Sorry for not updating, my parents grounded me and I couldn't possibly write without my phone or laptop. Again Abbie helped me with this chapter, thank you Abbie I love you. 5 reviews for the new update! Kisses, -N

Ariana was not shifting. At fifteen years old she was convinced she was perfectly capable of staying at home herself for an hour or so to finish off some revision. However her father, Toby, clearly didn't agree.
"I don't care what you're friends do Ari, they're not my responsibility you are." Toby ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. With his oldest daughter Ari they were either at each other's throats or the best of friends. Today they were undoubtably at each others throats.
"Well you should care because I'm not coming to Aunt Hanna's and Uncle Caleb's until I'm finished studying and that should take about another hour," Ari's blue eyes gleamed her eyebrows raised. Toby groaned, there was no winning with this kid.
"You are just as stubborn as your mother," Toby muttered under his breath. A laugh arose from the other side of the room.
"I heard that!" Spencer called playfully lacing up her 3 year old daughter Emily's shoes. Spencer was just happy it wasn't her arguing with Ariana this time, due to the intensity of their personalities they clashed often. She had Spencer's stubbornness and her humorous wit matched with a warm heart like Toby's.
Out of their 3 kids she was the most equal mix of them both. After Spencer surprised herself after taking a shine to motherhood with Ari, the couple went on to have Thomas or Tommy as his parents often fondly referred to him was now 8. Tommy was basically Spencer in male version. Intelligent, driven, competitive but fiercely protective of his loved ones. Physically he was more like Toby; he had the sandy blonde hair Toby possessed as a child matched with the blue eyed trait he picked up like his sister Ari. Emily was the only one to have Spencer's coffee coloured eyes and she also shared her hair colour with her Mother. Yet personality wise she was just like Toby. Dangerously warm hearted, sensitive and scarily sweet. Spencer and Toby loved their kids equally. Ariana their brave but gentle daughter named after two of Spencer's best friends Aria and Hanna. Tommy their determined intelligent little boy who Toby named. And their little princess Emily named after her godmother and her parents shared best friend Emily.
"Tommy go take Emily up to her room to get her cardigan, we are heading off soon." She instructed receiving a mock salute from the young boy. She sighed deeply at Toby and Ariana still going at it. She walked over placing her arm around Toby's shoulder. "Come on Toby, it's just this one time. She is sensible and it's for school work not anything else. She can meet us there in an hour?" Spencer pleaded playing mediator. It was Toby's turn to sigh now. He looked at his daughter standing with her hands placed firmly on her hips. She really as growing up too fast for his liking.
"Fine," he stated mono tonally, "but I won't allow you to talk to me like that so I'm not letting you go to that party on Saturday." Ari's mouth was now agape waving her arms in the air at the huge injustice.
"Mommm," she pleaded. Spencer raised her hand in mock surrender, she had already done enough.
"I hate you," Ari glared at her father as the rest of the family made their way to the door. Toby didn't even bother to say goodbye, and shut the door behind him. Ariana yelled in frustration, of course she didn't hate her father, but he was so annoying at times for no reason, and he was definitely over protective. She took her phone out and dialled her best friend's, Alex Rivers', phone.
"My dad grounded me." She practically yelled as soon as he picked up.
"Hello to you too, Ari." Alex was Hanna's and Caleb's son, who was friends with Ariana since they both could talk. They were very, very close.
"I can't go to that party!" She said as she locked the doors behind her parents. Not going to Amelia Kahn's party was a social disaster, especially since she invited only 'cool' people. "She will destroy me!" Ari groaned.
"I'll call her, you know how she is..." He said, and she could hear him grin through the phone. Amelia was his on-again-off-again girlfriend, so it was a plus for Ariana but it also made Amelia hate her since she was a 'potential threat' although Ariana only saw Alex as her best friend. Nothing more. Maybe...
"Alex! He WILL NOT LET ME GO!"
"Your parents are here, I have to go." Alex said. Ariana signed as she hung up.
"Thanks for the help, Alex." She turned the lights off, not noticing someone staring at her through the glass door.

*.*.*.*

Hanna told her she was worrying too much. It's been nearly 16 years she had told her, it was about time Spencer stopped being so paranoid. But she couldn't help it. Every time she heard footsteps behind her she would have her finger hovering over her phone ready to call Toby, every time her phone buzzed she practically jumped out her seat, every night she would wake up unable to catch her breath after dreaming about the living nightmare she experienced as a teenager. How could she not be worried when her daughter didn't turn up to Hanna's like she was supposed to? How could she not freak out and drive straight home when she wouldn't answer her phone? Hanna said she was probably just studying in her room with her phone on charge downstairs. Spencer hoped more than anything Hanna was right.

The drive to their house was quiet. Even Emily and Tommy seemed to notice the change in atmosphere, the pair sitting unusually quietly. As Toby pulled into their drive way. Spencer's heart started to beat double time, not even waiting for the car to reach a complete halt, she jumped out the passenger seat and ran into the house. Toby thought he was going to be sick. He finished parking the car, tossing the car keys to his mature 8 year old son. "Lock the doors, stay in the car with Emily. We will only be 5 minutes," he instructed holding it together for the sole purpose of his family. As he ran into the house he saw the mini pool of blood on the floor. Now he was really going to be sick. "Ariana!" He yelled as loud as he could. Ignoring the voice in his head that there was no way he was getting an answer. He felt as though his heart had been torn out of his chest. Then he saw Spencer. On her knees clutching her stomach, tears rolling freely down her cheeks. "No, my baby, no, please, wake up Spencer, wake up!" She screamed her voice breaking at the seams. He rushed over to her wrapping his arms around her frail body. It had always been his first instinct to protect her, she always came before him. So he held her in his arms as she sobbed into his chest. "Shh, you are going to be ok." He soothed her. Repeating it over and over. Telling her she was going to be ok even though he wasn't sure of he was. He didn't dare let go of her. Even when Tommy and Emily came running over hand and hand. They never were able to follow the rules. Both of them sobbing their eyes out, terrified. But he still didn't let go of her, just simply made room for two more. He was scared what would happen if he did let go. So they stayed like that and he wasn't sure how long it took but she stopped her hysterical tears. Not because she wasn't still broken, not because her heart wasn't breaking but because like Toby she put people before herself. And right now Tommy and Emily needed them just as much as they needed each other.