came face to boots with someone.

"Meg…Tony told me you were there earlier. I'm so sorry you saw all of that. I went kind of crazy. I just can't stand the thought of another 300 years as a vampire. Can you forgive me?" I did forgive him. I understand completely. I just can't open my mouth to say it. "Love, why are you soaking wet? And on the floor?" I tried talking but all that came out was a strained sob and he kneeled down quickly, pulling me up, making me cry out. "Jesus! Oh my god. Baby, what happened?!"

"Gregory…hurts…"

"What hurts baby?"

"Everything." I sobbed and he nodded, standing and removing his jacket, tossing it onto my bed before picking me up and carrying me to the bathroom.

"Alright, let's dry you off a little. I'm sorry, but I have to take these clothes off."

"No!" I begged.

"I promise, I'll be the perfect gentleman, but they're covered in blood and freezing." He gently wiped my face with a hand towel before drying my hair as much as possible and putting it up in a bun for me. "I'll be gentle okay?"

"Please no…" I sobbed, knowing he was about to see everything. He knows I have scars, but he doesn't know about even half of them.

He grabbed another towel, before carrying me back to my room and quickly picking out some new clothes for me. He eased my shirt over my head carefully, before unsnapping my bra. He concentrated on drying me off before helping me into a sports bra and a sleep shirt. My boots came off next, before my pants, I heard him gasp as he saw me for the first time, all the scars, up and down my legs. "Why? Why would you do this to yourself?" He begged, holding me close to him, burying his face in my neck.

"I just do…I don't think about it. I've just been doing it for 3 years…I don't know how to stop." I sniffled and he held my face in his hands. I will help you. I'm going to come back with my family when we're human and you're going to stay with us, with me, and I'm going to take care of you. I promise, I'll keep you safe." I was sobbing at this point, before I felt his cold lips press to mine gently. I had never been kissed before, but if this is what it always feels like, I don't know how I'll ever want to stop. Just in this one kiss, I felt safe, and protected and loved. It was perfect, and exactly what I needed at this moment. "Let's finish getting you dressed and then you'll come stay with us at Tony's."

"Tony's?" I questioned painfully as he slipped my underwear off.

"Rookery attacked us, so now we're staying in Tony's basement until tonight." He dried my legs before helping me into new underwear and some baggy pajama pants. "Come on, let's get you to bed." I put my slippers on, grabbed a blanket, and smiled as he lifted me into his arms and carried me back to Tony's, and into the basement, where he cuddled me to him inside a basket.

"This is the weirdest sleeping arrangement I've ever seen." I chuckled and he smiled against my neck.

"Until tonight my love." I kissed him softly, before snuggling into him more and closing my eyes, falling into a peaceful sleep.

Meg's School Clothes: cgi/set?id=189007643

Meg Staying With Gregory: cgi/set?id=189009023