Maverick Davenport was a dog. Since the night he hit her, he never stopped. He hit her with an open hand, sometimes a closed fist. It didn't matter to her, it was all the same to her, day in and day out. She didn't even have to defy him in anyway. He justs storms into her room and starts screaming at her incoherently and starts slapping her.

Of course Marshall knew about this but couldn't do anything about it. Maverick did everything in his power to keep them seperated. The only time they got to see each other was on public outings without Maverick. It made his heart bleed and weep for her. The love of his life was being beaten and abused by the man she was arranged to marry. To make things even more bitter, that man was his brother. Everyday they struggled with having Maverick constantly coming in between them. One day, Marshall finally had enough.

Marshall slowly walked up to Scarlette's room. Through the door, he heard her sobbing. 'Maverick must've beaten her again.' He bitterly thought to himself. He softly knocked before entering the room and found Scarlette crying on her bed, faced buried in a pillow. He felt a pang of pain in his heart from seeing her that way.

"Scarlette?" He called softly. "Scarlette, sweetheart."

She looked up and what Marshall saw scared him. Her cheeks were pale and tear stained. Her hair was greasy and unkempt. Her eyes. Oh her eyes. They showed the same lack of luster, the same dullness they had when he first met her. The very look in her eyes that made goosebumps form on his skin.

"Babygirl? Oh my baby..." He rushed to her side and hugged her tightly.

"My baby..." He whispered. "My sweet, sweet baby." He rocked her back and forth gently as he kissed her hair.

"M-marshall..." She whispers out. "Marshall."

"Y-yes, Scarlette?"

"Can we run away? Somewhere far, far away from here. I'm miserable here. He keeps me away from you. And he hits me too. Just like mom and dad... Just bring me away from here." Scarlette looks up at him with sad eyes. She truly was miserable where she was. While Marshall did help ease the pain, Maverick always tried to keep them as far away from each other as possible.

Marshall was taken aback. "W-when? N-n-now?"

She nods slightly. "Y-yeah." She whispers to him.

He hugs her tight. "No, sweetie, not now."

Hearing this, Scarlette hung her head low.

"But let's do it tonight."

She perked up. "Really, baby? Tonight?"

He let out a ghost of a smile as he saw her perk up. "Yeah, babe. Tonight. I promise. So pack only the essentials. And I guess your ATM card. We might need money to buy you a new phone and things like that." He kisses the top of her head.

She grins and starts laughing, just like the old her. Until she stops.

"Baby, where are we going to go? It's not like I can buy us a house without my parents and... Maverick finding out." She asked, spitting out Mavericks name in disgust. She really hated that asshole.

Marshall thought for a bit, and had an idea. "Well." He said reluctantly. "We can head to my house. I can find a job up in no time. Maybe I'll offer to pay rent or something. We'll figure that out later. All that matters to me right now is getting you to a safe place."

Scarlette hugged Marshall. "Thanks baby." She looked up at him. "I love you."

He smiled warmly and kissed the top of her head. "I love you too, Scarlette." He pressed his forehead to hers. "Be ready at midnight. On the balcony. Alright?"

"Okay, baby."

><><><><><>

Ten minutes before midnight, Scarlette waited at the balcony with a small backpack filled with clothes and a few books. She looked down and saw a figure run out into the area below her balcony.

"Scarlette!" It was Marshall. He was whisper-yelling and waving his arms about. She giggled at his spazziness.

"Marshall!" She whisper-yelled back and waved to him. "How am I supposed to get down?"

"Jump. Into my arms. I'll catch you!" He responded.

"W-what?" She called out softly. "Jump down?"

"Yeah. Jump!"

"But baby-"

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do-"

"Then jump!"

Scarlette took a deep breath. Did she really have the guts to jump? She looked down. If he didn't catch her, she was going to die for sure. But that was a risk she was willing to take.

"Okay, just wait a second." She said to him as she scurried into her room. She grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. She smiled and ran back out to the balcony.

"Okay, baby. I'm going to jump." She inhaled deeply.

"One." She bent her legs.

"Two." She said a short prayer.

"Three!"

She jumped down and in what seemed like in slow motion, Marshall caught her and they tumbled together into the ground. For a moment, she thought she didn't make it, until she looked up and saw Marshall's smiling face.

"I told you I'd catch you."

She laughed and brought them both up. "Let's run?"

"Let's run."

At that moment, Scarlette finally felt as if she was free. Like a prisoner being set free. A bird being let out of its cage. She was now completely and deliriously free.

<><><><><><>

Richard and Rose Reeves woke up early to wake up their daughter, but were shocked to find an empty room and a note on her dresser.

Dear mom and dad,

You'll never see me again. I've finally found my place in life, and I won't let you take that away from me only to put me in a place where I don't want to be. A place where I don't deserve to be. See you never.

Sincerely, Scarlette