A/N: This is for you LadyR. You know who you are! YOU ARE MY HOE! You should also be warned that this is the sequel to "Shadowed No More" so go read that first. Or you're gonna be fucking confused.
PS: Read the story "Roses are Red, Violets are Blue" by Lady of Randomosity. She rules and so does her stories!
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Mother had always scared me. Not in the way monsters do or the way that my brother did, but in the way you feel when you're home alone, scared of the dark and all of the things in it. Music had saved me though. It had given a sense of security that I had never felt before and allowed me to be me without my mother "guiding me towards the light". I had thought that it was the one thing they couldn't take from me- like they had taken Beth. But I was wrong.
I loved going to school. No one judged me or said nasty things to me- I was just Mary. I was so excited about the new music program. Finally I would get to do what I loved! And mother would be so proud of what I did! I had just been given the clarinet I had bought at school and Ms. Berry had said that I needed to practice every day- so of course I would.
Humming excitedly to myself I rushed in the front door (careful not to slam it because being loud was against mother's rules, and disobeying mother was a sin) and placed my backpack on one of the hooks on the coat rack and rushed into the kitchen where my mother was cooking for the annual church bake sale. "Mother I'm home! You wouldn't guess what I got today!" mother huffed loudly at me before dropping a spoon and turning to glare at me. "Mary! What did I say about yelling? Honestly, god gave you common sense- why don't you use it sometime? Your brother never does things like this! Do you want to turn out like your sister?" I didn't understand why Mother was so mean to Beth. She was so kind and beautiful, why wouldn't I want to turn out like her? I knew that if I said that Mother wouldn't be happy with me so I just lowered my head and said no. "Good. Now what are you yelling about silly girl?" I immediately perked up at the thought of my music. "Mother my clarinet got in today! Can I go practice with it?" She paused for a moment before nodding at me and turning back to what she was doing.
I had practiced for hours, lost in the music and loving the feel of temporary freedom. I hadn't even noticed that it was dark until my room was suddenly flooded with light as my door creaked open. "Maaaarrryyy. What in god's name are you doing? You're not supposed to play unless god permits it! This is a sin!" James. I don't understand what had happened to my brother. He had at one time been my only friend and protector but now… now he said I was a sin. He always listened to mother. "James, mother said I was allowed to practice!" I was cut off by my mother behind him. "I said no such thing you little liar. You're becoming just like your whore of a sister! Well I shall not make that mistake again. James- your sister must be punished. It's what god demands." My brother nodded at Mother before pulling at the straps of his belt and walking towards me…..
I didn't play at home anymore.
I was snapped out of my revelry by the sound of Charlotte crying in the other room. Almost immediately, Uncle Sam ambled out of the living room and up the stairs to go and get my little niece and bring her down stairs so she could be fed. I watched him leave, absent mindedly noticing Beth watch him go- smiling at the way her husband rushed out of the room. I don't quite understand Beth and Uncle Sam's relationship, sometimes he'd look at her like he did when he saw a sandwich (And when Uncle Sam is hungry he NEVER stops eating) and other times he looked at her like the sun revolved around her. I'd learned to ignore the looks however, because I'd never seen Beth look so happy. Speaking of which…. As soon as Sam walked back into the room carrying the tiny bundle, Beth sighed happily before scooting over on the couch so Sam and baby Char had enough room. They almost immediately started whispering to one another before Beth got this glazed look on her face and her eyes shot over to me.
"Mary honey? How would you feel about staying over at Jacob's tonight? Uncle Sam and I have some…stuff we need to do." Sam grinned at Beth before looking at me expectantly. Something in my head clicked before I looked at Uncle Sam enquiringly. "Are you and Beth gonna start making babies again? Cuz that's what Leah and Amy said you guys do when I go to Jacobs. How are babies made?" Beth blushed up to her hair, but Sam just said I would have to ask Jacob- if I wanted to go to his house tonight. I'm surprised they had to ask- I loved visiting Jacob. I had to consider though- I was such a burden and wasting Jacobs time like this would be a sin…I internally winced before forcing a bright smile on my face and agreeing to go. It was selfish of me but I loved spending time with him. Ever since that first meeting, back when James had punished me for practicing, I had always felt safe and happy with Jacob. Being with him made me feel like those days when my clarinet practice was all I had. It was freedom only…better somehow. Ignoring the sounds of "Harry Potter" playing in the background, I found myself thinking about my second night at Beth and Uncle Sam's House and the promise he had made me….
