Paradise (AU, CC/UC, Adult) Part 9 06/20/2018 ~On Permanent Hiatus~

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Paradise (AU, CC/UC, Adult) Part 9 06/20/2018 ~On Permanent Hiatus~

Post by morethenwords122 »

ImageBanner by Steffi

Title: Paradise

Disclaimer: I don’t own Roswell or its characters. I get no profit. This story is just for fun. No copyright infringement intended.

Rating: Adult due to Strong Language, Sexual Content between minors, featuring Harsh and Dark themes, scenes of extreme violence and underage drinking/drug use.

Warning: I ask you to read responsibly. I will be dealing with some dark and sensitive subjects in this story like Child abuse, incest, drug and alcohol addiction, mental illness, suicide, and date rape… This story will have triggers in it and I just want everyone to be prepared before they read on. I will also be exploring some UC relationships in this story to some extent, like Max/Tess and Max/Isabel who aren't anyway shape or form related in this story; so if that bothers you I suggests not reading this story.

Category: Au without Aliens/Drama and Angst/ Romance/Family and Relationship dynamics

Pairing: CC, Ensemble

Summary: There are moments in every person’s life that defines them. A moment that makes them the person that they will become and be judged upon—some moments are good, the one that leave a warm place in your soul… while others are bad and leave a dark abyss that can never be filled and for eight teens—those moments will help them discover that while you may not be able to choose your family but you can choose the kinds of people that you let into your life and touch your soul.

A/N: This is a story that’s very personal to me. I took all the best and worse things that I, my family member, and some of my dear friends have went through in our short lives or long lives and combined them together into this one story with my favorite characters.

This story is probably going to be my best because I’m speaking or trying to speak from the heart and pour my soul into this story. I am deeply proud of where this story is going and while at times it may be dark and the subjects that I talk about are something that no human being should go through… I feel that the relationships and lessons that these characters will figure out at and form in this story are so beautiful and real.

I especially love the relationship between Max and Maria… anyway, on with the story and I hope that you will laugh when I laughed, cry when I cried, and adore this story as much as I do.


Quick Note: The family dynamics in this story are very different… Here they are:

Isabel and Liz Parker are biological siblings(?) Isabel is three years older than Liz, who is nine at the being of this story. Isabel will be a senior when Liz is a freshman.

MaxEvans and Maria Deluca are long lost cousins. Max’s father is Maria’s uncle as Maria’s mother is Max’s aunt. Max is also three years older than Maria and Amy is not Maria’s mother in this story

Michael, Tess, and Alex are foster siblings in this story. Michael and Tess are twins, while Alex is not related to Michael or Tess in anyway. All are the same age.


Warning again:Please don’t read if these subjects are too much for you… I don’t want anyone to hurt themselves.



-1-

It’s a beautiful day, Maria thought wistfully, clutching her teddy bear closer to her as the car came slowly to a stop in front of a big house and the tall, broody man next to her cut the engine.Mom would have loved a day like this, Maria hugged her gift bear close to her nose, sniffing to smell the lingering scent of her mother’s perfume and she tried to stifle the tears that were threatening to roll down her young face with abandon… but it was no use. She was suddenly alone and scared… and without her mom. She didn’t have anybody… and the man sitting in the car right next to her was just a stranger.

“We’re here,” the man’s rough voice said abruptly, startling her. She continued to hug the bear close as he continued, “I’ll just take your things upstairs to your new room.” He smiled warmly at her and got out of the car, walking over to the passenger side door. He opened it with a click and offered his big gloved hand to her.

“Come on,” He encouraged her with a flick of his head. “It’s okay… You’re home now.” His sweet words made her feel better, less afraid of what was to come and, with a small sigh, she took his hand and stepped out of the vehicle. He closed it behind her with a bang.

Maria stared at the mansion before her, awestruck for the first time in her young life. She had never seen anything so beautiful… anything so big… or at least not in close proximity. The closest she had ever come to seeing a mansion before that moment was in the movie Gone with the wind… It was her mother’s favorite movie to watch during one of her bad days and, even then, it hadn't looked anything like this.

