Hey guys! Thankyou yet again for all of your reviews. Lovely to hear from you. Anyway, in this chapter I am going to reveal a major secret, so get ready. It didn't quite come out like I had hoped, but it gets the idea across I think.

DISCLAIMER: I no characters or settings,or anything else for that matter.

Three days later, the three siblings piled into a rented car. They had very few belongings between them. It was a solid four hour drive to get to Arcadia. Luke said He would drive the entire way. Joan had no objections. She just couldn't believe that she was actually going back to Arcadia. She had vowed she never would. Not after what had happened. It would be too painful to dig up those old memories. She shuddered at the very thought.

As they crossed through the state border, Luke suddenly asked Joan a question she had been dreading.

"So, why did you leave Arcadia?"

Joan felt the blood rush from her head. Her palms felt all sweaty and she was sure her brothers could tell. She stumbled on her answer, and it can out in a high, distrusting voice. "Um…ch-change of, um, er, scenery." It didn't fool Kevin or Luke for a second.

"Joan, c'mon, tell us," pleaded Luke.

"We won't tell," added Kevin.

Joan looked at the two men, and suddenly realised this WAS the reason why she had to leave Arcadia. She didn't trust people. So she hesitantly took a deep breath, and told her story.

"Well, you know about the whole Bonnie and Adam thing, right?"

The boys nodded. Luke could remember how angry she was at Adam. "Yeah, but you got back with Adam in the end, anyway, right?" asked Luke.

Joan nodded and then continued. "Well after we got back together, he promised to never lie or cheat again. I believed him, I really did. Anyway for a few months everything was fine.

"However, one day I was going out to work, and I decided to go a different way to my usual one. It happened to go via Bonnie's house. As I went past, I saw Adam coming out of her house. I was so angry. I stopped the car, and went inside, to talk to, or strangle, Bonnie.

"I went knocked on the door, and her step-father answered. I think he was drunk. He told me that Bonnie had gone out. She must have slipped out the back. Brent, that's Bonnie's step-father, asked what was wrong 'cause I must have had a red face from being angry. I decided to tell him, so he would realize what a cow Bonnie was.

"After that, I stood to leave, but Brent grabbed my arm and pulled me down. He said something about never insulting his step-daughter. I tried to get away but he wouldn't let me…"

Kevin and Luke were both deadly silent; they couldn't believe what their sister was telling them. They didn't think it could be true. Luke, who was driving, actually pulled up on the side of the road. Joan herself had watery eyes, but continued anyway.

"He hit me over the face about three times, and then kicked me in the shins. I fell to the floor. All I remember after that was how much it hurt. I don't know how many times he hit me, or how long but I know when I left, I was hurting all over

"When he finally let me go outside, I saw Bonnie sitting on the gutter. I went over to her, to try and tell her off, but when I got over there, I noticed her lip was bleeding. She looked up at me, and began to cry. She told me about how her step-father hit her.

"She explained how Adam had gone over to her house to make sure she was okay. He had seen her Brent hit her before, and didn't want it to keep going. That's why he went around that night, to check on Bonnie, not to hook up with her…"

Joan hung her head with shame.

Kevin broke the icy silence by tentatively asking, "He didn't, you know…touch you, did he?"

Joan shook her head.

"But, I was still at home when this happened. How come I never knew?" asked Luke sadly. He didn't think anything like this could happen without him noticing.

"You remember that time I fell down the stairs after work…" said Joan softly.

A look of apprehension crossed Luke's face. His mouth formed a small O-shape.

"So that's why you moved to New York?" asked Kevin.

"Yeah," replied Joan. "I then changed my name so that Brent couldn't find me. I don't think he would have tried, but it's better safe then sorry, hey?" she said meekly.

"But I thought you had a fight with mum, and that was why you left?" questioned Luke.

Joan sighed. She hadn't bargained on pulling up these thoughts so soon. "Well," she began, "We actually had a fight because I was moving. She thought I was too young and too immature to go out on my own. Looking back now, I can sort of understand where she was coming from," she said thoughtfully.

"Anyway, dad agreed with her, and they tried to make me stay, but I left anyway. They told me I wouldn't have a room if I came back…I hope they have forgiven me."

Kevin, who was sitting in the back, didn't know what to say. First he heard how his sister had been physically assaulted, and then found out that his parents had abandoned their only daughter. He didn't think it sounded possible. And he was also ashamed that this was the first he had ever heard about any of it. He was becoming more and more worried about what was in store for them in Arcadia. Luke started the engine back off, and they continued to Arcadia.

Wow, that was longer than I expected. Please review. Let's try get 5 this time. Love always, Em.