TW: Assault, violence and character death

very intense chapter!

Carla's Song

TW: Assault, violence and character death

Mercedes smiled as she waved the last person off before locking up her bookshop. She couldn't believe the turn out she had and was still reeling from seeing Quinn after all this time but the more she thought about it the more she grew suspicious of her old friend being there but she also knew deep down Quinn would never do anything to hurt her.

She walked over where Sam sat patiently waiting for her, feeling her palms grow sweaty as this was the first time she would be telling her side of things.

"Everyone's gone." She said sitting in the seat across from him.

Sam looked around and nodded. "It was a good turn out, I'm sure you made a good profit on the opening alone." He replied, looking back at her.

Mercedes sighed, tucking her feet under her. "I know you're waiting for me to start but I need to say this… you have to understand that I never meant for any of this to happen."

Sam simply nodded. "I won't judge you."

She gave him a look, before taking a deep breath. "Okay…"

"Nana, it's time to make breakfast!" Mercedes said, walking into her grandmother's room and seeing that she was still asleep. She walked over, smiling before gently nudging her grandmother. "Come on lazybones, you promised me pancakes."

Mercedes waited a few moments but after getting no response, she nudged her grandmother again, this time feeling how cold she was.

"Nana?" She said, shaking her. "Nana, you have to wake up!"

Mercedes slowly began to realize that her grandmother wasn't going to respond. She quickly ran into the kitchen to call for help, she wasn't entirely sure what happened after that but she did know that she couldn't stay there anymore.

Two weeks, that's how fast her life changed. Two weeks it took for her parents to bury her grandmother and for her to be forced to move back in with them. She felt alone and out of place, she hated the way her mother scolded her whenever she would do anything and she hated how close her room was to her brother's.

She had to learn how to live with people who clearly didn't want her and she had to make herself scarce when her father had guests. The only good thing about being there was her little sister, Carla. She reminded her of her nana because she was so warm and loving.

They spent a lot of their time together playing and singing, she even started reading The Chronicles of Narnia series with her, but it all changed in a matter of thirty minutes.

But to understand the state of mind Mercedes was in, you have to go through everything and it started a month after moving back in with her parents.

"Mercedes, I will be having guests tonight so you will take your dinner in your room." David said and Mercedes just nodded.

"And don't make a sound, these people are very important for David's campaign. Do you understand?" Monica asked.

"Yes, I understand. I won't move, talk or be heard." She replied and Moncia moved closer to her, yanking her by her ponytail.

"Don't get smart with me and don't forget that it's because of my kindness that you're even here." Monica spat and Mercedes started to cry.

David rolled his eyes. "I don't want to see that, get rid of her."

Monica pulled Mercedes up, shoving her towards the stairs. "Get out of our sight and do something about that hair! It's hideous!"

Mercedes quickly ran up the stairs to her room and closed the door before throwing herself onto her bed and sobbing. She hated it there and she hated being without her grandmother. She didn't understand why her parents were like this with her but treated her siblings so well.

"Hey sis." She heard, she quickly sat up and wiped her eyes.

"What do you want Nathan?" She asked, looking over at him while pulling down her dress.

He looked at her before walking into her room and sitting down next to her on her bed. "They just don't want to make a bad impression… Mom will probably apologize." He replied, shooting her a sympathetic smile.

Mercedes shook her head. "I don't want an apology, I want Nana." She said, wrapping her arms around herself.

Nathan looked at the door before moving closer and wrapping his arms around her, pulling her close. "I know I was mean the last time you were here… I'm sorry."

Mercedes sniffled, looking at her brother wondering what part of hell froze over to make him be so nice to her. Nathan looked at her before leaning in but Mercedes moved away from him. "What are you doing?"

Nathan rolled his eyes. "What does it look like?" He asked, grabbing her arm and pulling her into him. "I see how you look at me, you're always wearing those dresses and I must say you've filled out nicely."

Mercedes yanked away from him, quickly moving off of the bed. "What is wrong with you! That's gross, I'm your sister!"

Nathan grunted. "No, you're not! You've been here for a month and I've been nice but-"

"You have not been nice to me! Get out before I start shouting!" Mercedes warned.

Nathan shot her look before getting up and closing the space between them. "Wrong move, sis." He spat, bringing his hand up and slapping her. "You think they're gonna believe you over me?" He asked, slapping her again before shoving her onto her bed.

"Cedie, are you in here?" They heard.

Nathan quickly backed away from Mercedes. "Say anything and I'll hurt her."

Mercedes stopped and let out a shaky breath. "Sorry… I just need a moment."

