Secrets of an outcast

Traumatic

It took the police and an ambulance less than 10 minutes to reach the apartment, along with a swarm of Paparazzi. The paramedics sorted the wound on my cheek and I was advised to rest for a few hours. And as for Marcus, he was dealt with by me before he even got the chance to lay his hands on her.

I had given the police every ounce of information I knew, Stacey would be interviewed on a later date.

I smiled broadly as the officer shoved Marcus into the police car in his half concious state. He was going to pay for what he did. The authorities would never let this one slide, and if they did I would do something about it myself.

A few photographers came up to my door and one of them was impeccably dressed in a suit and he worked for The London Times news.

"Excuse me, Justin. Would it be possible to get a photo of you and this new mystery girl?"

"I don't know, ask her." I said intimidatingly.

"Excuse me, Ma'am. Would I be able to have your photograph for the paper?" After he spoke, Stacey hid behind me and clutched my hand.

"Look, we've almost been murdered today. Don't you think that we just want to rest now, it was highly traumatizing for her."

"Oh, of course. I'm sorry I ju-" I closed the door in his face.

I pulled Stacey into my arms and placed a tender kiss on her cheek before Carrying her up the stairs and depositing her into the bed.

"I'm so sorry" She chanted for at least the 30th time this evening

"Hush, its not your fault angel. I'm going to try and catch some sleep now, do you want anything?"

"I wouldn't mind some water...if that's not too much" She whispered, still shocked.

"Stacey,you know it's not too much. Nothings too much.I don't think you understand how much I love you, do you?"

"I don't know, I've never felt like this before." she sighed softly as I picked her back up off the bed. That made two if us.

By the time we entered the kitchen, Stacey was already yawning her head off , and as I poured her a glass of water she said something I'd been waiting a while to here.

"I love you."

I froze and looked up at her, tears where cascading down her face like little raindrops.

"you do?" I questioned, wondering if she was just saying this because she was stressed and tired.

"Undoubtably. Every time I see you, it's like I'm looking at myself. I really don't want to loose you, I'd be lost. Because quite honestly My life has been so much better since the day I found you, especially now I don't have to live in fear of being punished for being who I am." tears were streaming down both our faces once again.

I placed the water on the counter behind her and my lips crashed with hers, I wrapped my arms around the small of her back, she wrapped her arms around my neck pulling me closer and deepening the kiss.

We slowly made our way to the living room, breaking the kiss when I realised something didn't feel right.

"wait" I whispered against her perfect, soft, pink lips.

"What is it?" she held me tightly.

"It just feels odd, not 30 minutes ago someone was trying to kill us." I whispered,I kissed her neck and she leaned back.

"Justin...can we sleep down here? On the couch." She randomly changed subject.

"Oh, of course..." I headed to the couch with her and we snuggled close to each other, there was still a sense of violation in the room.

Justin... I want to tell you what makes me love you more than I, for want of a better word, loved him." Stacey said softly.

"You don't have to tell me anything, angel." I kissed the corner of her mouth and pulled her closer to me.

"I want to. and I know that when we were first together. I was just normal woman, happy and sort of fearless. He had no effort whatsoever to put in, all he had to do was hit me...When you got me I was battered and afraid of myself, and not to mention any one else." She paused before continuing. "and disbelieving in love...and yet, you didn't leave, you didn't give up on me like the rest of the world, you stayed, even when the going got tough. Like tonight , you could have just let him finish me there and then. But you didn't. You risked your life for me tonight, Justin..." She trailed off, her train of thought was derailed.

I had never heard Stacey say anything with such passion, or anyone else for that matter.

"Stacey, I don't think you realize how much I love you. I would end my life if it meant saving yours. I really cant explain what I feel for you because anything I say wont be even half as accurate, and like I said, your life is everything to me. I love you, Stacey Penkins, you've signed your name on my heart."

I felt warm tears on my bare chest, I lifted Stacey's chin up with my finger and looked at her in the muted light of the night.

"Why are you crying?" I asked her, wondering if I had just said too much

"I'm scared." She sniffled.

"You needn't be scared, Stacey. I'll protect you, I wont let that sleezeball touch you again, and as far as I'm concerned, no one else. either." I hugged her tightly to me.

"It's not him I'm scared of...It's you.."

This was news.

"Me?!" I questioned, baffled.

"I'm scared of how much I love you...I'm terrified of leaving your arms and never feeling the way I do now ever again. I'm scared of being without you." She sobbed.

"Shhhhh Stacey, I'm never going to let you go, It does not matter to me what you are to the world, because to me, you are the world."

Stacey was speechless for a long time, until she finally whispered those three little words, and we fell asleep, all the walls down between us.