DISC: I DO NOT own any of the characters from LOK. They belong to Brike. I only own the ones you don't recognize.
Enjoy!

"Senna's New Start"

Chapter 4

Senna gasped in fear as Kaito threw her down on the bed. She thought about running, but something stopped her.

"Wise choice," Kaito approved as though he had read her mind.

Senna lay there, shaking with terror. She had been beaten several times in the last three years, but she had a feeling what was about to happen to her now would be worse.

"I'm sorry I left the plate on the table," she apologized. "I promise it won't happen again! Please…just let me go…"

"I can't do that. You need to be taught a lesson. And apparently regular beatings aren't enough…" Kaito's voice trailed off in thought. With that, he loaned over the pre-teen. Bending down, he started to unfasten Senna's pants. To his surprise, she kicked him in the chest. "You're not as weak as I thought. Sadly that will cost you, you little brat!" With that, he slapped her a third time. He attempted his task again. Thinking he would be successful this time, he continued the job.

Out of the corner of her eye, Senna spotted a cup of water on the nightstand. Concentrating through her fear and pain, she drew the water to her. Waiting until the right second, she let the whip fly. Satisfied when it hit its target, Senna sighed with relief. Now maybe he would leave her alone.

"Why you little…you've been learning bad habits from Katara."

"Leave Katara alone!" Senna defended her friend.

Kaito ignored her outburst. Finally, he was successful in unbuttoning the girl's pants. Pulling them off with ease, he threw them aside.

Senna was shivering from fear as much from cold at this point. She was sure she was in for it now. As she felt Kaito rolling her over, she fought him with everything she had in her. Managing to fend him off, she curled into a ball. She half expected him to slap her again, but it didn't happen. Instead of a hand making harsh contact with her body, she felt a new kind of pain as something skinny and hot hit her back. Not being able to help it, she let out a cry, followed by another and another as the skinny hot thing hit her again and again.

"Pa-plea-please, stop," she whimpered. But the unusual object made repeated contact with her back for the next five minutes. Something told her to cover her face and she listened. Finally, ten minutes later, the unusual beating stopped. Sighing with relief, Senna prayed it was over. Tears coursed down her tan cheeks as stinging pain ran down her back. Before she knew it, she was fast asleep.

******

Senna awoke two hours later to feel someone sitting beside her. She started to shake, fearing Kaito had returned. Hearing her mother's voice, she relaxed.

"Senna, sweetheart, its okay. I just came to check on you. You've been asleep for a few hours. Are you hungry?"

"No," Senna whispered. She felt her mother gently touch her forehead.

"You're not warm. Are you feeling sick?"

"A little," Senna admitted. It was true she was feeling a little queasy after her ordeal earlier. She had woken up a little while ago and changed before falling back to sleep.

"What's wrong?" Her mother gently inquired. She ran a hand through her daughter's hair as she spoke.

Senna thought about lying, but she knew she couldn't do that to her mother. Besides, her mother had never given her a reason to start being dishonest with her.

"My stomach…I feel like I'm gonna…" her voice trailed off as she started to heave. She felt her mother slip a cup underneath of her chin. Giving into the nausea a minute later, Senna could feel tears streaming down her face.

"Shh, shh, it's okay, sweetie, just get it up, you'll feel better afterwards," her mother soothed.

Once Senna's stomach had calmed, she sipped slowly from a cup of water. Lying back down, she closed her eyes, hoping her stomach would feel better soon. "Stay, please?" She whispered.

"Of course I will, " her mother kissed her cheek. As she placed her hand on the pre-teen's back, she started rubbing it. She was surprised when her daughter flinched. "Senna?"

"Yeah?" the eleven-year-old softly replied.

"Did you get hurt?"

Senna took a deep breath.

"Yes," she answered.

"What happened?" Her mother inquired.

Senna was about to answer when her stomach lurched without warning. She tried to warn her mother, but it happened so fast. As she heard her mother soothing her and felt the trash can being slipped underneath of her chin, the pre-teen knew she had made another mess for her mother to clean up. As she felt her rubbing her back, she cried out.

"Shh, I know, sweetheart, I know. I'm going to take you to the bathroom so I can help you clean up. Aw, up you come," with that, Kamaria picked her daughter up and gently carried her to their destination. Getting there, she set her down in front of the toilet. No sooner had she done that, Senna leaned over and threw up again. Kamaria's heart was breaking for her little girl. She rubbed her back, hoping to bring her some comfort. She only succeeded in causing Senna to cry out again. "Okay, sweetheart, let's get you in the tub," with that, Kamaria helped her daughter undress. The minute she did, she gasped at the sight. Dark, red lines covered Senna's back. Some of them were still bleeding. Pushing her anger towards the person she was sure had done this to the backburner, Kamaria concentrated on healing what she could. Pulling water from the sink, she got to work.

