Chapter 7: Life is Hell

Disclaimer: Don't Own GW. Don't own Disturbed or Three Days Grace... blah blah blah or the song lyrics I use in here.

Melanie stood right in front of Duo to confront her father. Looking behind her father he saw three other assassins and one happened to be her little sister.

"So, I've been told you betrayed the family."

Melanie stayed silent. Duo stood up ready to defend her as well.

"Answer me!"

"My answer is none of your concern dad," she snapped.

The man stepped forward raising his hand to strike his daughter. A fire burned in Melanie's eyes. The man stopped suddenly. He knew that look all to well. Each time it happened someone got hurt seriously, and it wasn't Melanie. His eldest daughter was a fighter especially when it concerned something she was hell bent on protecting.

"I suggest you come back home and forget this mission. You're brother will finish the job."

"Over my dead body."

"That can be arranged," one of the assassin's growled.

It wasn't her brother that spoke but her uncle. She hated the man with everything that she was, and she let the hatred she felt color her voice.

"I flattened you last time you raised that type of challenge Uncle," she snarled.

"That battle was a fluke. I swore I'd kill you next time."

"You can try."

"Wouldn't that kind of defeat the purpose of our mission anyway?" the smallest assassin pointed out dryly with a roll of her eyes.

Duo was taken aback. This wasn't family love. These people were fighting like a pack of wolves and at the moment two were vying for leadership.

"This mission will be left for another time."

Melanie looked at Duo with mournful eyes. She bent her head in defeat. Of all the friends she had made Duo was the last one she wanted to get hurt from her dark family.

"Melanie, come," her father beckoned.

Melanie turned to go towards her father. Her feet were dragging in the sand. The soft swish of her skirts and the shifting of sand was the only sounds.

"Melanie," Duo called.

That stopped her. Turning she faced him. Tears were making her eyes shimmer in the moon's light.

"Duo I'm sorry."

Whipping around she ran into the darkness past everyone. Duo had this sad look on his face. When he turned to face the assassins all of them were gone. He trudged slowly back to the limo and the ride was a slow and sad one.

Next Day.

Melanie didn't show up for class that day. During the break Duo sat on a bench staring out into the vast ocean. He didn't hear someone approach and sit down until they cleared their throat. Sitting on either side of him was Relena and Quatre.

"Duo what's wrong?" the blonde asked even though he knew what had happened.

"They made her leave."

Relena hugged the braided pilot allowing him to get some comfort. There wasn't much else they could do for the braided pilot at the moment.

"She won't stay away for long if I know her."

"But Relena they threatened me to her. You didn't see her reaction."

Relena just continued to hug the sad pilot.

Up In Mr. Peacecraft's Office

Melanie stood in front of the man's desk. Her stance was that of a soldiers since she had dawned the uniform of her family. She was standing strait and her hands were behind her back.

"You wanted to see me Ms. Silver?"

"Yes, sir."

"Would this have anything to do with the fact Duo came home alone last night?"

"My family, sir, called me back home and I..."

"You're assassin family called you back?" he asked shock was clear in his voice.

"You knew?" she asked not shocked but curious.

"Yes, before you ask why I allowed you near Relena, it was because I had a good feeling about you."

"Now I have to go home to finish my training."

"What made you just give up?" he asked bluntly.

She walked towards the window and stared out at the trio. Her hand was on the glass and there was a sad longing in her eyes.

"Because of him. I couldn't handle it if my family killed him. I love him."

"Train hard and come back to us."

"I will train hard, and I will attempt to come back here."

He heard the doubt in her voice. Someone as strong as Melanie brought down by something as petty as threatening her boyfriend.

"But?"

"But I cannot endanger all of you like that."

"I understand. Do you want me to say good bye to them for you?"

"If you would please."

Mr. Peacecraft only nodded and got up and hugged the younger girl.

"You're always welcome here daughter," he said softly.

He saw Melanie as Relena's best friend and therefore one of his own, despite what she was.

Melanie smiled weakly and ran out of the room.

Two Weeks Later...

Skye stood outside the dojo doors watching her sister train like she had nothing and then again everything to loose. Disturbed and Three Days Grace blared non-stop every time she trained. At times she heard her sister singing to the hard beats of the music. Many a times someone went in to try and turn the music off but they came back with blood on them or something broken.
Its been days and Melanie wasn't sleeping well or sometimes not at all. When she did she called out to someone in her dreams. Frankly she was worried about her so she went to their mother.

"MOM!" she called as she walked through the house.

"Skye don't yell in the house."

"Sorry mom but..."

"Hold on a second."

Her mother came out of her room with a load of laundry to do. Skye followed her mother to the laundry room.

"What is it that is so important that you had to yell in the house?"

"Mom I'm worried about Melanie."

Her mother stopped what she was doing and sighed. She sat the basket down carefully.

"We all are."

"I doubt Dad is. He didn't want her near that boy."

"Skye you know how this family works."

"So? You were an outsider and a target and dad married you."

"Skye, it's not that simple."

"How is it that you and dad can be together, and Melanie can't be with the guy she was on a date with?"

"Because Melanie was already promised to someone else."

"Mom, that's so old school."

"Skye, she has to marry him."

"You don't have to hear her cry at night mom," Skye snapped as she stormed away.

