Broken [broh-kuhn]

adjective

Having been fractured or damaged and no longer in one piece or in working order: a broken doll; a broken machine

~ Week Two ~

The sound of lockers slamming shut filled the air as Bree and Leo continued to retrieve their textbooks that they needed for homework that day. Bree laughed loudly at a joke Leo had just made at the expense of Chase, who was across the hallway also retrieving his books.

"What's so funny?" A gruff voice asked from behind them causing both teens to spin around. Bree smiled at the sight of her boyfriend, Vince. She closed her locker after getting one final book.

"Nothing, Leo just made a joke." She informed him and he raised an eyebrow as if to ask what it was about and before Bree could fill him in Leo cut in.

"You wouldn't get it man." He told the larger boy still laughing slightly.

Vince, who didn't appear too happy to be left out, turned to Bree. "So I'll pick you up at six tonight?" He asked, although it came out as more of a demand.

"Well, actually," Bree started, stumbling a little over her words; "Adam, Chase, Leo and I were going to go to the movies. We've been planning it for a while and I …" Bree trailed off noticing the look her short-term boyfriend was giving her.

"Come on baby," Vince prompted her, rubbing up and down her forearms in a way that made Leo uncomfortable, "they're your brothers; you live with them and see them all the time. We never get to hang out." He said and Bree hesitated torn between not wanting to ditch her brothers and not wanting to disappoint Vince.

Her eyes shifted from Vince to Leo and then back to Vince again trying to figure out what the right thing to do was. "I guess you're right." She finally agreed under Vince's intense stare.

"I knew you'd see it my way babe." Vince smiled throwing his arm around her shoulders. "Come on, I'll give you a ride home." He told her arrogantly and began to lead her towards the entrance of the school.

"Leo, tell Adam and Chase I'm getting a ride home with Vince!" Bree called over her shoulder, not quite being able to meet Leo's eyes.

Leo rolled his eyes and slammed his locker shut with a bit more force than necessary. As he stuffed much too big text books into his much too small backpack he was joined by Adam and Chase.

"Hey Leo." Adam greeted him.

"Hey." Leo responded but his voice wasn't as light was it usually was.

"Where's Bree? We're going to miss the bus." Chase asked scanning the halls for his sister who he swore was here just a couple of seconds ago.

"She got a ride home with Vince." Leo informed his step-brothers, his tone heavy and Adam and Chase shared a look. "Oh and guess who won't be joining us for the movie tonight." He added irritably.

"Oprah!" Adam guessed and Chased rolled his eyes smacking his brother on the back of the head.

"No you idiot. Bree!" Chase informed his as Adam rubbed his head.

"So Oprah's going to be there?" Adam asked seriously and Leo and Chase wisely decided not to engage him.

"Why isn't Bree coming?" Chase asked turning his attention back to Leo.

"She's going out with Vince tonight." Leo said his voice dripping with annoyance.

It was no secret that the three brothers felt no affection towards Vince. Besides the fact that he was someone who would normal shove Chase and Leo into a locker, he was also someone who treated woman like trophies and property. Vince paraded around his last girlfriend like she was some sort of prize.

Bree had begun to date him a little less than two weeks ago and since then the amount of time the bionic siblings and Leo had hung out together began to steadily decrease. At first it was fun, getting more guy time without feeling like they were leaving Bree out. But now it was just annoying whenever Vince ripped Bree away from them.

"Come on guys, we're going to miss the bus." Chase told the others and they quietly made their way to the bus.

~ Week Four ~

Bree had been dating Vince for four weeks now. Despite spending almost every minute of every day together, Bree had never felt so alone. Vince had completely taken over her life. He told her where she was going to be and when she was going to be there. He told her what she was going to wear and when she was going to eat. But no matter what Vince did to her and what negative thoughts about herself he put in her head, Bree felt herself clinging more and more to him.

She was almost completely cut off from her brothers. The only time she saw them was when she was training, on a mission, or about to go to sleep in her capsule. They eventually stopped asking her if she wanted to hang out. They always assumed she was just going to be with Vince. Not that they were wrong. Vince didn't like it when she hung out with her brothers too much. He said that they were getting in the way of their relationship going places.

Bree walked into the lunchroom feeling awkward and alone without Vince by her side. He had gone to Washington for a family reunion and wouldn't be back for another couple of days. She glanced around the room looking at all the groups of teenagers laughing and smiling. She walked slowly around glancing everywhere for an empty space to sit.

