*Callie*

Callie heard the door open. Hope spread through her as she wiped the tears off her cheek. She had been ready to tell Jon, he just left before she got a work out of her mouth. “Jon?” she croaked. Taylor rounded the corner. Hate spread through her body, never in her entire life did she despise a man more.

“What did you tell him?” Her voice shook with anger.

“Only the truth dearest.” Taylor had a shit eating grin on his face and his eyes swept her. A shiver ran through her. Fear tricked at the base of her spine. “You had an abortion without telling me.”

“Fuck you, Taylor that’s not what happened.”

“Okay, well, maybe not the whole truth. But how else was I going to get that Neanderthal out of here. Callie, I told you. I want you back. You’re mine.” His words were really scaring her, they way he looked at her made her want to run.

“No, I’m not Taylor. How many times do I have to make it clear that I never ever wanted to see you again. You’re a fucking rat bastard, Taylor.” She felt her face heat as tears came back. Everything she’d been trying to forget for years came back. It all came to the surface.

“You didn’t used to say that.” He murmured as he took a step closer to her. Callie shifted further back into the couch to put more space between them.

“You are sick man. You were nearly eighteen when you stole everything from me. I was just a little fucking girl and you stole everything.” Callie felt herself choke on her past. “I was thirteen, Taylor. You took the innocence of a thirteen year old girl.”

“Stop being a bitch. You wanted it.”

“I was thirteen. I didn’t know what I wanted! You told me you loved me and goddamnit, you knew what it was like for me growing up and you used me for an easy lay. I fucking hate you.” She spat at him. His face got red.

Never to anyone had she ever admitted how early her relationship with Taylor started. Never had she told anyone that he was the one who truly changed her. “You’re such a fucking coward. You’ve never in your life done anything that didn’t help yourself.”

“You fucking bitch, you took my kid away from me.” She could see the hate in his eyes and tried to keep the fear out of hers. Taylor when he was angry was very dangerous but he had just taken the one thing from her that she loved enough to try and get over her past, Jon.

“Taylor, you fucked up. I told you, over and over, use protection. But no, just like everything else. It had to be your way.” Her voice way low, she could see Taylor leaning in to hear her. “When I came to you, crying my eyes out because I didn’t know what to do. You sent me away to deal with it? You were twenty and you told a sixteen year old girl to deal with it. You told me you didn’t want to see me, that it was over.” Callie took a breath and whipped the plethora of tears that were falling off her face. “And when I did the only thing I actually could, you came back, and you blamed me because I saw past your bullshit and I didn’t want you anymore. So fuck you, Taylor. You never wanted the baby, you wanted it to all work out for you.”

Before even realized what she was doing, Callie got up and slapped Taylor so hard, her palm hurt. A bright red hand print formed on his right cheek. It wasn’t anything compared to the pain she felt all her years but it was something.

Taylor didn’t take it so well. In a few second, he had her flat on her back. Her plush carpet rubbed against her skin, causing her to burn. His strong hand came around her throat blocking her airway. The sensation burned her. It lasted only enough to make her start seeing darkness before she felt his weight gone. Callie didn’t know what had happened anymore and slipped into the darkness.

*Jon*

Jon hated himself for not running in sooner. He’d been waiting outside the door, just wanting to hear what really happened. He had been so sure that Taylor would hurt her. That he just wanted Jon out of the picture. He didn’t know that the man was insane.

Now Callie was laying on the floor passed out. His knuckles hurt from where the skin had split open from pummeling Taylors face. Every hit making him feel a little better, making due for what he did to Callie. Now, the bastard was passed out on the floor. It took a lot in Jon not to keep going but the sight of Callie… It stopped him.

He could hear the sirens of the police. Jon hoped that Patrick could make it, that he would be able to talk to Cal if she woke and decided she hated him. He sat down next to her and pulled her body into him. Her soft breaths fanned over her neck and prayed that she hadn’t been severely hurt. Jon examined her body for visible injuries. Most notably, her neck had a huge bruise the size of Taylor’s hand.

Anger coursed through him as the officers walked into the room and took in the scene. It wasn’t long before paramedics took Callie away from him, but he kept an eye on her as they set her on the couch to examine her, except as he stared a hole through Taylor as they dragged him out. He watched as her eyelids fluttered. Jon excused himself from the officer and rushed to her side.

“Jon.” She croaked, eyes filled with tears. “Let me explain. Please, let me tell you what happened.” Jon nearly broke down, she was in obvious pain. From where he sat next to the sofa, he could see the bruise starting to throb and all she wanted to do was explain to him what had happened.

Jon ignored her and pulled her close instead, holding her as close as he could without pulling her off the couch. “No, I know what happened, Cal. You don’t need to explain. I heard. I’m so sorry I didn’t come in earlier. I’m so goddamned sorry. I love you so much.”

The next thing Jon knew, Callie was sitting on his lap on the floor, her nose was buried in his neck. Her hair was so soft and smooth under his neck. For a moment, he took everything about her in, just in case she decided she hated him.

He took in the way she always smelled like vanilla. The way her skin was like porcelain; soft, smooth, pale. How her nose was cold against his neck. The feel of her fingers digging into his skin like she never wanted to let go. “I love you, so, so, so, so much.” He murmured into her hair.

“I love you, Jon. Just please, don’t leave anymore.” With the words, his heart lifted. She needed him as much as he needed her. They were finally equal, the truth was out. He pulled her in tighter.

“I will never ever leave you again.” He’d never been so scared to lose anything in his entire life. Never ever would he ever come close to losing Callie again.