Daddy, Don't Hurt Me

Rated Mature for Violence, and references to abuse.

Author's Note: Thanks so far to those who have reviewed. m1ssp1ggy, I too hope for happy endings for all abused. Sadly, that is not the case for many. My friend is just beginning a ministry and moving to LA to work with victims of Human Trafficking. It saddens me that stuff happens, but let's hope that the story I weave ends happily for Serena. I write a lot of angsty stuff that turns out badly, and I don't know where this one is going. I may or may not allow her to have her happy ending. Let's hope, but I am learning to let the characters speak for themselves, if that makes sense. So, palecrescent13 let's hope I surprise you. to sasumiofjp and loveinthebattlefield, thanks for your comments. I hope to continue to show the sides of Serena and the repercussions abuse has on a person.

Keep reviewing guys! I may not always call people out like I did today, but since there were only four reviews, I felt I could totally do that. Anyways, enough with my rambling. Here's Chapter one!

Chapter One: New Beginnings

Present Day

Waking up was always the hardest for Serena. The fluffy down comforter in deep pink and lacy matching pillows that scattered the queen sized bed seemed to have their grasp on her. Maybe it wasn't even that at all.

Maybe, it was because after all these years, she could finally get some rest.

The alarm clock's screech went on and on. She had to place it across the room in order for her to even have the motivation to not hit snooze.

Lately, though, it seemed easy to either ignore it, or walk over, hit snooze and dazedly climb back into the squishy bed.

Today was one of those days she just let it ring. She wasn't letting go of this dream.

It was too good.

He was there, her knight in shining armour. The castle was on fire and she, flailing her arms, her pointy princess hat bobbing in the wind, seemed to be trapped in the highest tower. With his devilishly handsome good looks, and charming smile, he managed to climb the tower and rescue her. When he pulled her into his arms, he began to purr softly as his lips came down on hers.

Purr? That didn't seem right. Serena's fantasy world never had animal sounds. Maybe guttural, animalistic moaning, but purring?

Opening a heavy eyelid, Serena was greeted by her lovely black cat, Luna. Smiling at the face now rubbing itself on her chin, she pet her in the only peculiar white spot she had - her forehead's crescent moon shaped.

"Oh Luna." Serena began to shove the blankets off of her body, but the cat didn't budge. "Up, up!" With a little effort the cat finally hopped off her and watched as Serena slammed her hand on the off button of her annoying alarm.

Stretching, she padded to her bathroom to get ready for her first day of her new job. She couldn't wait. Her best friend, Amy Mathews, had a pull in the company and was able to get a position as an assistant editor for Serena. It required a move, but Serena didn't care.

New place, meant new beginning.

A new beginning was just what Serena needed.

The shower was warm on her skin as she scrubbed away the night's grime and sweat. Too bad water couldn't wipe away the scars marring her body.

Most of her body seemed unscathed. Anyone looking at her front side would never know what the twenty-five year old dealt with. As she took her loofa to her backside, the sponge scrubbed at the ridges left from the years of continuous beatings.

Wearing a swimsuit was never an option for Serena. Her father made sure of that. She shuddered inwardly, thinking about the bastard that caused her trauma for most of her life.

New beginnings.

New beginnings.

As she dried herself off with her fluffy towel, she continued to chant. At least her new job with Amy would be wonderful. Above anything else in the world, books and fantasy world excited her.

It made sense to her. Books were her escape. Growing up, the televisions in the house always blared of trash her father watched. His fascination was with grimy women, cheating and war. Vietnam changed him, her mother had said in defense once.

Serena laughed inwardly at that recollection. Her mother was always a coward.

Irene Connor had married an older man at the ripe age of twenty. It took them five years to have their only child, Ken Connor's personal punching bag.

War apparently changed him, but Serena never understood what excuse her mother had for the pathetic mess she was. The only guess Serena had was that her mother was desperate for a man, and the first one that knocked down her door, she clung to for dear life.

Despite it all, she knew her parents loved each other. In some sick and twisted love, but love nonetheless. Too bad Serena had to come along and ruin that.

When Serena turned eighteen, she grabbed her diploma and hit the ground running. College was her refuge and she finagled her way on campus during holidays and summers. Never looking back, seven years later, Serena finished her Master's Degree and finally today she would be joining the ranks of the working class.

Her body buzzed in excitement. Not to mention, Amy was able to share it with her.

Amy Mathews, one of her two best friends. They met their freshman year in their composition class. Sitting next to each other, they would chuckle at the idiotic questions their other classmates would ask. Both noticed each other immediately and began swapping English assignments for reviewing. It was great to have a friend going through the same classes and enduring the snooze some professors could be.

