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"My mother happened!", he said with a little anger, squeezing his eyelids, dripping another tear.

"Why did she do this?", he asked sadly, feeling sympathy for the kind of pain he was in. Ron ripped the soft sheet off his own bed and draped it over Craig, wanting to give him a little privacy.

"She didn't even say a word, but we know why don't we", he sniffed softly, trying to calm down.

"But she said everything was ok! She knew how sorry you were!", he nearly shouted, not understanding why she would do any of this.

"Maybe I did deserve it...", Craig said softly.

"Don't even say that", Ron said, sitting down on his own bed.

"I caused her enough trouble...", he softly mumbled back.

Ron sighed. "What did she do to you?", he said, lowering the tone of his voice, trying to be comforting.

"Please, I don't....", Craig said, being interrupted by his own sob. "......It was a cane", he admitted, giving a few sudden sobs, trying his best not to cry. "I was so scared..." , he whispered.

Ron looked down at the floor. "I'm so sorry. This is my fault", he said sadly with a little sigh. Craig just sniffed. "I came up here to wake you up. Julia wants you to play Monopoly with us but.....you probbably don't want to huh?", he said with sympathy.

"Not right now.....she left only ten minutes ago.....it hurts too much...", he said quietly so he wouldn't sob.

Ron got up and went into the bathroom. He grabbed the glass off the counter and filled it with water, taking it back to Craig.

"I really hope you feel better soon", he wished Craig, putting the glass on his bedstand and placing his jeans next to his bed.

"Thanks...sorry you had to see me like this and...don't tell anyone", Craig said appreciatively, giving a quiet sniff. He had calmed down with Ron's help.

"No one can blame you. See you later", he said comfortingly, saying his goodbye for now. Ron left and Craig snuggled his muzzle into the pillow to wipe some tears. He might have gotten a new most painful moment in life and it was driving him nuts. He couldn't move without feeling like the base of his tail was being stung, and the position he was keeping his tail in wasn't supporting it's weight very well. Never before did he cry like this and he felt so embarassed, especially with his best friend walking in to find him like this. Craig moved his hand to his upper thigh, running a finger over the thick welts that weren't covered by his underwear. The pain and swelling of the welts were frightening, and he felt saddened by the fact there was nothing he could do be endure the horrible pain whenever he walked, sat, shifted his tail, anything. He tossed his jeans across the room when he couldn't pull them back up earlier, finding them to be too painful. All he could do now was wait for the long lines to cool so he could at least put on his pants.

Ron took a seat across from Julia and tried to make himself look happy. "Craig's up, but he doesn't feel like playing", he said in an upbeat tone, hiding what just happened quite well.

"At least we asked. It's too bad", she said a little disappointedly. She grabbed the car playing piece and tossed Ron the battleship. "We're all set", she said with a smile, giving the chance and community cards one last shuffle.

Ron motioned to let her go first, while he just stared at the board, leaning his elbow on his knee and holding his head up with his hand. He knew it wasn't like Gina to do that. There was no way. But what hurt, was that she did. Craig looked horrible, and Ron could point a finger at no one but himself. He damned himself wholeheartedly for buying that herb, and even more for giving Craig some. He wouldn't have even known about the joints if he didn't take them out infront of him. What kind of friend was he, to put his friend and his 'adoptive' family through this because of something he did? He didn't even realize Julia had already made her turn while he quietly sat, staring off into space, mentaly beating the crap out of himself.

"Come on Ron, wake up already! You're as bad as Craig", Julia piped up, trying to get the dazed dragon to pay attention.

Ron quickly lifted his head off his hand. "Sorry", he appologized, picking up the dice and giving them a roll.

"Are you ok?", she then asked, noticing something was a little weird.

"Yeah....I'm uhhh, just not feeling all too well...", he replied with a lower tone, losing his coverup abilities, but adding another good coverup to sustain himself.

"Are you sure..?", she added, leaning over and looking into his face, trying to examine him a bit.

"Really, I'll be fine", he reassured her. Ron read his community chest card from his turn. "Looks like I get twenty bucks", he said with a small smile, returning the card to the bottom of the deck and taking his twenty.

Julia looked a little worried, but she baught it. Ron went back to his thoughts, trying to be a little more inside reality at the same time. He couldn't get Craig off his mind.

While Julia did her turn, she kept a close look on her under the weather companion. She was about to say something, but then a new visitor did.

"Hi you two", Kimberly greeted in a more normal way, lacking her usual enthusiasm.

"Hi Kim", Ron greeted first.

"Heya Kim. We already started this game so I can't invite you", she said sort of sadly. "Sorry about that", she added, feeling a little bad.

Kimberly took a seat next to Ron. "I don't feel like playing. Don't worry about it. I'm just a little lonely", she said with a comfortable sigh, snuggling and reclining into the extra space on the couch.

"Did everyone get tired of Monopoly that fast?", Julia joked with a laugh, giving the turn to Ron.

"I'm just not feeling well", Kimberly said a little patheticly, trying to make it sound convincing.

"That makes you and Ron both. If it was something you ate, that probbably means I'm going to get sick too", Julia informed her.

Kimberly and Ron shot eachother an eye real quick, getting the feeling the other knew about Craig. Ron finished his turn and passed it back to Julia. While she was looking down at the board, Ron turned his head inconspicuously to Kimberly and mouthed, "You know?", taking the chance. Fortunately, or maybe not so fortunately, she nodded in reply. They said no word of it, but it made them feel a little comfortable to know they weren't a solitary holder of a painful secret. The game continued on, and Kimberly stayed pretty quiet, not having anything positive on her mind to discuss.

"Hiya you three", greeted a voice that made one happy, but the other two wince.

"Hi mom! I haven't seen you almost all all this morning", Julia told her happily, taking her attention away from the game for a moment.

Ron and Kimberly just looked without a word. A blank expression was the best they could muster at her friendliness, knowing someone was suffering because of her.

"I'm going to be helping with lunch. They got a pile of coldcuts from the deli, so we have a lot of sandwitches. Should I bring any of you one?", she asked, with her voice almost to her normal self.

"I'll have one", Julia replied first, getting a little hungry.

"Well....yeah, I guess", Ron said a little strangely.

"I'm not hungry", Kimberly replied, blowing off her mother's generosity, and Gina noticed it a bit.

"Well, just let me know later then. I'll be back in a few minutes", Gina said, walking back to the kitchen.

Ron and Kimberly didn't watch her leave. Kimberly found herself noticibly angry, though she didn't want to be. She loved her mother so much, but she just couldn't put Craig aside so easily. Ever since she changed her ways, other people came first, even if it hurt her own feelings. Ron just felt awkward and seperated. He thought he knew someone so well, and he still has no clue behind why Gina did it. I am the cause, why did you do that to him!, he shouted in his mind. Julia found the other two to be very preoccupied with something and held off the Monopoly game, just by being silent. Gina returned carrying three paper plates with different types on sandwitches that she knew certain individuals liked.

