A/N: ok, I am REALLY sorry about taking forever in updating but I'm finishing school right now, like really finishing graduating :D so it's been crazy! BUUUT I think I got a really good chapter out here :) it's short but it's cute and since it's short, that means two more chapters to go instead of one :)

tomfeltonlover1991 - thank you so much :) I'm really glad you liked it

SlightlyCrazy - thank you! :D I'm really glad you like my story :) sorry about taking too much to post :P

Angel JJK - thank you :D I'm glad you liked the boys' speech hahaha

puckleberry-marksallingxx - here's more :)

penguin0491 - hahaha sorry about the cliffhanger ahahaha but I'm glad you liked it :D and the stories you want will be in the next chapter hahah :D thanks again!

believeforever - THANK YOU SO MUCH :) I'm really glad you like it!

TawnyC - thank you :D I'm glad you liked it! and it was Jacob but there's still a twist hahaha kind of! thanks again :D

Hannah - hahaha don't worry it wasn't Finnderella :) it was our lovely Matty :D hahaha glad you like Kyle being the cute one :D

gleek599 - here's who came back :)

MidnightDreamer73 - YOU ARE MY FAVORITE PERSON IN THE WHOLE WORLD BECAUSE YOU ARE TOO SMART TO BE TRUE (that's why they say brilliant minds think alike ;) except it takes mine longer to get there hahahaha) THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HELP! YOU ROCK LUCKY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS! :D

Eliana Sanchez - thank you SO much! I love that you love my stories! :D and I LOVEEEEED THAT YOU MISS DANIEL! :D that made me feel like aaaawwwww YOU'RE SO SWEET! :D thank youuuu so much! your reviews make my day mi amiga! :)

Elle Loves Glee - thank youu :D Im glad you liked it! and don't worry Finn is just like an ass but nothing horrible will happen ;)

a bit of slytherin - aaaaaahhh! :D I love that I can still surprise you with my stories even if you've been one of the loyalist followers I've had! that makes me feel like I still got my mojo :D I'm still doing a good job haha so thanks for that! :) I'm glad you liked the cookie scene with Nate :D and yeah, Finn's the new target... he deserves it ahahaha don't worry about the late review! :D I'm glad you read at all! hahah thanks again!

LittleMissMarauderette - hello one of my favorite authors :) hahahaha thank you so much for your reviews :) I'm honored you like my story hahahah and I loved your ideas but I just pulled them back one chapter :) hahaha thanks again! can't wait for more on your story ;)

purpleellie97 - thank you! :)

ok, so I actually finished this chapter a LONG time ago, but I kept on thinking on how to go on and it wasn't until today (thanks to my thing 2) that I realized, it was done! it didn't need anything else so here it is. it's kind of short, but for that I will give you an extra chapter on the story :) two more instead of one :) (thank MidnightDreamer73 for that) :D another thing, the quotes in the chapter are from one song of The Script, but they're not in order so... so here it is - moony

Disclaimer: I don't own Glee, but if I did... that'd be AWESOME :)


Loose your clothes and show your scars… That's who you are.

Three words. Three words was all he said. Three words was all she needed to understand everything. Three little words.

"He came back?" Rachel asked a little scared and Matt nodded. "Oh my God! Did he- did he do anything to you? Or your mom? Or Nate, or Kyle?" she asked quickly.

"No. Not to them" he said looking down. "I didn't let him go near them" he said clenching his fists but Rachel grabbed them gently and opened his hands interlacing her fingers with his.

"What happened?" she asked softly rubbing his knuckles.

"I came home from your house that night" he started with his voice trembling a little.

"Take your time Matt" Rachel told him softly and he nodded.

"My mom was working late that night and one of Nate's friends was going to bring him and Kyle home" he continued. "When I got home, the door was open…"

***Flashback***

Matt pulled over in front of his house after spending the whole day with Rachel. He really wanted to stay over but she insisted for him to go home since he had stayed over for almost three days. And the fact that her parents just came home also had to do with it. When he got out of the car he made his way to the front porch. He saw that the plant pot on the right side of the door was broken. He figured out Nate had forgotten the key and was too lazy to look for it and ended up breaking it. It had happened a few times before… his mom never liked it though. He put his key on the doorknob but the door opened. That's weird. He slowly entered the dark empty house, or so he thought.