It seemed the man she was going to be living with now was loaded… blue blood, old money kind of loaded—and, for some reason, that fact made her a little uneasy. She wasn't used to the finer things in life, not when her mother had been a single mom working two jobs just to pay the rent and keep them from starving, but now she wasn't going to want for anything and that made her feel oddly useless. Even at the age of nine, it just wasn't in her nature not to work for the things that she wanted.

“Go on up,” the tall man said a few moments later, nudging her with his hand. “He’s waiting for you.”

Maria only nodded in return before walking up the long cement driveway and through the big wooden doors of the old cottage, closing the door behind her as she walked in. She stopped dead at the archway of the front door, amazed.

The place was even more beautiful on the inside… Its pristine walls were carved out of Victorian marble that shone brightly despite its old age. A winding staircase led to the second floor of the house. Its banisters and railings above were made of iron with crystal insets at intervals. As she stared at all of it with wide, awestricken eyes, Maria felt more enthralled than she had when she was looking at it from outside… but now she also felt even more uneasy than she had before.

She couldn't live there. She looked like white trash compared to this house’s grandeur. She didn't look like someone with royal blood and making her try and fit into that mold was like trying to keep a cat from attacking a mouse… It just wasn't going to work.

“Hi!” Someone yelled excitedly, knocking Maria from her daze and making her flinch. She sighed, a little irritated at the unknown person. She wasn't any more than five feet away from the dude; he didn't have to shout. She turned toward the direction of the voice to see a handsome, dark haired boy standing on the top of the iron staircase; he was wearing a custom made black tux with his hair slicked neatly back, a red clip-on tie hanging loosely from his open jacket and she knew that, like her, he had just came back from her mother’s funeral. She knew instantly who the person in front of her was… her long lost cousin, Max.

“I’m Max!” he said cheerfully, smiling brightly at her and she couldn't help but smile a little back. He raced down the staircase in long, quick strides before coming to an abrupt stop in front of her and Maria backed away from him, a little frightened by his blatant enthusiasm… He seemed almost overjoyed at seeing her, like she was his savior or something.

“Do you wanna go in the backyard and play?” he asked, still smiling from ear to ear. “I know this really cool spot deep in the garden that the keeper doesn't trim… I can show it to you, if you want?”

“I don’t know…” Maria said, uncertain. She played with the hem of her black dress, her teddy bear dangling limply from her hand. “I’m supposed to go see your dad first.”

The beautiful smile that was on his face faltered a little at the mention of his father. In fact, he was downright frowning now. He shifted uneasily in his dress shoes, rocking on the balls of his heels. He seemed almost disappointed at her reluctance to simply go and hang out with him.

“We can play anything you want to play,” Max said shyly, clenching the fabric of his dress suit with his hands. “We can play house…dress-up… I’m sure I can convince Hinckley to go out and buy you some Barbie dolls if you want… I-I just want to hang out with you.” He finished desperately, looking on the verge of tears and Maria didn't know how to react to that. Just how lonely was her life going to be from now on? Just how lonely was this boy in front of her that he was willing to seek company with someone he had only known about for two days… someone who was younger than him? She eyed him warily, a little suspicious of him. She didn't know what to make of the eager kid in front of her and that frazzled her. She wasn't used to being shoved into the spotlight and forced to make awkward decisions… but he didn't seem too bad. At least she didn't feel so alone anymore. She had a new friend…. even if he was a little annoying.

“Do you have toy cars?” she asked quietly, still a little unsure of what she was getting herself into… but he looked so sad and Maria could never stand it when anybody was sad. She sat her teddy bear in one of the decorative chairs closest to her that seemed to litter the whole front part of the house.

“Yeah!” Max perked up at her question, sounding pleased that he had something that he could appease her with. “I have lots of toy cars!” he added, motioning with his hand for her to follow him upstairs. “There in my room… I got the new collection of Hot Wheels the other day. It hadn't even come out in stores yet.”

