The next day Amber had to be at work at ten in the morning again and she got up, took another shower, and looked in the mirror at her backside. The welts hurt and were very obvious. Amber had to wear a longer skirt today to cover them. She winced a little as she walked into the living room to have the man drive her to work. She was sore and not just from the beating. The man used her hard and brutal the previous night and her insides were sore and tender. Amber saw the woman already in her drug induced stopper laying on the couch and Natalie sitting in front of the television watching her favorite cartoon. Amber noticed the girl had a paper plate in front of her with what looked like a breakfast an eight year old girl would prepare for herself. A slice of wrapped cheese and an uncooked hotdog. Natalie took a bite if the hotdog and turned to see Amber looking at her. She sadly smiled up at her older best friend. Amber grinned and winked at her and Natalie could not help but giggle. Amber was determined to never allow Natalie to see her pain.

"Daddy left you a note, Ams. On the table and some money. He had to leave early this morning for an emer…emerg…emergency." Amber smiled and walked to the table and read the note. It simply read – Had to go. Work emergency. Take this money and catch the bus…only go to work or last night will seem like lover's kiss on your sweet ass compared to what I will do to you if you go anywhere else. I will pick you up.

Amber put the note down and picked up the five dollar bill, just enough for the bus ride and maybe a couple of dollars left over. She looked at Natalie, who had focused back on the television, and sighed. She just couldn't leave the girl alone with her drugged out mother. She knew she would pay a price but she did not care. Her love for the little girl was too deep. She wrote something on the note and walked over to Natalie and knelt down beside her.

"Hey, little peep, do you have a swimsuit?" Natalie nodded as she chewed her uncooked hotdog.

"Well go change and put on a pair of shorts and tee shirt over it. You are coming with me to work."

Natalie jumped up and gave a gleeful squeal and hugged Amber and ran to her room. Amber did not know how Rico and Jackson were going to like this, but she just could not leave Natalie alone. She would deal with that as she would with the man and woman…later. Natalie came running down the stairs in a pair of blue shorts and plain white tee shirt and was frowning. "My bathing suit is too small…it is too old and won't fit. I have not been to the beach in forever and mommy did not buy me one for camp since she did not want me swimming in a lake. I did anyway through…is it ok if I just wear this?"

Amber smiled and told her of course and the two left the house. Amber would fix Natalie a better breakfast at work…hopefully if her boss did not mind taking the food out of her first paycheck. The two girls rode the bus and Amber took a deep breath when they walked up to the snack shack. Rico was there with Jackson and the two were ogling a very beautiful brunette girl of Hispanic decent. Rico looked at his watch and smiled as Amber walked up. She was on time and that made him happy. Jackson was always late. She sat Natalie down at one of the tables surrounding the surf shack and walked over to Rico.

"Umm…Rico…can I talk to you?" Amber asked shyly.

"Oh please don't tell me you are quitting…please don't tell me that! We pulled record sales yesterday because all the boys wanted to come by and check out the pretty new girl; Jackson can only draw in monkeys on a good day."

"Hey, watch it, midget! I will have you know the girls flock here to see ole Jackson." Rico rolled his eyes and Amber giggled.

"Just ignore him…and tell me you are not quitting."

"Umm…no…but…well…my sister…step sister," Amber pointed to Natalie, to avoid questions on her home life she thought it just to call the girl her step sister, who was already chatting away with some boy of about nineteen. "Excuse me." Amber said to Rico and pulled Natalie away from the boy. He was harmless but she needed to know not to talk to strangers in this cruel world. Amber kindly chastised the girl who smiled and said yes m'am and sat at the bar stool at the shack.

"Hey, Ams, is this boy a stranger too? Or can I talk to him?" Amber smiled and was about to reply before Rico cut her off. "Well, he's strange but not a stranger…I think you would be safe as long as you know monkey talk." Jackson smiled at the pretty little girl and started jumping around like a monkey and making monkey sounds. Natalie giggled delightfully. Amber smiled sadly at the girl who craved affection from anybody she met.

"Anyway…umm…she did not have anyone at home to watch her…her mom is…sick…and I was hoping she may be able to hang out here. I promise she won't be in the way and it won't become a habit…I had not choice…and she is hungry and…I will pay you back from my first check and…" Amber rattled on so fast Rico had to hold up his hands and slow her down.

