"That'll teach you"

I just stared at the wall in front of me as I heard him zip up his jeans. He gave me a quick kick to the back before laughing nastily and leaving the room. The tears began to drip off my face as I heard the door lock once again.

This was one of the reasons I had run away. He'd been doing…that, since I was about fifteen. I think mum knew but she never cared. No one ever did. So here I was once again. Just lying on the floor, alone. Crying as usual. I'm so stupid. So fucking useless.

I can't do anything right.

I sobbed softly to myself as I attempted to sit up. Everything hurt, again. He didn't just rape me, he bet me up. New bruises to add to the collection I guess. It was bad enough having mum beat me up but dad as well. I guess I did deserve it though. It was only when I managed to take a small breath that I remembered I wasn't the most important person in the room just now.

"Alice…" I mumbled softly, staying in my position on the floor. I would move if I could, but I really couldn't. several more tears dripped down my cheeks as I tried to silence my sobs. They really would come back in here for round two if they heard me crying. I hate them. I hate them so fucking much.

************************************************** *******************

After about an hour of crying no more tears would spill. I was just left to pant and retch. I couldn't breath, the only thing I could do was attempt to keep myself alive. Try to stay calm. Id done it before. Id be fine…maybe. They had never beaten me this badly before. I really was certain I was going to die in that room.

The thing that worried me most wasn't if I was going to live or not. If I died, no one would care. Maybe, just maybe Phil would. That is if he ever found out. I doubt mum and dad would exactly be bragging to the news they'd killed their son. But no, I wasn't worried about me. It was Alice I was worried about. Id been sitting here for an hour and she hadn't made a single noise. I was absolutely terrified id look into her crib and see the blooded remains of her body.

I had to see her.

I fresh wave of sobs erupted from me as I tried to stand up. He had done something to my wrist, I couldn't put any weight on it. I somehow managed to get to feet shakily and make my way over to her crib. A wave of relief washed over me when I saw there was in fact no blood. She was fine. Or maybe she wasn't. I didn't know really. The only thing I could tell was that she was still breathing. I bit my lip harshly as I watched her tiny chest rise and fall.

I leaned over slowly, gently picking her up into my arms. As soon as I touched her she started to scream. It was so obvious he'd traumatized her. Who the fuck throws a little baby around like that? I really, really hate him.

"Shh. Alice. It's okay. It's me, it's Dan. You're okay now"

She whimpered softly, big fat tears rolling down her cheeks.

We couldn't stay here.

What about if I really did die? They would move onto her. Beat her, rape her. Fuck, they'd do everything they could to make her life hell. I couldn't let them. I wouldn't.

I needed to get us out of here.

But how?

************************************************** *******************

The routine went on like this. Both Alice and I being locked in her room all day. Dad would come in everyday and do something that served as punishment. He'd hit me then threaten to hit Alice then hit me some more. Just the usual. He'd also do…those, things to me. He's push me face down onto the floor and smirk as I screamed. He'd tell me he was going to do this to Alice one day. That's he'd kill me and then I wouldn't be able to protect her. Mum would come in after that and shove some food at me and bottle for Alice. She'd tell me 'you like her more than we do. You feed her, faggot'. I guess she really was like my daughter now. I mean, I was the only one pretty much keeping her alive. The only good thing about that room was it had a balcony. They either didn't think id be able to move enough to actually open the doors or they just didn't lock them because this room was on the second floor.

Id sit outside with Alice wrapped up in a blanket in my arms. Of course, I only did this at night. There was something about just staring up at the stars that calmed me down after their daily torments. It was hard enough with them beating me black and blue everyday. But with having to basically raise Alice as well, it really took it out of me.

I saw the stars as my own little escape. Just being able to stare up at those beautiful little twinkling lights in the sky. There was one bad thing about the stars though. They brought back memories. I memories I knew I had to forget. Id never see him again, thinking of him only made it harder.

Phil and I would often sit outside at night at look up at the stars together. Just laying in each others arms and looking up at the breath taking sight. I really was never going to see him again was I? it hurt like hell. Hurt like hell to know I might have actually been happy with him but my stupid parents had to ruin everything. And for what? So they could have their little toy back?

I closed my eyes, sighing softly too myself as I held Alice tighter in my arms. She began to squirm in my arms, whimpering quietly. Looks like id woken her up.

"Oh, Alice. I'm sorry. I'm sorry baby. I didn't mean to wake you up"

She quietened down a bit as she looked up at me. He big brown eyes gazing at me innocently.

"If only you knew Alice. If only you knew what dad was doing to me. What he'll do to you…I just" tears began to drip down my face. Crying seemed to be a daily occurrence now. "Just…fuck. What am I supposed to do Alice?"

"You could run away with me?"

I couldn't even hold back a gasp as I heard his voice. My eyes snapped from Alice to where Phil stood in the garden.

"Phil? What the hell are you doing here!?" I rushed out as I stumbled over to the balcony's edge holding Alice close to my chest.

"Oh, fuck. Dan, are you okay? What did they do to you?"

It took me a moment to get over the fact that Phil had actually just sworn. His words suddenly made sense to me as I remembered both my arms and face were bruised pretty badly. I'm pretty sure there was still some dried blood by my nose.

"It's…it's nothing" I bit my lip, glancing from Alice to Phil and back. "You can't be here"

"And why not. I came to save you from them. They showed your house on the news the other day and amazingly I actually knew where this place was" he paused for a moment "…Why are they saying all these lies about you? They said you were mentally unstable"

"I'm not. Believe me I am not mentalally unstable. If anyone is it's my fucking parents"

"Dan…"

"No…get out of here. They'll see you…they'll kill you. Please, just go"

"No way" he stepped forward, a determined look in his eyes "I am not leaving you here. I'm not leaving without you and Alice"

"How the hell am I supposed to get down, fly?"

He looked around the garden, his eyes wide as he searched through the darkness around him for something to help. "Dan. Your parents are idiots. Look, there's a ladder here"

"Okay…but how am I supposed to get down with Alice?"

"You can do it, I know you can" he said, grabbing the ladder and firmly placing it against the wall of the balcony. "Just hold her tightly and climb, I'll hold it so you won't fall"

I reluctantly nodded and placed one foot on the ladder. It shook, making me cling to the metal desperately. True to his word, Phil held it as still as he could, looking up at me as if she was ready to catch me if I really did fall.

As soon as my feet touched the ground Phil's arms were around me tightly. "I'm so sorry" he mumbled, placing several small kisses over my face then pressing a single small kiss to Alice's forehead.

"Come on, let's go"