A/N: Howdy, fellow Minx lovers! Thanks for the continued support of this story be it by reviewing, reading or following! It's appreciated. I had a pretty good birthday. As to the NCAA tournament, my team lost in the finals. I'm still proud of them though. I'm getting ready to go help my sister move so I'll try and make this quick, but I feel I need to say a little something about this chapter which takes place right after the last one.

This chapter is personal to me. I'll explain that in the author's notes at the end. The subject matter might be a trigger for some because of the sensitive nature of what's discussed. Hope you enjoy this update.

/

Bianca breathed a sigh of relief at the appearance of two women, one older and one younger. There was a definite family resemblance between them. The younger one was blonde like the older one but taller by a few inches. Around her right eye, there were signs of bruising. An attempt had been made to conceal it with makeup, but unfortunately, Bianca had seen this too many times in too many others to not see it.

The brunette stood and welcomed them. "Diana, it's good to see you again. You must be Kirsten. Please, come in and have a seat." Bianca led the two women to the sofa while she took a seat in a nearby chair. Aya hung back for the moment. Diana Holmes had specifically requested to see Bianca if she was available. Because she was, Aya respected her wishes and did as requested because she knew that Bianca was anxious to hear from them and would definitely make the time for the two women.

Bianca noticed Diana wince slightly as she took her seat. Her niece was quick to help her get settled and comfortable. Bianca and Aya shared a quick glance and knew something was definitely wrong with the older woman.

"Diana, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Bianca. Thank you."

Kirsten shook her head. "No, you're not, Aunt Diana. We should've gone to the hospital. You need to have a doctor check you out."

"No, Kirsten. I'll be fine, and I'll get looked at later. Right now, I need to make sure that you're safe. I can wait."

"I think I have a compromise." Bianca looked at Aya. "Who's here today?"

"Angie."

"Could you ask her to join us here? I'd like her to examine Mrs. Holmes."

Aya nodded. "I'm on my way."

Bianca turned back to the other women. "The Center has doctors that volunteer time each day on our premises. Dr. Angela Hubbard is here today. She's an excellent doctor and on staff at Pine Valley Hospital. She can exam you, Diana, and without either of you having to leave just yet. While she's doing that, it will give us a chance to talk, Kirsten, if you'd like."

"I'm willing if you're willing, Kirsten."

"Aunt Diana?"

"You promised me that you were willing to do this. Please, Kirsten, don't back out now."

The younger blonde took a deep breath and nodded. "I won't. I gave you my word, but I want that doctor to look at you, and you have to promise to do what she says. We're also going to call Uncle Jay. I know he's worried about you."

Diana looked at her niece. She knew Kirsten was right. Her husband was most likely worried about her since she hadn't actually talked with him in over 24 hours. She had sent him a quick text but that was all she had been able to do. "Deal. We'll also call your mother to let her know where you are."

Kirsten nodded. It had been far too long since she had really talked with her mom or dad.

"Bianca, I was told there was someone you needed me to examine."

"Hi, Angie. Yes, there is. Dr. Angela Hubbard, this is Diana Holmes and her niece Kirsten Tanner."

The doctor and the two women in question exchanged greetings.

"I need you to examine Diana."

Angie quickly assessed the situation and saw the women clutching each other's' hands. She knew from her experience working at the Center that she should keep the aunt and niece together. "Bianca, is it alright with you if I examine her here?"

Bianca could see relief flood the two blondes and agreed with Angie's suggestion. They needed to remain together for the immediate time being. "I'm fine with that. I'll pull the blinds so you can have some more privacy. Kirsten, why don't we have a seat over by my desk so they have a little more room?"

Diana gave her niece a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine." With that, Kirsten followed Bianca and took a seat near the brunette's desk but kept her eyes peeled on her aunt.

/

Angie opened her medical bag and looked at the older blonde. "So, Diana, where do you hurt exactly?"

"It's right around here." Diana indicated the rib area.

"Alright, let me take a look." As Angie began her exam, she questioned the other woman about her injuries. "Have you experienced any shortness of breath?"

"No, it's just really sore and hurts when I move a certain way."

"Okay. Can you tell me what happened? How did you get hurt?"

Diana winced as Angie touched a particular tender spot. "I was pushed into a counter."

"By who?"

/

"This is all my fault. Aunt Diana's hurt and in pain, and it's all because of me. I did this."

