Regular sonic fan: I know, right? It's like why can't Esp just tell the truth already?! Oh well, that sly croc will find a way to get the truth out of him eventually, I bet. And aw, you are so welcome! :) You're such an awesome friend to me, you have no idea! Thanks for telling me to take it one day at a time. I think that's the perfect advice for me right now. Not having secrets is a great feeling. *hugs you*

andypandy123: I actually have no idea how expensive tickets are. xD I honestly don't think that I'm going to be going anywhere anytime soon just because I'm so tired all of the time and I want to spend as much time here at home with my parents as I have left just in case, you know? Recovery is hard and regardless of what happens, I want the comfort of home. I don't blame you for going back to bed after you read all of that. :P I go back to bed all of the time just because I feel like it, haha. The crazy plot sounds cool! The crazier, the better in my opinion. xD I have so many favorite Sonic pairings too. What are a few of your favorites? And I can understand why you're excited for school. I was always home-schooled and never really had friends through school, so yeah.

Savvy0417: Thanks so much! *hugs tightly* I'm glad to hear that I'm not alone no matter how hard things get. :)

Spiiiii:Come on and flirt back, Esp! You know that you want to. And hehe, who wouldn't be ogling Espio? :P I'm sorry that you get shaky. I get shaky when I get scared/nervous, so I know the feeling sadly. *nods* Your first day sounds like it could've gone better. I wish that I could've gone with you. We could've had fun together at least, you know? Ah, I love all of those pairings so much! Remember my hint of KnucklesxEspio in this? Well, I don't think that I'll ever get to making an RP account, but I'll let you know if I do. *is extremely lazy over here* I know what you mean about being a nobody. I've always been a nobody, but hey, we're here for each other, right? *hugs*

FullyEroded: Aw, thanks! I'm really glad that you liked the chapter so much. Thanks for understanding about my nosiness. I care about you a lot too! *huggles tightly* I've actually just had a really hard day, but I feel better knowing how much you care. If there's ever anything that I can do to help you, let me know, okay? Thanks for the kind review!

TheMidnightShadow: Wow, that's really too bad about your father. I'm so sorry that he cheated on your mother. I guess that I should be very grateful that my parents have never been involved in infidelity. That's about how long it took for my leg to heal too. *nods* And yeah...isn't it weird how sometimes we don't really enjoy things even if we're good at them?

Guest: I agree that Vector will definitely manage to get the truth out of Espio at some point or the other! I'm really glad to hear how much you liked the last chapter. Hope you like this one too! And thanks for the comfort, btw. I guess you're right that fear can enhance in the mind. Maybe I'm just making too big of a deal of things. It's just that I still lost weight despite trying to eat and that's kind of depressing. :S

Villains' Bad Girl: Thanks. xD I guess that I can be pretty persuasive at times. And I know, right? She's super adorable. I get her next week sometime. Want me to email you pics? I think that they really do care. It's just...hard at this point.

Saints-Fan-12: Same here, I never feel like sleeping if I'm sick either. It's just like...you can't sleep almost, you know? Thanks for commenting!

Stormyx: Of course I enjoy your reviews! They always make my day! *hugs you back* I don't know what I would do with myself if I didn't have friends on here to talk with! An eating disorder is nothing like a cold. It's more like a cancer in my opinion. And what I hate most is when people just tell you to eat more to get better. It's not that easy, geez. =/ Yeah, Mike is annoying. I couldn't feel sorry for him. :P Take your time with reading the other story. I don't review respond on that one, so I prefer if you read this one anyway. Oh god, yeah, I'm a Scourge fangirl! All hail to the king, baby! Lol, sorry, you won't recognize that line unless you've read the comics, but yeah, I love Scourge the most out of all of the Sonic characters. Who's your fav? Surprisingly enough, this story does get a relatively happy ending, which is weird for me. I really do think (or hope *crosses fingers*) that you will like the ending! Wow, that's actually really awesome that school wasn't as bad as you thought that it would be! That's great! I'm sorry that you got too many hugs though. :( I hate that claustrophobic feeling! And yeah, same thoughts here about SOPA! Thanks for reviewing!

bearvalley3365: I agree with you that Espio should tell Vector the truth! Nothing good ever comes with lying, you know? Thank you for the support. I have been praying a bit and I do feel braver now. Whatever happens is God's plan, you know?

