Heya, so here's the next chapter. I hope you like. Small sections of italics are thoughts, paragraphs of italics are memories/flashbacks.

And like the last chapter it's got a bit of swearing and it'll get darker as the story progresses.

Please let me know what you think! Your opinions matter so much to me. Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Made me smile. :)

And on a side note, I shall try to work on 9, 10, Start Again tomorrow. :)

Chapter 2


Kate ran toward her car, worried that if she stayed any longer with her brother, she'd do something a lot more severe than just punch him. Feelings flooded through her; feelings she hadn't felt in a long, long time. Instinctively she pressed a hand to her back, half expecting to see blood on her hands when she pulled it away.

Get a grip! She berated herself, unconsciously brushing the hand on her jeans before walking more purposefully towards her car. A shaking hand pulled her car keys out of her bag and she fumbled with the buttons, managing to unlock it just as Shaun rounded the corner. The flashing headlights as the car unlocked gave her position away, so she hurried to get in and lock the doors behind her.

"Katherine!" Shaun yelled, running towards the car. "Open the door." He's going to get you. He's going to get you just like Phil did.

She shook her head, starting the engine up.

"Katherine!" He yelled again.

"X!" Dutchy ran out of the pub after her, Charge, Bomber and 2Dads following close behind. She could hear their voices muffled through the glass. Just leave me alone. Go away.

"Hey, leave her alone, alright. She doesn't want to talk to you." 2Dads yelled at Shaun, catching up with him.

"How about you mind your own business?" He shoved 2Dads out of the way, pounding on the window.

"It is our business if you're upsetting our friend. X, are you okay?" Dutchy pulled Shaun away from the car.

Leave me alone. Leave me alone. Everyone please just leave me alone.

"Katherine!"

"X!"

She ignored them all, speeding out of the car park without a second glance.

/\\/\

She drove aimlessly for almost an hour before she finally drove home. Ignoring the flashing of her answering machine indicating she had new messages, she simply unplugged the whole phone before flopping down onto the lounge.

It had been a long day, and she was exhausted, and yet she didn't want to sleep. Not yet anyway.

Instead she pulled her iPod out of her handbag, which had been carelessly thrown on the ground next to the lounge and pressed play, not caring what was playing. She just needed a distraction from the past. But no matter what volume she turned the music to she couldn't stop the memories that flashed in front of her.

/\\/\

"Shit." Kate muttered, lowering her hands to the top of the brick wall she was sitting on in an attempt to steady herself. When she had gotten her heart beat under control, she looked down to investigate. The heel of her left boot was tangled in a climbing vine growing up the wall.

"Okay, you can do this." She told herself, releasing one hand from the wall and slowly pulling her bag over her head before dropping it over the side to the ground. She didn't need it getting in the way. She then moved the free hand to the trapped foot, giving it an experimental shake. Nothing happened. She kicked out, harder this time and felt the vine release her foot, almost sending her tumbling off the wall.

Stopping yet again to allow her breathing to return to normal, she began climbing down the wall.

Now that was the easy part.

/\\/\

"Been somewhere?" The light flicked on as soon as she had managed to silently close her bedroom door.

She jumped, swearing softly.

"Shit, Shauny, you almost gave me a heart attack." She jumped, relaxing slightly after realising it was only Shaun and not Phil.

"Where have you been?" He moved closer to her.

"Out." She replied simply, pulling her black pointed boots off her feet and wriggling her socked feet.

"You smell like smoke." He stated.

"Shauny, I'm tired. Can I just go to bed?" Kate sighed, walking into her bathroom and coming back with a face-washer, removing her smudged mascara and eyeliner.

"Not until you tell me where you've been!" She finished her make-up removal, turning to face him again.

"Why do you even care?" She demanded, rounding on him.

"You're my baby sister, I have to look after you!"

"You want to help me?" She took a step closer to him, hands on hips. She didn't wait for an answer. "If you want to help me then you get Phil out of our house! And you get Mum to stop drinking herself stupid. And you get Dad to come home!"

He stared at her silently. What was it in his eyes? Pity. She couldn't stand that. She turned her attention to her cupboard, rummaging around for some pyjamas.

"Yeah, well I never asked you to help anyway. So just rack off and mind your own business."

Shaun sighed, standing up to move towards the door.

"Yeah, well if you won't help yourself then I'll tell Dad." Her head snapped around again, and she glared at him again.

"He is not our Dad. Now get out of my room!"

"You are sixteen Katherine, you are out til all hours and if you don't stop soon you are going to get yourself killed!" Neither one of them had noticed how loud their conversation had gotten until a loud bang sounded from the other side of the room. They turned around to see the door burst open and Phil stalk into the room, his eyes flashing. He turned to the pair, glaring at them both.

"What are you kids doing, it's a school night!" Neither one of them said anything, both frozen.

"Your mother has a headache and deserves some quiet in her own home at night!" He continued, advancing on Kate.

"Headache? Hangover more like." Kate muttered so that Phil couldn't hear, but Shaun could. He too turned to glare at her, opening his mouth to say something, but Phil beat him to it.

"Go to bed, please Shaun."

Shaun gave her a look that plainly said 'now look what you've done!' before turning and leaving the room. Kate looked down at the ground as Phil also headed for the door.

The door shut and Kate stood up, expecting the room to be empty. She bit back a yelp when she saw Phil was still there, opening her mouth to tell him to get out. Before she could gather the words, he crossed the room, pushing her back against the wall. He reached out to grab Kate's hands, turning them over and over in his own.

"Now where have you been, my dear?" He whispered, his mouth next to her ear. Kate wrenched her hand back from him, ducking under his arm to stand near the wall.
He let out a small laugh, taking a step towards her, and she backed away, unable to break eye contact. She felt his hands close around her shoulders.

"Girls like you..." He began menacingly, giving her a shake. "They don't fare well on the streets. Remember that next time you want to run away. I might just make it a permanent arrangement." And he left the room, switching the light off as he closed the door and leaving Kate quivering in the dark.