"Whoa, girl…sure she can stay…there is plenty she can do while hanging around the shack…hell if she wants we can put her to work. I always liked free labor." Rico laughed and Amber smiled in gratitude. Rico turned to Jackson, "Hey, monkey boy, go and fix the girl some eggs and bacon I have in the back I use for my breakfast." Jackson, still acting like a monkey, bounced over to Rico and pretended he was grooming the other boy as monkey's do. Natalie laughed so hard she had to hold her stomach when it started aching from laughter. Amber smiled at the girl and her innocence.

"Hey, would you like to come help me fix your breakfast? And my name is Jackson." Jackson said to the little girl. She smiled and looked at Amber who nodded her head. Natalie jumped off the stool and ran to follow Jackson to the back. Amber heard her tell Jackson her name as they went into the back room. She looked at Rico and told him thank you. Rico smiled. He liked this girl sad quite girl.

"Amber, I know Jackson and I argue a lot, but that is they way we are, but here we help each other out. Anytime you need her to come she can and don't worry about paying for the food. It kills me to do this but she eats free like all my employees." He smiled at her and Amber grinned her thanks as she started checking the hotdog cooker to make sure it was full. "And anytime you need a long break if we are not busy take it…don't worry about mean ole Rico." Amber blushed and nodded.

They day went buy quickly since they were busy, mostly boys, and Amber kept a sharp eye on Natalie having given the girl instructions not to leave her site. Rico and Jackson helped her as well and while Natalie did as she was told she grew bored as an eight year old would and started begging Amber to go to the ocean.

"I can't, Natalie, I have to work. Just play around here and when I go on break we can take a walk down to the ocean. I promise."

"Please…pretty please…I know how to swim and I won't talk to strangers…please." The girl whined.

"No and not another word. Just hang out here." Amber said with authority and Natalie muttered something about Amber not being a good best friend and sat on the stool pouting. Amber turned around to pour some cheese on some nacho chips for a customer.

"I'll take her…she would be safe with me and I am not a stranger." Amber heard the slightly whiney sexy voice. She cringed and turned around to see Lilly sitting next to Natalie. The blonde's hair was down and wet and her life guard shirt clung to her body and Amber had to force her gaze from the girl as she thought how sexy she looked at that moment.

"Who are you? Are you a friend of Amber's?" Natalie asked the pretty blonde girl.

"Well…I would like to be, but she won't let me. I go to school with her. My name's Lilly. What's yours?." Lilly smiled kindly.

"Hey, Ams, she has the same name as your mom…that's sweet. My name is Natalie." The girl stuck her hand out and shook Lilly's hand. Lilly smiled at the girl. She knew who she was by the journal and Amber was right, she was a very pretty precious child. She was very pretty and looked small for her age. Lilly felt her heart ache when she remembered the things mentioned in the journal about the girl. Lilly gave Amber a look with a raised eyebrow when the girl called her by her nick name. The same name she got yelled at yesterday for using. Lilly smiled at Amber and was glad the sad girl could seem to love again. She needed that. It was a step in the right direction.

"She knows who you are, Natalie, don't let her fool you…and as far as her having the same name as my mom that is as far as it goes, my mother would never betray a trust in someone even if she did not know the person." Amber said sharply and handed the boy his nachos and took his money. He told her to keep the change as he leered at her. Amber was doing well in tips and it was money she could hide from the man and woman. She planned on saving enough to take Natalie shopping. "And no you cannot go with her. Just stay around here."

"Please, Ams, please…I'll be good…you have been teaching me manners and to be a lady and I promise…I want to see the ocean and play on the beach! Please!" Natalie begged and Amber started to lose her temper, something she used to not have much of.

"I said no and one more word and we will go home and you can spend the day with your mother!" She said to harshly and immediately regretted it. She knew better than to threaten the girl by using her mother. Natalie started crying and Lilly put her arms around the girl and gave Amber a sharp look. Amber rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry, little peep…I did not mean it. Hey, why don't you go in the back and get some more nacho chips holders…remember where I showed you? I'll…I'll talk to Lilly about taking you to the beach." Natalie stopped crying and squealed in delight and ran around to the inside of the shack and hugged Amber.

