If You Could See Me Now

34

Trigger warning: Domestic Violence

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When Maddy woke up the next morning, she rolled over to an empty bed. She looked around and soon got up, walking down the hallway to Lukas' bedroom.

Ryan had obviously gotten up in the middle of the night and cuddled up with her child. She just chuckled and took a picture, carefully waking him up since he had an appearance to go to.

"Honey, you gotta get up," she chuckled, "When did you come in here?"

"It started storming last night, he got scared so I came in here with him and we watched Cars 3," he explained, carefully replacing himself with Lukas' big Lightning McQueen pillow.

"Go get ready, I'll make some breakfast," she grinned, "Eggs or Pancakes?"

"Both?"

"I can do both," she chuckled, giving him a quick kiss before she went down the steps and started making them something to eat.

They all 3 ate before Ryan left and Maddy and Lukas stayed at home. They played simply and Ryan checked the cameras a few times that Maddy had in every room.

Ryan's appearance was set to go until 3 so right until Luke's naptime ended. The next time there was a little lull in fans, he checked again to see both Maddy and Lukas napping on the couch.

"Cute," he chuckled before getting right back to saying hi to everyone.

At home, Maddy was sound asleep on the couch with Lukas when a loud banging woke her up.

She got up and slowly set Luke down on the couch before opening the door and getting met with a punch to the face. It knocked her off her balance and he could tell so he pushed her right into the wall.

"Do you not listen when I speak to you?!"

"What are you talking about?" She asked, scared out of her mind as she looked over at Lukas.

"I told you that you couldn't leave the state with him!"

"You aren't his father anymore Derek!" She yelled, trying to hold her ground but she was honestly terrified. She'd never seen this side of him.

Derek was relentless in yelling at her and even threw a few punches. All
In front of her son. She didn't want to move from her spot against the wall as she watched him leave so she looked at her watch.

"Text Ryan," she told Siri as she sat against the wall before the watch spoke back to her, "I need you to come home. Derek was here,"

Ryan couldn't get to his phone fast enough and he couldn't leave so he immediately texted Bubba, asking him to go over and check on Maddy.

Ryan gave him the garage code but he didn't need it as Derek didn't fully shut the door.

"Maddy?" He called as he and Amanda came in the front door.

All she had to do was look at him and Amanda knew what happened.

"Go get an ice pack please," Amanda told him before looking at Maddy, "Was it Derek?"

She nodded silently.

"Did you call the cops?" She asked.

"No," she shook her head, "Just texted Ryan,"

"Alright. He's gonna take Luke upstairs and we'll wait with you. Do you know when he's coming home?"

"His meet and greet thing ends at 3 so hopefully around 4,"

"Okay. We'll be here the whole time," Amanda said as she took the ice pack from Bubba and he took Lukas upstairs to play.

Maddy didn't say much other than that, just cried a little before she just sat silently. She didn't really move from her spot and barely watched the show they had put on the TV. All she saw in her mind was Derek yelling in her face.

As soon as Ryan got home, he was at Maddy's side and supporting her as well as he could. He took her right up to her bed and tucked her in, staying with her until she was sound asleep.

As soon as he could free himself from her grasp, he went back down the steps, put the ice pack back in the freezer, and started looking over the cameras on her laptop. He knew there had to be something that they could use when calling the cops because there was no way Derek was getting away with this.

He called Jay soon after looking, letting him know what had happened and sending him all of the information to log into Maddy's cameras so he could start looking. He then called his parents and asked them to take Luke for the night so he and Maddy could figure all of this out.

They headed over immediately while Ryan got Lukas packed for the night.

"Alright, buddy. You're gonna go with Grandma and Grandpa Blaney tonight. Mommy and Daddy have to figure something out," he said as he put his Lightning McQueen stuffy in his bag.

"Otay dada," he nodded, "cas?"

"I'm sure they'll watch cars with you," he chuckled a little, taking Luke downstairs and getting the car seat out of his car.

His parents pulled up a little bit later, Lukas running to them like he'd known them his whole life.

"Thanks for taking him,"

"Of course. How's she doing?"

"She's upstairs sleeping. I got home and it was like she was a ghost. She wasn't focusing on even me and Amanda said she was like that almost the whole time. She's got a black eye and a bruise on her jaw. And I'm livid so,"

She nodded and held Lukas, knowing Ryan was going to take care of whatever he needed to for them while they had their son.

They were soon gone with Luke and Ryan was upstairs with Maddy. She was still sleeping but he was watching her every move. He'd moved the hair off her face every time she'd roll over and was happy that she eventually rolled over and cuddled up to him. She opened her eyes for a split second before realizing it was him and she was safe again.