"Mom?" he asked a little nervous. And suddenly, it hit him. His mom's car wasn't on the driveway. Matt tensed up. Someone was in his house. He quickly grabbed his phone ready to dial when the lights went on. He looked around terrified and froze, dropping his phone, when he saw who had entered the house.

"Matthew" Richard Rutheford stood on the other side of the living room facing him. Matt was still for a moment but quickly shook it off.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Matt asked feeling every inch of his body shake in anger. Before Richard could answer, Matt heard a car pull over, the doors being slammed and in no time, Nate entered the house with Kyle behind him.

"Hey Matt" Nate stopped when he saw what was going on. Matt instantly turned around to face his brothers.

"Nate, go upstairs to your room with Kyle. Don't come out until I say so ok?" he said with the most serious look on his face.

"But Matt-" Nate started.

"Just do it Nate!" Matt ordered. Nate picked Kyle up and ran upstairs glaring at Richard the whole time.

"What's going on? Why isn't Matty coming with us? Who is that man?" Kyle asked scared once they were in Nate's room.

"He's no one Kyle. Matty will be right up" Nate told him trying to calm him down. But on the inside, he was frightened.

Back in the living room…

"Is that Ky-"

"Don't even dare to say his name" Matt said clenching his fists. "Why the fuck are you here? Weren't you in jail?"

"I got out" Richard said shrugging his shoulders. "Good behavior."

Matt let out a sarcastic chuckle. "You gotta be fucking kidding me" he said looking away from his father.

"Look, son-"

"I am NOT your son!" Matt snapped. "Get the fuck out of my house before I call the police-"

"And tell them what? I didn't force an entrance Matthew" Richard told him.

"Don't call me that! Get out!" Matt yelled.

"Look Matt, I just want to talk" Richard said calmed.

"No!" Matt said calmly but he was still furious. "I have nothing to say to you. And I don't want to listen to you. Just leave. Get the fuck out of Lima. I don't care where you go just get the fuck out!"

"Listen to me Matt" Richard said, still not moving. "I'm sorry."

That did it for Matt. His anger took over and he lunged himself at Richard, smashing him against the wall. And then, he did what he wanted to do since he was about four years old. He punched his dad.

"You have no idea what the word sorry means" Matt said between clenched teeth.

Richard pushed his son off of him started punching back. Matt's mind froze for a second, spinning back to the past. But he was older now. He was bigger. And he was stronger. And he was no longer afraid of him. Matt pulled his knees up underneath him and then extended his legs, kicking Richard in the stomach and throwing him off in one movement. He scuttled up off the ground and felt a black eye already starting to form.

"Matt!" he heard Nate yell from upstairs.

"GET THE FUCK INSIDE YOUR ROOM NATHAN!" Matt yelled back at him while his father started to get up.

My hands are cold, my body's numb. I'm still in shock. What have you done?

"Shit" he heard Richard say while he held his jaw.

"Not as fun when the other one hits back, is it?" Matt asked him furious.

"Look, Matthew" Richard said trying to catch his breath. "Things have changed-"

"You're damn right they have changed" Matt said facing him. "I'm not scared of you anymore. And you're seriously fucked up if you think I will ever let you hurt her ever again" he told him.

"No. I have changed" Richard told him.

"Fuck! You actually believe that? You just hit me!" Matt yelled furious.

"You hit me first. I was defending myself" Richard said getting as upset as Matt.

"Oh, is that your new excuse?" Matt asked him and Richard remained silent. "What about before, huh? Did mom ever hit you first?" Richard still didn't say anything. He was breathing deeply trying to calm himself. "You really think you've changed?" Matt asked him disgusted. "You're not fooling anyone. Everyone knows just one drink and you'll be the same old asshole we all grew up to despise."

"I've been sober for over three years now" he informed him.

"Sometimes you weren't drunk" Matt told him.

"What?" Richard asked taken aback.

"Sometimes you weren't drunk!" Matt repeated more harshly. "You wanna know how I knew the difference? Because when you were drunk, you would usually pass out after the first few punches" he told him.

"Look Matt, I know that what I did had no excuse" Richard started saying. "I know I don't deserve your forgiveness-"

"YOU DON'T GET IT DO YOU!" Matt snapped yelling at his father. "You don't get to come and say sorry as if nothing ever happened! You don't get to come into my fucking house and expect me to act all happy and shit because you're out of jail! I'm not happy you're out of jail! I was the one who put you there! You think I forgot everything? That I forgot how I had the worst father in the class? That I forgot how you came in every fucking night and hurt my mother? That I forgot how you yelled at her? How you yelled at me? How you yelled at Nate when he was a baby? Do you think I forgot that I lied to my teacher the first time you hit me?"

