"Babe, wake up for me."

"Cmon baby boy, time to go home."

"Carry me." I whine.

"I can't carry you through the building, prince. Besides, I need to talk to you."

I sigh and sit up, rubbing my eyes and looking at her.

"Your dad called." She says, instantly bringing me out of my headspace. "I answered your phone because I figured it'd be fine since it's just your dad. He seemed really upset, and sad he wanted you home."

I stare angrily at her as she speaks. "What the hell?! Why did you answer it?! You should've woken me up, god damnit! Delilah!" I yell as I stand and pace. She frowns.

"Luke I-"

"No! Just- take me home." I glare at the ground. She sighs and I grab the backpack and march out of her office and to the elevator, fuming and scared as I wait, hearing Delilah come out of her office behind me.

We quickly get to her car and I get in, staring angrily at the dash.

"Are you hung-"

"No." I snap.

"Lu-"

"Shut up, Delilah! Leave me alone." I hear her take in a sharp breath at my tone and my heart constricts in my chest.

Am I going to be in trouble for this?

I don't really care right now. My father is probably gonna take me close enough to death nothing will matter.

"Luke-"

"Just take me home!"

"Fine." She snaps in a more venomous tone than I think I've ever heard her use before.

She drives faster than normal and we're at my house soon.

I get out of the car and slam the door, marching inside.

I'm instantly greeted by my raging dad, and I know it'll be a long night.

***

I wake up in the living room, my breathing is labored tremendously and my whole body is in a sort of pain that's not sore or aching, but sharp and stabbing. It's worse than usual, much worse, and I instantly start sobbing at the pain, which only makes it hurt worse, but I can't help it.

I curl into a ball and try to breath through my wrenching cries and hiccups.

The house is dark but there's light coming in through the windows.

There's knocking at the door, getting more urgent, before the door opens.

"Luke?" Delilahs voice rings through the house. Luckily my dad works today. I try unsuccessfully to make my cries quieter.

"Luke? Are you crying? Where are you, babyboy?"

"No! Go home! Get out! Leave me alone!"

"Luke, are you still mad? I wanna talk to you, babe."

"I don't wa-wanna talk! Go away!" I sob out, my heart beating a million miles an hour, praying she'll listen so she doesn't see me like this.

"Luke, we need to talk." She says gently.

"Cmon, baby, where are you?" Her voice is getting closer so I try to be quiet but its no use, I keep sobbing.

"Oh my god, Luke!" I feel a gentle hand on my arm and I sob harder.

"No no no no no..." I sob. This is my worst nightmare. I didn't want Delilah to know.

"Baby boy, why didn't you tell mommy? Oh god... I'm gonna call an ambulance."

"No! Mommy please no!" I sob. I called the police once and my dad cut me over and over everywhere, I couldn't move with out bleeding for weeks.

"Baby, you're really badly hurt! Did you father do this?"

I nod while continuing to sob, and when she pulls out my phone I start screaming, throwing my arms out to try and stop her, but it hurts too bad to do much.

"Calm down, Luke, babyboy please, be good for mommy and let me take care of you."

"Mommy take care of me! No ambulance! Please, Delilah!" I sob out brokenly.

"I'm sorry baby boy, I'm not gonna risk that. You're gonna come and live with me though and your dad is gonna go away and he'll never hurt my precious boy ever again." Tears are streaming steadily down her face as she rubs my arm, not touching anywhere else in fear f hurting me.

She dials 911 on her phone and I try to scream but I'm too exhausted and my eyes start closing, my sobs dying down.

"No, no baby, stay with mama, good boy. Keep your eyes on me please, prince. Yeah, hello? I'm at (insert address) um, it's my boyfriends house and I just found him in the living room, he's really hurt, his dad did it, I think he's done it before, could you please send an ambulance or something? ... I'm not sure, last name hemmings, umm," she pulls the phone away.

"Tell me your dads name." She orders.

"Andrew." I choke out.

"Good boy, breathe, eyes on me. Good. Mamas here." She reassures.

"Andrew hemmings. My boyfriends name is Luke hemmings, he's 17. He's having trouble breathing and staying awake. He's bleeding a lot, yeah. He seems to be hurting really bad. Ok, please hurry, thank you." She hangs up the phone and I roll onto my back. She runs a hand gently through my hair and lays kisses on my forehead.

"I didn't want you to know." I sob. She shakes her head and kisses me more. "Please don't leave me." I cry.

"I'm here baby boy. I'm here, Luke, I'm not going anywhere. I love you so much, baby boy, I'm never gonna let anyone hurt you ever again. Stay with me baby. Mommys here."

"I didn't want you to call the police." I repeat.

"How come baby? They're gonna take good care of you and make you feel all better so you can come home with mommy and then I'll take care of you, ok? We'll be okay, I'll make you happy, baby. Oh god, why didn't you tell me?"

"Thought you'd leave." I whimper.

"Never, baby. Never. And don't ever keep important things from mommy or I swear to god luke... god I'm really scared. I wish you would've told me before any of this happened. I'm scared." She cries, close to sobbing herself, now.

"I-I'll be okay, mommy. I'm sorry." I promise.

"I'm sorry baby, why didn't I see?" She mumbles to herself. "I love you so much, please don't leave mommy."

"Love you too mommy, be ok." I mumble as I get sleepier.

"Stay awake, Luke! Don't you dare go to sleep!"

"Wanna sleep!" I whine.

"No. Don't sleep. Be a good boy. Be good for mommy, stay awake." She warns.

"No. I sleep." I mumble.

"Luke I will take away all your stuffies for a week! Open your eyes right now!" She threatens. I whine but do as told, even though I know it's an empty threat. But she's so scared so I have to be strong for mommy. I have to stay awake.

Soon more people come through the door and I cry harder at all the noise, making my head pound.

I'm lifted onto something and pain racks my body.

"Delilah!" I cry as she disappears from view for a second. I think I'm put in an ambulance and soon she's right at my side, holding my hand, and I grip hers tightly.

"I'm right here, baby. Right here." She assures as she kisses my hand, tears falling heavily down her face.

"Want a kiss." I mumble, making her chuckle, and so does someone else as she leans forward and gives me a quick kiss.

"He'll be okay, miss." Another woman, one of the people who helps in ambulances, I can't member what they're called, assures her.

"Yeah, he'll be ok." Mommy says to herself.

"Right, Luke? You're gonna be strong for your lucky lady here, won't you?" The woman asks, and I know they're trying to keep me awake, but it's getting really hard.

" want 'nother kiss." They both chuckle again as mommy complies, kissing me like I'm gonna shatter beneath her.

"We're gonna go to the hospital and they're gonna take care of you for a few days." The lady explains, and I nervously look to Delilah.

"I'll be right next to you every second." She promises.

I nod and try to grin at her.

" 'nother?" I ask, as right now kisses feel like about the only thing keeping me alive and distracted from the tearing pain throughout my body as the ambulance drives fast and bumpily.

She gives me a few quick pecks as she runs her hand through my hair, but then I let out a loud cry and start sobbing as we go over a bump and pain rages throughout my body.

She leans back and lays her head on the table I lay on, sobbing words I can't understand, but they sound kinda like prayers.

She's just scared. I've been hurt this badly before and I was fine. I'll be fine this time, too, especially since mommy wants me to be so badly.