Bianca remained quiet. Sometimes, the best way to something was to actually not say anything. The brunette had learned this over time, and for the moment, Bianca let Kirsten ramble. She'd eventually reveal the truth because Bianca knew that the blonde was not actually responsible for whatever injuries her aunt had suffered. She was just blaming herself.

"She wouldn't be hurt if it wasn't for me. She got hurt trying to protect, trying to make me see reason." Kirsten took a tissue that was offered by Bianca. She hadn't even realized she was crying until now. All of the emotions that she had kept inside for the last 24 hours were finally bursting through the wall she had created around them. "Aunt Diana came to Llanview last Friday and checked into a hotel. Amelia left early Saturday morning. Once I was sure the coast was clear, I called Aunt Diana, and she came over. We thought it'd be easier to talk without Amelia around. She really doesn't like my family, especially Aunt Diana and especially after our trip back here on the 4th of July. Amelia thought Aunt Diana was badmouthing her to me when we were alone. The thing is we were only alone for like five minutes if that and didn't really have a chance to talk about anything before Amelia busted in and interrupted us. On the drive back to Llanview, she gave me the third degree. I thought she had finally let things go, but boy was I wrong. About a week later, she completely lost it."

"What happened?"

Not wanting her aunt to hear this part and feel any guilt about what happened, Kirsten lowered her voice. "I got an invitation to a surprise anniversary party for Aunt Diana and Uncle Jay from my Mom. When Amelia saw it, it just set her off, and she was screaming at the top of her lungs. The back door was open and needed to be closed so the neighbors couldn't hear what was going on. I tried to get past her to close it, but she grabbed my arm and just kept twisting." Kirsten made a face that reflected the revulsion she still felt at the memory of what happened next. "I heard something pop. The next thing I knew, I was on the floor in pain, and the police were there. It turns out a neighbor did overhear and called them."

Kirsten paused and glanced over at her aunt when she heard a hiss of pain coming from her. "Aunt Diana?"

"I'm fine, dear. Dr. Hubbard is just doing her job."

The younger blonde nodded and continued her story. The look of concern she had for her aunt was replaced with one of disgust. "The police didn't take anything seriously, not anything they saw and not anything they heard. No, the only thing they got out of it was that two women were fighting. I heard one of them say they thought it was hot, and the other one just smirked and agreed with him. The neighbor who called them asked them if they were going to do anything. The police rolled their eyes and acted like it was a big imposition, but they whipped out their notebooks and asked for our names. When Amelia gave them hers, they recognized it right away. I swear I thought one of them was going to pass out he was so scared. They couldn't get out of there fast enough and kept apologizing to her for the interruption. Amelia practically threw the neighbor out as soon as the police were gone. After she did that and we were alone, she called her mom and dad. They rushed over and took me to the hospital. Everything was done quietly and off the books. Amelia apologized a few times while her father threatened me. He said he would ruin me and come after my family if I said anything to anyone. And as he so rightfully pointed out, who would believe me? There were no records, no paper trail. I had nothing to back up my story while they had everything on their side. Amelia's mother then told me not to even think about leaving. I asked her why she cared if I stayed or not. She said it wouldn't be good for appearances, and that I would just have to learn to live with it.

So, I kept quiet. Who would believe me anyway, and how could I tell them? I could just never do anything right for her, and it was my fault that she would get upset. I couldn't really blame her. I look at everybody else's relationships in my family, and they seem perfect. They don't have any major problems and are so happy. I just want that. I had to keep trying. And then, Amelia kept apologizing and buying me flowers and all kinds of gifts, and things did seem to get a little better. I thought she was truly remorseful. I talked to Aunt Diana off and on, in private of course. Finally, I told her what was happening after another blowup from Amelia. It felt so good to tell someone and have them believe me. She kept telling me I had to leave, but I was so scared. Aunt Diana said she had a plan and would help me get away and get someplace safe. I told her I wasn't sure about leaving, but I was willing to listen. That's when she came to Llanview. She was right. I needed to leave so I started to pack a few things while Aunt Diana went back to the hotel to check out. When she was done there, she was coming back to my place to pick me up. The plan was to make a quick and clean getaway. What's the saying by Robert Burns? The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray."

"I'm all too familiar with that saying. What happened?"

"Amelia. She got home early and saw my bags packed. She started pleading and begging me to stay. She'd cry and then yell and then cry some more. While all of this was going on, my cellphone kept ringing. It was sitting on the counter, and Amelia was in between it and me. I had a feeling it was Aunt Diana but wasn't sure. Obviously, I couldn't answer it to find out since I couldn't get to it. I also couldn't get a word in edgewise with Amelia because she kept going on and on about how much she loved and was willing to change for me. She promised to get help and work on our relationship. She was willing to do whatever she needed to keep me. After a while, she accused me of just walking away and giving up without even trying. Me not trying? I have the bruises and scars that prove otherwise."