"Here you are", Gina said a little upbeat, seemingly trying to keep her appearance happy. She set down Ron and Julia's plates and took a short look at the third for a few moments before she put it caringly to the table. "If Craig comes down, could you give him this?", she asked of them, staring longingly at the roast beef and ham sandwitch, Craig's favorite.

Ron looked to her a little astounded. "Yes, sure", he assured her, never taking his eyes off the saddened mother. Kimberly was watching from the corner of her eye and Julia was busy eating already, facing the other direction. Gina turned and did what Ron thought to look like wiping a tear when she was halfway to the kitchen. Now that looked like the Gina he knew. She looked so sad and sympethetic, staring at that sandwitch. Just the fact she brought one for him just showed what she was thinking. Ron found this even more confusing, but at least he knew she felt bad. Kimberly kept her eyes directly off her mother, but lightened up a bit after thinking about her sandwitch gesture for Craig. She cared, and a lot, just like her mother always did. Kimberly gave her mind a moment to give sympathy to her mother. Maybe she needed it too.

After almost an hour, Craig was still lying in bed. His eyes were bloodshot and his larynx were sore from all the crying he did. He lied on his stomach, finding himself able to at least bend the base of his tail now, even though it still hurt, and plenty. Craig had turned his pillow over when he stopped crying, wanting to rest his exhausted head on a dry pillow. He was dreading getting up, but knew he had to eventually. His pride was scarred and he felt like such a little child, lying there for so long, bawling his heart out. Yes, just like a little child, with his tail between his legs. Being fifteen, he was ashamed that he was still lying here, wincing at the pain when he moved. He knew what he recieved would have even made Ron cry, but that was besides the point to him. He felt betrayed by his mother. He had a deep appology, solumn and pure, from the bottom of his heart. He knew he did something wrong, and hated himself for upsetting his beloved mother. With his hour of tears and thought, he judged his mother's actions, and the bond of love they share. He was the only male of the house, and he always tried to live up to certain expections that he thought to be required of him, since they had no father. He grew up as the most well behaved of the two, never feeling out of place or left out, even being surrounded by females. His mother did the work of two, playing mother for the three, and a special father for him. She always made sure he was happy and content, never leaving him out or forcing feminine things upon him. He grew up to be a rock loving, everyday kind of guy. You couldn't tell he grew up around girls, and that's what her mother wanted. For all her children to live a happy childhood, with all the love and benifits of a full two parent family. He was her little boy, pride and joy. Whenever he broke something, caused trouble, made a mess, he felt disappointed in himself. Mommy would always be there, good times and bad, ready to help him tidy up his mistakes and tell him how proud his accomplishments made her. Their bond was untouchable. But now, was it a different story? He had been grounded a few times, and maybe got a swat or two when he was small, but never anything like this. The only exeption was the time he really did something he shouldn't have, when he was eleven. That was the time his mother punished him, and even she was just as upset as he was. He had disappointed her so much, and took it like the man he felt he was being raised as. Doing that to her good natured son made her sad for the rest of the day and onto the next, never being truely comfortable when he wasn't. She had cared so much. This time, Craig didn't know what was going on, and the chain of trust that held their words golden, seemed to have lost a link. She didn't say a word. Only what she mouthed was the only thing he had recieved by means of communication. She said nothing at all to her frightened boy. By what reason did she do something so severe? She said everything was ok....she knew how sad and sorry he was....why did she do this now....her sweet little boy, that had always put all his effort into making her proud....last he checked, she never wanted to hurt him. Did she feel sympathy and saddness? Craig stopped his mental escapade and made a small groan from lying in the same position for so long.

"Fuck it. I need to get up...", he mumbled to himself, almost trying to encourage himself since no one else was there to do so. He took a deep breath and slid on his hip off the bed, causing more stinging then he thought would happen. He squeezed his eyelids and commanded it mentaly to cease. He grabbed his jeans off the floor and managed to get them on, holding his breath towards the end. He latched the button above his tail and gave it a test wag to see how much movement he could make. Not too much, but more then enough to get around, since a good half of his tail could be moved without pain. Taking a look at the side of the bed, he thought he should sit down, curious to see how painful it was.

"Here goes nothing...", he sighed quietly, pulling a few nerves together. He slowly sat down and made a sudden yelp when his weight made contact with the matress, and jumped back on his feet. He growled, increasing in his volume as his anger increased with it. "Damn her!", he shouted, refering to his mother in a way he had never before done so. "How could she do this to me!? Ron's right, I didn't deserve this! I never wanted to hurt her! She hurt me! Even more then she thinks!", he screamed, slamming his fist against the wall right before he finished, unable to hold his feelings to himself any longer. Though the wall could not reply or even hear for that matter, Craig got it off his chest. He made a solumn sigh, toning down his temper, while walking slowly to the bathroom. He washed his face and made sure he looked alright, needing to be able to present a smile. He just needed his mind and body to cooperate. Craig left his room for the first time all day, walking a little awkwardly. He could hide it enough, but already felt uncomfortable. Once he made it to the livingroom, he found no one he knew. He saw a Monopoly box sitting on top of the coffee table and two empty plates on each side, as well as a lone sandwitch. Craig took a seat on the couch, cringing while he found a comfortable position, trying not to yelp. He ended up putting more weight on his lower thighs, leaning over to calm the powerful sting. Having invented a tolerable way to sit, he looked at the sandwitch, getting an idea of who's it was.

"Hi Craig", said a passer by, a slightly lower tone then normal.

"Oh, hiya Kim", Craig said with an unintendedly slightly depressed sounding voice.

"That sandwitch is yours. Mom wanted us to make sure you got it", she told him, making sure he knew that last bit of information.

Craig pulled the plate infront of him, shifting his attention back to Kimberly. "So whats with all the new people here?", he asked, seeing the place to be a little more bustling.

"You haven't even seen out back yet. Ray and Eliza are having some kind of get together with their guests before the wedding. I haven't seen so many sandwitches in my life", Kimberly joked with a small chuckle, looking to lift his spirits a bit. "I'll leave you to your lunch, I'm going to be out back", she smiled, looking back when she walked off.

Craig took a bite of his roast beef and ham, finding that some care went into making it the way he liked it. It looked as though she still cared, but she was communicating it without words, which was still totally strange. Even so, Craig still wouldn't condone what she did, and almost felt insulted by this seemingly kind gesture after what she did to him.