"Stop talking" Richard told him trying to stay calmed. Matt noticed he was shaking. What he didn't notice was Nate and Kyle standing at the end of the stairs.

"You were supposed to be my hero! You were supposed to be someone I looked up to! Someone that I wanted to be like when I grew up! Someone who I loved and I knew that he loved me back! Someone who would protect me and my mom and my little brothers from everything that was bad in the world! You were supposed to be a father!"

"Stop talking!" Richard said getting more and more upset. Matt saw him clenching his fists.

"But you made me hate you so bad! You made me want to become into everything you're not! And for you to come here and tell me that you're sorry!"

"I am sorry. I am really sorry" Richard snapped at Matt.

"DON'T! DON'T TELL ME HOW FUCKING SORRY YOU ARE!" Matt snapped furious at him. "Fuck! You think that's all it takes? Now you're sober and you- you've changed! Let me guess? You'd probably never do it again, right? You wouldn't do it to Nate and you wouldn't do it to Kyle-"

"I would never hurt them" he interrupted him.

My head is pounding, my vision's blur. Your mouth is moving, I don't hear a word.

"You don't have to! All you had to do was not loving them" Matt yelled furious and saw Richard tense up. He stopped yelling, but that made him sound angrier when he opened his mouth again. "You think you don't deserve my forgiveness? You don't even deserve my respect, dad!"

And that was it. Richard saw red and before Matt knew what was happening, his father had thrown himself at him pushing him to the ground and he started punching him. Matt tried to punch him back and get up but Richard was so pissed, he managed to stay there and continued to hit him.

"MATTY!" he heard Kyle's terrified voice and turned to look at the side.

Kyle was running towards him before Nate could stop him. But Matt didn't see that. What he saw, was himself, when he was around Kyle's age, running towards his mom. Kyle jumped on Richard's back and tried to get him off Matt. But Matt saw his little self jumping on his dad's back and trying to get him off his mom. And that was the first time his dad had hit him. He saw Richard shoving Kyle out of the way and that's when Matt lost it. He managed to push his dad off him with all the strength he had.

"GET KYLE OUT OF HERE!" he yelled at Nate who carried Kyle and ran to the kitchen to call the police.

Richard grabbed Matt by his shirt and shoved him against the wall, making some pictures fall from the wall. Matt grabbed a picture frame and hit Richard in the head with it. Richard fell to the floor and Matt punched him on his face over and over until Richard was almost passed out.

Marks a battle. Still feel raw. A million pieces of me on the floor.

And then, he stopped. He looked down at his dad who was bleeding and bruised up. He saw the man he swore he would never become.

'Matt, why did you hit Noah Puckerman?' Mrs. Rutheford asked the five-year old in the meeting with his teacher, Puck, and Mrs. Puckerman.

'Because he kissed Rachel Berry! And he knows I like her!" Matt whined.

'She kissed me first!' Puck complained getting up.

'Noah! Sit down!' Mrs. Puckerman said sitting Puck back on his seat.

'You two boys are friends, there's no reason to fight like that' the teacher tried to reason with the two boys.

'We're still friends' Puck said as if she was crazy.

'Yeah, best friends!' Matt added proudly.

'Yeah! With Mike and Finn!' Puck added laughing. 'And Rachel!'

'Matt, is good that you have so many friends and that you're still friends with Noah. But you can't just go around school hitting people just like that. It's not right' Mrs. Rutheford said softly.

'But dad hits you and you say it's alright' Matt told her confused.

That was the day, when Matt realized that what his dad did, wasn't right. He was quickly snapped out of his thoughts when Richard pushed him across the living room and started throwing things all over the place. Matt grabbed him managed to push him towards the door and shoved him out locking the door.

"If I get back inside, you better hide your little brothers if you don't want anything happening to them!" Richard yelled from outside. Matt wanted to kill him right there. He didn't care about the consequences. But he heard Nate and Kyle on the kitchen. And he knew they couldn't stay there.

"Let's go" he said running into the kitchen and picking up Kyle.

"What? Where are we going?" Nate asked confused. "The police are on their way-"

"We can't stay here! He didn't break in! He found the fucking key! He could say it was the other way around and have me locked up! We're getting out NOW!" he said running through the back door when they heard a window breaking.

"Didn't break in my ass!" Nate told Matt pissed.

