Todd had spent the enitrety of that cold January night pacing the hallways of Mercier General hospital, anxiously awaiting the news of his daughter’s wellbeing. He had drank countless cups of coffee, having not thought of the after effects. The only words that bounced in his mind were those spoken by Johhny as he was led away, in the binds of the cold unforgiving grips of handcuffs.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”

It made Todd phyiscally ill, replaying the scene over and over in his head. Just..the look in Johhny’s eyes as he was being led away...they just showed pain. Immeasurable amounts of it.

“Mr. Knight?” Said a kind voice that had floated into Todd’s subconcious. He was snapped out of his deep train of though and whipped around to face the body that the voice belonged to.

“Y-Yes?” He stuttered, pushing a stray lock of hair out of his face.

“Hi,” In front of him stood a woman, a doctor, with blonde hair and blue eyes. She was petite and had a thin, bony frame.

“Hello,” Todd tried to smile, but he didn’t have it in him to even..attempt to. “How’s my daughter?” The words came out before he could stop them.

The doctor’s gaze darkened. “Sir, I think you should sit down for this,” Her tone was somber, but soft.

Todd duitifully obeyed, letting himself sink into the plastic cushion seats that the hospital had to offer.

“Your daughter could have suffocated. The force that was put on her throat and collarbone was-it’s amazing that she’s still alive.”
Todd felt the room begin to spin. His daughter could have died. Sabelle could have died in his arms.

“Can I see her, please?” His voice was barely audible.

“Of course,”

He was led down winding halls for what seemed like hours until her room was finally reached.

Sabelle laid in bed, motionless. Her pale skin seemed to be an ashen gray hue, but her lips were still their deep rose pink color. Her long, gorgeous raven locks that were almost identical to Todd’s own were spread out across her pillow.

“Oh, my God,” Todd knelt by her bedside, feeling tears rush to his eyes instantaneously. He slid his hand through the bars of the bedrails, stroking her hair gently as though not to wake her. On closer observation, He could see the beginnings of the purplish bruise that covered her chest. The rest of her injuries were covered by a surgical gown. It was probably for the best that way, for Todd couldn’t bear to look at what he was already seeing.

“She sustained a good amount of damage to her chest and lungs. We haven’t had to intubate her. Yet.” The doctor tried to lay the news on him gently, but that just wasn’t possible. Each word felt like a crushing blow to the father.

“And her throat? What about that?”

“She’ll have trouble speaking..for how long, I don’t know. There was some damage to her larynx..” The doctor looked down at the thick pages that made up Sabelle’s medical charts and records, her eyes scanning the pages quickly.

“But..she’s my..songbird.”

The doctor gave Todd a confused look.

“I’m afraid I don’t understand..”

“S-She can’t sing anymore? Can she?”
The doctor gave him a slow head nod.

“No, Sir, I don’t think she will..”

That statement..those six little words, made that frigid January night just a little bit colder.

“Can you say your name?” The ENT specialist’s green eyes pierced Sabelle’s own hazel ones.

“Come on, sweetheart. You have to talk, please.” Todd’s slender hand took ahold of his daughter’s bruised, bandanged one.

Sabelle just shook her head solemnly. She had woken up two days before, to a nurse’s blinding white smile and cheery voice, only to feel the immense pain her body had been put through. She had no memory of what had happened two weeks ago, and had no desire to recount that tale.

All she knew, despite what she had been told, was that John Witherton O’Malley, her other father, was a washed up deadbeat.

“Belle, please. Your throat is never going to get better if you keep on refusing help.”

“N-N-No,” Her voice was croaky, and the words cracked as they fell from her lips.

Todd tried to mask his surprise over with a little grin. Sabelle knew she sounded like a smoker, that much was crystal clear.

“Good,” The ENT pressed her gloved hands to the sides of her throat, massaging them carefully.

Sabelle froze fro a moment, the feeling of the doctor’s hands on her throat was familiar..in a bad way. She let out a tiny whimper, like a child, and tried to scoot away from the now confused ENT. Todd noticed this, his hand moving to Sabelle’s shoulder.

“It’s alright, hon. I know it hurts, but it’ll be over soon.” His voice was sweet and gentle, like honey in chamomile tea, but the words provided no comfort to the teen.

“I..I’m..t-t-tired..c-can we please..g-go home?” She struggled immensely to get the words out, and made no attempt to hide her frustration.

“In a little while, I promise.” Todd leaned in to give his daughter a kiss on the cheek, his stubble from days wthout shaving, brushed up against her cheek.

In a little while, my ass. She thought to herself.

The long ride home, was silent, of course. The only sound that filled the vessel was the sound of some old Billy Joel song.

Uptown Girl…

                                         She's been living in her uptown world

I bet she's never had a backstreet guy

                                           I bet her mama never told her why

I'm gonna try for an uptown girl

                                       She's been living in her white bread world

As long as anyone with hot blood can

                             And now she's looking for a downtown man

That's what I am..

