My Saviour - Tanner X Woods

Chapter 20 - Hurt

*WARNING OF ABUSE*

Woods' POV
I needed to tell Tanner about Jamie. I wanted to tell him at the hospital but I couldn't if I knew he was around.

Tanner was upstairs getting ready for work. I didn't know when to tell him. I'm never going to find 'the right time'.

I heard Tanner walk downstairs humming to himself. He was so happy, I didn't want to destroy that. "Tanner?" I said nervously. I instantly felt my breathing begin to shift.

"Are you alright?" Tanner looked worried and walked over to me. He placed his hand lightly on my shoulder. I slowly tried to sit on the floor so I didn't fall if this got any worse.

"Look, I need to tell you about Jamie." I teared up at the thought of it all. All those memories rushing back to me. Tanner looked a little confused. "He's my ex.." I blurted out. I didn't want to think about it. "We were together when I was 18. We were really happy for a few months. We would go on dates every week and he was so kind to me. But he suddenly changed. I guess work was getting to him. He started to come home from work late and stinking of alcohol." I began to sob. I couldn't believe I was telling him this. "Sorry, anyways. He began bringing girls and guys back to our place and taking them upstairs.

The first time he did it, he asked me to join them. I didn't want to. I wanted to be with him and only him. I loved him. He never talked about wanting to do that kind of thing. He said that I was just leeching off of him. He sent them upstairs and He was downstairs with me. He began to hit me and kick me. I kept screaming for help but they didn't come and save me. I couldn't escape him and I just-" I sobbed.

Tanner pulled me close to him. I heard him sniffling a little. He was also crying. "Hey, it's okay. You don't need to continue. It's alright." He hugged me tightly and moved my head onto his chest. He ran his hand through my hair to calm me. "It's alright. I will keep you safe. I'm always going to be here for you."

"When you told me all that stuff about you not being able to cope with me. It reminded me of Scott and Jamie and also a girl called Skylar." I tried to push it off but I couldn't. When you left the office and headed to red base, I was just around the side of blue base with Matt. I was having a massive panic attack and I didn't want you to see me in case you thought I was pathetic and hurt me." I admitted. I hated saying it. I hated it so much. But I had to.

"Woods, I would never ever hurt you. Not intentionally. I love you so much. I couldn't ever hurt you. You mean so much to me. I didn't realise how much you meant to me until last night. I was so scared that I would never see you again. I thought that you were dead. I couldn't live with that. I couldn't live without you. I've never met somebody who means so much to me. You're the first person who I have felt so strongly about." I could here the sincerity in his voice.

Cassie came and sat down on me. She was so cute. She nudged my arm until I petted her. I laughed a little. "I'm alright Cassie." She just laid on my legs and made sure that my hand was in contact with her. I was shaking a lot. I didn't realise how much until she did that.

Tanner smiled and rested his head on top of my head. "I love you so much. I'm sorry that all of that happened to you and I wish I could have helped. Does Scott know about any of this stuff?"

I shook my head. "Scott had began to distance himself a few weeks into me telling him about Jamie coming home drunk. I guess he couldn't cope with it either. He moved house and had his new work friends to be with. I knew that he was just protecting his own mental state so I stopped talking to him about stuff and he wanted to be friends again. I realised I would have to silence my problems to be able to have friends. Other peoples problems are a scary thing especially when you knew the person. He always came back when I pretended I was okay. I would rather have had a fake friend than have nobody at that point. I didn't want to be completely alone I suppose."

"Well you have me. I guess I said I couldn't cope because I had never had anybody talk to me about their problems. Paul has rants every now and then about how he can't find 'the right girl' but nothing actually serious. It just threw me off a little. I am here for you, I hope you know that." Tanner smiled a little. "How was your little trip to the mountains anyway?" He laughed.

"It was refreshing, I may have also got a McDonalds on the way back, don't kill me." I joked. Tanners jaw dropped jokingly.

"You had a McDonalds without me?!" He said in a high pitched voice. His hand placed on his chest. He giggled slightly. He was so cute sometimes. The smallest of things would just make my heart melt. I smirked a little to myself. I love this man.

Tanner began to stand up. He nudged Cassie off my legs and held his hand out to pull me up.

"I love you Woods" He placed a small kiss on my lips and pulled me into his body. I blushed slightly and buried my face into his neck to hide my reddening face.

"I love you too Tan Man."