So, after pulling teeth with my mom, I was finally able to go home with Lucy. When I got in the car, I could feel the tension in the air. This is bad, this is bad, this is very bad. Was all I could think. We rode in silence. This was the first time I had been to Lucy's house since we were in 1st grade, much had changed. First off, there was empty booze bottles all over the place. I ignored it for Lucy's sake. Me and Lucy went upstairs to her room and started on Mrs. Kosmer's math homework. After about an hour and a half, Lucy's dad comes in yelling at Lucy to get downstairs and make dinner. I got up with Lucy and stood next to her, ready to swing and/or block a punch. He put one of his huge hands on Lucy's shoulder squeezing, making her yelp.

"Sir, I think she understands." I said as sternly, but as respectfully as I could. I've learned a thing or two when talking to adults.

"Oh really?" He turned to me letting go of Lucy. "And just who do you think you are?"

"I'm one of Lucy's friends, sir." I replied not daring to break the eye contact.

"Well, do you know who I am?" He said without missing a beat. "I'm her God d*mn father! I can do whatever the f*ck I want." His hand started to swing to Lucy's face. I pushed Lucy to the side a little as I moved to take the blow.

"Well, if you are going to treat her that way, treat me that way." I replied, not backing down. Lucy kept looking between us, as if we were a tennis match, scared, and waiting for one of us to back down. I was not going to be the one to back down.

"Fine, you want another one?" He said screaming now. I stood my ground, still never breaking eye contact with him.

"Hit me not her." I replied.

"Have it your way tough stuff." As he wound up and gave me two shots, one to the eye, and the other to the gut. I doubled over, then stood back up ignoring the pain.

"What did that gain you?" I asked trying to prove a point.

"Well..." He said fumbling for words. "It...um...it...um...gave me satisfaction."

"Satisfaction that you just hit someone, someone who did no harm to you, nor threatened to do harm to you?"

"Well..." He said at a lose for words. "Okay, maybe you didn't deserve both of those blows."

"Did I deserve any?" I asked, never breaking eye contact, determined to not back down.

"Well...no." He said shortly.

"Think about that the next time you try to hit your own daughter. I shouldn't be the one standing up for her, you should be the one chasing rude jerks away from her." I said giving him an idea to hopefully do some good.

"Don't test your luck kid." He warned.

"Why? You can hit me, I don't care. Just leave Lucy alone." I said defiantly.

"Because you're heading the right way to end up in the hospital." He replied.

"I wouldn't go, I'd just get back up, I'm like a cockroach, you can't kill me." I said, not knowing how true it was, but determined to do anything for Lucy.

"Do you want to test that?" He asked threating me, the only problem was, because Lucy was right next to me, I wasn't going to back down, not now, not ever.

"Sure, go ahead." I said. "It's your dinner time you're wasting."

He swung twice again, and kicked this time, the neck, ribs, and the one place where the sun don't shine is where he decides to kick. I double over again, then stand straight again. "Is that satisfactory enough for you? Or do you want to try again?" I asked. He swung again, and again, and again. I always would repeat that phrase after I stood back up. Even though I wasn't sure how much longer I could take it, I kept on getting back up.

"You little son of a b*tch! Why won't you stay down?" He screamed, confused how I could get back up each time.

"It's because you have no reason to keep swinging, but I have a reason to keep getting up." I said, I was exhausted, but I kept on going.

"What reason is that?" He asked clearly pissed off, while kicking me in the back of the knees making them buckle.

Struggling to get back up, I say in between gasps for air. "Because I'm defending, I'm defending someone I care about. You're just throwing punches because you can. There's a difference in motivation." I looked at Lucy out of the corner of my eye, she was scared, relieved, concerned, and confused all rolled up in one person, I don't blame her though.

"I'm going to end up killing you if I continue, just quit now." He told me. While punching me in the jaw, then jabbing me in the Adam's apple.

"Never, I'm not a quitter, I keep going until someone else quits, or until I die, which hasn't happened yet, but I'm willing. If dying shows you what it means to defend someone you care about, then I will die fighting for it." I meant every word of that.

"You really care about my daughter that much?" He asked, frozen in shock, fist mid swing.

"Yes, and you should too." I replied, grateful for the break.

"Lucy go make dinner." Her dad said. She looked at me, wondering if I was going to throw a punch or something.

"Lucy, it's okay, you just go hang out downstairs, don't worry about dinner yet, I'll fix it later." I told her.

"You sure?" Both Lucy and her father asked after I finished speaking.

"Yes, I'll fix dinner, I make a mean cheese steak." I said with a slight smile.

"Just...just be careful, okay?" Lucy told me, not sure how to react.

"As you wish." I responded, smiling wider, it was a joke between me and Lucy. She smiled back and walked downstairs.

"How did you do that?" Lucy's father asked.

"Simple, I was kind to her, and showed her that it's going to be okay. You can do it also. Just show her you won't hurt her, and do her a favor, maybe make her favorite food one night for her. It doesn't have to be anything extravagant, just something with meaning. I would also advise less booze, it make you a little more physical." I told him, trying hard to show him he can change.

"Why are you so nice to her?" He questioned.

"Well, because I love her, she doesn't feel the same, but if you love, you can never stop loving. Please do not tell her I love her, it's hard enough as it is, and this beating doesn't exactly help either." I told him.

"I shall not tell her." He promised.

"Good." I said, grateful to have an ally.

"Can you help me?" He asked tentatively. "I don't know how to...well raise a teen."

"Of course, as long as you stop hurting me and Lucy." I said, a little nervous for my own health.

"I promise." He replied.