Each and every time a inch of happiness begins to unfold in my life. Something always ruins it. I actually thought my nightmare was over. I was prepared to make a life with Theo. I was prepared to get my brothers out of that hellhole with Jalonni. The one thing I always looked forward to, but I just now realized is my biggest enemy is time itself. My heartbeat hasn't beat this rapid since I left Jalonni. When it came to Lamont, Daddy Mac, or anyone else for that matter nobody instilled fear into me as much as Jalonni does...

"Are you gonna be a good boy if I remove the tape?" Jalonni asks, placing his finger tips at the end of the tape

I look him in his eyes. That evil glare I didn't miss was still there. I nod in compliance. I was scared of what he could possible do to me.

"Good..." He slowly pulls the tape from over my lips. Once the tape is off I lick my lips.

"You had me fooled for a good while Mahyden." He laughs. "Why did you run?" He asks, sitting in front of me.

"I was tired of being hurt. I just wanted to be done with everything that reminded me of home." I admit.

"Is that why you lied to this man saying your name was Darrien?" He asks, nodding back to Daddy Mac.

I avoid eye contact with him. "Yes..."

"So you thought you could hide away with your little boyfriend here?" Jalonni says, mushing the gun into Theo's head a little more.

"Jalonni stop..." I beg. "He saved me from someone who was hurting me."

Theo struggles and moves his head away from Jalonni's touch. I look over at him with sympathetic eyes. I love him too much to let him get hurt for protecting me. I'm grateful to have been shown what real love and passionate and wanted sex is.

"He saved you from Lamont?" Jalonni asks, and my eyes widen.

"Wh-What?" I question.

Just then the door gets knocked on and Daddy Mac open it. In through the door walks Lamont. This night couldn't get any worse could it?

"Looky what we have here?" Lamont says, that sinister smile plastered across his face.. "You two are some sneaky devils." He says stopping in front of Theo.

In a swift motion Lamont slaps Theo in the face. Theo's head snaps towards me and he looks at me with despair in his eyes.

"Jalonni stop this. What do you want from me? You came all this way after all these years to search for me. Why? What importance do I serve for you?" I cry out.

"You ran away..." He starts. "You broke a lot of hearts in the process Mahyden. You thought I was gonna let my little sister just disappear from me." He smirks.

I shake my head in confusion. "Sister? What are you talking about?" I knew what he meant but I didn't want to talk about it.

"Oh you know." He smiles. "You don't remember before you ran away that little stay you had in the hospital. You were pregnant but we got rid of it."

My head starts to spin at this new information. It all makes since now. I never felt comfortable as a boy. I never truly felt like myself. I wondered why my body always felt like it wasn't my own. I wondered why my brothers always looked to me as a mother figure. The pain my body would feel on occasions from medicine I'd been taking forever.

"Pregnant by who?" I ask, curiously.

Jalonni looks me in my eyes and winks. I gasp at this newfound information and shortly after I pass out. I don't know how long I was out because when I was awoken by light slaps to my cheek. I lifted up my head and looked around the room. Theo was staring at me with such sorrow in his eyes, Daddy Mac was sitting on the bed watching the scene play out, and Lamont and Jalonni were off to the side talking.

"You're finally awoke." Jalonni says, coming back in front of me.

I stare at him in silence. I'm broken even more so than before.

"So Lamont, Daddy Mac, and I came to a conclusion." Jalonni says.

I look at all the faces in the room then my weary eyes settle back on Jalonni.

"I'll let you choose. You can stay here BUT you have to work for Daddy Mac until you turn 21. You will never hear from me or The twins again. We'll be out of your life. You can go with Lamont but you will no longer be able to see Theo ever again. Option three, you come back with me and we become a full family again. You never have to see Daddy Mac again and Theo stays here with Lamont." Jalonni explains

My mind boggles at these ultimatums. All of these situations mean giving up something dear to me.

"We'll give you 5 minutes alone with Theo to choose and say goodbye." Lamont says, as they all exit the room.

Once the door closes we look at each other. Words can't explain how sorry I am for dragging him into my drama. I didn't want to prolong our time any further so I just spoke.

