You Are Not Alone

Lily's POV

Lily stumbled until she fell to the floor. Holding her jaw, she looked up with tears in her eyes. She whimpered as Mason looked down at her. He was smirking, but the look in his eyes was pure anger.

"Didn't I tell you, bitch?!" Mason yelled after slamming the door shut. Lily just looked at him, cowering in fear. "I told you to get rid of that little boyfriend of yours!"

"What the fuck, Mason?" Lily suddenly spat at him, still rubbing her sore jaw.

"What the fuck? What the fuck?! I know he's been here!" Mason shouted at her as he bent down in front of her.

"Have you been watching me?!" Lily asked with shocked anger. It suddenly clicked why she felt so uneasy last night when she went to get dinner.

"Of course, baby", Mason whispered, stroking her cheek. Lily flinched, slapping his hand away from her.

Lily's actions only served to anger Mason further. He grabbed her by the back of her head, bringing his face just inches from hers.

"You better behave, sweetheart. I wouldn't want to have to punish you", Mason said with mock sweetness.

"Please, just leave me alone!" Lily begged. The tears in her eyes had begun to fall.

"I can't do that, baby. You disobeyed me and I can't have that", Mason said with a tender voice as he wiped away her tears. Lily felt sick to her stomach.

"I don't have to listen to you", Lily said defiantly, raising up on her arms to support her body. She knew she didn't sound all that brave, but she didn't care. Mason just laughed at her.

"Oh, but you do. You see, Lily", Mason leaned in close to her ear. "I own you", he whispered. Lily's eyes widened.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?! We've been over for a long time, Mason. You have no claim to me whatsoever", Lily said through clenched teeth.

Mason sighed, looking up towards the ceiling, as if trying to control his temper. Taking Lily off guard, he suddenly slapped her. With a grunt, she fell back, once again sprawled out on the floor.

"P-Please, stop!" Lily begged, now sobbing. Between the punch to her jaw and the hard slap to her cheek, her head was pounding. "Please, j-just leave m-me alone!"

Mason laughed cruelly as he looked at Lily, who was curled into a fetal position. Roughly, he yanked her so that she was flat on her back. Lily's eyes widened as he crawled on top of her, stradling her. He was sitting on her thighs, making it impossible to kick away from him.

"Not until I get what I came for", Mason whispered, his hand coming up to trail a finger from her cheek, down her neck and between her breasts. Knowing exactly what he was implying, Lily's fear was now mixed with anger.

"I will NEVER give that to you, you son of a bitch!" Lily screamed up at him. Taking Mason by surprise, she spit right in his face. She quickly followed with a backhand to his face. She felt brief satisfaction as her ring caused a cut to form on his cheek. Trying to take the opportunity, she tried to twist her body, in an attempt to throw him off of her.

Slowly, Mason brought a hand up to wipe the spit from his face. He looked angry when he saw that she had also made him bleed. The entire time, Lily was trying to get out from under his body. He was too strong for her though. His hand came up to wrap around her neck. Picking her head up by the hold he had on her, he slammed her head back down against the floor. Lily moaned in pain, as she saw stars forming behind her closed eyelids.

"Don't you EVER do that again! You hear me, bitch?!" Lily could only nod pathetically. The venom in his tone scared her more than anything he'd done so far. It didn't help that his hand was now squeezing her throat. "Good girl", he said, suddenly moving his hand from her throat to touch her lips softly. "I wouldn't want to have to hurt you again."

"Please, Mason. Don't do this", Lily pleaded as a fresh wave of tears escaped her closed eyes. She couldn't bear to look at him any longer.

"I have to. I wasted so much time with you and you never gave it up! I'm not about to sit back and watch you give it away to some other guy", Mason stated. He made it sound like her virginity was a toy and he was a spoiled child throwing a tantrum.

"I wasn't ready! Please, don't do this! This is rape", Lily's voice broke at the last word. It tasted like vinegar on her tongue. She could not believe this was actually happening to her. She had waited twenty-five years and now her virginity was going to be forcefully taken by the one person she hated most in the world.