"Just move for fucks sake Nathan!" Matt said pissed as they went around the house to get to the car. They saw Richard going back inside the house and they ran to the car. Matt placed Kyle on the back seat.

"Wait! Matty! Mr. Bear is in the house" Kyle said crying.

"Kyle, we can't get him-" Matt started but he stared into his little brother's teary-filled frightened eyes. Mr. Bear was his mom's teddy bear, which was passed on to Matt, and then to Nate and now it was Kyle's. Matt sighted turning to look back at the house. "Nate get in the driver's seat" he ordered and Nate didn't hesitate to obey. "I'm going back in there-"

"What? Are you crazy? You can't! He's gonna kill you!" Nate argued with him.

"If I'm not back in three minutes, you start driving" Matt said in a serious tone, ignoring what Nate just said.

"Matt-"

"LISTEN to me Nate! I'm your older brother! I'm in charge! If I don't come back in three minutes you start this fucking car and you drive the fuck away! Did you hear me?" he asked him and Nate could only nod. "I love you guys!" he said before running back into the house.

He went inside and saw everything destroyed. He ran upstairs to Kyle's room and started looking for the bear. He tossed everything out of his way and found him underneath his pillow. He saw a picture of him, his mom and his brothers and he grabbed it before running back downstairs. When he was almost at the door, Richard came out of nowhere and hit him in the stomach with a baseball bat and Matt fell to the floor screaming in pain.

"You're little brother left it on the front porch" he told Matt smirking. He had a started bottle of wine on his other hand. "Shit you don't even have beer" he said laughing. He was standing between Matt and the door. "See, if I would've been here, this kind of shit wouldn't happen" he said drinking some more wine while Matt tried to stand up. "But you had to go and tell that fucking nurse everything, didn't you? You had to open your huge mouth! Even when I told you that if you told people, your precious mommy would go to the fucking hospital!" he said breaking the bottle against the wall. "When I find her, I will tell her how much she screwed up with you three!"

He was about to hit Matt again with the bat, but he ducked down and Richard ended up hitting a lamp instead. When Richard tried to throw himself at him again, he managed to dodge him out of the way and Richard fell to the floor instead. Matt stopped at the door and turned to look at him.

"You will never lay a hand on her again" he said before running to the car again while Richard stood up.

I'm backing out, I'm shutting down. You've left a hole. You walked out.

"We can't go! Matty isn't here!" Kyle cried yelling at Nate.

"Kyle we have to go!" Nate yelled back at him. He had started the car, but yet he couldn't find the strength to step on the clutch. "Come on Matt, come on" he muttered under his breath looking at the house, begging for Matt to come out.

"DRIVE! DRIVE NOW!" Matt yelled getting in the passenger's seat.

"I don't have a license-" Nate said freaking out.

"FUCK NATE! I TAUGHT YOU HOW TO DRIVE! GO NOW!" Matt yelled and Nate stomped his foot on the clutch just right on time to see their father running towards them. He drove as fast as he could. His knees were shaking and his heart was pounding a million times a minute.

"Who was that man Matty?" Kyle asked terrified, crying in the back seat. Matt turned himself completely to look at him.

"It's ok bud, we're gonna be ok" he said with a sweet smile. "Look, here's Mr. Bear" he said handing him the bear and the picture. "Hold on to that ok?"

"But you're hurt Matty!" Kyle continued.

"I'm ok, bud, don't worry" Matt saying trying to smile but his jaw was killing him.

"Where are we going?" Nate asked him.

"To pick up mom! Hurry up!" Matt told him as they turned around the corner to pull over in front of the hospital where their mom worked. "Ok, let's go! We have to be fast" Matt said picking Kyle up again and running in the building.

I'm falling through the doors of the emergency room. Can anybody help me with these exit wounds?

"Matt? Nate? Kyle?" they turned around to see Mrs. Puckerman looking at them. "What's going on? Oh my God! Matthew! You're bleeding" she said worried coming towards them.

"Mrs. Puckerman, where's my mom?" Matt asked desperately.

"Matt what is going on?" Mrs. Puckerman asked him.

"He's here! He was at our house" Matt whispered to her and saw her eyes widening.

"I'll page your mom dear" she said taking Kyle in her arms and running to the nurses' reception. In less than two minutes, Mrs. Rutheford was running towards her three sons.

"Matt! What happened?" she asked terrified. "Matthew! Your face!"

