Next chapter, OMG IT'S NEARLY THE END.

I know, this is strange, it's me and a long chapter (kinda), I'm going to admit, the longer chapters don't have much to do with me, I just write them, the fact that they are longer is all down to Hazierox, whom I am co-writing a story with(link in profile), she makes me write longer chapters, because of the co-writing, and her chapters are long, so if mine weren't long it would look odd, and I'm officially used to writing longer chapters.

Seriously though, The Cobra, the co-written story with Hazierox, go read it, the link actually is in my profile, cos I literally just put it there.

"Are you ok?" Taylor asked me for what must have been the tenth time that hour, "Don't say yes,"

"I'm fine," I replied, "I promise,"

"I told Troy you were here, is that ok?" she told me, explaining after noticing the confused look on my face, "Your parent's called him, they know you're gone, they'll call here soon,"

"It's ok that he knows," I answered, staring off into space, deciding to ignore everything else she had said.

"My mom will tell them you're here you know," she pointed out, "she won't lie to your parents about you, they'll be worried,"

"They don't care," I insisted, "Not since they got Ellie,"

"They do care, Gab," Taylor exclaimed, "your mom does at least,"

"She didn't defend me," I argued, "she let him say all of that stuff, about how I'm a screw up, how I'm always in trouble, neither of them care,"

"If they didn't care," Taylor began, "Why are they calling round trying to find out where you are?"

"If they cared," I retorted, "They'd have called here after Troy's because they'd know that this is the only other place I'd come, they haven't called here yet, they don't know me, they don't care,"

"Ok," Taylor sighed, feigning agreement in an attempt to play along, she didn't believe me, her parents cared about her, her sister and her brother, it'd be harder for her to even think that there were parents who didn't care what happened to their children.

We both looked up as the phone rang aloud through the house. I squeezed my eyes shut when it stopped, knowing that it had been answered even as I begged silently that it would be ignored.

The muffled voice of my friends mother drifted up, but it was impossible to make out what she was saying as she spoke.

The talking stopped abruptly after a few minutes, I heard the sound of footsteps as someone came up the stairs, jumping slightly when the door opened and I snapped my eyes open, noticing my friend watching me with a look of concern. I turned, looking up to face of her mother.

"You're mom's worried about you," she told me, "Taylor said your parent's knew you were here,"

"Mom," Taylor spoke, "If I'd have told you they didn't know, you'd never have let her come,"

"Of course I wouldn't have," her mother replied, "Gabriella, your father is on his way here, but, as I've told them, I'm not going to make you leave, I said you could stay as long as you need and I'm sticking with that, but you're going to talk to him, they were both worried,"

"I'm sorry," I apologised, "I know that I shouldn't have done this, but they don't care,"

"They do," Mrs. McKessie assured, "I know it doesn't seem like it all the time, considering all the run ins that I had with my parents, but they do care,"

"He doesn't know me," I pointed out sadly, "He doesn't know my GPA, he doesn't pay attention when I try to talk to him, he's more interested in what's going on with my cousin,"

"You should tell him you feel that way," She told me, "It's probably not intentional, he probably has no idea that your upset about that,"

"He'll make me go home," I sighed, "I don't think I can,"

"Like I said," she reminded me, "You can stay as long as you need to, I just wish you'd told me the truth, I'm not going to make you leave, and I'm not going to let him take you if you don't want to go, I can't ignore the fact that your parents have been basically neglecting you over the past few weeks, but I can't legally keep you from them, so you have to talk to them,"

"She can stay though?" Taylor asked, "Mom?"

"Yes, she can stay if she wants to," her mom answered, "like I've already said,"

Taylor nodded, turning to me, "Your house isn't far from here, he'll be here any minute,"

I nodded, standing up from where I was sitting, "Do I have to see him?"

"I promised," my friend's mother told me, "He's your dad, he loves you and he's worried, I don't have the right to keep him away from you,"

"We'll come down in a minute," Taylor decided, prompting her mother to leave the room, "You said they wouldn't notice, you've only been gone a few hours and they're panicking,"

"That doesn't mean they care," I insisted, "It just means they don't want child services turning up and taking Ellie because I'm missing,"

"If he didn't care, he wouldn't be coming," Taylor tried, "Look at how late it is, he cares so much that he wouldn't wait until tomorrow to see you,"

"It doesn't change the fact that he knows nothing about me now," I pointed out, "we used to share everything, now we hardly ever talk,"

"You could have that back if you both tried," She replied, "you just need to talk more,"

"I guess," I sighed, "but he's more interested in Ellie now,"

"Get your mom to talk to him then," she continued, "make an effort to know him, if he see's that you're trying, he may try harder,"

"GIRLS," her mom called up the stairs as we heard the sound of a car pulling up, "HE'S HERE,"

I glanced nervously at my friend as she nodded reassuringly, before walking slowly out of the room and downstairs.