“Cool!” she giggled lightly, his enthusiasm was oddly infectious. She followed him closely to his room as he ranted idly about anything and everything, his sweet and melodic voice making her feel safe, welcomed… free. She hadn't felt this sense of self-security in such a long time… not since her mother had gotten sick… And, despite everything that had transpired in the last few days, he had been the first person that had been shoved into her orbit that made her feel like everything was truly going to be okay, that she was going to make it through. His overzealousness had done the impossible, making her finally feel like the nine-year-old that she was instead of the old lady that she had to become in order to be able to take care of her mother… and she didn't know how to thank him for that.

And as she stared at him with a newfound sense of affection that she didn't even know could be developed in such a short amount of time, she thought that Max Evans must be one of the loneliest boys in the world, if he was so willing to do anything to make her happy… if he wanted to be her friend.

And she guessed that was okay… because truthfully, she was a little lonely herself.

*^*^*^

Isabel was a unique girl for her age because, unlike her younger sister, she had never much cared for Barbie dolls, Princes, or princesses. She hadn't wanted a fairytale story read to her before bedtime and she had never asked her mother to check for monsters underneath her bed or in her closet. For a twelve year old, she had simply never really believed in any of it. She had known, even at an early age, that imagination was useless and would get you nowhere, except on a road to a hateful and bitter life—No… hard work and determination was the key to getting what you wanted out of life.

It was a grown up way of thinking… but Isabel hadn't been a child for years, so the adult mindset in which she thought suited her well. Unlike Liz, she never had a place in her heart or mind for such youthful and whimsical notions to take a hold. She wasn't stupid… She had always known that no handsome knight in shining armor would come riding up on his white horse to rescue her… not from her monsters… not when her demons lived inside her dreams every night.

So, to simply put it… monsters just didn’t exist for Isabel Amanda Parker… Or at least not the ones that hid underneath your bed.

“Izzie…” a familiar voice whispered in the imperfect darkness, snapping Isabel back from her thoughts. She stiffened, pulling the covers tightly around her like a shield. No, please God… not tonight, not again. “Oh, Izzie… are you awake?” the voice asked, shifting around in the darkened room.

Isabel willed him to go away as she lay still in her small bed. “Come on, Isabel… I know you’re awake,” the disembodied voice that she knew so well said amusingly, his size making her bed dip as he leaned in closer to her. “Come, Isabel, get up… It’s time to play a game.”

“No…” her young voice croaked, fisting the covers tightly around her. “Go away.” She demanded weakly.

“You know I can’t do that,” He laughed cruelly, prying the covers away from her small fists. “You know the drill by now,” he said. “You play a game of my choosing and then I go away.” He wrapped his bulky and sweaty arms around her tiny waist, holding her so close that she could smell the booze wafting off of him. She had to choke down the urge to cry and puke at the same time as she always did when he came into her room because he only ever came to her when he smelled just like that.

“Please,” she pleaded again. “Not tonight… come back tomorrow, I promise I’ll play a game than… I’ll play two,” She found herself saying and she knew that she was only making the punishment worse for herself. He hated it when she begged him… but she wanted him to go away, to get away from her and leave her alone… at least for one night. But she knew he wouldn’t go… but that didn’t stop her from trying to make him. “Just… not tonight.” She finished, sobbing.

Like they always did, her youthful pleas fall on deaf ears and he just pulled her in closer, his large nose buried into her blonde curls and she held her breath, trying not to let in the overwhelming smell of his disgusting aftershave and the unmistakable smell of bourbon. “I think…” He hummed with consideration, still holding her close and she knew what was coming... she knew what her pleas where going to get her now.

“For your troubles, we’ve going to play a game of ‘Hide and Go Seek’ tonight.” He said, tugging on the hem of her pajama pants and she inhaled deeply, steeling herself to what was going to happen next. “What do you think, hmmm?” he asked and went to work on pulling down her panties next, his overwhelming mixture of smell still making her want to gag.