“Oh, your dad used to sing this to you all the time. He sounded even better than ol’ Billy Joel..” Todd’s eyes went bright as he turned up the volume on the stereo. “You were his little uptown girl, I guess.”

Sabelle turned to look at herself in the rear-view mirror, and let out a tiny gasp. Her face was spotted with tiny cuts and briuses. Dark circles ringed her eyes, bringing out thier weariness. Her hair was matted from a week without running a brush through it.

Uptown girl? More like alleyway trash.

“She’s only said seven words in the past three days.” Todd looked into his coffee mug, the remnants of cream in a delicate little swirl at the top.

“Todd, what your husband did to my niece, your own daughter, is despicable. Of course she doesn’t want to talk about it.” Even at five o’clock in the morning, Europa searched through the hazy fog of her mind to choose the right words to chew out her older brother with. Ever since she had learned of Sabelle’s brutal attack, she had been on edge just as much Todd had. Maybe even more. Sabelle was her only niece, which made her special, in Europa’s eyes. Not that the woman ever grew tired of her own family. She had a wonderful husband and two teenaged boys. But sometimes, she had to get away from all of the..testosterone that her home practically reeked of.

“It’s not only that,” Tood’s hazel eyes locked with his sister’s pale blue ones. “It hurts her to talk, okay? Her larynx was damaged, her voice box, too.”

“True,” Europa felt the biterness in his tone. “But she’s afraid, she’s upset. I can see it in her eyes.”

“She doesn’t even remember what happened! It’s probably better that way!”

“Then how do you explain the bruises that cover her? She’s going to question that, for sure!”

Silence. It hung heavily in the air, waiting to crush the siblings.

Todd’s gaze moved down to his coffee. His shoulders began to shake up and down.
“I could’ve lost her, Europa. I would have had to bury my only child.” His voice shook almost uncontrollably, rising and falling at an unpredictable pace.

“Toddie, I’m sorry.” Europa pushed a lock of her bright, fiery red hair out of her face before putting a hand to her brother’s own. ‘I pushed it a little too far, and it’s so early..”

“Daddy, help me!” Sabelle’s warbled, croaky distressed cry came floating down the hall from the bathroom.

“Sabelle?” The clay mug Todd held loosely his hand crashed to the floor as he ran off to tend to his daughter.

Europa followed close behind, curious, but also greatly worried.

“Oh, my God..” Todd rushed into the faintly lit bathroom, only to behold his daughter curled up on the ground, next to a pool of bloody vomit.

“Oh, no..” Europa whispered, taking in the scene. “It’s dysentery,”

“Belle, what happened?” Todd whispered, pulling her up into his arms. “Please. Tell me,”

“Todd, she’s sick, really sick! There’s nothing to say.”
“Europa, please. Shut up.” Todd growled. “She is my daughter, not yours.”

“I..w-was..dizzy..nauseous. I c-c-called out..for you..” Sabelle said as her eyes rolled back into her head.

Everything faded out of existence. The only sound she heard was Todd screaming her name.

She awoke after what seemed like only a few seconds later, back in her own bedroom, curled up in the corner of her bed. An IV was stuck under her skin, a long thin feeding tube hooked up to a saline bag fed her fluids.

“Oh, I see you’re awake,” Said a kind voice from behind her.

Sabelle let out a tiny gasp, rolling over to face the voice, her stomach sore and achy.

In a chair next to her bay window, sat a woman, who focused only on her knitting. She had blonde brown locks styled into a blunt bob style. She wore a tight pink pantsuit, which flattered her body nicely. She looked up to face Sabelle, who felt an embarrased blush rise to her cheeks. The woman pierced her with her light green eyes, searching Sabelle..for something.

“You really are your father’s daughter..,” The woman’s stoic gaze morphed to tears of joy. Her plump, pink lips cracked to reveal little rows of white chiclet teeth. Her tears left clean marks through her makeup.

“W-who a-are..?” Sabelle squeaked, rearing from the woman in her weary state.

“Well, darling, I’m your Nana. Johnny’s mother.”

Sabelle spent day after day, halfway in bed, ready to rush to the bathroom whenever it was needed. Whether it was adominal cramps or throwing up, she suffered in silence. It definitely was..strange having Nana around. Johnny never talked about his parents, leading her to assume that that were dead. But that ceased to be untrue once she saw the woman in the pnk pantsuit with light green eyes.

“You know, darling, your grandfather had dysentery lots of times in his life.” Nana said as she sat by her granddaughter’s bedside, fixing her a hot cup of chamomile tea on a portable heating pad.

Sabelle just gave a little smile and nodded, though her curiosity was peaked. She was handed the oversized mug, steam pouring from the top. She lifted it to her lips, taking a sip of the sweet warm liquid.  She closed her eyes and let out a little sigh, settling back into her pillow.

