AN: Mickie confesses her secret to her trusted friend. What will happen? R&R!

Chapter Six: In Loving Arms

Jason's fist connected with Mickie's face, causing her to fall to the ground, hard. Mickie looked at him, and began to back away from him, trying to put as much distance between her and his murderous glare as possible. Jason wasn't going to let that happen however. He grabbed her left leg, and began dragging her towards the living room.

"You fucking bitch!" Jason growled at her. He knew that he had to keep his voice down so he wouldn't alert his neighbors. "You think that you can do whatever you want?! You think that you can come home whenever you please?! I own you!"

Mickie opened her mouth to make her case, but was cut off by Jason slapping her. Mickie felt blood overwhelming her mouth, forcing her not to say another word. Her eyes began to fill with tears, as Jason stared at her with his mundane icy glare filled with hate.

"I see that I need to teach you a lesson." Jason said coldly. Mickie stared at him in absolute horror as Jason went into the kitchen, and return with a big butcher knife.

"Now, where was I?" Jason said nonchalantly. Mickie began to back away, tears falling, mouth caked with blood.

"No! Please! I'm sorry!" Mickie was pleading, trying to escape from him. Jason grabbed her hair, and threw her towards the wall. The impact stunned her, and caused her to fall on her back. Mickie looked up, and saw Jason standing over her, smiling and still holding the knife with his dangerous intent.

"Remember this, Mickie. You brought all of this on yourself." Jason said ominously. Mickie watched in horror as Jason raised the knife, and it came at her...

Mickie bolted up, out of breath just as though she had just ran a mile, she looked around, and saw that she wasn't at home, but in a new and unfamiliar room. It was dark, and the moonlight provided enough vision for her to see that a fan was going right above her. She was still wearing her tank top, and sweats. Then she remembered, she ran away from Jason after taking enough abuse from him, and the last thing she could recollect, was throwing her arms around Brett, and crying into his shoulders.

"Mickie?" Brett calmly, but with concern, said to the door. "Mickie? Are you all right? It's me, Brett."

"Brett?" Mickie squeaked out. "Brett? Where am I?"

"You're at my house." Brett answered. "You are in my bedroom, more specifically."

"How did I get here?" Mickie asked.

"I honestly do not know." Brett answered. "Mickie, it really scared me to see you like that. If something happened to you, it would kill me."

"Thanks, that's sweet." Mickie said. Brett felt a blush and a warm feeling creep through him.

"Mickie, if you need anything, let me know. The bathroom and shower is the door right as you leave the room." Brett said.

"Thanks, I appreciate it." Mickie said to Brett. He smiled as he walked away from his bedroom door.

Mickie was standing in Brett's shower, letting the warm water wash all over her. Brett was an close and unique friend. Brett was tall, and very muscular. He was very shy, however. He never had the nerve to talk to any girls in high school, and all the girls wanted him. Mickie was one of them. She knew that in the back of her mind that she really had some feelings for him.

Can Brett be the one for me? Mickie wondered as she turned off the shower. She stepped out, and wrapped a towel around her. Mickie wiped the fog off of the mirror, and looked at her own reflection. Her face had areas of several bruises that were healed already. No doubt he saw her face and had some suspicions. Mickie calmly walked back to Brett's bedroom, and calmly looked for something to wear over her underwear. Mickie grabbed a black t-shirt, and pulled it on. She brushed herself off, and walked out to join her friend. Mickie looked around the corner, and saw Brett sitting on the couch, calmly watching television.

Mickie smiled as he sat next to him, and Brett looked at her, and smiled back, except with a blush.

"Hey are you feeling better?" Brett asked.

"Yeah, I am. Thanks for everything." Mickie answered. Brett smiled at her, and Mickie knew that before she could do anything, she had to confess what was happening to her.

"Brett, there's something that I have to tell you." Mickie said, standing up, and facing him.

"What's up?" Brett asked her. Mickie took a deep breath, and began to speak.

"There is a reason that I came here." Mickie began. "I came here tonight because I broke up with my boyfriend."

Brett opened his mouth to speak, but Mickie rose her hand to prevent him from saying another word.

"I am not done." Mickie said. "While you were away in Iraq, I met the boyfriend I broke up with, Jason Miller. He was a good guy, and handsome. We moved in together after dating for about a year and a half. Everything was going good, until about 6 months ago. When he lost his job, he grew angry and violent. He took his anger out on me. He knew that I had nowhere to go. I had to take that abuse because he had the house in his name. When you came back into town, Jason saw me talking to you, and he really lost it. He beat me unconscious, and only a few hours ago, I ran away from him, and came here. I have had enough of him. I don't want to go back to him. I can't take it anymore! I can't!"

Mickie stood there, sobbing uncontrollably. Brett stood up, walked over to Mickie, and hugged her tightly. Mickie cried into his broad shoulders.

"Mickie, it's all right, I'm here. As long as you are with me, no one will hurt you." Brett whispered to her.

Brett peaked in, and saw Mickie calmly sleeping in his bed. Brett smiled, and closed the door. He walked to his living room couch, pulled a sheet over him, and went to sleep. Mickie was back in his life, but he had to deal with Jason before anything went further.

AN: Next chapter, Brett confronts Mickie's abusive ex-boyfriend. R&R!!!