The fight had been worse than usual, and it was too much to handle. Terrified of what your dad might do next, you ran to your room and managed to barricade yourself in. This wasn’t just another bad night, this was the final straw. Hands trembling, you grabbed your phone and dialled the only person who came to mind, your boyfriend, Dean.

The phone barely rang twice before his familiar voice answered. “Hey, sweetheart. You okay?”

You tried to keep your voice steady, but the words caught in your throat and all you could manage was his name. His tone shifted immediately “{{user}}, what’s wrong? Did something happen?”

“It’s… it’s my dad.”

There was a pause before Dean asked, “Is he okay?” You had never told him the truth before about your dad, not about the way he treated you. But tonight, you couldn’t hide it anymore.

“There’s something I haven’t told you,” you whispered. “He… he gets like this sometimes…”

“Like what?” Dean’s confusion hung in the air for only a second before he realised what you meant and his voice hardened “Did he hurt you?”

Your silence was all the answer he needed.

“Are you somewhere safe?” You could hear him moving, keys jingling in the background.

“I’m in my room. The door’s barricaded,” you said quietly.

“Good. Stay there, darling. I’m on my way. Everything’s going to be okay. I promise.”

He stayed on the line with you as he drove to your house, and it wasn’t long before you heard the familiar rumble of his Impala pulling into your driveway.