/

"I'm sorry, Diana. I know this hurts, but I'm almost done."

Diana nodded. She knew the doctor was just doing her job, but it still hurt.

Angie thought it would be a good idea to take the blonde's mind off of what she was doing. "How did this happen?"

"I got Kirsten to agree to leave her girlfriend. While she was packing, I went back to my hotel to check out. I wanted to get her away from Llanview before Amelia got back."

"She's the girlfriend?"

"Yes. I tried calling Kirsten repeatedly to tell her I was on my way, but she didn't answer. I had a feeling that something bad happened so I rushed back over to get her. When I pulled up to the house, I saw Amelia's car in the driveway. I don't know that I've ever been so scared in my life, but I had to do something. She's my niece. I love her and would do anything for her. I got out of my car and walked to the door. I thought about having my cellphone ready to call the police if I needed to, but then, I remembered where I was and what they did the last time they were called there."

"What did they do?"

"Nothing. Oh no, wait. Sorry. They did do something. They apologized to Amelia for bothering her. You see, her family has pretty strong connections in Llanview."

Angie shook her head in disgust. She knew from Jesse that some police departments would bow to outside pressures and influences. He did his very best to make sure his department was not like that. "That's awful. I'm sorry. I can promise you that it's not like that in Pine Valley."

"So Bianca has assured me." Diana was hit with a sudden realization. "Hubbard. Are you related to Chief Hubbard?"

"He's my husband."

"I didn't make the connection until just now. I have heard good things about him and not just from Bianca."

Angie smiled proudly. "They're all true. So, what happened next?"

"The door was open slightly, and I could hear Amelia carrying on. So, I went in. I had no other choice and really didn't give it a second thought. When Amelia saw me, she completely lost it. She started screaming at me, blaming me for everything. She rushed over, but Kirsten jumped in the way to protect me. Amelia punched her."

"The black eye?"

"Yes. Amelia then went after me. She slammed me into a counter. I couldn't breathe. Kirsten got back on her feet and pushed Amelia away. She told her to get the hell out of there before she called the police. Amelia brought up what happened the last time, but my niece didn't back down this time. She told her she wasn't talking the Llanview police. She was talking the state police. That seemed to do it, at least for a few minutes. As soon as she left, we grabbed Kirsten's bags and got the hell out of there. Kirsten wanted to stop at a hospital and get me checked out, but I didn't want to take the chance and stop. We had no way of knowing if Amelia was going to change her mind and come after us or send the police after us. We needed to keep going and get out of Llanview. We needed to get someplace safe. I knew this place would be safe."

"You're right. The Miranda Center is a very safe place."

/

"I wanted to stop and have someone look at Diana, but she wouldn't have it. She insisted we drive straight here. She wanted us to get someplace safe."

"Given your last experience with the Llanview police, I can understand her concern."

"Yeah. It's funny, you know? I thought the police were supposed to help, but the two that showed up were pathetic. How can I trust them? It was all one big joke to them. I knew they were thinking there was no way a woman could abuse another woman like that. You don't hear about it happening on the news."

"What the police did was wrong, and they very well might have been thinking that. I can assure you though that they don't reflect the entire police department."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I know the police commissioner as well as the district attorney. They would be furious if they knew what happened. If you happen to remember the names of the officers involved, I can pass them along to Bo and Nora."

"I'll never forget them." Kirsten stated bitterly as she wrote down their names. After she handed the paper back to Bianca, the blonde continued. "You believe me? I mean you don't have a problem with my sexual orientation?"

"Yes, I believe you. As I told your aunt, abuse doesn't discriminate, and it crosses all boundaries: race, gender, age, religion, economic, sexual orientation. The Miranda Center doesn't discriminate either. It doesn't matter to us. Our only goal is to help."

As Kirsten was trying to process what Bianca said, a picture on the brunette's desk caught her eye. It was a wedding featuring two brides, one of which was Bianca. The other bride, a redhead, and Bianca were gazing at each and absolutely beaming. Seeing that gave the blonde a glimmer of hope and belief. "Aunt Diana says you can help. Is that true?"

"Do you really want help?"