Kimberly weaved through the tight entryway to the back of the house, finding it difficult to move by some of the ruder guests that stand in doorways. The more then a dozen umbrella covered tables were all crowded with relatives, aquaintences, their friends, guests, and anything else that might have ended up there. This was going to be the site of their party tomorrow, and the wedding will take place in the meadow right after the pool. The podium was already being set up, but the final preparations wouldn't be done till tomorrow morning. Some of the tables had been moved a bit, and they placed a white tablecloth covered buffet table in the center, which was currently distributing the randomly assorted sandwitches.

"Hello everyone! Can I have your attention please?!", Eliza shouted with a cheesy smile while standing by the pool, infront of everyone. Kimberly rolled her eyes, already blowing off anything this bitch has to say. When the crowed of people quieted, she continued, "I welcome you all to our little pre-wedding party! Raymond and I wish to make a toast!". Ray laughed and grabbed his glass, getting up from a nearby table and going to her side. "I wish for everyone to have a good time, and for us to have a sunny wedding tomorrow. A toast to all, and of course, the couple-to-be!", she toasted with a fancy glass of cognac. She turned to Ray, looking for his toast.

"And a toast to wonderful children, and a prosperous future!" , he added with a laugh and smile, raising his glass to his fionce's level.

"Cheers!", toasted the group, with numerous chiming of glasses tapping one another.

Kimberly sighed and leaned her back against the house. "You're not having any kids unless you get your dick out of your ass", she mumbled mockingly at her uncle Ray's toast. Everyone went back to normal, and Kimberly went about face searching the crowd, looking for anyone she knew. By the looks of things, everyone she knew was either working in the kitchen, or in the house.

"Kimberly! Thank god I found you!", happily said her aunt Christi, startling her a bit. Kimberly looked over her left shoulder to see her standing in the dooway. "I'm swamped in here with your mom pouring drinks and still making those damn sandwitches, can you please watch Michael?", he asked, nearly pleading.

"I wouldn't say no", Kimberly smiled, trying to be amusing.

"He's in his chair next to the kitchen door and so is his bag . The study should be nice and quiet. I really appreciate your help, and I'm sorry I don't know when I'll be finished up here", she explained for her in a haste.

Kimberly got off the wall. "It's fine aunt Christi, don't worry about it!", she chuckled. Christi went back to work and Kimberly picked up Michael, who was being temporarily stored upon a kitchen counter. He was kind of heavy, so she carried the handle of his seat with two hands, letting him hold his own diaper bag. He was occupied with it, at least untill they got to the study. The study was primarily wood in nature, trying to replicate oldtime libraries, and had a dark patterned carpet. The room wasn't much bigger then a master bedroom, surrounded by bookshelves and a desk at the end. A few other chairs sat on the sides as well. Kimberly placed his seat on the desk and unstrapped him, picking him up, resting his head on her shoulder, and placed him in the center of the room. She jumped to the floor beside him, just sitting there and watching the youngster for a moment to see what he'd do first. He crawled to her and got on her right leg, trying to climb her shirt or something of the sort. "Yeah, you're a male. Watch where those paws grab little guy!", she giggled, trying to amuse herself at least. She took this as a request to be picked up and granted it, holding him as she did before, but he still continued to paw at her shirt, so he lifted him up a little higher. Kimberly smiled and looked into his curious face while her looked her's over, touching her muzzle in examination. "You're just now trying to figure out who your babysitter is and you've already slept with me? Does that make me some kind of slut?", she joked, making herself laugh pretty good. Michael laughed back, finding whatever words she said to be funny. "Your mom's lucky to have you", she told him as he began to suck his finger happily. She cradled him a little better in her arms, looking to give his back a little more support, and thought of a few things. "Well little Michael, there's some things about growing up you need to know about. You see, even though you're cute and wonderful now, you might become mean and inconciderate to your family. Misbehaving, lying, being bratty. My only advice is to always be nice to your mom, and don't do anything to get yourself into trouble, because nobody likes that", Kimberly advised the pup, thinking of how she used to be. She took a look at her bracelet and found the warm thoughts that were her now. Michael noticed her staring at her wrist and he decided to grab the silver band playfully. "I'm glad you like it", she told him. Kimberly took a look around the room and thought she should read him a book. She set him down on the floor and begun scanning the walls for some solitary children's book. It took a little searching, but she found a book titled "Fables and Storytales", and it actually had illustrations. "Hey Michael, I found something you might like", she told him, even though he most likely didn't understand. She sat down on the floor beside him and lifted him onto her lap. Once he was snug, she grabbed the book from her side and popped it open, looking for something good. "Ah, this looks good", she commented at a story, while Michael poked at the picture.

"Gina, these drink orders are coming in faster then I can fill! Is there anyway you can slow the sandwitch production and give me a hand?", asked Christi the bartender, standing at the kitchen counter filling and refilling glass after glass of what one of these guests demand.

"I think they'll live without stuffing their face for a while", Gina replied, wiping her hands with a rag and tossing it to the counter to go over and give Christi a hand. "They're liking the free expensive booze a little too much huh?", she added as a joke when she got to her side.

"Damn straight! Cognac order after another. My damn sister couldn't just wait. We had to have a big party BEFORE the wedding too! I swear she's driving me insane!", Christi griped, running across the kitchen to get another bottle of cognac.

"I've seen enough coldcuts to make me go vegitarian!", Gina laughed, taking a few whiskey requests. "How can your sister spend this much money?", she asked, curious of her sister's sanity.

"You haven't seen what she's doing tomorrow. Full catering and some huge, six hundred dollar wedding cake!", Christi exclaimed, pouring some glasses and sending them off.

"Yeah, she's nuts", Gina said in reply.

"Nah. She's just prude", she growled.

Gina noticed someone walking by, and he stopped when he saw her. Craig gave her a strange look from the entryway to her left, before he flicked his tail and walked off. Gina looked down at the glasses and knew what he was feeling. She wanted to talk to him, but not only did she not have the time, she also didn't have the nerve. Once she recovered back to her normal self, she hid in one of the downstairs bathrooms and cried for quite a while. Her mother forced her to do something she never in her life wanted to do, and she had no power to stop it. Everything from her childhood was still there, and she is still at her mother's mercy, or lack of. She was so scared of her mother, she would have done anything she said. Her mother was using, and apparently had always used fear as a mind control tactic. Everything she did had a reason, and it was to make her daughter follow her every command, even when she was all grown up. Her memory was no longer able to be supressed, and with every action she thought of her past, and Craig now. She had hurt her poor boy and she couldn't face him, especially when she knew first hand the serious pain he was in, physically and mentally. Gina wiped a tear from her muzzle so it wouldn't fall into one of the glasses and tried to continue her work for now.

Craig made his way out front, finally finding Ron and Julia, sitting on the lawn together while mostly everyone else just hung around the porch. "Hi you two", he greeted when they noticed his approach.

"Bout time you came down!", Julia yelled, even though she was smiling.

"Craig!", Ron just exclaimed happily, actually surprised to see him walking.

