The kick landed in my stomach, I doubled over and let out a scream, that kick was followed with several more like it, until I felt a hand on my shoulder and a steady familiar voice.

"Bunny? Bunny, oh gosh, are you okay? Sweetie, wake up, wake up." He pleaded shaking me the tiniest bit.

"Kevin?" I whimpered, looking at my husband, who seemed very concerned, his brown eyes tired and hair scruffy.

"Darling are you okay?" He asked.

"Did I hit you?" I asked, pushing myself up a little.

"You kneed me, but, what, what happened?" He asked.

"I had a nightmare." I said and nestled back into our bed, crying, "I'm sorry I hit you."

"No, no, what did you dream about?" He asked.

"It's stupid." I whimpered

"No it's not." He protested, and slipped his arm under me, then pulled my body into his, tightly holding me to him. "I've got you, now, talk to your husband."

"Kevin, it, it really was stupid." I sighed, snuggling into his chest.

"Anything that makes my wife cry cannot be stupid." He kissed my head, "now, talk to me."

"You know I was in the system right?" I whispered.

"Of course I do." He said gently rubbing my arm.

"And I was abused?" I whispered, my voice  even more quiet.

"Bunny? I married you, of course I know that. Is that was this was about? Abuse?"

"I know it was stupid, it's been years. Years Kevin. Years. Why is this happening?"

"Oh baby, it's, you're okay, you're here, you're safe, I've got you." He kissed my head, "I adore you, I adore everything about you."

"Kevin..." I whispered and let myself relax a little into his strong hold.

"Shh baby." He gently kissed my head, "talk to me."

"I don't know, it just, I was getting beat up." I whimpered and he started to gently stroke my hair. "And it was scary." I sighed, "it was so scary, I was so scared Kev." I whimpered.

"Please, Abigail, tell me what happened." He begged, pressing his lips to whatever skin was closest to him.

"Okay, um, when I was fifteen, I tried to run away from my foster family. I made it away for two or three days, but, um, my, my um, my foster dad found me, and he chased me, like literally chased me for as far as I could run. It's not an interesting story Kev, he grabbed me, threw me in his car, and I wasn't allowed to leave the house for the summer. I couldn't walk for a week after I ran away, it hurt too bad." I admitted.

"Okay. Um," I heard my husband sigh, and then he sat up, and pulled me to sit up as well. "Come here." He opened his arms, and I scooted forward, and sat between his legs, mine lightly wrapped behind him. He wrapped his arms around me, and kissed my head. "I love you." He whispered, gently rubbing my back.

"I love you too." I sighed, resting my head on his shoulder.

"Do you need something? Like, tea? Or a movie? I can make food for you? It's late, but, um..." he trailed off thinking about other options.

"Can we just, walk around the block?" I asked.

"Mmhm, it's like, four a.m., but, whatever will make you feel better."

"Thanks." I whispered.

"Let's go." He helped me stand up, "here." He handed me his sweatshirt. "Put on jeans." Kevin added, chuckling and kissing my head, and he left the room. I pulled a pair of jeans on, along with boots then left my bedroom.

"Hi." I smiled a little at my husband, he was holding a travel mug, which he handed to me.

"Hi Bunny, I made you coffee." He handed the mug to me.

"Thank you." I whispered, hugging him.

"Hey, it was no big deal." He reassured me, chuckling a bit. "Now, let's go." He smile me a smile, and pulled a large jacket over my shoulders.

"Okay." I smiled, and he slipped his arm around my waist, and walked me outside, into the cold.

"Darling, please stay close." He requested, "it's dangerous in New York City this late." He started to gently rub my arm.

"Okay." I said, leaning into his shoulder as we walked. We walked down the street together, and before we knew it we had walked several blocks, and were standing together, staring at Times Square.

"Come here." My husband whispered, wrapping me in a tight hug. "Do you want pizza?" He asked, and I nodded. "Alrighty." He said, and I giggled. He took my hand and walked me over to an outdoor pizza place, and the attendant seemed very happy to have customers at 4:30 a.m. "Here you go." Kevin said, handing me a slice of pizza on a paper plate.

"Thanks." I smiled, and sat down on the curb, looking up at all the lights.

"Not a problem." He came over and sat behind me, his legs on either side of me, and wrapped his arms around my torso. "You don't have to be scared anymore." He whispered, and kissed my head, "no ones ever going to hurt you like that again. You're safe now."

"I know Kev, I know." I whispered.

"It makes me sad to think that someone would hurt you." He whispered, and I relaxed a bit into his arms. "You seemed so scared when you woke up." He whispered.

"Kev, Kev it's okay." I reassured him, and he moved me a bit to sit sideways, my legs over his lap, and my head resting on his shoulder.

"You shouldn't have ever been that scared." He kissed my temple, "no ones going to touch you, or look at you wrong, no ones going to hurt you ever again."

"Kev it's okay. I can deal with the little stuff." I sighed.

"What's the little stuff?" He asked, concerned.

"You know, being catcalled on the streets, guys staring at you, and mentally undressing you, people standing too close to you on the subway." I listed.

"People catcall you?" He asked, "I didn't know that." He admitted, "I'm so sorry."

"No it's fine, every girl gets catcalled, it started when I was 12 or 13."

"Oh." He breathed, "is it creepy when people stare at you? Like a lot?" H asked.

"Two o'clock." I shrugged, and he quickly turned to see a man staring at me, smirking a little.

"Ew. I'm sorry." He moved a little, to obscure the mans ability to see me.

"It's fine. It's normal." I reassured Kevin.

"I don't like this." He said, "I don't like people looking at my wife like she's meat."

"Ke-" I started, but was cut off.

"Hey cutie, I don't know what this dudes deal is, but..." the guy from earlier had come over to the two of us, and was smirking, looking me up and down.

"Don't talk to my wife. I swear I will cut you." Kevin said, and my eyes widened a little.

"Sorry man! Sorry." The guy slowly backed away, and I looked up at my husband.

"I'm sorry, Bunny, I shouldn't of said that." He said, biting his lip.

"No, no I liked it." I sighed, and pecked his lips.

"Okay." He smiled, "we should get you home, you have a show tonight." He kissed my cheek, and pulled me to stand up.

"And you have work." I pointed out.

"Yes, but I'm good about keeping my wits when I'm tired, you on the other hand..." he trailed off, laughing.

"Okay. I see where you're coming from." I smiled, and leaned on his shoulder again.

"I love you Abigail." He whispered.

"I love you too. Thanks for this."

"You're welcome." He lightly kissed my cheekC and I smiled, as we walked home, watching the sun start to rise.

•••

My first trick or treater was named Sebastian and his mom called him Seb and I complimented his name, then felt awkward.

Thanks for reading!

- Abi