I was having a nightmare again. I could feel it- the darkness closing in around me, the painful welts going along my back aiding in the panic I felt. There were shadows everywhere- whispering, grabbing, hurting. I was all alone and faced with my darkest fears and no one was saving me. Nowhere to go, nowhere to run….
I hadn't realized I was screaming until it woke me up, and the panic I felt disappeared into racking sobs. I was dimly aware of a large cracking noise before my door burst open and I was enveloped by a large shape. I was crushed against a hard body and my senses were filled with the smell of rain and salt and I knew immediately who it was. My Jacob. "Mary mine? Don't cry- what's wrong?" I was sobbing so bad that my words were mumbled and stalled, but he understood and clutched my head in one of his giant hands and pushed my face into his bare chest as I cried. "Mary, I promise no one will ever hurt you again. I SWEAR that you are mine- and I protect what's mine. I will always be here for you." There was a gentle snort before Sam's voice unexpectedly spoke up from the doorway. "That's wonderful Jacob. I just hope you know you're replacing our front door." Jacob grinned sheepishly before clutching me back to him and glaring at Uncle Sam until he left. Jacob stayed with me that entire night and the feeling of safety was more then I think I could have ever asked for.
When I next got my head out of the clouds, I realized that a hot body was sitting next to me and humming. Shaking my head, an actual smile appeared on my face when I noticed Paul sitting next to me holding Char. "PAUL! When did you get here?" I squealed excitedly before launching myself at him. Paul grinned at me before pushing me back with his shoulder and scolding me about being careful when he was holding Char. "Sorry Paul. I didn't mean to hit you so hard…." I felt really bad. I was such a horrible child, making all that noise and almost hurting the baby. I winced internally and pushed myself so that my darkness didn't appear on my face. "It's okay Mary; you just gotta be a little more careful next time. Now, come give me a hug!" I smiled at him before carefully wrapping my arms around him, only to be squished against him a moment later by one of his massive arms. The action startled me before I found myself laughing and squealing as he used on arm to tickle me. Not a second later I found myself hauled out of the chair and into the air by a grinning giant. "Mary mine!" I squealed at him before throwing my arms around his head and giving him a big kiss on the cheek. "Jacob! OH my gosh- can I sleep over at your house tonight? Sam said I could! And I could play a new song I wrote on my clarinet- and we could bake cookies and, and…" he shushed me by placing a warm hand over my mouth. "Mary- of course you can come over. Have I ever said no to having you around?" You're a burden. He's just doing this because he feels sorry for you….. "Nope! I love being around you Jacob! Can we go? What's sex? I know it's how babies are made, but what is it? Is it fun? Leah said it was fun but I don't know…Is it like a game? Tell me pleeeease?" Jacob turned bright red for some reason, before a low growl went through his throat (I could of sworn he said something about killing Leah) and was accompanied by Sam's laugh. "That's right Jacob! Why DON'T you tell her? It not like she can do anything ...Not until she's at least 40 anyways." Jacob smirked (still red) at Uncle Sam's comment before mumbling something that made Paul laugh and Sam turn reddish. "Just you two wait- you'll see. Oh, you'll see" he mumbled walking out of the room. Jacob, still laughing, gently plunked me on the floor before heading out of the room and up the stairs- returning only a moment later with a bag full of my stuff. He hurriedly pushed me out of the door and into the car.
As soon as the car started, I realized that Jacob had never answered my question. "Hey Jakey?" He smiled at me. "Yeah Mary Mine?" I smiled in return.
"Uncle Sam told me to ask you where babies come from. Where do they come from Jakey?" I'm glad Jacob is such a good driver, cuz I'm pretty sure with the way the car swerved that we almost crashed…
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