After Gina left Kimberly, she quickly finished up what she was working on in the kitchen and went up to her room. The room was a peaceful excursion, from the havoc downstairs. Gina took off her clothes and placed them nicely on the bathroom counter, sluggishly getting into the shower. She was tired from all the work and the tormenting thoughts of her own mind. She pulled the dial, welcoming the soothingly warm water. Gina made a relaxing sigh and turned to allow the water to massage her back, while she dove into her mind. The shower is the perfect place to think. Well Gina, today was far from delightful, she spoke in her head. I think I finally understand though. Kimberly's lapse in happiness had subsided for a while there, after Julia's gift and them making up. After the trial was over, everyone was overjoyed. So now I understand why she has been different, and had been having those nightmares. She wants everyone to be happy. All these bad things keep happening to her, and the little disputes amoungst the family seem to upset her heavily. Kimberly's faith in the "good" of the world was harmed by all the events she had to experience. The poor girl. No child needs any of this to happen to them. It's not fair. Craig....my son....I feel extra sorry for you....because it's all my fault. Gina crossed her arms, seemingly protecting herself, and leaned against the chilly tile, resting her muzzle as well. "I'm not strong enough to stand up to my mother....after everything thats happened to me....", she whispered saddily, wishing she had the courage to tell her poor son directly. "I can't forgive myself for what I've done to you....and I can never expect for you to forgive either. I know the pain and the suffering. There was never a moment I didn't experience it. No child deserves anything like that, and no good mother could hurt their own like that. I don't deserve his love. He has been a great boy, and has made me so proud, but I no longer deserve anything", she continued whispering painfully, feeling like she was going to cry again. Disconnecting from her thoughts, she got off the wall and grabbed the soap from it's holder to wash herself. Her mind refused to be shut out so quickly, and thoughts rushed into her mind to give their commentary before she ended. Craig was not just suffering, he was sad. Her fear and cowardice was going to fix nothing. Gina took a deep breath and quickly finished her shower. Once she got out, she dried off in a haste and threw on her shirt and underwear. She walked to her bed and flopped onto it, carelessly throwing her blanket onto herself, being too exhausted to continue worrying, and fell asleap quickly.

As the evening approached, guests began leaving and family members started to congrigate inside for a late dinner. Tonight was basicly all the leftovers from the previous night and today's little party. Michael had been returned to his mother, as cute as she left him. The three Trensetters and their personal guest, took their place at the couches for another Monopoly play-off. Uncle Nick and to the group's surprise, Christi, had come to play. Gina had not woken up yet from her nap, so Christi had personally served the group. Craig found it uncomfortable, but he could sit normally now. He had been much more quiet since earlier and Kimberly noticed it like a giant pimple on the end of someone's muzzle. Ron and Julia had found themselves being a little preoccupied with their loving relationship, and ended up having a much better day then the rest of the family. The six had the board setup and got the final preparations ready.

"Hey Kim, I think you would want this", Julia said as a joke, passing the metal puppy to her sister.

"Naturally", she replied with a smile, putting her piece on the GO square.

Christi gave the cards one last shuffle. "Been a while since I've played Monopoly. I wonder how badly I suck at it now", she said with a chuckle, leaning over to tickle the muzzle of her Michael, who was sitting in his seat directly next to her feet at the end of the couch. He wasn't strapped in, so he could move freely.

The game started and the property rush commenced. Kimberly rolled low and ended up with Baltic, already seeing where this game was going. The group wasn't about to let Nick take Boardwalk and Parkplace again, and by a stroke of luck, Ron got a piece of the set, being boardwalk specificly. He teased Julia with it and thwaped her nose with the card.

"I'll shove that card where you don't want it if you don't place it back on the table", Julia giggled.

After a while, Nick was the first to go bankrupt. Monopoly wasn't very merciful, and attacked with awkward irony. With last night's superpower out of the way, Julia was the last master remaining. Ron was doing a lot better then last night, and everyone else was sitting on an equal platform. The game was longer then it was last night, with everyone holding on by a thread or a one hundred dollar bill, but it eventually came down to two. Kimberly and Ron. Kimberly stayed in with lucky roll, after lucky roll. Ron was far above her in value, and it would take some effort to pull through. Parkplace was up for grabs, and both parties were trying to grab it before the other did. Craig was the last to fall, and his properties were still fresh. Kimberly declared bankruptsy when she began to get disheartened by Ron's cash. Now the two love-dragons were the masters, leaving Kimberly to laugh at her own near win.

Gina sat up in bed, realizing she had slept for a good three hours. She needed a nap, but still felt uneasy for some reason. She figured she might have had another nightmare, and thanked everything living that she didn't remember it. Flicking on the light, Gina grabbed her magazine to relax till her children came. The sun was almost set, making a dark orange glow on the window blinds. The evening was cool and it felt like the weather was returning to what it had been yesterday. Craig was still a primary thought, but she had done her damnedest to block the sadness effects of what she did. If she didn't try to repress the memory, like she does all the memories of her childhood, she might go nuts. Gina read most of her magazine before her two daughers returned for the evening.

"Ah, so you woke up", Julia commented when she came in, having found her asleap earlier.

"Yep. Don't know how I'm going to sleep now", her mother smiled, happy to not be alone anymore.

Kimberly didn't waste any time getting comfortable and placed her excess clothes next to her bed and slipped under her covers. "Ron won the game tonight. I still lost", she said with a tiny chuckle, placing Charlie next to her head, looking into his fuzzy face, finding it cute.

"She lasted the longest. I didn't do so well tonight", Julia said from inside the bathroom, muffled by the door. She wrestled with her uncooperative bra strap, but eventually got it off and got comphy for the night.

"I guess I'd better get you four a Monopoly set huh?", Gina guessed while Julia got into her own bed.

Craig and Ron wandered down the hallway to their room, sober this time. With Julia not around, Ron began to notice Craig's passiveness and thought about mentioning it to him. Ron didn't want to push his luck though, since Craig's nerves were probabbly thin. Ron flicked the light on when they walked in, and both got a quick memory of earlier when they saw the lit room. Craig stood at the side of his bed and slipped his jeans off, obviously not wanting to sit if he didn't have to, and quickly got into bed, finding more relief then he did all day. Ron wasn't expecting to rush into bed so quickly, and got more worried by Craig's actions. Ron tried to think of some things so say while he tossed his pants beside the bed, and got under his covers.

"You don't have to be so quiet man", Ron said in a somewhat supportive way, looking to get Craig to snap out of it, when he reached over to click the light off.

"I'll be as quiet as I feel like", Craig snapped in an irritated way.

Ron didn't appreciate that answer, but felt something should be said that was still sort of nice. "If thats what you want", he replied with a lower tone.

