This story was inspired by the song Me and Emily by Rachel Proctor and the movie Enough.

Ch. 1: The Night

Neal Cassidy was married to Melissa Hastings for five years, to which their daughter Holland Spencer Cassidy was a result of. They looked like a happy couple, a happy family, but they were far from happy. It was all just an act. Neal tolerated a lot from Melissa for the sake of their daughter. So that Holland could have a mother. Melissa wasn't a bad mother, just a bad wife.

However, shortly after Holland's fourth birthday, Neal decided that enough was enough. It was time for him to stop being a pussy and stop putting up with Melissa's shit, because it wasn't good for Holland to see and think that the way her mother treated her father was okay. Neal had to be the one to show his daughter that, since he knew that Melissa would never change.

The thing that prompted Neal to come to this conclusion came from when he was tucking his daughter into bed a week after her birthday. He had just read Holland a book and they were saying their goodnights.

"Daddy, why do you let mommy hurt you?" Holland asked as her father

"Uh…goodnight, princess. I love you." Neal replied as he kissed his daughter's forehead.

Neal dodged the question, because he truly didn't have an answer or any logical reason why. One thing he could say about his daughter's question is that it was a major wake up call for him to do better. Not just for his daughter, but for himself. This was the night that he knew just what he had to do.

"Good night Daddy. Love you too." Holland mumbled as she drifted off to sleep

Neal stood up and walked to the door, leaving the room and closing the door behind him. He headed out to the kitchen to clean up and do the dishes. That's what he did. He was the chef, chauffeur, and maid. Melissa was the one who barked all the orders.

While Neal was washing the dishes, he heard footsteps coming up behind him. He hoped that it was Holland coming out to request a glass of water, but the footsteps were heavy and he knew that it was Melissa. She may have only weighed one hundred and ten pounds, but she knew how to use every pound to make the floor rumble with every footstep.

Neal didn't know what Melissa wanted. He never knew if he had done something to anger her. He never knew when she was mad at him or when he was about to feel her wrath until that first slap or punch. He held his breath as he continued washing the dishes, feeling Melissa breathing down his neck. He felt Melissa snake her arms around his waist, giving him a kiss on the cheek from behind.

'How did I get here?' Neal thought as he wondered what he had done to deserve her being so affectionate to him, 'How did I let myself get to a place where I think that I have to deserve affection for it to be offered?'

"You know I love you." Melissa whispered into his ear.

"I know."

Melissa pulled him away from the dishes, "Come on, I want you. Let's go to bed, and I can tell you all the things that I like about you."

"I really should finish the dishes otherwise they'll just pile up, and I know how much you hate that." Neal said. He really was just trying to get her off of him.

It wasn't about not loving his wife, because as badly as she treated him sometimes he still loved her. However, he just wasn't in much of a mood for sex. He kind of had a lot on his mind, especially after the question that Holland had asked him.

"One...you're a great father." Melissa started. Her voice sultery and alluring.

Neal cocked his head to the side, growing weak from the tone of her voice, "Mel, please."

"Two...you're great in bed." Melissa added in a seductive voice

Neal sighed, "Mel, I can't."

"Fuck you!" Melissa yelled as she peeled herself away from her husband, turning to face him and slapping him across the face before storming to their bedroom.

Neal didn't react or grab his cheek. He had been expecting her to do that. He knew that it was his fault. She was in a good mood and his foul attitude had provoked her anger. And her action in slapping him further convinced him about the decision that he had already made. He knew that he had to take his daughter and leave. Not just for his sake, but for Holland's sake too.

Ch. 2: Leaving Her

It took a few days for Neal to get everything in order. He opened a new bank account with only his name and transferred all his own earnings into it. On the night that he left, he waited until Melissa was asleep before loading his and Holland's bags into the car. Heading back into the house, Neal quietly ventured into Holland's room, carefully picking up his sleeping daughter, and carrying her to the car, buckling her into her carseat. Then getting into the driver seat, Neal pulled out of the driveway and drove away, never once looking back.

Neal drove all night, stopping three times to get coffee and he was still exhausted. He just wanted to get far enough away from Rosewood, Pennsylvania, so that when Melissa called the cops after realizing he and Holland were gone, he'd be safe.

The sun was starting to rise when Neal heard Holland waking up, and he was going onto his fourth cup of coffee, but actively looking for a place to stop. A motel for him to rest at and for Holland to stretch her legs.

"Daddy, where's mommy?" Neal heard Holland ask not long after he had heard her wake up.

Holland had realized that she was in the car with her daddy, but she didn't see her mommy and wanted to know why. She knew that mommy wasn't nice to daddy, but she was also a little girl who loved her mommy. A little girl whose mother had never done anything to hurt her.

"Mommy's at home. We're going on a trip, little love." Neal replied

"Why isn't she coming with us, daddy?"

