Through the Stars: A Star Trek Fan Fiction (On Hold)

Chapter 3

Three slices in, Jim decided to start a conversation. "So... Those near death experiences..."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "What about 'em?"

"You told me you would tell me about them."

"Oh yeah. I was hoping you forgot about that." I sighed and picked at my food. "They're not things I like to think about."

He looked at me sadly and opened his mouth to say something.

"The most recent one was the day after my high school graduation. I planned on moving out so I could go to a university. I wanted to be a nurse, you see." He nodded, telling me to go on. "He found out that I was leaving. And... He wasn't impressed. At first he tried to guilt me into staying. Saying that he would be all alone. It was already my fault that my mother left, and now I was leaving him too. But I never pitied him, I was still going to leave."

"But that must've been years ago. You were still living with him yesterday."

"I know. I never got to leave. He beat me again. But that time it was worse. A lot worse. He was always careful to where he hit me. That way no one could notice the bruises, and no one could know that he abused me. He wasn't careful that time." I have no idea of what I was doing. I never told anyone about that day. "Four broken ribs, a black eye, dislocated shoulder, blood... Blood everywhere." I choked out a sob. I remembered that day clear as a bell.

"I am an adult, now! You can't tell me what to do! You're lucky I haven't gone and told anyone about what you've done to me ever since mom left!" I dodged a vase that was hurled towards me.

"Do not raise your voice at me, young lady! You're lucky I even kept you after that bitch left. I would have gone with her if it wasn't for your sorry ass!" he yelled.

"Why didn't you just go? You could have easily dropped me off at some children's home and went with her! It was obvious I wasn't the only one she was running away from!"

He pushed me against the wall and snarled in my face. "Don't you dare say that again! Cynthia loved me. We were perfectly happy before you were born!" He swiftly punched me, hitting me in the eye.

I spit in his red face and ducked before he could punch me again. "There is nothing you can do. I am leaving." Rushing up the stairs to retrieve my suitcase, a hand firmly grasped my ankle and pulled me down. My body crashed into the hard wooden steps. Surprisingly, the stairs were completely fine, but my torso throbbed in pain.

"I don't think so! You are staying in this house, whether you like it or not!"

Those were the last words I heard before my body grew limp and I fell into unconsciousness.

"I had to go to hospital because I lost so much blood. I almost died that night. When I finally got home, he told me I couldn't leave. Or he wouldn't take me to the hospital next time."

Jim was quiet. He simply watched me with a sad expression. He reached for my hand with his clean one and rubbed small circles onto the back of it.

"Tuesday. June 17, 2243. The day my mother left was another one. She left in the morning."

"Mommy where are you going?" my nine year old self asked. My hair was in small pig tails and I wore a yellow dress.

"I'm going out for a little bit, okay, Peyton?" she told me. Her heels made her usually small stature tower over me.

"When will you be back? Daddy said he was going to make spaghetti for dinner!"

"Mommy will be back in an hour or two, baby. Don't worry. Janine here will take good care of you, okay?"