Craig made something equal to a sigh and a growl. "Just don't worry about me, I'll be fine", he said in a nicer way, appologizing in a sense for what he had said.

"Ok. Good night Craig", Ron wished, flicking off the light and snuggling into his bed. Craig did the same, and tried to block out all his thouhgts to fall asleap fast.

Everyone began waking up around seven, from a peaceful, well deserved sleep. Gina and Kimberly were spared from their nightmares, and the two thanked their minds by not thinking of it. The girls started getting washed and dressed for the wedding at noon, with the boys doing likewise in thier own room. The comfort of a new day had quieted the noisy minds of the group. Craig was still slothful and quiet, and Ron knew there was nothing he could do to assist his friend. Gina, Julia, and Ron went downstairs for breakfast, and Kimberly and Craig stayed behind to finish their showers in their repective rooms, enjoying the quiet. The hustle and bustle away from your home makes you yearn for peace, especially when you haven't had such a good time.

Gina and the other two found the downstairs already busy with their relatives. Ray and Eliza couldn't see eachother before the wedding, so their parents and siblings were doing the final preparations. Eliza was preparing with her family in her room, and Ray was doing the same in a different room in the opposite wing. The kitchen was already in full use, making the act of getting a simple slice of toast impossible. Ron and Julia decided that waiting sucked, and went out back to watch the preparations and enjoy their morning together. Gina on the other hand, got herself a mug of already brewed coffee and went to the dining room, which was being used as the family meeting place. Her dad was sitting at the long table, working on some finantial papers, and smiled at his daugher's company.

"Hiya sugar", he affectionately greeted, stopping his work for a moment.

Gina took the seat next to him and moved it closer. "Good morning. You get stuck with the desk job?", she greeted back, adding a joke to go with it.

"Yep. Your mother and Eliza's mother are upstairs getting the wedding dress ready, and Nick and Ricky are out back setting up the chairs and platform. Your brother is talking to his best man upstairs too. I've been pretty bored in here by myself!", he explained, ending with a hearty laugh.

Gina thought for a moment and choked. She wanted to talk to him about what her mom had done to her so long ago, and what she had done now, but she froze, just like all the times she tried to talk to him when she was little. The fear could not be stopped, avoided, or ignored. It was there, and had been there and long as Gina could remember.

Her father's cheerful expression changed a bit when Gina didn't give a witty reply back. "Something the matter?", he asked.

"Oh, sorry....it's still kinda early for me, I'm getting destracted", she appologized, adding a smile at the same time to repair the atmosphere, taking a sip of her coffee.

"I was the same way when I got up. Need my coffee!", her dad laughed playfully back. Gina appreciated his cheerful additude, and it made her feel just a little more at ease.

"Just think Ron. You'll be standing infront of a minister on a decorated platform like this one someday", Julia said quietly, not so secretly daydreaming about the two of them.

Ron crossed his arms and laughed. "Yeah. I guess I will be. I wonder with who....", he said with a smile, stroking his muzzle in fake thought to mess with Julia.

Julia smacked him lightly on the arm and laughed. "Yeah, I wonder", she said with happy sarcasm. They were standing on the other side of the pool, on the grass a tiny ways from the waterfall in the pool. Before them, was a plain of cozy grass, with a new additon. Numerous white chairs and a fancy platform at the head of it all. Red carpeting, a decorative arch with flowers and vines, made it all so perfect in Julia's mind. The poolside tables were going to be used as part of the party afterwards, and so will be the grassy area the two were standing in. The poolside was going to be for the traditional cake feeding and the party itself, and there would be dancing and chatter amoungst the grass. All this stuff was rented the day before, and the Caterers would be arriving in about three hours, bringing the foodstuffs, cake, and utensils. The two wandered back to the poolside and took a seat where they did the previous morning. Some tables had been moved, so that the large buffet table could be placed along the middle. The other tables went around the left and right sides of the pool, since they really needed the room for this long table. The morning was gentle and cool in the early sun's orange glow, allowing the lovers to embrace in a kiss that woke the two up for a long day.

Within two hours, everything was a chaos. Everyone was awake and running around, with a few important guests showing up early to assist their friends. Gina sent Kimberly upstairs to give Eliza a status report. She didn't want to, but didn't argue outright. Making her way upstairs and into the rear corridor, she went to the room which she was told was Eliza's with the few papers she needed to deliver. She tapped on the door twice and opened, trying to be as polite as possible so she wouldn't start any trouble with this bitch. She walked in to be glared at angrily as expected.

"You can go check up on dad, I'll be fine for the time being", Eliza told her mother, carefully taking a seat so she wouldn't mess up the work they had done on the dress. Only her mother was present in the room, and once she left, Eliza went straight into her more arrogant nonsense. "Did I give you permission to come in here?", she growled at Kimberly.

Kimberly made a small sigh, holding back her anger. "These are...", she had begun, before she was interrupted.

"Did I give you permission to be in here you filthy pup!? Answer me!", she screamed, jumping out of her seat.

Kimberly sneered, baring her teeth with bulit up rage. "Shut up and listen damn you!!", she shouted in reply.

Eliza grabbed the front of Kimberly's shirt with both her hands, clasping it hard in her fists and holding them close to Kimberly's neck, making it diffucult to breathe. Kimberly gasped when she grabbed her and cringed when she pulled, dropping the papers to the floor. "Stupid little pups like you have no repect for those better then you!! I deserve the upmost respect from you, understand?!!", she screamed in rage, out of character for the frail girl in the wedding dress.

"Let me go right now!!", Kimberly screamed, strugling to get Eliza's hands off of her. Eliza threw her hard, making Kimberly land flat on the back of her tail. She scrambled to her feet screaming, "Don't you ever touch me you bitch!!!".

"I give the demands here! I have the money and the power! You're just a poor dragon, raised in a half-assed family, with a pothead and an idiot for a mother! How dare you walk into my house and give ME orders!! If I tell you to jump, you'll do it off my roof!!!", Eliza retaliated before Kimberly could continue with what she found to be futile.

Kimberly had enough of listening to this crazed woman. "Fuck you!!!", she cussed outright with an upset and angry sounding voice, going to the door in a huff and slamming her fist against the door before she bothered to fling it open.

"I don't want to see you at my wedding you useless cunt!!", Eliza assaulted back right before Kimberly slammed the door. She stomped down the hallway, angrier then she had ever been. She could have delt with being insulted, but she went way too far when she insulted her family.

"Hey Gina, the Caterers are here already! We don't have to slave in this damn kitchen any longer!", Christi told her playfully, happy to have been liberated.

"Then I'm going to hang out in the livingroom for a while", Gina said with a relieving sigh. She headed out and sat down with Ron and Julia. "Have any of you seen Craig this morning?", she asked the two as she took a seat across from them.

"Yeah", Ron answered, with Julia quickly following up.

