"Come now Erin. I am your mother after all," she said.

"You never acted like it," she rolled her eyes, allowing her inside. Another girl also entered, younger, but looked two years older than Erin. Her hair was brown and her skin was a shade lighter than her mother.

"Hey E,"

"Sharon," Erin turned, leaving to the kitchen. Michael gave her a look of sympathy.

"Be nice baby," he said, grabbing her waist.

"I don't want to. Maybe they should know what it's like to be treated like shit,"

"Erin," she rolled her eyes and kissed him.

"Ok," she said. They went back into the living room and sat across from the mother and daughter. They sat in an intense silence, with Michael holding to her hand. Her mother finally spoke.

"So...who is he?"

"This is Michael. He's my boyfriend," she said while leaning on his shoulder.

"Oh? I never thought you'd ever actually get a boyfriend," said her mother grudgingly.

"Mom!" Sharon yelled. Erin squeezed Michael's hand as her face turned red.

"What? With her ugly ass, someone as sexy as him should be with someone else,"

"Mom stop it! We came here to apologize not bitch about her!" she yelled.

"No...YOU came to apologize. I wanted to see how horribly her life was going,"

"Shut the fuck up you old ass bitch!!" Erin popped up screaming.

"Erin!" Michael pulled her back down.

"Mom, stop it," Sharon said. They sat in a long silence. A long, intense, uncomfortable silence. The tension in the room was so thick, not even a knife could cut through it.

"Erin...I'm sorry!!" Sharon leapt up and hugged her tightly as she cried.

"Sh-Sharon?" She said in shock.

"Mom made me! I never wanted to say those things to you!"

"Shut it Sharon!"

"No! You forced me! You said if I didn't you'd make me be a prostitute for money!"

"Shut up!"

"No! I have been silent for far too long from your bullshit! I've had to live with the guilt of doing that to my sister! She's my baby sister! I love her and you made me treat her like shit!" Erin gasped, she glared at her mother, then finally returned the hug to her big sister.

"Please Erin... I am so sorry,"

"Sharon stop. I don't blame you," her sister looked at her as Erin wiped her tears away.

"I love you...Shae," they hugged again, still with tears in both of their eyes.

"How could you Elizabeth? You forced my own sibling to turn on me," Erin gave a glare towards the woman that Michael had never seen before. It was a look of pure hatred.

"You stole my man from me!"

"He molested me!! And you even stood there and watched! Sharon tried to keep his fingers off of me, but you did nothing!" Erin screamed at the very top of her lungs

"It doesn't matter!! All he ever talked about was you!"

"I was 13!! I was a virgin and he nearly took that from me! I wanted to do it with a man I loved! Not be forced into it!" she yelled, while slapping her hard, hard enough to leave a hand print on her right cheek.

"You ungrateful bitch...I was forced to do something no child should do, and all of this is over some asshole who took everything from you. He used you and you defend him instead of your own daughter," Erin growled through gritted teeth.

"Get the fuck out of my house," Elizabeth stood and walked out the door, Sharon was also about to leave, but Erin stopped her.

"You can stay Sharon," Sharon nodded with a small smile. The door slammed shut, and Erin quickly locked the it. Michael then walked up to her, and hugged her tightly. He held her closely as she buried her face into his shirt.

"Good job baby," He said.

"But...I still hate her,"

"At least you made up with your sister. That's a start," he smiled, looking at her lovingly. He then turned back to Sharon, who was watching them from the couch.

"Hello. I'm Michael,"

"Sharon. Nice to meet you. I can see why Erin likes you so much, and it's not just the good looks," she smiled as she shook his hand.

"Come. Dinner's ready," They all went into the dinning room and ate the meal with all of the weight of their troubles off of their shoulders. For the first time in 16 years, Erin was finally able to talk with her sister, and enjoy their time together for once.

"I love you Shae. Had I had known what mom was going to do to you-"

"It's fine Erin. I was glad you were able to get away. You have it pretty good out here with your man and all," she giggled.

"Do you need a ride home?"

