Never Giving Up...

Chapter 17: A Tree With Charred Limbs

~~ Austin's POV ~~ 

It's been two days since Abigail went to the prison to visit Steven, two days and all she's done is lay in her bed, under the covers. I'm not stupid, I know she's depressed, I know she's upset. I am too. I'm depressed too. 

But I can't show any weakness because it might just make things worse. Or so I think. 

"Abby?" I knock on her door. 

"Come in," she says quietly 

I open the door and sigh as I see her facing the wall curled up into a ball under her Supernatural blanket. Her room smells, "It smells in here," I say as I grab the candle nearby and light it. 

"Is that what you came in here for?" 

I sigh "Abigail, Honey," I lay down on the bed and pull her towards me, "do you want to talk about what happened now?" 

She turns around so she was facing my chest, "he said I was worthless," she sniffled 

This man was just tearing her down when I am trying to build her up, "you're not." 

"He made me feel like I am," I hug her tighter as I felt tear stains on my shirt. 

"Steven is just a coward. He says these hurtful things because he is a damn coward and you don't have to worry about anymore because he is out of your life okay?" 

"Is he really? What about when we file the charges against him? I would still have to see him in court." 

"Then I will try to find a way where you don't have to see him, I'm gonna make sure I can do what I can to the best of my abilities to make you happy because you will be my daughter, I already consider you my daughter and I don't want to see you upset," I lift her chin so I can look her in the eyes, "I hate seeing you upset." 

She nods there really wasn't anything to say to that because we both know we can't avoid Steven, even if we tried our hardest she still has to face her demons. Me as a dad, I have to be there for her to pick her back up when she has fallen. To push her forward when she thinks she has given everything she has because I know, I know as a father that there will always be a lot more to give, a lot more heartbreaks and a for damn sure pain will never give up the fight. It's everywhere. We can't avoid it but we can fight it. In the end, we'll come out of the battleground wounded and maybe with our last breath but proud and in tears that we fought, that we didn't give up the battle. 

"Do you have a girlfriend?" She asks taking me away from my thoughts. 

"Uh, why do you ask?" Never in my life did I think I would have to be asked that by my daughter, or soon to be daughter. 

"I noticed that you smile at your phone a lot so you either have a girlfriend or you just have a really cute puppy screensaver on your phone."  

I smile, "It's not a cute puppy screensaver," I sigh, "I was gonna tell you when all this commotion was over with," I think it more than that, I think I am just afraid of her reaction. I just got her and I'm afraid she thinks she will lose me. 

"I don't think this commotion won't be over with for a long time from now," she's right, we don't know when all this will calm down. 

"You're right. I've been dating this girl for a while now," she smiles

"have you asked her to be your girlfriend?" 

"Not yet, I'm waiting for the right time." 

"What's her name?" She seemed to be happier now, I guess she just needed a little distraction