"He's been wandering all morning", Julia added.

"Well, it's good to know I guess", Gina replied, looking away a tiny bit.

Angrier then a high school assistant principal, Kimberly tore ass down the stairs and out of the house, making her way around to the back. Enough was enough. She made it to the back of the house, and commanded her boiling nerves to stop for a moment. Difficult to stand still with this much anger, she took a look around. A giant cake caught her eye, and the thought of retrobution raced through her head while she made an evil smirk. Last time she required such retrobution, she torched a boat, so this wasn't going to be hard at all. The cake was the largest she had ever seen, white with so many layers and careful desings, and a replica of Ray and that bitch on top. This was all too perfect, Kimberly chuckled in her mind, staring at the long table with the cake and other trinkets. There were people off working on the wedding area, and a few others on the back porch, but she thought this could be done fast enough. She innocently went down the side of the house a bit, grabbing the hose and turning on the water. The hose had a sprayer attacked to the end, and Kimberly knew this was going to be funny. Kimberly walked with a calm and determinded additude, looking particularly innocent. When no one was watching or close by, she raised the nozzle and changed her expression to her evil little smile, beaming with revenge, putting full pressure on the trigger. A strong jet of water blasted apart the cake for two seconds, before the while thing collapsed and blew itself to the ground. There came a frantic scream from the house, causing a few others. Kimberly ran the jet across the table, ruining anything else she could and threw the hose into the air, taking off running. She fled as quickly as she could, making a distance before the nozzle even hit the ground, hearing the angry and confused screams from the back porch and the sounds of being persuded. Kimberly failed to think of what she was going to do after she ruined Eliza's plans, and just ran like hell, suddenly realizing how frightening being persuded was. She made it to the front of the house, looking to evade them all by fleeing to her room, since the front entryway was a quick way to get there. However, as soon as she turned the corner, she winced in sudden realization, finding another persuder infront of her. Before she could issue her legs the command to high-tail it, her grandmother caught her in a restraining hold and slammed her against the wooden railing of the front porch. She practicly lifted her off the ground, catching Kimberly's gut against the rail, causing her to make a cough when the wind was knocked clear out of her in a painful way. She was thrown hard to the ground, falling to her side, cluching her stomach and coughing, trying to get air back into her chest.

"Damn you!! You've ruined everything!!", her grandmother screamed in rage above the painstricken dragon. Her other persuers had either left to tend to the damages, or had just arrived. Unfortunately, someone she didn't want to see again came from the front door.

"Stupid pup!! You goddamn bitch!!", Eliza screamed when she darted out of the house and across the porch. When she reached Kimberly, she grabbed her forcefully and pulled her off the ground to her feet, squeezing her arm to make sure she cannot flee. "Do you have any idea how much money all those things you destroyed cost??!! I knew you were a horrible pup!! I knew it!!!", she screamed franticly in Kimberly's face.

Kimberly recovered a bit and sneered at Eliza with a small growl, using some of the air she just got back. "I told you not to touch me", she said in a low, injured tone, reminding her that she wasn't as invincible as she thought.

Eliza growled and stared in unrelenting anger at the young girl that had ruined what was supposed to be the best day of her life. Then she got a notion of revenge herself. She smirked and grabbed Kimberly's wrist with her free hand. "I think this will cover some of the damages!", she said, clasping Kimberly's silver bracelet.

Kimberly got a shock to her chest. "Don't you dare touch that! Get off!!", she demanded, refusing to let her get something what meant so much to her. The two sneered and growled at eachother, strugling over the band around Kimberly's wrist.

"Give her that!", her grandmother demanded, which was naturally ignored.

Then a new voice shattered everything. "Kimberly, give her the bracelet", her own mother ordered with a solumn tone.

Kimberly froze, halting her strugle, but still keeping a firm grip on her posession. "...what?...", she said confusededly, not believing her mother would say that.

"Give it to her", she repeated, making sure she was clear.

Kimberly couldn't believe her mother would make her give up something she knew was so precious to her, and stared at her with an upset confusion. Eliza yanked the bracelet from her wrist, being that Kimberly did as her mother had told her. Her eyes welled with tears and she darted towards the house with a sob, throwing her hands to her face. Gina's mother shot her another look, and Gina set off inside to confront her daughter. Gina was furious that Kimberly would do this when she had asked her to behave, not exactly being mad at the act itself. She felt pity or worry for her little one, knowing she only did rash things like that with a reason. Gina went up the stairs and down the hallway with a haste, wearing a face of determination, and deeply hidden sorrow. When she encountered the door to their room, she slowly took the knob of the door, and actually found it unlocked. She quickly opened the door and went in, closing it behind her. Kimberly sat on her knees underneath the window, crying hard with her hands on her knees and pointing her muzzle downward, with her Charlie staring at her from her side. Gina took a second to observe, then went back to what she was thinking. She walked quickly into the room, grabbing a belt she had dropped beside her bed that morning, and stopped a very short ways from her heavily crying daughter.

"Kimberly, go downstairs and appologize", her mother commanded, with a slightly lower then commanding tone, being the one she gets when she was forced to do something by her mother.

Kimberly cried for a few seconds more before sobbing out a reply. "...No", she answered within her tears.

"I'm not asking you. Go downstairs and appologize", Gina insisted.

Kimberly turned around on her knees and looked upwards to her mother with drowning eyes and a tear stained muzzle. "NO!", she affirmed with a high pitched cry, making her anger rise.

Her mother gripped the belt, sneering slightly at having her orders denied. Before she could yell at her, Kimberly exploded into a frenzy.

"I can't believe you!!", she screamed with a high pitched outburst, using all the engergy she had to vent her anger through her frenzy of crying. "You knew how much that bracelet meant to me!!", she screamed again, bursting into a relentless explosion of crying. She clenched one of her mother's pant legs, grasping it with all her will, pulling it as she bawled. "You took her side instead of mine!! It's all because of grandma!!", she assaulted. Gina froze, with all her muscles tightening and her heart aching, at her daughter's frenzy. "You do everything she says, even if it's not right!! That bracelet represented the love of our entire family and you give it away!!!", she screeched, hitting her fist lightly against her mother's leg. Kimberly jumped backwards, getting off her knees, and got to her feet, staring at her mother through the tear's blur. "You're not my mother....", she said quietly, staring at her with fear and pity.

"I...", her mother mumbled, shocked to the point of sickness by her daughter. She didn't have anything to reply with, at all.

"....My mother is gentle and kind, and would never do the things she has done this weekend. You're not her....you're something created by your own mother....", she wimpered sadly, out of her anger's energy, "...and I want her back". Kimberly made a few sobs and paused. "I don't care what you do to me! Nothing will hurt more then what you've already done!", she cried, reaching her paws behind her to undo the button above her tail, ready to submit to what her mother had clasped in her hand.

