15: Don't you dare
Destiny's point of view: "Don't you dare touch her." Tenison said pulling something out of his front pocket. "What are you going to do about it?" The man spat pulling me closer and clutching my jean jacket's collar tighter. I yelped and the man slapped me saying "shut up Prissy." A few tears rolled down my cheeks as he dragged me off the counter leaving me really close to him. I felt like he was going to kidnap me before I saw what Tenison pulled out of his pocket. An army knife, a sharp army knife. "You will put her down now before I do something about it." Tenison growled edging close to us. "Well what will you say if I do this?" The man asked moving his hand around my neck and threatening to choke me. I felt his fingers start to close around my neck and I tried to pull away. He slapped me again but harder this time and wrapped his fingers around my neck starting to choke me. I started giving Tenison a look saying help please. I couldn't believe I was shooting him another look saying I hope that you know what I'm trying to tell you. He caught my first look and cut into the man's forearm. Blood dripped from the knife and Tenison had a wild look in his eyes. I noticed that Adam had just gotten off the phone. I watched as officers came into the lobby. They took the knife away from Tenison and quickly got the man to let go of my neck. As he dropped me I tore away from the police officer and into Tenison's arms. "Are you ok?" Tenison asked backing away from the scene with me crying in his arms. I shook my head and buried my face in his chest. "Thank you for doing that for me even though you could be sent to jail." I muttered. "I would do the time for your safety any day." Tenison whispered. "I should've kissed you that day on the couch, or today in our office I should've kissed my hero in the first place." I said. When I turned to look at the scene they were cleaning off Tenison's blade and ushering the forty year old man out the door with handcuffs around his wrists. "We support any men who are against Woman abuse and you will not be charged for defense." One said coming up to us. "Thank you so very much Officer I wouldn't know what to do without my friend here." I said. He smiled and said "Your welcome Ma'am and I know when one is innocent and when they just need to be believed." "Don't tell anyone but I give you back your weapon, it holds use to protect." He said quietly handing Tenison back the army knife. "Thank you again Officer." Tenison said as he walked off towards Adam who was already saying "Thanks a lot for coming so quickly dad." "Let's go I just want ice on pretty much my neck and up." I said. He smiled weakly at me and nodded heading for the elevator and Adam followed us up. I kept my eyes closed and still held onto Tenison on the way up. I listened to Adam say how brave Tenison was. Tenison finally said "I wasn't going to let him take Destiny away from me not a chance that he had a shot at it." I opened my eyes and smiled as the elevator opened. I unlocked the apartment door and let the guy's in. "Annabelle!" I called out. She came out of her room smiling and when she saw me she almost fainted. "W-what happened?" She asked coming over and taking a look at my neck. "Your neck is all red and so are your cheeks!" She said. "Yeah well Tenison and I saw the forty year old guy again and well things got in a handful of my neck." I said. "He slapped and choked Destiny." Adam said as Tenison gently touched my neck and I flinched. "Now she flinches when someone touches her neck." Tenison said. I wiped the trail marks my tears made and said "I'll be in my room if anyone needs me." Then walked off to my bedroom. I pulled off my shoes and then my jean jacket then my dress and pulled a rock tee shirt on. I went to go crawl into my bed but I heard voices outside my door. "I couldn't ask her out right now she's…she's…I just know I shouldn't bother her at all right now!" I heard Tenison say in an upset tone. "Come on I know my best friend I'm pretty sure needs someone right now and it's not Adam or me she wants to see." "Okay then send Jack in there I really shouldn't mess with her." Tenison said. I heard Annabelle's growl in frustration and she said "Adam could you go get Jack for me please." "Sure." I heard Adam say quickly. He knew better than to be slow when Annabelle was angry. "You should just go in there and talk to her Tenison!" Annabelle said. "I know but I just don't want to blow my only chance and I guess I'm a wimp because I'm still terrified about the whole Henry thing." Tenison admitted. "She actually told me you were her best friend Tenison she…she loves you as a best friend and like the brother she never had and if I say anymore she would kill me." Annabelle said. I heard footsteps and I crawled in bed before they opened the door. "Hey Destiny are you ok?" I heard Jack ask. I turned in my bed to face him and said "yeah kind of why?" He scooted in next to me and said "because Tenison's still scared and he's worried about you."