"Don't worry about that mom!" Matt said pulling her aside while Nate and Kyle stayed with Mrs. Puckerman. "He's back mom" he told her and he saw his mother pale. "He's out of jail and he came to our house. We have to do something mom! We can't go back there!"

"I have to call John" Mrs. Rutheford said walking to the nurse's station too.

"Mr. Berry? Why?" Matt asked her confused. But Mrs. Rutheford ignored him and started dialing.

"Matt come here, I'll take care of your cuts" Mrs. Puckerman said kindly.

"No! Mom we don't have time!" Matt said desperate.

"Matthew! We need help right now! And John Berry will give us that help" she told her son and Matt just nodded.

Ten minutes later, Mr. Berry walked through the doors with… well, the other Mr. Berry.

"Dana!" Mr. Berry yelled running towards the four Ruthefords. Kyle was between his two older brothers squishing Mr. Bear for dear life.

"John, David! Oh thank God" Mrs. Rutheford said crying when she saw them.

"What happened?" John asked Matt while David hugged Mrs. Rutheford and then he saw Matt's face. "Oh my God! Come on" he said leading them to a more private room.

Mrs. Rutheford couldn't stop crying. David Berry was hugging her trying to comfort her. Mrs. Puckerman had stayed with Kyle who was confused about everything happening. Nate was lost in space. He was scared as hell. John Berry was talking to Matt while he told him the whole story.

"Ok, we have to think fast" Mr. Berry said pulling out his phone and leaving the room. "I'll be right back!"

"I'm gonna get you some tea" David said softly walking outside. Matt walked over to where his mom was sitting and sat in front of her.

"Mom, we're going to be alright" Matt said softly. "I know we weren't last time, but I was a kid mom. I'm not letting him hurt you anymore" Matt promised her and Mrs. Rutheford looked at him with her big glossy eyes. She placed her hands on Matt's face.

"Matthew" she said crying a little more. "I'm so sorry baby" she whispered to him.

"Mom, don't ever apologize for what he did" Matt told her but Mrs. Rutheford shook her head.

"I'm so sorry for all you went through. I'm so sorry I made you grow up so fast" she said to him.

'Dana, I need you to tell me what happened' Sarah Puckerman told her kindly when she took care of her bruises in the hospital.

'I told you Sarah, I fell down the stairs' Mrs. Rutheford said trying to smile. She had a broken arm, a bruise on her face and a split lip. A twelve-year-old Matthew Rutheford was sitting on a chair, next to her bed, with a bruise on his left eye.

'Dana, I cannot help you if you don't tell me the truth' Mrs. Puckerman told her sadly. She knew something was wrong, but she wouldn't be able to do anything, unless they asked her to.

'I am telling you the truth Sarah!' Mrs. Rutheford told her, but Mrs. Puckerman saw she was shaking.

Matt looked out of the room and saw Nate and Kyle with some other nurses that were friends with his mom. Kyle was asleep. He saw Nate was scared. And he saw when Santana's dad, Dr. Lopez came to him and Nate flinched away from him, frightened. Dr. Lopez just got out a lollipop from his pocket and offered it to Nate smiling kindly at him. He saw how Nate's frown turned into a small smile. He took the lollipop and smiled grateful at Mr. Lopez who smiled back at him before walking away. And that's where it hit him. That's how a father is supposed to be. He couldn't let his brothers grow up the same way he did. Seeing his mom getting hurt every night, being worse every time. And he decided to start telling the truth.

'No you're not mom! You're lying' Matt said standing up from the chair. Mrs. Puckerman and Mrs. Rutheford turned to look at him.

'Matthew' his mother said scared but Matt turned to Mrs. Puckerman.

'My dad is doing this! He hits my mom and he hits me because I try to stop him' Matt started telling her with tears running down his face. Mrs. Puckerman tried to hold back her own tears.

'Matthew stop talking' Mrs. Rutheford tried to say starting to cry too.

'No mom! He's going to hurt you again! He always says he won't but he does and it's getting worse! He broke your arm mom!' Matt told her, making her heart break. Mrs. Puckerman stood there froze. Matt turned to look at her again with pleading, crying eyes. 'Please help us Mrs. Puckerman!' he said throwing his arms and hugging her. 'I don't want my dad to hurt my mom anymore! I don't want him to hurt Nate or Kyle!' he begged her and Mrs. Puckerman could only hug the boy in her arms.