“Well, don’t you look as happy as a cricket, just sitting there with a mug of herbs.” Nana gave her her blinding smile, while Sabelle blushed. She was thankful that she got to know that she had grandparents, but felt as if she were a burden. All she knew was that she was covered in bruises and as sick as a dog. No idea of how. No idea why.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart? You seem upset. Are you in pain? Are you going to hurl?” Nana hooked Sabelle’s chin with the crook of her finger, bringing her gaze to meet her own. Sabelle looked up into her grandmother’s eyes; infused in their light green hue, she saw slivers of silver and..gold in her irises. She wondered why she had never noticed that before.

Something set in. Anxiety.

Sabelle pulled away from Nana and was quick to shake her head no. She drew her mug back to her lips, feeling the tea go down her throat in a blaze of fire. She ignored it. Her stomach began to churn and whir as her breathing became rapid.

Nana just sat there patiently, her hands rested elegantly in her lap. She looked hurt; Sabelle hadn’t wanted to pull away, she just felt like she needed to. Sabelle began to feel tears rush to her eyes. She had just hurt the grandmother she just met. Way to go, stupid.

“Oh, precious, don’t cry,” Nana reached out for Sabelle’s hand, taking it in her own. “You’re afraid, I know. Of what? That’s what I need to know.”

Sabelle just shook her head again. It wasn’t that she was refusing to confide in her grandmother, it was just the fact that she-she didn’t know anything.

She knew nothing about her family.

She knew nothing about her parents.

She knew nothing of the attack.

She knew nothing about herself.

What was there to tell?

Sabelle just shrugged. Because that was just it.

“You don’t know?”

A nod.

“Well, why don’t I tell you a little bit about me, for starters?” Nana crossed one leg over the other and straightened her posture, making her seem as regal as Holly Golightly.

Another nod, this time with a little smile.

So over the next two hours. Sabelle learned. Nana’s name was Lorretta Marie Pritchkeep-O’Malley. She was a nurse for over forty years. She had met her husband, George O’Malley when he was checked into the hospital for hammering a nail through his thumb. Her favorite color was lilac (“it would go so well with your eyes, darling.”) Her favorite flower was an orchid. She was fluent in French, and promised to teach Sabelle some, once they got her talking again. She loved the TV show The Golden Girls (“That Betty White was hilarious.”) and Downton Abbey (“That butler is so daring.”). Her favorite book character was Anne Shirley. (“I’ll have to give you my copy of the series. I believe you’ll find yourself in her.”)

And she loved Johnny more than she could possibly know. It didn’t matter to her that he was gay.

“He found someone he loved, and ended up with you. For that, I am grateful.”

“W-W-where..i-is..J-Johnny..?” Sabelle felt her voice crack, her stomach churn.

“Honey, I thought you knew..” Nana’s voice became soft. That didn’t mean anything good.

“W-w-what?”

“He’s in South Carolina..at a recovery center. He was drunk when he hurt you, do you remember?”

“Babe, speak to me,” Mars Beaumont sat at his girlfirend’s bedside, holding her close.

“He was there..the entire time. And Todd never told me.” Sabelle sobbed into his t-shirt, the faint smell of cologne filled her nostrils.

“I know, I know..” Mars ran a hand through his dark curly hair.

“I needed to know, but he didn’t tell me.” Marsy, why didn’t he tell me?” Sabelle looked up into his cobalt blue eyes, her own hazel ones were filled with tears.

“He wanted to keep you safe, Belle. Every parent does, don’t they?” Mars cupped her cheek in the soft flesh of his palm, his strong, slender fingers stroking her skin.

“It’s not like that, I mean it is..but..” She couldn’t get the words out. “All this time I thought he-Johnny was away on buisness. Because of his frickin’ high-profile job or whatever.” Sabelle sniffed, leaning into her boyfriend’s chest.

“Sweetheart, please don’t cry. I hate it..” Mars hugged her close, kissing the top of her head gently.

“I-I’m sorry..”

There was just a long silence. A needed silence.

“Marsy?” Belle whispered.

“Yeah?” He whispered back, his tone soft and comforting.

“I-I love you..”

“I love you, too, angel..I love you too..”

It wasn’t long before they were engaged in a soft, sweet kiss. “Making out” was just gross to the both of them.

“You’re literally swapping spit with the other person. Freakin’ disgusting, if you ask me,” Mars had joked.

Mars wrapped a strong arm around Sabelle’s waist, pulling her just a tad closer.

Sabelle felt a blush rise to her cheeks.

“Mars,” She giggled nervously, wondering what else was up his leather-jacketed sleeves.

“What? I can’t be intimate with my girl?” He bit down a little on her bottom lip and waited for her reaction.

“Mars..that isn’t fair!” The teenage girl whined, her eyes fluttering open as the kiss deepened.

“Sabelle, dear..” Todd’s voice floated in the door as it slowly creaked open.

“Dad,” In a panic, the girl pulled away from her lover, turning to face her father. Todd stood awkwardly in the entryway, leaning up against the doorframe.

