Aaron. [Aaron Paul]

Fifteen.

It was hard saying goodnight to Aaron right before he dropped me and Zeke off. I don't want to admit to him that I'm scared. I don't even think I have to - he knows already.

"I promise! You'll be fine here with Zeke." he doesn't know what else to say and I'm not making it any easier for him.

"I know, but, I-" I stutter, arguing for words, until he just kisses me goodbye. It shuts me up. No matter how much I'm acting like a child, it won't change the fact that I have to stay here at my own house and he has to drive back to the apartments.

The town's mayor decided to tear down what was left of the building and start with a new slate. Since then, the apartment was rebuilt from the ground up. There's a lot of new designs, and they're all up-to-date (which I personally like better than their old style that looked like you just walked through a portal to the 70's.) The only reason I havn't moved back in was because I had already decorated the guest room at Zeke's place as my own before they finished. I guess I'm just comfortable where I am.

"Goodnight. And put some ice on that." he smiles at me and brushes his thumb against the bruise on my cheek.

As soon as his warm hands retreat from my cheeks, I have to bite the inside of my lip to stop from leaning back into them.

You'll see him tomorrow. Just head to bed and the night will fly by. I reassure myself, waving goodbye as me and Zeke enter the house and shut the door behind us.

"Could you lock everything? And turn on the house alarm?" I ask Zeke before I ascend the stairs.

He smirks, "Already done. Goodnight, sis." 

I jog up the stairs, pull on my P.J.s and snuggle up in my covers. It has been a long, good day (of course, excluding the fact that I was punched.) and I needed a rest. Before turning off my light, I set Aaron's birthday card on my bedside table, and then pull the light switch down. The soft hum of the bathroom fan put me to sleep instantly.

**  **  **

I sleep until the sun peeks happily through my curtains. The birds are singing, and he sky is a bright blue. It's a perfect start to my day.

 Before I head downstairs, I pull on my clothes for the day and smooth down my morning hair, brush my teeth, and walk towards our staircase. But when I get there, I hear two voices downstairs that belong to Zeke and my mother. And they're not just talking. . . they're yelling at each other.

I eavesdrop, crouched on the top stair, peering through two wooden stands that hold up the railing. I can only see their legs in the dining room. My mom is sitting in a chair facing Zeke who is pacing back and forth.

"Why on EARTH would that thought even pass your mind?!" Zeke exclaims. His shadow shows his arms flying up in the air. He's worked up. He never yells.

"Everything that happened!" my mother never yells either. Or at least, I havn't heard her yell in a couple of years. Well, granted, I havn't really seen her all that much in a couple years. 

"I mean, think about it!" she debates her side of whatever story they're bickering about. "Everything he did was for a reason! It was out of his control! You're father never meant to hurt your sister."

My knees get weak, and my throat goes dry. Are they really yelling about my dad? Is she defending him?! 

"God, mom! Your daughter got kidnapped and beaten and shot, and you come over for the first time in years to defend your divorced husband?!" Zeke has lost it, and I'm surprised the ruckus didn't wake me up.

Before anyone else snaps a comment back, I decided to interfere.

Acting completely clueless, I skip down the stairs and stop at the front door looking over at them. "Mom?! Hi!"

Her angry expression swiftly smooths over into a relieved and joyful face. "My sweet Grace!" she reaches her hands out, gesturing me to walk over to her.

I go greet her with a kiss on the cheek, and then look at Zeke; who's still pacing. "What's up?"

My mom acts clueless, much like me. But I can see right through her lies. "What are you talking about?" she asks innocently. I just look from her to Zeke, and then to the mess on the ground that I hadn't seen before. It was a shattered glass vase. Someone had knocked it over.

"Zeke? Are you alright?" I ask, worried.

He just runs his hands through his hair, shaking his head softly. "No, no, no I'm not." he mumbles.

I have to pull him into the kitchen. So I grab his arm, tell my mom I'll be back and lead my brother to the next room. "I saw the end of your argument."

Zeke looks at me with a relieved emotion plastered over his face. He's glad he doesn't have to explain the whole thing. 

"What is she talking about?! Why were you talking about dad?" I try to paint the picture of how the whole thing started. But I only have small bits and pieces. Not enough to put two-and-two together.

Zeke groans, angrily, and then sighs. "She thinks it wasn't dad's fault that got you kidnapped. She thinks it was Aaron's or something." I stare at him, surprised. Zeke continues, "She just came over to say hi, but the conversation de-railed quickly when you were brought up. And then she got all protective towards him, talking gibberish about how he is harmless."

I have no words in return. All I can bring myself to do I walk away back to my mom. "Dad is in jail. And that is nobody's fault but his." my voice is cold and I use large hand-motions to exaggerate what I'm saying. "I got kidnapped and was on the verge of death many times, yet you have the audacity to come into our house and talk about my boyfriend, and me for that reason, when we are not here to defend ourselves."

She's shocked as I clench my jaw, but she doesn't say anything. She knows I'm right.

"So if you want to defend your husband, then I suggest you walk out that door and haul ass over to the prison so you can pay him a visit behind bars."

With that, I march back up the stairs to call Aaron.

(A/N: I'm sorry I didn't update this sooner. I was at the beach all weekend, and didn't have any wifi. But it's here now so don't worry boo. :*  xD BYE GUYS!) -Writingslayer