Kytyn.

I smile sadly as I hold a crying Cristina in my arms as William stood nearby, arms crossed and face rock hard to make sure he wouldn't cry too. I rubbed my girl best friend's back as my guy best friend stood there. He looked into my eyes and we both allowed a tear to slip out.

"It's okay, guys. Don't worry about us. I'll go home, and you guys will go with your dad and new brothers and sisters and mom. Just... act like you don't know anything, and... everything will be fine. Just... forget about us, ok? We'll... we'll manage." My voice is weak, and I can't even convince myself that me and Alexandra are gonna be ok.

"We can just tell dad! He'll have to understand and help you!" Cristina sobs as she sits up, looking right into my eyes as William looks over to where Alexandra lays on Cristina's makeshift bed for her.

"No. Your dad has 8 kids already, and is about to add almost twice as many, he doesn't need two more. Just... focus on loving your family."

"But you're our family too." William grits out, walking closer to the baby.

"William... I'm just a friend to you both, blood is thicker than water. And I need to take Alexandra home to... our family." I choke out the last word.

"They aren't your family." William growls, holding Alex to him, who just nuzzles into him more in her sleep as I flinch at his tone. "Not after that."

"That gave me Alex. The baby you are holding in your arms right now."

"They shouldn't be considered family after everything they've done to you."

"But they're all I have now, William. You're gonna have to accept that I have to go back to them." I raise my voice just slightly. It's well past midnight as everyone else was asleep, we were still up, saying our goodbyes.

"I don't accept that! We are all you have! They aren't your family, Kytyn! We are!" William yells as Cristina tries to calm him down and takes Alex from his arms. She quickly hides the baby, who is somehow still asleep.

"What's going on in here?" Frank Beardsley, their father, asks as he opens Cristina's door, and the other six kids peer in too. "Kytyn?"

"Uh, hi, Mr. Beardsley..." I grab hold of my bicep, looking away slightly.

"Whats going on here? Why is Kytyn here in the middle of the night?" He looks to his two eldest children, who both look away too. "William."

"She–" before he can say a word, I send the fiercest glare I can. It shakes him only a bit. "She's been staying here because of her abusive parents sir. Cristina and I... we didn't want her to go home to them."

"William!" I scream, face red in anger. I look at Frank, seeing his shocked face along with the kids. I quickly grab my stuff, and hopped out of the window, Alex bundled in my arms. Frank hopefully thought it was just a blanket or clothes. Tears ran down my face as I ran from them.

"Kytyn!" Cristina yelled, tears in her voice. I glance back to see her and Frank running after me with some of the older kids. William no where to be seen. My vision blurred as I looked ahead, running faster until my arm was jerked back harshly. I clutched Alex closer to my chest.

"Kytyn, its ok. You're safe. I just... I just need you to answer a few questions, can you do that for me?" He asks. Before I can respond, Alex cries, having woken up from the sudden jump from the window, and jerk from Frank. He looks wide eyed down at the baby. "Kytyn...?"

"Kytyn!" Cristina yells, throwing her arms around me and Alex as she reached us. The other kids do too. "You shouldn't run like that!"

"I... I'm sorry..." the tears flow even more as I don't break eye contact with Frank. How does he think of me now? Does he still want me around his kids? Around Cristina and William, knowing I have a baby and I might be a 'bad influence'? I sob even harder as my thoughts run wild.

"Shhh... its ok... its ok." He coos as he brings me out of Cristina's arms and into his, Cristina taking Alex from me as the other kids coo at the baby.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." I kept sobbing out as I clutched the back of his shirt, sobbing into his shoulder. He rubs my back gently.

"It's alright... shhh... lets get you two inside. Cristina, can you calm the baby and put it to bed?" Frank asks, pulling me under his arm to lead me.

"I've been doing it since she was born." Cristina smiles at us.

"How old is she?" Frank asks as Cristina heads inside, leading the other kids behind her. I sniffle and wipe my tears.

"A few months old now... I'm sorry..." he sighs before facing me.

"Stop apologizing. Its not your fault." He kisses my forehead. "I'll take you and that baby girl under my wing. Especially since Williams the father."

"W-what?" I stutter out, wide eyed. He smiles brightly.

"That's why you keep apologizing, and hiding her, right? You were scared that I'd turn you away after your parents did, since William got you pregnant." His eyes are closed in the smile, and I see William moving his hand, signaling to just play along. Frank frowns. "Right?"

"Uh... yeah! Right." I say, wiping my tears with a weak smile. "That's right. How'd you figure it out, Mr. Beardsley, sir?"

"You and William have always been close, but you guys were way closer these last few months, after that baby was born, right?" Frank asks.

"Uh... thats correct." I nod. Its not a lie, William knew what happened to me and how I got pregnant, and that made us closer. Cristina didn't know.

"Well, you can stay in our house as long as you want. I don't want you living with your abusive parents, or out on the streets." Frank tells me. "I'll call Helen and tell her your situation tonight. We're moving first thing in the morning, so be ready, alright?" He smiles brightly.

"Yes sir." I nod quickly and his smile fades into a frown.

"Call me dad." He says seriously and I nod shyly. He was more of a dad to me than my step father at home. My birth dad left for the army when I was 2, and mom said he left us for good, because of me.

"Yes si– dad." I correct myself and he kisses my head before heading up to bed. I look around and see all the other kids are long gone, the lights are all out except for the hallway where I'm in. William still stands on the stairs. He slowly approaches. "William... I..."

"Cristina managed to get Alex to sleep, but they've hogged the whole bed, so you can sleep in my room tonight." He hugs me. "I'm sorry for how I acted, but dad needed to know. This is the safest way for you two."

"Thank you..." I mumble into his shirt, releasing my last few tears.

"Lets go to bed." He helps me upstairs and to his room where we go to sleep in his bed, which is common for us to share if Cristina hogs hers.