"It's not rape, sweetheart. You want it", Mason whispered, kissing her neck. Lily was wracked with sobs, feeling his wet lips on her skin.

"No, I don't!" Lily screamed, trying to push him away. Getting frustrated with her fighting, Mason grabbed her wrists, pinning them above her head.

"Yes, you do. You'll enjoy it. I'll make you feel good", Mason whispered, going back to kissing her neck. He maneuvered both of her wrists into one of his hands. His free hand came down to touch her breast. Lily grunted in pain when he squeezed it roughly.

"I don't want this! Stop it, Mason! STOP!" Lily shouted, praying that someone, anyone, would hear her. "HELP! SOMEONE, PLEASE! HELP ME!" She was now screaming as loud as her sore throat would allow.

"You little bitch!" Mason growled, moving his hand from her wrist to cover her mouth. "Do that again, and I'll fucking kill you. Do you understand me?" He whispered menacingly, his hand still covering her mouth. Lily's wide, frightened eyes looked up at him and she could only nod.

Afraid that Mason would make good on his threat, Lily gave up. Lying on her apartment floor, she cried silent tears. Her head turned away and her eyes closed, she waited for the inevitable. This was it. This was how she would lose her virginity. Not with Michael, the man she loved with her whole heart. Not in a soft bed with candles glowing all around the room. She wouldn't have that sappy, romantic movie moment she had always scoffed at, but secretly hoped would happen. She was going to be taken by force, right here, in front of her front door. She felt dirty and desperately wanted a shower, even though Mason hadn't even done it yet.

Lily's eyes popped open when Mason suddenly unbuttoned her jeans. Her chest heaved with a newfound wave of fear. She felt as if she would hyperventilate as he yanked her pants down her legs. He didn't even bother to take them off. Literally ripping her underwear apart, he threw them out of the way. Next, he ripped her sweater down the middle with his bare hands. Her bra was given the same treatment. She gagged when she saw the look of hunger in his eyes as he looked at her naked chest. Lily had never felt such a massive amount of shame in her life.

Lily yelled out when Mason brought his mouth to her nipple, biting it hard. His touch was not soft and gentle like Michael's. He was treating her like an animal. However, that pain was nothing to what she felt when he plunged two fingers into her dry center. She screamed at the top of her lungs as he mercilessly pumped his fingers inside her. Her face flushed with shame as he curled his fingers, making her moan against her will.

"I told you I'd make you feel good", Mason said with a victorious look on his face. His taunting words caused bile to rise in her throat.

Once again closing her eyes, Lily tried to block out what was happening. She pictured Michael's smiling face as he hovered over her. She desperately tried to imagine what it would be like, replacing this horrible reality with the fantasy of Michael taking her gently. She knew he would have made it special for her. However, it was hard to keep the fantasy in her mind when she felt one of Mason's hands leave her body. A second later, she heard the clinking sound as he unfastened his belt. Clenching her eyes shut even tighter, she just cried as she lay there, feeling broken and helpless.

The next moments seemed to happen in slow motion. Hearing the door opening softly, her eyes opened to look directly into Michael's eyes. They were wide with shock and the food and coffee in his hands slipped out of his hands, crashing on the floor. Mason yelled out as the hot coffee splashed against his back. He jumped up, shocked that someone walked in. He looked angry and ready to throw a punch. However, he froze when he saw that the one and only Michael Jackson was standing in front of him.

Michael, not wasting the opportunity of the other man's shock, threw a hard punch to the side of Mason's face. Lily backed out of the way. She was still sobbing as she tried desperately to conceal her naked body. Michael was currently on top of Mason, sending blow after blow to his face and stomach. Lily crawled to her phone on the coffee table, dialing 911.

Telling the emergency dispatcher the situation, it was only a matter of minutes before the cops showed up. Mason was yelling threats at Lily, even as one of the officers cuffed him, dragging him out to the car. The other officer questioned her, Michael comforting her the entire time.