“I see I walked in at a bad time,” He grinned, but it slowly faded. “I’ll come back later, yeah?”

Mars’ grip on Sabelle’s waist became tighter. His cobalt blue eyes snapped and sparked in a flash of grey.

“Whatever you want to say, Mr. Knight, you can tell us together. I’m sorry about your husband,”

Todd ran a hand through his sleek locks, which were as dark the wing of a crow.

“Johnny is coming home, Belle. He was considered well enough to come back by the rehab center he was at. He’ll be on parole for a while, but he’s coming home.” Todd felt his voice shake as he went on. He was overcome with joy, but also fear.

Fear for his daughter.

Fear that Johnny’s recklessness would lead him to an early grave

He..was afraid for his own life.

Sabelle opened her mouth to speak, but instead just felt pain. Her body was riddled with it, sharp, dull, throbbing pain.

“Belle? Are you alright?” Mars’ soothing voice became distorted as it entered her subconcious.

“N-no, I have to lay down..”

Mars carried her from the corner of her room at which they were to her bed, whispering sweet nothings to her.

Sabelle only heard the beating of fists against the insides of her head.

“S-stop..t-talking..” The world around her became fuzzier than it ever had before. Every movement she made, its sound was magnified.

“Is it another one of your migraines?” Todd’s tone became feeble and weak, as it had not long before.

Pills and water were slipped into her mouth.

She remembered the chalky, bitter taste of them

She remebered the cool cloth pressed against her forehead

And being fed little sips of chamomile tea.

But not who had done it.

Until she saw the man who sat by her side, with dark blonde locks that were cut short and slicked back with hair gel. He wore a Beatles T-shirt, with a ratty pair of jeans.

“Hey, baby girl. I missed you.” His green eyes were hazy, from drunkeness.

“Pops.”

“Yeah, it’s me.” Scotch laced his breath faintly

And he was supposedly sober? Bullshit.

March 25th, 1983

“Holy shit, Todd. Did you see that?” Twenty-two year old Johnny O’Mallley jumped up from his seat on the couch, his eyes trained on the faint glare of his shoebox sized television.

“What, love? All he did was dance.” Todd glanced up from the legal pad he was scribbling on and sighed.

“But..his feet..it’s like he was walking on air,” Johnny replayed the scene of the sequin clad star as he floated across the stage. “Michael Jackson’s gonna be a name to remember. So is mine.”

Todd didn’t answer. He was still scribbling away on that damn legal pad.

“Toddie, is everything alright?” Johhny sat down next to his lover, unknowingly getting a glance at what he was writing. Probably another brainstorming list for a new play.

“Are those..baby names?” Johnny looked back down at the list that read names like;

Elizabeth

Frances

Nicole

Carmen

“They’re not for us, love. My sister’s pregnant, and they think it’s gonna be a girl,” Todd raised an eyebrow at the blonde.

“Oh,” Johnny felt a blush rise to his cheeks. He should’ve known that.

The only sound that could be heard was the scratching of the pen on paper, and the blaring of the television.

“I-I want kids,” Todd said suddenly, in his soft, mellow voice.

“How many?” Johnny drawled, leaning his chin in his hands.

“One.” Todd said dreamily. “A girl, a liitle..princess.”

“I like that..” Johnny put a hand to Todd’s knee, rubbing it softly. It was Todd’s turn to be flustered.

“She would..be like you,” Todd said, finding his voice again. “Sweet and reckless..”

“No, she would just be..sweet and kind.” Johnny felt himself smirk a little as his hand traveled up Todd’s inner thigh.

“She would be both. Or neither. We’ll see..” Johnny’s drawl became thicker.

“Only time will tell..” Todd whispered.

It wasn’t long before they were locked in a heated kiss on the couch, everything was strewn across the floor completely forgotten.

If only it could have been this way forever.

Present Day

“Belle, poppet?” Todd opened the door to his daughter’s bedroom, where she lay, presumably asleep. It was just after two o’clock in the morning, light flooded into the room just slightly.

“Mmm..Daddy?” Her voice was weak and soft.

“You’re still awake?” He knelt by her side, his tall, thin frame keeled over.

‘Mmm…” Her short figure was curled up under her covers. Her face was pale and sweaty. Her raven locks lay on her pillow in unwashed strands.

Todd felt her forehead. It wasn’t cool to the touch.

“Poppet, how long have you been feeling like this?” He cried, his anxiety lelvel spiking.

“I dunno..” Sabelle coughed. “My head hurts..I’m dizzy..and I’m nauseous.”

“Oh, honey.” Todd whispered. “I-I’m so sorry.”

“What’s up?” Johnny’s voice, slow and slurred came from the doorway.

“Your daughter is sick..” Todd became defensive, but on the inside he was absolutely terrified. Things could go South quickly if one faulty move was played.

