"Can we stay here tonight?" Iggy's voice was muffled against my shoulder. Combined with the slur from the alcohol, it was kind of hard to understand him.

I ran my hand through his fluffy hair spikes, considering his request. He was still pretty tipsy, if I let him go home he might hurt himself. Or his brother might go after him again.

But at the same time, my step dad will know if I'm not home. And he will be pissed, and I have no idea what he'll do.

God, I need a drink. Why did Fang have to smash all the bottles?

Iggy wrapped his arm around my waist, tucking his head into the crook of my neck.

"Please?" he whispered.

"Fine." I sighed. I felt him smiling against my skin, and my mouth quirked into a tiny smile too.

I looked down at him and my smile grew. His spikes were all squished and mussed, the dyed tips very faded, most of the color gone.

"You need to dye your hair again." I told him, running my fingers through his hair again.

"I know." he mumbled, leaning his head into my hand.

"So." I asked after several minutes of comfortable silence. "What do you want for your birthday?"

He chuckled a little. "What do you want for yours?"

"Hm. Let me think…" Iggy caught the playfulness in my voice and shifted his position so that he leaned over me.

"I saw this cute sweater at Hot Topic the other day." I said coyly, one of my hands still playing with his hair. "Maybe a few new books. If you could make my step-father disappear that would be great." I had meant it as a joke, but Iggy apparently ignored that fact.

"You could tell your mom."

"What, you think she'll believe me?" I asked. I tried not to sound too bitter, but I'm not sure I succeeded.

Iggy was quiet, avoiding my eyes while playing with the fingers on my free hand.

"You never told me what you wanted." I reminded him softly, trying to lighten the mood a little.

"I want to get away." He replied, not looking up. So much for lightening the mood. "I want to get you away."

"Maybe you will."

"What?" He looked back up at me, his face screwed up with confusion.

"I've been thinking about it." I said. "I think… I think I want to go with you. When you turn 18."

He blinked in surprise. "You changed your mind?"

"I can't take another year here." I told him honestly, my voice cracking despite my efforts to keep it from doing so. "He's getting worse, and I'm getting scared he'll go… further."

Iggy clenched his jaw. "What are you gonna tell your mom?"

"The truth. It won't matter, he won't be able to hurt me." I shrugged my shoulders. "Even if she doesn't believe me, it'll be better than just leaving without saying anything at all."

He was quiet for a moment, thinking. "It's just another couple of days." he murmured. "Can you get everything sorted out that quickly?"

I nodded.

He gave me a goofy smile. "Ok, then. Just you and me."

"Just you and me." I agreed, leaning up to meet his kiss. I was smiling, but on the inside, my stomach was twisting into knots.

Could I really run away from home? Was I brave enough to tell my mom what her husband had been doing to me for so long?

I wasn't sure that I was. But that doesn't matter. I have to do this. If I don't, I'll never get away.

It's now or never.

(A/N I'm sorry, its been a long wait and this is a short filler chapter. I will get back to this as soon as my muse decides it wants to cooperate.

UNC-

Silence)