Ersiffa Narman: Hello! Aw, it's just so nice to know that you guys all have my back as long as I'm still around! *returns the Charmy death hug* We'll be friends until the end, right? :) I'm feeling more at peace with the situation today, you know? How was your day? That's awesome about how you want to remaster songs for your career someday!

Mysterious: Yeah, you guys are my only friends, but you're the very best of friends that anyone could hope for! *hugs you* And aw, that would be sweet if Danielle wanted to review this! Thanks for liking the chapter!


Chapter XXIX

~ Espio's POV ~

The three of us slowly make our way back to the picnic blanket, neither of us particularly in a hurry on this lazy afternoon. Once we reach the picnic blanket, I carefully sit down against the tree and tuck my legs neatly underneath me. Luckily, my fall wasn't too hard and I wasn't injured. The only things that I do have are a few bruises and sore muscles. Then again, when are my muscles not sore? With Team Chaotix having me lug around heavy jewel detectors and breaking into stores, it'll be a miracle if I ever recover fully.

"I'm beat!" Vector exclaims, plopping down on the ground extremely close to me. He seems to take a long sniff before adding, "Think I'm gonna take a nap."

With that said, Vector leans on the trunk of the tree inches from me, still breathing deeply. I sniff the air, but don't smell anything other than my own sweaty body. Hoping that Vector isn't smelling me, I shift uncomfortably and lean away from him slightly as I pluck up my book and flip it open to a random page, asking Charmy, "What are you going to do now, Charmy? I think that I'll read for a bit."

"Uh, I'm not sure," Charmy replies, shrugging his little shoulders. He scans the park for a few seconds before his eyes suddenly light up and he exclaims, "Oh look! There's Cream!"

Glancing up from my book, I notice that the young cream-colored rabbit with large brown eyes has indeed entered the park. Smiling at Charmy's enthusiasm, I return to my book and murmur, "You may go play with her if you want. I'll just be here reading and it doesn't look like Vector is going anywhere anytime soon."

Charmy glances down at the snoring crocodile propped up against the tree by my side and giggles, "Yeah, I think that you're right. See you in a while, Espio!"

I watch the little bee fly off to greet his friend. The two of them chat animatedly for a few minutes before running and flying off into the distance. An absentminded smile crosses my lips as the two become little specks in the distance. The friendship between Cream and Charmy is so innocent and uncomplicated. If only all friendships could be like that. The only easy relationship that I've ever had in my life is the relationship between Charmy and myself. With my mother and grandmother, things were always complicated. Things with Bryce were downright abusive. I had hoped that things between Vector and myself would stay black and white, but it seems as if things are slowly turning gray.

Thinking about Vector causes me to turn and watch the sleeping crocodile snoring loudly from next to me. I watch his hard, scaly chest rise and fall. His tail flicks restlessly from side to side as he sleeps. I wonder if he's dreaming about something. If so, what are his fantasies full of? Vanilla perhaps?

Typically, I can concentrate on reading despite noise surrounding me. Not today though. Vector's snores are enough to keep my head on anything but the text that I'm trying to read. I read the same line over three times in a row and still don't know what it says. Sighing, I set the book aside and decide to think things through.

The most pressing matter on my mind is the question of whether or not I should tell Vector about Bryce. It used to be so easy to lie to Vector about my cousin. Excuses would naturally pour out of my mouth to avert the large reptile from the truth. Now, things seems to be changing. I can't lie to Vector like I used to be able to do without a second thought. Even though I know it's for the good of everyone, I can't meet Vector's concerned vermilion eyes and tell him that I haven't been hurt in the past.

