DISCLAIMER: ALLY CARTER OWNS EVERYTHING apart from my new character.

This is my first ever fanfiction so please be kind! R&R

Chapter 1 - EIGHT SHOTS

[Evangeline's POV]

The six gun shots rang loudly in my ears. Short but sharp. Hot tears welled in my eyes, streaming furiously down my cheeks whilst soaking into the tight blindfold. My mother's groans grew weaker, but all the more painful. I wanted so much to see her face, to know that it wasn't her that was hurt. To know she was ok.

Be careful what you wish for they say.

Roughly, the blindfold was ripped from my eyes, pushing my head forward in a jerk. I looked over at my brother opposite me, who was trying desperately to escape the ropes that bound us to our chairs. Then I looked to my mother, sat whimpering and gasping for breath. Her eyes found mine, filled with love and guilt.

"Mum..." I started, my throat suddenly feeling swollen. I didn't know what to say to her. We all knew what was coming next.

I looked to the three people in the room. One towering, scrawny, withered man with a scar clawed through his left eye. One woman whose crazy green eyes reminded me of times my dad used to take me to Blackthorne Institution. And the other person was my father.

"Don't do this." I pleaded, looking deep into his eyes. Hoping that somehow I could persuade him to just leave, or better yet; become the father he never was.

He rushed towards me and I flinched at the action. His rough hand squeezed my chin, forcing me to look at him.

"Look at me," he growled. "Do I look like a man who would change his mind because of his darling daughter?" I scoffed at the comment. "Now look at the traitorous monster you call your 'mother'." I tried so hard to push my head away from her direction, but his grip grew tighter. "Look at her!" he spat. "Sweet dreams." He teased, saying the words that he always used when he punished us.

And with that he threw up the gun and pulled the trigger.

A seventh shot rang out.

A shot straight to her head.

A shot that killed her instantly, just as she managed to smile weakly towards me.

"Why!" I cried as I began twisting my wrists and shaking to get out of the chains. My father just laughed, that horrible wicked laugh that I heard every night in my sleep since I was 5. He turned to me again, a vicious grin growing as he held a lighter to my face.

"I thought you wanted to play with fire Evangeline."

I gritted my teeth as the heat burned through the skin on the right side of my face. I wouldn't let him see my pain. Wouldn't let him win. When he stopped he backhanded me, throwing my chair to the ground. My head hit the floor, hard. He knelt down beside me.

"Don't question me. You have no authority. Haven't my lessons taught you that?"

And well, honestly, of course they had. My fathers lessons weren't the typical extra homework if you get a question wrong. They were more how-should-I-torture-you since you got a question wrong. And even when I got to an age where I never got anything wrong, he'd still go through the same harsh training methods in order to "make me stronger". But I didn't think that then. I just looked at my brother, as he screamed and shook. And then the world turned black.

When I woke up I was in my brothers arms. It must have only been a few minutes I was out.

"Oh Ev, thank God you're ok!" he sighed and helped me to my feet.

I rushed upstairs, picking up Poppy and her things. She was wearing the lullaby-headphones me and Matt had made to keep her from hearing the noises. My dad didn't even know my mum had Poppy. Didn't know that that was the reason we ran from him; to make sure she wouldn't have the life my brother and I had.

"Matty, we have to go. We can't stay here. We should go to one of the people on mums list, or one of the safe..." and then it dawned on me. "Matty, why did they go? Why did they leave us?" I stopped for a moment, taking a breath to steady myself before I finished. "Alive?"

He was looking out the window, like he'd been doing since I'd woken up. Suddenly he turned.

"I'm sorry." He said. "They're back. We have to get to the secret room."

He grabbed my hand and pushed me into the secret room under the stairs. I went the corner and sat, waiting for him. He handed me the gun in his hand.

"Take this. You know how to use it."

Of course I knew. But like Joe had once told me, if I have to use a gun, then I'll probably be dead. I was still waiting for him, not understanding why he was wasting time. And then I saw it. That look that was shining in his eyes. Love and guilt. The same look he'd given me 11 years ago when he was going off to school at Blackthorne. He was 7 and I was 5, he knew I'd get dads lessons and that he wouldn't be with me. That's why I knew he was leaving.

"Matty? Please, don't do this. I need you. We need you." I sobbed as I looked from him to Poppy and back again. "I can't do this alone."

"Poppy needs you. And that's all. Protect her Ev, you know this is the only way. I wouldn't be doing this otherwise."

"I love you" I said as I heard their footsteps.

"Oh, Mathew!" they called.

"Go to Gallagher. Go to Joe. He's the only one you can trust with this, no one else. You understand?" I nodded under his gaze. "I love you Ev. Be safe."

He took a shaky breath and closed the door. Leaving me in the darkness. Tears rolled down my cheeks silently as I shook Poppy from side to side and turned up the lullaby on her headphones.

I waited. Waited until I heard the eighth shot. Waited until their footsteps were far away. Waited until I knew it was safe to leave. Then I opened the door and walked towards safety and hope. Towards Joe Solomon. Towards Gallagher Academy.

A/N: Ok, so there will be an explanation to explain most things in the next two chapters. Like why Evangeline's family are running from the dad. And about her brother at Blackthorne and her "visits" to Blackthorne. And you'll learn Poppy's age etc.

Also Gallagher Academy will be in the next chapter and Zach should be in the chapter after that! Because well, Zach is needed. LOL.

BTW; Ev and Matty are shortened versions of their names, if anyone didn't know! Hehe.

Ok, LOVE