"I promise I will be good….thank you, thank you, thank you, Ams!" The girl cried out and went in the back.

Amber walked over to Lilly and leaned close to the girl. She had to fight the desire to kiss her again. "She can go but I have some rules. First she is not to go into the ocean to far. I have no idea how well she can swim. She must be back at six thirty. He dad is picking us up when I get off at seven. That is very important. She needs some sunscreen. And don't you dare mention or ask her about anything you read when you pried into my life! She knows nothing of my story and she is just too young to understand! I swear I will…well…I can't beat you up or hurt you, but I damn sure can think of something to hurt you if you pry into my life through her. That is something you can count on. I have learned how to be cruel!" Amber said harshly.

Lilly just gave her a sexy smile and nodded, "I won't…I would not do that with her." Amber gave a forced chuckle at that and Lilly ignored her, "And as far as the swimming thing, I am a trained life guard and worked this beach during the summer and I know all the other life guards so she will be safe. And lastly, thank you for letting her go. And…out of curiosity…does you being cruel have anything to do with kissing me like yesterday when you were mad at me? If that is you being mad and cruel…hell I would do things to piss you off on purpose all the time." Lilly teased with a wink and Amber blushed.

Amber turned to avoid the girl's stare and to sneak a smile as Natalie came back into the service area of the shack with her hands full of the chip holders. Lilly giggled at the cute girl trying to balance them without dropping them. Amber took them from her arms and placed them on the counter and then she knelt down and hugged the girl. Before she pulled apart she placed her lips to the girl and whispered in her ear.

"Little peep, remember we are best friends and we have secrets. Do not share any of our secrets with anyone…I mean anyone. What we know and what happens to us is between you and me. Promise me that! Even if they ask you! And remember do not trust anyone regardless of how nice and pretty they are; it's just me and you." Amber did not trust the girl who read her personal journal.

Natalie nodded and kissed Amber on the cheek, "I love you, Ams, and I promise. I will be good and I won't tell anyone our secrets." She broke her embrace and ran around the counter and took Lilly's hand and the two girls walked down to the ocean area. Amber watched them go and smiled at the site. Natalie was already chatting away with the older girl. Amber blushed when a customer had to shout for her attention several times as she was staring at Lilly's butt swishing back and forth as she walked. She was admiring the way the blonde's bikini had ridden up her butt and then thought it was sexy when the blonde used her thumbs to pry the bikini from her butt crack.

Amber looked at her watch and started to worry when it read six forty five and Natalie was not back yet. The snack shack closed in fifteen minutes and the man was already sitting in his car at the road waiting for her. She started to really panic ten minutes later as Jackson announced happily the day was almost over and started cleaning up. At seven o'clock Amber was almost in a nervous break down as Jackson closed and locked the slide down doors to cover the counter and told Amber he would see her tomorrow afternoon after school. Natalie and Lilly were not back yet. Amber took a deep breath and walked up to the parking area to the black BMW. Her buttocks and the back of her thighs burned in pain from the welts. She had been on her feet almost all day and she was sore. She walked to the driver side window and it rolled down. The man had a mean look on his face.

"So…where's my daughter? I hope you did not let her drown." He asked cruelly.

"Umm…no…she went to the beach with a friend from school…I told them to be back on time…and…"

"Well don't just stand there like a fucking idiot…go fucking get her! What kind of friends do you have anyway that do not know how to tell time."

"Yes, sir." Amber said and walked back to the beach. She heard the man call after her.

"And if you are not back in ten minutes I am leaving you and you have to walk home…do you hear me you, irresponsible little bitch!" Amber blushed as she heard other people in the parking lot laugh at her.

Amber panicked! She had not idea where to start looking for Lilly and Natalie. She walked and felt her eyes water in fear. She was not afraid for herself. The man would use her and be cruel to her even if she was perfect. No she felt like crying for the Natalie. She was afraid of what may happen to the little girl. Amber looked around and saw the boy with black hair that Lilly hung around with at school. He was sitting at a table with some other boys. She did not know his name but knew she had a couple of classes with him. She walked up to him quickly and ignored the pain from the welts. He saw her coming and waited for her.

"Hey…umm…I'm Amber…from school…do you know where Lilly is or what part of the beach she hangs out at. She had my stepsister and I need to find her…fast."

