Author's Note - More...descriptive in this chapter. I'm sorry.

Trigger Warning: Abuse

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Pitch Perfect or any of its characters nor do I have the rights to the franchise. All rights go to Universal Studios. Any Copyright infringement was not intentional, if required then send me a message and the story will be deleted. Sorry for any inconveniences.

If you are going through a hard time or are just needing to talk to someone then PM me. I am here for you even if I don't know personally what you are going through but I know it is easier to talk to a stranger than it is to keep things bottled up.

Chapter 6 - The Price Of Being Honest

Brett and Stacie arrived home and instantly wished that they were back at school, back with friends, back with Aubrey. Once again the stench of alcohol filled the air as they opened the door. Bottles clink and footsteps stick. A thunderous growl is heard from the kitchen and an angry Mr Mitchell comes storming in front of the pair. Stacie reaches for Brett's hand to which he squeezes reassuring her that nothing will happen to her.

"Where were you? You were out sleeping with everyone again weren't you?" Warren's language was both sneered and slurred adding to Brett's uneasiness.

"No, Sir" Brett looked at the ground not wanting to challenge any authority.

"You peg me as a fool boy? I know that you were. In fact from what I heard you have slept with everyone. So. Don't. You. Dare. Lie. To. Me." With each word, Warren got closer to Brett burning his senses with the smell of whisky.

"I'm sorry, Sir, but I wasn't sleeping with anyone." Mr Mitchell's arm flew across Brett's face forcing a lesion to appear across his cheek from Warren's watch. Stacie goes to Brett and looks up to their father with rage in her eyes.

"Why! He was telling the truth! You don't get to d-" Stacie was cut off by Mr Mitchell pulling her by the hair causing her unshed tears to fall.

Mr Mitchell forced Stacie to eye level, snarling before he walked her to a small door never letting go of her hair. As Stacie's eyes finally focused on the door in front of her, panic set in as she thrashes about trying to get out of his grip, causing Warren to laugh at her reaction. Warren opens the previously locked door revealing a set of stairs leading into an abyss of darkness. Stacie's breath hitches as she sees the look on her father's face, she uses the last of her strength pleading and apologising to him before he pushes her in. Her body fades into the darkness, the only evidence she was in there was the echoing thuds from her body on the stairs.

Mr Mitchell slams the door shut and places the industrial strength padlock on the door and focuses his attention on the boy laying on the floor staring at the now locked door. Brett remains catatonic as his promise to his sister plays in his head, he failed her, he promised nothing bad would happen and yet something happened. He failed her.

Mr Mitchell sees his chance to attack the boy whom he saw as the cause to his pain, he unbuckles his belt and wraps one end around his hand allowing the buckle to fall loosely at his side. He lifts his arm up and slams it down causing Brett to scream as his left arm reaches for his right shoulder, as he pulls away, his hand is stained red. Lash after lash, more and more blood, scream after scream, those filled the Mitchell house that night. After the tenth lash, Mr Mitchell walks away into the living room ignoring Brett's cries.

Brett lay in a pool of his own blood for another ten minutes before he attempted to stand up. Three attempts were needed before Brett could stand uneasily on his own. He made his way through the hallway before stopping at the door which blocked himself from his sister. Brett slid down the door ignoring his own pain and knocked three times on the door. A few minutes passed before Brett could hear three knocks from the other side, letting the siblings know that the other is all right, despite knowing otherwise.

Brett sat there for an hour talking silently to Stacie, through each other's muffled cries, before slowly making his way to the living room cautious of each floorboard for any potential squeaks. He made it to the desired room five minutes later to see Warren passed out on the couch, bottle in hand.

Taking one deep breath, Brett made his way towards his father, cautious for any sign of movement. As he grew closer the stench grew stronger, each breath became harder as the oxygen was stained with alcohol. Brett reached Warren and held his breath when he bent down beside the mass, his hands shaking, Brett gently reached into each of his father's pockets searching for a key, each time Warren stirred slightly causing Brett to freeze on the spot, a deer in the headlights. Waiting thirty seconds before carrying on the search. The third pocket came around and Brett could feel the cold metal on his fingers. Being bold (or stupid depending on whom you ask) Brett pulled his hand out of the pocket quickly before sneaking away not looking back to Mr Mitchell on the way.

