A/N: Okay, first of all-warning in this chapter for language and spanking. Don't like, don't read. The actual spanking isn't written out, but the moment just before it is. One of Ronnie's former foster families features heavily in this chapter. While the mom is good to Ronnie, the dad and brother aren't. I promise it makes more sense in context.

When she starts eighth grade at the local middle school, Ronnie runs into one of her former foster brothers who blames her, as he puts it, for ruining his life (more on that in the next chapter). John, Dean, and Lisa aren't directly in this chapter, but they are mentioned. They will be back in the next chapter.

Ronnie was walking into the halls of what she hoped would be her only school this year.

Sioux Falls turned out to be a huge city, with a ton of schools inside it. She had moved schools almost as many times as she'd moved homes, sometimes even going back to schools she'd left before. But she'd never attended this school before, and she hoped that it would be a chance to start over.

That hope was completely shattered after she took her first class.

Because of John's insistence that she not 'stay cooped up' all the time, Ronnie had spent the last two weeks of summer break with the daughter of a friend of Lisa's. Whitney was a year younger than her, but the two of them had grown somewhat close in a short amount of time. She and Whitney shared three out of their four classes together, so Ronnie was grateful now that the two of them had become friends. At least she'd have someone other than John to complain to about classes.

"I think we're apart for the next class." Whitney said.

Ronnie checked her schedule. "I have English. You?"

"Algebra."

"Nooo!" Ronnie whined then grinned, making the both of them laugh. "Meet you in the cafeteria right after for lunch?"

"You got it. Here, you want some of this candy that Lisa gave me…?"

"Well, well, well. I never thought I'd get to see you again."

Ronnie froze. She'd heard that voice before, and only had bad dreams associated with it. Whitney noticed her friend freeze up, and when she saw the source of the voice, she rolled her eyes.

"What do you want, Billy?"

"Shove off, four eyes." Billy answered Whitney rudely. "I wasn't talking to you."

"And she's not going to be talking to you. Leave her alone."

Ronnie was shaking and trying to hide it. She reached out and grabbed Whitney's hand. A concerned Whitney started to ask whether Ronnie needed to go visit the nurse, but Billy wouldn't allow it.

"Why don't you get lost, four eyes?"

"Why don't you come up with something a little more original, you butt ugly weasel?"

"Get. Lost." Billy said again.

The bell rang, and Whitney pulled Ronnie's hand firmly. "Come on, let's go to class."

"You kids there, end of the hall! Time to get to class or you'll be late!"

"Come on, Ronnie. It's okay. Let's go. I'll walk you to class."

Ronnie started walking, trying to hide the shaking as she did. She heard Billy shout something behind her, which she would later find out was a threat to meet her after school. Whitney pulled Ronnie into the girls' bathroom once the teacher at the end of the hall stopped looking. The two of them were alone, and Ronnie slid to the bathroom floor, still trying to get a grip on her emotions.

"Ronnie? Come on, you're scaring me. What's going on?" Whitney begged. "You're shaking. How do you know Billy?"

Ronnie swallowed and shook her head. She whispered something that Whitney couldn't quite catch.

"What?"

"I thought it was over." Ronnie said again.

Six Years Earlier

Ronnie held Gil's hand tight as she walked up the steps to her newest house. She'd lost count of the number of times she had to do this. She kept a count in her notebook, but if she thought about it when she wasn't writing in her journal, all she felt was sadness.

"Alright, kiddo." Gil said, squeezing Ronnie's hand as he rang the doorbell. "You ready?"

Ronnie shrugged. "I guess."

Gil frowned. He hated this. Ronnie had some rough edges to her, but they were chiseled into her after things had happened that no one should have to suffer, much less children. He said a prayer to himself that this would be the last time. He'd always be there for Ronnie if she needed him. He just prayed that this would be the last time she did.

"Hey there, Gil."

"Hi, Mona. Can we come in?"

"Absolutely. Who is this cutie?"

"This is Ronnie. Can you say hi, honey?"

Ronnie waved weakly. "Hi."

"Hi, sweetheart. I've about got dinner ready. Do you like meatloaf?"

Ronnie smiled. "That's my favorite."

"Good. Well, here, this is Billy." Mona pointed to a little boy, slightly older than Ronnie, who was standing behind her. "Billy's gonna help you take your stuff to your room, okay?"

"Okay."

"Put your things down and wash up for dinner, okay? I'll help you put your things away after you eat."

"Yes, ma'am. Can I say goodbye to Gil first, please?"

Mona seemed to be a kind enough woman, but Ronnie had learned to grow weary of strangers. Smiles weren't really smiles to her. Ronnie had come to learn that when some people smiled, it was just a way to hide how mean they really were. Mona smiled at her before giving permission.

