AN:

Chapter updated 01/29/2017

Hey guys! Here is chapter two of Broken Yet Holding On. So this story is turning out to be a little more violent than I probably intended, however, I think it's turning out okay. So this chapter kind of focuses a little on her home life and building of friendships and suspense...basically everything that makes a good superhero story right? haha. No but seriously, I hope you guys like this. Let me know what you think!

Review response to-Guest: I'm glad that you are enjoying this so far! You're review is kind of what inspired this next chapter. haha.

~D.R. Out

I hissed and rubbed my jaw all the while scowling at the floor. My feet scuffing the ground as I sat in the uncomfortable plastic chair and swung my filthy sneakers back and forth. Dirt coating my cheeks, blisters and cuts coating my hands. Where was I you might ask? Well let me give you a hint, there are a lot of people with badges and some real crooks waiting to be put behind bars.

That's right, you guessed it. I was in Metropolise Police Head Quarters. MPD caught me breaking and entering, technically I wasn't breaking in as the door was unlocked... The MPD didn't find it very convincing or funny. In my defense I was gonna go and sell the stolen goods for clothes and food money. Not for me of course, but for Anna.

The rents were getting skimpy, well more than usual if that was possible. And Anna...well she needed those items thank you very much. There was no heat or air, no electricity and the cabinets were bare. Well electricity and heat and stuff was there...but it was just on a timer so that it was on a few times a day. The water for showers was perpetually cold and miserable and our bellies constantly rumbled. I had long since gotten over the pain in my abdomen and hardly noticed it in fact. Well I tried not to notice it at least.

The sudden sound of footfalls caught my attention. Quickly looking up I caught sight of a police officer walking towards me. He simply crossed his arms and scowled down at me, his dark hair receding and turning silver.

"You're free to go, someone is here to pick you up." I looked up at him stoically, but internally I was a gooey mass of nerves. That's when the man dressed in blue stepped forward. I felt my mouth go dry and my heart beat pick up.

"Thank you officer, I'll take it from here." The officer nodded and walked off, leaving me all alone with the man I was slowly beginning to despise. I swallowed and looked away, my pulse ticking in my neck and wrist at a fast hard beat.

"I thought we agreed you wouldn't do this." The tone was...soft. Firm but gentle and it hurt to hear that directed at me again, to hear such disappointment in me. I looked up at Superman slowly, only to find him kneeling in front of me. I jolted and leaned back, my mismatched eyes wide with fright. Would he hit me like Rodger had so many times before?

"It's not worth it you know. Stealing. It's a petty crime that isn't going to do anything but get you into more trouble." I ducked my head and looked fiercely at my lap. My shaking hands clenched into fists, and suddenly his much larger hands were gently cradling my smaller ones.

"It's not that simple." I found myself whispering, a hitch in my breath. I cursed inwardly at myself for even speaking, the back of my eyes stinging again. One never realized how lonely they were or how much they needed interaction until someone gave it to them.

"And why's that?" He murmured it softly with compassion in his voice, again my eyes flickered up to his bright blue ones. What does one say to something like that to Superman of all people? I can't just say 'I don't know', that won't work. I can't tell him about home life, chances were he wouldn't believe me or would get too involved. After all, look at where I am. He'd just think I'm seeking attention...either that or I would end up in an even worse home.

"Sometimes we do things...things we don't mean. Sometimes we do things because we want to and sometimes...we do it because we have to." I answered cryptically. When I glanced back up I found Superman's eyes moved back and forth as he studied my own. Looking into their deep depths with his penetrating gaze. After a moment he stood up and held out his hand. I blinked and stared for a moment before standing up on my own. He let he hand drop back to his side calmly and motioned for me to begin walking.

"Let's go, I'm taking you home. The authorities already alerted your family of what's going on." I froze and realized there was no way of me getting out of it this time. Janet and Rodgers were going to kill me, probably for real this time. I lowered my eyes and started walking, the noise of the police station seeming to fade away as panic bubbled up within me.

I didn't miss the way the police officers watched me with pursed lips. I wasn't blind to the way Superman seemed prepared to catch me if I bolted again. Which that was a high possibility as I ran from everything...it was my defense mechanism.

"Where's your house?" I tensed and slowly, painfully, pointed to the left. If I could have fought him and won, than at that moment I would have. A part of me wanted to scream and rant, to cry and spill the beans. However, the harder 'don't trust anything or anyone' part of me snarled not to.

