Requested by Meg_Weasley24: Y/N is in an abusive relationship and lies to Tom about how she gets certain bruises. He doesn't believe her, so tries to figure it out by himself. He finds her boyfriend beating the shit out of her and so he gets protective over her and steps in. He takes her to the hospital and stays with her until she wakes up before reassuring her of how much he loves her

*Please note: as the request suggests, this one-shot contains themes of abuse. As usual, please don't read it if you feel that it will trigger you and I'm always here if anyone needs to talk. I just want to say a couple of other things too. For starters, I've had comments on other books mentioning abuse, making comments like "stupid bitch, why doesn't she just leave?". I will not HESITATE to mute anyone who leaves such a stupid comment, I won't have people blaming survivors for not leaving sooner. Also, if you ever find yourself in a situation like this, please know that you can get out. It can be incredibly hard but you always have someone who genuinely loves you. Don't believe anyone who says that they're the only one who will love you, that in itself is abusive. Know that there is ALWAYS help out there and you're NEVER alone. Thank you guys and enjoy*

I sat at my makeup table, my mind numb as I covered my black eye with my foundation. I clenched my jaw, my eyes wavering and tears pricking them at the pain that came with covering up the bruises that my boyfriend, Alan, inflicted on me. But I was about to go meet my best friend and real love of my life, Tom, for coffee, and he couldn't know about the abuse. After all, he was already suspicious about the random bruises that would appear on my body, as well as the fact that I now flinched whenever he so much as put his arm around me. He was definitely on his guard. I gulped, my heart jumping and fear starting to course through me as I heard the bedroom door open.

"Where are you going?" Alan asked, the sound of the door clicking shut again ringing through my head. He always did this. He always closed my one point of escape until after he was satisfied.

"I'm going to meet Tom for coffee." I nodded. There was no point in lying to him, he'd find out where I was going regardless and so lying would only lead to him beating me up even more. He scoffed, making me gulp and look at him in the mirror as he appeared behind me.

"I thought that I told you to stop hanging out with that asshole." he spat.

"He's going to know that something is wrong if I stop seeing him. I need to make sure that he doesn't suspect anything." I shook my head. He clenched his jaw, making me gulp harshly as a tear rolled down my face.

"Fine. But you tell me the moment that you get there and the moment that you leave. If I find out that you've told him anything, you know what happens." he spat as he grabbed my neck. I yelped out, my eyes closing as more tears ran down my face.

"I-I promise that I won't. He won't know anything." I choked.

"You better not." he warned again, making me choke again as he let go of my neck. I quickly shot up from the table and grabbed my bag before opening the door and rushing out. The further that I could get away from him as quickly as possible, the better.

I walked into the cafe and looked around for Tom. I sighed in relief, the first genuine smile in a while spreading onto my face as I saw him. He stood up from the table as I walked to him.

"Y/N, hey." he chuckled as he leant down and hugged me. I couldn't help but close my eyes and curl into his chest as my arms wrapped around him too. After all, my weekly catch-up and coffee with Tom was the only love that I felt anymore.

"Yeah, I'm okay." I nodded as we sat down, Tom's gaze staying on me.

"You sure?" he checked. I gulped and looked at him. I was aware that my best friend was very suspicious of where I got all of my bruises and cuts from, but there was nothing that he could do and so I didn't see the point in telling him.

"Tommy, we've been over this." I sighed.

"I know that we've been over this, but I still don't believe that you get those bruises from knocking yourself and just from being clumsy. I've known you for two decades, so I find it funny how you only started getting clumsy after you started seeing Alan." he nodded. I bit my lip and looked at him.

"That's not all that I've noticed, darling. I can't remember the last time that I was able to hug you without you flinching." he spoke, his eyes wavering as a tear fell from them.

"Tom, I swear that I'm okay." I insisted, making him clench his jaw as I reached out to grab the coffee that he'd gotten me. My eyes widened as my sleeve fell down to reveal the bruise on my wrist, Tom's eyes also widening as I quickly pulled it back down and retracted my wrist. I gulped, my eyes glued to my lap as I felt his eyes on me.

"Y/N, I'd love to know how you accidentally get a bruise on your wrist." Tom mumbled. I choked and looked up at him, making him sigh as a tear left my eye.

"What do you want me to say, Tommy?" I choked and shook my head. He leant forward and gently took my hands into his, making me gulp at how gentle he was being.

"I want you to tell me the truth, Y/N. Because what that asshole is doing to you is not okay. He's abusing you, darling, and I'm going to do everything in my power to help you get out of that situation." he promised as he stared into my eyes. I bit my lip, tears rolling down my face as I gazed back at him.

"There's nothing that either of us can do, Tommy. He's got me trapped. He's got all of my money, he's got all of my things, you're the only person that I'm still allowed to talk to and I'm only allowed to talk to you so that people don't go to the police. I'm stuck." I cried and shook my head.

"No, Y/N, you're not. I know that it's terrifying, I know, sweetheart, but I will support you for as long as you need. You can live with me, you don't have to pay for a thing, you can stay with me for as long as it takes for that fucking prick to be arrested and put away so that you're safe. Please, Y/N. Please let me help." he choked. I shook my head and pulled my hands out of his gentle grip, making him follow me with his gaze as I grabbed my stuff and stood up.

"Y/N, please-."

