Secrets of the Night {You Wish Batman} PART 29

"I couldn't find him anywhere, so I continued forward. I stepped with practiced moves once again. I knew exactly where my foot needed to be put down. I entered the doorway to the kitchen, surprised at how easy this night was. I should have known something was wrong right then. Instead, I carried on into the kitchen. I decided to open the fridge to get an apple. I pulled the door open, immediately stopping to light from coming on. I quickly snatched an apple and shut the fridge. The hairs were starting to stand up on the back of my neck, my stomach dropping. I knew that my time was limited.

"I turned around, facing how limited my time really was. My father was standing, framed by the doorway. The lightning flashed again and it glinted off the blade that he held in his hand. I backed up, hitting the fridge after two steps back. I knew that I was trapped. I knew that this time there might not be an escape. The apple slipped out of my hand and onto the floor. It rolled until my father's knife stopped it with a quick flash and stab.

"He pulled the apple off the knife and polished it on his shirt. He held it up for inspection then took a bite out of it. 'Hungry dearest daughter?' He asked my, malice glinting in his eyes. I knew better than to lie in reply. 'I was sir, but I no longer am.' I didn't bother making a move to escape. I knew that it would be pointless and would only get me hurt further.

"He stepped forward as lightning flashed again. He backhanded me across the face, sending me to the ground with a cry. That was my first mistake. I should never have made a sound. My vision went black then slowly returned. He spoke again to me, this time looking down on me as I lay on the floor. 'Did you think you could steal from me? You only receive what I give you. You should be thankful for anything I give you, you little stealing brat. You think I haven't noticed the food that has been disappearing in the night? You think I don't know why sneak around the house so silently?'

"I continued to lie on the ground, unable to say anything in reply, for fear it would make my situation even worse. My father crouched down in front of me, pulling me up into a sitting position. I complied, starting to fear for my life. My father moved the apple in front of my face. He took his blade and sliced it, pulling the knife down. The juice came up from the slice and dripped down. His gaze changed from the apple to me. Before I knew what was happening he dropped the apple and grabbed my arm in its place. He slid the blade across it, a satisfied smirk forming on his face as he watched the blood pour out of the cut.

"My mother walked in then. 'Leave her alone,' my mother gently commanded. My father immediately spun up and around to face her, fire blazing in his eyes. The lightning flashed and my mom caught the crimson liquid dripping off the end of his knife. 'You dare to take her place? I'll only make it worse for you because of your interference.'

"I called out to my mom, 'You can't!' She looked at me then, nothing but love in her eyes. 'She can't take this right now and you know it. You'll kill her. I can't let you do that. I will take her place if you feel the need for vengeance over an apple.' My mother's gaze challenged my father, daring him to attack over something so small. My father moved to attack her. I couldn't let him. My mother already had to deal with him daily. She didn't need to take my place too.

"I pushed myself up and moved towards my father. I grabbed his arm, unsure of how to attack. I had only learned to defend. He moved his arm, tossing me aside like a rag doll. I had no power against him. Now his anger was focused on me. He came towards me; rage building inside of him the longer his eyes remained on me. He adjusted his grip on his blade, ready to attack with it now.

"My mother moved when he did. As soon as he leapt toward me, she blocked him. They both tumbled to the floor as I watched in horror at the fight escalating in front of me. Their attacks on each other were so fast, so skilled. My mother wasn't fighting for her life. She was fighting for mine. I moved backwards until my back hit the wall. I pulled my knees up to my chest, tears falling down my face as I watched my mother fight for me. I watched blood appear on my mom

"I couldn't let her do that for me. I watched my father's attacks. There were times where his knife would come behind his back as he tried to keep my mother away. I stood and waited for the right moment to grab it away from him. I was young, naïve. I didn't know that I was harming rather than helping by trying to interfere. When I thought my chance was right, I tried to grab his knife. He turned at my touch and started attacking me, calling me a stupid girl. I heard my mother screaming no at me. He kept coming after me as I backed away, trying to escape his attack. I couldn't last, I was already weak.

"He hit me to the ground and moved to stab me. I knew that he was attacking to kill. I looked up in fear as I realized the rest of my life could be counted in seconds, not years. As he moved down with his blade, my mother stepped in. She grabbed his arm, stopping it just above me. I watched the anger in his eyes grow as the fear in my mother's did. 'You bitch!' He screamed as he turned and stabbed my mother in the chest. It happened so fast that neither I nor my mother could register what happened.

"He ripped his knife out as my mother cried out in pain. He turned on me and attacked in blind rage, no longer in control. He swiped at me, aiming for my heart. His blade sliced through the skin. I looked down as blood seeped through my shirt, turning it crimson. My legs gave out from under me and I fell to the ground. Everything was black before I hit the ground. When I woke up, I was in the same place on the floor. It was morning now, but the night before seemed to have been erased. My mother was gone, along with all her blood. The only blood left in the room was on me. Everything else was in place, perfectly. My father was sitting at the table, reading the newspaper. He glanced up when he heard me moving. 'I need my coffee.' I stood up as quickly as I could and went to prepare his coffee."

I came back into the room, feeling Blade underneath me once again. "I just wish I could have... that I... that she wouldn't..."

He moved his hand and wiped the tears from my cheek. I realized that his shirt was wet beneath my other cheek. I sat up quickly, embarrassed that I had soaked his shirt with my tears.

I shifted my gaze up to his face, afraid of his reaction, but needing to know what it was.

He was looking at me, pity nowhere to be found. Instead, I could only see understanding and something that could only be acceptance.

He smiled at me. "I'd be afraid of blades too."

I let out a sound somewhere between a laugh and a sob. He moved his hand up my arm as he gazed up at me. His gaze shifted to my arm and I saw a sadness enter into his expression.

"I'm sorry," he whispered quietly.

I looked down at his hand and saw that it was just below the scar he gave me. I knew that he wasn't apologizing out of pity for me; he was apologizing for what he did to me.

I put my hand on top of his. "You have no reason to be."

He shifted his gaze back to mine. "I shouldn't have"

"Yes, you should have," I said gently, cutting him off. He simply looked confused.

"As much as it scares me to admit this Bat Boy, I needed you then and I need you now." A smile formed on his lips at my use of his nickname. I smiled back, but it quickly fell as I resumed talking. "I still can't readily face my father, but you can help me with that. You've already helped me so much, even by being an ass. Hell, that's what got through to me. I could never get away from you. You woke me up, now I need you to help me confront him."

"Shea, you can't sacrifice yourself to him. We'll find a different way," he insistently replied.

"I'm not going to sacrifice myself Blade. That's why I need your help. You're the only one here who can help me train to fight him, who can give me a fighting chance. I'll do it on my own if I have to, but it won't be the same. I'm going to fight him whether you like it or not. Your only choice is whether or not you decide to help me."

He watched me steadily. I gave no indication of the knot of fear tied up in my stomach. "You have my word," he promised.

**So what do you guys think?? PLEASE comment and vote, esp on this part. This is a really important part guys, despite its length. I want to know if you guys think I did a good job with it or whether it needs some editing (other than grammar).

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