Sam hadn't realized how tightly he was clenching the arm of his chair before feeling tingles shooting through his hands. "Take your time."

She nodded. "I know that I should've said something but I just didn't want him trying to hurt Carla so I didn't and he was right my parents wouldn't have believed me so…"

"So you kept quiet and he knew you would and kept hurting you." Sam finished.

"Yeah but that's not the point… what happened was far worse than what he did to me."

Sam hated having to ask but he needed to know. "What did he do to you?"

She looked at him before looking away. "It's crazy what your mind does when you're that young… he was very adamant about me not being a Jones or his sister but I didn't… I wasn't sure why I couldn't or wouldn't just believe his words."

Mercedes sat on her bed quietly reading, hearing the faint sound of laughter and music coming from downstairs. After Nathan and Carla left she curled up in her bed trying to shake off everything that happened.

"Knock, knock."

She looked, seeing Nathan standing there with a tray of food and sighed. "I offered to bring your dinner." He informed and she felt a sharp chill go throughout her body.

"Well, you can just put it there…"

He smirked, walking inside and closing the door behind him. "I brought mine up too." He said and she slowly closed the book she was reading.

"I don't want you in here with me." She stated firmly.

Nathan chuckled. "And what are you going to do about it? You can't make any noise and it's your word against mine plus I will hurt Carla."

Mercedes shook her head. "They don't have to believe me, they just have to hear me." She fired back, grabbing the bat she'd taken from Carla's room. "Or hear you."

"Tsk. tsk. You'll learn I get what I want." He said before charging at her, she swung the bat hitting him in the side but it didn't stop him from knocking her down. "Ever wonder why this room seems so quiet?" He asked, wrestling the bat out of her hand and tossing it away from her reach.

"GET OFF OF ME!" She shouted right as he punched her in the face.

"Shut. the. !" He spat, grabbing her arms and pinning them above her head. "Don't make this any harder than it needs to be."

Mercedes twisted underneath him, as tears ran down her face. "Stop!" She managed to get out before he covered her mouth with his free hand.

"I said, shut the fuck up!" He released her hands and began running his down her body before reaching the hem of her dress and pulling it up.

"Nathan, please… stop!" She begged, trying to push her dress back down but was stopped by him grabbing her hands.

"Don't you mean Nathan please don't stop?" He replied, shoving her hand at her sides, placing them under his knees, causing her to cry out. He rolled his eyes before tearing her dress and sighing as he looked her over.

"Please." She sobbed, trying to kick her legs from under him but she was pinned down and had no way of getting free from him. Mercedes felt her heart pounding and her breathing was growing more and more ragged, she tried freeing her hands but he just pressed down harder on them.

"Look, you ruined your pretty dress." He said, roughly running his hand down her neck before yanking the front of the clasp of her bra open.

"Whoever your parents are truly blessed you." He added, roughly grabbing her breast as he leaned down and tried to kiss her but she turned her head so he bit her neck hard.

Mercedes screamed in pain, pulling hard on her hands and freeing them. She quickly covered her exposed breast. "STOP! HELP!" She shouted.

Nathan just chuckled. "They can't hear you, they're probably outside on the patio having drinks now." He taunted before tugging at her panties causing them to rip.

Sam got up and let out an angry breath, gripping the back of the chair. "Did… did he succeed?" He asked and Mercedes shook her head.

"No. Carla came looking for me and he ran out through our bathroom. I… I didn't want her to see me like that so I quickly put on some clothes before letting her."

"You didn't tell your parents?"

She scuffed. "Oh I told them and just like he said… they didn't believe me."

"Little whore, coming here lying on my son that way."

"David, I will handle it." Monica said looking at Mercedes disgustingly. David shot Mercedes a look before walking out of the room, shaking his head.

"Mommy, please I'm not lying!" Mercedes pleaded and her mother sighed.

"You expect me to believe that our son would do that to you? His own sister? You're sick! Why on earth would you even make something up like that, what the fuck did Elise teach you?"

Mercedes looked at her mother in disbelief. "I'm your child too! Why don't you believe me?"

"Because you are a liar, go to your room and so help me if you ever lie like that again you are going to wish you hadn't!" Monica spat, bucking at Mercedes making her flinch.

"She didn't see the bruises?" Sam asked and Mercedes wiped away a tear.

"If she did, she didn't say care… I was so worried about him attacking Carla that I didn't think about what would happen if I said something. See Nathan always had this control thing about him and I didn't know where he'd gotten it from until I did… he got so angry and when I went back into the room he was waiting for me." She replied.

Sam shook his head, feeling sick to his stomach. "Your father knew didn't he?"

