Katlyn wasn't finding much in this bedroom must be a guest bedroom. Katlyn sighed. It must be nice to live like this in a nice house and have your own bedroom. The place they lived at the moment had no electricity and had rats. They all slept in the same room on the floor there was no bed. Katlyn thought she heard something. She turned around but didn't see anything.

It was time to get out of here. She had lingered to long. Katlyn headed out the bedroom door. That's when she saw the shape of some one huge in the hallway and he seen her too.  Mark flipped on the light and the hallway was flooded with light momentarily blinding Katlyn. 

Mark couldn't tell a thing about the person they were small and was covered in black from head to toe. They were wearing a black ski mask.

Katlyn knew the only way out was past him. She had to go for it. She dropped the bag and charged at him and ducked to go past him at the last minute. She hadn't counted on this giant lifting his boot and delivering a hard kick in her side. Katlyn went down and fast gasping in pain. All thoughts of escape were put out of her mind as the pain took over. She figured her ribs were broke or bruised either way it hurt like hell. She ran her fingers firmly over her ribs gasping in pain, but she didn't feel any breaks.

Mark watched as he checked for broken ribs, obviously this punk had run-ins before.

Katlyn had plenty experience with broken ribs as Tom had broke them twice before beating her.

Mark jerked her up and dragged her in his room and flipped on the light.

Katlyn gasped in pain and tried to struggle out of this mans grip but it was useless. He hadn't called the police yet and he looked mad as hell. He was probably going to beat the hell out of her. That wasn't nothing new, she wasn't that worried, maybe if he didn't call the police she could get away. Mark threw the burglar against the wall intent on beating the hell out of him.

Katlyn gasped again. If her ribs weren't broke they would be soon.

Mark pulled the Katlyn up and was ready to punch her again. He decided to pull the mask off he was curious to see the punk. He grabbed the ski mask and ripped it off and it was his turn to gasp in shock. The punk was a girl. Long auburn hair cascaded down her back. Big brown eyes. Freckles sprinkled liberally all over her beautiful face. Mark held on to her but his shock was obvious.

She was just a baby, she looked young really young. Then Mark realized he had just kicked this child hard in the ribs and threw her against a wall. She was just a child and he had been about to beat the living shit out of her. He pulled her to a chair and pushed her in it.

"Don't move." He growled.

Katlyn realized he wasn't going to hit her no more. But she couldn't figure out why. She had seen the rage leave his eyes. She took a moment to study him. He was big about 7"0 tall and god was he built. He had short Auburn hair. He was wearing blue jeans and a sleeveless shirt and his arms were covered with tats. He had piercing green eyes which seemed to stare a hole in her.

"How old are ya?" Mark snapped.

Katlyn refused to say anything. She wasn't about to give him information.

"Hmmm I see cats got your tongue." Mark said.

Mark got on the phone and called the police. Katlyn's heart sank. She had a record a mile long. She was 18 now they would send her to real jail. Thomas wouldn't bother to have one of the boys bail her out. She had become a liability now that she was 18, to much trouble. Tom cut most of the older kids loose once they turned of age. Young ones were easier to deal with. They had to move around a lot too and all the kids took the slaps on the wrists they got and never mentioned Tom. He couldn't be implicated in anything. She realized she was screwed and would probably do a couple of year's jail time.

Mark got off the phone and looked at her. She looked so alone and desolate. He almost felt sorry for her.

Mark walked over to her.

"Let me check yer ribs." Mark said bending down beside her.

Katlyn pulled as far back in the chair as she could. She was scared of this man. He was so big.

"Come on now, let me check to make sure they aint broke." Mark said.

Mark gently lifted the edge of her shirt and Katlyn froze scared to death. Mark could practically smell her fear.

"I'm not going ta hurt ya." Mark said looking in those big brown eyes of hers.

Mark looked at her side and ribs, there was a huge bruise forming where he had kicked her. He ran his hands over it checking for breaks.

Katlyn winced but didn't cry out.

Mark knew it was painful from personal experience. He was surprised when she didn't scream or cry out.

"It's not broken but they need to be taped." Mark said.

Why was he being nice, hell she had been robbing him Katlyn wondered.

Mark pulled her up and led her to the bathroom where he had a bandage. He lifted her shirt and wrapped it tight enough to get rid of some of the pain.

"I'm sorry I hurt ya kid. I didn't know ya were a little girl." Mark said.

For the first time Katlyn spoke.

"Why should that make a difference?" Katlyn asked clearly puzzled.

Mark frowned.

"I don't go around beating on children." Mark said.

Katlyn just stared at him. She had no experience with 'normal' people. She really couldn't understand why he felt bad. She just shrugged and looked away.

The doorbell rang.

Katlyn froze with fear. She knew it was the police.

Mark stood up and grabbed her arm. It wasn't rough but he kept a firm grip on her.

Katlyn followed him she knew she didn't have no choice. Maybe she could still escape she knew she had to try she didn't want to go to jail.