Disclaimer: I don't own Ducktales!

Title: I'm Not the One

Summary: It happens in an instant. Beakley is hovering over the pan, chiding Lena about not knowing how to make pancakes. The TV is on in the next room, filling the air with cartoonish noises and light and cheerful dialogue. Beakley raises a spatula to gently swat Lena's hand away from the bowl of chocolate chips. Lena flinches so hard she almost falls off her stool, backing off to the very edge.

Warnings: References to abuse

...

It happens in an instant. Beakley is hovering over the pan, chiding Lena about not knowing how to make pancakes. The TV is on in the next room, filling the air with cartoonish noises and light and cheerful dialogue. Beakley raises a spatula to gently swat Lena's hand away from the bowl of chocolate chips. Lena flinches so hard she almost falls off her stool, backing off to the very edge.

"Lena?" Beakley asks, lowering her voice. "Are you okay?"

Lena blinks at her, then shakes off her uneasiness. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."

She nods, accepting her word, and silently shifts a bowl of ingredients over for her to stir into batter. Lena takes to the task without any enthusiasm, frowning.

"I'm sorry," Beakley says finally. "I didn't mean to frighten you."

Lena shrugs.

She hesitates, then continues; "I wouldn't do that to you, dear. Ever."

The teenager's eyes flicker up to her face, surprised. She stops stirring. "Really?"

"I don't believe in corporal punishment."

"I don't see how that matters," she says. "I can be kind of a handful."

A light laugh escaped Beakley's lips. "Oh, heavens, yes. But that can be said of any child."

Lena shrugs again, handing the batter over. Beakley stirs it some more, smoothing out the leftover lumps. "People lose their temper. I'm used to it by now."

Beakley sets to pouring a small circle onto the pan, listening to it hiss as bubbles began to form. She turned the temperature down accordingly. "I've lost my temper many times with you. But that doesn't make it acceptable for me- or anyone, for that matter- to hit you."

"Oh."

"I won't press," she reassures her. "But, if it's okay to ask- you're not living with someone who... loses their temper with you often?"

Lena laughs. It's low, bitter. "I don't live with anyone like that, no."

"Good." Beakley slowly sets a hand on her shoulder, testing the waters. Lena doesn't seem against the touch, so she leaves it there. "If you ever are, just know that you can come here. No questions asked."

She startles a little, turning to her with wide eyes. "Really?"

"Really." The housekeeper squeezes, then let go, turning back to the pancake. "I'm not going to cause you unnecessary trouble, dear."

Author's Note: -Jazz hands- Hi! So! I'm a very lucky person, and have never faced any form of abuse before from family and/or people close to me! So if I'm portraying this wrong, or the way Beakley handled it is just plain Bad, do not hesitate to tell me! I completely recognize that I am in territory I do not completely comprehend and have never lived through! And as such I completely understand and respect that I might be wrong! And, if it is, I want to fix it!

-Mandaree1