"So…he's just gone?" his voice full of hope as his emerald eyes glittered.

I shrugged my shoulders and leaned back in my chair. School chairs are so fucking uncomfortable. "I mean, I guess…he hasn't shown up in 2 weeks…." I pushed my thumbs into the chewed up holes in my sleeves, I've done this to all of my long sleeved shirts since I started cutting myself. "Who knows where he is…"

He reached over and tugged on my pigtail "Well, I'd say that it's a good thing…" his smiling eyes focused on me with a look that could almost be described as affection, but I doubt it. It had been 3 months since our chat in his basement, and I couldn't help but blush every time I thought of his lips touching my wrists, but he was probably just trying to be nice... My eyes lingered to his lips. Right now, they looked like pale pink bubble gum stretched into a wide manic grin, but the thing that always took my breath away was when he would hit me with the full force of his smile, with his pearly white teeth shining proudly behind them. Since that day, I can't tell you how many times my nightmares were replaced by fantacies of his lips kissing me in places that… "Hello….earth to Harleen." He snapped his fingers in front of my face

I tore my eyes away from his lips "oh…sorry, I zoned out. What were you saying?" I glanced up at him.

He raised a dark eyebrow "I asked what your plans were for your birthday."

I rolled my eyes and pulled my legs up to me. I always hated my birthday…

"Wakey wakey Harley," I awoke to the cooing sounds of my mother, her light blonde hair glowing in the early morning sun streaming through the cracks in my tattered blinds. "Do you know what day it is sweetie?"

My eyes slowly opened to the sight of a single red balloon attached to a grimy brown teddy bear. I shoot up out of my bed and squeal with delight. "Thanks ma!" I clutched her tightly to me and then reached around her and picked up the dollar store teddy and gently touched its nose with my index finger. "I'm gonna name you…Lou" I was too young to notice the missing spots of fur, or the black oil spots that stained the grimy little bear, or the bruises on my mom's face that she probably had gotten when asking my dad for permission to get it.

My mom smiled as she grabbed my brush and began running it through my hair. "Now honey, we have to get ya cleaned up and looking pretty for ya big day."

I looked up into her tired blue eyes "Is Daddy going to be here?" I asked innocently.

The brush paused mid stroke before resuming. "I'm sure he will sweetie" my mom smiled. "Let's just get your hair finished and we can go downstairs and see if he's home yet." I sat perfectly still as she finished my hair and pulled them into two high pigtails on the top of my head.

Bounding down the stairs I couldn't wait for daddy to get home and see my pretty dress and my teddy bear. "DAAAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDDYYYYYYY" I bellowed from the bottom step "Are ya home?"

"Harleen, don't yell in the house!" my mom fussed at me.

"Yeah…I'm right here." A gruff voice erupted from behind me. I spun around quickly and look at the tall dark figure towering over me.

"Daddy! Ya home! I missed ya!" I screeched and threw myself at him, hugging his legs with my teddy bear in hand.

"Yeah yeah yeah…Lillian, get her off of me." he kicked his leg out casuing me to fall on the floor and began his daily routine of taking off his boots and sitting on the sofa.

Discontent with his reaction I tried again. Bounding over to the couch I sat beside him. "Daddy, guess what day it is. I'll give ya a hint…it's veeeeery special." I smiled

"Harleen…let's leave daddy alone while he watches TV…he's had a long night." She reached over to me, but was stopped by my father who looked down at me and smiled a slow, sinister grin.

"What day is it Harleen?" he asked with false sincerity

"Daddy…it's my birthday silly goose." I giggled.

"Oh is it really?" he placed his hands on his knees and leaned in real close to my face.

"Yeah!" I squealed with delight that he was finally excited for me. "Wanna see what I got?"

"Sure." He breathed

I brought out my little grimy teddy bear from behind my back and presented it with glee. "Ta-Dah!" I shouted. He reached out and grabbed the small stuffed animal out of my hand.

"Oh Harleen….this is the ugliest thing I've ever seen" he laughed.

I frowned "No it is not!" my bottom lip began to quiver.

He cackled "Yes it is, but I can fix it."

I cocked my head to the side. "How daddy?" I asked sniffling.

"Like this" he laughed as he grabbed the head of the teddy and ripped it clean off. "There, all fixed." He replied handing me the headless bear. "Now take that trash and go to ya fuckin' room. Ya should know better than to start talkin' to me after I get home from work!"

Staring at the beheaded bear in my tiny hands I hung my head with tears dripping down my cheeks, and walked upstairs.

I glanced back up at Jack. "Nothing, I'm not doing anything for my birthday."