That's where her youngest was wrong. Many nights she had heard her daughter call out and cry in her sleep. It was heart breaking, but the rules had to be followed here. Truth be told she didn't like the boy that was suppose to marry her daughter. He was conceited and wouldn't ever love her. She knew that he had his eye on another girl. The only way Melanie can have a chance with Duo was to have Lance deny her for the other girl. Not like Melanie would object. That decided her to tell her daughter.

Getting ready she stopped in front of the dojo doors. At the moment a familiar song was playing the heavy beat made her remember what it was that it was called then the music calmed getting ready to start another one. Carefully she opened the door to see her daughter with her katana kneeling on the ground. The katana was supporting her weight. As the music started she rose slowly getting ready to attack the invisible enemy that had attacked her. Once the lyrics began, she attacked.

You walk on like a woman in suffering

Won't even bother now to tell me why

You come alone, letting all of us savor the moment

Leaving me broken another time

You come on like a bloodstained hurricane

Leave me alone, let me be this time

You carry on like a holy man pushing redemption

I don't want to mention, the reason I know

Her movements were graceful and swift. There was pain written in every move she made. It broke her heart all over again. Melanie's body was getting slower and her skin was really pale.

That I am stricken and can't let you go

When the heart is cold, there's no hope, and we know

That I am crippled by all that you've done

Into the abyss will I run

You don't know what your power has done to me

I want to know if I'll heal inside

I can't go on with a holocaust about to happen

Seeing you laughing another time

You'll never know how your face has haunted me

My very soul has to bleed this time

Another hole in the wall of my inner defenses

Leaving me breathless, the reason I know

That I am stricken and can't let you go

When the heart is cold, there's no hope, and we know

That I am crippled by all that you've done

Into the abyss will I run

Into the abyss will I run

Tears had started to fall not to long into the song and now it was blinding her to where her movements were getting sloppy. If things kept up Melanie would find herself in an early grave for sure.

You walk on like a woman in suffering

Won't even bother now to tell me why

You come alone, letting all of us savor the moment

Leaving me broken another time

You come on like a bloodstained hurricane

Leave me alone, let me be this time

You carry on like a holy man pushing redemption

I don't want to mention, the reason I know

That I am stricken and can't let you go

When the heart is cold, there's no hope, and we know

That I am crippled by all that you've done

Into the abyss will I run

Into the abyss will I run

I can't let you go

Yes I am stricken and can't let you go

By the time the music ended Melanie was on the floor breathing heavily. On her hands and knees she was trying to gain her breath. Without warning she passed out falling over sideways she barely missed the sharp edge of her katana. That decided her Melanie would leave tonight. Moving forward she sheathed the katana and placed it in her belt and carefully picked her daughter up. Normally she wouldn't have been able to do this but with Melanie's current condition and radical weight loss then she was a lot lighter.

"Mom?"

"Skye I want you to do me a favor."

"What?"

"I'm going to take Melanie back to the Peacecrafts. You're going with her."

"But Dad?"

"I'll talk with him. But I want you to make sure that no one from our family gets near her."

"Right," Skye agreed readily with an evil smile.

Their mother drove them back to the Peacecraft mansion. Pegan answered the door to their insistent knocking.

"Can I help you?"

"I need to see Mr. Peacecraft. It's important."

"He's sleeping."

"Please wake him up."

"Come in and wait in the living room."

They came in and sat down. Melanie was still lying unconscious in her mother's arms. A man walked in followed by a girl with long blonde hair. She gasped when she saw the state of her friend. Mr. Peacecraft stopped his daughter from approaching the assassin.

"What is going on here?"

"Mr. Peacecraft, I am Anna Silver, Melanie's mother."

"Why are you disturbing me at this hour?" his voice wasn't harsh it was just full of curiosity.

"I was worried over my daughters health and sanity."

"Why not take her to the hospital?"

He knew very well why not, but he had to know for sure.

"Ever since she was taken forcefully from her friends she sunk into a depression that she couldn't get out of. I was hoping being reunited with her friends she'd get better. I have also brought my youngest here to protect her while she recovers."

"What of the family business?"

"They can do without her. She's not at her best condition to fight anyway."

"I see."

Mrs. Silver thought that was too easy. Maybe it was the best thing for her daughter if she stayed under the care of the gundam pilots.

"Duo?" Melanie murmured into her mother's neck.

"She's been working herself to death as of late. Skye don't let her train until she can take care of herself again."

"Yes, Mom," she piped respectfully, but she added, "like that's possible," under her breath.

The youngest Silver walked slowly behind her mother. Mr. Peacecraft guided them to Melanie's old room.

"You're name is Skye right?" he asked the youngest.

"Yes, sir."

"Your room will be next to your sisters once you deem her fit to sleep on her own."

"We used to share a room back home, before she went on her mission, so it isn't necessary." She didn't add that she figured it would be easier to keep an eye on her sister if they shared a room, especially once Melanie had gotten better. Lord knew, her sister could get into more trouble than a pink baby elephant on a sugar high. (I know it doesn't make sense but we're in Skye's mind right now… It's a scary place.)

Mr. Peacecraft merely rose his eyebrow and shook his head as he walked away. "Teens," he muttered just as he disappeared around the corner.