This Chapter is dedicated to Grey Steele fan

Sera's POV

I was trapped in this room full of thorns… full of insects… and the more I screamed, the more the room grew into an open space with no door. I ran around, only to find a maze. I tried following through, but it was to nothing. Finally the maze built a wall, in which I couldn't escape anymore.

There was a mirror in front of me, and everyone that I loved was there. I moved forward and realized that the mirror was showing everybody… every experience that I had that scared me.

'No Christian I'm out of here… you'll hear from my lawyer!'

'She doesn't mean anything to me…'

'Be careful what you wish for…'

'At least if you die we won't spend much on a coffin…'

I brought my hands to my ears, trying to block any more of their shouting… their cries… the memories continued to flow, and suddenly Josh came… I saw him on top of me… pleasing himself, while I was fighting him off… I saw him biting…

'No please! Please stop!' I begged, while suddenly Josh was in front me. 'Why are you doing this to me?' I cried while he pinned me to the wall.

'…because you deserve it… you know you do…' He continued while he restrained me. '…be honest with yourself… you're enjoying this… you know it's the right thing…'

'No… please… Josh!'

'You worthless bitch!' He screamed as he slapped me and I fell straight on the cold floor.

'No… please…' I begged again, while he grabbed me rough back to my feet.

'You're on your own Sera… nobody loves you… nobody cares about you… you know I'm right…' He continued. I felt a surge of adrenaline, and soon I pushed him to the mirror. He simply vanished and was behind me. I was staring at my own reflection. I say my teeth were falling one after the other. I kept catching them, and soon I was toothless. I saw darks circles under my eyes… and on my shoulder, there was a hand… it seemed that of an old lady. Her hands were all wrinkled, with long claw-like nails. Her… or his… for all I knew… was getting tighter on my shoulder… I looked behind me, and there it was… the form had hair in front of its face… it was bare-chested, and all bony… it seemed to be floating on air… until it spoke.

'Sera, I'm here to help you…'

'How?' I asked.

'Do as I say… and everything will be fine… I promise.' It said again, while I nodded… it was at that moment that it hugged me, and I sort of entered into it… it was a deserted cold road… but it was there again. I walked, and it remained on my back… its weight was heavy but I walked and walked, until finally, many dark smokes were there… I saw Josh, my parents, grandparents… everyone was there looking at me, and laughing… and pointing…

I crumbled to the ground, and screamed…

Christian's POV

It's been a week since Elliot shared his view on things. He was right. Nothing was working… Her promises are nothing… Ana is still hoping… but we decided to take her to John without her knowing. We have to do something… We are her parents and we have to make the best decisions but yet, we still can't fix anything. It's monotony… She wakes up, goes to school, back home to her usual studies and run… and goes on little food as possible… She will finally crash…

All of a sudden, I hear a piercing scream… It gave me chills down my body… Ana woke up immediately, while I was on my feet.

'What's that?' She asked panicked.

'What do you think?' I worriedly replied as I ran to my daughter's room, with Ana on my tail. I saw her in bed trying to fight something. Sweat was forming on her forehead, and she couldn't wake up. I went in a protective mode, and went straight to try and wake her up. Ana remained at the door, trying to fight her tears…

'Sera! Sera!' I called her name softly trying to restrain her from hurting herself, but it was to nothing. 'SERA!' I called her again desperately, where finally she jerked up wide awake, almost scared of my touch.

'Noo… Pleasee!' She begged.

'Shhh… sweetheart… it's me!' I replied again as I held her tight to my chest, while Ana switched on the floor lamp. She fought me a bit until she realized that she was at home. 'Sera! You're ok… it was just a nightmare sweet heart.' I said again, while she cried in my chest.

'I'll go make some tea…' Ana replied before leaving the room. She always thought that tea was the solution to any night problem. It was Ray's way…

'Sweet heart… are you ok?' I replied again, while I moved her gently and joined her in bed.

'Yes…' She replied softly.

'What were you dreaming about?' I asked hoping she would tell me.

'It was nothing…' She replied again while she held my shirt tight. 'I don't remember…'

'Sera… you were bloody screaming… why don't you tell me?' I begged her…

'…I…I can't dad….' She replied again. 'I don't remember…'

'Why can't you?' I tried insisting again. 'I can only help you…'

'No… dad… you can't!' She replied again. It broke my heart. I knew we had a lot to work on. She still didn't quite forgive me completely… I slid myself under the sheets and hugged her tighter. I realized that her feet were freezing. There was no circulation. Her hands were freezing. Her whole body was shivering. I got up wanting to get her a hot water bottle and switch on the heater for her. She would die from hypothermia as it is.