Brett hastily removes the lock and opens the door to see Stacie asleep at the top of the stairs curled up in on herself. Gently, Brett picks his sleeping sister bridal style, breathing through the pain in his shoulder and carries her upstairs into his room. Setting her down on the bed and covering her with a blanket, Brett looks at the new cur on her forehead from her fall and cleans it as gently as he can. Once Brett is done he goes into the bathroom to work on his injuries.

Stepping in front of the full-length mirror, Brett takes his shirt of carefully, hissing in pain. The raw flesh of his shoulder and back exposed. Brett reaches into the cabinet and receives the medkit. Brett faintly hears a gasp from his side and knows that Stacie must have woken up from his treatment on her. Turning around Brett is met with the teary-eyed brunette who quickly takes the supplies from him and sits him down in the bath while she cleans the deep gashes.

When Stacie is done she bandages him up, yet again, and sends him to get changed. The bath looks like something from a horror movie, the whole tub painted red, Stacie quickly runs the shower cleaning the blood away before she goes into the main room and sees Brett laying in the bed with his eyes close. She goes to the door but is stopped by Brett's voice, turning around she sees Brett holding his covers up inviting her to stay the night which she graciously accepts, not wanting to be alone in the dark again that night. They both soon find peace in each other's company and slip into a peaceful slumber.

The next day Brett is woken up to the sound of banging. He groans trying to sit up but hisses as his back sent pain throughout his entire body. His actions wake up Stacie who immediately tries to help him but he only replies in a simple word "Door". Stacie nods and carefully makes her way through the house seeing no sign of Mr Mitchell anywhere nor the pool of blood from Brett, she lets out a relieved sigh as she goes to answer the door. Stacie freezes on sight as soon as the face of a worried blonde is in front of her.

"Aubrey?" Stacie shouts in confusion hoping Brett heard her enough to get dressed enough to cover his bandages.

"Oh My Gosh! Stacie what happened to your head?" Aubrey reaches for Stacie's cut and inspects the well cleaned cut.

"Aubrey, I'm fine I just fell down the stairs that's all." Stacie didn't like lying to her friends but technically it wasn't lying, right?

Aubrey was about to talk to Stacie when Brett stiffly made his way down the stairs in a long-sleeved top and sweatpants. Stacie was relieved that he had heard her otherwise they were in for another awkward and painful conversation.

"Hey, Aubrey wasn't expecting to see you here."

"Oh, yeah, Chloe sent me over here to invite you guys to a party next Saturday. I tried texting you guys but it went to voicemail. I was worried and I didn't think you wanted Chloe over just in case." Aubrey spoke slowly looking between both Stacie and Brett expecting to receive an explanation for them not answering but instead Brett gave Aubrey a hug.

"Thank you, Aubrey."

"I made a promise, didn't I"

Brett stepped away from the hug and sent her a sincere and thankful smile. Before saying that they would need to check with their dad first. It took everything in both Brett's and Stacie's power not to do anything disrespectful when mentioning Warren. Brett looked at Stacie before turning to Aubrey.

"Want to go out somewhere?" This surprised the females but they quickly got over it and accepted. Brett and Stacie went upstairs to change while Aubrey remained downstairs cuddling Tex.

Once far enough away from hearing distance, Stacie turned to Brett. "What the hell Brett. You could barely get out of bed this morning now you want to go out for the day. Why?"

"Think about it, Stacie. What is more suspicious, someone who has a bruised rib being sore while walking around or someone whom she knows is being hurt refusing to see her and shoving her out the front door?" Stacie remained silent, she didn't know what to say, they both contained their own risks. She reluctantly goes to get changed before meeting Brett and Aubrey downstairs.

"Want Chloe to come with us?" Brett asked hoping any suspicion of injuries were out of the picture by acting innocent.

"Sure, let me ask her." Aubrey went outside phoning Chloe, leaving Stacie and Brett alone.

"Do you think this will work?"

"I have to, we can last for a few months. Then with the cash we saved we can have a new life." Brett promised while not completely believing it himself.

"Why are we lying to Aubrey though? I mean she wants to help us right? She would tell the cops"

"Because who would believe three kids over a well-respected member of the community and a teacher recognised for being nice and fair to all pupils?" With that Aubrey walked in with a smile on her face. The siblings immediately put on a fake smile, something they have grown used to doing.