Behind the bruises and cuts on his face, I see the love in his eyes, and then he gives me a smile that makes my knees weak. After all this time he'd been away, he still loved me!

It felt unreal. With my heart thundering wildly in my chest, I wondered if I was dreaming. "I missed you so much! What happened?" I ran to him, and buried my face in his neck, wrapping my arms around him.

Every noise on the busy street was blocked out, except the sound of his voice telling me, "I love you, Ria!" He held me tight and started to cry. "I was so scared. I thought I would never see you again."  

I felt weak in his arms.  I was so sick of crying, yet I couldn't stop.

"Ria, he took me again ...

the same monster," he said slowly as if the words themselves were painful. 

"Yet, I can surprisingly say, it was not my worst nightmare, because this time when I got away, the police believed me.  This time, I had someone to share my pain and, at the same time, I tried to protect them," he paused to wipe his eyes.  "They arrested him.  He can't hurt anybody else again."

"I'm so sorry you had to endure that. I can't imagine what you must have gone through. It must hurt so much! It amazes me how strong you are."

"They wanted me to stay in the mental health place, but I can't do that again. I wanted to come home to you. If they take me back there, I will go crazy." 

He looked in my eyes with such torment as if it would be worse than being a prisoner. "Please, don't let them!"  

His whole body was shaking and I thought he was going to faint. "I understand. I won't let them take you. I love you so much! I won't let you go! Let's get you home."

Yoongi wiped his tears, "yes, let's go."

All I wanted was to spend time alone with him holding him close and never letting go. I wanted to make him feel loved and sane. To hold him and take away his pain. He deserved to be cherished not used.

We got to the house, but Yoongi didn't want to go in yet. He didn't want to explain to my mom what had