Isabel Parker didn’t believe in imaginary monsters… not when she knew just what true evil felt and looked like… what something like that could really do to a person, and figments of childish evil kind of paled in comparison to it.

*^*^*^
“That looks stupid, Michael!” Tess exclaimed, snatching the pen out of her brother’s hand. “Hank has a much bigger nose than that.”

Michael chortled, patting Tess playfully on the back. Tess smacked him on the arm while Alex just smiled.

“Put it away, you guys,” Alex said softly, a bright smile still playing on his lips. “You both still need to help me change the sheets.” Alex pointed to bed in front of him. “You know how angry Hank gets when we don’t do our chores.” Alex stopped smiling as he finished, picking up the dirty clothes off their bedroom floor.

Michael and Tess stopped laughing at the mention of Hank’s name, Michael’s eyes tightening around the corners. “Screw Hank,” he said defiantly. “You know that he’ll just find something else to complain about anyway.”

Alex glared at him.

Tess sighed, throwing the pen onto the ground as she pushed herself up from the floor of their bedroom and walked over to the closet. She gingerly put some of her toys that had been lying askew all around the room back into the bin they kept in there before making her way over to him. “I’ll help you, Alex.” Tess said softly, making Alex smile and tempering some of the anger he felt towards Michael.

“Traitor…” Michael spat from his spot on the floor, poking holes in the eyes of paper he drew Hank on.

“Thanks,” Alex said over him, growing more irritated. Why did Michael have to make things so darn hard? He was only trying to make life with Hank a little bit easier. Alex had discovered a long time ago that a ‘happy’ Hank was less likely to feel the urge to beat the living crap out of them if his needs and demands were immediately met and Hank had made his demand of the day pretty clear before he had left home for the bar… ‘Get the house cleaned!’ he had yelled over his shoulder as he walked away, slamming the door behind him.

Besides Alex had only asked Michael to do one little simple thing—it wasn’t like he asked him to bury a body in the backyard. But, then again, he didn’t think that Michael would be so reluctant to help him if he had. He knew his brother would do anything for him if he asked it for himself but when it came to making Hank happy… Michael would stay stubbornly rooted to the ground before he helped do anything to make that drunk satisfied and Alex couldn’t really blame him.

But… still… that didn’t mean that he had the right to be nasty and rude to Tess when all she was trying to do was keep the peace and he was about to say so when he felt Tess’ hand pat him on the shoulder gently.

“You have to pick your battles, Alex,” Tess said softly, firmly. “And me and you both know that you’re not going to win this one… so just let it go.” She finished knowingly, grabbing the side ends to one of the comforters, smoothing it out in her soft hands.

“Now, come on and help me put these sheets on the bed,” She mocked good-naturally, dropping her voice down a few notches to sound like him.

He laughed, feeling a little better. Tess was right.

When it came to Hank, Michael was never going to bow down and give in… and Alex admired that fight in him, wished he could possesses it himself… But it also filled him with a deep sense of dread… because he knew that Hank wasn’t going to stop tormenting Michael until he got what he wanted from him: submission. And Hank wouldn’t hesitate to kill any one of them to get exactly that.

“You’re making me sound like an old man,” Alex complained half-heartily, shaking away his worries. He grabbed the other end of the comforter, fanning it out and laying it meticulously onto the bottom bunk, fussing over the wrinkles adjoining his sides.

Tess scoffed, gesturing wildly to what he was doing. “That’s because you act like an old man!” She exclaimed, tucking in one of her ends into the mattress of the bottom bunk bed sloppily… to irritate him or prove a point… He wasn’t so sure which.

She smiled slyly when he couldn’t help but un-tuck her part of the comforter, tucking it back in so that there were virtually no more wrinkles. “You’re an old man with OCD tendencies, trapped in a twelve year old’s body, and I feel sorry for you,” she finished, shaking her head as she laughed fondly, her blonde curls bouncing on top of her head.

