A/n – Okay guys blame the stupid people from BT and sky for me not updating for ages. Someone apparently got the dates mixed up for sorting my internet and they never came. Been stuck without internet for a week so here it is…

I couldn't remember what happened as I woke up to voices. Some unfamiliar but some that I recognised. And the one voice that I loved with all my heart and that I would never ever stop loving. All three sounded worried though and then I realised they were speaking about me.

I refused to open my eyes though: my face ached as if I had been head butted. Then I remembered my dad punching me in the nose, my two black eyes and the iron being pressed on my skin. Did I live through all of that? Am I not dead? Am I not separated from my body and watching over from heaven if such a thing exists?

Only the pain reminded me that I survived. I fought and I am here, alive.

"Do you know who did this?"

Who is that? Who is that speaking?

"I don't know she's been acting strange lately"

Jack….

"She's got all the signs of being abused son you need to start talking"

"even the smallest bit of information or something you may feel is insignificant may help us help your girlfriend"

"I….." I started.

"Kim!" Jack shouted as I passed out.

I woke again sometime later this time laying on my front. Cold air on my shoulder blades told me I was topless.

"So you have no idea how she got those bruises or the broken nose?"

"No she said she fell out of bed" Milton said.

"She was struck with a burning iron you can see the imprint of it. Whoever did this meant to hurt her and held it on her for some long. This is abuse Jack and with her being so young its child abuse"

"She's a very strong girl to still be here with us"

"She is isn't she?" Jack said.

"Dude Kim is a fighter" Jerry said. "Dude someone held an iron to her back and she is still here"

Silent tears rolled down my cheek and I hoped that no-one was looking at my face. If they were then they would ask the questions that I really did not know how to answer or want to answer. Their reactions I hope I will never see. I don't ever want to see Jack ready to attack someone in my family even if the said person is a bastard and I class him as disowned. My friends love me and they don't want to see me hurt and that is why I refuse to let them in. I refuse to let them help. I refused to watch them get hurt by my dad.

"I just don't understand who would want to do this to her" Jack said.

"I can only think of the black dragons" Jerry said "if you think of all the things they have done in the past they could be to blame"

"No they're only as great as their actual leader who is Frank and we all know that Frank, although he's a great fighter I don't think he would ever hurt Kim that way. He wouldn't hurt his crush"

"Let's just wait until she wakes up" Milton said. "But then everyone's going to have questions and then Kim is going to be depressed and maybe she won't even tell us. I think Kim is going to need us but Jack she's going to need you to support her when she decides to let someone in"

"She will tell me I will make sure of it" Jack said "I'm her boyfriend and I love her and I promised Kim that I will never give up on her. I'm going to put my feet down and refuse to stop bugging her until she tells me who is doing this to her"

"Jack you might make it worse though but because you are the closest thing to family I think it might be our only shot to discover what's been happening. Kim probably won't even think of speaking to anybody else but you. You have to give it a shot for her, for the love of your life. For your girlfriend and your relationship"

I almost snorted but stopped myself. I haven't really been much of a girlfriend really. I mean Jack doesn't deserve someone who's moody and someone who flinches when someone comes near her. It's almost like we aren't dating. It's just our normal routine.

I think I'll just sleep a while longer. It's a lot better than attempting to give them satisfactory answers which don't actually answer with the truth. I don't want them to be involved. I don't want anyone else to be hurt, not even that bastard. After all he's my dad at the end of the day. It's true what they say you can pick friends but you can't pick family you're stuck with.

"And risk loosing her?" Jack replied "no I can't risk loosing her"

"Jack it's a chance you may need to take" Milton said. "Please you might be the only person that she may only think of telling absolutely everything and you know that if she refuses to tell she'll bottle up until she explodes and that earthquake I don't think any of us can survive it even if it is Kim"

"Jerry and I are going to go" Milton said "are you going to stay a bit longer?"

He didn't reply and I heard the door close.

Something touched my hand. I kept very still as something kissed it.

"Kim it's me Jack your boyfriend, your knight in shiny armour or in skate gear!" Jack joked.

I think I rolled my eyes.

"I miss you and I am very worried about you so I need you to tell me what's been going on" He said. "You know we haven't really been spending much time as a couple, actually in fact it seems like ages since I've actually seen you. You've been pretty distant lately and to be honest I just didn't know what to do. So if you're angry at me and are trying to make me pay I am very sorry Kim just tell me what's been going on. Please Kim I don't like seeing you like this. You're like a shadow of your former self and if you could see yourself you would have a fit and blame me for not telling you so I'm telling you that the injuries you have may have physical and emotional scars but you need to hear it in order to get better"