Lord, Bless our enemies; have mercy upon them, may they turn their course and let us alone, and let us live in peace at our homes in our own native land.
William Pennington

Merci didn't move from the over the side of her bedroom door. She was both scared and amused by Spencer's words. He cared about her. She was just annoyed at the idea of him not trusting her. Dez was harmless and he already knew everything. Merci knew better then to trust everybody. She fell onto the bed and into a restless sleep.

"You got rid of my baby!" Vanessa screamed, holding a cold gun to Merci's head. "You told me you understood!"

"No, I didn't," Merci whispered. "I said I understood the principal."

"You owe me my baby bitch! I let you live!"

"The baby wasn't yours, Vanessa. I can't have a baby. I'm supposed to be a doctor, not your living incubator."

Vanessa cocked the safety back and Merci screamed as the gun boomed.

"Merci, wake up!" Spencer shook Merci. "M.J.!"

Merci gasped and sat up, desperate for air. "NO! I DON'T KILL ME!"

Spencer wrapped her in a hug. "It's okay. Sh. It's okay. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you."

She put her head on his shoulder. "I know that they dropped the charges," she whispered slowly.

Spencer didn't know what to say to that. "I'm not going to let them hurt you, Merci. You're safe."

---

"God, M.J., you look like you've been through hell. When did you sleep last?"

"Last night, kinda. The nightmares won't stop."

Dez handed Merci an iced coffee. "You look like you need this."

She took it and took a slip. "My personal savior."

"Who, me or the coffee?" Dez asked.

"The coffee," she said with a laugh and another sip. "Yummy. How'd you know I liked chocolate mint?" Before Dez could reply, Merci heard a whisper.

"Did you hear about M.J. Reid?"

"Yeah, I heard she's a piece of work. Something about getting pregnant by a twenty-seven year old. Dez was nice enough to take her to a clinic."

Merci stared at Dez, mouth in a thin line. "I trusted you." She stood, dumped the drink on his head and walked out of the school.

Twenty minutes later, Dez found Merci walking to God-knows-where. "M.J., talk to me."

The girl threw his arm off her shoulder. "Go away, Desmond."

"Come on, M.J. I'm sorry. It just came out. I'm sorry." He grabbed her shoulder again. "Just listen."

She tried moving but his grip was tighter. "Let go of me, Desmond."

"Stop and listen, M.J.," he replied. "I'm protecting you. I'm a source around here. Some sought be out, looking for you. I think it was Blake."

Merci hadn't told him Blake's name. She suddenly felt light headed. "What are you trying to do to me?"

He forced her to face him. "DAMN IT, MERCI! I'M TRYING TO HELP YOU!"

Merci felt a prick on her side and blacked out in Dez's arms.

---

Spencer's cell vibrated that night and he answered it before it started ringing. "Merci?"

"No, this is Petria Alberti. Is M.J. missing?"

"Pete, thank goodness." Under normal circumstances, he would have been nervous while talking to the high school guidance counselor. Right now all he wanted was information. "Have you seen Merci today?"

"This morning she was in the cafeteria with Dez, but when I called her to my office once class started, I was told she wasn't here. I called in Dez and asked him if he knew anything, but he shook his head. They had a fight and she walked off."

Spencer's phone beeped in another call. "I have to go. That might be her." He answered the second call. "Merci?"

"I wish," Garcia replied. "I have some information on M.J.'s boyfriend. He's eighteen, born in Nevada and has a strong juvenile record. He's been in and out of foster homes all over the country until his mom got clean and married Merci's gym teacher."

"What about his father?"

"Prison. Kidnapping." Garcia paused for a moment. "Oh no. My poor M.J."

"What is it?"

"Vanessa's last name was Chester before she married Blake. Dez is her younger brother. Kidnapping runs in the family."

I am mean to my OC. If she was real, she'd hate me.