“Really?” she asked, her voice hopeful.

I nodded. She seemed immediately relieved by my action and the knowledge that there was no longer anything frightening in her bedroom. “Amy, if you were scared why did you not just sleep with mom and dad?” I asked, as I walked towards her. She looked absolutely adorable ----- her hair tangled from what may have been from having trouble sleeping, and her eyelids halfway closed now from tire. “How long have you been up waiting for me, baby?” I situated myself alongside her diminutive body, gently stroking her head with great reassurance that there had been not a need to feel frightened.

She buried her head into my arms then, wrapping her arms around my waist. “They were fighting again,” she whispered, her voice pained in a manner I had not thought possible for a girl so young to have ever felt.

“Oh, don’t worry, Amy. Everything will be okay.” I had been certain it would not ever be alright, but I had not wished for her to feel what my parents and I had felt. And neither did I wish for her to go through whatever we had been going through since the past year.

“You promise, Alice?”

I nodded with agreement. “Yes, I do.” I knew before I had even spoken, that it would be a promise I would not be able to keep ---- a promise that would eventually be broken without a doubt. I had never broken any promises before, yet I felt the need to have created one knowing it was a promise I could not keep.

After Amy had fallen into deep slumber, I brought her back into her bedroom. Before returning to my own bedroom, I paused. I turned towards my parents’ bedroom, debating over whether or not I should see to it that they were at peace with one another; however after but a second of hesitation, I headed towards their bedroom. I opened their door as silently as I could manage, before stepping in to inspect the sight before me.

My father lay motionless on the floor, a blanket covering his motionless figure. If I had been right, my mother had not allowed him to sleep with her. It was still a mystery to me as to why, despite the fact that he had not a place to sleep on in their bedroom, he refused to sleep on the couch in the living room. Despite the countless fights he had with my mother, he had never left her side. He would always sleep in their room no matter how serious the fight had gotten. I had wanted to ask him the reason as to why he had done so, but I never seemed to bother.

My mother, on the other hand, remained restless on the bed. Her arms moving every now and then, a frown plastered onto her face. She never understood the reason as to why my father insisted upon staying with her after a fight, but she too, had never bothered to ask. She has simply grown used to it now.

Contented, I had been about to exit their room when my mother called for me. “Alice?” she said, and I could barely hear her despite the silence. Her voice sounded cracked; she’d been crying.

“It’s me,” I responded.

“W-what are you doing here?” she asked, as she began to awaken completely.

“No, mom. It’s late. Go back to bed. I was only checking on you,” I stated dumbly.

Her frown deepened. “What?”

“Amy.”

Her expression changed into one of understanding------ and guilt. “Oh, I’m so sorry, I---“

“Don’t bother, mom. As I said, it’s getting late. I should get to bed,” I reasoned, before beginning to head towards the door with haste. After every fight she had with my father, she would always apologize. It seemed meaningless to me now, as they continued to argue despite the effects of their argument. “Just… just forget it.”

I exhaled a sigh of frustration, as I entered my bedroom. As the adrenaline that had been coursing through my veins not so long ago faded, I began to feel the pain. It had not been as painful as ever, but it was enough to tire me to an extent I was sure had no longer been possible. I headed towards the bed without bothering to change into sleeping clothes, drifting off into sleep almost immediately.

 If I did live longer, I was not certain if I had wished to continue living when all I could ever feel was pain----both physically and mentally. Not only had I been weary, sleepless, exceedingly sick, and confused; I also needed to deal with horrid stuff as well. I had not known for how long I would have been able to go on, but there was one thing I was certain about: I was growing sicker and sicker as days passed.

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Hey! How have you guys been? :) I hope you guys don't kill me -.-" Anyways, I needed to have this posted ASAP since I'll be gone and busy throughout the holidays x) So, I hope you liked it! =D 

Merry Christmas! 

XX Sandra :D

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