"Hey Carson" John Cena Jr. called as I walked past their house, he was once again in the front yard playing football with his brothers, it was a ritual of theirs every day it was nice out. "Hi John" I returned continuing to walk not looking back because I knew I would stare at his shirtless body if I did. "Woah, are you okay? You've been avoiding me lately." He stated jogging over and pulling me to a stop. "I'm fine John" I whispered eyes on my feet until he put a finger under my chin and tilted my head up so our eyes locked. "He's doing it again isn't he?" he asked softly, he was the only person who knew about what happened in my house. Nodding slowly I diverted my eyes not wanting to see the pity on his face, "Hey, you know if you need anything my room is always open. My parents don't care, they think we're dating anyway" he sighed pulling me into a tight hug and holding me. "Thanks Johnny, I gotta go. I'll come over when I can" I sighed stepping onto my tiptoes to kiss his cheek before I was pulling myself from his arms and walking the remaining few feet to my own house. I had lived next to the Cenas since I was 7, John was the first person to talk to me at school and from there we just hit it off. We were 14 when he realized what happened behind closed doors in my family, he tried to get me to tell people but I was never brave enough to do it. No one else was home so I went upstairs and started working on my homework, thinking about the blonde haired, blue eyed boy next door. Everything was okay until my dad got home, it was always the worst when he got home before my mom because then there was no one else to stop him from taking out his anger on me. "There you are you little slut" he growled slamming my bedroom door open, "I'm so sick of everyone at work asking about you and my whore of a wife. You're both probably sleeping with all of them aren't you?" he spat back handing me, his ring cutting my cheek open with the force he had used. "Yeah, that's why I got demoted isn't it? You aren't good enough." He yelled slapping me again, with enough force to knock me off the bed my head hitting the corner of my nightstand. "I'll teach you to be good, yeah and then I'll get promoted" he nodded unbuckling his pants and pulling his boxers down. "Gotta piss, when I get back you best be ready for me. Or it's your fault it hurts" he threatened walking from my room down the hall to the bathroom. As soon as the door shut I closed and locked my door packing as many clothes and supplies in my duffle bag as I could before I snuck out my window. Carefully scaling down the side of the house I ignored the scrapes on my hands and legs from the tree as I dropped the last few feet and sprinted across the yard to the Cena house.

I wasn't sure if I should knock on the front door or just go straight to John's room, not knowing if his parents were home I headed for his window. It wasn't hard to climb the tree and wiggle through the open window, the scrapes and bruises not mattering as I curled into the corner of the room and started to cry, waiting for the boy to come upstairs. It was only about an hour and a half later that his voice and footsteps finally sounded on the stairs, he was telling his mom he was going to work on homework and then go to bed. When she told him she loves him and goodnight the tears started again, that was something I would never get and I couldn't remember if my mom had ever said it to me when I was younger. "Carson? Oh my god, are you okay?" he gasped softly closing and locking his door before he ran to my side and looked me over. "Carson, my mom needs to help you clean all of these, they look infected already, and your head is bleeding" he sighed brushing his fingers lightly over my temple, the same spot that had hit the corner of the nightstand. "No, John please" I whimpered shaking my head at the thought of an adult finding out my situation. 'Please Carson, I don't want them to get infected." He nearly begged, a tear slipping from his eye as he helped me to my feet, I wanted to tell him no, but my love for him outweighed my fear of my parents. "Okay" I nodded letting him take my hand and lead me across the hall to the bathroom where he had me wait while he ran downstairs.

