A/N: Ok, this is something completly different then my normal fluff, but it's a subject that needs attention and normally doesn't get some! Chapter 1 : How Beauty met The Beast...
I present : Save me from the house of horrors !
With him everything was perfect.
Patrick was good looking, very generous and most of all a sweet and tender boyfriend...
Until three months ago, that day he slipped and became his true self...which turned out to be A MONSTER!
Three months ago:
I was standing in the kitchen of my apartment, cooking some Mac n cheese when he entered.
"Hi Tempe," Giving me a quick kiss on my cheek before he shrugged of his jacked and put away his briefcase.
Patrick Wells was a 34 year old lawyer who I met one and a half year ago after a rough case; he'd comforted me and asked me out, since we had a strong band.
As I put dinner on the table Pat poured us some wine, we ate in silence what was not completely uncommon for us.
Sometimes you have nothing to say… and I was about to learn that sometimes you better leave the silence, silent.
Taking a snip of my wine I cleared my throat.
"...We finally got the killer of Elisa Millan today...it was her step-dad, he tried to run but Booth caught him in time before he was too far gone,
it was very impressive how he tackled Joey…Now I see why Booth works out that much."
Angry Patrick let his fork fall down on his plate, the deafening sound ran through the room and caused my head to snap up in worry, looking at my boyfriend confused.
"Is something wrong?" I asked reaching to touch his shoulder, he drew back angry and stood up.
"God… Temperance… I just got home and it's already… Booth did this... and Booth did that! It. makes. me. sick!" He spat at my face.
"If he's Mr. Incredible why don't you go screw him instead of me?!"
Yes sometimes I should learn to just keep my mouth shut... because what happened next I'd never expected, and certainly not from Patrick.
I sat glued on my chair.
"But… Booth and I-" I stuttered.
"ENOUGH!!!" Patrick shouted, anger flashing in his eyes as suddenly he gripped me by throat and pressed me against the nearest wall...ok now sitting glued to my chair seemed not that bad after all.
"You. Are. Dating. Me!!!" He growled, emphasizing every word with a press on my throat , causing me to cough...at least as good as was possible with his hand clenched around my neck.
'This is wrong!!' every cell in my mind screamed ' DO SOMETHING!!!' and under this circumstances there was nothing left to do , with his body pressed up against mine, giving me no space for my legs to kick..
So there was only one thing left...I spat him in his face to get free.
"Dammit. You. Slut!" He yelled, as he sent out his flat hand. Right into my face, I fell forward, sinking into the ground and when I finally found my strength again I brought my trembling fingers up to my lips.
I tasted Blood, and when I withdrew my fingers I also saw blood. My blood.
Shocked I looked up at him…my eyes wide with fear...
Fear that he would hit me again, or even do something worse.
Fear that he would leave me, and then I'd be alone all over again.
Fear… for him.
Anger in his eyes slowly fated as he looked at my shaking form and it was replaced with guilt.
Rage replaced with compassion.
And the furious voice was changed for a nice and gentle tone.
He knelled beside me and at first I flinched, thousands of questions running through my dazed mind.
'What if the rage returns?' 'Why was he so nice at first?' 'Do I really always pick out the horrible guys?'….
I was confused , in shock and still scared , both of him and that also Patrick would abandon me.
He studied my face, mumbling soothing and comforting words before he brought his index finger up to let it gently touch the contours of my cheek and jaw.
Patrick whispered apologies over and over again, telling me how he shouldn't have done that , how sorry he was and that it would never ever happen again.
I believed him.
After I let him gain back a little of my trust and I seemed to have calmed down a bit, he ran his thumb under my eyes, wiping the few tears that had escaped.
He mumbled softly how beautiful I was… that to him I was the most precious and gorgeous woman in the world and that he didn't mean a single word what he'd said, that it felt like someone else was inside of him controlling his body and will.
I told him that was impossible that somebody can control your mind, and we shared a weak laugh, the first since the whole incident.
Hesitatingly he offered his hand and I looked at it for several seconds, like it had grown a sixth finger or something, before accepting his offer and letting him pull me up, turning me in his arms into a hug.
A soft, gentle, comforting embrace that soothed a little of the pain away.
'Let me get some ice, you go to the couch.' He whispered into my hair.
I nodded and went further into the living room, settling myself on the cushions of the couch.
A few seconds later Patrick reappeared and sat down beside me, shuffling closer and putting the ice carefully onto the wound on my lip.
I winced a little, at the stinging contact.
"Sorry…" He apologized, and I was thinking about what he offered an excuse, the cold contact of the ice or that he'd lost his self-control. "Sorry for everything."
Ok for both, I concluded.
As the wound was cleaned and taken care of, Patrick got rid the cold, now half melted ice cube and pressed a soft and warm kiss against my lips, being extra careful of the cut in my lower lip, and somehow I found myself leaning into the kiss, enjoying the gentle behavior that contrasted his rage half an hour ago. He broke away and pulled me closer, asking permission first and then if I was hurt somewhere else.
I let him put his hands around my waist , and all of the sudden I saw how small and fragile I was in comparison to his big and strong frame.
Patrick noticed I was still a little tense and that my nerves were on high alert, fearing that this bliss would only be temporarily and would melt away like the ice he used to heal my wounds.
"I'm no monster Temperance," He sighed. "I know I damaged your trust but please believe me as I say that I need you, you're everything to me… you are so precious to me, so beautiful…"
And there I made the mistake, instead of listening to the signs, the alarms in my head that told me to kick him out right then, I ignored them and I let him stay…and from that moment it only got worse. The beast was out!