I made my way to the living room door, my arms crossed against my body as the front door was opened and my father began a short conversation with Mrs. McKessie before looking over her shoulder at me standing in the doorway.

He quickly pushed past her, reaching me within two strides and immediately embracing me, stroking my hair like he used to do when I was younger.

"Don't you ever do that again," He sighed in relief as I remained unresponsive, "Do you have any idea how much you scared me? How much you scared your mother? Do you have any idea how we felt when we finally got into your room and found you missing, most of your stuff gone?"

His tight grip remained around me as he looked up, "I'm going to take her home, where are her things?"

"Upstairs," Taylor told him, "I could, get it all, if it's ok with her,"

"Of course it's ok," Dad stated, "She's my daughter, she's coming home,"

"I told her that she could stay unless she wants to go," Mrs. McKessie spoke up, "I can't break that promise, it's up to her,"

"I promised her mother that I'd bring her home," he replied, "she's coming with me, what is best for my daughter isn't your decision,"

"She's old enough to decide for herself," The older woman insisted, "ask her what she wants,"

"Gabi?" He asked, "You have to come home, ok, we can talk about everything tomorrow, just come home,"

"Ok," I agreed, not wanting to fight with him again.

His embrace tightened before he sighed again and let me go and spoke, "go and get your stuff and we'll leave,"

I nodded and followed my friend back upstairs and into her room.

"Are you sure about this?" she whispered to assure that no one else in the house heard, "You're really going to go back with him?"

"Like you said," I answered, "He's my dad, I have to,"

"My mom said you don't," she insisted, "don't make him force you to go,"

"He's not forcing me," I replied, "Taylor, he hasn't hugged me like that in years, he was worried, I overreacted, and I didn't give him the chance to talk,"

"I wouldn't have either," my friend admitted, "do me a favour, don't forgive him too easily,"

"I wasn't planning to," I told her, beginning to gather everything I had brought with me "just caring isn't enough, he still hurt me,"

"You sure you want to go?" She asked, "Mom said you could stay,"

"It's for the best," I smiled weakly, picking up the last of my bags and slowly exiting the room, my friend following behind me, "I shouldn't have done this, they're my family, It was stupid, I was stupid,"

"You weren't stupid," she claimed, "you wanted them to listen to you, by doing this, you've made that happen, that was smart,"

I nodded, not really agreeing with her as we reached the bottom of the stairs.

My eyes almost immediately locked with my father's as he took the bags that Taylor had been carrying, before he ushered me out of the door while thanking my friend's parents.

"Why did you do this?" he asked as soon as we were both in the car, "Are you trying to give me a heart attack, how many times have I told you how important it is that I know where you are, anything could have happened to you, do you have any idea how I felt when I went into your room to find it empty, I know you were upset, but running away was never the answer, it was stupid, you could have got yourself killed, you're smarter than this, why did you do it? I want to understand but I can't if you don't help me, have things really gotten that bad, do you really hate us that much?"

I sat staring out of the window, Taylor's words echoing in my head, she'd been right, making it easy for him wasn't an option, and me talking now would make him feel that I wasn't still upset and angry about everything.

"Angel," he sighed, using the nickname he hadn't used since Ellie came, "you have to talk to me at some point, I know that I upset you, but I'm still you're father and I nothing could ever stop me from loving you, I just want to know why you felt you had to hurt me and your mother like this, why you didn't just come to us and told us how you felt,"

I continued staring out of the window, trying hard to ignore his seemingly rational arguments. I wouldn't be uttering a single word to either of my parents, or Ellie until at least tomorrow.

I heard him sigh again as he gave up, driving me the rest of the way home in a silence I deemed bearable.

I turned to look at the house as he pulled up, ignoring me as he got out and began pulling all of my things out of the trunk as if there was nothing wrong and I'd just been on holiday.

Slowly I got out of the car, closing the door behind me and walking to meet him at the back. Our eyes met yet again for a mere second before he looked away at the sound of the front door swinging open.

I looked over at it to see my mother running towards me, pushing past my father as she embraced me.

"You are so grounded," she whispered into my hair, "do you have any idea…"

"I wouldn't bother," Dad interrupted, "She's not talking to me, I doubt she's talking to you either,"

I watched as my mom glared at him, it was obvious from her stare that she already blamed him, and, whether he was right or not, he wasn't doing himself any favours by talking.