"Of course you can, sweetie."

Ronnie shared a quick hug with Gil, who promised, like always, to 'be back to check on you next week, kiddo'. When Gil left, Billy took Ronnie's bag and brought it to the room that had been set aside for her. The room was a nice one, especially when compared to some of the others she'd had. It was pretty big, with a bed, a dresser, and, to Ronnie's surprise, a few toys. There was a teddy bear on the bed which Ronnie picked up and held. It was pink, soft, and fluffy. Ronnie was about to hug it when she felt a hand on her back that pushed her forward into the bed and down onto the floor.

"OW!"

Billy stood above her, eyes glaring at her. "I've wanted this room forever. Figures I'd have to give it up for a wimp like you."

"I'm sorry, but please don't push me. That hurt."

"Boo hoo hoo. Get up and wash up for dinner." Billy suddenly smiled, just like the smiles that always made Ronnie nervous. "I can't wait till my dad gets ahold of you."

"Ronnie?"

Ronnie looked around, realized she was panicking, and did her best to try to calm down. "I'm okay."

"No, you're not. What happened out there? How do you know Billy?"

"He was…"

Ronnie started to use the term foster brother, but she hated to apply brother to anything having to do with Billy. Dean was her brother. Dean protected her, made sure she was okay, and would never intentionally harm her. Billy's entire focus had been on hurting her the entire three months she'd lived with him.

"I lived with him and his parents for a while."

"Oh." Whitney said.

"Let's just say he wasn't very nice to me." Ronnie said, hoping against hope that Whitney would just drop it.

Whitney nodded. "Okay. I won't push. But we've got forty-five minutes until lunch. You want to stay in here until then? Try and calm down?"

"Yeah. Thanks." Ronnie said gratefully. "I'm really okay."

"Yeah. Sure."

"Please don't tell John about this." Ronnie begged. "I'm doing so good with him. I don't want to chance him making me leave because of skipping class."

"Only if you promise you'll stay away from Billy."

"Deal. Not a problem at all." Ronnie said. "Not telling John also includes not telling Lisa and Dean."

"Fine."

"Or asking Ben to tell anyone."

"Fine!"

Ronnie smiled. "Thanks."

Whitney did her best to cheer up the still shaky Ronnie, but Ronnie was going through memories again. They had become slightly more frequent in the past weeks, as if Ronnie's brain was trying to process them now that she was in a safe place to do so. And Ronnie hated it. It kept her now from focusing on whatever stupid story Whitney was trying to tell or whatever joke she was trying to make.

Six Years Earlier

Ronnie had been with the Wilkersons for a week, and she felt comfortable making her judgments about them.

Mona really was as wonderful as she'd seemed the first day. She took Ronnie to school every morning, picked her up, helped her with her homework if she needed and praised her for how smart she was when she didn't, baked cookies with her, and did other fun stuff with her. Mona had admitted to Ronnie at one point that she'd always wanted a daughter. While Ronnie wished she would back off a little bit since Ronnie already had a mommy, she loved having someone nice around for a change.

Billy, Ronnie thought, was jealous. Mona loved Billy, and told him that every day, but Billy was mean. Mean to Mona and mean to Ronnie. In the week since he'd pushed her down in the bedroom, he'd hit Ronnie in the back of the head every time she walked past him, 'accidentally' walked in on Ronnie in the bathroom, constantly teased Ronnie to the point of making her cry twice, and even locked her in the backyard cellar once. Only later that night, after a lengthy search for Ronnie had turned up nothing, did a neighbor finally hear Ronnie screaming for help and save her. Mona had gotten really mad that night and punished Billy for what he did. While that made Ronnie feel better, it made things between her and Billy worse.

As Mona sat in the living room rocking chair that night, holding and rocking the still crying Ronnie, who basked in the unusual caring attention being heaped on her, Ronnie knew that Billy would probably find a way to get her back.

The revenge came that night, and it was worse than seven-year-old Ronnie could even imagine.

Billy's father, Jack, was a big, scary man. He'd made no secret of the fact that he didn't want Ronnie there. Ronnie had tried to convince Mona to call Gil and just let her be moved to a different house, so as not to make things hard between the couple. One of Ronnie's worst fears was being a burden, as it had gotten her kicked out from so many other places so far. But Mona wouldn't hear of it, and Ronnie was starting to believe Mona's constant assurances that Tom and even Billy would eventually come around to accepting her.