Johnny just smiled goofily, his eyes were glazed over. “Just let ‘er rest, darlin’. She’ll be alright.”

“No, she won’t, nothing is okay.” Todd still didn’t turn around.
“Why?”

“I don’t know.”

“You’re British, shouldn’t you know that sort of stuff, Winston Churchill?”

“And you’re from South Carolina, and you’re no Rhett Butler.”

Drunken laughter.

“You’re funny, Toddie.”

“No, I am not.”

“Yeah, you are.”

“Shut up.”

A pause. And a growl.

“What did you say to me, bitch?” His voice got louder.

“Don’t touch me, or my daughter. If you lay as much as a  finger on her, I will not hesitate to go back to London, and take her with me!” Todd finally turned to face Johnny, shaking with rage. All the fear was gone.

Johnny went quiet, the fire in his eyes extinguished and was replaced with tears.

“You can’t take her, you won’t take my daughter from me.” His voice was dangerously low.

“I will, and I can.”

Johnny just drew his arm back and slapped Todd across the face. Hard.

Todd just gasped, stumbling back a little. He held the red welt that was forming on his cheek.

Did he just..?

“Get out of my home, now.”

Johnny just turned around and walked out. He didn’t turn back.

That was it.

Then a cry came from behind Todd, he snapped out of his trance.

Sabelle’s face wasn’t pale anymore, her cheeks were flushed a bright red.

“Poppet..it’s okay, it’s okay..” He stroked her hair gently, trying not to let the tears fall.

“Daddy..I’m breaking..” She croaked, grabbing weakly at his shoulder.

“Honey, what do you mean?” She’s delirious, Todd. She has a fever.

“I’m breaking..apart..” Her hazel eyes fluttered closed, as her head dantily collasped on her pillow once again.

She didn’t get make any other movement for a long time. But Todd just stayed by her side, letting the tears roll down his cheeks slowly as he tended to her.

“Me too, me too..darling..” Todd burst into sobs, and wasn’t able to stop.

“I think I’m breaking, too.”

Three Months Later - London, England

“We have to work on your accent, Belle. You still sound..so American.” Madison flipped her floresucent pink locks in her friend’s face playfully.

“I was born in New York, what were you thinking?” Belle blushed, suddenly feeling self concsious as they walked down the streets. The day had offered them a dismal gray disposition , which made the girl just a tad bit..depressed.

“I dunno, maybe you would be like, running from the mafia?” Madison’s clear blue eyes locked with Belle’s ever changing ones. Somedays they would be green, some days they would be brown. Or hazel.

“Maybe in the 1940’s,” Belle said absently, looking up in the clouds.

“Yeah,” Madison said brightly, noticing her friend’s preoccupation. She grabbed her by the hand and dragged her down the bustling streets. “C’mon, we should go get some new jackets. Leather ones.”

“No, Maddie. I have to be home soon.”

“Mickey Mills likes you.”

“What? He likes..me?” Belle squealed as she felt her mood change completely. Zero to a hundred in less than five seconds.

“He dee-emmed me on Instagram. He told me not to tell you, but he thinks you’re..dope.”

Belle snorted. “Don’t ever use that word in my prescence..ever again.”

‘But don’t Americans use it all the time?” Maddie seemed genuinely curious.

“Only if your vocabulary cums from the slums of Urban Dictionary. Which mine does not.”

“Well, T’s an English professor, right?” Maddie inquired, fixing the backs of one of her many piercings.

‘Why are you all of the sudden calling my dad ‘T’? Just call him Todd, or something within reason,” Sabelle gave her friend a look, her eyebrow cocked in question

“That’s what Kace says they call him in English class. I thought you knew.” Kace was Maddie’s older brother who was two grades above the girls, who were in year nine.

“Well, I didn’t.” Sabelle turned on the street where she lived, which was lined with buildings, that consisted of flats.

“Wait, Belley!’ Madison chased after her friend. “I’m sorry..”

“I’m not angry, Mads. I just have to get home.” Belle laughed as a lock of her wavy raven hair fell into her face, having given way to the fall breeze that was coming through.

“Alright,” Maddie sighed in defeat, giving her friend a little squeeze before parting in their separate ways.

“Seeya,” Belle smiled over her shoulder before heading on her way. After crossing a few busy streets and winding down some cobblestone streets, she had made it home.

Er, well, it didn’t exactly feel like home yet, she thought to herself as she fished in her jacket pocket for her house key. It was rather large and roomy, seeing that there would only be two people living in that one flat. But it was nice, and her room had a bay window.

She turned her key in the lock and pushed on the door, letting herself in.

She beheld the sight of her father, pressed up against the wall, in a heated kiss with a man, even taller than he, with pale skin and strawberry blonde hair.

This man was Robert Mills, Mickey Mills’ father. Her dad was making out with her crushes’ father.

“Oh, bloody hell!” Todd’s eyes widened as he pushed away from Robert and faced his dumbfounded daughter, who stood in the doorway, on the verge of tears.