"Yeah...my car's in the shop, so I rode with her,"

"I'll have someone take you," he said. Mac soon arrived and drove her home. Michael and Erin now sat together on the couch, covered in a white fluffy blanket, warming up by the fire place. She lied on his chest and kissed him, his eyes glittering the sparks of ash. He smiled at her, holding her close as she kissed him again, then finally said,

"I love you," Michael blushed and played with her hair

"I'm glad...because I love you too," she smiled, and they stayed quiet, watching the fire dance on the ballroom floor of the fire place.

~April 14, 1996~ Wednesday 3:30 pm

Aaron was still nowhere to be found, and Janet was eager to make it up to him.

"Have you found him yet?" Janet asked Ben, but he only shook his head.

"We'll find him Janet, don't worry," he smiled. She gave a small smirk, then frowned, beginning her pacing, holding her closed fist up to her lips, thinking, worrying her heart out. Wondering if he was ok. The door opened, and Aaron walked into the room silently. He had a blank stare about him, and Janet on the other hand, had puffy eyes that were red from all the crying she had been doing the night before.

"Oh Aaron! I am so sorry! I didn't want this to happen!" She hugged him and kissed him many times on his cheek.

"I know baby. I overreacted, I know better than to think of you doing something like that," he said lovingly as he held her waist. She smiled and leaned into him, starting to cry yet again. He wiped her tears and they kissed ever so passionately on the lips.

"I love you, and don't you ever forget that," She said looking him in the eyes.

"I won't. I love you too," he said, yet he didn't mean it. He didn't mean a word he said to her. The anger inside him boiled, yet the mask of fake forgiveness he wore covered it completely.

"I meant to ask you last night if you wanted to go to a party with me on Friday," Janet smiled, knowing her was still in love with her...or so she thought.

"Yes. I'd love to," She agreed.

"Good. Very good indeed," he smiled and held her hand, kissing her throughout the day. His faked love made Janet happy, but deep down, she knew she had to make it up to him better than that.

"Maybe after the party, we'll have a little fun in bed. That might help," she thought, then looked at him, again, with a little pout.

"Are you still mad?" she asked.

"No, it was an accident," he lied.

"Ok...I love you,"

"I love you too," he faked a smile, and they just spent the whole day together.

~December 23, 1996~ 4:15pm

"And I thought I was the asshole for kissing her," said Eric, who was sitting across from Aaron, now dirty with a beard growing long, curled, and messy with long, tangled hair.

"I still can't believe you did that to her. She said sorry many times, I lost count, yet you still let those bastards beat and rape her," he shook his head. Aaron looked down and said.

"I...I didn't know they were trying to kill her,"

"They were trying to get at Michael. What the fuck do you think they were going to do?!" he yelled.

"I'm sorry,"

"Enough with your fucking apologies Aaron! You fucked up, and now she only has 2 days left! I blame myself for all of this shit that's happened, but it's mainly all your fault!" Eric looked at his watch, and sighed.

"I have to go. I'm PROTECTING her, in case Damian get's to her. Like you were supposed to," he walked out and drove over to the hospital. He sat next to her and sighed.

"2 more days. 2 more until you're gone...wake up," he begged silently, while holding her hand.

~April 16, 1996~ Friday 8:00pm

Janet was busy freshening up for the night's party at a very popular club. she had on a simple outfit of a tight fitting black top that showed much of her lean stomach and a little bit of cleavage. It was long sleeved and it buttoned together at the middle to hold it together tightly. She also wore faded blue jeans that fitted her waist with a torn left knee pant leg. She let her curled hair hang loosely over her shoulders. She had on light red lipstick on, as well as mascara and bronze eye-shadow. Once she was satisfied with her look, she put on her black, 6 inch heels, and walked down the stairs. Aaron smiled at her and they made their way out.

"Be careful out there," Michael hugged her and gave a nod towards Aaron, who did so back. They then went out to his car. The drive was dilled with laughter and I love you's. Aaron's thoughts weren't on the party, nor the woman sitting next to him, he was focused on the plan. They finally reached the Club Galor, and the music blast of Artist from the past and present. Janet smiled, and Aaron made their way to the VIP area, where a few men were smiling, and drinking. A couple of half naked women were sitting, or dancing next to them. They sat and Janet couldn't wipe the smile from her face, she hadn't been out in a while.

