A/N: Heyhey, a shorter chapter but lots of info so wanted to kind of contain it! Let me know what you think ! :D

Chapter 7

Jessica sat on the couch, Charlotte beside her and Alison on the armchair beside her. She ran a hand through her hair and took a deep breath.

"You weren't found at the agency like I said," Jessica started with a pained expression, "Your biological mother… was family. She was, is, my sister."

"What?" Alison and Charlotte both exclaimed at the same time but it was Alison who was continued, "But that means you're her aunt… and that means – "

"No, no," Charlotte shook her head before looking at her mom, "Please tell me it was the truth when you said you were adopted too."

Jessica nodded, "That's the truth. I was adopted, she wasn't a blood relative, but we did grow up together. As sisters."

"Why didn't she want me?" Charlotte asked, eyes wide.

Jessica took her daughters' hand, "It's not that simple, honey. Your mother wasn't well… her relationship with your father was very abusive. You were just a baby… "

Charlotte watched her mother closely, "What happened?" she asked, "How did I end up with you?"

Jessica put her head in her hands.

Charlotte and Alison exchanged looks.

"Mom," Charlotte pressed.

Jessica pulled her head from her hands and nodded, "Okay," she breathed, "One night, I guess things got really bad. All we've really been able to gather is that your parents got into a fight… and it ended with her taking a knife to him and… well, he didn't make it."

"She killed him?" Charlotte blinked, "Hang on, that's why I have those dreams. Did I see it?"

Jessica nodded weakly, "You were in your high chair in the kitchen… and that's where… it happened," she said, swallowing tightly, "Then she left. Went on the run."

"What do you mean she left?" Alison asked, "Did she take Charlotte…"

Jessica shook her head, "No," she whispered, "She just… left you there, Charlie. It was three days before I came to visit and I found you in that kitchen. Him on the floor. Blood… everywhere. And you crying your little lungs out."

"Did they find her?" Charlotte asked quietly.

"A few days later," Jessica nodded, "She was… is confined to a mental institution. They say she snapped after all the years of abusive but the murder was so vicious… and the fact that she left you there… "

"So, she's still alive?" Charlotte frowned.

Jessica nodded.

Alison looked to Charlotte who remained silent, "So, you decided to take in your sisters baby…"

"Well, like I said before it was only going to be only temporary. Your father didn't want a child yet, but I couldn't let that precious baby go," Jessica looked to Charlotte, who wouldn't make eye contact with her.

"Did you ever visit her?" Alison asked.

"I did," Jessica confirmed, "At first. But that place didn't seem to help, it seemed to make her worse," she frowned, "All of a sudden, she didn't like that I'd taken Charlotte in. She thought I'd planned the entire thing just to steal her baby. I became enemy number one… so eventually, I stopped going."

"Didn't you ever take me to see her?" Charlotte asked quietly.

Jessica looked surprised, "No," she shook her head, "At first, they said it wasn't a good idea, they didn't know if she would become violent and then I just decided it wasn't a good idea…"

Charlotte stood up, crossing her arms, "You should have told me," she said, the hurt apparent in her voice.

"Charlotte, I was trying to protect you – "

"You know I've always wondered about my biological parents and you've always known and never thought to tell me," Charlotte's voice rose.

Jessica stood up and tried to put a hand on her daughters arm but Charlotte moved away.

"Please, I just thought it was best… it's such a horrible story, I didn't want you to be a part of it," Jessica tried to reason.

"But she's still my mom," Charlotte argued, "And I'm an adult. You should have given me the choice."

"Charlie – "

Charlotte moved further away, shaking her head, "No. You just... you always keep secrets, it's like you like collecting them and knowing things that other people don't. Maybe it makes you feel powerful, but this was my life, mom."

"I'm sorry," Jessica whispered, "Please. That's why I'm trying to tell you everything now. I know I keep too many secrets, I want to stop. You make me want to stop. Please."

"I'm not a kid anymore," Charlotte growled, "I haven't been a kid for a long time. God, I can't even look at you right now."

She walked out. Jessica made to follow but Alison grabbed her arm.

"Don't, mom," Alison said gently, "Just give her time. Trust me, these things hit hard… she just needs time."

"She's never looked at me like that before," Jessica whispered, sinking back onto the couch.

"She'll be – "

"Alison, she doesn't have friends in this town," Jessica said, "She doesn't have anywhere to go."

Charlotte shivered as she walked around the empty town square. She pulled her jacket tighter but it barely fought the cold. She sunk down onto a park bench. She closed her eyes.

She could never remember her dreams. All she remembered was the blood. Now she knew why.

She squeezed her eyes tighter, trying to remember the scene. The kitchen. The blood. Her dead father. But it was all made up. She couldn't actually remember it, it was just her head conjuring up images because now she knew the story. Now she knew where she came from.

Now she just had to decide how much it really mattered.