I shift agitatedly against the tree, weighing the consequences of telling Vector about Bryce. If I don't tell him, Vector will continue pressing me on the matter. He's a very pushy crocodile and I know that he's not going to let this go until I tell him about Bryce at some point. Also, if I continue to keep this secret from my friend, I'll continue to feel guilty and almost awkward around Vector. I've always had a very strong sense of right and wrong. Clearly, lying is wrong.

On the other hand, what if I do happen to choose to tell Vector about the red-eyed chameleon? I will never tell anyone about being raped because that is far too humiliating to even admit to myself, but I could just give Vector the brief overview of what happened between my cousin and myself. Vector will listen and hopefully understand. I will no longer have to suppress the guilt of lying to him somewhere within me and I'll finally have a heavy weight lifted off of my shoulders. As selfish as it seems, I do want to tell someone about what happened. I don't feel as if I can ever get past the pain all by myself. I need Vector to help me through it. He's helped me quite a bit already. I've been less depressed and have actually had fun in the last few days.

I spend the rest of the afternoon thinking about which decision to make. Finally, I decide on telling Vector the truth. I'm not exactly sure when the matter will come up next, but if Charmy is absent, I will take a chance and tell Vector the truth. As soon as my decision is made, I feel happier. It's as if an unknown spirit is telling me that I'm making the right choice.

Seeing that the sky is starting to darken, I scan the horizon for Charmy and Cream. Instead, I find myself looking at a larger version of Cream wearing a long dress and holding several beautiful flowers in her hands. I accidentally catch Vanilla's eye. She smiles and starts over toward me.

"Hello, Espio," Vanilla greets me politely in her kind, motherly voice. She stops directly in front of the tree that Vector and I are leaning against and murmurs, "It was a lovely day today, wasn't it?"

"Indeed it was," I agree evenly. "I'd say that Vector would say so too considering the fact that he's been sleeping for the last three hours."

Vanilla laughs a delicate laugh and murmurs, "I brought him some flowers, but I suppose that I shouldn't wake him since he's sleeping. Perhaps you could give them to him when he wakes?"

Startled, I blink rapidly twice in a row as I glance from the flowers in Vanilla's hand to the sleeping crocodile next to me. I would never have guessed that the quiet, reserved rabbit picked flowers for loud, boisterous Vector! Perhaps their relationship has more potential than I realized.

Before I can reply to Vanilla, Vector suddenly jerks up and looks around sleepily. His gaze slides right past Vanilla and me before he suddenly whips his eyes back to Vanilla. Rapidly trying to compose himself, Vector sits up straight, adjusts the heavy golden chain around his neck, and gives Vanilla a dashing smile as he says, "Fine afternoon, isn't it, ma'am?"

"Yes," Vanilla nods, a smile lighting up her delicate features as Vector sends her one of his nicest smiles. She leans down and blushes slightly as she presents him with the flowers, murmuring, "I picked these for you. Perhaps you can put them in a vase in your home?"

I know that Vector typically would care less about decorating his messy apartment room, but flowers from Miss Vanilla are not a usual thing. Looking flattered, Vector reaches out and takes the bouquet from Vanilla before reaching out and tucking one of the flowers behind her ear, murmuring in a husky voice, "Thank you very much, ma'am. I'll put 'em in a vase on my nightstand and think of yeh every time I look at 'em!"

Vanilla beams and replies, "I'm very glad that you like them."

There's a pause during which I can practically see the wheels in Vector's head spinning around in circles. Looking up at Vanilla, he asks, "How would ya like to go to the beach with me on Saturday?"

"I would love that, Vector," Vanilla replies in her calm voice although I can tell from the sparkle in her eyes that she's excited for the date. "The beach is one of my favorite places to go! I suppose that I'd better go collect Cream. I will see you at the beach on Saturday! Goodbye, you two."

