Feel This Moment

It had been a week since Matt and Ellie hung out last. Matt had started his job at Starbucks, and in his free time he drew and worked on his portfolio to hopefully get a job at a tattoo parlor; he left small bags of donuts and a tray of coffee outside of Ellie’s door a few times, not wanting to lose something he didn’t realize he wanted. Ellie spent a few days that week in her apartment, watching Supernatural and working up the courage to ask Matt out to dinner, while thinking of all the ways she could repay him for the donuts and coffee. Collin was between Ellie’s apartment and his ex-wife’s house, and for a few short days, things were normal. Nothing happened, they talked a few times on the phone, and things seemed to fall into a boring but normal routine.

Then Nate found her.

“Ellie!” it was 3am on a Friday morning, and Scott could hear someone screaming her name. His cellphone was going off, too. This wasn’t exactly the best time for a phone call. Scott fumbled in the darkness, grabbing the phone as it buzzed angrily on his bedside table. “Hello?” He murmured, tiredly rubbing his eyes. He hoped it wasn’t someone from work. “Matt! Matt h-help me, pl-please…” It was Ellie. The panic and the fear in her voice woke Matt up faster than cold water being dumped on him, and he sat up, flicking on his bedside lamp. “Ellie? Are you okay?” She was crying; he could tell that much. “Ellie!” Someone was yelling, and it made the girl whimper. “Ell, who’s outside?” Matt asked her calmly, as he struggled into a pair of jeans. “My e-ex…” “Okay, I’ll get him. Call the cops, or Collin.” Matt talked to her as he opened his door and headed down the hall.

A tall, lanky looking guy stood outside of Ellie’s door, pounding against the wood like a maniac. Matt tucked his phone into his pocket, and stood a few feet from the guy. “Ellie you stupid bitch! Open this fucking door or so fucking help me!” He had dark hair, and wild green eyes. Matt wasn’t scared of this wanna-be thug, and he grabbed the guy by the shoulder and shoved him back. “Hey! Listen up, buddy. People are sleeping, this isn’t the time to – ” Nate whalloped Matt with a right hook, catching the California born man in the jaw. Now, that was fucking unfair. Matt simply shook his head. “Do it again.” Matt egged him on. “I’d rather you hit me than hurt her.”

Nate growled and threw another punch at Matt, who ducked it and stepped to the side. He had years of avoiding his father’s abuse under his belt, and this guy was simply following the pattern, a sad pattern Matt was sad Ellie had to put up with. “Stop movin’ you fucking jackass!” Nate hollered, as he threw another punch at him. Matt caught his wrist and bent it backwards, making the green-eyed maniac yelp and twist away, jerking his wrist from Matt’s grip. “Do it again.” Matt challenged him, and Nate picked it up quickly, hoping to land a punch to the other guy’s gut. Matt took the hit but quickly jerked his elbow up, catching Nate in the nose.

He heard the sirens not too far off, and Matt quickly grabbed Nate and wrestled the guy to the ground, pressing a knee to his back to hold him there. Nate yelled and struggled, catching Matt in the side with his foot. He could hear Ellie’s sad whimpering from behind her door. As the cops came running up the stairs, Matt got off Nate and explained that he heard him harassing the tenant down the hall. “She’s inside right now, we’re friends. She called me and I was just looking out for her.” Matt’s jaw hurt but not as much as his hands did from nailing Nate. The cop bringing Nate out had his hands full. “We’ll have to speak to the girl.”

Matt knocked on Ellie’s door, and she opened it with wide wet eyes. He was reminded instantly of his sister, and the thought made his stomach clench. “H-hello..” She whispered. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, Matt stood with Ellie and the cops for the better part of two hours. Ellie had to stop more than a few times, having to keep herself from going into a panic attack. Once the cops got what they needed, they thanked them and left. Nate would be in jail for the day, and Ellie would be safe for a little while. Once they were alone, Ellie clung to Matt, something Matt was taken aback by. She hadn't touched him since the day they went to Chinatown, and now she was clinging to him. “Don’t l-leave me, please…” She whimpered, clutching him. "I won't, I promise." Matt replied, hugging her tightly as he kissed the top of her head.

Matt called in to work, explaining the situation without giving too many details out. His boss understood, but he had used his unplanned day off for this month. Matt didn’t care. He wanted to keep her safe, and if missing a day of work meant it, then so be it. Collin came hours later, worried out of his mind after he had heard the news through one of his friends. The three spent the day with Ellie, being careful not to bring Nate up. Ellie eventually fell asleep on the couch, her head on Matt’s lap. He and Collin spoke briefly about that morning, the result of Nate’s badgering and harassment causing her exhaustion.

“She hugged me, Collin. Ellie touched me, and didn’t care that I hugged her back. I put my arm around her without thinking, and she didn’t flinch.” Matt explained quietly, looking down at the sleeping brunette. She looked much younger like this, curled up under a plain throw blanket. Collin stood by the TV, nursing a large coffee. He too had big circles around his eyes from lack of sleep, and Matt didn’t blame him; they had all been up most of the morning. “She’s terrified, Matt. She needed someone to help her, and you did. She needed protection from her biggest, scariest nightmare and you were her knight in shining armor.” Collin replied.

Matt nodded, gently touching her shoulder. Ellie flinched in her sleep, but didn’t move much more than that. “My sister got herself into a bad relationship once.” Matt murmured. “She would come home crying every night, sporting a new bruise somewhere. Each and every time she would defend him, telling me it was her fault.” He bit the corner of his lip, feeling like he had somehow disappointed her. “I tried to get her to leave him, and she didn’t. Then she died.” Matt knew she had been killed in a car accident, but he partially blamed her boyfriend. Collin nodded, unsure of what to say.

“I won’t let anything like that happen to Ellie.” Matt vowed. “I lost someone I loved to abuse, I won’t let another one go that way too.”