Goodbye

Author's Note: Okay, I originally planned to include this in Breakaway but I didn't. This is just a short one shot that takes place before the 5 years later part in the final chapter.

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2 weeks had passed since the fatal accident that cost Lanelle and Bryan their lives.

It was pouring down with rain, yet the young woman still stood opposite the grave in Trinity Church graveyard in New York. Her long brown hair was soaked along with her black dress and jacket. She stood motionless staring at the black marble stone, engraved with gold writing.

So it has come to this. After all the pain this is how it ends. Alyssa thought to herself as she read the inscription on the stone:

Here lies Lanelle Johnston (nee Summers) Born 08/08/1960

Died 10/10/2001

And her beloved husband Bryan Johnston Born 02/05/1952

Died 10/10/2001

Beloved? Ha! Oh Lanelle even in Death you still manage to reveal your true self: a lying bitch. Alyssa bitterly thought to herself as she moved to the side of the grave stone. In her gloved hand she clutched a blood red rose. It was quite symbolic as the petals represented all the blood that had been shed and also the love Alyssa had gained when she ran away and was reunited with her father.

The thorns? They represented all the hurt and pain Alyssa had to go through before she was able to breakaway from it all.

"You know, after everything you two put me through I don't hate you." Alyssa quietly admitted as she looked at the earth which covered the two solid oak coffins containing her dead mother and stepfather.

She was all alone, her father and step mom were waiting by the car, near the gates of the graveyard. Alyssa appreciated everything they had done for her but she had to do this by herself. She wanted to say goodbye for the last time.

"It's funny really, you get abused by your step dad and you expect that your own mother would believe you and leave him but you would never do that would you Lanelle? No! You would assume that your daughter – your own flesh and fucking blood would willingly sleep with him! Bryan Johnston!" Alyssa bitterly cried out and she felt the tears roll down her face. She clutched the rose tighter in her hand. She kept all these feelings bottled up for the last 6 years and now she could say what she really felt.

"You were my mom. My mom Lanelle! You were supposed to love and cherish me. I got bullied at school what did you do? Oh! I remember you laughed in my face then slapped me. Told me I was 'a worthless, ugly, little shit' who could 'do nothing right'. You blamed me for all your problems, it was my fault dad had enough (she laughed sarcastically through her tears). It was never you." Alyssa stopped and sobbed as she remembered all the hard times she had to face.

No child should have to go through what she had to.

Alyssa ran her free hand down the wet marble and her fingers traced the writing.

"He ruined my childhood. Did you even care about that Lanelle? Your beloved husband took the one thing that was precious to me after daddy left – my virginity! I was saving myself for someone special but he couldn't have that." Alyssa spat, her anger now taking over as she remembered her first time with Jeff and how special that would have been if Bryan hadn't raped her when she was 12.

"HE WAS A BASTARD!" She screamed not caring if her dad heard her or anyone else heard her.

Alyssa then wiped her eyes, and cleared her throat. She looked at the flower then back down at the grave.

"You may think you broke me but you haven't. You could never break me. When I ran away I was free to do what I wanted, I got to see dad. I got a great job with people who actually like me. I met this fantastic guy who loves me for who I am. You remember Jeff don't you? Well I got news for ya mommy dearest, Jeff's alive. He's a little fucked up what with the whole 'could never wrestle again' thing but other than that he pulled through and I'm going to marry him someday." She said smiling broadly at the last part.

Alyssa felt a vibration in her pocket snapping her back to reality and out of her rant. She pulled her cell and smiled when she saw she had a text from her dad.

Everything ok? Darlin' you must be soaked. Come back to the car and we can drive back to the hotel and grab lunch. Then we can go visit 'loverboy' in the hospital. Love you :) xx

Alyssa laughed slightly as she knew fine well that Sara had typed the text for her dad – Mark's 'messages' were more like 500 page essays! She put the cell back into her pocket.

"I wish things were different. I wish that you weren't the person you were. I wish you never met Bryan and if you and dad were still together maybe you would be the mom I wished you could have been. I'm glad the suffering and pain is over, well for me it is…" Alyssa brought the rose to her lips, closed her eyes and kissed it.

"Rest in peace Lanelle. I just hope God can forgive you for everything that you have done because I sure as hell can't." Alyssa whispered as she gently tossed the flower into the grave.

And with that she turned and walked away. Alyssa didn't look back. Squaring her shoulders she headed back to the car ready to start the new chapter of her life.

The End