NOTE TO READERS: Ok, so I've updated finally. I'm sorry this is taking a long time, and I thank those who have been in this for the long haul. I know we are coming up on a year for this story, and I'm trying desperately to finish before then. Thanks to everyone who reviewed and to everyone who reads this story. I really appreciate learning you're thoughts on this story, negative or positive. I know that I can please everyone, so I'm pleasing myself mostly with my story. That probably sounds self-centered lol. Anyway..enjoy.

For the McGuires this year, Halloween had been just another day and Thanksgiving had gone unnoticed, and it seemed the Christmas season would come and go in the same matter, except for a very unlikely reminder.

It was noon on December 25, Christmas Day, two days after the blow out between Gordo, Miranda, and Lizzie, when it happened. Jo was seated in the living room, starring at the mute television, and Lizzie was upstairs, hiding from the world. Matt was preparing lunch for everyone, trying to get his mind to focus on anything but the present, when he heard the doorbell. Frightened it was someone else, waiting to make a scene, he took his time answering it, questioning to ignore it, but his curiosity got the better of him.

As he stood, staring at the person in front of him, Matt couldn't speak. But that didn't stop the guest from walking in anyway, though it was obvious he was sluggish and scared.

Sam gulped, and then spoke, "Merry Christmas."

It was then that Matt noticed the slightly large square shaped gift enclosed in his father's hands. Matt stared at him, not sure what any of this meant. Was his father here to stay this time, or would he run away? Should he rush into his arms and welcome him back, or lock him out and throw away the key? But all Matt could do, was stand there, starring at this man before him.

"I." Sam stumbled nervously, "I.. ummm.. c.can.I se.see her?"

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Lizzie was unable to hear the doorbell through her locked mind. She had blocked out the entire world once again, only replaying Miranda and Gordo's words from that night, over and over again. She tried to close her eyes to block out the images, but they only got deeper and angrier. She pulled the covers over her head tight, but that proved to do no good either. She rose from the bed, which at one time had been her savior, but now was nothing to her.

She walked over to the long wall mirror hanging next to her dresser. Lizzie stared at herself, no make-up and her hair undid and unwashed, her true self. It had been months since she saw her reflection, and years since she saw just her. She started at her hair, noticing the stringy and messy nature of it. Then moved along to her eyes, where she spent the most time. The bags from nights of just staring at the ceiling, blocking out whatever possible, trying not to sleep, because her dreams taunted her of times she had lost, and how better she could have been. There were tears falling down her cheeks, but she didn't feel them, only first noticed she was crying when she saw it in the mirror. Her bright green eyes that everyone adored when she was younger. Those big green eyes that were so caring and kind once long ago, that turned mean and envious. It was her eyes that gave her away, Lizzie always thought. They showed her tortured soul, buried deep within, that was only blocked by make up, but never cured or unleashed.

She moved her gaze downward. The mirror revealed the baby growing inside of her and she hated the mirror for it. Lizzie cried in anger as she threw books, statues, whatever was in easy reach, at the mirror, thinking the world was a big lie but the mirror showed the truth, and the truth was something she didn't want to see.

Glass shattered all around her as she fell to the ground in exhaustion. With her head cupped in her hands, she cried through it all, just wanting to end all the pain she caused, just wishing no one would have to deal with the mess she hauled around with her. She spotted a piece of jagged mirror lying near her, as she removed her hands. She brought it closer, and peered through, only her eyes reflecting back. She cried in pain, and threw the piece of mirror to the floor, smashing the eyes she couldn't bare to see.

An open bottle, with pills spilling out, rolled next to her. They were her mother's sleeping pills, prescribed to her in mid July, to help with Jo's lack of sleep. Lizzie took stole them from the medicine cabinet only weeks after. She liked the feeling of not feeling, of escaping the world. Lizzie hadn't seen them since she found out she was pregnant, or perhaps she forgot to look, but now it seemed everything was clear. She needed to escape; not just for herself, but also for all of those she hurt. Clenching her eyes shut, with tears rushing out, she took as many pills as she could, her body falling to lie on the floor moments later. When she opened her eyes, she felt a light come into the dark room and saw a figure, but her vision was blurry. She heard a scream so close yet so far out of reach, before everything became dark.

Sam opened his little girl's bedroom door, finding the bed undone and the mirror broken. Then he saw the mangled body, facing up, lying on the floor, and the empty bottled in her hand. His screams of agony and distress could be heard miles away, it even broke Jo out of her state.

Matt rushed to the stairs, only to see his father rushing down them, Lizzie in hands. Everything seemed to be in slow motion as he saw Jo rush to the phone and Sam lying Lizzie on the couch, both in tears, and both in panic. Tears soon found his eyes, and everything seemed to be spinning as Lizzie's limp body was being placed down, but he couldn't move from his spot. He saw his mother's mouth move vigorously, forming "MATT" but he couldn't hear it. His body was becoming limp, and in an instant, he was on the floor, pain shooting through him.

ANOTHER NOTE: So, what did you think? Let me know, and I've almost finished chapter 28, so it will probably be up in the next few days.