Oliver looked at the small girl and smiled kindly. He felt pity from her after what Lilly told him. "Hell, I did not know Lilly was a kidnapper now…I mean she has done some strange things in the past…but kidnapping was never one of them." He smiled at his small joke was rewarded with a cold stare. He shrugged and picked up his drink from the table and stood up.

"Come on…I'll show you." Amber followed him and ignored the comments she and Oliver got as they walked to the ocean. They did not have to walk far when she saw Lilly and Natalie walking toward them through the sand. Natalie smiled and pointed at Amber and then let go of Lilly's hand and ran toward the brunette. She hugged Amber and grinned.

"Oh, Ams, we had so much fun…did you know Lilly surfs…and she is very good. She wouldn't let me try today but she said if it was ok with you she would teach me. Can I? She said she teaches people sometimes and…and she is real good and a life guard…a real life guard like on TV…please, Ams, please…can I?" Natalie begged and Amber pried the girl' arms from her, grabbed the cup from Oliver's hand, and walked to Lilly. Lilly was smiling as Amber walked to her.

"She is such a sweet girl. Very polite. She said you have been teaching her how to be a lady and it shows. We had…What the fuck, Amber! What the hell was that for!" Lilly screamed as Amber poured the cup full of cola and ice over Lilly's head.

"Ohhh she said a bad word!" Natalie yelled out and looked up at Oliver. "Hi. I'm Natalie. I'm Ambers best friend and sister…well kind of…we love each other like sisters. Are you Amber's boy friend?" Oliver grinned at this cute girl and shook his head.

"No…just know her from school. I'm Oliver." Oliver and Natalie then turned their attention back to the two girls. Amber was staring at Lilly like she wanted to hit her and Lilly was looking back with a shocked look on her face with cola dripping from her hair and face.

"I will tell you what the fuck you stupid…stupid…stupid girl! Argh! I don't know enough about fighting to hit you so it was the best I could do! I told you six damn thirty! It is past seven now and…God I should have known better than to let you of all people take her! Just leave me alone like I asked yesterday! Leave me…us… the fuck alone you stupid bitch!"

Oliver stepped up for his friend when he was shocked just to see Lilly standing there taking the abuse. Normally Lilly would have hit the girl just for pouring the drink on her and really would have kicked her ass for calling her a bitch, "Hey…come on…they were just having a good time…so they are a little late…just chill, girl. No one was hurt."

Amber turned and her green eyes sparked in anger at Oliver. "Shut the fuck up! You don't understand…neither of you understand! Can't you…don't you…just leave me…us alone!" Amber had tears in her eyes now from her anger and fear for what may happen to the little girl when they got home. She walked back to Natalie and took her hand a little to hard and Natalie let out a squeak of pain.

"Hey…no need to hurt her…it was not her fault!" Oliver yelled, still stunned by Lilly's silence.

Amber turned again, "It is none of you business so SHUT THE FUCK UP, PRICK!" She then knelt to Natalie, who was openly crying and scared. The girl never heard Amber yell like that or use the words she used. Amber noticed for the first time that Natalie was wearing a bathing suit and carrying her shorts and shirt in her hands.

"Where did you get that suit, Natalie?" Amber asked in a lower voice but still sharp with anger.

"L-L-Lilly brought i-i-it for m-m-me." She stammered out through her tears.

Amber grabbed the girl's clothes from her hand and roughly pulled the bathing suit off the girl and put her shorts and shirt back on her. Natalie protested.

"A-A-Ammer…stop! W-w-we are in p-p-public. Y-y-ou are s-s-scaring me, A-ammer." He girl whined but Amber ignored her. The Goth girl stood back up and threw the bathing suit at Lilly. Lilly stood there and allowed the suit to hit her in the face without a word or flinching.

"We don't need your Goddamn charity!" She screamed at Lilly. Amber knelt back down to Natalie. "Little peep, please listen to me. I am sorry but we have to go. You dad is waiting for us." Both Lilly and Oliver noticed the girl's eyes grow wide in fear.

"I-i-is he mad?" She asked.

"Yeah, baby, he's mad. Come on we have to go." Amber whispered to the girl and stood up. Amber tried to take the girls hand but she ran to Lilly and wrapped her arms around the blonde girl and hugged her. Lilly hugged her back.