Alex smiled and shrugged indifferently, unbothered by the ribbing. It was just the way he was… the way he had always been.

He didn’t even realize that he was doing it anymore; he just had an overwhelming instinct to fix whatever looked out of place to him, straighten what was crooked. He couldn’t even count on his fingers the number of times he had abruptly stopped what he was doing to turn a salt-n-piper shaker ninety degrees to the left when Hank would drop them back onto the countertop with a bang, or how he could simply unplug a oddly placed lamp and move it halfway across the room to fit into a better lit area or position.

He couldn’t explain why he felt like he would begin to hyperventilate if wrongly placed things weren’t fixed immediately. He didn’t know—it was like those items beaconed to him to make things right, fix what was imperfect and make them perfect… better. It didn’t matter anyway. These little oddities in his personality were like second nature to him now.

“I know,” he said, still fussing over one of the corners that refused to lay still. “But you love me anyway.” He teased, grinning.

Tess’ expression softened, a bright blush flushing her cheeks as she said, “Yeah, I do… deeply.” And he loved her too. He loved them both.

Sweet, vulnerable Tess and stubbornly impulsive Michael were the only family that he had, the only two people in the world that he loved and cared about with no reservations and he knew that they loved him back just as furiously… even if Tess was the only one willing to openly admit it.

Michael shifted restlessly from his spot on the floor, clearly uncomfortable with the turn that their conversation was taking and Alex wasn’t as comfortable with where things were going either, so he decided to change the topic.

“Michael… come and help me with the top bunk.” He said firmly, leaving no room for argument and, with a childish groan, Michael got up off the floor, sticking the picture of Hank’s ugly face into his back pocket before begrudgingly climbing the step ladder up to the top bunk.

TBC....

^*^*^*^*^
Last edited by morethenwords122 on Fri Jul 23, 2021 6:07 pm, edited 16 times in total.
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Re: Paradise (AU, CC, Adult) Part 2 2/03/2015

Post by morethenwords122 »

Part 2

Eve:
As a kid, we travelled a lot and until my 14 years old, we had already moved through my country 14 times due to my father's job and the worse that happened to me was always changing school, always being late in school programs and never having roots somewhere...

That was it! Not that it was easy, because I never made friends who would be present along my life and no Prom Ball or graduation!
I can totally understand what you went through... I moved around a lot growing up too. I lived in Long Island, New York- Bushnell, Illinois- Lafayette, Indiana, all the way back to New York again, and I can't quite remember where I lived when I was staying with my uncle in Minnesota, and Now I live in Detroit, Michigan and that was all by the time I was eighteen.

So, I can totally get it :D


April:
YAY! You started posting!

This sounds like my kind of story--a strong ensemble piece that doesn't shy away from the difficult subject matter . . . I'm in!
I love writing strong ensemble pieces and no matter how hard I try... I can't seem to write any other way :D
Isabel's part was difficult to read. I wonder if Liz endures the same thing, or if it's just Isabel. Very sad either way.
Isabel' s parts were difficult for me to write especially since you know that Isabel is one of my favorite characters... I strongly debated whether or not to post Isabel's part in the first chapter but I decided to come out strong and hard and slowly ease into the soft parts of this story.

And to answer your question, No... Liz doesn't endure what Isabel is enduring right now but your right to worry...

I already love the dynamic between Max and Maria. Max was so adorable! And I love that Maria asked if he had toy cars. You go girl.
Max and Maria's relationship in this story is one of the most beautiful relationships I've ever written and I just couldn't see Maria wanting to play with Barbie-Dolls... I always imagined Maria being a tomboy at the age she is now in this story.
I like that Michael is stubborn and won't submit. It's also an interesting dynamic between him, Tess, and Alex.

Overall, this fic should be quite the ride. I like that you've established the family relationships with characters we're not used to seeing interact quite as much.