"Theo I'm so sorry for all of this. I never meant to get you wrapped up in this shit. I want you to tell me what decision you want me to go with and I'll respect it." I say on the verge of tears.

"Either decision you make. It involves me not being involved with you. I love you Mahyden. Knowing now we could've had a baby. I won't forget about you but I'm not going to put you in jeopardy. I want you to go with Option 3. You have to go back for your brothers. When you do, you have to get out Mahyden. I know my uncle is going to beat my ass but I'll suffer through it for you. Just promise me you'll get out."

I take in all he is saying. This was hard. I felt so safe with Theo but now that's all crumbled. I can't promise him something that wasn't true of myself. I hate to do this. "I promise Theo. I'll find my way back to you..."

A tear falls out of my eyes and his as we share one last kiss. The door flings back open and the trio walk back in.

"So what you decided? "

"I'll go with you..." I say. This kills me on the inside as I look over at Theo.

"Alright. Our plane is waiting." Jalonni says.

My eyes widen. "Plane? So you knew I would come home?"

He smirks. "You was gonna come home no matter what you chose." He turned to Daddy Mac and gave him a hand shake. He reached in his pocket and handed Daddy Mac a roll of hundred dollar bills.

Daddy Mac began to count out the cash, and I watched one thousand five hundred dollars being counted. That's how much I'm worth? Really?

Jalonni turns to me, and reaches out for my hand. I look at it contemplating on whether to take it. He shakes his hand in annoyance before taking mines in his. We begin walking out of the door followed by Daddy Mac. I look back at Theo as Lamont gets closed to him cracking his knuckles. I whimper once the door is closed. I guess I'm really going home...

-----

The plane ride back home was nerve wracking. I was so nervous to be stepping foot back home. The pilot came over the intercom and announced that we would be landing soon. I stare out the window for the rest of the time. I was mainly avoiding Jalonni's piercing gaze. He taps my shoulder and I turn my head to him. He leans over and whispers in my ear.

"You not getting off that easy. You ran away and had me looking for you. You caused everybody to be sad over your dumb ass. You got two punishments coming your way when we get home."

When he leans back my body chills in terror. Why can't it end? Even after all these years he's still insisting on hurting me. I'm older now but he still makes me feel like I'm weak when I'm around him. The fear I thought was gone is back more than ever.

The plane soon lands and my heart starts beating fast. It feels weird to be back after a while of trying to forget about being back home. No matter, we all wait to be told we could exit. I didn't have any belongings but Jalonni did. Once we exited the plane, Jalonni went to baggage claim and grabbed his suitcase. We exited the Airport, and Jalonni flagged down a cab. Once we got in he told the cabbie our old house address. I smile on the inside at seeing my room for the first time in a while.

I was knocked out of my thoughts once I felt Jalonni groping my thigh tightly causing me to seer. He shot me a glance and I knew the abuse was about to begin. I placed my hand on top of his and tried to remove it from my leg, but his grip got tighter. Soon after we pulled up to our old house. I looked out the window and painful memories started to flow back to me. Jalonni finally let go of my leg, and paid the cabbie. He got his bags, and we exited the car.

I glanced around the old neighborhood. It still hasn't changed much. Jalonni walked to the front door, and got out his keys to open the door. Once he opened it he called out Faizon's name but he still wasn't here. Thank god. I slowly walked up the stairs still taking in the familiar scenery. I take deep breath and go into the house. Once I close the door, I am slapped to the ground.

I should've seen it coming.

Jalonni pulled me up and punched me into the wall. Blood from my mouth splattered onto the floor. He came over and kicked me in the stomach. I screamed in agony. He left the room, and went to the kitchen. I started to get up, and he came back only to smash a half drunken wine bottle over my head. My body completely unconscious he started to tear off my clothes. I knew what he was about to do. He placed his raw member at my entrance and force himself inside of me. The pain was unfathomable.

"You better not close your eyes. If you die on me I'll be pissed." He growls in my ear still trailing himself in and out of me. I haven't met pain like this in a while.

My mind started to go blank as I began to black out. I started to pray lowly while my face scraped against the carpet.

"Our father who art in heaven' hallowed be thy name... Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done... On earth as it is in heaven..."