"Thank you Lilly…I had a wonderful time. We have to go know." Natalie broke the hug and ran back to Amber and took her hand. Oliver and Lilly watched Amber and the girl walk quickly away from the beach. Oliver turned to Lilly.

"What the hell, Lilly? You are going to just stand there and let her get away with it?"

Lilly looked at Oliver and the boy saw for the first time that Lilly was crying, "Oh God, I…I fucked up Oliver! I…I made a big mistake. We were having so much fun I let time got by me. I…I fucked up big time! She…both of them…are probably going to get hurt tonight because of me."

Oliver looked confused, "So she is a little late…what's the big deal?"

Lilly took a deep breath to control her emotions, "She's right…you don't understand even after what I told you about her." Lilly bent over and picked up the bathing suit and walked back to the ocean to get her surf board and other beach gear. She let the tears flow from her eyes and desperately wished Miley was back. Her best friend would understand. Oliver stared after her and then it hit him. He ran after Lilly calling her name. Lilly waited for Oliver to comfort her as she knew he would try to do. She would let him so she could cry on his shoulder for the guilt she felt for her mistake and the pity and sadness she felt for Amber and Natalie. Well…she was angry…that means something…at least it means she can still feel. That's a start. Her eyes showed life…which is good. Ohhh…FUCK! Amber I am so sorry…so fucking sorry and I would take your place tonight if I could, Lilly thought as she put face in her hands and cried.

Amber and Natalie walked hand in hand back to the parking lot by the beach without a word. Natalie sniffled often. Amber groaned when she saw the Black BMW was gone. She looked at her watch and saw it had been twenty minutes since the man told her to find his daughter. Amber looked down at Natalie and the girl looked up at her.

"Where's daddy, Ammer?"

"He left…I guess he did not want to wait. We have to take the bus home. I made plenty in tips today so we will be ok."

Natalie squeezed Amber's hand tighter, "Ok." She simply said and they walked to the bus stop. They sat on the bench and waited and Amber hoped they would not have to wait long. Natalie curled up on the bench and laid her head on Amber's shoulder. Amber turned her head and kissed the girl on the top of her head. Natalie smiled.

"Are you still mad at me, Ammer?"

"Oh, little peep, I was never mad at you. I was mad at Lilly. I should not have let you gone to the beach with her. I'm sorry I scared you, baby."

Natalie smiled, "You said some real bad words…real bad."

Amber smiled, "Yeah and don't you dare repeat them. It was very non lady like."

"I won't…I promise. Are you real mad at Lilly? She is real nice and fun…and very pretty…she likes you…she told me she wanted to be your friend and you won't let her. Why not, Ams, why don't you like Lilly? I…I think she can be the one to protect us like the lovely Ran did for you. She is nice, pretty, and fun but strong. Even the boys did not mess with her. Even the ones with the big muscles. Some tried to flirt with her and one said a bad word to her and she yelled at him for saying that word in front of me and he got scared. If you liked her and if she was your friend she could protect us. I want to choose her."

Amber put her arm around the girl and held her tight, "Oh, little peep, I wish it was that easy. It's not, baby, it's not. I don't think even Ran could protect us this time. And Lilly is not nice don't let her fool you. She likes to pry in other peopled business. You did not tell her anything about…about our secrets did you?"

"No…I promise…and she did not ask. She asked some things about you…not about our secrets but just normal stuff like what type of food do you like, what type of movies, stuff like that…I didn't know much…you never told me. I like her and want to see her again. Will you tell me about the things you like?"

Amber smiled at the girl's innocence. "I will, baby, one day we will talk about these things. Natalie, remember last night when I told you not to trust anyone…and again today. Well you can't, little peep. It is just me and you, baby, and no one else. All we have is each other. We cannot count on anyone but each other ok."

Natalie sat up and looked at Amber, "I thought about that today when I was playing with Lilly. She had a lot of friends and I want a lot of friends. I…I think you are wrong, Ammer. I want to be able to have friends who laugh and have fun and do things like go to the beach and surf. Is the no one you trust anymore?"

Amber smiled kindly, "I trust you…and there used to be but I…I was mean to them and left them very sad. I don't think they like me anymore." Amber thought how wonderful it would be to be back at the Isuel's house with Natalie. There the girl would know the true love parents could give.

