I dropped the blankets in a heap, creating a barrier of sorts in between us.

"I have a fifty in my pocket with your name on it, honey." He snarled angrily, breathing into my face a warm gust of alcohol filled air, grabbing my face in his hand and squeezing my cheeks so I was pouting. "It'll be nice to get into you one more time, but only tonight. I can see," he paused, glaring at Nicks door; "'Fang' has taken quite an interest in you."

I opened my mouth as much as I could with him holding my cheeks the way he was and tried to call for Nick. All that came out was a squeak.

"Save your voice, precious. You're gonna need it for when I make you scream later." He winked at me. I know what you're thinking, the great Maximum Martinez, frozen, not saying anything and yes, under normal circumstances I would've kicked the crap out of him by now but I couldn't. Not him. Not with what he used to do to me. I shook my head, tears spilling over my lids and down my cheeks. "Don't resist you little whore!" He pushed me up against the wall and started kissing me. It wasn't like the ones I had shared with Fang; it was forceful like he was trying to get something out of this... Like Dylans kisses. No. My boyfriend is nothing like Joe.

The feeling of his tongue against my lip brought me out of my shivering stupor; I raised my hands and pushed as hard as I could on his chest trying to push him off of me. He pulled away the slightest bit, "Getting frisky are you?" He smiled but it looked more like a grimace. And then he did it. He unbuckled his pants and mine and was going to pull down his briefs when I heard Fang come out from his room talking loudly.

"Max, I've had the pillows sorted for ages. What's taking so long? Did you get lost? Do you need -?" He stopped finally coming to the end of the hall and seeing what Joe was doing. "What the fu-? What are you -? What?" He could barely get his sentences out. He looked at me and more tears came rolling from my cheeks, I squeaked again. Nicks face changed, it went from normal to shock to scary mad. "Get. Away. From. Her."

Joe went pale even though Nick was two heads shorter than he was. He fell backwards on his jeans and swallowed clumsily.

"She wants me." He slurred going down the steps slowly. "And you can't protect her all the time. She has to stay the night, which means so do I. Maybe we can share the guest bedroom."

Nick took a step forward, "Leave."

Joe stumbled down the rest of the stairs, leaving me sniffing on top of the blanket with my jeans half open in front of Nick. Once he had made sure Joe was gone he came over to me and placed a hand on my neck, stroking the skin there with his thumb. "You okay?"

I shook my head no and a wave of new tears came and I started sobbing. Nick looked shocked for a minute before he wrapped his arms around me and rocked me back and forth whispering comforting words to me. I had managed to stop crying again and I was just sniffing and hiccupping every now and then.

"Why didn't you call for me? For anyone?" He whispered into my hair. I shook my head into his neck and sniffed, accidently breathing in his musky scent.

"I couldn't." I hiccupped, "I wanted to... B-b-but I was too scared and I thought he was going to r-r-ra-." I couldn't finish, thinking of what could have happened if Nick wasn't there.

"I know, I know. It's okay. He won't hurt you. I promise." He stroked my hair and I heard the front door bang. "See he's so scared he left." I could feel his smirk on the top on my head and I found myself smiling too, despite the tears still on my cheeks, my sniffing and my hiccupping. I heard footsteps on the stairs and cringed into Nick a little more, fisting my hands into his shirt. He reacted by tightening his arms around me.

"Fang, don't let him hurt me." My voice cracked as I looked up into his eyes. (A/N; It could be because I played it before I went to sleep but when she looks into his eyes I was imagining the moment in Final Fantasy X-2 *spoiler alert* when Lenne and Shuyin are about to get killed [you see it in the sphere? or at the concert? or both?] and they look at each other and she smiles at him and then they get shot and they die. Sweet thought to go to sleep on, huh? :D Back to the story...)

He didn't say anything but looked at me with a look that said, 'I won't'.

I buried my face in his neck and hiccupped when the footsteps reached the landing.

"What's going on?" Iggys voice boomed, making me jump.

"Max!" Ella squealed, "What did you do to her!" She snapped at Nick.

"I didn't do anything it was Joe!" Fang snapped back. I sniffed, and pulled away from Nick.

"Fang didn't do anything! Actually he did! If it wasn't for him..." I shuddered and gripped his shirt even tighter. Ella seemed to understand and rested her hand on my shoulder. Iggy just took a deep breath through his teeth.

"If I had been here, he wouldn't be able to stand. I guarantee it." Iggy swore, clenching his fists.

"I know, Ig. Thanks." I smiled weakly at him, standing up and pulling Fang with me. I released his shirt and hugged him quickly. "Thanks." I whispered in his ear. He squeezed my waist in response.

"Argh!" Iggy jumped away from us.

"What!" Fang pulled away from me, glaring at Iggy. He pointed at my pants.

"She's wearing smiley face undies!" Iggy shuddered. "I'll never look at smiley faces the same. Ever again. E ver."

I blushed red and zipped up my jeans, not looking at anyone as I bent down and started picking the blankets up. Fang chuckled and took the bag from Ella, being as chivalrous as always.

We walked into the bedroom and I threw the blankets on the make-shift bed Fang had made. I turned, right into the wall. Otherwise known as Fang. He smirked down at me.

"You called me Fang." He announced.

"Huh?" I asked, not looking into his eyes, knowing that I'd get lost in them if I did.

"Earlier, you hugged me and said Fang, don't let him hurt me."

"I was upset and it just fit." I shrugged looking around for where Iggy had dropped my bag.

"You gonna call me that from now on?" He held my shoulder; I looked at him and smiled.

"Yeah, I think I will."

Okay, have to tell you all this now, any mistake you see here, such as a missing capital letter or a mixed up word (ahd instead of had or nda instead of and) I apologize because my laptop frigs everything up So anyways. Decided to leave the chapter like this. 'Cos it's cutesy.

Peackies!

-Aisling x