A/N: I lied. Sorry. I haven't been active at all in updating this story. My bad. Like I said, this story hit close to home and I had to step away from it. Anyway, sorry, I hate when stories are left for to long. So, here I go...


"Kale! Hurry up, or you are going to be late!" Alex yelled up the stairs. Hearing the laughter of her beautiful girlfriend she turned to see Casey, popping a cd into the player. "What are you doing?"

As the music filtered into the air and Alex recognized 'Build me up Buttercup' she laughed, "Now you are going to make us late!"

"If I am lucky," Casey said waggling her eyebrows as she pulled Alex into her arms and they began to dance. "If our son is going to make us late we should at least enjoy ourselves," Casey said as she spun Alex, then pulled her back in to dip her.

As Kale reached the top of the stairs, he saw his mother dancing and laughing with Casey. All he could do was smile. He'd never seen his mother so happy, and as far as he was concerned Casey was family, at least more of a parent than his father had ever been. In his mind, this is what homes and family's should be made of love and laughter.

Walking down with his hockey gear, he announced, "I am ready, but are you two?"

The couple stopped dancing, and Casey turned off the music. Alex looked at her son, "Do you have your mouth guard?"

"Yes, Mom!"

"Hey drop the attitude with your mother, she is just trying to keep your million dollar smile safe." Casey quipped as she filled Jake's bowl with food and opened the back door for her approaching family.

As they filed out of the house, and Casey tossed her adoring lab a treat, they were engrossed with talking and laughter. They were so focused on their life and getting to the game that they missed the figure of the man standing just inside the tree line. They missed him completely.


As the siren sounded announcing, Kale's third goal that night, Alex jumped into Casey's arms as Casey screamed in delight. The couple new Kale had talent, but they had no idea that he was so skilled on the ice. Casey couldn't help but wonder if college recruiters might soon be checking him out.

"Okay, you win. Hockey is awesome." Alex conceded with a big grin as she stole another nacho from Casey.

Grinning at her girlfriend, Casey laughed, "I'm always right."

"No, you are not."

"Yes, I am. Now kiss me," Casey laughed pulling Alex in for a quick peck.

Fifteen minutes later, the game ended and Casey and Alex headed down to collect Kale to go home. Seeing her son joking with his friends, Alex's heart filled with happiness. Before finding Casey and settling back down, he'd never had time to actually make friends.

"Kale!" She called to get his attention as she waved.

The boy parted from his friends and walked over to them. "Hey Mom, Dylan is having a few of the guys over to hang out at his house tonight. Can I go?"

"I don't know. Have I met Dylan?" Alex said, looking to Casey for guidance.

Placing a hand against the small of Alex's back, Casey assured, "I taught Dylan freshman year, he is a good kid. Plus, Michonne has him in her class."

"Okay, I think it's alright then," Alex consented smiling when her son got excited by her answer.

"How about you give your Mom and I your hockey gear though, so you don't have to keep up with it." Casey offered.

"Sounds good," Kale replied running to get his bag.

Alex turned into Casey, "Are you sure this is okay?"

"Yes, baby. I promise when we get home you will be so happy Kale is at a friends." Casey whispered into Alex's ear effectively sending chills through the her body.

Gathering Kale's bag, they told him to call them when he was ready to come home. Walking to the car arm and arm they laughed about how much they were a family. Casey couldn't imagine ever being happier than she was at this moment.

Throwing the bag into the trunk, Casey gave the keys to Alex. "Do you mind driving? My head hurts a bit and I want to take some pills before it gets bad."

"Yeah, baby. Do we need to stop on the way home?"

"No," the redhead assured, "I have aspirin in my backpack, I just don't need the stress of driving."

Alex smiled and climbed into the drivers seat. The drive home seemed a little dark due to the overcast sky, and Casey was predicting snow. Everything seemed peaceful and the redhead was starting to feel relief as they neared their street, until they saw Jake.

Alex slammed on the brakes to the jeep sending a jolt through both of them. "Was that my dog?" Casey blurted at the chocolate lab running across the street and down the hill into the forest.

Alex kept looking into the distance the dog had run, "I think so. How did he get out?"

"I don't know, maybe Kale left that window in the den open. I know I locked the door," Casey said as she opened the glove box and grabbed the spare dog leash and her flashlight. "Go on home and check, I will get him and meet you back there." Alex gave Casey a quick kiss and headed on home as Casey headed into the dark after her dog.

Alex drove down the road and up Casey's drive. The air seemed colder without Casey near, which made Alex smirk and shake her head at the silliness of the thought. Hoping out of the car and walking up to the house she noticed the porch light had blown, but the back door was still locked. Thinking Kale must have left the window open after all and that the house would be freezing she unlocked the back door and walked inside.

To her surprise the house was warm, which seemed odd considering the window. With confusion falling over her face she headed in the direction of the den, attempting to turn on the light in the kitchen, but it wouldn't turn on either. Feeling panicky, Alex continued towards the den only to find the window shut.

Her body began to shake seeing the window and putting the pieces together. Jake was outside, the lights didn't work, and the window was shut. Alex closed her eyes abolishing all her senses of comfort and focusing on her primal need to survive.

She knew he was here, she knew he was near, if it were a sixth sense. She was closer to the front door now. She could make it and find Casey.

Turning, she ran through the dark living room towards the door, her heart pounding in her chest. She didn't see the end table Nicholas had moved, but she felt it as she smacked her right knee against it and went head over feet and collided face first with the wood floor. She couldn't help but cry out in pain.

"You fucking bitch!" Was the next thing she heard. It was Nicholas. The sound of his hate filled voice was enough for her to push up and try to get out. He was to fast for her though, he'd planned it this way. Before she could even get off the floor his booted foot connected with her rib cage flipping her onto her back and knocked the air from her lungs.

"You think you can take my son from me and run off and live with your fucking girlfriend!" Nicholas screamed in rage.

Grabbing Alex by the hair he yanked her to her knees, earning a loud scream to escape her. She use to know how to take his beating in silence, but not anymore. She'd grown comfortable and felt protected by Casey. Casey, he'd hurt Casey too, she'd given the redhead a death sentence by staying her.

Nicholas's cold laugh filled the air as the moonlight seemed to find its way in through the window to bathe them in its glow. She could see the large hunting knife he wielded and the evil stare she'd never seen in his eyes. He laughed again, "You've figured it out haven't you. You know I am going to kill her and you are right, I am." He said running the blade of the knife down Alex's cheek not hard enough to cut her, but enough to tell her he was in control. "I am going to take my time killing her, and then I am going to kill you and take our son home." Removing the knife from her face, he kicked her in the stomach to send her back to the floor and quickly zip tied her hands behind her back before yanking her to her feet.

"Now it's time to prepare for your death, Alexandra." He said as he led her to her bedroom.