She glanced at her brother's table and noted with a small burst of happiness that her usual spot that she had abandoned weeks ago in favor of sitting with Vince remained untouched and still open. She dropped her graze when Chase suddenly looked up and directly at her causing Leo and Adam to do the same. She skirted by their table, almost passing by it completely before Adam reached out and grabbed her wrist causing her to halt.

"Bree," Chase greeted staring at her like he hadn't seen her in years. "What are you- I mean, where's Vince?" He asked, indecisive as to what he wanted to say.

"He's, uh, at a family reunion this week." Bree answered her voice soft and a little ruff from having not spoken to anyone all day.

She appeared nervous; as if she was afraid she was going to get in trouble for talking to them.

"Well then why don't you sit with us today and the rest of the week?" Chase suggested and Bree's eyes brightened significantly before dulling a little.

"Okay." She replied hesitantly before smiling and sitting down next to Chase and Adam.

Chase was thrilled. It was a small victory, but a victory none the less. Vince could stay wherever he was forever as far as Chase was concerned. He felt as though he hadn't seen his sister in months instead of having seen her this morning before Vince came to pick her up. He knew that Vince was bad for her. He could see what he was doing to her. The way she was suddenly so shy around everyone, her own family included. She began to dress differently as well. Instead of her normal tom-boy yet fashionable style she began to wear simply long-sleeved t-shirts and jeans. She was always distracted on missions and just in general. He also hadn't seen her eat in, well, weeks.

She would skip breakfast, telling everyone she wasn't hungry. She didn't eat lunch with them anymore, instead eating with Vince. And she was rarely home for dinner. Even now she had no lunch in front of her. She just sat tensely beside him staring down at the table.

Chase, however, didn't want to confront his sister on any of this. He was afraid of driving her even further away. Leo, however, didn't appear to have that problem.

"Bree, where's your lunch?" He asked, nodding to the empty table in front of her.

Bree shifted uncomfortable in her seat as everyone's eyes narrowed in on her. "I lost my lunch money." She lied, saying the first thing that came to her mind.

"Why didn't you just say so?" Adam asked loudly, reaching into his back pocket and pulling out his wallet. "Mr. Davenport gave me plenty of money for lunch today," he informed her, pulling out a five dollar bill. "Here ya go." He offered her, holding out the bill to her.

She stared at the bill as if it was a foreign object and she had never seen money before. "That's okay," She said finally, managing to smile at her older brother. "I'm not really hungry."

Chase swallowed, hoping that by confronting his sister it wouldn't blow up in his face. "But you didn't eat breakfast this morning, or dinner last night." He informed her gently as if she didn't know.

Bree's breathing became quicker as she darted her eyes around the lunch table. "I, um, I" Bree stumbled over her words trying to think of an excuse. They didn't get it. She couldn't eat without Vince's permission first. He would know. She had to be skinny for him. His other girlfriends were all skinner then her. She didn't want him to dump her. She didn't want him to be ashamed of her. "I have to go." She said, standing up quickly from the table as if it had burnt her.

"Bree, wait!" Chase called after her but she was already gone. She didn't come into the lunch room for the rest of the week.

~ Week Six ~

Bree winced as she pulled down the sleeve of her shirt trying to hide the large bruise on her arm. It hurt. Badly. It was one of the many blue marks on her body, all of which were carefully hidden beneath clothes and make-up. Vince was always careful to avoid her face. He didn't want to mess with her beauty.

She shifted in the cold plastic chair trying to find a comfortable position. She was currently sitting in American Geography, her only class with Chase, who sat across the room from her. The class had quickly become her least favorite class because of Chase's habit to stare at her throughout the entire class. He made it nearly impossible to concentrate on what the teacher was lecturing about and what's more he made her feel uncomfortable. Like she was doing something wrong. It was her last period of the day, after this she would meet up with Vince and he would take her to go do something he wanted to do. She watched as the clock ticked away and her teacher droned on just wanting the class to be over.

Chase watched Bree with his stomach in knots. Today was the day that he and Adam had agreed to confront her. He was going to stop her right after class, Adam was going to meet up with them and Leo was going to distract Vince long enough for the three heroes to have a decent conversation. He tuned the out seconds before the bell rang in order to not hurt his bionic hearing. He stood up quickly and raced to the other side of the room, gaining odd looks, in order to stop Bree before she left.