Mercedes let out a soft chuckle. "It's funny that you knew I was talking about him but yeah, he knew and he had a few choice words about me saying something."

Mercedes walked into her room, freezing when she saw her father standing there. "Daddy?"

David turned and looked at her. "I'll make this short. Don't ever lie on my son again and if you know what's best for you, you'll stop dressing so provocatively."

"I… what? I don't dress like that! I was wearing a dress!" Mercedes spat back. "He attacked me and you and mommy are acting like I would just make that up!"

Her father looked at her, shaking his head. "You're clearly hard at hearing, stop lying about Nathan and quit acting like this isn't something you schemed up!"

"Why would I want that? Why would I want anything to do with that horrible piece of shit?" Mercedes asked, she'd never cursed before but that was the only way to describe him. "You're just trying-"

She was cut off when she felt the force of her father's hand across her face.

"That is your final warning." He said gripping the collar of her shirt, forcibly pulling her closer to him. "I never wanted you and if you want your stay here to remain pleasant you'll mind what I tell you."

When he let her go, she ran to the other side of the room and looked at him through teary eyes. "What did I do to you?"

David looked at her before turning and walking out without another word. Mercedes shook her head, sobbing and fell to the floor into a ball.

She wanted to be small, she wanted to be so small that no one would see her, she wanted to be with her nana. She knew if she was with her she would never feel this way, she would never feel unwanted.

"Cedie, do you want to come in my room? We can have a sleepover." Carla asked, peeking her head into Mercedes' room.

Mercedes quickly covered her mouth so she couldn't hear her sobs, she forced herself to take a deep breath before responding. "Sure, just… give me a second okay?" She said, keep her back to her little sister.

"Okay yay! I'll sneak some snacks!" Carla replied excitedly and Mercedes waited until she heard her leave to let out one final sob before gathering her wits.

She wiped her eyes, standing and started gathering her pillows. If she was going to have to stay here she was going to have to be smart and that meant she was going to start sleeping in the room with her little sister from now on.

And it worked… for a while until Nathan figured out what she was doing. He would corner her in the house or when no one was looking and try to grope her but she managed to fight him off. However there were times when she thought she might not be so successful but it seemed Carla would always appear right before it could get too bad.

"Cedie, you don't like living here do you?" Carla asked.

Mercedes looked at her and sighed. "I like living with you and getting to hang out with you plus we have this really cool tree house we get to hide away in."

Carla looked around the treehouse. "You could stay here and I could bring you food." She offered and Mercedes laughed.

"I would need a bathroom and it'll be snowing soon so a heater too."

"I can get that! I can use my piggy bank money!"

Mercedes shook her head, moving over and hugging her sister. "No, you keep that to get you something you really want, I'll be okay." She said, hoping like hell that would be true.

"But what if I really want to get you a bathroom and a heater?" Carla asked looking up at her sister innocently.

"Well if I stay up here we won't get to have our sleepovers so save your money okay?"

Carla thought it over before nodding. "Okay… promise you won't go away because you don't like it here?"

Mercedes froze, wondering how on earth her sister knew she was considering running away. She looked at Carla's pleading eyes and knew she couldn't leave her so she made the hardest promise she'd ever have to make. "I promise."

"Did you know that Carla's room doesn't have a lock on it?"

Mercedes' eyes shot open and she was face to face with Nathan who was sporting a devilish grin.

"Wh-what are you doing in here? What did you do with Carla?" She asked, quickly sitting up.

"You don't check the family calendar much do you? She's gone to the dentist and then she'll be going to get her shots."

Mercedes looked around, breathing heavily. "They sent her with-"

Nathan shook his head. "Unlike you they like to be present for our things, they never send Carla with Liz. So it's just you and me until they get back." He informed, smirking at her.

Mercedes let out a slow breath before throwing the covers off of her and jumping off the bed, she quickly ran to the door but the knob was gone. She turned, seeing he was standing in the way of the bathroom and she shook her head, feeling tears burning.

"Just leave me alone." She said but based on the look he gave her, he had no intentions of ever doing that. "Why are you doing this? Don't you feel wrong?"

Nathan shrugged his shoulders, stepping closer to her. "Nothing wrong about it."

"You're sick, you need help… something is not right with you."

Nathan's eyes darkened and he dropped the doorknob he was holding then lunged at her. Unfortunately for him, she expected the move and quickly moved out of the way, running past him to the bathroom.

She had been making a habit of locking the bathroom door from her room so there was no way for him to sneak into the room at night but now she knew he never needed to come in that way, making her safe place no longer safe.