'Dad!' She held onto my hand before I got up. 'Where are you going?' she asked softly.

'I'm getting you something to warm you up… I won't be long baby girl…' I smiled. I went downstairs only to find Ana in tears doing the tea. I realized that this finally was taking its toll on us. 'Ana?' I asked.

'Yeah…' She quickly replied while she cleared her tears. 'What are we doing Christian?'

'I don' know Ana… I don't know…'I replied again, while she placed the kettle on the stove with frustration.

'Her nightmares are getting worse and worse… The little sleep she gets is hell…' She replied again. 'What are we going to do Christian?' She asked again while I moved to kettle and filled the water bottle I found in the cupboard.

'Ana, Christian! Is everything ok?' Gail asked gently and she entered the kitchen. 'I heard Sera scream.'

'Yes Gail…' Ana replied. 'She had a nightmare.'

'Go to her… I'll continue the tea. I'll make you some…' She said, while she took over from Ana. 'Would you like tea or coffee Mr Grey?'

'Some coffee would be nice.' I replied. 'Ana… go to bed… You have a meeting tomorrow morning… I'll stay with our daughter tonight…'

'Christian…'

'Ana… please… I'd like to talk to her… maybe I'll get her to talk…' I insisted again, while I kissed her. 'Go to bed Ana…'

'Sera?' I asked gently while I moved beside her. 'You're shivering!'

'I'm cold…'

'Here…' I said as I placed the hot water bottle on her feet, while I switched on the heater. 'There you go baby girl… Sweet heart… you have to talk to us…'

'There's nothing to say dad.' She replied.

'Peanut… there must be something wrong… you're starving yourself…'

'Dad… I promised you I'm eating… and I am…'

'Stop lying!'

'I'm not lying…'

'Sera!...'

'Dad… I'm tired…' She replied again as she hid her face under the sheets. 'Can we talk later?'

'Ok… let's get some sleep baby girl…'

'Mr Grey?' Gail said while she brought the coffee and tea.

'Thank you Gail.' I replied as I took the liquids and went back to my daughter. 'Do you need anything else sir?'

'No thanks… you should rest Gail.' I told her while she left us alone.

Sera's POV

I was getting used to the days. I was finally in control… At least I felt like it. My weight kept dropping, and finally I wasn't feeling hungry anymore. I felt guilty at times for all the lies… but I couldn't control that…

'59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64…' I kept counting… I had to do about 200 crunches every day. My stomach was hurting, and with every crunch, my back was cracking. I closed my eyes at the pain, and a memory flashed in front of my eye.

Flashback 2009

I was upstairs, wondering in the 'so much rooms' we have at Escala. I had never entered in half of the rooms, however there was this one room, that my parents never wanted me to enter. I wondered through the corridor, and realized, that Gail had left it open… I went inside, and was almost scared of everything in there. There were crosses, ropes, a leather bed. The walls were red. I moved forward, and realized that there were handcuffs…

'What is this?' I asked myself. I didn't realise that dad was behind me.

'What are you doing in here?' He asked almost angry. I saw his face turn into a frown. His eyes were piercing through, and he had his CEO voice.

'Um…'

'Sera, I've told you millions of times to come in here…'

'I… I was curious dad…' I replied scared of his penance stare.

'Curious?' He asked again. 'I'll show you curious!' He replied while he grabbed my hand and dragged me out. He took me to his office and sat down on the couch. He took of his belt and I realized what was going to happen.

'No… no way in hell you're spanking me!'

'…and why shouldn't I Sera? You deliberately disobeyed me!' He replied in his stern voice.

'No dad… no… I'm 12! You cannot just do that!' I replied again while I moved back from him.

'Sera, the more you'll be stalling, the longer I will spank you…'

'No dad! NO!' I said again, while he made two steps and grabbed my arm.

'Sera… we have to go through with this… and for stalling you'll be only stay in your underwear.' He replied again.

'Dad!'

'Sera… now! I won't be saying it again.' He said again. I decided to obey immediately. I knew his belt wasn't fun… I had experienced it more than once. I took of my trousers slowly, almost scared of the reminder on my buttocks. He guided me onto his lap, and I prepared myself for the first spank. He held my back down slowly, and soon the first one was laid. He kept spanking me. I lost count after the 15th one. I bit my tongue hard, trying to hold on the tears. I felt my butt burning, but he continued. I tried escaping from his grip, but he only held me tighter.

