I know it's been a great deal of time since I've updated. So... In case any of you have forgotten what's happened before, here's a brief recap:

Allison got a job working at CC Jitters only to get fired a few weeks later and go off on a drinking tangent. Meanwhile, Mick snuck out to the circus to see the fire juggles and met new friend Daniel. After staying out a bit too late, Mick hesitated to go home, which worries Daniel. Though Mick eventually decided to go home anyway.

WARNING: TRIGERING SCENES

Mick hesitated at the front door. After checking the drive way, he saw that his mother still wasn't home from work even though it was probably nearing midnight now.

(It was odd that a coffee shop would stay open so late, but he hadn't questioned it before.) So, if anything happened his mom wouldn't be there to stop it. (Because Mick never could even when he did get brave enough to try.)

He'd gone around back to sneak up to his bedroom, but, like he'd thought, it was much too dark to climb without losing a foothold.

Mick considered going to sleep in the barn or even just snoozing on the front porch until his mom came home, but the barn was gross and it was extremely cold outside.

(Mick had never been able to stand the cold for very long.) He could have used the side entrance that lead into the kitchen, but he'd still have to cross through the living room to get to the stairs.

Mick sighed, his stomach twisting into knots, though unlike the knots that formed when he was with Daniel, these ones were very unpleasant. As if his guts were trying to murder him.

The idea of walking through the door made him feel physically sick, but there really wasn't any other options at this point.

He paced back and forth for a few minutes, trying to steal himself for whatever came next. (Because really anything could happen.) "Okay," Mick breathed out heavily. "Okay."

He wrapped his fingers around the knob, and it irritated him how badly his hand was shaking.

Taking a deep breath, Mick pushed the door open, grimacing a little when he creaked loudly on its hinges.

His head snapped to the corner where his dad's chair sat. His old man was slumped over the side of the arm rest like a bag of sand, beer bottle still clutched in one hand. Mick slowly let out a relieved breath.

Dick was asleep. As long as he didn't wake up, everything would be fine...

Mick let out a quiet, shaky breath, setting his sights on the stairs across the room, moving to close the door behind him.

He cringed again as the hinges let out a hideous squeak that was ear piercing in the dead silence.

Quickly, Mick whirled around to make sure he hadn't woken Dick on accident. The light snoring told him he was still safe.

Mick locked his jaw tightly. He crept forward, moving as quickly as he dared and as quietly as he could manage with the floorboards creaking underneath his feet.

The noise made him grimace, his shoulders stiffening, chest becoming tight as he held his breath.

Sweat had began forming on his forehead, dripping down his face slowly; but he didn't bother wiping it off, not even when it got in his eyes.

Every few steps Mick would glance back at the chair, making sure Dick stayed in his slumbering state. Why did the stairs have to be so far away from the door?

Mick took another step, only to jump back yelping in surprise as a hideous howl sounded from under his foot.

The dog fled from the room a moment later, whimpering from where Mick had accidentally stepped on his tail.

Mick winced and turned his head slightly to check the chair, his heart dropping to the pit of his stomach. Dick was gone.

Frantically, he scanned the room to see where he'd gone. He wasn't searching long.

A moment later a heavy force slammed into his gut, knocking the air from his lungs and causing him to topple over onto the floor.

Mick groaned, shaking involuntarily and gritting his teeth. His gut was on fire, a sensation he'd unfortunately become all too familiar with – he'd just been punched in the stomach.

It was still dark, but he could sort of make out Dick's silhouette among the shadows as he loomed over him. Somehow the stupid bastard seemed even more menacing at night.

The star light seeped through the windows, casting dark shadows over his unshaven face. A demonic sort of look formed in his eyes. It was something Mick had seen before, every time he got stuck in one of those stupid flash backs.

But in the dark it was worse. He was absolutely murderous, and Mick couldn't stop himself from thinking, Well, I'm dead.

Dick's hands came up, and Mick flinched in spite of himself. Suddenly, he was being lifted off the ground; his feet were dangling in the air.

His shirt was twisted between Dick's massive fists, his crooked teeth snarling at him like a rabid dog's. "Well, well, well, look what we have here. A spy."

Mick's heart was hammering away in his chest, his eyes widening. Dick was speaking in that low, raspy drawl he always used right before…

He kicked out with his feet, trying to squirm his way out of his grasp, but he didn't hit anything and Dick was clutching his shirt so tightly the collar was choking him a little.

"Thought you could come in here and gain intel, huh? Learn all our secrets?" He laughed darkly, narrowing his eyes the slightest bit. "Too bad, darlin' cause you ain't gettin' nothin'!"

Mick squirmed, but it was no use. He yelped as he went soaring across the room, slamming face first into the tv and knocking it off the stand.

Wincing in pain, Mick tried to get off the stand, but before he could even move to sit up Dick was on him again.

The movement made him dizzy, and he hardly had any time to process what was happening before Dick had his boulder sized hands wrapped around Mick's throat.

Instantly, his air supply was cut off; he couldn't breath, the tv stand digging into his back painfully. Mick tried pushing him off, but Dick was a lot heavier than he was.

His vision blurred slightly, and he panicked. He was sure that he was a goner this time. He was definitely going to die. This lunatic was going to kill him.

Eh, alright. Extremely short chapter and a bit of a cliffhanger. But uh...I'm going to need a hot sec to get back into the swing of things with this one.

It's been - what, three months? I'm so sorry about that. I really did not mean to make you wait that long.

Hopefully I haven't lost any of you because of that. It's just that this chapter was a bit triggering and hard to write emotionally so um...

Anyways, I should be able to update more regularly now. Once every week, on Tuesday is the plan.

That's all for now, toodles!

~ Elsie

PS: I know I didn't directly reply to reviews from last chapter this time but I did read them all and I really appreciate them! I hope you all continue to read and enjoy after the hiatus! 3