"Let me go!" cried Butters. "You're hurting me."

"Shut up!" yelled Mr. Stotch. "You're coming home right now." Stan looks over at us as we are running over.

"Kyle, grab his stuff," I instruct as I shove my money in his hand. "Pay for it, I'm getting Butters out of here."

"You have no authority over him," replied Mr. Stotch. "Let's see you act all tough out here in public!" I walk up to him jabbing him in the face with my right hand without thinking. Hot damn that hurts.

"Shit!" said Stan. "Come on Butters." Stan ushers Butters along with me out of the store while Kyle hurried to pay for the items. Butters has tears on his face and he is shaking like a leaf. I do not regret what I did one bit. Thank god it was his dad and not his mom. I wouldn't have been able to do anything. We climb into the car. "Butters are you okay?" Butters buries his face into my shirt. I start patting his head while Stan looks on worriedly.

A 10 long minutes later Kyle is running towards the car. He throws the bags in the back. "Hurry, I think Mr. Stotch has security coming after me." Stan starts his car tailing it out of the apartment.

"Oh my god," replied Stan. "That was just…..I don't know….insane."

"Shhhh," said Kyle looking at Butters who is still visibly upset.

"Kyle, how does one become emancipated?" I asked.

"Um they would need to get a lawyer. They would draw up some papers and appeal to the court that it is in the best interest of the teen to be separated from their parents."

"Butters will not be 18 until later this year. Can your dad help Butters?"

"I will definitely talk to him about," said Kyle before turning around.

"Did you guys need anything else before I drop you off?" asked Stan.

"Yeah," I droned. "I'm not in the mood to cook. Can you please stop so we can get some dinner?" Stan ends up paying for our dinner picking up a generous KFC meal so we would have left overs. At least I don't have to worry about Cartman eating all the skin off the chicken. We pull up to the apartment and I climb out. "Butters you good to walk?"

"Yeah," he replied weakly. "Did you need help with the bags?"

"Sure, if you could carry the food," I replied. I thank Stan and Kyle for everything they did today. I had no idea things were going to go so badly. This was just plain horrible. We walk into the apartment and Karen is sitting in front of the TV on the phone with Tricia I'm sure. She turns around when she hears us sitting the bags down.

"Yay! KFC!" she cheers. I can't help but laugh at her.

"What would you like Karen?" asked Butters quickly. "I can fix you a plate."

"II just want a leg and thigh, what sides do we have?"

"I believe they got mash potatoes, mac and cheese, and fries," said Butters. Karen laughs.

"No veggies, I will take the fries along with my leg and thigh. Don't forget the biscuit!" Butters fixes her plate and hands it to her before heading to the room. I am right behind him. I watch him taking deep breaths. I sit the bags on the floor quietly as I can.

"Are you okay?" I ask him.

"Yeah," he said looking at me before sitting on the bed. "I just thought he was going to drag me out of there."

"I think he would have, had we not been there. Don't worry I think Kyle's dad can help you."

"I hope so," responded Butters. "I don't want to go back there."

"You're not going back there over my dead body," I said quickly. Butters looks at me before blushing. He looks away going to pick up the bags.

"Thanks for the clothes" he says softly. "I'm looking forward to wearing them."

"Sure," I replied. "Butters, I need you do one more thing." He looks at me curiously.

"Um okay, what is it?"

"I uh need to take pictures of the bruises," I tell him as nicely as I can. I watch as he winces. "I'm sorry, I know this is hard but I feel like we're going to war with your parents. The stronger the evidence the better."

"They won't go to jail will they?" asked Butters. So caring, I say they deserve to be in jail at this point. His mom anyway since she is one who was beating on him, his dad should go too because he stood by and did nothing while this happened.

"I don't know but I want this information just in case they try anything," Butters nods yes finally understanding the seriousness of the situation. He takes off my white tee and his poor pale skin looks even worse with the black and blue bruises on them. I pull out my camera phone taking pictures. Some from far away and some close up. Well this is not how I imagined I would be spending my evening.