"Hello, I'm Gregory," said one man, with brown hair and black eyes with a go-t. His English was a little rusty as he was German.

"Glad you could make it," said another man, with blonde hair and brown eyes. he had perfect English. They sat and Janet ordered a mojito and Aaron just got a scotch on the rocks. The night was going perfectly for Janet and Aaron. The music slowed, and the couple made their way to the dance floor. Janet swayed her hips to the slow beat of the music as Aaron held her and danced along.

"I just need an opening," he thought. Soon the song ended and they walked back to their table. Janet hadn't barely touched her drink, but she needed to go to the bathroom.

"I'll be back, I have to go to the ladies' room," she stood, and went on her way. As soon as she went out of sight, Aaron's smile turned into the frown.

"Do you have it?" asked the German man.

"Yes," Aaron reached into his back pocket and pulled a vile of white powder, he opened the cap and poured the powder into her drink, and stirred it until it dissolved completely.

"Very good,"

"Yeah. You have the money?" The man reached into his jacket, pulling out an orange package in the shape of a large stack of cash.

"Pleasure doing business with you,"

"Pleasure is all mine," Aaron said. Janet returned moments later, and sat next to him

"No one messed with my drink right?"

"No one at all Janet," he smiled. She took a sip and smiled lovingly at him.

"Take in a little more baby," he thought. The German man stood, and rose his glass high.

"To Aaron, and his stunning girlfriend," They all rose their glasses, clinking them together, then everyone took their long gulps.

"That's all you needed," he smiled at her. As the night went on, the drug began to take affect on her. Janet started to become dizzy and light headed. The room beginning to fade in and out, spinning and becoming smaller and bigger. Her body felt as if she was swaying and spinning.

"You alright babe?" Aaron asked.

"I-I think I drank too much," she slurred as her vision blurred and focused.

"Come on babe. Let's get you home," Aaron helped her up and she stumbled along. She tripped, and nearly fell, but kept on walking. They got in his car, Janet in his back seat, lying on her side; Aaron in the driver's side, starting the engine, and started pulling out of the parking lot. Janet's eyes began rolling to the back of her head. She tried desperately to fight fainting.

"Aaron? A-are you sure no one messed with my drink? I-I only remember having one," she said.

"Yes I'm sure. You had quite a few babe," he chuckled. Janet knew, though she was out of it, she knew very well something wasn't right. She only had one drink, and she barely touched it.

"Try sleeping it off," Janet wanted to fight, but slowly she soon drifted off.

"Perfect," he said at a whisper. He then made a U-turn and made his way to an abandoned house out farther out of tow, It was woodsy and desolate, with no other house around the tall trees and open meadow. Two cars were there, and no other house was around the area. It was quiet. He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. and carried her to the door. He knocked three times, and the door cracked open.

"You brought her...good," smiled the man. He allowed him in and Aaron brought her to a room near the back at the house. A white bed with purple blankets lie beneath a bared window. The bed frame was metal, the back, an arch shape. He set her down on the bed, and moved her legs up on the other side. Janet was still knocked out, and it would take some time for her to wake up.

"You can leave now if you want," said the man, leaning against the door frame.

"No. I want to see the look on her face when she wakes up," he smiled dastardly as he pulled up a chair, sitting in front of her.

"All this over a kiss?"

"Would you rather I didn't bring her?" he stayed silent.

"That's what I thought," he continued to stare at her with a smirk.

"She's going to get an unpleasant surprise,"

~11:50pm~

Michael was a little uneasy about letting them go alone, and now that their gone, he panicked a bit. He hadn't gotten a call or anything from anyone. He tapped his foot impatiently clutching the phone in his hand. It rang finally and he quickly answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey boss. Listen, Janet and I are at my house. I got a little too tipsy so we'll stay here until tomorrow,"

"Alright," he sighed, and ended the call. Something didn't feel right to him. He had this uneasy feeling in his gut.

"Maybe I'm just worrying myself," he said. He finally decided to take a shower and head to bed.

Any ideas on who should be Aaron and who should be Eric? Leave a comment then in the next chapter we'll vote.

~Ponygirl01~