My Knight in Shining...Ah, Screw It. He's an Egotistical Asshole.

Toby’s POV.

I could hear the footsteps, they were coming closer. I cradled myself against the wall. I thought he had just left? Why was he coming back?

My sore muscles tightened at the thought of another beating, I was currently bleeding from a serious cut in my head, matting up my hair with blood, as mud stained my skin.

I’d never felt so miserable in my whole entire life.

The footsteps were light ones though. As I heard a sudden intake of breath, I turned around.

And I don’t think I’ve ever been more happier. There, not but ten feet away, was my knight. My savior. My love, my boyfriend, and his name was Jacob Thomas Naughtingham. There beside him as his noble steed was Max.

I gathered up all the strength I could, and I smiled. I felt muscles retract that I hadn’t felt in so long.

It felt nice, I felt hopeful.

“Oh god, Toby. How are you not dead yet?” Jake said as he examined my wounds.

“Because… I was waiting for you to come save me.” I choked out.

“Jake, don’t make her speak, she’s too weak.” Max said from behind Jacob.

“It-it’s fine.” I croaked out again.

“We’re going to get you out of here.” Jacob said as he broke the rusted chains in half.

I would of liked to join them and walk out of here, but I could barely move my legs, one I couldn’t feel, and the other was certainly broken.

“I- I can’t walk. I think my legs are broken.” I flinched as I tried to move them.

Jacob’s face leaked pure hatred, and I avoided his eyes.

“Rest your head on my shoulders.” He instructed as he picked me up bridal style. It hurt to feel my broken leg dangel

I linked my arms around his neck, but only barely because that’s the only effort I could afford to put forth.

“Alright, we’ll have to be quiet.” Max said, as he motioned for us to follow him.

I thought I would be heavy, but Jake seemed find carrying me.

But when we were halfway up the stairs the door opened.

My dad stood, leaning on the doorway, with the same cruel look in his eyes. In his hands was a bat.

“Well, hello boys, care to join my ungrateful little angel?” He said, with his raspy scary voice echoing off the basement walls.

Jake protectively clutched me closer to him, despite my struggle.

“It will be you who’s ungrateful after I’m through with you.” He spat.

“Aw. Would you lookey there. Little honeybee’s got herself a little boyfriend.” He said, stepping down the steps, closer and closer to us, as we backed away.

“Dad- leave them alone. I’ll stay, just let them go.”

“Do you think I’m stupid?” He said viciously, and Jake once again clutched me protectively.

“Well, it’s likely.” Max spat.

He just eyed the two boys.

I gulped. This was not going to be pretty.

As he continued to press forward, Jacob hastily set my down on the farthest wall. He turned around and whispered something to Max. Max nodded.

My dad came at them all too sudden.

“NO!” I screamed, fearing their lives. I would never forgive myself if something happened.

Thankfully they dodged the swing. Jacob then turned, and kicked my dad in the back of the knee. He crumbled and rolled down on the floor. Jacob came and kicked him in the stomach.

I felt my skin sweat with nervousness.

Then my dad swung around on the ground and tripped Jacob, and he tumbled to the ground. All too fast, my dad grabbed the bat and stood. Max had then ran over to Jacob to help him up by now.

My dad approached them, bat high and ready. Then it clicked in.

“MAX LOOK OUT!” I screeched.

But it was too late. The bat collided with his head and made a cracking sound. Max’s body went limp and tumbled to the ground.

“NOO!!” Both Jake and I screamed.

I felt my lungs collapse. He wasn’t moving.

I couldn’t breathe. Max had protected my secret all along, and he truly cared about my well-being. Sure he was rough at the beginning, when I first met him, but he had meant well. And because he cared about me, he was in danger.

Maybe even dead… I felt nauseous. I gagged, as I wept on the cement floor.

I barely noticed the fight still going on between Jake and my dad. It’s like the world stopped.

I hesitantly dragged myself around the fighting twosome, and to Max.

I cradled his cold head in my hands. I could barely feel a pulse. My tears fell on his face, and he didn’t even flinch at them. He wasn’t awake, that was for sure. He was unconscious.

I looked back over, just in time. Cody had appeared at the top of the stairs and was attempting to jump on Jake’s back.