And right there, in front of her eyes, Mrs. Rutheford saw it. And so did Mrs. Puckerman. The little boy was gone. Somewhere within seconds, Matt Rutheford had become a grown-up.

"You have never made me feel prouder" Mrs. Rutheford whispered to Matt. "You did what I didn't have the guts to do" she continued crying a little more. By this time, Matt was also in tears. He didn't care, he just wanted his mother to hug him and let him cry. He didn't care how much of a wuss baby he sounded by thinking that. "I love you so much Matt" she said kissing his forehead.

"I love you too mom" Matt said hugging her.

"You boys are my complete life" she said hugging Nate too. "And I promise I'm not letting anything happen to you ever again" she told them.

"You've been taking care of us our whole lives mom. It's about time we do the same for you" Matt told her with a little smile.

"Yeah mom. You always protected us but… no one protected you" Nate said sadly and hugging her tightly. Mrs. Rutheford let even more tears run out. Looking at her boys, wondering when the hell did they become men?

Wounds, where their leaving, the scars you're keeping. Exit wounds. Where their leaving, the scars you're keeping.

Mr. Berry came back inside with three cups of tea and handed it to them.

"Thanks Mr. Berry" Matt said smiling at his girlfriend's father. And then, it hit him. Rachel. He hadn't even thought of her. He had to call her but before he could do anything the other Mr. Berry stormed inside the room with the most scared look on his face.

"Dana!" he said freaking out. "I need to talk to you… privately" he told her.

"Nate, Matt why don't you go with Mrs. Puckerman and Kyle" Mrs. Rutheford told them. Nate nodded standing up and leaving, but Matt didn't move. "Matt" Mrs. Rutheford said again.

"I'm not going anywhere mom. I'm not letting you deal with this alone anymore" he told her in a serious tone.

"Ok" Mrs. Rutheford said softly hugging him. "What's wrong?" she asked looking back at Mr. Berry.

"He's gone" Mr. Berry said worried.

"What? What do you mean he's gone?" Mrs. Rutheford asked him scared.

"The police arrived at your house and they searched everywhere but he's gone" John explained.

"Are you serious?" Matt said clenching his fists.

"Wait, so what do we do?" Mrs. Rutheford asked him. "What are we going to do John?"

"You're going to leave" Mr. Berry told her firmly.

"I beg your pardon?" Mrs. Rutheford said more confused than ever.

"You are leaving Lima Dana. You can't stay here when he's out there. Is not safe" Mr. Berry told her. "I told you four years ago, that I would do anything to keep you and your three sons safe!"

"We couldn't possibly-"

"It's all settled" Mr. Berry interrupted her. "You are going to Chicago where you're going to meet with Addie Jones. She will help you settle down there and get you everything you need. You're leaving tonight."

"Tonight?" Matt asked. "Wait, I have to call Rachel-"

"I'm afraid you can't do that Matthew" Mr. Berry told him awkwardly. "You can't contact anyone close to you or your family or else Richard might go after them trying to know where you are. You're leaving in ten minutes. I'll be out on the first flight tomorrow to help you settle everything down" Mr. Berry explained.

"Wait, for how long?" Mrs. Rutheford asked him.

"I don't know. Until it's safe enough for you to come back" Mr. Berry sighted sadly.

"So, we're just gonna leave? Just like that? Like we vanished in the air and no one is going to know anything?" Matt asked upset.

"This is for your own good Matthew and the people you involve. No one can know where you are. No one will know" Mr. Berry explained to him. "Dana, we need to fill out some papers" he told Mrs. Rutheford pulling her aside so they can talk a little more.

I don't know how much more love, this heart can lose. And I'm dying, dying from these exit wounds.

"We can't just leave Mr. Berry" Matt begged the other Mr. Berry.

"Matt, I know this is hard but it's what's best for you. We know how dangerous Richard can be and we can't take any risks" he explained kindly. "Think about Nathan and Kyle" he told him softly; knowing Matt would do anything to protect them.

"But what about Rachel? And Glee, and school-"

"You're going to a new school Matt" Mr. Berry told him. "John just has to keep you guys safe" he told him.

"And Rachel?" Matt asked with tears in his eyes. "I have to tell her I'm leaving. I can't disappear just like that! She's my girlfriend! I'm in love with her!"

"Matt, it's too risky" Mr. Berry told him. "If Richard knows you have any contact with her he could try to get to you through her" he told her and Matt felt goose bumps. He couldn't bare the thought of Richard going anywhere near Rachel.

