A loud thud could be heard throughout the house as Spencer now lay on the floor, blood streaming out of her lip. She looked up to see Paula standing above her,she hadn’t even seen it coming…..somthing that hadn’t happened the previous times.

"Look at me when I speak to you child!", Paula screeched as she kicked her 13 year old daughter in the ribs.

Spencer, frustrated by the constant abuse, acted on impulse. Grabbing Paula’s leg before she could strike again, she pulled, knocking her off balance. Almost in slow-motion as Spencer screams in horror, Paula falls and grabs for the counter only to bring the knives down with her- >>

I shot strait up in bed awaking in a cold sweat, causing me to topple off taking the sheets with me. Also causing a pain in my ass and for Gabby to wake up. Then causing her to switch on the lights and look over and down at me. Oh what a wicked chain of events.

"Spence?…why are you-"

She stopped mid-sentence when she saw the glare I was so kindly giving her. Recognition flashes across her emerald green eyes as she gets off the bed to kneel in front of me. She cups my cheek and takes off the shades I refused to take off earlier.

I let her.

"Which one, babe"

"Paula.." I say, just above a whisper.

She slips her fingers under my chin and raises my eyes to hers. I know she sees the pain in mine and it just makes me feel so small. So vulnerable. I hate it. This feeling, it’ll only makes me weaker. I can’t and won’t be weak. Weakness is why I….

"You cannot blame yourself…it wasn’t your fault. Not then not now…not ever ok?"

"Of coarse it was Gabby…if I wasn’t so spineless….if I could’ve just taken it-"

"Take what Spence?….being beaten an inch to death?… Do you realize how much you could be accomplishing if you would just let it go?…if you would just come to the fact that it wasn’t your fault?….do you know how much it hurt me to have to bandage you up every fucking night?"

I paused for a moment…almost in shock.
Almost.

Giving a bitter, non-humorous laugh, "Why do you always turn things around to the point where your the victim?"