Natalie put her head back on Amber's shoulder, "I'm cold. Ams, I trust you too but you are wrong about the lovely Ran. She could have protected us and you are wrong about Lilly…she can too…I choose her. I told you I would find someone and I did."

Amber wrapped her arms around the sweet innocent child tighter to keep her warm and sighed. They only had to wait a few more minutes before the bus arrived. They sat on the mostly deserted bus and Natalie lay down across the seat and placed her head on the Goth girls lap. Amber stroked the long golden hair and cried at the thought of what may happen to the girl when they got home.

"Ams…do you think mommy will be mad too?"

"I don't know, honey, I don't know. Maybe she is to sick to notice you were gone all day."

"I hope so…I don't want her to be mad." Amber realized Natalie was more afraid of her mother than her father and it made sense. The girl's father may have touched her sexually and made threats of future sexual abuse, but he never punished her besides sending her to her room and calling her names. He never beat her or hit her. It was the woman who physically hurt the girl. The woman who hurt her own sweet child in cruel and painful ways. Ways that she expertly did to hide marks and prevent scars. The man had no problem physically hurting Amber; he enjoyed it and he too was an expert and never marked her face and hurt her in ways that did not scar and healed invisibly. Amber cried harder at the thought of Natalie having to suffer pain and abuse because she took her to work with her today. She felt terrible guilt because she loved the girl so much. Amber knew it was her curse and she tried not to love her but she could not stop. Amber knew the way to end the curse was going to be easy if she could find the courage. She would kill the man, the woman, and then herself and Natalie would go live with Ran's parents and then the small girl's world would be a good place to live and she would know love. She just needed to find the courage.

"Ams, I'm hungry. Do you think mommy and daddy already ate?" The girl asked Amber.

"I don't know, little peep, I hope not." Amber knew they most likely had. It was a little after eight. The man and woman had a rule that if you were not home for dinner when they ate then you did not eat. She knew Natalie would go to bed hungry tonight. Amber let out a sob at the thought and Natalie turned her head and looked at her. She reached her small hand up and wiped a tear from Amber's cheek.

"Ams, please don't cry…maybe daddy will not sleep with you tonight and maybe mommy will not be mad. I…I think they may have had dinner, but we'll be ok. I get a nice breakfast if I go to school early…please, Ams, don't cry. Maybe you mommy will let you give me a bath tonight and you can tell me another story about the lovely Ran and how she protected you."

Amber leaned down and wrapped her arms tighter around the girl and buried her head in her small chest and sobbed and rocked back and forth. Natalie stoked her hair and comforted her as best as she could.

When they got home, the two girls found the house empty and a note on the kitchen table telling them the man and woman went out for dinner and would not be home until late. Amber sighed in relief and Natalie jumped up and down with joy. The girl's joy ended when Amber went to fix the girl some dinner and they found the refrigerator and pantry empty of any food they could have eaten. The man, in his cruelty, threw out the majority of the food Amber could have used to cook with. All that was left were canned vegetables Natalie would not eat. Amber smiled and took out her wallet and counted her money. With the tips she made yesterday and today she had plenty of money to order something delivered.

"Little peep, do you like Chinese Food?" She called into the living room where Natalie was watching television and pouting about being hungry.

"Yeah…why?" She called back.

"I am going to order some. What do you like?" Natalie came running into the kitchen and danced around happily as she looked over the menus in the yellow pages.

Amber had to call three restaurants to find one who delivered but she did and ordered their dinner. After she hung up the phone she walked into the living room to find Natalie watching television again. After they ate Natalie went back to the television. She sighed; when she was younger she rarely watched television at night. She spent her evenings with her helping her mother do various things around the house, her homework, listening to her mother tell her stories about growing up in Georgia, or playing board games with her mom and dad.

"Young lady, I want you to turn that TV off right now and get ready for some fun before your bath and bedtime." Amber said in mock anger and Natalie giggled and turned the television off.

"What are we going to do, Ams?"

"What would you like to do?"

"Umm…can we go into your room and look at your pictures and tell me about you before you came here. I love your stories. You tell them so good."

"Ok…lets clean the kitchen and then tell you a story or two and then a bath and then bed."

