AN: Mickie meets an old friend, and old feelings begin to surface. R&R!

Chapter Two: An Old Friend Returns

Mickie was woke up early in the morning. She looked over at Jason, and he was snoring loudly. She sighed and slowly climbed out of the bed. She went to her cabinet, and grabbed a wash rag, and a big towel, and stepped into the shower. As the warm water washed over her, she felt all of her scars, bumps and bruises come back to sting her.

What am I doing in this situation? Mickie asked herself. I can leave him, because no one deserves to be treated like this. A slave in your own home, afraid to talk loudly because he might punish you for loud talking and for talking out of turn. He says that he loves me and is only doing this because he has to, not because he wants to, which is utter crap.

So, if he is treating you this way, why can't you leave him?

Because, I have nowhere else to go. If I leave, I will be on my own, out in the cold. So I have to take this. But I fear that it will be only one day, and one day soon.

Mickie stepped out of the shower, and wrapped the towel around her, and stepped out of the shower, right into the face of Jason, who was watching her with a grin on his face.

"Going to work?" Jason said, smiling.

"Yeah." Mickie said, trying to past him, going to the bedroom, but Jason blocked her path.

"You are really pretty." Jason said, tilting her head upward. Mickie wanted to look away, but she knew that in doing so would cause him to attack her. Jason let her go, and watcher her as she gotten dressed. As she went to the door, Jason told her, "Have a good day, and hurry back."

Mickie shuddered as she got into her car, and drove off.

"So, how are things going between you and Jason?" Her friend Faye asked Mickie as she washed dishes at the restaurant where she worked.

"Better than usual." Mickie answered. Mickie knew that Faye had a somewhat idea that she is being beaten by Jason, but she didn't know for sure. Mickie kept her in the dark about it. She put the dishes away, and cleaned off her hands.

"Look at the hunk in military gear." Faye said, pointing at a man dressed in an Army BTU. Mickie eyed him, and thought that he looked very familiar. It wasn't until he removed his cap, and revealed his hair that Mickie recognized him. Her eyes lit up as she knew exactly who it was.

"Brett." Mickie said.

"Whoa, you know him?" Faye asked, looking at Mickie.

"Since childhood." Mickie said. She stared at him, and saw that he was in much better shape than when she last saw him. He was much more muscular, his hair was more sleek and shiny. Mickie found herself staring at the guy who she never considered to be more than a friend. Now she wondered why she never thought of him as more than that?

As Mickie was walking to her car after her shift was over, she continued to think about seeing Brett again. She always had some feelings for him, and she really began to kick herself about letting him go. Just as she reached her car, however...

"Wondered when you were going to show up." Brett said, walking behind her.

"So, you were wait for me this entire time?" Mickie asked, rasing an eyebrow. Brett smiled at her as he hugged her briefly. Mickie let out a small gasp that he didn't hear as he embraced her.

"Look, I have to go, but I just wanted a chance to see you before I headed home." Brett said.

"Thanks, it was good seeing you again, too." Mickie said as he left. Brett gave her a small smile and walked away. Mickie smiled on her own for the first time, and she felt really good about it.

AN: Next chapter, we find out a little about Brett and Mickie's past history, and Jason gets a little suspicious of Mickie's behavior.