"About three blocks that way...forty-second quart, house number eighteen twelve." I mumbled softly. Suddenly a warm hand was resting on my shoulder lightly, I say lightly because I realized he was giving me the opportunity to shrug him off or allow him to be close. It was awkward to me, in a good way. Not because it was perverse or anything, but because it was an almost fatherly act he was displaying. One I hadn't realized I was craving until that moment.

"Hold on." Superman rumbled, his arms slipping gently around my waist. I froze wondering what he was doing and suddenly I was fifteen feet off the ground. A choked squeal escaped me as I stared down at the disappearing street. The people below me were practically ants, the buildings and streets lit up brilliantly. The roads busy with traffic which was flowing like a river.

"Wow..." I breathed softly, my heart beat gradually slowing down as I relaxed. My fixation on my surroundings was so intense that I nearly missed the chuckle that escaped Superman. A moment later and suddenly the magic was lost as I found myself being lowered gently to the immaculate lawn. My feet gently settling in the plush grass as a strong hand gently cupped my elbow and led me towards the paper white door.

He reached over my head and rang the doorbell. For what seemed like eternity, but was in reality only five seconds, we stood there. Then the door swung open and I was staring up at one of my tormentors. My foster mom stood there, blonde hair in a messy bun, the light on for once. Those green eyes underlined with heavy bags and frown lines settled on me with a dark look in them, lips pursing as she scowled. Just as suddenly she was looking up at Superman with a bright sweet smile.

"Thank you so much for bringing her home we were so worried when she didn't show up for supper!" Superman merely smiled back at her. His hand gently prodding me forward.

"It was no problem ma'am." With that he turned and walked across the yard before flying up into the air and disappearing into the night. Just like his sudden departure, Janette's sweetness was completely eradicated like a pop of bubble gum. She grabbed a handful of my short red hair and dragged me into the house. A strangled yelp escaped me as she thrust me into the house.

I hit the floor on my back and quickly scrambled back up. The sound of a bolt sliding shut had my pulse beating in my ears and suddenly I found myself spinning to the side. One of my back teeth getting knocked slightly loose as bloody spittle left my mouth. Rodger stood before me with a clench fist and as I looked up at him I realized he punched me. He fucking punched me! My eyes widened as he strode forward and loomed over me.

"You think it's funny you little shit. You think it's cute to go causing trouble for us? After everything we've done for you!" I shrank back, whimpering softly. I wanted to scream 'what have you done for me?!' I wanted to scream at the unfairness, but instead I looked at the floor and clenched my eyes tightly shut.

"...No..." I answered in a hushed tone. Suddenly in the blink of eye I found his fist colliding with my other cheek. My petite frame spinning and hitting the ground a second time, his foot colliding with my face. Nose crunching with blood spilling out and over my lips, dripping onto the cream carpet and entering my mouth. I coughed and gagged on the blood, spitting out a glob of blood.

"Now look at what you've done! WORTHLESS! YOU ARE UTTERLY WORTHLESS!" Rodger screamed loudly, his fist slamming down against the side of my face. Disoriented I found myself slammed back down painfully when I had attempted to get back up.

His foot driving into my abdomen, knocking the wind out of me. He kicked again and again, the sounds of my ribs cracking and the weak cries of agony had Anna toddling in nervously. Rodger turned with a crazed eye and went after her.

I couldn't move, I was to disoriented. I couldn't get to her, Annabelle's cries of pain and fear did not go unheeded by me. Pain and protective fury swelled up within me as I dragged my bloodied and bruised self forward. Slowly scrambling up I pushed Rodger off of her, a few bruises and cuts marred her beautiful face. A sob was wrenched from my throat as I curled around her protectively in an iron hold. Grunting and gasping from every strike I prayed for her to stay strong as I willed myself to keep conscious and protect her. In that moment though I was just glad that it was me being punished and not her.

She didn't do anything. Anna was innocent of all faults, she was pure unlike me. I was tainted with the sin of being a burden, a criminal, a worthless brat. In some small way I hoped I could lessen my sin by shielding her from harm with my own body. She doesn't deserve this, I kept chanting internally. Striving to ignore every scream, every kick and hit.

I didn't know if it was helping, but I prayed it was. I prayed the punishment I was receiving was working because if it wasn't then...I don't know what else I could do. Tears leaked from my eyes, one swollen shut and the other clenched shut in pain. I mewled softly in pain, my throat raw from my unconscious pleading and screams. Pain radiated through me as Rodger stopped kicking my chest and back, for a second it was sweat relief.

but then the man whipped off his belt and within a second a welt was raising on my cheek, my back beginning to bleed from new contusions as he slammed the belt buckle down over and over on my back, shoulder, and face. My face was throbbing as it bled, my back burning and weeping.

