CHAPTER FOUR

FELICIA

She wasn't surprised to see Abby's number on her phone. "It's a trap," Abby said without preamble. "WWE is trying to sign you guys so you can't join us."

"You heard," Felicia said.

"It's all over the dirtsheets."

"I know it's a trap, but Phil's so desperate to make some money and get us out of here... And it means so much to him, Abby."

"I know it does... But ECW means more."

"I heard you got fired from CHIKARA and Beyond."

"Just like Dad," Abby declared proudly. "They didn't like me starting a Free EC Dub chant anymore than Gabe did. ROH is next. With that, I'll break Dad's record."

"Have fun with that."

"I intend to." Abby paused. "Let me talk to Phil."

Felicia obediently fetched her brother. "Abby, Gorgeous! What can I do for you?" Phil asked. He paused. After a minute, he sighed. "I knew it was too good to be true... Okay, Abby... I'll do this... Because it's for ECW." He hung up.

"You were right, Leesh," Phil told her sadly. "The Dudleys got the same offer, and we know what happened with Carrie and Evan... They don't actually want us... They just don't want the indies to have us."

"I'm sorry, Phil... I wish I was wrong," Felicia replied.

Phil shrugged. "It was nice while it lasted, but I should have listened to you. WWE would never really want us... I'll call them and turn down the offer. I'm going for a walk first." He walked away. Phil often wandered the streets of Philly trying to collect his thoughts. He could be gone for hours.

A minute later, her father burst into the kitchen. "You turned down WWE?!" He demanded. "What did you do, you stupid girl?" He slapped her.

Felicia flinched. "Dad... I'm sorry," she said. "It... It wasn't a legit offer."

"Useless girl! You wanna throw away your shot, fine! But throwing your brother's shot away? How could you?" He shook her.

"Dad... Let me go," Felicia said softly. She was terrified, but if she fought, she knew he'd just hurt her worse.

"I'll teach you to be so stupid!" He shouted. His eyes were red. He was high as a kite. She'd never be able to reason with him.

"Daddy, please..."

He threw her against the wall. Felicia felt her head hit it hard. She could feel blood dripping down the side of her head. She struggled to remain standing. Her father hit her again. When she whimpered, he smashed her head against the wall deliberately. He did this several more times until she heard a horrified gasp from the doorway.

"Terry!" Her mother cried out.

"This doesn't concern you, Woman!" Her father shouted.

"Terry, please... She's hurt..."

"She's stupid, and useless, like her Goddamned mother! Get out of here!" He turned around to grab her mother.

"No!" Felicia cried out. She was dizzy, but she didn't care. "Don't touch her!"

Her father's rage returned. "Shut up!" He screamed at her before he hit her head again. He turned back to her mother and slapped her hard. Her mother was crying. Felicia used the last of her strength to grab him and pull him off of her. He cursed and flung her across the room. She hit her head directly on the wall and everything turned bright red.

"Look what you made me do!" Her father shouted at her mother before Felicia blacked out.

CHRIS

Get Tommy! His father said urgently.

Chris was training when he heard this. Tommy was only a room away. What's wrong? Chris asked.

Terry's gonna kill his kid! Get Tommy, right now! He has to go to her!

Dad... What's going on?

Felicia's hurt, Buddy. She's hurt bad. She needs help. Tell Tommy he needs to go to Philly and get the kids.

Dad, I can't just say that. He'll think I've lost it.

She'll die, Chris. Terry will go back at her when she comes around. She's already seriously concussed. He'll kill her if he hits her again.

Chris could feel a panic attack coming on. Felicia was his friend, and his father was convinced her father was about to kill her. He had to do something, even if it put him back in the psych ward.

"Tommy!" Chris said as he ran to him.

"What's up, Kid?" Tommy asked with concern.

"You have to go to Sabu's house... Right now. It's Felicia. She's hurt."

"What happened? Did she call you?" Tommy looked appropriately alarmed

"No... I just know, okay?"

"Chris..."

"Please, Tommy... She needs help."

"Chris, you need to breathe. Tell me why you're so sure Felicia's in trouble."

"Because my father told me!" Chris froze, realizing too late what he'd said.

Tommy looked sympathetic. "Chris, I know you miss him... I miss him, too-"

"I'm on my meds, okay? I know it sounds crazy, but please... Please go to her. She's going to die, Tommy... If she's left there, he'll kill her."

