*AUTHOR'S NOTRE* Aw! Thank you for all your nice comments about me being back guys! It means a lot. And yes I did have a good holiday thank you! I have a question for you all. How would you like this story to go? Do you want more action to happen? Do you want a happy ending or a sad one? Any comments are appreciated. I have various ways of which this could go. PS- Please nobody kill me about the way Toby's dog's name is spelt. Everybody always has a new spelling to say!

Chapter 18.

*TOBY'S POINT OF VIEW*

I cried, and cried and cried.

So much for masculinity and such.

I just couldn't process all these horrible, evil, hurtful things Katie...Kimberley...was telling me. At first I felt hurt she lied from the start about her identity and then I moved on to feeling deflated that she didn't tell me all this when she was explaining her scars. But now I had more time to dwell on it all I figured she was only doing what she had to do. I could understand how difficult this was for her. However, I wasn't going to let her go without a fight.

"Toby...?" Katie said aimlessly; trying to find my voice throughout all the hysterics. I wiped the back of the sleeve of my Tobuscus hoodie on my eyes to dry the tears away.

"I'm so sorry all this happened to you Katie...Kimberley. I wish I could have been there to take you away from it all I honestly do" I blabbed and I could feel the tears starting again. Despite the situation Katie just smiled reassuringly at me with a single tear falling down from her left glistening eye. "I know" was all she said.

"You don't need to leave Ki-"

"Katie. Call me Katie" she interrupted.

I nodded and restarted. "You don't need to leave Katie. Like you said that son of a bitch...sorry, Terry doesn't know where you live or what name you go under. You are completely safe here; there's no need to make a fresh start in an unknown country! I will always protect you Katie; I won't let anything happen to you. All I want is to spend the rest of eternity with you by my side. I want to grow old with you holding my hand. I want to sit in creaky rocking chairs waving wooden walking sticks at the youth complaining about their attitudes with Gryphon lounging at our feet lazily! So please- please don't leave me"

I've never ever spilled out so many emotions at once to someone. But this felt like the most appropriate moment to do so. In reaction Katie burst in to tears. "I love you so much Toby" she sobbed and instantly I pulled her to my body and held her tight. I never wanted to let go and I continued to fear she would get up and leave.

"Please Katie" I continued "You're safe with me. In fact, heck- please come and live with me! It would be a dream come true".

Katie sniffed and looked up from my chest. "Ar...Ar...are you sure?" she seemed very hopeful to me. I grinned humorously. "Absolutely one hundred percent positive!" I assured her.

Katie snuggled back on to my chest. "You really are my saviour Toby. Life would be bleak without you. I'm sorry I've brought all this on you. I'm a broken mess".

I stroked her hair affectionately. I've always thought she had beautiful silky hair. "And I'm here to put the pieces back together again. You're a beautiful mess"

Eventually, after what felt like forever, I reluctantly pulled away from Katie. "It's very convenient you've already packed your things then- you can come live with me now!" This made Katie's swollen puffy eyes light up and smile from within. "I'd very much like that" she explained "I'm sick of being alone in this house. I always...I always think Terry is going to turn up out the blue and I will have nobody to cry for help to"

I sighed sadly and kissed her cheek "Well you'll never be alone now. And if anyone tries to hurt you I will, erm, get my AUDIENCE to troll them and Gryphon will bite their bottom off!"

Gladly this made Katie laugh and I smiled to myself at such a beautiful sight. I held out my hand and Katie took it eagerly with the other reaching for her suitcase.

"Let us begin a new chapter in our lives"