A/N: This story is dedicated to all of you who have suffered through abuse of any kind. This story is for all you out there who know of people who have suffered and not spoken out against it.

This story is for my friend who did suffer from abuse, but she spoke out before it was too late. She now has a much better life and is at a place where she is loved.

Based on the song Concrete Angel by Martina McBride

Prologue:

Courtney French lives in a small, old house with her alcoholic mother and 6-year-old sister. Courtney has life rough. She had to take care of her sister and suffer at the hand of her mother. Courtney has been suffering from domestic child abusive for as long as she can remember. Her sister has had to deal with it too. Courtney does everything she can to protect little Stephanie, but sometimes it just isn't enough.

A middle aged woman is sitting in the family room. It's not much of a family room. There are cigarette butts covering the floor and used needles scattered woman takes a long drag and throws the used butt onto the pile with the others. She lights another and goes back to staring at the plain white walls.

Two girls leave thier house early monday morning. The older of the two has dark brown hair, tanned skin and beautiul onyx eyes. The younger one looks like a mini version of her only with light olive skin. Courtney is walking Stephanie to school, like she does every school morning. They can't afford to buy a car or pay for a bus.

Stephanie clutches tighter to the strap of her tattered rucksack. Inside is the second hand, cover-less book and a sandwhich she made herself. Courtney looks down at her little sister and sighs at the sight of the stains. Her dress is wrinkled and has blotchy patches. It's the same one she wore the day before. The arm of the dress raises slightly to reveal a deep purple bruise. Courtney winces at the sight on her precious sister's arm. Courtney is wearing a long-sleeved top to cover her own scrapes and scratches.

The two sisters walk down the street. Everywhere they look mothers are hugging their children goodbye. Courtney looks away, tears in her eyes. Why couldn't her mother be like that?

Courtney stops by the gates and watches her sister skip off towards class. She looks so innocent and helpless. That's because she is. Courtney starts her own journey off towards high school, to endure more suffering from her fellow students.

Courtney sits at the back of the room, staring mindlessly out the winodw. The teacher walks past her desk but doesn't ask. Courtney's smile is so fake it looks real. She holds the pain back so far no one suspects anything. The only person who she shares with is her sister. Stepahnie's the only one who knows about the secret storm. Most days Courtney is so upset she wishes she was never born. The only reason she hasn't run away or commited sucide is because her sister needs her. She needs her more than anything in this cruel world.

Recess comes and Stephanie sits alone. She gets pushed off the swing by other children, so she must sit on the bench. No one pays attention to her. She swings her legs and stares at the floor. Tears well in her eyes, but no one notices. Not even the teachers. Stephanie is all alone in the world. Se only has Courtney, but Courtney isn't there in the school day. Stephanie is all alone.

Courtney and Stephanie sneak through their front door. They don't want to arouse their mother. Both of them stand strong, they defend each other against their mother. They can't rise above the torture that they face. All they can do is grin and bear it. At night they can dream, the sisters can dream about a place where they are loved, where there is no more pain.

The full moon creates shadows on the wall. It illuminates the abuse that Stephanie is suffering. Courtney tried to protect her sister but a drunken mother slaps her oldest daughter across the face, sending her flying backwards. The neighbors must hear the screams, but no one answers the call for help. Stephanie's tiny body can't hols much more. It's a cruel trick of fate. No one can help her, the game is over. When morning comes it'll be to late for help. Stephanie will be lost forever.

Courtney now has no reason to live. She must stand strong against the wind and the rain alone. She doesn't care about this world anymore, it gave up on her a long time ago. She can still dream of having wings and flying the coup, to go to a place where she will be loved. Where she can see her sister again.

Courtney walks through the park. The crisp autumn leaves crunching beneath her feet. A single tear rolls down her cheek as she crouches down in the shaded place. Stephanie's angel face is a distant memory. Her name is written on a polished rock. 'Stephanie French. 7/11/03-29/7/09. A beloved daughter and sister'. Courtney stared at the last line. A beloved daughter and sister? More like a broken heart that the world forgot. Only her sister to depend on to get through her life.

Through the wind and the rain, she stood hard as a stone. In this world she couldn't rise above. Her dream have now come true. She now has wings and she's flown to a place where she's loved.

Stephanie's a Concrete Angel.