I sat quiet at a table outside a Starbucks, playing with a now empty pastry bag. I shivered as a cool breeze ran over me, reminding me of Slender's cold presence. He wasn't here. I knew he wasn't watching me. He wasn't waiting for me somewhere. No, he was waiting for Madeline. He was watching Bronte. He was haunting them now. That was even worse. I gazed quietly into my mocha, watching the steam rise into the crisp morning air. What the hell was I doing? My friends are in danger, and I'm sitting here sipping a mocha?!

But then, what could I do? I was useless. Like the hopped checker, put off to the side of the board while the game goes on. I was nothing now.

Traffic drove by and people bustled in and out of the coffee shop. I stood to throw away my trash, returning to my seat and pulling out my phone. A text message popped up a few seconds later, the sender number blocked.

I see you, Juno.

I squeaked and glanced around. Was this another freak move by Slender? There was no static...

A gunshot sounded, and the glass window behind me shattered. I screamed and ran, swallowed by the crowd around me that did the same. I ran to my car, but found it with a hole slashed in each tire. I looked back over my shoulder desperately. People were still running. They were all heading to the safety of their cars.

"Boo."

I yelped and whipped my head around. A guy stood in front of me, on the other side of my car. He had a gun in his hand, his arms resting comfortably on the roof of my car. But I couldn't see his face. It was covered by a mask. Bright white and gleaming in the sunlight, with red running from a hole in the forehead. I turned and ran, diving into the bushes and trees that lined the parking lot in an effort to obscure my figure and avoid getting shot.

A shot rang out and I threw my arms over my head as the branch of a tree next to me popped and gun smoke began to float past me. I pulled myself up and ran again, no idea where I was going. My head was suddenly yanked back as the guy grabbed my hair and I felt pressure on the small of my back.

"You just keep getting in the way."

I thrashed wildly, screaming for help, but they guy clapped a hand over my mouth.

"Oh, shut up."

I felt the gun press harder into my back and tears sprang into my eyes. I thought I knew fear when Slender held me, the fear I felt now was so much worse. I acted ion instinct, biting my teeth hard into his hand and jamming my elbow into his side. He grunted and flung me away from him, yanking out a tuft of hair in the process. A shot sounded and my leg erupted into pain. I looked down to see a blossom of blood on my right thigh.

I heard the gun cock again and shut my eyes tight, sobbing violently.

A horrible, guttural noise echoed and a sound like a punch was followed by the thud of a body hitting the ground. I opened my eyes to see the guy in the mask trying desperately to scramble to his feet. He held his neck and spat out blood before he turned and ran off.

Something thudded on the ground next to me and I glanced over to see my phone. I dialed my dad's number, trying to still the sobs as blood ran down my legs rapidly.

"Hey, kiddo..."

"Dad...? I've been shot."

"What?"

"Some guy... Had a gun, he..."

"Call an ambulance, I'm on my way."

As painful as I knew it was for him, he hung up on me. I swallowed my own pain and dialed for an ambulance, and soon heard an engine pull up. The paramedics loaded me up into the back and took me to the hospital.

I either passed out, or they put me under, because when I woke up, my dad was sitting at the side of my bed, his head resting on his arms on the bed. I looked down at my leg, it was wrapped in a bandage and an IV was stuck into the back of my wrist. I put my hand on my dad's head, and he slowly woke up and looked at me.

"Hey, stranger." I said.

My dad smiled at me a tiny bit, his eyes misty. I bit my tongue, trying to keep myself from crying. My dad sat next to me and pulled me close for a tight hug. He shuddered a bit, and I broke down, sobbing and burying my face in his shirt.

I heard a slight rustle from the hallway and glanced up to see my mom and James standing in the hallway with worried faces. My mom slowly made her way towards me, but James hung back in the hall. Must be at least a little awkward for him, I suppose. My mom sat at the foot of my bed, her lip quivering as she eyed my leg.

A nurse poked her head in.

"Um, I have some paper work here..." She glanced back and forth between my mom and my dad. My mom made as if to stand, but my dad was on his feet first.

"I'm her legal guardian." He stated simply.

My mom's face fell and my dad followed the nurse out of my room. My mom sat back down and looked at me.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

James came in and put a hand on my mom's shoulder gently.

Then I noticed the bruising on his neck and the caked blood in the corners of his mouth.

Author's Note: Dun, dun, duuuuuuuuuun! :O *le gasp* haha, so I realize all this crap maaaaay seem random, like I'm making this story up as I go, I promise that is not what is happening, everying WILL make sense I promise you ;) I just like having a few twists and turns in the road :3

I never technically said outright 'Juno is the proxy.' did I? :) she just came to that conclusion herself. You all get cookies! :D *loads catapult full of cookies and aims it at you*