"Bree, I need to talk to you." He told her and she shifted uncomfortably.

"What about?" She asked calmly, yet she was freaking out on the inside. The last time she had left Vince waiting she had ended up with three bruised ribs.

"It's about Vince." He told her and Bree felt like the oxygen was being sucked out of the room.

"What about him?" She asked nonchalantly.

"Bree, he's so bad for you. You're not stupid, you have to see that." Chase told her gently and Bree scoffed, not bothering to answer him. She attempted to step around him but Chase was having none of it. He stepped back in her way causing her to take a step back.

"Bree come on. Just look at yourself. You're a shell of the Bree I use to know!" Chase told her and Bree looked away from him, unable to keep her stare.

"I'm sorry you feel that way." She mumbled and Chase just stared at her incredulously. She once again tried to move around him, but he once again moved in front of her. "Chase, please." She begged but Chase crossed his arms and didn't move.

"Not until you tell me why you stay with him." He told her and Bree felt tears well up in her eyes. It was the same question she had been asking herself for a while.

She managed to get by Chase, making a bee-line for the door but she only had one foot out the door before Chase managed to grab her arm, her bad arm.

Bree cried out in pain despite herself and by this time Adam was in front of her blocking her only way out. Chase's eyebrows drew together in concern as he released her arm.

"Bree, what's-" Chase started to asked but was cut off by Bree.

"Just drop it chase. Please." She pleaded but Chase's face hardened.

"Bree roll up your sleeve." He told her and Bree shook her head rapidly, clutching her arm to her chest as if she was a small child and Chase was trying to take away her toy. "Bree." Chase commanded softly and Bree tried to make a run for it. "Adam!" Chase called out, giving his brother enough warning to stop Bree before she used her super speed to get away.

Adam wrapped an arm around Bree's waist, easily hoisting her up so she couldn't use her super speed to leave. Adam felt guilty as his held his sister high as she struggled. "Adam please, let me down." She asked her voice weak and full of panic. Adam shook his head, trying to stay strong for his younger siblings.

"Bree, let me see your arm." Chase told her and she still refused even though she was being held immobile in the air.

Chase sighed, he didn't want to force his sister to do anything she didn't want to but seeing as it was for her own good, he decided to do it anyway. Chase gentle but firmly took hold of Bree's arm, forcing her to extend it and then carefully rolled up the long sleeve.

When Chase saw the blue and purple spots that decorated his sister's arm he almost threw up. He supposed being as smart as he was he should have guessed it. But he didn't, he didn't even being to imagine that someone was hurting his sister. Chase took a deep breath in order to calm himself and to stop spike from appearing.

When Adam saw the bruises, all he saw was red. He felt his face heating up as he grew more and more angry. He dropped Bree to her feet, his arm still firmly holding her in place as he visibly fumed.

"How long?" He asked, his voice dark and very un-Adam like.

"I don't know what-" Bree started but Adam cut her off.

"How long Bree!" He asked again, his volume rising and his tone darkening.

"Adam!" Chase warned, trying to get his older brother to calm down and remind him that Bree was not the enemy.

Adam, however, kept his stare fixated on Bree.

"Not long." Bree stuttered nervously, "Just two weeks at the most."

"Why did you tell us?" Chase asked and Bree stared at him for a moment.

"Because it's none of your business!" She finally said, clearly starting to get upset.

"None of our business?! You're our sister Bree! Of course it's our business!" Chase yelled at her, before calming himself down.

"Just stay out of it." Bree mumbled the fire from her previous statement gone.

"You need to break up with him. Now." Chase told her and her eyes snapped to attention.

"What? I'm not breaking up with him!" She yelled outraged by the thought.

"The hell you aren't!" Adam yelled, clearly still not calm from the sight of Bree's arm. "If you think I'm going to just sit back and let you get beat up by your boyfriend you've got another thing coming!"

"Why would you stay with someone who hurts you?" Chase asked her, his voice softly than Adam's. It was almost as if they were doing to good cop bad cop routine.

"Because he loves me!" Bree blurted out, her face hot with tears. "And I love him!" She added shaking.

"That's not love! He has you brainwashed or something Bree!" Chase told her and Bree glared at him with dead cold eyes.