Senna whimpered in pain as the water initially made contact with her injured skin. She let the tears fall, feeling safe to do so in her mother's presence.

"Shh, I know, Senna, I know. I know it hurts, honey. Almost over, almost," her mother soothed.

Senna's breathing started to ease as her mother finished healing the worst of the welts.

"Honey, I'll be right back. I have to get some ointment for a few of the cuts," with that, her mother left. She returned shortly.

"It was my fault," Senna softly confessed.

"No it wasn't," her mother firmly, but lovingly contradicted. "Senna, look at me."

Senna obeyed, recognizing the tone in her mother's voice.

"What he did to you was NOT your fault. You don't deserve this."

"Neither do you, " Senna pointed out.

Kamaria nodded in agreement.

"Let's get you feeling better, hmmm?" With that, she finished applying the ointment to her daughter's back. Once that was done, she helped her change into a fresh pair of pj's. Tucking her back in bed, she got her a bucket and gave her a shot of braizine for her stomach. "I love you, sweetheart. Try to sleep. I'm right here."

"Love you too," Senna mumbled as her eyes closed for the rest of the night.

******

Senna's eyes opened a few hours later. She groaned as the nausea made its presence known. Thankfully, her back had stopped hurting considerably, thanks to her mother's healing session. The few welts that her mother had put the ointment on were still smarting, but three was better than most of them. Rolling over, Senna found she was alone. She figured her mother had gone to get something to eat and would be back soon, she tried to drift back to sleep. Her eyes flew open as her stomach lurched. Sitting up, she tried to reach for the bucket sitting on her nightstand. But she only succeeded in knocking it to the floor. As she tried to get off the bed to get it, she doubled over, vomiting on the floor in the process. She managed to make it over to her trashcan, emptying whatever was left a minute later. Getting back in bed, Senna prayed her stomach would stop hurting soon. Hearing her door open, she prayed it was her mother. She was proven wrong when a familiar alcoholic smell filled the room. Senna tried to breathe through her mouth as the figure got closer. Closing her eyes, she tried to act like she was sleeping. As she felt Kaito getting closer, she cringed. She felt him sit down beside her. Staying as still as she could, she prayed he would leave. The minute she felt him pull the blanket back, she opened her mouth to scream, but his hand clamped over her mouth before she could utter a sound.

"One word and your mother pays the price," he hissed in her left ear.

Senna nodded. She laid there, silent tears streaming down her face. As she felt him pulling her pj pants down, she bit his right arm. She paid for it with a slap across her face. She didn't care though.

"You'll pay for that," Kaito promised. He got up and crossed the room.

As Senna heard him doing something with water, she seized her chance. Sitting up, she sprang off the bed. She made it halfway to the door when she felt something hot hit her in the stomach. Doubling over, she cried out in pain before promptly vomiting again. She felt a hand grab onto her left shoulder. As Kaito pulled her backwards, she fought as hard as she could. She soon felt him sit on top of her. She tried to push him off, but she wasn't strong enough. What followed was more painful than anything she had ever suffered before. Closing her eyes, she tried to block everything around her out of her mind. Finally, what felt like hours, but was really only ten minutes, Kaito stood up. As she heard the door close, Senna curled into a ball and let the tears fall.

******

Senna must have fallen asleep because the next thing she knew, she heard her mother's voice in her ear.

"Senna? Honey, its' time to wake up."

Senna's eyes opened slowly. Whimpering in pain, she closed them again.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" Her mother's voice was full of concern.

"It hurts!" She cried.

"Is your back still hurting?"

"A little, " Senna admitted. "Mom, I still don't feel good!"

"Okay, sweetheart. Let me see what I can do to help you," with that, Kamaria gently picked her daughter up and tucked her back in bed. "How did you get on the floor?"

Senna shrugged.

"I guess I fell out of bed," she answered.

Kamaria nodded. She didn't think much of it. Things like that happened all the time. She left and returned with some supplies. Setting them down, she took her daughter's temperature. She frowned at the results.

"Honey, you're burning up. It's bath time for you."

Getting into the bathroom, Kamaria set Senna down. She filled the tub up with waterbending and gently set the pre-teen in it.

Senna didn't even react to the cold water. She was too busy trying not to throw up. She was also wondering how long she would be able to keep what had happened to her a secret. She had to in order to protect her mother. She would do anything to do that, no matter what it took…