She immediately took hold of one of my bags and led me inside, leaving Dad to bring everything else in, "You're ok?"

I nodded, knowing that if I didn't speak, she'd worry more.

"Can you talk to me if you ever feel like that again?" she questioned, "You can always talk to me, even if you can't talk to him, you know that, right?"

I nodded again. Before turning and beginning to walk upstairs, carrying with me the bag that my mother had brought in.

"Can I get you anything?" Mom called after me, "Are you hungry? Thirsty?"

I shook my head without turning round, wanting to reach the relative comfort of my room before running into my younger cousin, knowing that she'd, without a doubt, have an opinion on everything.

I rolled my eyes as I heard her voice just before I got through the door to my room, "that stunt wasn't funny, you know, your parents were worried sick, what the hell were you thinking? Hell, were you even thinking? Why would you do this to them? Are you completely selfish?"

I stared at her, pleased as I learnt that my emotionless glare was scaring her a little.

"Think of someone other that yourself for a change," she continued, "I'd have never have done that to my mom or to Brent,"

"No, you just killed them," I snapped, turning quickly as I heard a sharp intake of breath from the stairs.

My father's eyes were staring at my cousin in shock, avoiding my gaze, I jumped back as he stormed across the hallway stepping in between us as I noticed Ellie glaring at me.

"Eleanor," He spoke, using her full first name, something I had never heard him do before, "you will go into your room, and you will stay in there until I call you, do you understand?"

I heard a door close from the other side of him before he turned to me, "How long have you known?"

"YOU KNEW," I shouted, forgetting that I wasn't meant to be talking to him, "YOU KNEW AND YOU LET HER STAY,"

"She had nowhere else to go," he excused, "besides, she was already here when I found out, that day she ran when Tyler upset her, she told me then,"

"AND YOU SAID NOTHING," I exclaimed, letting out all of my built up anger.

"Stop shouting," He demanded, "You have no reason to shout, stop it,"

"I thought I could trust you," I stuttered, obeying him, "you knew,"

"I couldn't just get rid of her," he claimed, "she needs me too, she needs her father just as much as you do,"

"Her dad's dead, that's not my fault, so why are you treating me like it is?" I demanded, watching his face as he sighed, "he is dead, isn't he?"

"No," he denied, "he's not dead, Gabi it was a long time ago,"

"What was?" she asked, "he's dead, mom told me he died,"

"Your Uncle Mark," Dad began, "Gabi he isn't Ellie's biological father,"

I stared at him in shock, waiting before replying, asking a question I feared I already knew the answer to, "Who is?"

"I am," he managed to get out, "It was a long time ago, and I regret letting it ever happen, but Ellie's mom and I, well, it's complicated,"

"COMPLICATED," I shouted once again, "SHE WAS YOUR BROTHER'S WIFE, AND YOU HAD MOM,"

"Gabi, quiet," he hushed, "Your mom doesn't know, telling her now would hurt her, and Helen is dead, she doesn't have to know,"

"What about Brent?" I snapped, "who was his father?"

"He's your Uncle's son," Dad stated, "My nephew, Ellie's half-brother, your cousin,"

"Do you have any idea how sick and twisted that is?" I asked, "My cousin's half-sister is also my half-sister, it's wrong, I don't even want to look at you, and there is no way that I'll ever lie to mom for you,"

"You won't tell her," he stated surely, "you're a mommy's girl and that would hurt her, you wouldn't do something that would hurt her,"

"Does Ellie know?" I changed the subject, "does she know you're her father?"

"Yes," He informed me, "her mother told her when she was around ten,"

"But you didn't tell me," I snapped, "You said you loved me,"

"Being Ellie's father too doesn't stop that," He insisted, "I do love you, I love you both, you're my daughters,"

"You're a liar," I sharply replied, "I HATE YOU,"

I turned on my heel, rushing into my room and slamming the door behind me, knowing that it would be safe to keep it unlocked, he wouldn't come in and risk making me more angry, he was too worried about me telling mom.

"Gabi," he called through the door, "this doesn't change anything, you were never in any danger,"

It was easy for him to say that, he wasn't the one living obliviously with a murdering arsonist, he wasn't the one that was kept in the dark about who said arsonist really was.

I lay down on my bed, staring up at the ceiling as he continued to talk through the door, unaware that no one was really listening.

I looked up soon after the voices stopped, pausing for a few seconds before taking my cell out of my pocket and dialling that all too familiar number.

"Hey," he yawned down the phone as he answered it, "You ok?"

"Did I wake you up?" I asked, both curiously and apologetically.

