A/N: Hey guys! Argh – hectic week! LOL. Thank you so much for every single review – they all mean so much, honestly :) thanks to my usual reviewers who have reviewed every chapter, you know who you are :p Hmm...This is a bit of an odd chapter, tell me what you think, chapter 7, here you go!!!!

The fresh sea air bounding and thrashing against my pasty skin was so refreshing and replenishing. It also brought back so many memories...so many ancient memories which my conscience begged me to let go of. For some reason I couldn't. I love those memories. I hate them. Memories of my da...Archie. Snake in the grass. Poison. Evil. Daddy.

My feet were sinking into the wet sand as I gazed upon a little girl with her dad, collecting sea shells, sharing sweet smiles of warmth and affection every now and then. The dad wrapped his arms around the little girl with long, golden, curly hair, and even though I didn't know them, I could tell he loved her more than anything else in the entire universe.

I must have been about four years old (before Roxy was born anyway) and Archie used to bring me here almost every weekend to this secret little secluded beach surrounded by big boulders, with delicate little pebbles and shells scattered around the shore. I used to have this big, red bucket which was nearly bigger than me, and we'd spend all day Saturday filling it – rain or shine! And I'd never felt happier. My mum never showed any interest in me, she looked at me as if I was a mistake, and even at four years old I felt rejected by her. But daddy made me feel better.

The father and daughter scene I was witnessing reminded me too much of me and dad. But I wasn't sickened by it. Infact I'd give anything just to be a four year old little girl and spend the Saturday with my daddy – the man who he was back then. It's so hard to contemplate that he used to be my hero. The one who saved me from the wicked witch that was my mother, the one who told off those naughty little boys for pushing me over in the playground.

Every Friday night was exactly like Christmas Eve – where you know you should sleep, but you just can't because you're way too excited! I used to get up at 5am Saturday morning and sit in the kitchen with dad, secretly sneaking as much ice cream as we could into our hungry mouths without mum finding out and freaking about us not being health fanatics like her.

The stools in our kitchen were really high for a titch like me so dad bought me this red little step thing and one day mum tripped – I laughed so hard I spat out my juice everywhere and I remember looking over to dad, expecting him to be laughing aswell, but he rushed over to her and rubbed her belly. That was when I realised he was lying to me – he didn't think she was a wicked witch! I locked myself in my pink fluffy bathroom and didn't come out until dad reminded me it was Saturday – our day.

We were sat on the sand with the warm summer breeze rustling my long blonde hair when he announced that I would soon have a little brother or sister in six months. "Witches can't have babies daddy, they have cats instead – black scraggy ones with muck coloured eyes and dirt yellow fangs!"

Dad just laughed and looked across to the biggest of the boulders, where a small woman usually stood, looking over us, but his face dropped when he realised she had disappeared. Although, it seemed like he kind of expected her not to be there, but just had to make sure.

Well he was never the same after that. Our weekly beach visits became sparse. Our connection grew weaker. Roxy came, and I was an outsider. I was four years old and I had learnt how to hide my emotions.

I ran away, trying to make my way to the beach. Obviously dad knew where I would've gone and he found me. We walked up to the beach for the final time (which I was unaware of). I asked him if we could get the bucket, but he simply crouched down to my level and looked me straight in eyes and said "Vee; there are some people who belong in this world, like your sister, Roxy. Then there are others who just weren't meant to be. D'ya understand darling?"

I remember looking at him; seeing a stranger through my stinging eyes. Then he whispered "Crying is weakness, you'll learn." I sniffed, and then followed behind him, turning back one last time to see our heaven. And until now, I never went back again.

"Are you here with your kid?" I heard the gentleman's kind voice shouting over the gust of heavy wind and rain.

"Erm no actually, she's gone." I replied back, trying hard not to break my voice. Luckily it was so cold tears had formed in each of our eyes.

"They all leave in the end I guess." He said sympathetically whilst stroking his daughter's hair, looking down at her, clearly scared about the future.

"Yeah well it's how and when they leave that's the problem." Crap – well hell, I'd scared him even more. He smiled and nodded at me before walking away so that I was left here alone.

I'd never been here alone – it was strange; like an old friend I had forgotten to keep in touch with.

I crawled out on my hands and knees, feeling the softness of the sand captivate my body – half swallowing it. I crawled out to the shallow depths of the cold salty sea and slowly stood up, allowing the water to swash over my new suede boots. I had no idea what I was doing but it felt right. Almost like some kind of weird ritual. I followed the airy voice inside of me and crouched down, cupping my hands with the clear water and washed it back onto my face. I felt clean renewed as if I was washing out the guilt from my body.

Huh.

***

"Oh Jesus Christ Ronnie! I've had the whole square out looking for you." Jack shouted out over the general chatter of the Queen Vic as I walked through the door. "Where the hell have you been?"

I stopped in the heart of the pub as Archie stood in front of me; eyeing me up and down, his eyes inspecting each little particle of sand that clung to my clothes and smelling the familiar odour of the salty sea which lingered in my wet hair. He knew.

"I know exactly where she's been." He said, not daring to redirect his focus away from me.

I gulped; I didn't want anyone to know I had been to my happy place – the one I shared with the man I loathed. Apparently Archie saw the vulnerable four year old that hadn't learnt how to act yet because his eyes softened. And for one tiny split second I wanted to hug him and call him daddy again. That was until I remembered how old I was. Our eyes turned back into the ice and venom that they had become accustomed to and he respectfully moved aside, allowing me to walk forwards.

"I'm sorry babe I don't know what came over me – I took a walk and fell and-"

Jack smiled, pressing his finger on my lips and wrapped his warm arms around my shivering body. I tilted my head up slightly and touched my lips against his. Within a few seconds he pulled back and stuck his tongue out "Eugh! Salty or what? Did you fall into the sea or something?"

I smiled slightly and turned a light shade of pink. He simply whispered that he didn't care and went back to where we left off. I looked into his eyes and caressed my nose over the tip of his, making his arms wrap tighter around me. "I love you Jack." I whispered.

"I love you too baby." He gently stroked my cheek and then placed little kisses on my neck. "Merry Christmas Eve-Eve!"

I laughed, burying my head into his chest, feeling happier than I had felt for a long time, with the man I loved. Merry Christmas Eve-Eve.

Hey again! Thank you lovely's for reading! Please review?

I apologise – still not enough RACK in these chapters, I just can't write them :(

So here is the start of the new plot twist, any ideas? Feel free to comment!

Enjoy the weekend, I will update when I can – work experience next week yey!

Love you all, Scarlett xoxo