"Kim, wait", her mother said solumnly, with her tone like that of what she usualy used, while using the short version of her daughter's name to go with it. Kimberly stopped short, and let go of the button before she unlatched it, looking up with watery eyes, that somehow looked happy and hopeful. They stared at eachother for a few moments untill Gina pulled every nerve in her body together, giving her will a boost that it has never had. "I'm sorry. I know you had a good reason for doing what you did, thats your nature. I'm scared of my mother, and you'll find out why in a moment", she said with a new kind of determination, beaming with her motherly love, ready to fix something that should have been fixed a very long time ago. She tossed the belt to a pile of her clothes and set off for the door, motioning for her daughter to follow, with a reassuring smile.

Kimberly started walking, liking the answer she had recieved from the mother she knew. "Welcome back mom", she said with a hint of rising happiness, wiping her eyes and stopping her sobbing. Her mother stopped at the door and waited a moment for her daughter to catch up.

"Thanks", she said, fueling herself off the love of her children. What she planned to do, she could never have done when she was small. Not only was she no match to the painful hand of her mother, she was also missing a part of herself, that sat lonely and dorment in her mind. That space was to be filled with the joy, happiness, and love of her kids, and the warmth of being a mom. She felt the courage now, to stand up to someone she had been frightened into control by. Making up with Craig would be no easy endeavor. Her mind was flooded with damaging repressed memories, but also had powerful good ones, that gave her the happiness and power to do her best to make things right for someone she loved so much. To Kimberly's surprise, her mother walked past the stairs and continued, but didn't say anything. Gina threw open the door to her mother's room and went to her suitcase, pulling out the rod that had smited her, and her son, and walked out the door for the staircase. Kimberly had never seen her mother so determined, and had stopped her crying quickly for her sake. She felt proud that she was going to make things right, even how difficult it was going to be. When they went down the stairs and into the livingroom, they found it empty and heard voices from the diningroom. The other guests were out back while the wedding deliberations went on, and only a few relatives were still inside the house. They approached the main enterence to the diningroom, and Gina slid the double sliding wooden doors open with a slight bang. Everyone standing around the table tossed their looks to the door, surprised by such a loud intrusion. Kimberly leaned her left shoulder against the door frame, hiding a bit of her body from view, being particularly scared by some of the people in that room. Gina stepped up to the end of the table, since mostly everyone else was around the other side of the room by the kitchen enterance.

"Are you looking to wreck my doors too?!", Eliza shouted in her frustration.

"Gina, you did as I wanted?", her mother asked, seeing the cane in her daughter's hand.

Gina ignored Eliza and took her mother's words as a perfect intro. "No mother, I did not", she said proudly, smiting her mother with words she did not expect, especially not in such a rebellious way.

"Excuse me?!", her mother growled, taking her voice into her controling one, and taking a forceful step foreward to the left side of the table.

"I'm not doing a damn thing!", Gina growled back, joining her mother on the side of the table.

"After everything to raise you, this is how you treat your family?!", she yelled. Her father was watching from the kitchen entrance, baffled by what was going on, while Eliza, her parents, and Ray watched. Kimberly heard something behind her and turned to see Craig and Ron, staring almost blankly at what was going on. Kimberly turned back to the argument, being how important it was right now.

"You did nothing to raise me! You ruined my childhood!!", Gina screamed in long repressed anger, shocking her mother by not cowering to her words. "You did nothing but hit me and torture me!!", she screamed even louder, making the occupants of the room and those outside of it become far more confused.

"I can do whatever I want!! You were far from perfect, and deserved everything you got!!", her mother retorted, trying to affirm her power.

"No child deserves anything you ever did to me!! I could never sit without feeling pain, or play without sore paws!!", Gina screamed with all her might. "Spankings, canings, paddlings!! All you ever did was hurt me!! Why don't you tell dad how you used to lock me in the basement, tied to that pipe?! You did so many cruel and inhumane things to me that have left scars that will be with me for a lifetime!! Not to mention all the so called punishments that I can't even mention!! You're a sick, sick woman to try and use fear and pain to mind control me, and make me turn against my wonderful children!!!", she screamed in relentless anger, saying what she wanted to say since she was seven.

Kimberly felt a tap on her shoulder. "Sparkle, Sparkle!", said the happy voice of her sister. She turned her head and gasped with her mouth open, with a smile that could part the sea. Her bracelet rested in the protective hands of Julia, who was smiling proudly. "You got it back!", exclaimed the overjoyed Kimberly, turning completely.

"You could say I stole it from Eliza's room when I heard the news, but then again it is yours, so I guess I'm really just returning it", she chuckled with a smile. Kimberly clasped the bracelet back on and hugged her sister, noticing that Craig had disappeared. Her grandmother growled loudly all the sudden, and the two girls turned to the door to watch.

"How dare you tell ME whats right and wrong!!! You're supposed to do everything I tell you to!!! You're a horrible daughter, and you always have been!!!", her mother screamed, taking a sudden lunge at her Gina. She threw a hard slap, only to have it not hit anything. Gina had grabbed her arm and pulled back the cane in her other hand, giving her mother a sudden shove, bringing the cane sharply across the side of her muzzle with a crack and a yelp.

"Never again", Gina said deeply, taking the cane in both hands and breaking it in two with a slam on her knee. Her mother took a few steps back, holding her hand to her muzzle, afraid of Gina. Finaly, it was the other way around.

"You're no better then that stupid girl!", Eliza shouted at Gina, who continued to ruin "her" day.

"Shut up you stuck up bitch! That "stupid" girl is one of the finest people I know, and I am very proud and grateful to have her as my daughter!", Gina snapped in Kimberly's defense.

"She's right Eliza", said Christi sternly when she walked in from the kitchen. "Kimberly is responcible and kind, and I don't appreciate all the crap you've put her and her family through! Our money doesn't make us better!!", she shouted at her sister, getting something off her chest.

Eliza growled, very unlady-like. "You're all against me!! Dammit, I want you and your kids gone, pronto!!", she demanded, pointing her finger at Gina.

Gina made a small chuckle. "I always thought I was the black sheep of the family. Now I see that I'm one of the few who isn't", she said aloud.

"You've never done anything good you ungrateful bitch", her mother growled, refusing to be quiet.

"All my life has been a great adventure. While you have always shot me down, I have always gotten back up. I've given birth to three children, who really are "perfect". Children make mistakes, and hurting them isn't right. I couldn't even be a parent, remembering everything you did to me. A childhood is golden, and you took mine away from me. You're fortunate I grew up as good as I did, having such a fuck for a mother", Gina said with prejudice, laying it on her tormenter hard.

"I hate you. You were supposed to do everything I ever said. I don't ever want to see you again! You're a failure!!", her mother fired back.