"I'm sorry, Tom. I'm sorry." I choked before rushing out of the cafe.

Tom's P.O.V

Tom parked his car outside of Y/N's house, him looking at the structure to see if he could see anything as he turned the engine off. He sighed and bit his lip as he tried to work out what to do. Y/N had been seeing the absolute waste of space that was her boyfriend for six months, and Tom had noticed significant changes in his best friend and crush since she'd been with him. It had started with small things, like Y/N insisting that Alan come along to any hang-outs that Tom, Harrison and her had together. At first, Tom figured that it was just due to their honeymoon phase. Until he had started to notice Y/N becoming skittish and more reserved. Tom, Harrison and Y/N had been best friends for twenty years and never before Alan had Y/N been anything other than bubbly and affectionate, meaning that it was extremely noticeable when she started to flinch in response to Tom's hugs. All of the boy's gut-wrenching suspicions had been confirmed when he'd started noticing bruises on her wrists, face and legs. That's when Tom knew that he had to get her out of there. He had started to bring it up over their latest coffee, but then Y/N had run out. Tom wouldn't give up that easily, though, hence why he had decided to drive to her house and get her out himself. He got out of his car and gulped as he looked at the house. He walked up to the living room window and looked in, his hands cupping the space between his eyes and the glass in an attempt to see in. He sighed as he couldn't see Y/N or Alan. He moved to the door and gently knocked on it.

"Y/N? It's Tom." he called out. He gulped as he heard nothing back. Something felt wrong. Tom tried the door handle, his eyes widening slightly as the door opened immediately. He cautiously walked in, his eyes looking around at the seemingly deserted house.

"Y/N?" he called out.

"STOP!" his eyes widened as he heard Y/N screaming. He set off running through the house and towards the sound. He burst into the bedroom, his eyes widening as he saw Alan stood over Y/N's unconscious form as he kicked her stomach over and over again.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, making the absolute cunt spin around to look at him.

"What are you doing here, Holland? This is none of your business, asshole." he spat.

"It became my business the moment that you touched Y/N in a violent way." he snapped before raising his fist and punching Alan square in the nose. The man groaned and fell down, Tom immediately straddling him and continuing to punch him. Alan's eyes closed, Tom's fist knocking him out as he bloodied the dickhead's nose. As soon as he was out cold, Tom looked over his shoulder at Y/N.

"No, no, no, Y/N." he choked as he scrambled over to her and gently pulled her into his arms. He choked, tears immediately leaving his eyes as he saw her bloodied face, black eye and busted lip. She was still incredibly beautiful, though.

"It's okay, darling, you're safe now. And I'm going to get you help." he promised, nodding to himself as he gently picked Y/N up bridal style before carrying her out of the house and to his car.

Y/N's P.O.V

I coughed, pain quickly taking over my body as I started to slowly come to. I groaned, my eyes squeezing shut as every single inch of my body was in utter and complete pain.

"Woah, it's okay, you're alright, love." my eyebrows furrowed as I heard Tom's voice and felt my hand wrapped into what I assumed was his. I forced my eyes open, them squinting as they were met with harsh fluorescent lights. I forced them open again before looking around, my eyebrows furrowing as I seemed to be in a hospital room. I looked up and my eyes widened as two police officers stood at the end of the room. I gulped and looked down at Tom who was sitting in a chair next to my bed.

"I'm so sorry, darling, I had to call the police. It was the only way to make sure that you were safe." he choked and shook his head. I bit my lip and gave him a small smile before looking at the officers.

"Are you wanting to report this, Miss Y/L/N?" one asked. I gulped and looked back at Tom. He looked at me with heartbreak in his eyes, me looking into his stunning orbs telling me exactly what I needed to do. I looked back at the officers.

"I want to report it." I nodded, making Tom breathe a sigh of relief and squeeze my hand in reassurance.

"Alright then. We'll be back in ten minutes to start taking photos of your injuries, and then we'll take statements from you both." one spoke.

"Thank you, officers." Tom nodded. They returned it before leaving the room, making me bite my lip and desperately try to hold back my tears as Tom looked back at me.

"You okay, darling?" he mumbled. I choked and shook my head before leaning forward. He took the hint and stood up before tightly hugging me. I sobbed into his shoulder, all of the mental pain finally being released.

"You're safe, Y/N. It's okay, you're alright." he cooed gently into my ear as he sat down next to me on the bed and pulled me into his arms.

"Am I finally safe? Am I finally away from him?" I choked as I gripped onto Tom's shirt for dear life.

"You're safe, love. I'll never stop protecting you, I will kill him if he ever even tries to get close to you again." he reassured. I gulped and nodded, my mind starting to slow down as the reality that I was safe started to set in.

"Thank you, Tommy. Thank you for helping me to get out." I whispered.

"Of course, Y/N. I love you so much, I'd do absolutely anything for you. You're safe now, and you can have absolutely anything from me for as long as you need. I'll never leave you." he promised, his hands gently combing through my hair.

"I love you too, Tommy. And thank you. Because I don't want you to leave." I shook my head.

"That's okay, darling. Because I'm not going anywhere." he reassured. I closed my eyes, tears still streaming down my face as I let my broken body be gently cradled by Tom. We stayed like that until the officers came back and then went back to that position after they'd taken photos and our statement, my mind and heart finally feeling safe in Tom's arms. I was finally safe. I was finally free.