The girl in the picture on the mantel looked much happier then she was inside. But since she couldn't do anything about what her mom did, or where she went, or who she met, she'd at least have to act happy for her mom. The girl moved away from the mantel of the fireplace hearing the truck engine come up the drive way and turn off, the sound of heavy boots hitting the ground echoing in her ear. The fear was taking over her but she wouldn't let it in. But the fear surrounded her as she heard the boots on the front porch. Then the door opening. The smell of alcohol and cigarette smoke wafted over her as the man entered the house. The dim light of the sun set shone in through the large window and cast rays of light over her.

The man walked up to the girl and grasped her upper arm tightly. "What the hell are you doing up, damn girl?" he asked fiercely, tightening his grip cutting off the circulation of blood flow through her arm. "It's not even 7:00 yet," she said. "I don't care! Get up to your room. NOW!" he yelled. "I would if you let the hell go of my arm!" she yelled back in his face. I shouldn't have done that, she though. "What did you say?" he asked. She didn't respond as if that the tightening grip of his hand on his arm would make a scream escape instead of an answer if she even slightly opened her mouth. "I asked you a question! When I ask you a question, what do you do?" he asked. "I don't answer it because I'm afraid I'll get hit no matter what I say," she muttered. "What? Girl, you are asking for some serious time in the hospital!" he yelled throwing her up against the wall. She collapsed with a thud to the ground and the pain flowed freely through her body as she felt as though one thousand knives had just cut into her skin.

She stood up, though the pain was enough to make her collapse again and charged at him. She wouldn't let anyone tell her or her family what to do and say like that. Her arm swung back about to punch him but instead he punched her in the stomach. She doubled over trying to catch her breathe as the tears ran freely down her face. "This time, you'll learn your lesson. For good!" he yelled as he threw her to the wall again. Though it seemed that he would only mentally and physically abuse her, he would also sexually abuse her. The first night he had done it she had almost screamed her mom until her knocked her out. She knew what he had done that night. He had removed her virginity in which she had wanted to keep until she was married.

But instead he had caused her to loose it before she was even ten years old. But instead of him molesting her this time he continually punched her stomach as hard as he could. She fell to a heap on the ground, barely conscious. She looked out the window to see a horrified boy looking in. "Tom," she whispered before remembering anything else.

The next thing she saw was Tom standing over her talking to another person. "Wha- what happened?" she asked as she coughed. Her eyes grew wide in fear as she remembered suddenly. All the pain came back to memory and she felt as though if she moved she would shatter. "Where is he!" she almost yelled. "It's okay. He's gone. He was arrested," she the boy hugging her. "It'll be okay," he said. "I know," she said. "It'll be fine," she said softly.

Kate sat in the sand staring blankly at the ocean. She couldn't stand that memory. Suddenly Jack sat down next to her as usual. "Hey Jack," she said not even looking at him. "Hey, Kate," he said. "What wrong?" he finally asked, breaking the deep silence. "Nothing. Everything's fine. Everything will be fine," she said. Jack looked at her. "You know Kate. You are one of the biggest mysteries that I have to solve," he said looking at her. Then after that was said Jack stood up, wiping off the dirt and walking off. "I know. And I always will be," she muttered looking at the ocean. A tears found its way down her smooth cheek and it fell down to the hot sand beside her. She knew she was a mystery, and always would be.

Fin

Well, I know it was short but it just hit me while I was reading some other fan fics. Well, please R&R!