Author's Note:

Hello everybody! Well, the idea to write about the characters' pasts just popped into my head one day, so here we are. Each major character will get at least a few chapters of the major events in their life. Woo. Hope you enjoy and please review! As always, my penname is dedicated to my brother. As another note to the story- I will update at least twice a week for chapters devoted to one character, but will have a short break in between different characters. Rated T for some mature themes (such as child abuse) and some language.

-C

Marty Brandel

December 1983

The Los Angeles sun was shining rather weakly on the December morning. For California residents, it was a morning to wear multiple layers and hope that the rest of the season held for warmer days. However, all the youth was concerned about was what the holidays would bring.

"Pedal Jaguar. You know, the convertible car you can ride around in?" Marty answered with a stupid grin. He hoisted himself up off the ground and settled on top of the monkey bars.

"That's what you want for Christmas?" Ray asked, trying to keep up with his friend. Although they were both six, he wasn't quite as big. "Doesn't it cost a lot of money?"

Marty frowned. "I'm sorry, Ray."

"It's okay." He shrugged. "I heard my mom say that our savings will last us a little while longer."

"We can share my presents," Marty suggested.

Ray shared a small smile with him. "Thanks, man. It's been kinda rough since Dad walked out."

Marty stuck out his hand and hauled him up on top of the monkey bars beside him. They watched as teenagers floated in and out of the tiny playground, most of them dealing drugs. Their hang-out was not entirely exclusively to the pair, but was hardly maintained and ignored by the people living in the area. It lay smack down in the middle of a trailer park populated by drunks, hippies, drug dealers…and people like Ray's family, who were just struggling to get by. Marty lived just on the outskirts of this trailer park, in a neighborhood of single-story, not-so-glamorous homes.

"I better get home," Ray sighed, jumping down from the monkey bars with a thump.

"Yeah, me too," Marty added.

They walked together back to the Martindale residence, where Marty could hear the drunken yelling of Ray's mother all the way outside. The blond took off running back home, excited to see his dad when he got home.

Marty threw open the door, searching for his parents.

"Mom? Dad?"

An eerie silence greeted him, slightly frightening the child. He heard a door slam suddenly and saw his father storming out from the house.

"Gordon. Gordon!" His mother called after the fleeing man.

Gordon John Brandel walked right on by as if his wife and son weren't there. Marty stood still, open-mouthed until the car's rattling engine had faded into the distance.

"What's wrong with Daddy?" Marty asked.

His mom kneeled down, looking a thousand years older than she was. Her bright blue eyes were swimming with sadness and above all worry. "You know how your dad works really hard at the factory?"

Marty nodded.

"Well, the factory is shutting down, which means that the company had to let go of him today."

He began to frown deeper and deeper. "So where is Daddy going now?"

Mrs. Annie Deeks-Brandel ran a gentle hand through his thick golden locks. "He's just letting off a bit of steam. Come on, I made your favorite for dinner."

"Fish tacos!?" Marty piped up and sprinted into the kitchen with his mother laughing after him.

He scrambled into a chair and inhaled half of a taco before his mother had a chance to wash her hands and settle down at the table with him.

"So, what do you want for Christmas this year?" She prompted him.

"Well," Marty started, bits of food flying from his unmannered mouth. "I wanted a Pedal Jaguar. But I can ask that from Santa instead."

She raised an eyebrow as some of the old humor began seeping back into her tired eyes. "Yeah? Do you think Santa's going to be that generous to you?"

He vibrantly bobbed his head. "I've helped Mrs. Lancaster take out her garbage almost every day! And I'm asking for two this year. I promised Ray I'd share my presents."

His mother pursed her lips in a fine line, the smile in her orbs gone. "I told you I don't want you around Ray's family."

"But mom, we weren't! We were at the playground!" Marty insisted. He grumbled, "It's not Ray's fault his dad left."

Mrs. Deeks-Brandel reached across the table and tried to lay her hand on top of his. Marty drew it away with a huff.

"Someday you'll understand," she whispered. "In a few years-"

"You always say that! I wanna be older now."

Marty scooted his chair away from the table and hurried off to his room. He jumped on the bed and buried his head in his pillows. Why couldn't everything go back to the way it was yesterday, when his mom was happier and Ray wasn't so glum? Exhausted from the day's activities, he nodded off to sleep.