Dinner was done, and Ronnie was just about to set the table with the last plate. Mona thanked her for her help and told her to go wash up, just like normal. Jack came in the door at that very moment, pushing right past little Ronnie and to the kitchen sink. Trying to help him 'come around', like Mona had said, Ronnie greeted him nervously.

"Hi, Mr. Wilkerson."

Jack looked down at the tiny Ronnie with disgust and said nothing, turning his back to her and back to the sink.

"Jack?"

"What, Mona?" Jack asked irritably.

"Ronnie said hi to you."

"I heard the little brat."

Mona sighed. "Can you please say hi back? Maybe ask her how her day was?"

"I don't give a damn how this stupid little brat's day was." Jack snapped. He turned to Ronnie and snarled. "Didn't she tell you to go wash up?"

Ronnie nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Well? What are you still standing here for?"

Ronnie deflated. "I'm sorry. I'm going now."

Ronnie heard Mona arguing with Jack the entire way to the bathroom. She wished that Mona would just let it go. Ronnie knew when she wasn't wanted. It was a feeling she'd grown used to over the months she'd been in foster care. She washed her hands and just hoped that the argument would be over by the time she got back to the dinner table. She heard Mona call Billy to come inside, and when she got back to the dinner table, everyone was already seated.

"It's about time you joined us."

"I'm sorry, sir. I'll be faster next time."

"Whatever. Just eat, kid." Jack said, starting to spoon food from the table onto his plate.

A frustrated Mona plastered a smile onto her face and asked, "Ronnie, sweetie, would you like milk or juice to drink with your dinner?"

"Milk, please."

"Coming right up." Mona poured her glass and laid it in front of her.

"Thank you."

Mona smiled. "You're so sweet. You know that?"

Ronnie felt herself smile. It wasn't often anymore that an adult was nice to her for no reason, but she felt that Mona was being genuine. "Thank you."

"Would it bother you if I kissed your cheek?"

Mommy used to do that, Ronnie thought. "No. It won't bother me."

"Would you sit your ass down?" Jack snapped.

Despite Jack's annoyance, Mona quickly kissed Ronnie on the cheek. Ronnie basked in Mona's attention for the briefest of moments, but her enjoyment was abruptly cut short. As Mona took her seat between Jack and Billy, Ronnie spotted Billy smirking and moving his hand towards her glass of milk. A second later, the glass crashed to the floor and shattered.

Ronnie's first instinct was to apologize, even though she didn't do it. But before she got the chance, Jack was up and grabbing her off her seat. He kept a tight hold on her arm as he yanked her off the chair.

"You little brat! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Jack, please don't do this…" Mona started begging.

"No. You shut up. You wanted this kid, and you got her. But I'll be damned if I let her throw temper tantrums and break stuff in this house."

"But I didn't do it." Ronnie said, trying to loosen Jack's hold on her arm.

"What was that? Are you lying to me now?"

"No, sir, I swear I'm not, I didn't do it!" Ronnie insisted. "Please let me go, you're hurting me!"

"Jack…" Mona tried again.

"Shut up, Mona!" Jack snarled again, then bent down low and got so close to Ronnie's face that she could feel his breath. "You will be a fucking model citizen if you're gonna stay in this house. You do shit like this, you get punished for it right then. You lie to me about it, you get punished again. Right now, you're getting a whippin' for breaking that cup. Tomorrow you're getting a worse one for lying to me. You also don't get any dinner tonight or tomorrow. You want to stay here, you'll stay still and take this without complaining. You don't, I can call that bastard Gil to come get you tonight. What'll it be? And you better make the choice quick."

Ronnie wanted badly to tell him to call Gil. She wasn't about to be punished for something she didn't do. But Mona's face stopped her. Mona was crying almost as much as Ronnie was. She looked so sad at the thought of Ronnie leaving, that Ronnie just couldn't do that to her.

"I'll stay still." Ronnie whispered.

"What? Speak up."

"I'll stay still." Ronnie squeaked slightly louder.

"Good choice. I'll let you keep your pants up this time and tomorrow night, but we have to do this again, they'll be coming down. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, sir."

"Put your hands on the back of that chair."

Ronnie would block out for years what happened next. Her last coherent memory, before falling asleep crying in Mona's arms that night while she apologized over and over, was the sound of Jack's belt coming out of his pants.

The school bell rang, signaling the end of second period and the start of the lunch period for both girls. Whitney was worried about Ronnie, but since Ronnie seemed to be doing much better, she chose not to press. The rest of the day went smoothly, and the two of them even enjoyed it. Just as the two girls were walking down the sidewalk to head home, Ronnie felt something hit her in the back of the head.

"You think you're getting away from me?" Billy called. "Turn around, you bitch. You ruined my life, the least you can do is turn around."