"No," he lied, "I don't sleep,"

"I woke you up," I stated, "I'm sorry,"

"Forget about it," he laughed, "You could call me at three in the morning if you wanted and I'd answer,"

"Thanks Troy," I smiled.

"For what?" he questioned, "answering the phone, that's kinda what you do when it rings,"

"Being there," I corrected him.

"Where was I?" He quizzed, "Be more specific,"

I giggled at his obvious attempt to cheer me up, knowing that Taylor must have called him when I left hers.

"I'm serious," I insisted, "Thanks, it means a lot,"

"Ok, serious, wait a second, I need to go and look for that part of my personality, I think it's sleeping," he answered, pausing for a few seconds before resuming, "Ok found it, so, serious, what kind of serious incident would you like to have an intellectual discussion about tonight,"

"You know Ellie?" I spoke, asking what must have been the most stupid question ever.

"The blonde kid from Disneyworld," he replied, "You're cousin, yeah I vaguely recall her,"

"She's not my cousin," I told him, letting my anger known, "My dad, he's… he's her dad too,"

"You mean?" he began.

"Yes," I confirmed.

"Whoa," he assessed, "That's kinda sick,"

"That's exactly what I said," I exclaimed, "How could he do this to mom? To me and Tyler?"

"Your dad," he continued, "he was always the last person that I ever thought would have an affair,"

"Me too," I admitted, I always trusted him, how can I do that now? He didn't just cheat on my mom, he lied to me and my brother,"

"And had another kid," Troy added, "You're half sister is you're cousin's half sister, and I thought my family was screwed,"

"Thanks," I retorted sarcastically.

"I didn't mean it like that," he defended, "It's just, you have to admit, that's not normal,"

"I know," I agreed, "I don't know how to believe anything that he says, anything that any of them say,"

"Don't," he stated, "I wouldn't believe them, not after this,"

"Promise me something?" I asked him, "Please,"

"Anything," he told me, "All you have to do is say what,"

"Promise me that you'll never leave me," I elaborated, "You and our friends, and my mom I guess, you're the only people who I can ever trust, I really need you more than ever now,"

"I'll never leave," he promised, "unless I die, because then I don't really have a choice, but I'm not planning on dying anytime soon, so you're stuck with me,"

"I can deal with that," I softly smiled, "just, don't ever leave me again, not like you did before, when Ellie first came,"

"You always gonna hold that against me?" he questioned, "It was like, a month and a half ago."

"I'm not holding it against you," I told him, feeling upset over the whole incident rushing back, "Why would you think that?"

"Hey," he sighed, "I was joking, I don't think you are, I want you to because I was a jerk but I know you won't, please don't cry,"

"I'm not crying," I claimed as a stray tear slipped down my cheek, "I'm not,"

"I know you are," he told me, "you don't have to lie to me, I don't want you crying either, so please, stop crying,"

"I'm not," I denied again, half-truthfully, "Ok, maybe a little,"

"No crying," he insisted, "not even a little, I don't like it when you cry, especially when it's my fault, because then I can't hit anyone over it,"

"You hit people when I get upset?" I asked, "You shouldn't do that, you'll get in trouble,"

"Stop crying," he repeated, "or I will have to leave the comfort of my room, come over to yours, tickle you into smiling, then beat myself up, which would be bad considering I have a game next week,"

"You do that," I replied, picturing him rolling his eyes ad I heard a creak from the other side of my bedroom door, "I should go, Mom's hovering outside the door waiting for me to get of the phone so she can come and interrogate me,"

"Are you going to tell her?" he asked curiously, "It could break you're whole family,"

"Yes," I told him, "she should know,"

"Ok," He accepted, "Call me back if you need me, even if you just want to hear my wonderfully amazing voice, everyone knows you love it more than anything else,"

"If you say so," I smirked, "bye,"

"Bye," he repeated, "don't forget that I love you in these five minutes before you call me back in desperate need of hearing my voice,"

"I love you too," I grinned, "Not so keen on your ego though,"

"Ten minutes?"

"Bye, Troy," I sighed to stop myself from laughing, "I have to talk to my mom, this is important,"

You wanna know something weird? Well it doesn't matter whether you want to or not cos i'm gonna tell you anyway. When i put this chapter through edit, it was all underlined and in italic, but it wasn't in the actual document.

Ok, so the plot twist was in the original plan, but then I decided not to do it, which is why it came in so late, I put it back in, because I got bored of writing the story, and figured a plot twist would make it easier for me to finish, and also make everyone hate her father and Ellie more, hey, I hate them and I'm the one that created them, curse my imagination.

Don't forget to check out The Cobra, my co-written story with Hazierox, it's the only link in my profile.

Review, I really want to know what you think of the plot twist (and the chapter length)