Forbidden

Kes POV ---

"What the fuck does he think he's doing?" I heard Brett ask me. He threw his beer bottle at Chris' head. "Man that's my fiancé you kissed." He said grabbing Chris' collar pulling him back up from the position he was ducking in to hide from the shattered glass. Dawn shrieked and ran to my side. "Get her out of here." Brett called to me before Chris landed a right cross to his jaw. I didn't even look for my wife I just got Dawn to the safest place I could at that time. I took her out to my car and sat there with her as she cried. We sat in the back of my Mercedes for a good 10 minutes before we heard the sound of police sirens arrived.

"This is all my fault." Dawn said as I held her rubbing her back like a sobbing child kissing her forehead. "I never should've come here."

"Dawn I don't think that you're the problem here." I said to her "Chris was trying to get you away from him." I said turning her face to look into my eyes. "Dawn he's no good for you."

"But I don't like Chris the way that....the way that I like you." She said more tears dropping from her eyes. I shouldn't have done it, but it felt right. I put her face in my hands and kissed her softly on the mouth. It wasn't feverish or passionate, but it was a kiss I will always remember for the rest of my life.

"Dawn, in another life I would say yes in a second." I said still holding on to her face. "But you know I love Andrea and the kids. We're forbidden. We can never be." I said as my thumb wiped her tears away. "Anything else I can do for you...anything and I'll do it." A small smile spread on her face.

"Thank you." She said almost silently as she kissed me again this time a bit more passionately. Like it would be our last. I looked up and could see Dawn's fiancé being led away in handcuffs. I didn't want her to see it, she had been hurt enough lately. She didn't need to see the man she loved, or thought she loved; led away like that. We sat there for another few minutes just holding each other. God how I wanted for that moment in time just to freeze. I knew it couldn't. I still had a responsibility to my wife inside and her safety. My phone was buzzing. It was Andrea. I got out of the car telling Dawn to wait there while I talked to her. The guilt that I felt at that moment nearly killed me.

"Come on" I said to Dawn opening the door. "Brett's been arrested. Higgy too." I said sighing. "We'll get you home."

"No I should go down to the station." Dawn said quietly.

"Fuck Dawn! When are you going to give this guy up?" I asked slamming the car door shut. "He doesn't deserve you. He never will!" I said grabbing her shoulders. "You're a million times better than he is!" I held her close again suddenly not caring who saw. Even Andrea who was approaching me. "Please. For me, go home, get some things together and we will find you somewhere to stay." I said to her.

"Alright." She nodded through the tears. She kissed my cheek lightly. "Thank you."

----- Dawn's POV -----

"How are you feeling?" David Booth asked me as we got on the parkway to go back to my house. "Can I do anything?" He asked with a half smile.

"I don't know" I said quietly. "Pray for me?" I asked almost jokingly.

"I can absolutely do that." He said to me with a big smile. We pulled up to the house. I asked David to wait for me, I wouldn't be very long. I threw everything that I could into my two large suitcases not caring if things were folded or even clean. The tears streamed down my cheeks. It was liberating but so hard at the same time. Finally, I reached out kitchen table. I grabbed a pen and paper and wrote down the only thing I could think that Brett deserved to hear:

'Dear Brett, I'm gone. I'll be back for the rest of my things later. But I think that this belongs to you.... Dawn'

With that, I took my engagement ring off and put it beside the note. I locked the door leaving my key in the mailbox and left. I was free. Boothy helped me out with my suitcases in his car and we left what had become my prison. We drove in silence for a few minutes. "It's over." I said quietly, almost happily, "it's all over. I left my ring." I added feeling proud of myself.

"Can I be honest?" David asked then I shook my head yes. "The whole time you were in there, I prayed for courage for you to leave him. Nobody deserves what has happened to you." He said with his blue eyes shining. Kes had agreed to let me stay with his family until I could get myself a place. We knew it was risky, but I also knew that Kes would never allow his family to see something that would compromise them. We got to Kes' door and David helped me with my things.

"Thank you Ryan." I smiled at him as he led us to my room.

"I know you'd do the same for me." He said to me. "Why don't you walk Boothy out." He said as I set my suitcases in a corner of the room. I walked him down to the door neither of us saying anything.

"So umm." He started nervously. "If you'd like to umm get some coffee or lunch sometime..." David said unsure of himself.

"Boothy, the body's not even cold yet. She just dumped her fiancé." Kes said giving him a playful slap on the head.

"No," I said "it's a nice idea." I smiled. "Thanks David, I'd love to. I'll see you tomorrow?" I smiled and gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek. "Thank you for being my white knight and rescuing me." I smiled honestly as we said our goodnights.

"What about me?" Kes asked " I rescued you too!" He added.

"Ryan, I will never forget what you've done for me." She said before giving me a tight hug. "Thank you." I said with a smile. "I used to think that we couldn't be friends, but Kes I think you're the best friend that I have." I said my eyes getting tearful.

"Aww." He said bringing me in for another hug. "I love you Dawn." He said into my hair.

"Ryan, Ryker woke up and is asking for you." Andrea said from the staircase not even blinking an eye.

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