"Matt" Mrs. Rutheford said when she finished talking to Mr. Berry. "We have to go dear" she said still crying but John put a hand on her shoulder comforting her. "Once we're there we can figure everything out, we just can't stay here while he's here" she told him. Matt nodded and was about to walk out of the door with his mom, but he stopped and turned to face the two Mr. Berrys.

"Please take care of Rachel" he said with his voice shaking. Both Mr. Berrys felt their hearts breaking. Matt really cared for their daughter. They knew how much they loved each other.

"We will son" John said holding back the tears while David had already let them out. "We promise!"

And just like that, in the matter of hours, his life was turned upside down. Leaving everything he knew behind. His friends, his school and the girl he was deeply in love with. And he left without saying a word to a single soul.

***End of Flashback***

I've got all the baggage. Drink the pills. Yeah, this is living but without the will.

"We couldn't tell anyone" he said softly not looking at her. "Mrs. Puckerman and your dads were the only ones who knew" he said facing her. "I thought about you the whole way there. I couldn't believe I was leaving you" he said quietly.

Rachel had been in tears since almost the beginning of the story. Matt had let out a few tears every now and then, Rachel quickly wiping them away with her thumb. He had never let go of his hand throughout the whole story and he was gripping it tightly. As if someone might steal her away at any moment.

"Why did you-" she stopped. "How did you manage to come back?" he asked scared to hear the answer. "I mean, what changed, that you're safe now?"

"He's dead" Matt said with venom in his voice and Rachel felt her body shivering cold. "He got into a bar fight or something and the other guy pulled out a gun" he told her. "I had to go to identify him Rach" he said with his voice shaking. "I saw him, just lying there. He was really beaten up. And when I looked at him… I couldn't help but to feel… relieved" he whispered and Rachel noticed he started to shake. "Who does that Rachel? Who feels relieved when they see their dead dad lying on a fucking table!" he snapped a little but Rachel didn't move even if she couldn't stop the tears coming out of her eyes.

"Oh Matt" she whispered and she stood up to stand in front of him but he griped her hand even tighter, thinking she was going to leave. Rachel turned around to face scared eyes looking back at her.

I'm damaged goods for all to see. Now who would ever want to be with me?

"Don't go" he begged her fearing she would leave him forever.

"I'm not going anywhere" she whispered to him as she placed her hand on his cheek and kissed his forehead.

He pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her waist holding on to her so no one could take her away. Rachel wrapped her arms around him and started drawing circles on his back. She felt her shirt getting wet and felt her heart ache when she heard him let out a sob. Rachel had no idea what to say or what to do. So she just stood there, letting him get all out. She let him pull her down gently so they were both lying on her bed. Matt buried his head and breathed heavily into her neck, nuzzling her neck gently. He moved his head a little and started kissing her neck desperately. He started making his way to her lips placing his hand on her cheek, forgetting the bruise on her face that was just starting to fade, but he immediately stopped when he heard her whimper a little. He looked at her.

And it hurts so bad, that I search my skin for the entry point where love went in. And ricocheted, and bounced around. And left a hole when you walked out.

"It's ok" she whispered smiling at him.

"No, it's not" he said sadly. "I'm so sorry I didn't protect you" he said pressing his lips gently against her bruise. "I'm sorry I left for a whole year and I couldn't protect you" he said kissing her forehead. "And when Finn did that I just-" he was cut off by Rachel placing a finger on his lips.

"I know" she whispered before kissing his cheek. "Matt, you don't have to apologize for anything" she said smiling at him.

"But I let him hurt you" he said looking down. "And I hurt you Rach!"

"But you never meant to" she said lifting his head up. "I mean, yeah, it hurt when I got to your house with Mike and Noah and it was empty, but Matt, none of it was your fault. And it doesn't matter to me anymore because you're here. And you're ok and so are Nate and Kyle and your mom because of you. And now you're safe" she said with a tear rolling down her eye and he quickly wiped it away and she smiled at him. "I love you!"

Instead of answering, Matt crashed his lips hard against hers. They quickly started deepening the kiss and Matt grabbed her hips pulling her closer as she wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him closer. Matt started kissing her neck again and collarbone desperately wanting to feel every inch of her small frame pressed against him. His kisses were desperate. As if he still thought someone was going to come and take the best thing of his life away. Rachel moaned as he made his way back to her lips and kissed her harder. He gently placed himself on top of her, never breaking the kiss. Rachel lifted his shirt and whined as he separated his lips from hers. He immediately came to meet her lips again and started to run his hands everywhere. He gently lifted her shirt and tickled her a little. Making her giggle while she moaned. He took her shirt off and started traveling all over her exposed flesh. He went back imploring for her lips and she grabbed his head and pulled him as close as she could to her.