Hours later, just past midnight, Marty was awakened by the shattering screams of his baby cousin and a yelling match between his parents. He rubbed his blue eyes, threw off his Transformers sheets, and silently peeked through the crack in his bedroom door.

"You blew a full day's wage on booze!" his mother berated with a shout. His father shouted some obscenities back at her, while Emily's cries intensified. Marty finally had enough of all the noise and dashed from his hiding place.

"Stop. Right. There."

Marty froze, his heart pounding. He turned to see his father approaching him menacingly. Gordon John Brandel was hunched over and slithered over like the monsters Marty read about in his comic books.

"What do you think you're doing?" He hissed, his breath reeking of alcohol.

Marty shrunk away. "Emily was crying."

"Gordon, you need to calm down," his mother begged. She put a hand on his shoulder, a very bad mood indeed.

His father lashed out, smacking her across the cheek and sending her sprawling to the floor with a cry.

"Mom!" Marty exclaimed and rushed to her side. He turned to his father. "You just hit mom!"

"Marty, go put Emily back to sleep. Now," his mom coolly dismissed him.

The six-year-old looked at her glowing cheek, and then to the man whom he used to call his role model. He ran from the living room as fast as he could.

The next morning was extremely quiet. Other than a few noises from Emily as Annie Deeks-Brandel fed her, there was no sound to be heard; Brandel was nowhere to be found.

Marty ate his scrambled eggs and toast in silence, watching his mother curiously. Eventually the quiet became too much, and he broke into a rant. "What happened last night!? Why did Daddy hit you? Where was he all day? Why was he being so mean!?"

"Honey, your father is a good person. However he can get very nasty when he has too much to drink."

"That's not going to happen again, is it?"

"I'm sure it's not," his mother replied absentmindedly. "Just finish your breakfast. I'm sure Ray wants to play with you this afternoon."

Marty did as he was told but knew something was wrong. Other than his father acting like a creature of another world last night, his mom was opposed to him hanging around Ray. She thought he was bad news. He had a very bad feeling about what was to come.

Instead of having fun with Ray, Marty busied himself by roaming the neighborhood, asking if anybody needed any chores done. He knew that his friend would see that something was wrong, and Marty didn't exactly feel like talking about it. Among taking out the trash and walking a few dogs (oh how he wished he had a dog), he wasn't able to distract himself from the situation at home.

As the sun began to set, Marty found himself walking home again. What a contrast to the day before when he was running home, now he tentatively reached for the handle. Before he could even turn it, he heard yelling and screaming from inside. The blond backed away from the door, trying to figure out where to run. He was about to flee to Ray's house when he thought better of it.

What if his dad hit his mom again?

Marty sighed, summoning up all the courage that the heroes he so idolized also possessed. He wanted to be just like them one day, which he couldn't do if he couldn't protect his own mother.

"I'm home!" He called, shutting the door behind him.

Marching feet accompanied his call as his father rounded the corner from the kitchen. The man's eyes seemed to be glowing red as they were yesterday.

"Where have you been?" He bellowed, a mixture of spit and alcohol flying from his lips.

Marty shied away from him. "I was with Ray."

"When you could have been helping around the house!?" His dad pinched his ear and dragged him into the kitchen. His mother turned away from the stove, her face one of horror.

"Ow, ow, ow!" He smacked feebly at Brandel's unforgiving grip.

"Gordon!" Annie exclaimed, moving to her son's side. She pulled him away from his father fiercely.

"You're worthless!" Brandel shouted with an accusing finger pointed at Marty. "Always moping around and complaining about every little thing! You don't know what a hard life is, but you're gonna find out! I don't know why we bother to keep you and that wretched baby around! Your aunt and uncle are lucky they died in that plane crash, then they wouldn't have to deal with any insufferable children!"

Marty's eyes were filling up with tears as each word hammered against his heart. Did his parents really not want them?

"He doesn't mean that," Mrs. Deeks-Brandel ducked down next to him. "Just go to your room, okay?"

Marty moved to flee to his sanctuary, only to be stopped by his father's hand. He wasn't quite sure what happened next. Suddenly he was on the ground with his head throbbing. Brandel lifted him off the ground once more and slammed his head on the doorway again. This time the six-year-old scrambled out of the monster's grip and made it to his bedroom.

"I hate you!" He screamed, tears flowing freely and shielded the door against the advancing animal outside.

So, end of first chapter. Reviews are appreciated. And don't be afraid to let me know what events you want to see for the characters!