“Oh, my..” Robert’s gaze bounced between the two. “I-I’m so..”

“Daddy, really?” Sabelle’s voice had faded to a whisper.

“Poppet, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean for you to see anything.” Todd smoothed his hair and sweater as best he could.

“Yeah, sure. You’re looking for a new hubby right sfter leaving your old one? Real smooth.” Sabelle sneered, feeling the tears spill over. She stormed from the room and dashed up the stairs, sobbing before she even got to the top.

“Belle, wait!” Todd’s voice faded away.

“Belle, Poppet. Please come out. Your dinner is getting cold.” Todd knocked on her bedroom door for the tenth time that night, trying to coax her out.                                               

“N-no..please, just go away.” Her voice was muffled through her door, but it was also the fact that she was crying, and had been for the past three hours.

“Poppet, please let me in, then.”

A pause.

And then the click of the doorknob. With a sigh of relief, Todd pushed open the door to see his fifteen year old, curled up on her bed. Just as she did when she had migraines.

“Belle, honey. Please d-don’t be like this,” Todd sat down gingerly on her soft plush comforter, which was made up of varying shades of pastel pinks and blues, as was everything else in the room.

“You were making out with my science teacher!” She cried, sitting up bolright. “H-He’s also..”

“He’s what?” Todd raised an eyebrow, his mind racing with all the possibilties of what ould come next.

“He’s my crush’s..”

Todd’s anticipation level lowered. He placed his hand on top of his daughter’s. “You’re sweet on somebody?” He smirked, leaning back on his free hand.

Belle felt the corners of her lips curl into a little smile. “Yes, I am.”

“Who?” Todd’s long fingers curled around Belle’s own slender, smaller hand.

“You’ll have to guess,” The look in Sabelle’s eyes became weary and cautious as she slowly drew her hand away from her father’s grasp.

Todd held on tighter. “You know I’m not good at these sort of things.” Her skin was soft and smelled faintly of roses.

“It’s Mickey Mills,”

Todd’s heart stopped. “Robert’s son?”

She nodded.

“Oh, darling, I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have seen any of that. It was unprofessional.” Todd just wanted to pull her into his arms and cradle her.

“It’s fine. I-I get it.” She hugged him back, gingerly holding him.

“No, Poppet, it wasn’t alright. I promise you won’t have to walk in on..things like that.”

“Okay..”

It wasn’t long before Sabelle and Mickey got together. No, not like that.

Todd admired their sweet, simple relationship. They were young, and lively.

“Sabelle, honey..” Todd came walked in the door one night, later than ususal. A migraine was ready to pounce on him. All he wanted to do was shove a few aspirin in his mouth and rest.

Mickey and Sabelle were on the couch, kissing.

Todd felt his migraine become worse.

“Mmph?” Sabelle mumbled, looking up at her father, still not breaking away from the kiss. She seemed visibly embarassed and shocked.

“Get him out,” Todd mouthed, pointing to Mickey, then to the front door.

“Mick..”She mumbled into the kiss, pushing him away hesitantly.

“What?” His eyes narrowed to slits as he slipped a hand up her shirt.

Belle’s eyes went wide. Startled and violated, she pushed him to the ground. The boy flailed as he fell from the sofa cushions.

“What the hell was that?!” She crossed her arms over one another, covering her chest.

That was it for Todd. He yanked Mickey to his feet by his shoulders.

“Get away from my daughter! Who do you think gives you the right to touch her in such a manner?”

Mickey said nothing, he just looked at Belle with sad eyes. There was immediate regret, that much
He paraded the young man to the door, flinging him out into the cold winter air.

“Don’t come back, please.” Todd said softly, before slamming the door. Hard.

Belle just sat on the couch, completely still. Her hands were still on her chest.

“I can’t believe he just did..that.”  She said to herself, her tone disgusted, but also there was some disbelief in it.

Todd’s face went white. His migraine was now splitting.

“You are grounded. Go to your room, now.” He pointed up the stairs.

“What, why?” Sabelle became defensive, her face grew red.

“I told you to get him out. You didn’t.” Todd growled, taking her shoulder and leading her to the bottom step.

“I didn’t think he would do that..”

“I don’t care! Go!”

Belle trudged up the stairs, not caring to look back.

Todd heard her door slam and he let out a tired, tired, sigh. He mindlessly shoved pills in his mouth and gulped down a glass of water in record time.

“Shit,” He said aloud, leaning his head in his hands.

“What am I doing wrong?”

Johnny.

Maybe she needed him to set her straight.

Yeah.

Just call him.

Right?

“He what?!” Robert Mills whipped off his horn-rimmed glasses in disbelief at what Todd was telling him. “My son would never treat any girl in that type of manner, let alone your daughter!”

It was after school, and Todd had decided to pay Robert a visit to discuss Mickey’s failing English grade, but also to talk about what had happened a few nights before.