"I did as I pleased, and tried to please you at the same time. That was a waste of time. The only thing I failed at was keeping my children safe from myself, with you near me", Gina said sternly, with no fear or doubt whatsoever. Gina turned and walked to the door, passing through it's arch liberated. The past was meaningless now, and she had the present to take care of. "Oh, and Ray,", she said with a smirk, turning her head around, "if you thought my marrage was short lived, just wait and see how your's comes out with that hoe", she laughed, recieving a dirty sneer from her brother. She walked quickly to the stairs and went down the hallway with Ron, Julia, and Kimberly following. "Come on, we're leaving", she said with a smile. "Pack your stuff fast, I wanna get out of this hell hole", she chuckled when they reached their room. When Julia and Kimberly went inside, Gina asked Ron, "Could you wait with Julia for a short while? I need to talk to Craig, alone".

"Of course", Ron said with a low voice, sad for hearing about her childhood, and went to the girl's room.

Gina continued down the hall and opened Craig's door quietly, finding him packing his things already. She shut the door and walked in slowly, since they had not spoken for a day. Craig stood up from his packing and didn't say a word. His mother embraced him tight, begining to cry lightly. "Craig, I'm so sorry!", she appologized, dripping a set of tears onto the back of his shoulder.

Craig held nothing back. He started to cry himself, against her chest, no longer caring about his pride. The boy wanted his mommy, and his wish was granted.

"I know how much it hurts, trust me, I do", she assured him in a teary voice. "It goes away in a few days, but the pain that stayed in my head never left untill today", she whispered to him. "I couldn't protect you from myself, and I hate myself for it, and I never expect your forgiveness...", she sobbed, patting the back of the one she had hurt.

"I will forgive you", he said quietly, surprising his mother. "I didn't know your life was such hell. You didn't hurt me, someone else did. She brainwashed you, and I can't hold it against you", he explained sadly, having now known the whole story.

"Craig, I don't deserve your forgiveness!", she said, not knowing why he wasn't going to be angry.

"You've always been there for me, and I love you for everything you've done. You had reason for your actions. It hurts, but I refuse to hold this against you. This was my fault. You raised me to be kind and forgive, and that's what I'm going to do. I'm sorry for what happened to you when you were little...", Craig expressed, finding personal comfort with his own words.

"You make me so proud! I promice I'll make this up to you!", she sobbed, looking into his eyes with a smile.

Craig smiled back, happy to have a mother again. "Let's get out of here", he said, wanting to pick up the pace.

"Damn straight!", she said in a glad way, giving him a kiss on the muzzle before she went to her own room. Once she went in, Ron smiled and left, knowing all was well. Gina sat down next to her bed and started gathering any loose clothes, placing them back into her suitcase. This weekend had been a hell, that was for sure, but she was glad to have finally freed herself from the haunting memories. Kimberly had finished packing, placing Charlie in last so he wouldn't get crushed. She smiled with relief at the bracelet residing on her wrist, glad to still have something so important. Within a short amount of time, everyone was ready to go, and they made their way downstairs and outside. Once they made it to the car and begun putting thier things into the trunk, they were greeted by those who still wished to say goodbye.

"I'm going to miss you all, especially you Kimberly", her aunt Christi told her happily, holding Michael in her arms. "Michael's going to miss you too. You're going to be a great mommy", she added with a chuckle.

Gina's father arrived then as well, approaching her daughter with a distrought look. "Gina....", he said as a sigh, "I never knew".

"You didn't need to be burdoned with such unhappy things...you're too joyful a person.....but really, I just never had the courage to say anything", Gina replied.

Her father paused and looked into her eyes. "I just told your mother I'm divorcing her", he said sadly, shocking the hell out of his daughter. "I can't live with her, after all the things she said, and had done to you in the past", he added, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry...", Gina said with a sigh of her own.

"It's for the better. We'll be able to see eachother then", he said with a half smile, still uneasy with what he did.

"I love you daddy", she said with a full smile, giving him a hug.

"I'll try my best to keep in touch too", Christi added.

"I'd miss you if you didn't", Kimberly chuckled.

When all was said and done, the group said their last goodbyes.

"Bye everyone! Say bye to Kimberly", Christi said, holding Michael's paw to get him to wave in a cute sort of way.

Kimberly giggled before she got into the car. "Goodbye aunt Christi, bye Michael. I hope I see you again!", she said, getting in the backseat.

Craig, Julia, and Ron as well, said their goodbye. "Tell Nick goodbye for us, and that playing Monopoly with him was fun", Ron asked Christi to tell her father.

"Sure thing", she agreed.

"Well dad, we're off", Gina said, giving him a kiss goodbye.

"Take care honey. I'll see you soon, ok?", he said, sad to say goodbye, but promicing to see her again shortly.

"Okies. Bye", she said with a big smile, getting into her seat and closing the door. She started the engine and pulled out of the grass she parked in, turning the car with the road ahead of her, and her good family behind. Their grandpa and aunt Christi waved goodbye, along with the little Michael, as they drove away, back to their personal sanctuary.

On the way home, Kimberly told the story of what Eliza did to make her go off the deep end and trash her wedding. Everyone got pissed, but ended up laughing at the end result. Ron and Craig let Julia in on what happened to him quietly, and she was sort of shocked and worried, though Craig insisted he was fine. Everyone talked and joked on the way home, finding nothing in their lives to be more then they could handle. When they arrived home, they unpacked and lounged, caring not to do anything. Ron felt like a member of the family, and that was fortunate, since his mother was not successful in getting him back home. He was going to be a resident for the time being, and Julia and Kimberly didn't care about sharing a room any longer. Craig held true to what he said, and forgave his mother, with her swearing that she'd make it upto him, no matter what. Everyone was happy and carefree, finding a moment in their lives when everything was just a-ok.

The dragon threw Kimberly to the ground, face first. When she got on her hands and looked over her shoulder, he pointed the gun and pulled the trigger, as he did before, but something happened. It just clicked. He fumbled with the gun as he did when it really happened, and Kimberly got to her feet with an angry determination. She knew she was in a dream, and wanted to end this for the last time. Kimberly shouted, causing an explosion of power around her. Derek dropped his gun in awe, and took a few steps back, away from the angry girl, glowing from her mind's own determination to wipe him from her subconcious. She extended a hand, and fired a wave of energy, created by her lust for salvation, obliterating the rapper's body and the entire rear end of the house. The beam soared into the sky and split the dark clouds, destroying any bit of darkness that remained in her mind. A bird chirped, and the keeper of Kimberly's mind, herself, smiled at the beauty of what has become, and wondered of the marvelous dreams that will follow.

Kimberly awoke with no jolt, no scream, no twitch. She lightly opened her eyes and smiled, before she closed them and nuzzled her head into the pillow, falling into a peaceful slumber.