I walked in the kitchen at the wrong moment. His body fell to the floor with the boom of a bass drum during an intense marching competition. Blood and brain matter seeped through the bullet hole between his eyes. I stared at his body, almost afraid to move.

I saw him escape through the window. But, I could not see exactly who it was. Everything was hazy.

I sat in the federal building. Shaking. My Aunt Mary Shannon walked up to me. She was not really my Aunt. My mom's old high school friend; I've grown up with her, usually spent more time with her than at my own house. After my mom left; I spent way too much time at her house. My Dad was never the same after she left. Now, he was defiantly not the same.

"Rebecca?" She asked. I did not respond. I wanted to respond to her call; but I could not speak. I just looked at her.

"We need to talk about what's going to happen."

I nodded.

"Well, you need to enter wit-sec."

I nodded. "Have you found my mom?" I asked silently.

"Yes. But….." She said.

I raised an eyebrow. "She left me, and my dad is dead. I don't think more bad news is going to matter."

Aunt Mary swallowed hard. "She committed suicide four years ago."

"Oh." I said with almost no remorse. "What's going to happen to me?"

"Well, you're sixteen. You're too old for the foster system. Are you an independent person?"

"Yes. But….." I said.

Mary raised her eyebrow and changed into her federal marshal voice. "What?"

"My baby won't be independent."

Mary shut her eyes as if it would make the words she heard go away.

"How long?"

"Eight weeks."

"Did your Dad know?"

"No. I was going to tell him when I saw him get killed."

"Do you remember anything?"

"Yeah; I remember it all…except his face."

"I see."

Stan motioned for Mary to come towards him. Aunt Mary kissed me on top of the head and walked off for a moment to the other end of the federal building.

"Hm?"

"Anything?"

"No."

"What's the plan?"

"She stays with me."

"She can't."

"She's going to need help raising her baby."

Stan shut his eyes much like Aunt Mary did.

"I see." Stan said.

"So, she stays with me. I keep her and the baby safe. She'll be a witness first, my friend second."

"We'll try it. One month. In which, if she screws up; because, Mary we both know…you screw up all the time. But, there's a method the madness; she will go into the foster system. This is different than usual."

"Agreed."

"Good. Take her home. She can't grieve here."

I arrived at Mary's house. Her sister Brandi, Mary's husband Raph and their mother Jinx were all home. Brandi was on the phone to her latest boyfriend. Raph was watching baseball and Jinx was drinking. There was not anything new here.

"Your bedroom is the first door on the left. Go get settled. I'll be there in a moment." Aunt Mary said ushering me into the room.

"What's up with Rebecca?" Brandi said. "Does she not have her own family?"

"Not anymore." Mary said coldly. "Look, she has to enter wit-sec. I can't tell you anymore; so don't ask. But, her name is now Kara. Okay?"

Everyone nodded. Mary walked off and headed towards the bedroom.

"Okay; Name change. You are now Kara. Okay?"

I nodded silently.

"Stan is pulling some strings as we speak and he's going to get you into the high school in this district."

"Okay."

Aunt Mary sat on the bed next to me. "It'll be okay. We'll find the bastard that shot Jeff."

"I guess." I said staring at my stomach.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm sixteen; I'm an orphan. I'm sixteen; I'm in the witness protection program and I'm sixteen; and I'm going to be a single mom."

"Who's the father?"

"His name is Craig."

"Does he have a record?"

"Assault and armed robbery."

"I see. Let me guess, he broke up with you after you told him?"

"No."

"What do you mean?"

"We weren't dating."

"I see."

"Yeah; just a night of drunken insecurity at a party."

"Oh. Have you told him?"

"Yeah, and he said…'good for you' he doesn't remember anything."

"I'm sorry. But, you're not on your own. I'm right here."

"I don't think with your job, that you'll be at all concerned with me and my baby."

"Kara. Listen to me. You and this baby, is my job."

"I guess."

"Well, Stan is giving you a month here. So, in a nutshell, don't screw up. Got it?"

"I guess."

"Okay. Now, you have to understand. You and this baby…are my witnesses first; friends second. Got it?"

"I guess."

"What do you want for dinner?"

"I don't care. Whatever."

"Not whatever. Have you been in to a doctor?"

"No. I couldn't get it a doctor without Dad figuring it out."

"Alright. Brandi is going to take you. I can't. If word gets out I'm a federal marshal, it won't be pretty."

"Okay."

Mary kissed me on top of the head. She walked off. She walked into the living room and sat next to Brandi.

"Brandi I need a favor."

"Okay?" Brandi said raising an eyebrow.

"Take Kara to the doctor?"

