(Author's Notes- Hi Guys!! Hope you enjoyed that last chapter!! Here's #10! Please Read and Review!! Thanks! --Am)

Chapter #10- Guilt and A Lost Soul

Nik & Em's Bedroom-

Emily was trapped, huddled in a small corner. Memories filled her mind. She felt she was 16 again. She wanted her husband. She needed him.

Emily knew what was coming. She tried to scream but her mouth was quickly covered by Stavros' large hand.

As she struggled against him, he threw her over his shoulder as if she were a rag doll.

As he threw her on the bed, Emily begged for the twins that she was carrying. She didn't want them hurt, and knew she'd have to see Liz after this...

A Few Hours Later-

He had left a half hour ago. She had been lying there for that half hour, unable to move, too scared to try.

Emily knew she had to start moving, for she couldn't let her sons' find her like this, nor would she be able to look her husband in the eyes tonight.

Emily slowly dragged herself out of bed, sheet wrapped tightly around her body. She debated on whether to take a shower or not, but decided against it.

As Emily slowly got dressed, her hands caressed her belly, and cried for the pain she caused all 4 of her children.

"Mommy's so sorry girls. I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you or your brothers..." Emily quietly said.

Em soon snuck out of her room and made it to her sons' room without being caught.

"Mama..." Said Anthony quietly, who was the first to see her.

"Shh...boys its ok. I came in here to say you did nothing wrong. You were only doing what you were told, and what you believed. I'm not mad at you. You're not in trouble. I love you so much. So much, you'll never know just how much." Emily said, soothing her sons.

"Look, when you see Daddy, tell him that I went out ok? I should be back later, but I am not sure when. Please make sure you tell him not to worry ok?"

"Ok Mama. We're really, really sorry Mama." The boys said in unison.

"I know you are boys, I know. But I still love you no matter what." Em said as she held her sons close.

"I have to go. I'll be back. Be good ok? Love you." Em said as she slipped out of her boys' rooms.

"We love you too Mama." They replied.

Emily went back into her room and locked the door. She didn't bother cleaning up the mess in the bathroom.

It would leave Nikolas an obvious hint that something went terribly wrong today while he was gone. She hoped he didn't feel guilty about it.

She had to get out of this hell hole before Stavros came back. She'd take her sons with her but it would look less suspicious if 1 person were missing vs 3. Besides, Stavros thought she was hiding...or at least she hoped that's what he was thinking.

Emily then slipped out her window into the cold, dark, night.

Doctor's Office-

Exhausted, cold, scared, and emotionally numb, Emily staggered into the doctor's office about an hour later. Eyes filled with fear and pain.

When the door sounded, Lucky was the first to pick his head up and see her.

"Oh my gosh! Jasmine!" He said as he rushed over to her.

Emily instinctively straightened her shoulders, but took a few steps back out of fear.

When Lucky saw the bruise forming on her face, and the look in her eyes, he had a strong feeling what had happened.

"Elizabeth! Elizabeth I need you to come in here now! It's extremely important!" Lucky called to her.

"Lucky what is it? I have – Jasmine!! What happened?" Liz exclaimed, slowly approaching Em.

Her silence and her eyes told Liz all she needed to know.

"Come on sweetie, let's get you checked out..." Liz said quietly.

Castle – Later That Night

Nik & Em's Bedroom-

Lucky and Liz had dropped Nik off about a half hour after getting food and such and bringing it back to their apartment. Granted none of them expected Nik's revelation about faking most of his anger and such as well as going to get food would take a few hours and therefore Nik just wanted to sleep next to his peaceful wife and call it a day.

However, when he entered his room, his wife was not sleeping peacefully. In fact she was nowhere in sight.

He checked the rest of the castle, but no Em.

He found Stavros in the study, and asked him where his wife could have gone, but Stavros simply replied that she was probably out seeking the locals.

Nik knew that would never be true. Em would never cheat on him, especially when she's pregnant and certainly not on the street for money. No way.

As Nik reentered his room, he noticed something. The bed was not made. Usually the maids always make the bed after Nik & Em leave. If one of them takes a nap, either they make the bed themselves or they have the maids do it. The bed is rarely ever not made. Therefore it was definitely out of place and Nikolas intended to figure out why.

Nikolas began to smooth out the bed by pulling on the corners something caught his eye.

'Blood? What the hell...Emily! NO!' Nikolas thought as his body filled with dread and his eyes became dark - slowly burning a hole into the headboard.

After Nikolas quickly recovered from most of the shock, he made his way to the bathroom.

He then saw the state of the bathroom, makeup still on the floor, and knew his suspicions were confirmed.

He had to get to his wife.

Doctor's Office-

As Emily was done being examined, she curled herself up into a ball, though completely aware of her surroundings and who was in the room with her.

"Jasmine, we have to give you an ultrasound now. We have to look at the twins." Elizabeth said.

