"Ok, what's this letter?

"P."

"Good job, Ally! Now, what's this letter?" Haley asked her daughter. She had decided to try to teach Ally how to read and write herself. Haley wasn't sure how good she'd do, but she needed to do everything possible to make Ally's life a little more normal…which was pretty much impossible. Haley didn't really know what she was doing. She had been good at tutoring high schoolers…but soon to be 5 year olds were another story. She didn't know how much to push her or how much she should lay back. Haley wasn't quite sure how much kindergarteners were actually supposed to know. She also knew that when…if they finally are able to leave this place, that her teachings wouldn't actually have Ally up to where she should be. There were no text books, just Haley and some pens and papers, so Haley and Ally would just have to make due. As long as Ally would be able to read and write within a few months, and count to 20, then she'll be on the right track. But after the basics… Haley has no idea what she is going to do. She'd like to think that somehow they would be out of this nightmare by then, and that Ally will be able to be in regular school…but right now she has no idea of how that would happen. S at the moment, she'll just have to deal with 'what is' instead of 'how she wants it'

The little girl thought for a second and then answered "N?"

"Nope, close, it's an M. M has an extra line. Do you understand?" Haley asked Ally, trying to make it easier for her to comprehend.

"I guess, but can I be done? Please mommyyy."

"Al, you just started. Don't you want to learn how to read and write? Come on, learning is fun?" Haley tried, knowing of kid's short attention spans…but hey maybe the fake exuberance will work. Kids are impressionable.

"No it's not. And I guess I just don't see the point. It's not like anyone's going to know." The little girl said sadly.

Haley looked at her young daughter's sad blue eyes and it killed her to know what she had to go through at such a young age…stuff that she shouldn't have to be going through. "Honey, I promise you, I'll find a way for us to leave this place, but until then we are just going to have to make the best of this. Ok? I know it's hard. Just trust me, everything's going to be alright. I'll find a way for us to leave." She tried to reassure her daughter and… herself for that matter. Haley had no idea how to escape this place. They had such high supervision all the time, so it's not like they could just go. There were no phones or computers. She couldn't risk anything happening to Ally…she wouldn't. Her little girl was going to be fine. But she knew, Ally wouldn't be totally fine, until she was able to leave this place.

"Ok. Mommy, I'm sorry." Ally said quietly.

"O baby, don't be sorry." Haley hugged her daughter tightly. "You shouldn't have to live this. Neither should I. I'm going to try to figure out a plan, ok? Just, I'm not going to put you in any danger by doing some escape plan that's not guaranteed safe. Because you are the most important thing to me, and I'm going to protect you. I love you Ally so much. I'm so proud of you."

"I love you too, mommy." Ally said sweetly to her mother. "We can go back to learning if you want…"

Haley laughed lightly. She could see how that was exactly what her daughter didn't want to be doing. "How about, we take a break from that for the moment."

"YES! Thank you, Mommy!" Ally said as she jumped onto her mother. "Hey mommy" She paused a little "Would daddy like me?"

Haley looked at her daughter and pushed her dark brown hair out of her face. "Oh, Ally. Your daddy would adore you. He was so happy about you. Your daddy was so excited about becoming your father and loved you so much even before you were born. I'm positive he would of have loved you so much and of been so proud of you. You know, you guys are a lot alike."

That made Ally smile. "Really?"

"Yup. You even look like him." Haley added.

Ally's smile widened. "Can I see the picture of daddy that's in your locket?"

Haley smiled at that. Ally loved looking at the locket. On one side was a picture of Nathan and Haley when Haley had been pregnant. They were both so happy and carefree then. On the other was a picture of Haley and Ally on Ally's 1st birthday party..if you could even call it that, but Justin had taken a picture of them and given it to Haley to put in her locket. It was a small gesture, and she still hated the man, but she did appreciate the picture. Haley looked beautiful in it. "Of course." Haley removed the silver locket from around her neck and opened it. "You guys have the same deep blue eyes and dark hair." Haley smiled at the way Ally was smiling so brightly at the locket.

"Daddy looks really happy here. Why is his hand on your stomach? Did it hurt or something?"

Haley laughed. "No sweetie, it didn't hurt. His hand was on my stomach because I was pregnant with you." She smiled " That's you in there." Haley said as she pointed to her stomach in the picture.

"Wow, how was I in there?" Ally questioned Haley.

"Wow, um Ally, that's a talk for when you're a little older." Haley hoped that would please her daughter for now, there was no way she was giving her "the talk" right now.

That seemed to please Ally for now, "Oh, Daddy looks really tall."

Haley smiled not only for the subject change, but also for Ally's interest in Nathan. Ally would have adored Nathan. God, she needed to get them out of this suffocating house and back with Nathan. "Yeah, Daddy was 6'2."

"Whoa." The little girl said in amazement.

