Sorry for the delay. My best friend's hand went through glass and she cut 90 percent of the way. So I've been helping her and her family. I tried to make this chapter longer since there was a wait. TELL ME WHAT YOU GUYS THINK!!!

"What do you need help with?" She asked.

"Its Annie…I need to get her somewhere safe. Do you have any ideas?" She heard the concern in his voice. He was scared, but never would admit it.

"Why do you need to get her somewhere?"

"It's her dad. I think he tapped her phone when he called her. He said that he's coming to get her and she is NOT going with him." Natalie thought for a minute.

"Well, this may be a little far out there, but, we would take her to moms." She shrugged.

"Mom's. You mean your mom's? Would she mind?" He said considering this idea. There house was pretty big. And could provide protection from the LPD.

"Are you kidding me? She would love it. She misses having kids around the house since we've all moved out. I'm sure they'll have fun together. Fact I'll call her right now and see what she's doing." John tried to smile. He didn't know how Annie would take it. She wasn't one to make friends with new people. She was quiet around people she didn't know and scared about meeting them. He shrugged it off. She would have to deal.

"Mom said she would be pleased to have Annie come over." She said as she hung up the phone. John took Natalie's hand with his and opened the door. He saw Annie; she looked like she was in deep thought until they came out.

"Annie I would like you to meet someone, this is Natalie, my girlfriend." She stood up and fiddled with her belt loops of her pants. She didn't like meeting new people.

"Hi." She said in a small voice. Innocent and soothing.

"Hello, John has told me a lot about you." Natalie smiled. She could tell Annie was nervous. Annie smiled back.

"All good things I hope."

Natalie laughed. "Yes of course they are." She sniffed. "What's… burning?" She asked. John whipped his head around to the toaster.

"Ahh Shit." He cursed out loud as he pulled the burnt pieces of toast out of the toaster. "I guess that's a no on the toast." He said as he put it in the trash. "We'll go to the dinner, you'll like there food Ann's." He used the nick name her mother gave her. Thinking that he triggered a memory when her face when She stood there for a moment, she went and changed the subject. She was notorious for doing that.

"So you think I'll like this place huh? Oh you don't know how much I've changed Johnny." She grinned. John just shook his head.

"No you haven't. You're just the same little brat that I grew to love." He ruffled her hair, dodging Annie's fists.

"John!" She fixed her hair.

"Hey bring some clothes with you. You're spending the night at Natalie's moms." He said causally. Her jaw dropped.

"Wait time out. What? No I don't want to." She folded her arms.

"Well you're goanna have to. Her house is safe there and I think Joey might have tapped your phone."

"I don't want to be in a house with complete strangers," She looked over at Natalie. "No offense to your mom or anything it's just…"

"None taken hon." Natalie understood her. Annie looked back at John pleadingly.

"I'm sorry Annie. But you won't be by yourself all the time. I'll be there after I get off work. Now go to your car and get your things." She stared at him. She couldn't believe why he was doing this to her.

"Go on, scoot." He pushed her a little. Grabbing the keys from her purse, she headed out silently, the door slamming it on the way out. John ran his fingers in his hair.

"Yeah she's pretty angry."

"Well John you didn't ease her into, you kind of didn't give her a choice."

"Natalie she doesn't have a choice. She can't stay here." Natalie sighed. She went back to her room to get out of her pj's and into her clothes. Annie came in lugging her bags in one hand, and her guitar in another.

"What's all this?"

"My stuff." She said plainly, looking at her three bags.

"What the hell do you have?" John stared at her. "You have one of those little dogs in there too?"

Annie gave a joking smirk. "Ha ha. You're not funny. One is my laptop, one is shirts, and the other is pants and other stuff." John just shook his head.

"You have way to much stuff kid." Natalie came into the room.

"Would you like me to fix that shiner on your face? I can make if look like its not even there."

"Oh yes please." Annie joined Natalie and they walked together to the bathroom. Pulling out her foundation, she smudged a little on the pad.

"Now this is a little lighter than your skin tone, but it will work." Putting a couple more layers on it she pulled out the mirror.

XxXxXxX

After he changed clothes, John sat on the couch, moving Annie's purse. He noticed a thick piece of paper in it. Looking around, he knocked her purse over with the back of his hand.

"Oops," he whispered. Picking up the things that fell out of her purse, he put everything back except the piece of paper. He unfolded it. It was Annie's 1st semester report card:

English- B

Math- F

Civics-F

Biology- A

Computer Apps. 1A- B

Dance 3A honors- A

Band 2A- A

John sighed. He knew she hated math but didn't think she would fail it, or civics. That would have to change. The girls came out giggling and smiling.

"You want to explain this Annie?" John held up the report card to her face.

"You want to explain why you are going through my things?" Her hands were on her hips.

"I wasn't going through them; your purse fell over smarty pants." He folded the paper back and put it in his pocket."

"Huh, I wonder how it fell over Johnny." Annie questioned, raising her brow.

"Hey you can't even tell that there was a punch in the face their Natty, good job. Why don't we go get breakfast? I'm starving" John smiled. Annie had him figured out. She punched him in the arm.

"Ow, what was that for?" John looked down at her.

"For going through my shit that's why." John wrapped his arm around Natalie as she watched the two of them argue.

"Hey stop that cursing." He pointed. She rolled her eyes at him and grabbed her stuff. She reminded him so much of her mother that it was a little frightening. The way she walked and talked like her. He remembered the day he told her that Kacey wasn't coming back.

FLASHBACK

"Bye Mrs. Steppe. Thanks for the ride." Annie waved at her friend's mom. She brought her to the hospital after school so she could visit her mother. She knew John was already up there. When she reached the 3rd floor she saw John sitting on the bed where her mother would lie. She looked at John. His face was white, filled with grief.

"Hey Johnny." Annie was all smiles as she opened the door. She stopped and noticed something was wrong.

"Where's mommy John? I made her a picture today in art and I want to show her. See," Pulling the picture out of her backpack slowly, she unrolled it and showed it to John. It was a picture of Kacey and her holding hands. Their was a rainbow above them, and in-between their hand holding, was a rose, Kacey's favorite flower.

"T-that's beautiful Annie, but I need to tell you something. It's about Mommy, Kacey." He had Annie's full attention when he said that to her. The sound in his voice was deep and said it all.

"Annie, Your mother passed away a few hours ago." He looked into her eyes as he told her. She stood there motionless.

"What? Why?"

"Annie She…"

"No! You're lying Johnny. You're lying!" She screamed the tears flowed down her cheeks. John embraced her, pulling her close to his chest. He felt her tears fall onto his shirt and seep though. He let go of her, and pushed her hair back behind her ear.

"Annie, Annie look at me." He kept his hand on her cheek.

"Remember what your mom told you?" His eyes were searching hers while he stroked her hair, trying to calm her down.

"Wh-what?" She stuttered

"She said that if God doesn't heal me on earth, then he'll heal me in heaven. Do you remember that? Annie" His voice shook. Feeling himself starting to break down as well.

"Yes Johnny."

"Well she's in a better place now. You know that right? She's all better and not hurting anymore." She cried harder as she listened to John's words.

"I know, but I didn't want her to leave. I'll miss her too much." Her lip quivered. John pulled her into him again.

"I know baby, I know. Just know she'll always be watching over you. She's your Angel." Her piercing green eyes looked up at him.

"She's always been my Angel, Johnny. Always has been, always will be."

End of Flashback

John shook away his thoughts and locked the door on the way out.