Title: Always (at least for now)

Author: Tamara

Feedback: E-mail me at LinkinParkfrk017@aol.com or TCT1418@aol.com

Rating: PG-13

Category: Work In Progress (WIP)

Type: Angst, Abuse, and Romance

Summary: Takes place about 1 month from now. Courtney doesn’t know AJ is her stalker. Courtney finally says goodbye to the person she thought loved her and she realizes who she truly wants. Will Jason feel the same?

Chapter 1

Courtney stared into the mirror and could barely recognize the person staring back at her. She wondered he she could be so weak and let anyone treat her the way he did. She also didn’t understand why she stayed with him. Her brain told her she was still in love with him and that he loved her back. But her heart told her that she didn’t and that if he really loved her he wouldn’t treat her the way he did. If he really loved her he wouldn’t cause her all the pain she was in and he wouldn’t lie to her or make her cry. Her heart also said that it belonged to another

Courtney saw the bruises forming on the side of her face. She could feel the bruises forming on her arm where he had grabbed her. She thought about the last few minutes of her life, actually the last few weeks, and wondered how everything could go so wrong.

*Flashback*

She heard the door slam shut and she jumped.

“Well, well if it isn’t my little Daisy,” he said, his words slurred together.

Courtney winced at him calling her “Daisy,” but she kept on cooking dinner. She sighed. He was drunk again. She tried to ignore the fact that he was there. She couldn’t though as the smell of Vodka and cigarette smoke grew closer to her.

He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. He started to kiss her neck.

“How about you forget all about dinner and concentrate on me instead?”

Courtney frowned and rolled her eyes. She really didn’t want to “make love” to her husband, especially since he was drunk.

“No,” she said calmly.

“Why not?” AJ asked angry.

“I have to get ready for work,” she said as she struggled to get away from him, but he only held on tighter to her.

“Are you sure that’s it Courtney? Or are you going to go running to Jason? After all you two have been spending a lot of time together lately?” he asked with anger and jealousy raging in his voice.

“God, AJ. This has nothing to do with Jason. I have to go to work. Besides he was just helping me and we are just friends. Get over it AJ! I‘m sorry that you are jealous of Jason, and you always will be.” she said and finally broke free, but before she could get very far he grabbed her by her arms and squeezed hard. Courtney winced in pain and AJ pushed her.

Courtney fell backwards over the coffee table and landed on the couch. Before she could get up AJ was standing in front of her yelling.

“I AM NOT JEALOUS OF JASON! He just gets everything I want…and everything that belongs to me,” he said looking Courtney directly in her eyes as if she were a possession.

“I don’t belong to you AJ!” she yelled back, but she instantly regretted the words because she could feel what was coming.

AJ slapped Courtney several times. Finally was able to push him away, but the damage was done. Courtney ran to her room, shut the door and locked it.

AJ banged on the door.

“Courtney open this damn door. NOW!”

Courtney didn’t know what to do. Then everything was silent.

“Courtney please open the door.” Aj waited but she didn’t open it.

The next thing she knew she heard the front door slam shut and couldn’t hear anyone but Rosie barking.

Courtney slid down to the floor and cried as she hugged Rosie. She wondered how her life got so out of control.

*End of Flashback*

Courtney thought about what to do. She couldn’t take anymore. She wouldn’t take AJ and his shit anymore. But where would she go? How would she leave without AJ finding out where she was? All she knew was that she had to get away from AJ and the physical and emotional pain he inflicted on her. She had stayed for too long.

Courtney began throwing things into a suitcase and thought about all the things she had done for him.

She couldn’t believe how stupid she was. She had given up everything for him. She gave up her brother, sister in-law, nephew, and in some ways her father for him. She even gave up her pride and dignity by stripping to keep him out of jail. Unfortunately she was too late to realize what he was really like. Now she regretted everything more than ever.

Courtney let out a sick laugh. She couldn’t believe what she had just thought. She thought about how much better everything would be if….

She thought about how much better everything would be if AJ was dead. She would be free of her hell, of AJ and his constant complaining and whining about Jason.

Jason…Every time she thought about him she could hardly breathe. He made her feel so safe, protected, and even loved. And the kiss she gave him forever changed her. She know knew that that was the moment she admitted her true feelings for him, but she didn’t know if he felt the same way so she convinced herself she really loved AJ.

She laughed at the thought of AJ…the biggest mistake of her life and now she was finally saying goodbye to him.

Courtney wiped the tears from her eyes, but they kept falling. She took one last look at her prison and hell. She grabbed Rosie’s leash and opened the door. She jumped when she saw that someone was standing on the other side of it.

WHO IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DOOR? WELL I GUESS YOU’LL HAVE TO WAIT AND READ CHAPTER 2.