'Sera, you know why I'm doing this?' He asked while he spanked to what seemed the 19th one.

'Because I disobeyed your rule.' I replied in tears.

'…and what do I always tell you?'

'Not to go in that room.' I replied again. 'Please stop! It hurts dad… I'm sorry… I'm sorry…'

At my begging he stopped and I heard the belt fall to the ground, and soon he realised I was sobbing. He guided me back to my feet, and fixed back my trousers. The linen was hurting me, but at least the spanking stopped. Dad took me into his arms and hugged me tight.

'I'm sorry baby girl… but I had to do it.' He said again. 'If I let this go, you may do something you'll regret in the future. You have to learn to follow the rules.'

'…I'm sorry dad.' I cried again. '…did you have to hurt me?'

'I didn't want to hurt you baby… I don't enjoy doing it baby girl! But you need to learn the hard way… so in the future, you won't do it!' He replied again while he hugged me tight. 'I'll go get you some Advil and Aloe Vera… It will ease the pain…'

End of Flashback

I remained on the floor staring at the ceiling… I never understood why dad had to do the corporal punishment. Couldn't he just ground me like normal people? I never understood his ways… but then, Taylor was never easy with Natalie… so I guess it was only with overprotective fathers?

I stood up slowly, but felt everything sway. I held on to the bed, until my world was still, and when it did I went to the kitchen, to make some snack, and drink some water. I grabbed a bowl, and went to the fridge to get some lettuce. I took few leaves out and washed them thoroughly, and started cutting them into tiny pieces.

Christian's POV

I was working in my office, when I saw Sera going to the kitchen. I followed her slowly, trying to see what she was doing. She didn't notice I was behind her. I saw her take out the bowl and lettuce. Her fingers were so tiny slicing up the lettuce. I was getting nervous with her.

'You promised me you were going to eat real food. All I see here is lettuce!' I caught her off-guard.

'I'm just making a snack dad…' she replied while she continued slicing up her lettuce.

'You're not having a snack! You're lying to me!' I replied as I went to the counter.

'No…' She replied again, while she looked at me. 'I had a sandwich before…'

'You hadn't had any sandwich! You're lying! You never had anything but nothing! Lettuce is nothing! It's NOTHING!' I shouted in her face, while I took the bowl and smashed it to the wall. 'Look at you you're wasting away to nothing! You're a bag of bones!' I angrily shouted, while she flinched.

'What's going on?' Ana replied, as she came in.

'What's going on? She's living on lettuce! She keeps lying straight to my face. She's wasting away!' I angrily shouted.

'Christian calm down!'

'Mum, I'm not lying this time! I swear, I had a sandwich… Mum I swear! You've got to believe me!' She begged again in tears.

'Sera, you know it's not true…'

'It's true mum! I swear!'

'Sera, stop it!' Ana hissed, almost angry as I was.

'Mum… it's true… I had a sandwich!'

'Did Gail prepare it?' She asked trying to keep calm.

'No… but…'

'You're lying!'

'No mum I'm not!' She insisted again. I saw Ana losing her temper. She grabbed Sera from her arms near her wrists, and there she lost it.

'Why are you doing this? Why? What does it mean? Tell me!' She shouted in her face.

'Mum, leave me alone!' She replied in tears, as she tried letting lose.

'Ana!' I tried, when she finally realised that she was hurting her. She loosened her grip, and in an instant move Sera made a run for it. I could see tears forming, and she couldn't keep them at bay. All of a sudden, we heard a thud. We ran to the stairs and saw Sera trying to get up. She fell, but she had little energy to put herself back to her feet.

'Honey!' I tried, as I held her from her waist, helping her up.

'No dad…' She cried.

'Please! Let me help you!' I begged her.

'No… Get away from me dad! Leave me alone!' She replied again as she got up and held to the railing as strong as she could.

I set down on the stairs looking at her struggling to climb them. I knew she didn't have any longer… I had to do something… we had to do something… her condition was getting worse by the second. Ana came beside me, and rubbed my back. I couldn't keep my tears at bay, but soon dried them.

'What are we going to do Christian?'

'We're talking to Flynn, then take her to Flynn, and back to the hospital…'

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