"Bye, Miss Vanilla!" Vector replies, waving vehemently at Vanilla as she takes a step backward. "Thanks again fer the flowers!"

As I glance between Vector and Vanilla, I suddenly realize how idiotic it was of me to think that Vector may have been flirting with me earlier. Of course he wasn't. Vector is in love with Vanilla, a beautiful female rabbit. It was silly of me to even consider the possibility that Vector might see something in a worthless, scarred chameleon.

"She sure is somethin', isn't she?" Vector asks me as Vanilla disappears from view.

"Vanilla seems very nice, yes," I reply, not sure whether to be relieved or not about realizing that Vector had not been making any moves on me earlier. He's just the touchy-feely type. Some people are like that by nature. I need to stop overreacting to every little thing.

Luckily, Charmy saves me from having to hear more about Vanilla. He flies up to us slowly, eyes droopy. Not bothering to conceal a yawn, he tells us, "I'm tired."

"I can see that, Charmy," I reply with an amused smile. "Perhaps it's time for us to start packing up."

I force myself to my feet and start meticulously folding up the picnic blanket. Vector stares off into the distance, being extremely unhelpful as he daydreams. Charmy is also too tired to give me a hand and so I clean up the entire area by myself. I don't complain, but once everything is packed, I hold the woven basket out for Vector to carry. Vector takes it without comment and the three of us start back to my home.

By the time that we reach the cozy little house, it's dark outside and all three of us are tired. I slowly take out my key from inside of my glove and unlock the door. The three of us spill inside of my home. I take the basket back to Vector and start to the kitchen, explaining, "I'll go put these things away now."

Vector and Charmy drop into chairs surrounding the kitchen table. I roll my eyes at them and enter the kitchen. To my surprise, a frozen pizza box is sitting out on the counter. Frowning, I open up the box and note that the pizza is certainly not frozen at this point Wondering how the pizza got from the freezer to the counter, I return to the kitchen table and ask my two fatigued teammates, "Do either of you know anything about the pizza box sitting out on the counter?"

Vector gives me a blank look before he suddenly looks guilty and admits, "Er...yeah. I put it there. I thought that we might get home late from the park and need somethin' ta eat."

I'll admit that I'm just a bit hungry, but I'd be surprised if Vector and Charmy are hungry again after their large meal from earlier. Raising an eyebrow at them, I ask, "Do you want to eat now?"

"Sure!" Vector nods immediately before turning to the little bee and asking, "What do you think, Charm?"

"There's always room for pizza!" Charmy echoes Vector, no longer looking so tired.

"Alright then," I sigh, shaking my head incredulously. "I'll go get us some pizza."

I return to the kitchen and whip out some plates and napkins as quickly as I can. Even though the pizza is no longer frozen, it appears slightly soggy. I put a few slices on three plates and take turns heating them up in the microwave. Afterward, I fill three glasses with water since there is no way that I'm letting Charmy have soda after all of the treats that he devoured earlier, no thanks to Vector's encouragement. Pizza, napkins, and glasses in my arms, I return to the table.

"Thanks, Esp," Vector says as he takes his plate of pizza from my outstretched hand and immediately starts gobbling his slices down.

I perch on a chair between Charmy and Vector and eat my pizza slowly. The three of us aren't very talkative tonight due to the fact that it's been a long day and we're all rather tired. Suddenly, completely out of the blue, Vector looks over and asks me, "Do ya still wear makeup, Esp?"

I practically choke on my water and ask in shock, "What?"

Charmy, who's been half-asleep during this whole conversation, suddenly perks up. I have no idea what Vector is talking about, but I'm getting a very bad feeling about this. Vector blinks at me and adds reasonably, "It's nothin' to be ashamed off. I just happened to see ya wearin' makeup in a picture and so-"

"Espio was wearing makeup?!" Charmy cuts in, eyes as wide as saucers.