She swung the bathroom door open, mindful to close it behind her and lock it before unlocking the one that led to her room. She could hear him banging to the door and knew he would only stay there for so long before coming around, she had to out smart him.

"THERE'S NOWHERE YOU CAN HIDE THAT I WON'T FIND YOU!" He shouted as he hit the bathroom door. She looked around before figuring her best bet would be to make him think she'd gone down stairs.

She knew unlocking her door would put her in an unsafe situation but if she could make him think she'd left and ran outside she could back into Carla's room and use the back staircase to get away from him. She just needed to stay hidden long enough until everyone returned. She went over to her closet and grabbed her shoes and jacket, figuring that the treehouse was the only place she could get away from him.

After grabbing her things, she opened her room door before slamming it shut and going back into her closet. She's managed to make a small space where she would be hidden in the corner. She could hear his feet hitting the floor and took a deep breath making herself small and counting to one hundred.

"97, 98, 99…"

The closet door flew open and she stopped breathing, she could see him peering inside.

"Stupid bitch! I WILL FIND YOU AND YOU WILL REGRET MAKING ME WAIT!" He shouted after slamming the closet door. She could hear him tearing up her room, glass shattering and what sounded like pages being ripped before she heard her door open then slam shut.

Mercedes waited for a few more moments, before chancing it and quickly moving from her spot in the closet. She slowly opened the door looking out and seeing that he wasn't there, taking a step out she was careful not to step anything and slowly walked to the bathroom door.

She stopped herself from opening it when she saw the light on under the door. It was not on when she ran through it and she slowly backed away, she looked around spotting the broken glass on the floor and grabbed a shard. She kept backing away before realizing she was a sitting duck because if she went through the bathroom he could be there and if she went out her room door he could be waiting there.

She thought over the last few moments knowing that she heard her room door open and close after he tore everything up but… realization set in because she hadn't heard his feet on the hard floor when-

"Clever bitch!"

Mercedes ran for her room door and quickly exited before running as fast as she could down the stairs, she looked behind her seeing him taking them stairs two at time and forced herself to go faster. She reached for the front door but he grabbed her hair and yanked her back.

"I'm starting to think you like being chased, I could get with-" He started before letting out a yell when she swiped him with she shard and pushed him away from her.

She scrambled to her feet, reaching the door again and flung it open. She wanted to take a deep breath but getting outside was only half the battle, she had to get to the treehouse and there was snow everywhere. She looked over her shoulder again seeing him holding his face as he trekked after her but he wasn't running.

She shook her head, trying to figure out why he wasn't running but she found out as she approached the treehouse. The latter was gone.

"NO!" She shouted, shaking her head.

"Ha! Thought you could hide there!" He taunted, she could tell he was gaining on her so she decided if he could keep her out of the tree house she would keep him out of the house.

She waited until she could hear the crunch under his shoes before running around the back to circle around, the air was cold and she was getting tired but something told her that she just needed to get back inside.

He was barefoot and based on how he was dressed he didn't have his key. She didn't look over her shoulder this time and she didn't stop running until her feet hit the inside of the foyer, she quickly locked the locks before running to the back door and doing the same. If he was getting inside it he would have to break the windows or call for help but she was more willing to accept her parents wrath than try to keep fighting him off.

"Cedie, wake up!" Carla said, bouncing onto the couch where Mercedes must've passed out on.

Mercedes opened her eyes, seeing Carla smiling at her and she knew she'd made it. She pulled Carla into a tight hug. "I'm so happy you're back!"

Carla giggle. "I was only gone for a little! Wanna go skating with me? Mommy said we can go since the water is frozen completely now."

Mercedes sighed, knowing she was too tired to go but she didn't want to be anywhere near Nathan so she agreed. "Yeah, just let me go get my skates."

"Okay! I'll meet you out back!" Carla said, running to grab hers as well. Mercedes half expected to run into Nathan on her way to her room but she hadn't, she wasn't even sure where he was and she wasn't going to ask either. Maybe she'd scared him?

Mercedes looked at Sam. "This next part is hard… harder than any of what I've already told you so just don't judge me."

"I won't, I promise." He said.

"Come on Cedie!" Carla shouted and Mercedes looked at the frozen pond wondering if it was really ready for skating.

"Are you sure mom said it was okay?" She asked.

Carla nodded, as she put on her ice skates. "Mhm, she said it's ready!"

She looked at it again, shaking her head. "I don't think this is a good idea…" She replied apprehensively as she followed suit and put her skates on as well.

"It's okay Cedie! Me and Nathan always go out here!" Carla said, gliding on the ice smiling. "See it's okay!"

