Mikey didn't mean to speed but his thoughts were eating him away and he wasn't concentrating on how fast he was going. He must of been speeding because he heard the siren of a police car behind him and swore to himself and pulled over. He turned his car off and leaned forward against the steering wheel in frustration while the officer walked over to his window. The police officer knocked on the glass and Mikey put his window down.

"Do you know why I pulled you over?" The cop asked but then when he and Mikey looked at each other they realised they had met before. "Oh hey kid. How's your girl doing? Is she alright?"

It was one of the police from the hospital the night before. Mikey sighed and was to distracted by the questions to remember that he had been pulled over and was going to get a ticket.

"She's okay." Mikey rubbed his eyes, he was still exhausted from getting practically no sleep. "She's not really my girl though. We're enemies actually. We hate each other usually." Mikey said with humour in his voice as he told the cop the truth.

The cop raised his eyebrows. "Coulda fooled me kid. So where is she? I thought she was meant to stay with you."

"She is. She's at my house right now. I just had to get out of there. I couldn't think straight."

"Is that why you were going 15 miles over the speed limit?" The cop said sternly.

Mikey sighed. "Yeah. I guess so."

The cop looked at Mikey up and down. "Get any sleep kid? " Mikey shook his head no. "If you hate this girl then why bother helping her? You could've called the police and we would have come to get her. You didn't have to take her to the hospital and stay with her all night. And you didn't have to take her home. You could have slammed the door in her face if you hate her."

Mikey stared at the cop with his eyes crinkled in confusion. "She ran to my house in her underwear covered in bruises. She ran into my arms."

The cop looked unfazed. "So? Why is that your problem?"

Mikey shook his head in disbelief. He could not believe a cop would say something like that. He tried not to lose his temper when he answered him. "She's a tiny little girl. She was frightened and hurt and trembling. I couldn't call myself a man if I didn't give her safety."

The cop smiled. "That's the answer I was looking for. Look, you're a good kid looking after her. She's lucky she had you to run to. Keep it up and don't blow it. You got to be there for her, she's counting on you now. By the way, we've got a warrant out for the two men she identified. We haven't found them yet. I'm issuing you with a warning. Drive slower. Look after that little girl."

The cop got in his car and drove off. Mikey sat in the drivers seat motionless a while longer and thought about what the cop said. He knew the cop was right and he had done the right thing. One nightmare didn't change anything. Mikey hurt Kitzie in the past. He frightened her and hit her, but he would never force her to have sex. And somehow she trusted him above anyone else. She slept in his bed with him, on him. His friends were right as well. Everything had changed. Kitzie wasn't an enemy or any of the nasty names he called her before. She was fragile and beautiful and precious. It made Mikey sad that it took a horrible crime to understand that. He had to help her but he didn't know how.

Mikey turned the car on and drove off to the shopping mall. The stores would just be opening when he got there. He got out of his car and went to a book store.

"Can I help you find something?" Said a female sales clerk when he walked in.

"Um, do you have any books that deal with trauma?" Mikey asked her awkwardly.

The girl looked amused and confused at the same time. "What do you mean trauma?"

Mikey thought before talking. "Something really bad happened to someone I know and I don't know how to make her feel better."

THe girl now looked awkward. "O...K.... Well we have some books on depression and dealing with death and stuff." She took him to the section she was talking about. "Oh here is one on helping someone with post traumatic stress. I think this is what your looking for." She picked up the book and looked over it. Mikey looked at her, really looked at her. She she seemed nice enough and helpful. She looked about his age and had medium length blond hair and nice eyes. Mikey decided she must be a good person. He thought she was pretty enough to look at but not even close to as gorgeous Kitzie was. Mikey got lost in his thoughts again. As he looked at the girl he wondered if anyone had ever forced themselves on her. Then he was bought back to reality.

"Um, are you okay?" The clerk looked at him strangely now. He must of been staring.

"Sorry. Yes this is what I'm looking for. Thanks."

Mikey took the book, paid and left quickly and went into the next store he needed to go to.

*

Mikey was ready to go back. He knew he had a job to do and he wasn't going to be afraid of it anymore. He got back to his house a little while later and when he walked inside and called out nobody answered. He got worried straight away. He ran into his room and Kitzie wasn't there. Ray and Frank weren't there. He ran down to Gerards room and burst in. Gerard was laying on his bed reading.

"Where's Kitz?" Mikey said breathless.

"Ray and Frank took her to her place to get some stuff. Why?"

Mikeys eyes widened and he ran out of the house without saying anything more to Gerard. He ran into Kitzies house and called out for her.

"In here Mikey! Hurry" Ray called back.

Mikey ran towards where the voice came from. He entered a bedroom. He looked around and saw that this was obviously Kitzie's room. But he could only see Ray and Frank looking at a big walk-in closet. "Where is she?"

Frank was crouched down looking into the closet. "In there. She won't come out."

Mikey shook his head in anger. He needed to stay calm even if he wanted to yell at his friends just then. "You shouldn't have bought her here."

"I'm sorry Mikey. You told us to get her dressed. We thought that meant in her clothes not yours." Frank was obviously irritated by Mikey's tone but was trying to stay calm too.

Mikey slowly came closer to the closet and saw Kitzie was huddled up in there, with her chin resting against her knees. Every time Frank reached to her she huddled back further. Mikey slowly crept in and tried not to startle her as he moved towards her and crouched down in front of her. She looked up at Mikey and the two didn't say anything. They didn't need too. Kitzie didn't flinch when Mikey reached out to her. He put his arm around her under her arms and his other arm under her knees and stood up carrying her bridal style from the small closet. When they stepped out Mikey looked at the bed and saw how messy it was from her struggles the night before and the small blood smear on the sheet. Kitzie cried softly and Mikey pulled her face into the crook of his neck and shushed her gently as he walked out of the room with her.

"Ray, Frank. Can you get some of her things in a bag and bring them to my house please?" He said.

Mikey carried Kitzie over to his house and took her to his room and sat her on the bed. She had calmed down a lot by this time. "I got something for you while I was gone." Mikey pulled a small box from his pocket and put it on Kitzies knee.

Kitzie looked at the box and back at Mikey. "What is it?"

Mikey opened the box and took out a little gold bracelet. He took Kitzies wrist and put the bracelet on her, doing up the clasp. It fit perfectly. She looked up at him and he almost laughed at the confusion in her eyes. The bracelet had a little plate on it and Kitzie saw something inscribed on it. Mikey reached down and turned the plate around so she could see what was written on it. It was a series of numbers. "What is this Mikey?" She looked in his eyes innocently.

Mikey knew there was no way to tell her without feeling awkward about it, so he just said it. "Its my phone number Kitz. So no matter where you are, if you're in trouble you have my number. Someone can call me if you need me. I'll always be a phone call away."

Kitzie looked at Mikey in disbelief with tears streaming down her face. Mikey put his arms around her and pulled her gently to him. He leaned his forehead against hers. Kitzies smiled a real smile. Mikey felt his heart beat fast looking at her smile. After a few moments staying still together like that, Mikey put his hand on the back of her neck and leaned closer. He pressed his lips gently against hers and kissed her so softly and sweetly. And for a moment all the troubles of the world disappeared. She was safe. She was with him. She was his.

Notes

Hi. Thank u to those of you who have commented. I felt like it was time for something nice to happen. There might be more drama round the corner though. Do u have any idea what the drama might be. I don't know if its going to be all sunshine for Kitz and Mikey. Was it a good idea for him to kiss her?

Please leave a comment if you like this story.