JOHN POV

I wanted to kill them both, she didn't deserve to get used as a punching bag, and she shouldn't have to scrape herself up escaping her bedroom or trying to get into mine without being seen. It made my insides boil at the thought of the things he did to her, she wouldn't tell me exactly but it didn't take a genius to figure out that it was more than emotional abuse and hitting. "Wait here" I whispered watching her sit down on the toilet before I ran down the stairs and into the kitchen where my mom was doing dishes while she talked with my dad. "Mom, can you come here please" I asked softly not wanting to freak either of them out, sure they knew something went on in Carson's house but I never told them just how bad it was that she snuck into my room more nights than not. "What's wrong?" she asked already drying her hands, I didn't know what to say that would get her to come right away so I had to tell her the truth, and I knew she would tell my dad anyway. "It's Carson…she's in the bathroom upstairs." I whispered dropping my eyes to the floor so I missed the look they sent each other. "John Felix Anthony Cena, you tell me what is going on right now." She demanded her arms crossed over her chest, both of my parents staring at me, waiting for an explanation. "Carson she…her parents..." I couldn't get the word out but they both knew what I meant "do they abuse her John" my dad asked quietly getting to his feet and placing a hand of reassurance on my shoulder. Nodding I had to grit my teeth for the next part "It's mostly her dad, emotional, physical, I'm pretty sure he sexually abuses her too but she won't tell me. She's upstairs in the bathroom she's got scrapes and bruises everywhere." I whispered looking to my mom who simply nodded and gestured for me to go first. Walking back up the stairs it broke my heart to hear her sobs the closer we got to the bathroom. "Carson, I'm coming in okay?" I called slowly opening the door to see her sitting in the corner in her bra and underwear, wounds littering her body, new and old.

END JOHN POV

"Oh my god" John's mom gasped her hand covering her mouth as John helped me to my feet and she looked me over. "Go get her some of your clothes to sleep in while I clean her up" she ordered taking John's place supporting me while he went to get clothes. "Is it just outside damage?" she asked quietly using antibiotic wipes to clean my skin. Nodding I continued to look at the floor knowing what she was asking "I left before he could" I faded off not wanting to say the words but knowing she would understand. It didn't take her very long to clean me up but I suppose with 5 boys she sees her fair share of wounds. "Here, they'll be big" John whispered slipping back into the bathroom with a t-shirt and boxers. "Thank you" I returned carefully pulling them both on before curling myself into his body. "Go get some rest, I'll call you out of school tomorrow. We can talk in the morning" Carol informed pushing us both out as she cleaned up the mess that had been made in the bathroom. "Come on shorty, let's go lay down" John sighed leading me to his bedroom and over to the bed. I let him lay down first before I joined pressing my body right beside him, the contact making me feel slightly better. "Johnny, have you ever thought about just leaving? No destination just drive and see where life takes you?" I asked quietly resting my head on his chest, his heartbeat soothing me. "Like for good? Or on an adventure?" he asked running his hand carefully through my hair. "On an adventure, just see who you meet or what you can accomplish" I shrugged tracing the indentations of his muscles as we spoke. "Sure, I think it'd be fun to just get in a car and drive, not alone of course, but with someone that matters" he nodded "Actually last year all of us boys were supposed to go on a road trip but then we ended up getting grounded for almost starting the backyard on fire." He laughed his chest shaking underneath me as I smiled slightly remembering the story pretty well.

"Maybe we could go on a trip, just the two of us." He whispered his hand running through my hair again "It'd be something fun, something we can still do without there being responsibilities to worry about." He continued his petting slow and methodical. "We could go south, travel from here to Connecticut, Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana." He was planning it, painting a picture of where we would travel. "I'll go anywhere as long as I'm with you" I whispered my eyes fluttering shut as exhaustion started taking its toll on my body. "I'll go anywhere you ask. I'll do anything you want" he returned leaning down to press his lips to my forehead before he continued "We'll get souvenirs from each state, we'll take a lot of pictures to of course. We have to have stuff to remember what all we did on our adventure." He paused and took a deep breath "I'll buy you a diamond ring from Louisiana, and then we'll travel from Louisiana to Las Vegas and we'll get married by Elvis Presley" his voice fading as I drifted to sleep, a smile on my face for the first time in a long time.