"Because she has to work." Neal stated.

Neal saw Holland nod through his center review mirror, "Okay daddy." She said. Little did Holland know, she would never see her mommy again.

"Are you hungry, princess?"

"I want pancakes." Holland announced, "Can we get pancakes?"

Neal smiled, "We can get whatever you want. Let me just find a McDonald's and I'll get you some pancakes to-go. You can eat in the car while I look for a motel. I need to rest my eyes for a few hours."

"Okay daddy."

It didn't take long for Neal to find a McDonald's and a motel in the same city. He got food for Holland before going to the motel and booking a room for the night. He checked in and upon entering the room, immediately passed out on the bed. Holland sat at the desk eating her pancakes.

Ch. 3: The Discovery

At the Cassidy residence, Melissa woke up to find her husband and daughter gone. She knew that Neal had taken their daughter and left. She also knew that he had no intention of returning as most of his clothes and Holland's were gone too, as well as her daughter's favorite toys. But Melissa had a plan. She was going to find her husband, kill him and then take her daughter home.

Melissa began a vigorous search for her husband and daughter. She knew she would find them for two reasons. One, she was good at tracking people. And two, because she knew a lot of people in the police force. She had resources that Neal didn't have.

Melissa grabs her phone and immediately calls the police to report her husband for kidnapping her daughter. Killing him would only be as a last resort if he put up a fight, but right now she just wanted her daughter.

"How can I help you, Melissa?" Melissa's cop friend asked her after answering his desk phone.

"Neal's gone. And he took Holland. He kidnapped my baby."

He could tell from the sound of her voice that she was frantic. He spoke in a reassuring tone, "It's going to be okay, Mel. We'll find him and Holland. I'll make it my number one priority."

"Thank you." Melissa replied gratefully through faked tears.

Melissa never realised or thought that she was a terrible wife and mother, but she did know that she would do anything to get her daughter back. No matter what the cost. No matter what lengths she had to go to, she would protect her daughter from Neal trying to ice her from Holland's life.

Ch. 4: Boston

A week later, Neal and Holland are staying with a friend in Boston. Neal only pays for stuff in cash and limits his phone calls to thirty seconds in the hopes that Melissa won't be able to trace it. He knows how good she is with tracking.

Unfortunately for the father and daughter, Melissa has a cop friend in Boston. The cop goes to the house where Neal and Kaitlynn are. He knocks on the door with a search warrant in his hand. Upon hearing the knock, Neal takes his daughter and hides while Neal's friend August answers the door.

"Hello, how may I help you?" August asked

"I'm Officer Jenkins." The officer introduced. Then he held up a picture of Holland, "I'm looking for this little girl. Her mom reported her kidnapped." Then the officer held up his search warrant.

August let the officer in, "She's not here, but you're welcome to come in and take a look."

Officer Jenkins came in and looked around. He was practically tearing the house apart.

Neal and Holland could see everything from where they were hiding.

Holland was terrified of being found. She started whimpering so Neal covered her mouth softly so the officer didn't hear her. Eventually the officer gave up and left. He thanked August for being so cooperative.

August went to get Neal and Holland. They came out of their hiding spot and Holland hugged her daddy and cried.

Neal hugged his daughter and rubbed her back. He looked at August, "Maybe I should go."

"No that's okay." August replied, "You can stay."

Neal shook his head, "I'm putting you in danger by being here." Then Neal released his daughter when she calmed down. He told her, "Go pack up. Okay sweet pea?'

"Okay daddy." Holland replied before running off to pack up her's and her daddy's stuff.

Neal said to August, "I can't put you in danger anymore."

August nodded and replied, "Okay but you can come back anytime."

"Okay thanks." Neal said before checking on Holland, "Ready, baby girl?"

"Yes daddy." Holland replied nodding.

Neal nodded, took the bag and then held his daughter's hand. Neal and Holland are driving around Boston trying to find a place to stay.

"Hey baby, I need to talk to you." Neal said to his daughter

"What is it, daddy?" Holland asked

"We need to change our names." Neal stated, "Mine's going to be Michael Jones."

"What should my name be, daddy?" Holland asked, "And why do we have to change our names?"

"You can change your name to whatever you like, sweetie." Neal replied, "And we have to change our names so mommy doesn't find us."

Holland nodded and then thought for a minute about what her new name should be. Then she asked, "Can my name be Spencer after Auntie Spencer?"

"Of course, sweetheart." Neal replied as Holland smiled. "Now what do you say if someone asks you what your dad's name is?"

"Michael Jones. And I'm Spencer Jones."

Neal nodded and smiled. He was proud of his daughter, "Good job, baby."

"Thanks daddy." Holland said with a smile

Hope you enjoy. Comments are greatly appreciated.