Chapter 3: The abuse part 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of 7th heaven

The relationship was going great. Adam and Ruthie had been together for two months and he was wonderful, but sometimes Ruthie had some funny feelings about him. She usually shook them off. After all, he'd been great so far hadn't he?

They had just gotten home from grocery shopping and Ruthie was happy. She loved how Adam was with Melanie. She'd known for a long time that she needed a man in her daughter's life. She just wasn't sure how to react now that the man in Melanie's life was not Melanie's father.

"Thanks babe." Ruthie said as she gave Adam a kiss on the cheek.

"Anytime," Adam replied as he returned her kiss. "I have to go to work I'll call you when I get off."

Ruthie waved bye to him and turned to her daughter. It was just the two of them now. She looked at Melanie and sighed. Everyday she looked more and more like Martin and Ruthie hated it. Every time she looked at her daughter the night she'd had with Martin kept playing over and over in her head. She sighed and shook her head, trying to clear it of the memories.

Ruthie looked at her little girl, a smile spreading across her face, "Hey want some ice cream?" The little girl jumped up and down with excitement.

…...

Ruthie dropped Melanie off at day care and was on her way to meet Adam. Ruthie sighed as a shiver ran down her spine. It was one of those feelings again. She'd been having this kind of feeling since she started going out with Adam.

I Hop was about 30 minutes away from the daycare so she had time to think about how she was going to avoid talking to her mom and dad today. They called everyday and she would make up some lame excuse about how she couldn't talk to them right now. It was sad, but necessary. She still didn't know how to tell them about Melanie.

The phone rang Ruthie exhaled heavily while looking at the caller ID. Thank god, Ruthie thought when she looked at the phone and it read Adam.

"Hey babe,"

"Hey, I'm on my way now." Ruthie wished it was Martin's voice on the other side of the phone, but she knew that wouldn't happen. He didn't even know about his own daughter and she was pretty sure he'd hate her if he ever found out.

"Well I just got of work so I might be late, if I don't make it in time order something and I'll meet you there." He promised.

"Okay." Ruthie replied.

…..

Ruthie was at IHOP for an hour now. She couldn't believe Adam had stood her up. She'd been calling him and calling him, but the idiot wouldn't answer his phone. She slammed the money down on the table and left with anger in her eyes. She could have been doing something else besides this. She could have been spending time with her daughter.

She looked at her watch. It was 2:00 and Melanie didn't get out of day care until 5:00. Ruthie decided to go home and take a long shower. Afterwards she would call her mom and dad. She missed them so much.

Ruthie walked up the stairs and slowly opened the door. She threw her backpack on the couch and went into the kitchen to get her something to drink. As the water cooled her down she heard noises and stopped to listen. As she walked into her room she realized that the noise was coming from Adam's apartment next door.

Still angry, she walked to his door and knocked. By the third knock she tried the doorknob and found that the door was unlocked. She could still hear noises, which she now identified as moaning, coming from his bedroom. She opened the door. Adam jumped up from his bed speechless. Realizing someone just walked in on them the girl quickly jumped up. Ruthie realized that she worked at Melanie's day care.

"Mindy," Ruthie said, "What's going on here?"

"Ruthie I…I…didn't…" Mindy stuttered as she dressed hurriedly and tried to leave.

"No," Ruthie said as she grabbed her arm. "Why me?"

"Ruthie I didn't know." She pleaded.

Ruthie let her go and looked hard at Adam as he got dressed in the corner. "Adam I'm not even surprised." Ruthie said as she struggled not to cry. "It's over."

A furious look came over Adam's face as he walked up to her, "Nobody ever breaks up with me Ruthie Camden. I break up with them. I get what I want, when I want, and you're still mine!" Before Ruthie could say anything he began to hit her. Ruthie tried to fight back, but he was strong. She struggled to keep him from getting her to the floor. Martin and T-Bone had always said that you should never let someone get you to the floor. Despite all her efforts he pulled her down and dragged her into the living room by her hair. He continued to beat her.

"See girls like you just don't learn. I call the shots, not you." Adam said as he stopped and wiped the blood from his nose. "You're disgusting. Go home, clean yourself up, and I'll see you tomorrow." Adam picked her up and set her on her feet. He kissed her bloody lips and walked her out of the apartment.

….

Tears ran down Ruthie's face as she called the day care. She had to make sure Melanie was okay.

"Hello?"

"Is Melanie okay?" Ruthie stuttered. It was Cassie. Cassie would help her. "I need you to watch her please don't let anybody hurt her."

"Ruthie what's wrong? I'm holding Melanie right now." Cassie said. She was worried about Ruthie. In all the time she had known her Ruthie had never sounded like this.

"Adam hit me."

"He did what? Where are you at now?"

"I'm at home."

"Okay. Where's Adam?"

"I don't know!" She cried. "He just left."

"I'm going to drop Melanie off with Jason and I'll be right over." Cassie said. Jason was Cassie's boyfriend. He was also a good friend of Ruthie's who could definitely hold his own against Adam. He would keep Melanie safe.

…...

When Cassie arrived she let herself in with the spare key that Ruthie hid in the mailbox. "Ruthie?"

"I'm in here." Ruthie called from the bedroom.

Cassie made her way back into Ruthie's room. She was speechless when she saw Ruthie's face. One of her eyes was swollen shut and bruises were already starting to show. She would look horrible in the morning. "Oh my God,"

Author's Note: I know this chapter is late but I had testing this week. I hope this chapter is good. I had fun writing it and I can't wait till the story really takes off. I wanted to make it longer but I would have to go into the next chapter and I didn't want to do that so I hope it's long enough for you guys and please review.