Todd crawled over to where Michelle was. "I'm so sorry about what he did to you. I promise that he's not going to get away with it," Todd promised as he kissed her forehead.

Todd put on his sweat pants and staggered out of the room.

"Just leave it alone, stay here with me," Marty pleaded, but it was too late he was already gone.

Marty threw her clothes on as fast as she could and headed out to find Todd. She ran outside and saw that Todd had his hands wrapped around his father's throat.

"Todd, what are you doing? What happened?" She heard somebody ask as she hid.

"Stay out of it Sam. I'm going to kill him for what he did to Michelle, for what he did to me," Todd seethed.

"You don't want to do this. You don't want to kill your own father," Sam said as he gently placed his hand on Todd's shoulder.

"You will never touch me or Michelle again or I will make you wish that I killed you today," Todd said and then released the hold that he had over Peter's neck.

"You're nothing but a monster," Peter whined as he stood up.

"I'm exactly what you made me," Todd said as he punched him in the stomach and took off.

Marty stood up from the bushes as Todd headed towards the house.

"Michelle, what are you doing out here?"

"I needed to make sure that he didn't hurt you anymore."

"He's never going to hurt you or me again, I made sure of it." Todd stated.

"I have to get home, Michael should be waking up," Marty said as she kissed Todd goodbye and then headed home.

XOXOXO

When Marty got to the house, Michael wasn't there, he knew what she had done and she knew it wouldn't be good when he got home. Marty went to her room to grab the gun that Luke had given to her, but her room had been trashed and the gun was no longer in the box that she kept under the bed. Michael or Jake had the gun, there would be no way that she would be able to protect herself now.

She felt her stomach churn as she heard the front door open and close. She slowly opened her door a crack and saw Megan. She sighed with relief, but then the fear returned. Megan couldn't be here when Michael returned.

"Megan, what are you doing home from school so early?" Marty asked as she entered the living room.

"It's Friday...we get out early on Friday's. What's wrong? You're bleeding," Megan commented as she gently touched the gash on her head.
"You can't be here. You need to go to Valerie's house to play with her," Marty said.

"Valerie went camping last night. She's not home, besides I want to stay here with you."

Megan, do you want to go play hiding go seek in the basement?" Marty asked. She didn't want Megan to see him this way. She didn't want him to hurt her so she had gotten in the habit of playing this game with her so that she would be safe and hidden from his wrath.

"Sure, that sounds like a good idea," Megan responded. Megan and Marty went down to the basement.

"I'll count first. You go and hide," Marty said to Megan.

"Nope, I always hide first. I won't play unless I can count first," Megan said as she eyed the door.

Marty knew that she was running out of time. Michael was probably already in the house, looking for them. She decided that she would let Megan count and she would hide in an easy place; a place that Megan was sure to find her. Megan began to count to ten while she hid in the hope chest in the corner of the room. Megan was on eight when Marty heard the basement door open and shut. The stairs creaked and then she heard Michael.

"Megan, what are you doing? Where's Michelle?" Michael asked.

"I'm playing hide and seek with Luke. I don't know where Michelle is? I haven't seen her." Megan lied.

Marty thought about getting out of the hope chest but then Michael would know that Megan had lied to him so she stayed put hoping that he would believe her and leave.

"You're lying to me. Luke knows better than to return to this house. So I'm going to ask this one more time. Megan where is Michelle?" Michael asked.

Marty peeked through the hole in the opening and saw Michael waving his gun around like a lunatic.

"I'm right here, Michael. Leave Megan alone, she didn't do anything," she said as she opened up the hope chest and got out.

"There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you. I thought it would be a fitting time of year to give us our freedom from this cursed life. You and I are cursed individuals. I'm cursed because of who I am deep down inside. I've tried to change, but I can't. There's no salvation for me. You're cursed because of the way you were conceived. I passed my hatred and anger onto you. I'm going to be merciful and end your life now before you become anything like me."

"What are you talking about? You can't kill her dad. Just put down the gun," Megan pleaded with him.

Marty stared into his eyes, they were cold, hard and unfeeling and she knew that Megan's pleas would not help her. He wasn't going to change his mind and she would die.

"Megan, it's no use. Go upstairs and lock yourself in the bathroom. Call the police and wait for them to come," Marty pleaded but Megan didn't move.

"I'm not leaving you with him."

"Fine with me, you can stay here and watch as I kill Michelle and myself," Michael said as he pointed the gun at Marty.

Michael didn't pull the trigger. He just stood there pointing the gun at her. Michael's eyes had changed. Before Marty had only seen coldness and hatred, but now there seemed to be a sadness and uncertainty. "I can't do it. I can't kill you," Michael finally said as he begun to lower the gun but it had been too late. Megan had already jumped on his back to try and get the gun out of his hand. Michael was older and tougher and Megan was no match for him by herself so Marty leaped at Michael.

Megan had fallen on the ground in the struggle. Marty had her hand on the gun and she tried to take it out of Michael's hand when it went off. Michael dropped the gun and went upstairs.

Marty went over to Megan and cradled her in her arms. She placed her hand over her wound to try to keep the blood from coming out, but it was no use, it was everywhere. "Michael's getting help," she whispered to Megan. She was certain that Michael had gone upstairs to call the police. Minutes passed by and Michael still hadn't come back. She knew that she had to get to a phone and call for help. "I'll be right back. I'm just going to go grab the phone," She said to Megan.

"Don't leave me. I don't want to be alone. It hurts so bad," Megan said.

"I know it hurts. That's why I have to go and get you some help," Marty said as she lowered Megan to the ground and headed up the stairs.

Marty grabbed the phone and dialed 911 as she headed back down the stairs. She told the operator that there had been a shooting and that she needed medical assistance. Megan's eyes were shut and she was cold. She felt for a pulse but there was nothing and she knew that it was too late and that Megan had died all alone.