“He touched my daughter in a way that no girl should ever be touched. Robert, I wouldn’t be telling you this if I didn’t think it wasn’t okay.”

Robert shook his head again, still in complete and utter disbelief. He ran a hand through his short blonde locks and sighed.

“Mickey’s a good kid, Todd. You know that. I know that. If you can just give him another chance, I’ll even talk to him, set him straight.”

“It’s not that I don’t believe you, Rob. I do, but I’m not the one you should be asking to give your son another chance.” Todd’s tone became harsh. He crossed one arm over another and stared at the ground, focusing on the spots in the linoleum floor.

“Your daughter..how is she?” Robert’s voice became soft.

“She’s disgusted. She feels violated of her privacy.” Todd felt tears come to his eyes, but he didn’t wipe them away.

“O-of course she does.” Robert said almost sarcastically.

What?

“Excuse me?” Todd’s head snapped back up.

“That’s what every girl says, for God’s sake. Women are made of porcelaine, they’ll break at anything a guy says.”

“You can’t be serious right now. You ignorant pig.” Todd snarled, grabbing his things in a frenzied rush. He almost walked into the doorframe.

“Todd, wait!”

As Todd stormed down the hall, his mind was in an angry haze. He bumped into someone stopping him in his tracks.

“Oh, pardon. I didn’t see you there.” He peered over his things to see Sabelle, who seemed to be on the verge of bursting into tears.

“Belle, poppet!” He was dumbfounded for second before following up. “Darling, aren’t you supposed to be out with Maddie?”

“I-I don’t want to. I’m just going to go home, okay?” She put on a feeble grin, the corners of her lips were barely turned up.

“Tell me what’s wrong,” Todd led his daughter over to a bench, sitting her down.

“It’s nothing, I swear..”Sabelle became defensive, as she usually did in thses sort of situations.

‘Alright..if you insist. I’ll see you at home.”

“Alright..”

Dinner at home was quiet..

As was the rest of the night.

It was at least two in the morning when it happened, Todd had been unable to fall asleep for a multitude of different reasons  when he heard retching coming from the bathroom.

“Sabelle, honey, are you alright?” He rolled out of bed and padded lightly don the hallway, little snippets of the bathroom’s florescuent light flooding into his vision.

He slowly opened the door to see his daughter, kneeled over, her body convulsing violently.

“Oh, sweetheart.” He squatted by her side, brushing her hair away with his left hand, rubbing her back with the other.

“Daddy, I’m fine, really,” Belle’s face was pasty pale, sweat beads poured down the sides of her face.

“No, Poppet. You don’t seem alright in the slightest.”

Belle just gave him a look, not one of spite, but of uneasiness. She spat up the last of the bile before slumping over.

“I’ve got you, I’ve got you,” Todd grabbed her by the shoulders and hoisted her to her feet as gently as possible, leading her to the sink. He turned on the faucet, and a thin stream of water fell from the spigot.

“Wash out your mouth,”

Sabelle cupped her hands under the scream and slurped the water from them. She swished it in her mouth before spitting it out, getting little chunks of food out of her teeth.

“I had a dream about him..” She said, looking at herself in the mirror.

Pale skin..

Rounded face..

Long raven colored hair, that curled at the ends

Rosy lips

A few freckles here and there.

Hazel gold eyes.

“About who?” Todd’s long slender fingers grabbed her shoulders tightly. He looked in the mirror as well.

A tanned complexion

A chisled jaw

Sleek black hair, teased from lack of sleep.

Thin lips, curved into a worrysome frown.

Deep brown eyes, dotted with accents of milky beige. They were ringed with dark circles, like that of a raccoon’s.

“Johnny, h-he..beat m-me. He was so angry, screaming at me for money. I tried to tell him to stop, but he wouldn’t.” Belle felt her stomach churn once again, causing her to double over.

“Poppet, hold on, just breathe. “ Todd felt his voice crack a little. “You just have to relax,”

“I could feel the pain, Daddy.” She turned around and buried his face in her chest, bursting into tears as she had so often recently. “I could feel every blow. Every single ounce of pain.”

Todd just pulled her close. He just let the tears flow freely down his cheeks. He had been trying to raise his daughter, who was struggling with..everthing that surrounded her. He couldn’t do this alone.  He needed someone.

“Poppet. We’ll get through this. Okay? I promise.”

“Hey, baby girl.” Mars stood Sabelle’s bedroom doorway, a bright smile on his face. “How’re you doin?”

“Marsy!” Belle leapt into his arms, tears of joy filling her eyes.

“Why are you here? How…?” Belle buried her face into her lover’s collarbone.

“That’ll all be answered in time, babe..” The fifteen year old chuckled at his girlfriend’s expense. He grasped her chin and pulled her in for a soft kiss.

“Mmm..Mars..” Belle kissed back, feverishly. She only dreamt of seeing him, back in New York. If she ever went back.

