"Why can't you just listen?!" He screamed, his voice piercing through her skin like the sharpest of knives.

"I'm- I'm sorry... please.." Phillips choked out as she cowered in the corner of the room, hoping he wouldn't hit her again.

"Please what? Use your fuckin' words bitch!"

"Ple-please s-stop... please..."

"Get out!" He sneered looking at her with hate in his eyes.

"Wh-What?" She asked, her voice small and quiet.

"Leave, I don't want you in this house anymore! Go!"

"But-"

"If you don't get the fuck out, I'm going to fucking kill you bitch!"

Phillipa didn't need to heat anymore, she ran out of the living room only stopping only long enough I grab her purse. She was too afraid, every time her threatened to do something he came through, granted he'd never threaten to kill her before, but, she didn't want to take any chances. She had to get out and get out fast.

When she got outside she could see her breath coming out, it's gotten cold tonight and Phillipa wasn't prepared. She was cold and needed to get into a warm space. Unfortunately there weren't any places open near her apartment building, so she hailed the first cab she saw, entering as quickly as she could.

"Where to?" The man asked, what a good question. Where is she going? She had no where to go, no one, she was alone, all alone and scared. So she told him to the closest place she could call home.

The streets were quiet, dark and as lonely as Phillipa felt inside. Everything felt wrong, she was wrong and so so stupid. Have you ever felt a heavy emptiness, it sits right on you chest and the feeling of nothingness completely envelopes you in a way you never knew it could. It's a terrible feeling, the feeling of pure emptiness. That's what she was, empty, lost and completely alone.

"You're here miss." The cab driver said, knocking her out of her thoughts, she paid him, thanking him before getting out of the cab.

She wasn't exactly sure why she was here, the building was probably locked, but, the only place she felt completely safe was the rehearsal space. She'd been going there for weeks now, that's where she spent time with nice, warm and supportive people. And she knew the moment she place her hand on the handle it was locked, she still jiggled the handle, it didn't do anything. Great this was just so fucking great, She was stranded with basically nothing all alone no where she could go.

"Hello? Who are you? What're you doing?" A voice came from down a little down the block, She turned only to have a bright light shine in her face.

"I'm not a burglar I promise, I work here." She said squinting and covering her eyes.

"Pippa?"

"Uhhh, Yeah..?"  She said lowering her hands just a bit.

"Pip, it's me Lin." He said turning the flashlight off so she could see him better.

"Oh, Lin, thank god." She said, relief washing over. "You really scared me."

"Sorry, Sorry." He said in a soft voice, steeping a bit closer to her and could sweat she could feel the heat radiating off his body. "You wanna head?" He asked, motioning the locked door.

"Yeah..." She said with an awkward nod.

"Awesome, and hey have you had dinner?" Lin asked as he unlocked the doors.

"No, uh no, I haven't had dinner yet." She said softly as she looked down at her feet.

"Cool, I haven't either, we can have a vending machine dinner." He said opening the door for Pippa with a smile.

Pippa smiled back before entering. "That should be interesting... I've never had a vending machine dinner..."

"Well it's only reserved for the coolest of people, so your in for a treat." He said with a small chuckle as he entered behind her, turning on the lights.

"So where are these fabulous vending machines?"

"Oh down that side hallway near my office." Lin said pointing out the hallway for her.

"You have an office here?" She asked confused as he led her to the hallway.

"Yeah, well, it's kind of more of a storage room but it works for now."

Pippa couldn't help but chuckle. "Nice, very nice..."

"Oh hush Pippa, now you should figure out what you want." He said.

"Hmm, why is there so much beef jerky?" She asked as she looked over the section of various foods set in the vending machine.

"Beef jerky is amazing, that's why." Lin replied with a smile, but, Pippa made a face. "You don't like it?"

"I'm vegetarian, so not a fan of meats in general." She confessed.

"What? But meat is so damn delicious." Lin stared so passionately that Pippa couldn't hold back a laugh.

"Well it's was pretty easy for me to give up, so it really can't be that good."

Lin shook his head. "Oh Pippa Soo, so unaware of how truly wrong she is, hey why don't you try a bite?"

"Yeah, I'm good not trying any of that, thanks."

Lin frowned. "Please..."

"Lin."

"Please Ms. Soo, make my day and try some beef jerky."

"Not gonna happen Mr. Miranda." She replied trying not to smile so wide. She just couldn't help it, he made her so happy even when he was being annoying.

"Fine.." He said with a small huff and looking at her with his big brown eyes, attempting to sway her with this, it did not work.

"You can't sway me with your pretty eyes Lin." And immediately after she said this she felt her cheeks flush.

"Damn... well at least I tried.." he said shyly as he turned to the vending machine so he didn't have to look at her anymore.

"Yeah... that's true.." she said awkwardly as they slipped into awkward silence.