Kirsten nodded. "I do. When I saw her hurt Aunt Diana, I knew. I have to get away. I can't live like this anymore. I've known that for a while. It's just that I'm so embarrassed. How do I face people, my friends and family? What will they think of me? They all think Amelia's perfect and could never do anything like this. She wouldn't be capable of doing this."

"Abusers, by and large, are charming and engaging individuals. They show one face to the world and another to those they abuse. That's how they get away with it."

"That's definitely Amelia."

"You're forgetting one important fact. Not everyone thinks she's perfect. Not everyone buys her act."

Kirsten's eyes darted to her aunt. "Aunt Diana."

"Yeah, your aunt. As to what others are going to think, those that know you and care about you will first be thankful that you're safe and out of that situation. Then, they'll think you're brave."

Kirsten scoffed. "Brave? Me? Hardly. If I was brave, I would've gotten out of there a long time ago. If I was brave, this wouldn't have happened at all."

"That's not how abuse works. While it's true that some people leave the first time something happens, other times, it doesn't happen like that. It builds up over time, so slowly that you don't realize how wrong things are. You feel trapped, like there's no way out, no escape. That isn't true though. There is a way out, but it takes courage to take that first step, to ask for help and break the cycle of abuse. It takes someone who's brave. You're not the first, nor will you be the last, to feel the way you are. I know a woman who helps people for a living. She's a therapist. She's smart and funny and is really good at what she does. She was married and was, for all appearances, happy. What no one else knew was that her husband was abusing her. Something happened that made her realize that she needed to leave him. The thing that she was so worried about was how other people were going to see her, what they were going to think about her. How could someone that does what she does for a living allow that to happen to her. I'll tell you what I told her. If she didn't want to tell anybody what happened, she didn't have to. If she did though, people would understand. They wouldn't look down on her, think any less of her. She had to think about herself, getting herself safe and healthy. That's all that those who care about her would want. That's what was important and what really mattered. Everything else would work out, but for that to happen, she needed to get help."

"What happened to her?"

"She left him, got help in the form of counseling and joined a support group. It's taken her some time, but she met a really good guy who treats her like she deserves to be treated. They're getting married next year. She's broken that cycle."

"You mentioned it being a cycle."

"Abuse is a cycle. Some abusers were themselves abused as children or witnessed it in their families. You said something earlier that has me wondering. Amelia's mother told you that you had to get used to what was happening. I can't help but wonder if she was abused by her husband. Amelia could've witnessed that and thought that was just the way things were in a relationship. I'm by no means justifying what she's done to you. She shouldn't have done it plain and simple, and there's no getting away from that. It's wrong and there are no excuses or justifications."

"If she saw that though, wouldn't she see how wrong it is? Wouldn't she want to spare someone else that pain?"

"You would think that, but that's not how it goes sometimes. It's about power and control. By perpetuating that cycle and becoming the abuser, they take that power back, gain control of the situation and of their life. There's someone else I know who was abused as a child as were her sisters. Their father took great delight in causing physical and emotional pain. When they became adults and moved away, he couldn't do that anymore. One day though, he tried again she was visiting her mother. The woman commented on his behavior. She told me that he was ill and on oxygen full-time. Her mother wasn't getting his breathing treatment ready fast enough for him so he threw it across the room. The woman told me she made a smartass comment of some sort. She said she couldn't help it. It just slipped right out. After a lifetime of witnessing these kinds of scenes and not saying anything, she figured it was bound to happen. Of course, she didn't stop to think of where she was standing at the time. She was literally trapped in a corner. Her father stalked over to her. He was coming after her. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that he was going to try and hurt her. She had a moment of clarity in that instant. He may get a punch in, but she wasn't going to back down. She was going to defend herself, no matter what it took. He was going down. She wasn't that scared little girl anymore."

"Did he?"

"No, he didn't hit her. Her mother finally did something after all of those years. She stepped in between them. That was enough to stop him. After all of this happened and she was alone, the woman thought her legs were going to give out on her. She didn't think her knees had ever shaken that much before or since, but she felt so empowered for finally taking that stand. What's sad though is that to this day, she doesn't know who her mom was protecting."

"What do you mean? Surely, she was protecting her daughter."

"She can't say that for sure. Her mom denies what happened to the woman and her sisters, and she never tried to stop it when they were children. So, the woman can't help but think that her mother was protecting him."

"That's awful. Does she see them?"

"Her father passed away about a year later. She said it was the biggest weight lifted off of her shoulders when she found out he died. As to her mother, the relationship is strained. Her mother still denies things, and now, she's showing early signs of dementia."

