I piled Shannon's clothes back into his bag, just like he'd ordered.

Stephanie sat planted on her ass in front of the TV screaming at smack down vs. raw.

"Chris Jericho get the fuck off the fucking ladder!!" She yelled.

I snickered under my breath.

"Sissy! Do you want me to come over there and knock the fuck out of you?!" She yelled.

I shook my head no.

"That's what I thought."

I sat down and waited for the boys to get back.

We're leaving tonight, Shannon's coming back home. Sometimes I wonder if it's enough to have three good friends and the rest of my friendships come from family.

But family is important.

My family is everything.

Shannon means the world to me. Honestly, without him I would be dead…one way or another.

I jumped up from the couch as my dad staggered through the door.

"Daddy, you need me to help you?" I asked.

He shook his head no and continued on his route to the couch. Final destination.

I raced into Shannon's room, "Bub…Shan…SHANNON!!" I yelled.

He turned around after me yelling at him for five minutes he finally noticed me.

"What?"

I fiddled with my fingers, fighting temptation to bite the nail off, "Can I sleep with you tonight?" .

He gave me a smirk.

"You scared dad will try something?"

I nodded. Our fight from the previous night left me shaking in my boots. I know this man.

He sighed.

"Yeah, but you're sleeping in the front."

I smiled and hugged him.

"Thanks."

He nodded in acknowledgement.

He crawled in the bed and I laid down in front of him.

Sleep consumed me…and Shannon. His snores filled the room. The noise was comforting to me.

Somewhere between sleep and morning my body found itself being dragged from the bed. I looked up to see my father. My very own flesh and blood dragging me into the living room.

"Shannon!" I yelled as I gripped the carpet with my loose hand.

He came running out of the room, his eyes still sleepy. His fist collided with my father's jaw.

"You pieces of shit. You worthless, no good, piece of shit!" He yelled as he stormed through the house looking in every room for something most likely leading to my downfall.

Shannon pulled me up and gripped my hand in his, knowing we'd probably have to run.

You know how they say the sound of a bullet sliding into the barrel of a gun is the most intimidating noise you'll ever hear? It's true.

Shannon pushed me out the front door and locked it from the inside.

The screaming and the blast of that gun is a blur to me. It happened.

But there's a secret about that night that no one knows. But me and Shannon.