They both looked over the options a little longer before Pippa choose what she wanted then Lin got what he wanted. And as Pippa retreated from the vending machine her hand brushed against Lin's and felt her heart jolt. It was weird, and yet and secretly longed for it to happen again. She knew it wouldn't and They're was no use in hoping. Still, she did hope for it.

She decided that these thoughts were probably best to shove to the back of her head as she sat down, back against the wall facing the vending machines.

"You excited?" He asked, sitting next to her with a sweet smile on his beautiful lips, 'no..' she thought to herself. 'Just lips, just normal man lips.'

"About?"

"About us moving to the public theater in a few months." He replied.

"Oh, yeah... definitely." She said with a smile. "It's kind of weird to think about though.. like this whole time, I know it's real. But sometimes I feel more like I'm playing pretend... being there, in actual theatre, it's gonna make all real. If that makes any sense.." she ramble on.

"It makes perfect sense and I understand how you feel, about playing pretend." He reassured her with a smile. "Sometimes I feel I'm just play pretending my whole life..."

"Yeah, like I'm pretending to be grown up." She said with a chuckle.

"So you're not alone." He told her sweetly. "... and Pippa, if you ever need to talk, about anything, anything at all, I'm here for you."

Pippa knew what this was about, she'd been hoping that he hadn't seen them. Of course he did, why wouldn't he. The bruises that were so prominent on her body, the ones she didn't have time to cover up before scurrying out of her apartment. Now she was suffering the consequences. She just prayed that he wouldn't actually bring it up, because she didn't want to talk about it.

"That's sweet Lin, thanks." She said, and all she planned on saying. She hoped that he would drop the subject.

But he didn't, over the course of half an hour he continued to make comments that alluded to what she might be going through. Despite how mush she liked Lin, she was finding him increasingly annoying at the moment.

"Okay, great Lin, but- uh, I should probably be heading home." She said standing up. She wasn't sure if George would be angry with her if she came back, but, this conversation with Lin was horrible and she just had to get out of it.

"Really? So soon? You don't want dessert?" He asked, looking at her as if he were desperate.

"No, no, I'm good... thanks for the company though..." she said, starting to walk away. But Lin grabbed her wrist.

"Pip, please don't go back... look I know I don't understand your situation, and I get that me coming into your life and telling you what to do is the last thing you want, but-"

"But what?" She asked, turning to look at him. Lin was surprised, not expecting her to snap.

"But your one of the most amazing women I have ever met, and you don't deserve to be treated any less than that."

Pippa felt her heart lurch when he said that, no one ever told her that. Why did he think that? What did she do to deserve such kindness from him.

"Lin...." she started. "I'm okay, really, I'm great..." she said though her voice began to tremble just as her body did.

"Phillipa... let me help you.." he said in just barely over a whisper and she just nodded afraid of speaking as she was too close to tears.

She had no idea why she did agree, and the rest of the night came in a bit of a blur. One moment she was on the street, next She was on the subway, holding Lin's hand, then she was in front of Lin's building.

"Lin..." she started, her voice quiet and very soft.

"It's okay Pippa.."

"But... uh, I don't have pajamas and stuff..."

"I think that's the least of your problems right now..." he said.

"I know, I just..."

"You can borrow something from Vanessa, I'm sure she won't mind.."

"And what if she does?" Pippa asked giving Lin a look of unease.

"Does what?"

"Does mind? That I'm borrowing her clothes, that your bringing some strange lady from work around, there's lots of things she cooed mind."

"But she won't, shell understand, she probably as amazing as you are." He told her. "So please, calm down pip." He said as he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. It wasn't as reassuring as he'd obviously wanted it to be.

"Okay..." she replied, despite how she was still feeling inside, she pretend it wasn't there, for Lin.

He was right, Vanessa didn't mind, not one bit. She was nice, she was too nice. She was Lin level nice, the kind of nice that no real human being was ever. She immediately got to work trying to make Pippa feel comfortable.

"Can I get you anything?" She'd asked and when Pippa said no, she said, "well if you do we can get you anything, really, don't be afraid to ask." Then finished it all off with the sweetest smile, it could give you cavities.

Pippa didn't really know how to react to all this nice that was coming her way. She was sort of used to Lin, but, he was being even more nice than usual and then Vanessa. It all made her feel far too awkward, and sort of like she was somehow taking advantage of them.

She wanted to tell them to stop, that's she should just go home and face George. She wanted to say this was too much, she could do it, she wasn't strong enough. But she didn't, she didn't even argue when they'd told her she can stay in their guest room for as long as she needed. They said they would love having her here, but, they seemed to 'love' everything. She just thanked them. Because she knew she was lucky, and she didn't want to be ungrateful.

She thanked them and headed to bed. It was weird in a different bed. It was weird without George there. It was weird and scary, and it took her awhile to calm herself enough to sleep. When she did though, she slept the best she had in years.

———————————————————————
Word Count: 2064

Soooooo little late, still I hope you all enjoy it. I'm somehow kind of enjoying how this is turning out and I'm excited for you all to see more.

Anyways until next time have a wonderful morning/ afternoon/ evening!