"I can't believe that she went through that. It's so sad."

"It is. No child should have to feel that way. There's something that's amazing though. After everything they went through as children, they have happy and productive lives. Their children have never been abused. They somehow found the strength to break that cycle. They didn't want anyone else to go through what they did. That's what they're most proud of."

Kirsten shook her head. "They were really brave."

"If you asked them, they wouldn't say that, just like you. They did what they had to do to survive. She told me once that while she can't change the past, she can choose to not let it define her."

"What do I need to do?"

"Are you going to get help, dear?"

Kirsten glanced up and saw her aunt and the doctor standing by them. "How's my aunt, doctor?"

"She has some bruised ribs but will be okay."

"You didn't answer my question, Kirsten."

"Yes, Aunt Diana. I'm going to get help. Whatever you need me to do, Bianca, I'm ready. I'm done with all of this. I want my life back."

The older blonde sighed in relief. "Oh, dear, I know it's hard, but it's the right thing to do. You deserve better. You deserve happiness, and that's all I've ever wanted for you."

"I know. Thank you for not giving up on me and helping me finally see what I couldn't, what I wasn't willing to. I know it's going to be a lot of work, but I'm ready."

"And your family will be there every step of the way to help you."

Kirsten hugged her aunt lightly, not wanting to aggravate her injuries. "Thank you. So, Bianca, where do I start?"

"By letting Dr. Hubbard exam you. I'd really like her to take a look at the eye as well as give you a complete exam. I'm guessing it's been a while since you've had one?"

"Yes, it has. I really didn't think I could because they would see what I was trying to hide."

Bianca nodded. "I understand. After that, we'll get started on having you transferred to a safe house. Would you like us to call your parents or any other family members and have them meet you here? We can't tell them where you are once you're in a safe house. We do that for everyone's safety."

Kirsten's cellphone rang, and the blonde and her aunt froze. Everyone knew who it was without even looking at the caller id. "It's Amelia. What do I do?"

Aya glanced at Bianca who nodded. The office manager was quite adept at handling these types of situations. "You want us to handle it?"

"Yeah, I do. I can't talk to her."

"I'll need your cellphone."

Kirsten handed it over to Aya. She immediately ignored the call and began scrolling through the phone's apps. Aya shook her head when she found what she suspected might be on there. The phone began ringing again. The office manager turned it over and removed the battery which rendered the phone silent and unusable. "You would've had to have turned it over before going to a safe house. Now, she won't be able to track you."

"Track me?"

"There was an app on the phone that would allow another phone to know your location. Parents use it to keep track of their kids, and …"

"People like Amelia would use it to keep track of people like me." Kirsten nodded in understanding. "I had no idea that was on there. That explains a lot. I always thought it was odd how she'd show up at different places that I happened to be at. She said it was just coincidence, but it always bothered me. I really do need to go to a safe house, don't I? She's not just going to give up easily, is she?"

Aya shook her head sadly. "No, I don't think she is if she was tracking your cellphone. There's no shame in going to a safe house. It is exactly what it says it is. It's someplace safe for you to heal and regroup."

Kirsten nodded again and turned to Bianca. "I would like to see my mom and dad."

"Your aunt can call them then while you go back to the exam room with Dr. Hubbard. Aya will get everything started on our end. Tonight, you'll be someplace where you'll feel safe. Are you ready?"

The younger blonde could feel a huge weight being lifted from her shoulders. There were people that believed her and would help her. She knew it wouldn't be easy, but she knew she was taking the first vital step she needed to take in order to heal, gain her freedom, and find herself again. "Yeah, I am."

Diana hugged her niece. "I'm so proud of you, and I love you. You're not alone."

"I love you too, Aunt Diana. I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you or thank you enough."

"You don't owe me anything, Kirsten, just take care of yourself."

Angie stepped forward. "Are you ready for me to exam you?"

"Yeah, let's go. Oh, Bianca, could you make sure she calls my uncle? I know he's worried about her."

Bianca nodded. "I'll make sure, and I'll send her back to you as soon as we've talked to your parents."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

/

A/N: I mention the stories of two other women in this chapter. They are based on real life events and involve people I know and care about. I didn't give all of the details but enough that I hope that I added some validity to story. I also hope that they showed there is hope for those that are abused. The cycles they were in have been broken, and they are living good lives. The scars are still there where you really can't see them, but they don't define them. It's part of who they are but not all that they are. I hope you take the positives away from this chapter. See you soon!