"No...not yet." Came the hushed reply.

"Jasmine, we really should. I really don't think we should wait very long. If there is something wrong...then you and the twins need to be treated as soon as possible." Came Lucky's soft, encouraging response.

Emily, through her blue contacts, just stared at Lucky. Pleading with him to just let her be. She just wants to be left to her thoughts right now.

Lucky being the softy he is said he'll give Nikolas a call and unknowingly left his best friend to herself.

Castle-

Before Nikolas made his way downstairs, he checked on his sleeping sons.

However, when he got there, he realized his sons were not sleeping but wide awake.

"Boys, what are you still doing up? It's late." Nikolas said wondering what could have possibly kept them up so late.

"Mama said that she was going out. She didn't say when she'd be back or where she was going. But she also said not to worry." Darien said, with what was left of his tears on his face as Nikolas turned on the soft light by his sons' beds.

"And we're awake because we were bad Papa. We didn't mean to get Mommy in trouble." Anthony said, his eyes,exactly like their mother's, begging for forgiveness.

"What happened boys? Why do you think you got Mommy in trouble?" Nikolas asked very calmly and patiently.

"Because we did. The bad man said that he needed to look for something, but wasn't sure what it was. So he said that he asked you guys first if we could go into your room and he said we could. So we looked around your room and the bathroom not sure of what we were looking to find..." Anthony said in a rush.

"We found the makeup. We tried to put it back, and we were going to tell the bad man that we didn't find anything. But he was coming near us and we tried really quietly and fast to put it back but we made too much noise and he caught us with it and took it." Darien said.

"Then the bad man said that we should put it on. We said that we didn't want to." Anthony said.

"He said that people in plays put on makeup and that it would be ok, and that we could put on a play for you and Mommy. Then he said something funny. We tried not to laugh but we couldn't help it. Then he said he was going to play hide and seek, so he went to go hide. We were still laughing so we couldn't count yet and that's when Mama came in." Darien continued.

"So, your Mama came in and I guess she wasn't very happy..." Nik said.

"Not at first. She was shocked. Then when we tried to tell her why we were in there, the bad man took over and told us to get cleaned up in the other bathroom." Anthony started.

"We didn't want to, we wanted to listen to Mama but he scared all 3 of us." As Darien finished for his brother.

"We decided that we're gonna punish ourselves! We're grounded for a year." The boys said together in their 6 year old innocence and guilt.

"Boys, you did nothing wrong. You only did what you were told and you did try to hide what you found from the bad man. That's good. Look, you're not in trouble and I'm proud of you for telling me the truth. You're not grounded. I love you both very much." Nik said as he started to tuck his sons into bed.

"That's what Mama said." Anthony replied.

"Well you're Mama and I sometimes think alike." Nik said as he smiled.

"Why does it hurt though Papa? It hurts right here." Asked Darien, pointing to his heart.

"Well son, that's something called guilt. You're feeling it because you think you did something wrong and your Mama got in trouble for it instead of you. But I assure you: this was not your fault. You were tricked. You did a good thing by telling me. I'm very proud of both of you for that. Also, if you get a little voice in your head, that's called your conscience. The little voice tells you that something may be wrong or that you possibly did something wrong. When that happens you should come to me or your mother ok?" Nik said, figuring now was a good a time as any to give his sons some sage advice.

Both his sons nodded in response.

"So, do you think you'll be able to sleep better now?" Nik asked with a small smile upon his face.

"Yes. Thank you Papa." Said the boys.

"I love you both very much." Nikolas said

"We love you too." Replied his sons, as Nikolas shut off the light and quietly closed their door.

As Nikolas was making his way toward the stairs, his cell phone vibrated. He knew it was either his wife, or his brother. He always kept his phone on vibrate for Stavros did not know about it.

"Hello?" Nik whispered.

"Nik? It's Lucky. There's something you have to know...it's about Jasmine." Lucky began.

"I know what happened. Is she there?" Nikolas said.

"Yes she's resting right now. She wants you here with her. She also wants you there because she won't check on the twins without you." Lucky said.

'Em...why'd you have to pick now of all times to be so stubborn...' Nik thought shaking his head.

"Tell her I'll be right there. Thanks bro." Nik said.

"Anytime, I'll tell her you're coming. See ya soon." Lucky said.

"Okay." Nik said as he hung up.

Before he walked out, he went back to his room, grabbed the bedding and stuffed it into a duffle bag.

He hid the bag briefly, then told Stavros he was going to search for his wife, and would soon teach her a lesson she wouldn't forget.

Nikolas knew that Stavros didn't buy it.

How he wished he did though...

Stavros smiled in his evil pride as he watched his son leave, knowing that's the last thing he'd do...

(Author's Notes- Hope you liked this chapter!! Not sure when the next chapter will be up. Please Read and Review!! Thanks! --Am)