Natalie clapped her hands and followed Amber to the kitchen. They cleaned the kitchen and washed the dishes and Amber was about to throw the left over food away and then take the trash out but changed her mind. She started putting the left over food in containers and placed them in the refrigerator.

"Ams, you should throw it out. What if mommy or daddy get mad. I think they did not want us to have dinner tonight since they took the food we had."

Amber smiled, "Fuck them…I am in a crazy mood tonight."

Natalie smiled, "Me too…fuck them!"

Amber laughed, "I'll let that one slide, little peep, but a lady does not use language like that."

Natalie giggled, "Are you a lady, Ammer?"

Amber smiled and hugged the girl, "I used to be…it seems like a long time ago, but I used to be."

"Well…I think you still are."

Amber laughed, "Well thank you, dear. Little peep, has anyone every told you how adorable you are?"

The young girl thought for a moment, "No…not really. Am I? Adorable?"

"You are the most adorable, precious, lovely child I have ever met." Amber gave her a tight squeeze. "No lets go look at the pictures. You know I have not looked at them in a long time myself."

Natalie ran up to Amber's room as Amber followed. She sat on the bed and Amber got the box from the back of her closet and the two girls sat down and looked at the pictures. Amber told the girl stories as she showed her many pictures of her and Ran and her parents and then Natalie found one of Amber and a blonde girl. Amber had her arms wrapped around the girl in a very loving embrace and was kissing her cheek. Natalie thought she never saw Amber look so happy. She held it up.

"Who's this. She is sooo pretty. She looks like an angel."

Amber chuckled and looked at the picture fondly, "That is Samantha. She was a very good friend of mine at one time."

"Why did you laugh?"

"Well…not many people would compare Samantha Puckett to an angel." Amber laughed.

"Why? She is so beautiful and has very long blonde curly hair like an angel."

Amber smiled at the picture again and she always thought the same thing Natalie did. To her Samantha was an angel. "Well…she was…she is hard to explain."

Natalie looked at the picture again, "Did you love her like you loved Ran."

Amber smiled sadly and took the picture from Natalie's hand and stared at it. She felt her eyes get watery and wiped them quickly, "Yeah…I love her very deeply. I love her more than Ran in a certain way and in a certain way I love Ran more than her. You'll understand when you get older. It was a different kind of love but in ways it was deeper…more intense than it was with Ran. I did not know her as long as I did Ran," Amber sniffled, "But yes, little peep, I love Samantha a great deal. Maybe…maybe too much."

"It makes you sad to think about her, huh?"

Amber smiled at the picture and handed it back to the girl, "Yeah…sad and happy at once."

"What happened to her? Do you still love her? Was she as strong as the lovely Ran? Did she protect you also? What was she like?"

Amber smiled, "Whoa…slow down girl…Well…she died as well…we were not close friends when she died. I still loved her a great deal…as much as when we were very close…but she…well…she loved me less than I loved her when she died. But yes I still love her; I will always love her as much as I ever did."

Natalie looked stared at the picture, "She was very pretty. What was she like?"

Amber laughed, "Samantha was well…Samantha. Umm lets see…she was tough and strong…actually much tougher than Ran in a lot of ways. She did not take shit…and no you may not use that word…from anyone. She got into fights, a lot of trouble in school, but she was smart, and sometimes she got into trouble with the police."

"She was mean?"

Amber chuckled as she thought of the best way to describe Samantha Puckett, "Well…yeah she could be…but only if you mad her mad or…well…she is hard to explain…she was very kind and loving to me at one time. She…wow, little peep, I never thought of how to describe her. No I would not call her mean, but I loved her so I am biased. She was…she was a very good person who I love dearly. To me she was a wonderful lovely girl. She could be caring and so loving and smart…she was Samantha. That is best I can think of."

Natalie smiled and put the picture down, "I like Ran better. Ams, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, but then the bath tub. You have to be in bed before your mom and dad come home."

"Ok. Why did you come to live with us? From what you told me you were happy in Seattle and you lived with Ran's mommy and daddy and they were good to you. Why?"

Amber smiled sadly, "That is a very hard to explain. I…well I lost so much back home. My heart was broken and I thought if I moved here I could start over again and maybe heal it. That is the best way to explain it. Why…you are not happy I am here? Should I pack my stuff and go back?" Amber teased the girl.

