Hey everyone,

So I have something very different that also needs to come with some serious TRIGGER warnings, specifically mentions of rape, attempted rape, and PTSD. Please, please, PLEASE, do not read this if it is something that could dredge up something terrible for you. My goal is not to hurt anyone so please seriously consider that before you scroll passed the little spacing dots I used to make sure no one sees anything before they read that.

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For anyone who kept scrolling, I think I've been watching a few too many true crime shows on every streaming service imaginable and this story came to mind while I was watching SVU the other night so I'm hoping that gives you an idea of where this is kind of going...

Now for some background, this story takes place about nine years after the defeat of Thanos. For those of you who haven't read any of my other stories (and you don't have to for this to make sense so please don't feel obligated to), I have this AU timeline set up where Tony is alive, he and Pepper have a son named Morgan. Tony is basically Peter's adopted dad too, that's kind of important here. Natasha is still around, she's basically in charge of the day-to-day operations of the Compound (like in Endgame) and Cap never went back in time. That's pretty much all you need to know from past stories for this to make sense. So in this, Peter and MJ have both graduated from college and are living together in New York. Peter's still Spider-Man and a member of the Avengers (obviously) and he works as an engineer for Stark Industries. MJ's working as a translator at the UN because I think that would be super fun and she seemed to really like language in FFH so I figured, why not.

Other than that, I need to say, I'm a little nervous about this story, I'm not totally sure why but I am and I need to say that. So, if you really don't like it I get it, but please just be kind.

I think that's about all you need to know so I'm going to stop babbling and here's the new story!

Enjoy!

Michelle clutched at her side, trying without success to hold the stitching agony at bay as she ran. Her legs pumped harder than they ever had before as she tried desperately to breathe evenly enough to keep up her pace. Unfortunately, no amount of stubbornness could overcome all the pain lingering in the background and the fact that she was hurt and he wasn't. Without warning, he closed behind her and slammed his fist down onto her shoulder. The move had enough force that it stunned her and her step faltered as she tripped over her own feet. She tumbled and skid across the ground as she scrambled to stop herself. He fell to his knees behind her so she kicked out as hard as she could before he could get too close. Her foot connected with something solid and she heard him groan.

And roll away from her.

Knowing that would not be enough to stop him but that she had to take her chance, Michelle forced herself to her feet, ducked her head, and ran harder. She tried to bring her arm back up to press against her side but it wasn't working. For some reason, it hung like a dead weight and just threw her off balance. Still, she ran. Michelle knew she needed to get to somewhere there were other people. Somewhere that would make him stop.

She didn't quite make it.

It was hard to see in the dark and her foot caught something that tangled her legs beneath her, sending her crashing back to the earth. With only one arm to brace her fall, Michelle's face cracked against the hard packed dirt. She tasted a burst of copper as she bit her tongue or her cheek or the jarring impact of her chin against the ground knocked loose a tooth, she wasn't sure. Her head bounced awkwardly and it took everything in her to hold on to a shred of consciousness.

Summoning what strength she could, she pulled herself forward with her good hand. The motion caused immeasurable pain and she cried out in agony as the action pulled at bruised ribs. Her eyes were jumping in her skull when she tried to focus on something…anything in front of her that promised help. As she slowly pulled forward, her hand closed around something rough. It felt like a branch or maybe a discarded pole, either way, it moved when she tugged on it.

Her hackles raised on the back of her neck when she heard the heavy breathing behind her and without warning, the fear she had been suppressing slipped up her spine, threatening to keep her from acting. But she forced it away. Instead, she concentrated on recovering enough to make this count.

As he closed in on her, he started talking. His voice was gravely and deep, exactly what one imagines when they think of monsters that prey on women in the dark. He talked slowly, in mock seduction as he whispered, "There's a good girl. Why don't you just stay where you are, let me do what I want and then you can go on your way. I promise I'll make it as fun for you as I can."