When Lily told him everything that happened, the officer left, shutting the door behind him. Unfortunately, Michael and Lily would have to go down to the police station so they could take DNA evidence. Changing her clothes, the couple left to do exactly that. Lily just wanted this to be over.

When they returned a couple of hours later, Lily sat heavily on the couch. She looked over at the spot in front of the door where Mason had almost raped her and felt sick again. Michael bent down in front his shaking girlfriend. Lily was taken by surprise when Michael wrapped his arms around her lower legs, burying his face in her lap. When she placed her hand on his head, stroking his hair, he began weeping.

"Michael? Baby, don't cry. I'm okay", Lily whispered, raising his head to make him look at her.

"I should have been here. I should never have left you. I'm so sorry, babygirl", Michael said, tears streaming down his beautiful face. Lily was crying, too, but she looked at him like he was crazy.

"Michael, don't you dare! This wasn't your fault. It was Mason and his doing only", Lily said firmly. "Do you understand me?" Michael nodded, but he still had a look of guilt on his face.

"Good", Lily said, pecking Michael's lips softly. "I think I'm gonna go take a long bath. I just- I just need a little time alone", she said softly. Michael nodded.

"I understand", Michael whispered. "I'll be right here if you need me." Lily smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Thank you, Michael", Lily said, glad he was there for her. She felt his eyes on her as she walked down the hall to her bedroom.

Lily turned on the water and plugged the drain. She slowly undressed, hissing as she felt the soreness in her muscles from the assault she had endured at Mason's hands. She sighed when she stepped into the tub, sitting slowly. She wanted to wash away any evidence that Mason had even touched her. Scrubbing her skin until it was raw, Lily then lay back, resting her head against the tub. Now that she was alone, she could do nothing but allow the memories of the day attack her mind. No longer able to hold it in anymore, she unleashed her grief with a piteous wail. Her small frame was wracked with sobs as she turned on her side, holding her legs up to her chest.

Lily was so consumed with her grief that she did not hear the bathroom door opening softly. She gasped and tried to push away the arms that had now come around her gently.

"Shh, babygirl", Michael whispered softly. "It's just me. It's just me."

Lily stopped fighting, realizing that she was safe now. Michael was there, taking care of her. Feeling to weak, she allowed him to do so. As if she was light as a feather, he lifted her from the tub. Setting her feet gently on the floor, he grabbed a towel. Slowly and with great care, he began to dry her off, then wrapped the towel around her body. Picking her up again, Michael carried her to the bed, sitting her on the edge. Feeling too numb, Lily barely registered him walking back into the bathroom. When he came out, he was holding a brush.

Sitting behind her, Michael gently combed Lily's wet hair. When that was finished, he went to her drawer, searching until he found a pair of underwear and a warm pair of flannel pajamas. With anyone else, Lily was sure she would have felt humiliated at having to be taken care of like an invalid. However, Michael just gave her a small smile, stroking her cheek when he came back to crouch in front of her. Gently, he helped her step into her underwear, followed by her pajamas. Pulling her to stand, he brought them the rest of the way, until they were up to her waist.

Pausing, Michael looked at Lily, silently asking for permission. When she gave a single nod, he pulled the towel, revealing her naked chest. Michael, being the gentleman he was, kept his eyes on hers, knowing it was not the time for anything else. Sliding one sleeve up Lily's arm, he pulled the shirt behind her back, coming around to help her with the other arm. Still looking into her eyes, Michael buttoned her shirt slowly.

Pulling back the covers, Michael helped Lily into bed. Tucking her in, he kissed her foreahead tenderly. Disappearing into the bathroom, Michael came back a few minutes later. He was now wearing pajamas as well. Crawling into the other side of the bed, he gently pulled Lily into his arms. Finally, Lily succumbed to exhaustion. Feeling safe and warm, she fell into a deep sleep. She had fallen asleep so quickly, that she was no longer aware of the man holding her. She was not witness to him watching her sleep as tears cascaded down his cheeks.