Mercedes smiled as she walked closer to the frozen pond seeing Carla so carefree made her happy. "I guess-" She started before hearing what sounded like a pop. "Did you hear that?"

Carla looked at her. "Hear what?" She asked skating in towards her sister.

Mercedes' eyes grew wide when she heard the rumble before seeing the slightest crack. "Carla don't!" She shouted trying to get her sister to stop moving but it was already too late, the ice was cracking and slowly opening around her. Mercedes quickly made work out of taking her skates off and trying as she might, she reached for Carla but before their hands met, she fell through the ice.

"CEDIE!"

Mercedes felt the air leaving her lungs as she watched her sister fall into pond. "CARLA! HELP! SOMEONE HELP!" She shouted before slowly crawling onto the fragile surface, she crawled over to where she could still see her little hands and tried to grab them but Carla kept getting sucked back down.

"HELP!" Mercedes shouted again as she crept forward feeling the cold water hitting arms, she reached her hand in the hole praying Carla would see them and grab them. She knew their only hope was for her to at least stay halfway on the ice but she was getting worried because her sister wasn't coming back up.

"Help!" Mercedes sobbed out before gasping when she felt her hand grab hers.

"I got you!" She said trying to pull her up, she tried so hard but her hand slipped. "No, no, no grab my hand! Grab my hand! Carla!"

Mercedes started to reach again when she felt herself being yanked for the ice. She turned to see Nathan standing there and shook her head. "We have to get her! We have to save her! I almost had her, you have to go get help!" She pleaded.

"She's dead." He said coldly.

"No, no I had h-her h-hand, she's fighting. W-we have to save her!" She replied trying to crawl back out to the hole but he grabbed her ankles and yanked her away, this time further.

"Mom! Over here!" Nathan shouted before kneeling down and looking at Mercedes with a frightening look. "I told you I would hurt her if you didn't give me what I wanted. You did this, you killed your precious little sister."

Mercedes looked at him him horror. "I… I… I didn't…" She said before looking back and seeing everything was still on the pond. "Why did you do this to her! WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO HER!"

Nathan smirked. "Shouldn't you be asking yourself that?" He asked before looking over as their mother and father came running. "You will never be free from me now."

"What happened! Where's Carla?" David asked looking frantic.

Nathan sniffled. "She let her get on the ice when it wasn't ready! I saw her leading Carla out here." He lied and started to cry.

Mercedes shook her head. "No, no she told me it was okay. She told me that you said it was safe!" Mercedes said, looking at their mother.

"Oh God, my baby! Nathan, go call for help!" Monica instructed before pulling Mercedes up.

Nathan smirked before running to the house to call for help while his father ran over to the pond and began hacking at the ice with hands before diving into the water.

"Why didn't you say something! Why didn't you call for help?" Monica shouted at Mercedes.

"I tried… I… I didn't know what to do!"

SLAP!

"You knew better!" Monica spat. "You hated her so much that you killed her! You fucking bitch!"

"Mommy, I didn't! Nathan did this! I was trying to get her out, I almost had her but he pulled me away! Please believe me, I love her so much and would never do that!" Mercedes pleaded.

"I am not your mother! I would never give birth to something like you!" Monica said before looking over right as David resurfaced.

Mercedes let out a scream when she saw Carla's lifeless body in his arms. "No, I almost had her!" She sobbed, starting to run over to her but Monica stopped her and threw her back.

"Stay away! Murder!"

Mercedes let out a sob. "I fought so hard to get to her but it wasn't enough. I tried to tell them but-"

Sam moved over to her and wrapped his arms around her. "Did you tell the police what your brother did?"

She nodded. "They didn't believe me, they worked for them so it was a matter of just convicting me." She answered. "Sam, there's something you should know…"

"You've said enough, you don't have to tell me anymore right now." He said holding her close but she pulled away.

"Sam, listen to me…I did something before I ran away. Something that is keeping him on this hunt."

"There's no reason for anyone to hunt you like this Mercedes, it doesn't matter what you did."

"I took something from my father, something that he wants back… something that he needs and at first I wasn't sure but when Nathan started asking for the money my Nana left it started to make sense." She said, looking at him.

"What did you take?" He asked and she pulled the necklace from underneath her shirt revealing a set of three keys. "What are those?"

"The only thing keeping the real monsters from coming after me… Nathan is demented and cruel but David and Monica… that's a whole other story." She replied and Sam could tell that she was holding onto that information to keep her safe.

This will be the only chapter this week but I might feel generous and post another ;} Let me know what you think Mercedes found out about her parents!