Just then, I saw a pair of headlights coming towards me, and while I thought they'd drive straight past me, or even hit me, they stopped, and Toby and Spencer got out of the car.

"I saw Jason driving a minute ago…he knows?"

"He's going to do something to Mike, I need to stop it." They then got back in the car, but I scooted in the middle, because Toby wanted to comfort me somehow.

"We'll drive you." They had said, and we were off.

"That's going to be a nasty bruise." Spencer commented as she looked at my face. I saw Toby's knuckles turn white as he clenched the steering wheel tighter.

I didn't comment. The moment we pulled to a stop in front of the Montgomery place though, I climbed over Toby and out of the car and ran for the door, seeing Jason's car in the driveway already.

The door was unlocked, so I burst in, shouting that it wasn't Mike's fault, Spencer and Toby on my tail, and I entered the living room where Jason stood, with Aria and her parents.

They all turned to face me, in mid-conversation, and I stopped mid-shout and closed my mouth.

"Aria, can you please take Madeline up to your room while we discuss this?" Aria's father said.

Toby and Spencer watched hopelessly as I went upstairs with Aria. I nodded to them, that they were free to go, and they mouthed they'd be in the car if I needed them. I gave them a weak smile and continued up the staircase.

Aria was about to open her bedroom door when she saw Mike sitting at his desk, looking down on himself.

She looked at me then went into his room. I stayed behind, now afraid of him, and what he may do.

"Mike. Hey." She said as she went in.

He looked up at her. "Will Mom be okay?" he rasped, he'd obviously been crying, and doing some thinking. He looked worse than I'd ever seen him before.

"Yes." Aria immediately responded, sliding into the seat beside him.

"Will Maddie?" he rasped, and choked on his words.

Aria nodded.

Finally, Mike asked, after shifting his gaze between her and his desk a few times, "Will I?"

"Yes." Aria promised, and hugged him to her. She cradled him, and he rested his head on her shoulder, and hugged her back. Not the way he embraced me, but how a little brother hugs his older sister.

I knew he didn't hate me. But something for a heated moment made him say so, and in that moment, I'd believed him. I'd only stayed strong because it was what Ali would have done.

I sighed. I went back downstairs, feeling like I was seeing something I shouldn't have.

They got silent, and I crossed over to the adults. Jason pulled me to him, and I hugged him back, it was mirroring what I'd just seen upstairs.

Then, I heard Aria come down, and then, we all watched as Mike clambered down too. He looked so tired, yet handsome, broken, yet strong. He was still crying, his blue eyes filled with tears.

"I'm going to cooperate from now on. I want to get help…I need to let people in…" he focused on me. "I will never touch you in that way again. I'm so sorry Madeline." He sobbed. "I never meant for that to happen." He looked at my face in horror.

I gulped, then stepped away from Jason, and at first, all the adults tensed, but then they saw Mike wouldn't do anything, and then I choked back a sob, and ran to Mike, grabbing onto him firmly, wrapping my arms tightly around his neck and he picked me up from the ground and one hand was on the back of my head, the other on my back, and I heard him breathe in my scent, as I did his.

"Mike, you scared me so much." I admitted.

"I was so worried for you. As soon as I did it, I thought you'd hate me forever." We stayed like that, frozen for a while.

Eventually, everything settled out, and Jason took me home. Toby had texted me half an hour ago, saying he needed to take Spencer home or something, and I texted him back saying it was fine, and thanks.

Too bad I couldn't protect everyone. The next day, Toby's brakes failed, and he was almost hurt…then he was actually hurt when Spencer broke up with him, and he called me and I went to his house to chill out with him. I made him some hot cocoa and we sat down in his room to talk about it. He was upset, but with me there, it was better. Later, we learned that the four girls were being held in custody at the police station, so we hopped in his car and went, and he was yelling at Spencer that he loved her, while the police held him back. I was about to intervene when I saw Jason and Mr. Hastings arguing over something.

I walked away from Toby and got closer just as the argument got really heated.

"Jason? Is something wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. Go home Mads. Get a ride from Toby, or wait in the car."

"Yes Madeline, go." Mr. Hastings added in.

Then, they continued fighting as if nothing had happened. It got so bad, I thought Mr. Hastings may hurt my brother, and I got in the middle. "If you hurt him, I'm going down the hall, and reporting it."

"We're adults. We can fight about this." Mr. Hastings laughed.

"And I say, that my brother is like the only family I have left. You will not touch him." I snarled.

"Okay, fine." He looked to my brother now holding my arm possessively and said, "We'll talk later." And he walked back to his wife.

"What was that about?" I asked him.

"You know." He said.

"Oh god." I sighed. "Can't we bury this?"

"We've tried…p.s- it's cute how you're trying to protect your big brother all the time."

"I guess." I shrugged.

"It's supposed to be the other way around."

"Oh shut up. Let's go home. Staying here will do us no good." So that's what we did. We went home, and I looked at my reflection once in the mirror at my bruise, touched it, and frowned. But I got into my bed anyway and shut off my light.

...

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Next time I update will be in January :(