"Dumb bitch." The man snarled, kicking me one last time before striding away. I slowly managed to drag myself up and crawl away from Anna, who was a blubbering mess of tears and snot. For all my worth, I couldn't bring myself to comfort her at the moment. Instead, like the coward I am, I curled up in a corner to lick my wounds, figuratively speaking. I was shaking and crying, I realized dimly that I could possibly be going into shock. I fought against the cloudiness, the bass pounding of my scull as more tears fell.

Big girls don't cry, the voice of my biological mother whispered in my head as I hiccuped sobs. I wanted to scream at the world, to rant and punch walls, but worthless dumb girls like me weren't allowed to do those things...we got punished for that. I sniffed and slowly stood up and staggering to my room where I collapsed onto the bed.

I lay there blaming Superman and the police for this, angrily cursing them and the world. That's when I realized it wasn't their fault, it was mine. I brought this onto myself. Maybe if I wasn't such a burden I wouldn't get beat so harshly, I thought with a whimper.

Slowly my eyes flickered open, pain blossoming in my irises as the pupils struggled to adjust to the light that was pouring through my window. Dull pain radiated through me and much to my chagrin I couldn't remember when I had fallen asleep.

I attempted to sit up only for my arms to go out. When I hit the bed I had to bit my lip until it bled to keep myself from screaming in agony. My ribs were on fire from the sudden jarring motion. Moaning I rolled up into a sitting position slowly, ever so slowly as I attempted to get up onto my feet. Eventually I did and then I proceeded on staggering towards the bathroom that joined the room. Absently I looked into the mirror and froze at what I saw. The entire right side of my face was covered in blood, a black half moon beneath my right eye, my lip was busted and my nose slightly crooked

Ever so slowly and painfully I corrected my nose with a crunch and then I pealed the black top off of me, the t-shirt sticking to my blood crusted flesh. Yanking scabs open on accident as I tossed the offending fabric away, ignoring my too thin frame I managed to get the pants and panties off. Staggering into the shower I hissed softly when the cold water hit my tender flesh.

I stayed in the cool spray only as long as I had to I worked on scrubbing away the blood and washing my hair thoroughly. Once I was out and dried off I looked at myself again and found that I didn't look nearly half as bad as I had earlier. He went easy on me, I thought in worry causing me to wonder if he had something worse up his sleeve.

What if he took it to far? I snorted and shook my head sadly at that thought. I smiled thinly at my reflection and dressed in an over size sweatshirt. A pair of black skinny jeans clinging to my legs. They would have been tight if I actually had anything else on me but hips. Grunting softly I staggered to my bed and managed to get my old well worn tennis shoes on my feet.

Stumbling down the stairs like a drunk person, I staggered out of the all to quiet house. I refused to stay there a second longer and admittedly I couldn't bring myself to go back for Anna...I was a horrible person for that and I knew it deep down. I could care less if I died out here, if I did then...then maybe the abuse would stop because then they would only have sweet little Annabelle and not me. I would not go back, I decided, I couldn't. Then Annabelle's face popped up in my mind causing me to halt in the middle of the street. I could leave an anonymous note for the police to find out about her and the house. Yeah, that would work.

I didn't get much farther into contemplating my scheme when I was pulled into an alley. A squeal halfway made it out of my mouth before a hand was slapped against my lips. I flinched when my back was slammed into a wall. A hand was twisted into my sweatshirt, gripping it just above my breasts against my collar bone.

My back flared in pain as I stared up into the hazel eyes of my attacker. He was a grimy older gentleman who was staring me down with a hungry look. A flash of fear coursed right through my chest and zipping down my hips to touch my toes. The quick course of energy was like a lightning bolt. The hairs rose on the back of my neck as the man sneered down at me. Suddenly I found myself on the ground, when had that happened?

The man between my knees, pulling his zipper down. That noise was what broke me from my paralyzed stupor. I began squirming, trying to wriggle away from him. Punching at his chest with weak fists, loud cries for help being muffled by his hand. Sobs burned my chest as the man assaulted me, taking my innocence in that alley. Halfway through the painful ordeal I could feel my consciousness fading and suddenly the man was ripped off of me.

Gentle hands touched my wrists, swiping bangs from my forehead, as I faded blissfully into an uneasy sleep. I didn't know if I was dreaming or awake, but I could have sworn I was moving so fast that I appeared to be flying...I was weightless in the arms of someone gentle. And then there was nothing.