This will be the prequel to Puppy's First Christmas, but it can easily be a stand-alone.

Peaceful

Chapter One

Christine groaned in pain but she had to bandage another one of Hannah's cuts. Charlie; the man that had ran the safe zone at Deer Park had tricked Christine into thinking he was taking her and the girls to safety but soon after, he isolated them and then the beatings and rape began. Christine was still able to keep him from raping the girls, but he regularly beat on them, due to them trying to protect Christine.

As the pregnancy progressed, Katie and Hannah's beatings got worse but they were fixating on Mike. They had romanticized a reunion, where Mike marched in and all was fine. Except, it wouldn't be because Mike would not be able to accept a child that didn't belong to him. Christine was already becoming attached to the baby she was carrying and she wouldn't be able to give him or her up, but it was all a fantasy. Mike was not going to find them and the beatings would continue.

"When it really hurts, I think about Daddy. When he would cuddle with us and how he made us all feel safer when he was home. I miss that." Hannah admitted.

"I think about him a lot too." Christine agreed. She gave Hannah a smile as she examined the arm. It was definitely broken. It needed reset and Hannah had to be in pain, but she never complained. Christine kissed her forehead and gave her a weak smile.

"Do you think he's out there looking for us?" Hannah asked.

"Yes, I do. Your dad loved you girls and he promised me when he called that he would find us somehow. I just don't think he intended on it being so long." Christine told her.

"He loved you too. I know you guys fought a lot but he loved you. And if he finds us, he will take care of you and the baby." Hannah said.

"I would hope but I can't guarantee that. It would be hard to expect that, but it is okay for us to dream about it and not lose hope. Your dad would be proud of you and Katie. So, very proud." Christine said. Just then, Katie came in from the front yard. "What were you doing?" Christine asked. They had free reign of the house when Charlie went out but didn't leave the property for fear of what would happen to the others.

"Apparently there is a new Navy training facility close and some of the recruits and trainers were running by. I gave the address and who we were, and who Dad was to the trainer. Just handed him a piece of paper. I doubt anything will come of it, but its worth a shot." Katie said.

"Oh, Katie; if Charlie finds out, we'll have hell to pay." Christine groaned. Katie was not handling things well. She was intensely protective of her mom and sister, so she would never leave without them, but she tended to instigate things at times.

"And if Dad finds out, Charlie will have hell to pay." Katie said. Just then; Charlie pulled in and they all groaned. The way he stumbled out of the truck; Christine immediately knew he was drunk. It reminded her of a long-ago barbeque just before Mike went to the Arctic.

"You drank too much." Christine accused as Mike carried Hannah into the house. She was sound asleep from the car ride.

"I'm fine. Can you turn her bed down?" Mike asked.

"Or we could just wake her up." Christine said.

"Chris…please?" Mike asked. She followed Mike into the girls' bedroom and turned the blanket and sheet down on the twin-sized bed. Mike laid their youngest daughter down and Christine took her sandals off. She should have had a bath but she was sound asleep.

"She does look really sweet when she sleeps like this." Christine remarked. All three of their kids were sweet, but they had an ornery side, thanks to their father.

"She's always sweet. Katie was going to get Lucas ready for bed, but I will check on her. Can you make sure I have a fresh blanket and sheet for the couch? You washed mine this morning." Mike asked. Due to their frequent arguments, he had taken to sleeping on the couch.

"Okay." Christine answered as they both left the bedroom. Hannah was asleep and Katie was helping Lucas brush his teeth in the kid's bathroom, that Mike now shared with them. He went to help her and Christine headed for the laundry room, wandering if she should invite Mike to sleep in their bed. He was leaving soon and it would probably make him feel better. Most mornings, she would find one of the kids cuddled up with Mike on the couch. If he was with her, he wouldn't do that with the kids, so that made her hesitate but she also kind of missed him next to her.

Christine blinked away the tears as Charlie came through the door, mad about something. The girls wouldn't leave her alone with him, but fortunately he went back to the garage, with a can of beer. Hopefully, he would pass out and leave her and the girls alone. At least with Mike; even at the worst stages in their marriage, she had never worried about him beating on her. And he would have never hurt their daughters.