Michelle shuddered at that threat. Immediately, she knew that it would haunt her nightmares if she escaped but she swore that he would have to kill her before she let anything like that happen. This time, she was going to make sure his prey had teeth of her own. She waited until he got close enough that she could feel the heat of his breath on the back of her neck. She forced herself to hold still even as she tightened her grip on her concealed weapon.

Michelle let him relax, let him think he had won. When he was leaning over her with his hands on either side of her hips, she rolled as quickly as she could. The action startled him and he jerked away, giving her an opening. She swung with as much strength as she could muster. The blow caught him across the head and he tumbled off to her side. She kicked and clambered out from under him, the pain that had been plaguing her before became an afterthought as she lashed out again as hard as she could. The branch connected solidly with his head and she watched him roll farther away. Realizing this was her chance, Michelle scrambled back to her feet and ran, the branch still clutched tightly in her grip. She could see a streetlight not far away, if she could just get there, maybe she could find someone to help her.

She gave everything she had left.

As the light illuminated the world around her, Michelle took half a breath. She wasn't safe, not yet, not even close but at least she could see her more clearly. Her eyes darted to either side, taking in the small area illuminated by the dim streetlight but disappointment shot through her as she realized there was no one around. There was a building not too far from where she was standing, maybe if she could get to it…

After a few moments of slightly disoriented indecision, she ran toward it. The branch was still clutched tightly in her hand even as it became a dragging weight. Her mind yelled at her to drop it and run but instinct told her to hold on. She knew he was still following her.

She screamed for help as she ran. Praying that someone would hear her. She was not one to ask for help unless she needed it but she also wasn't deluded enough to think that she could take him on her own.

She made it passed the next streetlight, so close to the building she was trying to reach before a heavy weight slammed into her back. The momentum sent her crashing back to the ground and she landed hard, twisting her wrist around her weapon as her head to slammed into the concrete again. This time the blow dazed her and she couldn't turn over fast enough to fight back.

The man had learned. He flipped her over and wrenched her arms up over her head, pinning them there while he sat on her hips.

Michelle's head lulled as she tried to force some kind of coherent thought through her mind, tried to come up with some kind of plan. But her brain was a jumbled mess and she couldn't get her eyes to fixate on anything. She thrashed uncoordinatedly against him but he was stronger than her. Her only consolation was that when she finally got her eyes to focus, she realized there was a thick stream of blood down his face, she had caught him with one of those blows. Unfortunately, that didn't seem like nearly enough when he leaned down into her face, snarling.

"You little bitch. You're a fighter. I can't say I hate that but I will tell you, it's going to make this so much worse for you." He slammed his mouth down over hers and his lips moved roughly, painfully over hers before he shoved his tongue passed her teeth.

Michelle pulled her head back as far as she could in surprise but he followed, hurting her as he pressed his full weight down on her. In a panic, she bit down hard.

Immediately, he pulled away. He looked at her with wide eyes as he wiped his hand across his mouth. When he pulled it away and found blood on his knuckles, that surprised dissipated into maliciousness and he seethed, "So you really are a fighter." Then he backhanded her hard across the face before he snapped, "Guess I'll have to end that."

The ringing blow caused even more agony to flare in her overwrought mind and Michelle couldn't fight it as her head snapped to the side. Of all the damage she had taken, that hurt the worst and Michelle had to fight to keep her tears back. If this was going to happen, she refused to let him see how badly he hurt her, how badly he scared her. She closed her eyes tight and tried desperately to conjure up something positive, something to numb this experience. But her memories vacillated and slipped over her like a wave, she was too groggy to find something specific but Peter was in enough of them that it give her an image to hold onto. She fought to hold onto that smiling face.

The man leaned down over her again, snarling like a rabid dog while she tried to hold onto that one good thing before her world was fundamentally changed. She clamped down on her tears and steeled herself as much as she could against what was about to happen.

So what'd you think? I'm actually asking because I have a few more chapters written for this story but I'm also a little leery about continuing it because of the content so if this is something I should keep putting time into, please let me know.

If you didn't like it, please tell me that too! But be nice about it :/

For what it's worth, I do hope you liked it!

I hope you have a wonderful night/day and stay creative!

-Lily