"Who will?"

"Sabu... Terry... He did this. He beat the hell out of her. Please help her." Chris was in tears now.

Tommy hugged him. "Okay, Chris," he said gently. "I'll go check on the Brunks. You stay here with the girls."

"I'm coming with you," Briana said from the doorway.

"Bri-" Tommy objected.

"Look, if Felicia's in trouble, I want to help... And if she's not, you should have some company."

"I've got Chris," Kim promised.

Tommy nodded. "Okay," he said. "We'll be back in a bit."

Chris sat down. He was still trembling. "It's okay, Chrissy," Kim said as she wrapped her arms around him. He nodded, not sure what to say. Tommy probably thought he'd lost it, but at least he'd make sure Felicia was safe.

BRIANA

She'd known Chris had issues for years, but she liked to believe he wasn't crazy and his dad was still around. Still, she'd never seen him so scared before. She was very worried what they'd find at the Brunk house.

The Super Genie opened the door. She'd been pretty once, but the years had been unkind to her. Now, she had a black eye. Briana felt her father tense up.

"Tommy?" She asked in confusion.

"Where's Terry?" Her father demanded.

"He's resting... What are you doing here?"

"Let me in, Melissa."

"Now's not a good ti-"

"Melissa. Step aside."

Looking terrified, Melissa let them in. Her father walked straight to the kitchen. That was where they found a very bloody Felicia. The poor girl was trying to clean up the mess while still bleeding from her head.

"Shit," Briana cursed softly.

"I'm gonna kill him..." Her father mumbled. "Felicia, sweetheart, you don't need to do that."

"I... I made a mess... I have to..." Felicia said frantically. She was stumbling.

"I think you're concussed," Briana said.

"Did your father do this?" Her dad asked.

"I... No," Felicia said too quickly.

"Tell me the truth, sweetheart."

"Yes," she whispered. She began to cry, then grabbed her head in pain.

"Briana, go up to her room. Pack the essentials."

"Pack?" Felicia asked.

"You're coming home with us. You and Phil."

"He's out."

"Call him. Get him home. I'm taking you both with me." He began cleaning her head up. Felicia flinched away from him. "I'm not going to hurt you, sweetheart. I promise."

"I know," Felicia said. She was trembling, but she allowed him to help her. When she wasn't actively bleeding from her head anymore, Briana took her hand and led her upstairs to pack.

"Clothes, toiletries… Anything you absolutely can't live without. We can get the rest of the stuff later," Briana told her.

Felicia nodded. She began gathering things to pack. Briana made it all fit easily in a suitcase. She made sure Felicia's ring gear was included. Then she watched as Felicia began packing a backpack full of books.

"Textbooks? Really?" Briana asked.

"School's important to me, Bri… It's the one thing I have that's mine," Felicia said.

Briana stopped protesting. If textbooks truly comforted her friend, then they needed to come with them. It was hard for Briana to contain her rage, but she knew she had to. Felicia could be skittish on a good day. Tonight, she was terrified. Any hint of rage might send her into a panic attack.

"Leesh? What the fuck happened?" Phil called from down the hall. He came running toward her room.

"It's nothing," Felicia said quickly.

"Bull! He hit you again! Jeez, Leesh, look at yourself!" Phil looked like he might hit someone. Briana shared his impulse.

"I'm okay, Phil… I'm alright…"

"Dad's bringing you guys home with us," Briana said.

"Yeah… Yeah, he texted me as much."

"He told me to call you…" Felicia said. "I… I meant to…"

"Shhh, Felicia, it's okay," Briana said gently.

"Mom's flipping out," Phil said. "She's hiding in a corner, terrified Tommy's gonna go wake up Dad."

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean for this to happen," Felicia apologized.

"Leeshee, stop it," Briana said. "You didn't do a damn thing wrong." She paused. "Do you need help packing, Phil?"

"Nah, I can pack quick. I just need ring gear, a few clean pieces of clothing, and some entertainment…"

"Phil… You're welcome in my home," her father said as he approached. "I love you kids, but there's one rule… No drugs."

"I-" Phil began.

"I know you're on them, Kid. It's okay. I get it. And if you need help, I'll get you some… But no drugs under my roof, alright? You can drink all you want, as long as you're not driving, but don't bring anything illegal into my house. Can you do that?"