"I love you more" he said against her lips before he started kissing her deeper.

Loose your clothes and show your scars… That's who you are.


Matt woke up a few hours later to find Rachel in his arms wearing nothing but his t-shirt.

"Hi" she said smiling brightly at him.

"Hey" he said kissing her forehead. "What are you doing up? Is still early" he said confused.

"You were snoring" Rachel said with a little chuckle.

"I was?" he said blushing a little. She nodded biting her bottom lip and smiling at him. "Sorry."

"It's ok" she said giving him a peck on the lips. "I missed it" she told him.

"Really? You missed my snoring?" he asked half-smirking.

"Yeah. Whenever I heard it, it reminded me that I wasn't alone in my house" she said with a sad smile. "It's nice to hear it again."

Matt placed a soft kiss on her lips and smiled at her. "I love you baby" he whispered putting some of her loose hair behind her ear.

"I love you too" she said smiling. "Come on" she said pulling away from him and starting to get up but he pulled her right back.

"Where are you going? It's still early" he complained burying his face on her hair.

"I know, but I'm going to make breakfast- Matt!" she giggled when his started kissing her neck tickling her a little bit.

"No. Sleep" he said closing his eyes again.

"No! I'm hungry" she pouted turning around to look at him. She knew he could never say no to her.

"Fine" he said giving in and letting her get up. "But if I fall asleep in my first period, it'll be your fault" he said getting out of bed too and following her into the kitchen. "So, what are we having?"

"You" Rachel said tossing him an apron. "are making me waffles" she said smiling brightly at him.

"Oh, really? Am I, now?" he asked grabbing the apron and tossing it aside ignoring Rachel's pout.

"Yes. I had to live without your delicious waffles for a year and now I can have them back" she said smirking a little and sitting on the counter.

"Is that why you wanted me back? You're using me for waffles?" he asked pretending to be offended.

"Of course not" Rachel said laughing a little. "I like your brownies too!"

Matt gasped offended. "You're mean!" he pouted.

"But you love me" Rachel said grinning. "So, what are we doing today?"

"Oh, so is not just food? You're really taking advantage of this Miss Berry" Matt said smirking at her while he started cooking.

"Yep, and there's no turning back" she said smirking at him.

"Well, we have football practice after school today" he told her.

"I know, I have a play date with Kyle while you have practice remember?" she said trying not to laugh.

"Hey! You are babysitting my brother!" he said looking at her.

"No, he specifically asked me on a play date" Rachel said smirking.

"Fine, then have Kyle make you waffles" he said pouting.

"Matt" Rachel said unable to contain her laugh anymore. She hopped off the counter and walked towards him wrapping her arms around his perfect, shirtless body. "How can you get jealous of your seven-year old brother?"

"Because I don't like any other boy around you" he said childishly. "You're my girl" he said turning around and hugging her closer to him.

"I love it when you say that" she said smiling while he leaned down to kiss her.

"So, maybe after you babysit my brother, you could have a play date with me" he said against her lips.

"Mmm, you'll have to convince me about that" she said smirking a little and he started kissing her deeper. "Fine I'm in" she said breaking away. "Um, baby not that I want to kick you out but won't your mom freak out if you're not there when she wakes up?"

"Nope" he said returning to cook. "I told her last night I was coming because your parents left and she practically kicked me out of the house" he said laughing a little, but he stopped when he saw Rachel frowning a little. "Hey" he said grabbing her hand and pulling her towards him again. He placed his hand on her cheek and kissed her forehead. "I'm here now, and I swear I'm not leaving you again baby girl" he said softly smiling at her.

"I know" Rachel said with a sad smile and hugging him again and kissing his cheek. "I'm gonna go get ready ok?" she said running back upstairs.

"Yeah, while I slave in the kitchen!" she heard Matt yell from downstairs.

Once she reached her bathroom, she leaned against the door and saw herself in the mirror wearing Matt's shirt. She smiled widely to herself smelling his scent on her. He was back, and nothing had changed.


A/N: song: Exit Wounds - The Script

sorry for the wait and that it was short but I hope you liked it :D also, I'd really like to hear some ideas if you have any :) let me know what you think :)