With Amy, brought Amy's longtime friend Raye Kingsley. Raye was a fireball, and a genius to boot. The passion the woman brought into Serena's life influenced her personality to a great deal. Unlike the passive attitude Serena had growing up, Raye showed her how to stand up for herself.

Now, instead of grimacing and twitching in the presence of males, most of the time Serena's sharp tongue she used to keep to herself, comes out with the snap of a finger. It made the unwanted advances men tried to throw at her constantly, ten times easier to shoot down.

These two women meant everything to her. They were her family, and they felt the same. Amy only had a mother who supported her decision to stay closer to her friends, and Raye an elder grandfather who took sole custody of her as a child.

When Amy received news that Moonie Press wanted her as an Assistant Editor, she sat down with her friends to discuss it. To think, she almost threw away a once in a lifetime chance of joining the firm just because of her two friends.

Raye, nor Serena would allow her to. They both were resolved that in a few months to a year, the trio would be together again. Sisters until the end of the world.

With a biology degree, it was easy for Raye to find a job in Philadelphia. She chose to work in the at risk high schools, feeling a calling for the students no one else gave a chance.

For Serena, even though her background was similar to a lot of the students Raye would teach, she couldn't bring herself to work with the students. It was selfish, she knew, but all Serena wanted was to leave the past behind her.

Both her friends moving out there, Serena was desperate to find anything. She planned on moving out with them, and taking anything she could for the time being.

But Amy, as always, was watching out for her. Somehow Amy had worked her magic and now Serena was able to land a job with Moonie Press.

Not only a job, but a job working right alongside Amy in developing a new line of fiction for the book company. She could not wait.

Now, all she had to do was make sure she wasn't late.

When dry, she put on her cute, but conservative undergarments and went to her closet to choose her outfit. First day impressions for some reason, unbeknownst to Serena, were important. Today, she had to get her appearance right.

Choosing brown wide-leg trousers, a v-neck tee over a lacy white cami and overtop for a little bit of pop a drape-front orange vest. Her brown flats blended well with the trousers she choose. Conservative and fun, two words that often didn't seem to go together fit her outfit perfectly.

Throwing her long blonde hair up in a loose bun, she was ready to go. Amy was waiting for her on the couch of their three bedroom apartment. Head stuck in a book, she looked up at Serena's form entering the room. She smiled, her white teeth contrasting with her short black hair, and put down her book.

She chuckled as she looked at her delicate watch adorning her wrist. "You are way cute, but had you taken five more minutes, we could have been late." She shook her head in her friends direction. "Some things never change."

"Thanks Ames." Serena pointed up to the still wet hair tied in her messy bun. "This is not a work of art like my hair normally is. You know how ridiculous my hair can be."

Rolling her eyes and getting up from the couch, she replied, "Yes, because having long, gorgeous wavy hair is such a pain. I am so glad I wasn't blessed with the best hair on earth."

Amy seemed unaware of how beautiful, she herself was. In a slouchy knee-length blue dress her natural navy tones in her hair stuck out even more. The white three-quarter length cardigan she wore over the ensemble was buttoned up only halfway, allowing the ends to flap out on each side for a pop of blue on her chest. Adorning her feet were silver gladiator sandals that accented the outfit tastefully.

But according to Amy, Serena was the only one who didn't know she was beautiful. Not that Amy had been through the experiences Serena had, but Amy never was popular with the boys. It seemed her intelligence always intimidated them.

If only Serena could have been that lucky.

In high school when Serena had come into her looks, the boys tripped over themselves to get a glimpse at the blonde.

Shy, innocent and completely unavailable, the boys at school placed bets on who would win Serena's devotion first. Too bad she never bet that none of them would. Once they found out the innocent rumors were true, they shied away themselves.

Not that Serena ever gave them the time of day. None of the immature boys in high school were worth her time. She simply didn't trust men.

In college, the chase continued, but thanks to Raye, she used her sharp tongue to knock them down. Now, at twenty-five, the inexperience seemed to scare men off.

Not that Serena minded.

Okay, she minded, but she just hoped that someday a good man would be able to be gentle with her and take the time to gain her trust.

So far, no male was willing to try.

All she could do was wait for that right one to come along and sweep her off her feet.

Until then, she had her job. And her faceless prince that came to her every night in her dreams.

Knocking her out of her thoughts was Amy's voice. "Ready to go?"

With her new Go Green, green Starbuck's coffee mug, she nodded and they headed out the door.

New beginnings were only blocks away.

End Chapter One

Okay, so this one, like Consequences, may develop slowly. I really want to go in depth with character on this one especially.

Again, reviews would be wonderful!

and, I have decided on not having a Beta for this one, so bare with it. I don't plan on having the chapters switch point of views so much in this piece.

yet...but, who knows?