Phil looked at Felicia. He sighed. "Yes," he said. "For my sister, I can agree to that much. It's the least I can do."

Felicia looked stunned. "Phil…" Her voice cracked.

"I love you, Leesh… And I can't keep sitting back and watching Dad hurt you… I… I just can't. So if that means I gotta sober up a little so Tommy Fucking Dreamer lets us live with him, then I just need to suck it up, cuz we ain't gonna get a better offer than that!"

Briana was impressed. She'd been pretty sure Phil wouldn't choose anything over getting high, even his sister. His father certainly didn't.

Fifteen minutes later, they were packed and ready to go. "Tommy, please… Don't take them," Melissa begged. "They're my babies!"

"They're adults, and they're not safe here, Melissa," Briana's father said. "I'm sorry. I know you love them, but until you get your act together and walk away from this prick, I can't leave them here."

"The fuck is happening?" A very wasted Terry Brunk called toward the door. He stumbled toward them. "Tommy? Tommy! What's up, Brother?" Terry went to hug her father.

"What's up is you fucking beat the crap out of your daughter, and your wife, you son of a bitch!" Her father said.

"Tommy, you don't know what happened-"

"I know exactly what happened, and you're not touching her ever again." He stood firmly between Terry and Felicia. "Briana, take the twins and get in the car."

Briana did as she was told, knowing this wasn't the time to fight. She watched as her father tried to talk Terry down before he finally had to throw a punch to make his point. Melissa fussed over her husband as Briana's father came back to the car and turned the key.

"What happens now?" Phil asked.

"Now, you guys bunk with us until you can get on your own two feet," her father replied.

"Felicia can take the spare room. Phil, you're on the couch," Briana told him.

"Can't I bunk with one of you?" Phil joked.

"Dream on, Dude." She smiled. Phil might be an asshole sometimes, but tonight, he'd done the right thing, and she was proud of him. As they drove back home, Briana turned on the radio to drown out the silence. Phil randomly contributed awkward comments, but other than that, the only sound was that of Felicia's quiet sobbing.

KIM

By the time everyone got back to their house, Kim was frantic. Her father had taken Felicia to the hospital, and Phil and Briana had refused to leave her side. After she was officially diagnosed with a severe concussion, they'd come home.

Chris was curled up in Kim's bed with her. There was nothing romantic about it. Chris was like her brother, and he needed comforting. Instead of sending him home or back to his mother, Kim had invited him to crash for the night like when they were kids.

"She can sleep, but only if she's supervised," Briana told her.

"We can do it in shifts," Kim replied.

"Felicia, are you okay?" Chris asked frantically.

"I'm fine," she replied automatically.

"Where do I sleep?" Phil asked.

"The couch," Kim replied.

"How come Chrissy-Boy gets to sleep with you?"

"He's not going to try to get in her pants while she's asleep," Briana said. "Quit whining. You have a comfy couch to sleep on and Mom's cooking."

Phil perked up. "Trisa cooks?"

"The finest hot dogs in all of Yonkers," her mom said with a grin. "Kidding. I can make you something better than that."

"Hey, hot dogs are awesome," Phil said. "I'll eat anything."

"Or anyone," Briana joked.

"So not appropriate, Bri," Kim said with a giggle.

After their mother fed everyone, they decided to get some rest. Briana took the first shift with Felicia. Kim curled up in bed with Chris. "Are you okay?" She asked him softly.

"Yeah," Chris replied. "I'm just glad your dad got there in time."

"Chris… This is all horrible, but one good thing came from it."

"What good could possibly have come from all of that?"

"You were right, Chris. About all of it… That means your dad's really talking to you. You're not… Um…"

"Crazy?"

"I've never called you that."

"That's because you're too nice." He smiled sadly. "He's always talked to me, Kim… Ever since we lost him… But apparently, that's not normal, so I must be nuts."

"But you were right. You couldn't have known all of that unless you were really hearing him."

"I never doubted that I really hear him, Kim… Everyone else did."

"If you knew you weren't insane, why did you keep taking the pills?"

"Because crazy people don't know they're crazy, Kim…" He sighed. "And no one believed me."

"I believe you."

He looked at her with those sad, vulnerable eyes. "Thank you," he whispered. "For saying that."

"It's the truth," she promised. She hugged him. They didn't say anything else as they drifted off to sleep.