“Ooh, someone missed me, didn’t she?” Mars broke away to stare at his girlfriend in shock, but a good type.

Belle just nodded, flinging her arms around Mars’s neck. “Pucker up, Marsbar,”

“Oh, so I’m not in control anymore, am I?” Mars joked as he was pushed up against the wall.

“You never were,” Belle leaned in, a smirk on her face.

“Sabelle O’Malley, I swear you are evil.” Mars smirked as the gap between them closed.

Days went by. They were cherished, but they went by much too fast.

“You know what I love about you?” Mars’ cheeks were a rosy red from the cold that nipped the air.

“What?” Belle shrugged her shoulders, moving the collar of her jacket up closer towards her neck.

His blue eyes seemed fragile and pale next to the crisp white that surrounded them.

“Nobody can put you in your corner. You’re stronger than any guy I’ve ever met. And they all have muscles the sizes of cinderblocks.”

Belle felt the heat rise to her cheeks. “Why are you so sweet?”

“I was born that way, darling.” He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close.

“Well, stop, it’s like you’re worshipping me,” Belle looked down at her leather booted feet.

“Maybe that’s what I was meant to do,” Mars stuck a hand in his pocket, pulling out a small box. He stopped in his tracks and got down into a kneeling position.

Belle put a hand to her mouth. “Are you crazy, Marcus Eric Beaumont?”

Mars just felt his eyes fill with tears and he put on a shaky smile. He flipped open the top of the box in a single swoop to reveal a simple silver band, set with little rose quartz stone.

“Wanna marry me?”

Belle got down on her knees as well, taking her hands in his.

‘Yes, yes! I will..” She whispered, tearing up herself. It was the second time that week, and neither times she shed tears of sorrow. Bliss overtook her senses, nothing mattered anymore.

They were only fifteen, but who cared. The rest of the world could toss their heads in pity, disgust.

Mars slipped the ring on her finger, pulling her into a tight hug.

Belle felt the bliss she felt melt away.

“M-My Dad..how are we going to tell him?”

“Sabelle,” Todd called up the stairs to his daughter, trying not to let his voice show his fury. He held the ringbox in his hand, squeezing it tightly. “Get down here, please. I need to talk to you about something.”

“Coming,” The sound of feet clomping became louder as Sabelle’s shadow became visible on the wall. She hopped off the bottom step and turned to her father, brushing her raven locks out of her eyes., working her fingers through her waves. Her eyes shone bright like a doe’s, a sweet hazel color. Her cheeks shone with a blush as it had the entire week. “What’s up?”

Todd felt a smile curl at the ends of his his lips.

His daughter was finally happier than she had been in forever.

He shouldn’t-no, he couldn’t take away that.

He couldn’t bear it.

But his mouth still spoke the words.

“I found this in your dresser drawer when I was cleaning up,” Todd flipped the ringbox open to reveal the ring, that sat on the little lace pillow. “Explain, please.”

Sabelle’s face just morphed to horror, her face went ghost white.

“Dad, I can explain. Don’t be angry..”

Take it back, Todd. Take it back.

“Where did you get this. It’s expensive. Did Mars give this to you?” He studied the ring carefully, but lovingly.

Belle just looked down at her feet, her shoulders shaking.

“Mars..he, um,” Her eyes were puffy and red, but she smiled at her thought. “He proposed to me, last night.”

“No,” Todd stumbled back a little. “He really..”

Belle nodded.

“It..was..so romantic, it was snowing, he got..down on his knee and..” Belle’s smile faded.

“And..I said yes. And now we’re here, and you found out..”

Todd just stared at the ring. “I don’t know what to make of this, Poppet. I just don’t.”

“We’re in love. Crazy, stupid, love. I don’t really know anything, y’know?”

“I guess so,” Todd murmered, focusing on the biggest jewel in the center of the band.

You don’t guess so, Todd. You know so.

“You do?” Belle lifted her gaze from the ground once more, her eyes hastily gazing up into his.

“It’s sweet. Monumentously sweet. It’s like an aftertaste that you can’t rid your throat of, but you want it to stay. For as long as possible. Maybe forever, even. Love, sweetheart, is something we all want. But even when you try, so, so, hard..sometimes things just don’t work out with the one you love.” Todd just found himself babbling on and on. And about what? Passion. Connection. Affection. Things he had had lost.

“That isn’t to say that you won’t find love, Sabelle. And I think you already have.” Todd looked up to find his daughter, chin rested in her hands.

“That was so..romantic, Daddy.” She sighed.

“I..I know. I’ve seen a lot, sweetheart. I’ve been through a lot.”

“What do we do now?”

“We tell Mars that I give him my blessing, when the time is right.” Todd felt his eyes fill with tears as he pulled his daughter into a hug.

“Just don’t make the same mistakes, I did. Please, I beg of you.”

Todd might have been crazy.

But his daughter was in love.

Crazy, stupid, love.

There was no changing that.