Okay so I got a little too into writing this chapter and it ended up being the longest one so far in the series of this fanfic. I hope you guys don't get angry at me for the ending though! I had to stop writing so tis kind of a cliffhanger ^^ Anyways I hope you enjoy chapter four!

Madeline looked at herself in the mirror with a sigh, brushing her hair out of her face with her one good arm. Her wrist that had previously been in a cast but now had only a brace on it, her fingers still a bit swollen. Ivan hadn't done anything horrible all week. He had even been so kind as to make her dinner one night. Madeline however still found herself shaking with fear every time he would talk too loud and flinching every time he raised his hand in a way that seemed threatening. She was still afraid of him. She still had one place that she was safe though. One place that she went as much as she could. The little coffee shop. The Little Shop of Horrors which had become her Little shop of Heaven. It was even better if it was a day that Gilbert was working. His voice was perfect and his smile was perfect and he would crack the occasional joke that would make her giggle and smile a little bit. Gilbert had been great help for her these past few weeks and Ivan still had work when he wasn't watching her. Maddie smiled but it was quickly erased when Ivan came into the bathroom, coming up behind her and wrapping his big arms around her tiny form

"I am off to work my dear. I will be back at seven and no later." He said. That was another thing that had changed. Ivan had stopped staying late at work and had started coming home by at least eleven at the latest and watching Madeline like a hawk when he was home.

"A-Alright..." Madeline replied shakily

"S-See you then.." she finished as Ivan kissed her cheek and left. Maddie cringed, hating the way it felt when those cold lips touched her skin and made it crawl. She hated Ivan. She didn't want to be with him anymore. She wanted to leave him and never come back, yet she knew she couldn't. It was almost as if Ivan had her on a leash like a dog. Madeline sighed and let that thought leave her mind, walking out of the bathroom and making sure Ivan had left before changing her clothes, retrieving her purse, and going to get her keys but they weren't there. Ivan had taken her keys with him to keep her from leaving. Madeline was upset at first then she came up with a plan. She pulled out her phone and called Liz, smiling as her friend answered

"Hey Elizabeta. Would you mind going to the coffee shop with me. I would go by myself but Ivan took the keys to my car." She said, sighing a little bit.

"Hey Maddie~ Of course I would. You don't mind if I bring Roderick though do you? He is at my house and I feel like it would be rude to just leave him here." She said. Maddie rolled her eyes and smiled

"You two have been dating for how long now? He needs to hurry up and pop the question I'm ready to be a maid of honor~" She teased, smiling a sweet little smile, genuinely happy at that moment. Elizabeta giggled sweetly on the other end

"Oh Madeline~ You know how he is. He's too much of a gentleman for his own good some times~" Elizabeta said in a teasing tone. A soft retort could be heard on the other side of the phone before Elizabeta spoke again.

"Okay Madeline we'll be there in a few minutes~" Eliza cooed

"By the way Maddie, I was talking to Gilbert the other day and he said that you have become quite the regular at that little shop of theirs~ If I didn't know any better I'd say that your going for a reason?" Elizabeta hinted, probably wanting to know something about what Maddie had been doing at that coffee shop with Gilbert all those days. Maddie felt herself flush at the notion. She just liked going there, it was a getaway from her real life as Ivan's little puppet. A place where she could cut her strings and walk on her own. The added bonus of this little happy place just happened to be this handsome, funny, sweet, waiter. Maddie sighed

"Nothing is going on between Gilbert and I if that is what you were wanting to know Liza. I just...I like to go there and...get away from everything at home." She said softly, gulping a little bit as her heart seemed to sink when she said that. In a way she wished that there was something going on between her and Gilbert. It wouldn't be cheating because she had told Ivan that she didn't want to be with him anymore. She had broken it off but was bing forced to stay here with Ivan instead of leaving him. The other end was silent for a moment.

"Ivan's been hitting you again hasn't he?" Elizabeta asked, her tone somber and soft as she spoke. Maddie gulped, remembering that she hadn't ever told Elizabeta about her broken wrist. She sighed

"Well He broke my wrist a few weeks ago but since then not really..." She said, waiting for Liza's response

"Madeline Francine Williams you have got to stop this shit right now and I don't mean to curse but dear you really shouldn't be there with him! He could very seriously injure you! Or worse he could kill you!" She scolded, the tone of worry very clear through her scolding.

"And I don't want to lose the best friend I have ever had to that psychopath..." Liza said softly.

"We're pulling into your driveway now. I'm coming inside" She said

"We are going to pack your things. Your getting out of here." Liza said, hanging up before Madeline could protest. Maddie shook as she put her phone in her pocket, sniffling as she did so. If she were to leave Ivan would come after her. She didn't want to put Liza and Roderich in danger but she knew that once Elizabeta had her mind set on something there was no stopping her. She heard the door open and saw her distressed Hungarian friend, her long brown hair pulled back into a messy bun as she ran over and hugged Maddie tightly but being as gentle as she could. Madeline hugged her back, tears welling in her eyes as well as her friend's

"Come on Madeline. Let's pack your things."