16: He's just worried about you
Destiny's point of view: "Don't tell Tenison or anyone else this but he was really my hero today." "He's actually been my hero since we met." I whispered into Jack's ear. He smiled and said "don't tell Tenison this either but he's been my hero since he took us into that alley after mom died." "Our father was a drunk and really abusive to Tenison and I." He said. "Tenison walked in to my room one night and saw that our father was beating on me again on his drunken rampage, things were never the same after that when he stepped up and took the pain for me. The next night Tenison and I left with our things and never looked back." "Tenison got a job when he was fourteen and it lasted us for a few months till he was fired that was when I was just four years old." "Then he got another job and met a girl when he was eighteen and she took us in for a night or two." "We went back to the alley after that and after a year of them two being together she finally said she couldn't handle Tenison and I living on the streets so she broke up with him." "He got fired again and found another job with another girl." "She also couldn't take care of us but that lasted two years then Tenison turned twenty one and he was then allowed to drink." Jack said quietly. "He came back to the alley bunches of times drunk…but he was quiet and I knew he never hurt anyone." "After a few months of him being twenty two this was still going on and he hasn't been drunk since he met you." "He got fired though and well since you got him a job he's been worried that he'll screw up again." Jack finished. "He's worried that you will be like his last girlfriend and we will be sent back to the alley." "He's more worried about slipping up to you like if he hurts you he will lose you and he's got a good feeling that you are going to be different…that he couldn't possibly break you to the point he can't fix it." "He doesn't want a home even though he needs it, he doesn't want money to get him farther but he knows he needs it and he wants someone to love but he doesn't know that he needs it." Jack said gazing at the wall across from us. "Your lives have been horrible and Tenison does everything he can to make your life a difference." I said quietly. I gave Jack a hug and asked "Could you please go get Tenison for me?" He nodded and I let go. A few minutes later Tenison quietly walked in. "You asked for me and I'm here." He said. I motioned him over and patted the spot next to me. He sat down and I wrapped my arms around him. He waited a few seconds hugged back asking "what's this for?" "For you being a great brother to Jack and making his life better." I said. "Oh" he said smiling. My smile faded. "You almost got drunk the day we met didn't you?" I asked. "Jack told you everything didn't he?" Tenison asked painfully. "Yeah and you shouldn't do that because of a broken heart." I said. "I forgot the pain and when I got back to the alley the day before I met you Jack sat down next to me. He said "someday maybe even tomorrow I know you are going to get better Tenison." "I didn't believe him then but ever since we met I started believing in my little brother more and more like he could tell the future." "Two days ago when I lost my job he said I was going to get another job really soon and added he could see it happening." Tenison said. "He knows what he's talking about then." I said laying my head on his shoulder. "He's the best little brother ever." Tenison said. "Annabelle said that you loved me like I was the brother you never had." Tenison said looking down at me. "Well yeah you are really protective, sweet and just brotherly." I said blushing. "If she said anything else you would kill her." He said. "It would be just a little embarrassing if you knew what I really think." I said quietly starting to take my head off his shoulder. He started to get up and I asked "are you staying again tonight?" "Should we leave? I don't want to cause you any trouble if so." He said. I could see his heart pounding and I remembered what Jack had told me. "Please stay I guess I really like the company you and Jack give me." I said standing up and he asked "are we trouble Destiny?" "No way the trouble makers are across the hall." I said smiling. He smiled and said "okay if it's ok with you." I walked out of the bedroom with Tenison and that night I fell asleep with Tenison on the couch and when Jack and Annabelle fell asleep in her room watching a movie I left them there. Adam had lied right next to Annabelle sleeping with an arm wrapped around her. "Come on let's get you to bed." Tenison said. I rolled my eyes and said "it's now sleep next to a person tonight at the apartment and it would be sad if I didn't get to celebrate this year wouldn't it?" He smiled and sat down on the couch. "Ok but as soon as you fall asleep I'm carrying you to your bed and leaving you there." He said as I sat down and curled up next to him.