"Gosh, no! I never want you to leave! I love you so much and I am glad you are here. I just wanted to know. I…I sometimes wish you were my mommy and it was just you and me living here…like tonight. It has been a great night. One of the best I have ever had."

Amber hugged the girl, "Me too…it has been the best night I have had since I have been here."

"Do you wish you never came to live here now that you know what it is like?"

Amber smiled and kissed the girl on the top of her head, "Well…not since I fell in love with you…I am not going to leave you alone here, little peep, I promise you. I may not be strong enough to protect you at times, but I am not going to leave you alone. We are in this together, remember that. I will do things…things I don't want to do…to protect you. I will let them hurt me before I let them hurt you…I promise you that, Natalie…I promise you." Amber allowed a few tears to run down her cheeks as she smiled down at the little girl.

"I'm sorry, Ams, I am sorry you love me. I know you are sad and…I'm sorry. I…I wish you never would have fell in love with me and I am sorry for that. I don't want them to hurt you." Natalie started crying as well. She wiped her nose and eyes with her hand, "Ams, would the lovely Ran be mad at the things you have to do…or even you friend Samantha…would they be mad at you."

"Hush…I am glad I met you. They would understand…they would not like it, but they would understand. Hell…Samantha would…well at one time she would have killed anyone that hurt me…she almost did once…no that story is for another time," Amber said as she saw Natalie perk up with the thought of anther story, "it is a sad story we do not need right now. But I know one thing they would like about me living here…you! They would both adore you and would love you…I think even you would be able to melt and win Samantha's heart in a way I tried very hard to do, but never could. You taught me something, little peep."

"What?"

"You taught me how to love again…now lets go get in the tub, you still have sand in your hair. And then I will tell you a story of the lovely Ran as you go to sleep."

"Yaaay!" Natalie squealed and being an eight year old girl she still had questions, "Ammer, your friend Samantha, why did she not love you anymore? How come she stopped loving you like you loved her?"

Amber sighed, "Well…someone else stole her love away from me."

"That person must have been very pretty and special to steal her way from someone a pretty and kind as you are."

Amber laughed at the comment and thought sadly of Samantha and Carly, "Well she was a witch and she cast a spell on Samantha. She was gross and ugly and had a long nose and a face full of warts. And her hair…yuck…her hair was full of worms and maggots…Carly Shay was an evil gypsy witch." Amber said of the girl she feuded with and disliked intensely since her freshman year of high school. The girl who she always thought of as the prettiest and most perfect girl she ever saw. The girl she grew to hate when she started dating Samantha Puckett and the girl she despised after she stole Samantha from her.

Natalie laughed, "I don't believe you. You are making it up!"

"Nope, it's the truth. She used to do terrible things to little girls like you…she would do this." Amber threw the girl on the bed and pulled up her shirt and blew strawberries in the girl's stomach. Natalie squealed and laughed in delight until she begged Amber to stop because it tickled her too much and she screamed she was going to pee her pants. Natalie wiggled loose and ran to the bathroom laughing.

"I will keep you safe, Natalie; I promise…even if it takes what I have to do…you will be safe. I cannot protect you the way Ran or even Samantha could, but I can protect you in my own way." Amber said and got off the bed when Natalie yelled for her to hurry up. After the bath and Amber tucked the girl in her bed and told her a story of her and Ran and she clutched the picture of Amber and Ran in her little hands as she listened to the story. Before the child drifted off she told Amber in a sleepy voice to be nice to Lilly and be her friend and that she liked the girl a lot. After Natalie fell asleep her took the picture from the girl's hand and placed it under her pillow. Amber waited in her bed for the man to come visit her and eventually fell asleep. She woke up the next morning and realized he did not come for her that night and what normally would have been great relief was a gripping fear that ran through her body. Amber jumped out of bed as her heart raced with that fear. She ran to Natalie's room and she stopped half way when she saw the girl in the hall bathroom brushing her teeth. Natalie gave her a large toothpaste filled grin and Amber relaxed. The man did not go into her room either last night. She hugged the girl and kissed her on her head and walked back to her room to get dressed. She had no idea and never found out why the man did not come to her and she was too relieved to even care.