Maddie sighed as she looked out the window of her temporary bedroom in Liza's house, Kuma was laying in her lap asleep, probably glad to be away from Ivan. The little pup was also afraid of Ivan now after everything that he'd done to the two of them. Madeline was waiting on Liza to change before the two of them would go to the coffee shop. She was so afraid but she didn't really know why she was. Yes she was scared of Ivan but he didn't own her and couldn't 'claim' her as his property or anything of that sort but Maddie knew Ivan and he would most definately try. Madeline didn't know what to do but she was so scared that Ivan would do something that would hurt her best friend in the world or her boyfriend and of course she was scared that Ivan would hurt Gilbert because he knew that she liked going to the coffee shop. Madeline jumped when Elizabeta walked in, almost falling off the bed in fear. Liza smiled a little bit at her

"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." She said softly, walking over and sitting beside Maddie, petting the sleeping pup

"Oh the poor little dear must be exhausted." She said softly, stroking over his ears

"Are you okay Madeline?" She asked simply, putting her other hand on Maddie's shoulder, the look in her eyes concerned and loving. Eliza was like a sister to Madeline and she always was one to be concerned with her ever since her real big sister had moved to New York with her husband. Madeline bit her lip before she spoke, making it bleed a little inside her mouth, the metallic taste was so strange but almost familiar

"I guess so...just...scared..." She said softly, looking down with a soft gulp

"Elizabeta...I know what Ivan is capable of and I don't want to see you, Roderich, or anyone else get hurt because of me. I'm so scared that Ivan will do that to get to me but I'm not sure..." She murmured. She hadn't ever really seen Ivan in a state of wanting something to the point of violence but she knew the violence that he was willing to do if someone was standing in the way. Elizabeta sighed and pulled Maddie close in a hug, petting her soft blonde hair slowly

"It'll be alright Madeline. I am sure he won't do anything like that. I promise you that if things go that far we won't let anyone get hurt but we also won't let you go back with Ivan." She said softly

"Just don't worry about it too much. Let's go to that Little Shop of Horrors and drink some awesome coffee and forget our troubles, hmm?" She offered, smiling at Maddie with sparkling Emerald eyes. Maddie nodded

"Yes...I would like that." Maddie said, smiling at Elizabeta as the two of them got up and walked to Liza's car to go to that little coffee shop that seemed to be the answer to their problem. A place they could go together and forget anything that was troubling them without ruining their livers.

Madeline and Elizabeta walked into the front door of the coffee shop, the small bell above the door giving a soft tingling to indicate the arrival of the two customers. Ludwig was the first to greet them as they walked into the door. Madeline smiled at the blonde man at the counter that was married to the tiny little auburn haired waitress that would often work her either in Gilbert's place or with him on the busier days. Madeline smiled sweetly as she and Liza picked their favorite table in the corner and sat down together, looking over the small menus that were left at each table before they were approached by none other than Gilbert, the average height Prussian man giving his signature smirking smile as he spoke

"Hallo ladies. What can I get you two this fine afternoon?" He asked in his scripted waiter format.

"Madeline would you like your usual?" Gilbert asked. Madeline smiled at him, her sweet violet eyes seeming to sparkling in the lights of the cafe. Gilbert could hardly take his own off of them

"Of course Gilbert. Thank you~" She said, liking that Gilbert knew her well enough out of a sea of customers to know what her 'usual' was.

"Alright One white chocolate with a maple drizzle for Maddie. And what do you want Liza?" He asked. Before Elizabeta could speak though her phone went off and she picked it up, reading a message quickly.

"Oh..um...Madeline. Do you mind? I have something I have to take care of really quickly. I should be back pretty soon though." Elizabeta said, smiling softly as she got up. Madeline nodded

"I don't mind Liza. I'll see you when you get back." She said. Eliza smiled and gave her a quick nod back before she left. Gilbert smiled at Madeline

"I'll get your drink then I'll be right back." He said, going back behind the counter area. Madeline realized now that she was the only one in the shop at the moment. It was so quiet other than the atmospheric music that hummed softly in the background. Madeline smiled and gave a small and relaxed sigh as she closed her eyes and rested back against the back of the chair for just a moment, relaxing in the calming moment alone in the shop. Gilbert cleared his throat as he approached her

"Hey Maddie. Mind if I sit down with you. Mein bruder just left since your the last customer for the night so I'm just gonna be in the back alone." He said. Madeline smiled

"I don't mind at all. I'd enjoy some company...a-at least until Liza get's back..." She gave a sheepish little grin, her cheeks pastel pink. Gilbert smiled and sat down beside Madeline as she took a small sip of the beverage that was at the perfect drinking temperature that still burned a bit but in a good way. Gilbert smiled a little

"So how are things with tall, dark, and heartless?" Gilbert asked, referring to Ivan and noting the brace on Madeline's wrist but deciding not to say anything since it would probably upset Madeline. Maddie sighed

"Well actually I moved out today...I'm at Elizabeta's place until I can get an apartment or something." She said softly, making Gilbert smile a little bit

"So you two aren't a thing anymore?" He asked. Madeline shook her head

"No...we aren't..." It was then that she started to pour her heart out to Gilbert, telling him everything that had been going on with Ivan for the past few months and how he had been cheating on her then the whole physical and mental pain that he put her through along with the broken wrist that had happened recently. Madeline sighed when she finished her story, looking down at her hands that were wrapped around the warm cup.

"I guess that's how I ended up here...this pathetic little shell of a girl that I am..." She said softly, closing her eyes slowly for just a moment. Gilbert sat there in an awestruck state next to the little blonde girl that he had grown to love so much over the past weeks that she had frequented the shops. They'd talked before when Gilbert was on his break but never like this. Madeline had basically just told him everything and he could hardly believe that the awful son-of-a-bitch that had the gaul to call himself Madeline's boyfriend for all of these years had snapped and gone crazy like that. Madeline deserved more.

"You are not a shell of a girl Madeline. You are a beautiful lady and you deserve so much better than that asshole could ever give you. You deserve someone who would love you and cherish you for the amazing girl that you are..." He said, stopping himself for a moment. Madeline looked up at him with flushed cheeks

"Y-You...you think I'm beautiful...and...amazing.." She murmured softly, smiling at the Prussian

"T-Thank you Gilbert." She said, looking down into her coffee with a wide smile. Gilbert smiled too

"You should wear that smile more often. It suits you."