“JAKE LOOK OUT!” This time, it was just in time. Cody missed, and stumbled over.

Then Cody and my dad came at Jake. He barely missed their blows, and managed a few punches of his own. One in the nose, another in the jaw, a punch in the stomach.

I tried to shake Max, to get him to wake up. But it was no use. He was out-cold.

Suddenly I heard a slam from behind me.

My heart broke as Cody and my dad were gaining on Jake. It was two against one.

They hit him in the mouth, again in the gut, slamming him on the wall and punching his face like it was a pillow.

Blood was pouring down his nose, and face. Bruises were starting to form and swell.

I turned away. I couldn’t watch anymore, and the urge to vomit came more and more likely. I cradled Max in my arms, knowing his life was slowly slipping away from him.

How bad was it, would he wake up with Amnesia, will he die? He couldn’t die. The good guys never die!

“I’m so sorry Maxy.” I said, squeezing him as the punching continued in the background. I could hear grunts and screams come from all three of the men, though I tried to block it out.

Why don’t I just die already, because as the looks of it right now, my best friend and the love of my life were about to leave me. So why couldn’t I follow them to heaven?

Why did I always get the bad side of life. I never got a break.

I sobbed, shaking my head, trembling with fear. Fear for the ones closest to me.

You can’t take them God, not after what we’ve been through, you just can’t!

I wept as the grunts and moans seized. My muscles tightened instantly, waiting for me to be the next victim.

But I deserved it. I put the ones I love in jeopardy.

I felt a shaking, steady hand lightly touch my shoulder; I snapped my head up out of reflex, covering my face with my hands.

But between the cracks of my fingers, I could see Jacob. Bloody, but still handsome in all of his broken glory. He grabbed my shaking hand, as everything was still trying to register.

He then picked me up in his arms, and walked me out to the car.

“D-don’t forget Max, y-you c-can’t forget him.” I said, grasping on to his arm. His eyes showed pity and sorrow and pain. Emotional pain. I hated to know that I was causing him all that pain, because I couldn’t be strong.

But as his figure retreated and walked away, it all hit me. I sobbed my eyes out, and barely noticed when Jake returned with Max’s limp body.

Nor did I notice when he drove away. He didn’t dare say a word to me. I cried as the tears soaked my lap

I wouldn’t ever be ok. Not until everyone was ok again.

I couldn’t imagine how I would cope if Max was dead. Would I ever?

I couldn’t live with that on my conscious.

As I thought these things, the tears seamed to fall harder.

We drove up to the hospital and parked. Jacob carried Max in first, of course, because he as more near death then I was.

Then he opened the passenger’s side door ten minutes later, and carried me up there.

After thirty minutes they had me in a normal room. They had me hooked up to some IV’s to give me proper strength and nutrients from all of those times that I didn’t get any food and water.

They cleaned, and bandaged my wounds, and got me a cast for all my broken bones. The nurses were even kind enough to wash the sweat and blood out of my hair.

I thanked them graciously.

But I couldn’t help but worry about Max.

When all the doctors had talked to Jacob and I about my health, saying I was lucky to be alive, and that sorts.

I felt safe now, worried about Max, but safe.

That’s when the lack of sleep caught up with me. I mean, I only passed out a few times and only for about four hours. That wasn’t enough for over three days.

It was really wearing on me.

I smiled as Jake sat by my bedside, holding my hand, and saying sweet, corny things to me. But I needed corniness, I needed someone to reassure me that they loved me, and that everything was going to be alright, and we would walk out of here and leaven the scarring memories behind. That no one will ever get me again, because he wasn’t leaving my side.

I was really lucky to have him.

I sighed, as my eyelid refused to stay open any longer.

“Hey, Jake. Is there any word on Max?” I said between yawns.

“No. Not yet, he’s alive, but he’s in a coma. They don’t know when he’ll wake up. But I’m sure it won’t be long.”

“How do you know?” I yawned once more.

“Well, I mean. I knew that if I was out cold. I could only stand to be under for a few hours, because I would miss being away from you too much.”

Again with the sweet and corny comments. I smiled. I let my dreams turn in to prayers, and hoped that he would be ok.