"I'm not breaking up with him. You can't keep us apart." Bree informed her brothers before beginning to struggle again against Adam's iron grip. "Let me go Adam! You can't keep me here forever!" She told him and Adam tightened his hold on her.

"You wanna bet?" He asked menacingly, his angry clearly not gone.

Bree shrieked in frustration. What she wouldn't do to have Chase's force fields to get herself away from her brother's at this moment. Why didn't they get it?

"Let me go!" She yelled, now thrashing so hard to get out of Adam's hold that Chase was afraid she may hurt herself.

"The only place you're going it home. We'll lock you in your capsule until Mr. Davenport can talk some sense into you." Adam threatened her and Chase sighed.

"Adam let her go." He told Adam and Adam shot his a confused look.

"What? Why?" He asked, although his grip had lessened.

"Because we can't make her do something she doesn't want to do." Chase explained, hating the fact that he couldn't stop her.

"You know she's just going to go running back to Vince!" Adam yelled incredulously and Chase sighed once more.

"I know."

Adam completely dropped his grip around his sister's waist, staring at his brother as if he was some imposter.

Bree slowly backed away from her brothers, getting ready to turn and run.

"Bree," Chase called out causing Bree to stop when she heard the amount of pain in his voice. "Just know we're going to be here for you when you need us."

Adam and Chase watched as their sister retrieved to her boyfriend, in angry and fear and sadness. How could someone, a teenage boy none the less, leave their sister so broken?

~ Week Eight ~

Bree walked to her locker with her head held low. She just wanted this week to be over. It had been a long week, just like the last couple of weeks. She was done with everything. She just wanted to go home and sleep. She knew that wasn't going to happen though. It was Friday. There was no way Vince would let her just go home. She had to be by his side every minute of every day practically.

She sighed and rounded the corner just in time to see Vince punch Leo hard in the face, causing the younger boy to topple to the ground. Bree gasped and ran to put herself between the two of them.

"What are you doing Vince!?" She asked, her voice filled with fear.

"This little punk had the nerve to say that I didn't know how to treat my woman." Vince spit out moving towards Leo in an aggressive manner. "Move out of my way babe." He told her and Bree for the first time in eight weeks held her ground.

"No."

"No?" Vince laughed, his glare no focused solely on her.

"You heard me. I said no." She repeated herself and Vince took a threatening step towards her. "You may hurt me but you will not hurt my family." She told him firmly and Vince took hold of her arm and dragged her closer to him.

"I hurt whoever I feel like hurting." He informed her but she still didn't back down.

"Vince, stop." She told him and he laughed madly.

"Awh is the little baby scared?" He asked sarcastically and Bree shook her head. "Because she should be."

"We're done Vince." She told him, her voice lacking all confidence in the decision.

"You don't get to decide when we're done babe." Vince told her, sneering his nickname for her. "We're done when I have no more use for you."

Bree shook her head rapidly, trying to get her arm out of his grip.

"You ruined me." She told him through angry tears. "You broke me, and you're just going to keep breaking me until I'm broken beyond repair and I'm not going to let you do that." She told him and he barked out a laugh.

"Like you have a choice." He said and wrapped his large fingers around her throat lifting her up and slamming her head against the locker.

Bree's vision began to go black and she struggled to deal with the searing pain in the back of her head as well as trying to get much need oxygen to her lungs.

Then as suddenly as it started, it stopped and she fell to the ground, gasping for air. She saw Vince be thrown to the ground in front of her and Adam punch the boy vigorously.

"Bree!" She then turned at the sound of her name and turned to look at Chase, who was trying to help her sit up.

She focused back on Adam as her strength began to return. "Adam, please. Stop. Don't be the monster he is." She asked her older brother and that was enough to make him snap out of his rage fit.

"If I ever see you within twenty feet of my sister I will end you." Adam told the boy on the ground, his voice dark.

Bree struggled to stand with the help of Chase and Leo, who had recovered from the punch.

Almost immediately Bree began to sob, unable to stop the tears from coming.

"I'm sorry," She apologized through her sobs. "I'm so sorry." Adam was the first to engulf her in a hug, the other two following close behind.

"It's going be okay Bree. . . It's going to be okay."

AN: And there's B! Thanks to daphrose for the word broken! And thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! The more reviews I get the more inspired I feel to update so that's why I was able to get this up so soon! Anyway, C is the next letter and I'm totally open for suggestions! Don't forget to review!

~ Grace