Suddenly, everything falls into place. There's only one picture of me wearing makeup. It's a photograph that I keep hidden in my drawer away from prying eyes. Embarrassment and anger ripples through my body. Sending Vector a deadly glare, I state in a dangerous voice, "You went through all of my drawers, didn't you?"

"I...uh..." Vector stammers, not at all a good liar.

"Why were you wearing makeup?" Charmy asks, still staring at me as if I'm from another planet.

I glance between the crocodile and the bee and really just can't take this anymore. Trying to keep my cool, I stand up abruptly from the table and state, "I will be right back."

Before anyone can stop me, I slip out of the room and into my bedroom. I close the door firmly behind myself and go straight to my drawer. I take the old photograph out of it and retreat to my bed. Leaning up against the pillow, I glance at the picture, old memories flooding through my head. The bedroom disappears and I'm suddenly somewhere very different.

I'm lying on the bed as usual, but this time I'm asleep when I feel something caress my eyelids. After a long night of brutal fucking, my limbs are as useful as jelly and pain spasms throughout my entire body. However, I manage to open my eyes just a crack to see what Bryce is doing to me. To my surprise, he has a set of fake eyelashes and a container of eyeshadow next to him. It appears as if he's in the process of putting these awful things on me.

Annoyed, I immediately try to turn away and inch my beaten body away from the black chameleon. A tight hand grabs my throat and smashes me back down against the bed. I'm forced to stare up at Bryce through a veil of red as he chokes me, muttering, "I treat you pretty damn well, Espio. Can't you just cooperate with me for once?"

I can't breathe. Bryce's face is starting to swim in and out of focus. Strangely enough, I find that I do not fear death. In fact, I welcome it with open arms. If Bryce suffocates me here and now, I will never have to put up with his abuse ever again. I close my eyes and wait for the eternal peace that I desire so much.

...It doesn't come. Instead, Bryce releases my throat at the last moment and asks, "Are you going to behave now, slave?"

I don't answer, but don't make any more moves to resist my cousin as he finishes decorating me just the way he wants to. When he's done, Bryce steps back from the bed and looks at my broken body lying limply on the bed. It's been weeks since he first started abusing me. I can't take much more of this.

"Nice," Bryce smirks, grabbing my arm roughly and pulling me off of the bed and onto the floor. "Just the effect that I was looking for."

As soon as I'm on the floor, my knees give way and I fall to the ground. My cheeks flush at how weak my body is and I try to get back up to my feet. Bryce's rough hands shove my shoulders back down and he grabs my head, pulling it toward his crotch as he murmurs maliciously, "No, just stay down there and put yourself to use."

My pulse quickens as I suddenly realize what Bryce wants me to do. Gazing up at him with wide, eyes, I stammer in a croaking voice, "You...you can't really mean this..."

Bryce has done unthinkable things to me, but he's never forced me to do anything this degrading before. Unfortunately, I soon find out that he is being serious.

"'Course I'm serious. What do you think? That I'm joking with you?" Bryce asks, grabbing the horn on my head, which is surprisingly sensitive, and forcing my head back down as he replies, "Just be grateful that I haven't invited my gang over and let them take turns with you yet. Now be a good little whore, Espio. That's all you are - my pretty little slut. Now suck it."

I have no choice. I'm too weak to fight, too emotionally beat to resist. Taking a shuddering breath, I lean forward and part my lips...

Creak! The door to my bedroom opens, sending the vivid memory flying out of my head. I find myself on my very own bed again, staring at the picture in my lap. I know without having to look that it's Vector in the doorway. Heavy footsteps sound from behind me.

Suddenly, a comforting hand is placed on my shoulder and Vector says hesitantly, "Look, Esp, I know that yer hidin' something. Yeh probably think I'm just a nosy 'ol croc by now, but that ain't true. I care fer ya and I gotta know what's going on. Please tell me. I'm here ta listen."


Do you think that Espio will tell Vector what happened to him in the next chapter? Review please! :)