"Why can't you?"

"Because, if word gets out I'm a federal marshal, it won't be pretty. Please? It's urgent."

"Is she okay?" Raph asked in his accent that I knew why Mary fell for him.

"Yes. She's fine. But, she's pregnant. Please, Brandi?"

"Yeah, sure. No problem."

"Cool. Okay, guys. I need to go talk to Marshall. Keep her in this house."

Jinx and Brandi nodded. Raph just looked at Mary. "We need to talk."

"Baby, can we do it later? I really need to go talk to Marshall."

"I guess." He said sighing.

"Thank you."

Mary arrived at the federal building. "Marshall, what's up? I need to get back to Kara."

Alison was sitting at the desk near Mary's. Marshall shrugged.

"Did you really think you were going to get away with it?"

"Get away with what?"

"Keeping a witness in your house!"

"Stan said I could have a month to see if it worked. She has nowhere to go, and she's pregnant."

"Do what you have to do."

"I have to keep my witness alive. Yes, Alison, it's a little unorthodox. But, its how I need to handle things."

Alison raised an eyebrow. "Fine. But, I'm not giving you a month."

"How long?"

"As long as you need. But, if she…or you, screw up. She's out. You're fired. Got it?"

Mary scratched her head. "Fine, but you have to stay out of my way."

"My pleasure." Alison said smiling.

"Look, Alison. I don't want her in my house anymore than you do." Alison scratched her head. She opened her mouth but shut it. "But." Mary said. "It's my job." Alison scratched her head again.

"Fine. I'll be gone by tomorrow." I said. Mary quickly did an about face and looked at me.

"Kara. I didn't mean it like that."

I stayed quiet and just walked off with my head hung. Brandi stood silently.

"She isn't going to talk to me." Mary said.

"I know." Brandi said.

"Would you do me another favor?"

"Yeah. Sure." Brandi said.

"Why did you even bring her here?" Mary demanded.

"She said she didn't feel safe without you. Let me go to talk to her." Brandi said walking off.

"Alison, I understand you may not like me, Hell, I don't really like you. But, we are on the same team. Trying to find the bastard who shot Jeff."

"Are you aware that Jeff was involved with the Mexican cartels?"

"Yes. I just don't want Kara to know. I want her to remember her father for the good things. Not the bad."

"Like, how you remember yours?"

"That's a little different. But, essentially, yes."

"Do we have any idea what all Kara saw?"

"Well, she saw everything. But, I think she's in shock and right now and she can't remember. Tomorrow, after Brandi takes her to the doctor. She doesn't know it. But, I am taking her to a shrink and maybe get it out of her."

"Good deal."

"While Brandi is talking to Kara; I'm going to just sit in here and do some paperwork."

"Alright."

I sat on the front steps silently with Brandi. I'd known her most of my life; spending so much time with Mary. But, we never really had deep conversations.

"If you leave by in the morning; where are you going to go?" Brandi asked.

"I don't know. I'm sure I could figure out something."

"For you, maybe. What about your baby?"

"Well, I'm a bit ill equipped to raise a baby."

"Yes you are. But, you are still having a baby."

"I know. Maybe, I can give it up. It might be best."

"I'm not going to stop you. But, I really think after you have the baby. With, help. You'll be an awesome mom."

I sat silently, maybe I would be.

"So, whatcha thinking?"

"My head is spinning with everything going on."

"Yeah, that'll happen."

"When does it stop?"

"Couldn't tell ya' sorry. Wish I could."

"Okay. Would you take me home?"

"I think you should wait on Mary."

"Fine."

Mary walked out of the federal building. "Brandi, take her home. I have some leads on who shot Jeff I need to follow up on."

"But, if I'm not with you. I'll get killed!"

"You'll be fine. I promise. Just do me a favor, and stay home. Okay?"

"I guess." I said shrugging.

"Mary, can we talk a moment?" Brandi asked.

"Can we do it at home?"

"Um, I need Kara not here. If at all possible; no offense." She said looking at me.

"None taken." I said.

"Okay, I can go hide in my room." I said with a slight smile. "I did it all the time at home." I said gently looking down at my stomach. "As we can all tell."

Mary smiled. "Just don't do it at my house. Go home."

"Eh, the dad is part of my……yeah." I said as Mary motioned for me shut up.

"Brandi, come on. Let's talk." Mary said motioning her into the federal building. "Kara. Just, wait here."

"Okay." I said.

Brandi and Alison walked into the building. They went into a vacant room. Mary never understood why there were so many rooms and that everyone stayed in the main room.

"What's up?"

"Well, do you really feel that Kara belongs with us?"