"Yeah." Haley said softy as she was remembering Nathan. She missed him so unbelievably much. She couldn't believe that it's been 5 years since she had seen him. And Ally looked so much like Nathan it was unreal… Ally had Haley's wavy thickness but it was dark brown, light black color just like Nathan's. Ally had Nathan's piercing blue eyes and many of Nathan's facial expressions. Although, Ally had Haley's size. She was very petite and little for being almost 5.

"Hey mom?" Ally spoke breaking Haley from her train of thought. "Will I get to meet Daddy?" She asked as she stared up into her mother's eyes.

Haley's heart melted at this. "Ally, I can't make any promises. But you have to know, that I am going to do everything possible to leave this place and you can meet daddy. And then you, me and daddy can all be one family." Haley said she hugged hugged her daughter and gently rubbed her back. Haley knew how unfair this was to Ally and how unfair this was to her. How was it possible that this could happen in the first place? What kind of person would do this to a little girl, her little girl.

"Ok. I trust you mommy. I love you"

That warmed Haley's heart. "Oh, baby, I love you too." She looked down at her locket and put it in Ally's hands. "Ally, I want you to have this."

Ally's face immediately brightened up at this. "Are you sure, mommy?"

"Yeah, that way you can have a small part of you dad with you at all times. He gave the locket to me a little after the one picture of him and me were taken. And daddy would have loved it if you had it. His smile's so big in that picture because of you. He loves you so much and one day, one day soon you can see him and everything will be alright." Haley assured her daughter.

Ally was still smiling at the locket and put it around her neck. "Thanks, mom. I love it!" she hugged Haley. "Mom?"

"Yeah, Al?"

"Can you tell me a story about Daddy?" she asked hopefully

"Of course, which one do you want to hear, or do you want a new one."

"I want to hear the one where Daddy was trying to give you a surprise birthday party, but you were late, and then when you got there you ended up throwing up on daddy." Ally said happily as she sat right by her mom and looked up at her.

Haley laughed. What a story…"Ok, well once upon a time…"

"Haley." Justin interrupted.

Haley sighed. "Yeah, Justin?"

"There's some people here with some clothes for Ally."

"Ok, Ally, go check them out." Haley told her daughter.

"But mommy, I want to hear the story."

"When you're done, I'll tell you it." Haley assured Ally.

"Alright." Ally replied as she jumped up and followed one of the people to the front room.

"Hey, Justin, can we talk?" Haley asked. She decided she needed to do something, maybe there was something Justin could do.

"Yeah, Haley?" he asked tiredly.

"Ok, I understand you are getting paid or whatever for keeping Ally and me here, but it's just not fair. We deserve to be with my family and friends. Not kept here."

"Haley, there's more to it than that. I'm not just getting paid for this. If I don't do this, I'll be put in jail." Justin sighed. She might as know well.

"What? why?" Haley questioned.

"It's a long story, but the guy that is paying me is also forcing me to do this by not telling the police something."

"OK, how the hell is that fair for me? You do something that would give you jail time, and you take the easy way out and decided to imprison me and my daughter in my house for some crazy man?"

"Haley, I need this money. I have a son, and I need to give him money for child support and some extra too. And if I get put in jail then I won't be able to send the money to help them."

"Well, Justin, I have a daughter. How would someone like it if someone took your son and whatever his mom was to you and locked them up?"

"Look Haley, there is more. But you don't need to know it now and I have to make some calls."

"Justin!" Haley said incredulously. "Haley and I need to leave."

"Haley, please don't try to escape…because then I would have to do something to you and Ally. And I don't want to. So, please don't put me in that position."

"Justin, Ally and I need to leave. Why can't you just let us go, work something else out with that man, and then everyone's happy. Look my daughter and I do not deserve to pay for something that you did."

"I'm sorry Haley. I can't let you guys go. I can't be put in jail. My son needs money."

"Well, if his home is so bad, then why don't they just put him in adoption agency?"

"He has some mental retardations and some handicaps and I don't trust him put anywhere. He's fine where he is, just a little short on cash."

"Ok, I'm sorry, I am. But again, not my problem. My problem , Ally and I being forced to live here!"

"Haley…"

"Alright, if you can't just let us both go, then how about you let Ally go." Haley questioned. That was a hard thought for her…but Ally needed to be able to leave this place. And as long as Ally was safe and happy, then Haley would be alright. "You can tell them I'm dead even, just please let Ally go…"

"Haley, I don't think I can do that."

"Why not? Ally would be safe, but you would still be made to stay here with me. So you wouldn't be put in jail."

"Or, he'd have you killed, and then I would be put in prison.

Haley swallowed hard. "Wow…Look, I just want Ally safe."

"Haley, I don't think we have Ally escape. I have to go make those calls, ok?"

"Ok." Haley sat down and buried her face in her hands…This was just too much.