"No. She belongs with her Dad." Mary said. "But, that's not going to happen. So, yes I do. Why?"

"Raph, may break up with you."

"Why?"

"Because, you spend too much time with work and now, you are bringing your work home."

"Please, keep in mind that my 'work' is a human being." Mary demanded. "AND, keep out of mine and Raph's business. Okay?"

"Okay. Just thought I would give you warning."

"Thanks. Now, take her mom. Don't let her leave, and by that I mean; she is not to exit the house for any reason until I get there!"

"Alright." Brandi said walking off.

Brandi walked off. I slowly got up and walked to the car as a single tear rolled down my eye. Brandi noticed me wiping my eye and put an army around my shoulder.

"You'll be okay. There's no one better than Mary, okay?"

I nodded.

"Do you want to get a bite to eat?"

"No, I'm okay."

"When the last time you ate?"

"I don't know."

"Kara. If you don't eat; you'll hurt the baby. Come on, let's go get something."

"Alright."

We sat at a quiet dinner. It was very uneventful. Until I noticed a familiar figure come in the door. Why he was in Albuquerque, I had no idea. He hated hot weather.

"Brandi, we need to go. Or a major 'screw up' is about to happen." I said ducking down in my seat slightly.

"What do you mean?"

"Craig is here. Let's go. I'll get food at the house."

"Craig, like?" She said pointing to my stomach.

"Yes." I said. "Can we go?"

"Yeah. Of course." Brandi said. "Wait until he takes a seat. Right now, you'll have to go past him."

"Okay."

"I'll need to call Mary."

"I guess."

"What's wrong?"

"My baby daddy is right before me. I never thought I'd see him again."

"I guess. Okay, come on. Go."

"Okay." I said trying to get out of the door. Of course, he saw me.

"Rebecca?" He asked. I tried to ignore Craig the best I could. Yet, I could not. His voice drew me in like a silk worm to a mulberry leaf; it was why I fell for him in the first place.

"What?" I asked.

"Um, how's….ummmm?"

"Fine." I said.

"Good." He said smiling. "What are you doing here?"

"Visiting my Aunt."

"I see. I moved in with my dad."

"Oh." I said.

"Hey." Brandi said. "Let's get back to Mary; I think she needs to hear about your day."

"Yeah, bye Craig."

"Bye, Rebecca."

Brandi ushered me out of the restaurant. "This, my dear, could be very bad for you."

"I know, let's go." I said.

We arrived back at the federal building. I felt like something was wrong, other than Craig recognizing me and calling me by my birth name. Like, someone was watching me.

"Brandi, what the hell?" Mary demanded as the two of us walked in the building.

"Well, we have a security breach."

"I never saw that coming." Alison said sarcastically.

"Oh, shove it." Mary said she focused her attention to me, the last place I wanted it to be at this moment in time. "What happened?"

"Um, Brandi took me to lunch. Craig was there. He apparently has moved in with his Dad."

"Did he notice you?"

"Yes."

"What did he say?"

"Hi, Rebecca. How's ummmm…..okay, bye."

"Crap."

"Yeah, and maybe I'm just paranoid. But, I feel like I'm being followed."

"MARSHALL?!"

"Hm?" He asked from the back of the room.

"Get me a guard for the house. Now!"

"Mary. I told you…." Alison said.

"I know." Mary said interrupting. "But, it'll take some time to relocate her. So, she stays at my house for a few more days. We'll get a guard. I said, you stay out of my way."

"While her life was not in any immediate danger."

"I don't care. Stay out of my way."

"When the President of the United States appointed me…." Mary walked off while Alison was in mid-sentence. She grabbed me by the arm and pulled me out of the building.

We got back to the house. Raph was sitting at the table with what seemed like a romantic evening. Candles, rose petals, the whole deal. Mary walked past it as if nothing where there and then it finally clicked. She turned around to speak but Raph beat her to it.

"It's okay. I'll be here when you're done."

Mary nodded. She ushered me into my bedroom and gently shut the door. But, her voice was so loud she may have just left the door open completely.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" She yelled. I sat on my bed trying to blink away the tears.

"I didn't mean to."

"Did you mean, not to?"

"Which one, the pregnancy or seeing Craig?"

"Yes. The pregnancy kind of hinders things right now. But, I don't care about that right now. Right now; you have to stay safe. You can't do that with Craig here; and apparently something is following you. Alison is going to kick you out of here the first moment she can."

"Where am I going?"

"I don't know."

"I have nowhere to go."

"I'm fully aware."

A/N. Sorry, this should be the final "fixed" version of my story. It was going to be a one-shot but I really wanted to post. So, it'll be chapters. Just, done right.