I'm interested to see where we go from here! :D
I like that you like stubborn Michael... but his stubbornness will get him and the people he loves in trouble constantly throughout the story.

I literally went out of my way to shove together characters that we don't usually see together in the show and create a bond I believe they would of had if they had been put into each other's orbit much more in the show.

And... You are in for quite a ride... I will send these characters to hell and back before I allow them to have their happy endings.


A/N: Since I was able to get the second chapter from my beta so soon, I decided to post the next chapter. I'm trying to get the first four chapters of this story up and posted as soon as I can. I don't know how often I'll be able to post once I do and I just want to be safe.

Anyway... on with the story and once again, read responsibly. This story will have triggers in it.


-2-

He could tell the moment that Hank walked in through the front door—drunk off his ass as he stumbled over what little furniture they had, ranting and raving incoherently—that tonight was going to be a bad night and Michael steeled himself for the inevitable beat down that he knew was going to ensue. He was going to get punched in the face… it was just a matter of when… And there was nothing he could do to change it… except maybe pray for a miracle… But he had stopped believing in those a long time ago. There was no place for that kind of wishful thinking… not when they had a father like Hank.

“Stay away from him,” Tess whispered fearfully in his ear when she saw the state that Hank was in, like he was going to be the one that was going to cause everything to come to a head between them tonight. Hank was the one who had a problem with him and Michael wasn't about to lay down and take his bullshit with a resigned smile on his face… If Hank wanted to fight, than he was going to know that he had been in one when Michael got done with him. It would be a cold day in Hell before Michael ever backed down from a fight.

Alex turned his head toward both of them, his whole body stiff and a stoic look on his face. “Both of you stay away from him,” Alex said with a hard, protective edge to his voice. “I’ll handle him.”

For some reason, Hank had a higher tolerance for Alex than he did for Michael or Tess… maybe because it wasn't in Alex’s personality to be combative like Tess or rebellious like Michael. Alex was reserved and quiet person by nature… and he didn't like confrontation. That was why Hank liked him better.

“One of you ungrateful brats, get over here and get me a beer!” Hank growled, the words coming out in a barely understandable slur.

Michael sighed, scratching the back of his neck. Yep, it was definitely going to be one of those nights.

Hank slumped into the recliner in the center of the living room, putting his feet onto the coffee table in front of him. The dirt that caked his combat boots spilled all over the place.

Michael didn’t have to look at Alex to know that he was probably having a minor panic attack; he was going to have to clean up all that dirt… and soon… before Alex started freaking out and hyperventilating.

“I’ll get you one, Hank,” Tess said quickly, trying to defuse the tension building up in the room.

“No, I’ll get him one,” Michael interjected sternly, pushing Tess’ small, fragile frame behind him, protecting her.

Tess was going nowhere near Hank when he was like this. If she did something that angered him, he could and would hurt her bad. He and Alex worked hard to make sure that Tess was never in Hank’s proximity when he was looking for anything that, or in his fucked up mind, he considered a valid enough reason to hit someone.

Michael feared that if Hank ever actually hit Tess, he would kill him… and the thought of leaving Alex and Tess alone to live in another foster home without his protection scared him even more than Hank ever could.

“I don’t care who gets it! Just get me a Goddamn beer!” Hank yelled, breaking Michael away from his thoughts. His whole being jumped like a hot wire was being run through him; Hank was starting to grow impatient… and an impatient Hank was dangerous.

“Michael…” Alex said through pressed lips, concern and apprehension stamped across his young face, and he knew that Alex was thinking the same thing that he was. There was no treading lightly now. Hank was going to explode and everybody in the line of fire was going to get seriously hurt… but Michael would readily walk into the flames to keep Alex or Tess from getting hurt.

Michael ignored his brother’s look of concern. In fact, he was a little angered by it. Nothing was going to stop Hank from beating on him next week, or the week after that, or the years after… They were always going to live in fear as long as they lived with Hank. They might as well get used to it… because it was never going to end… unless Hank finally killed one of them.

He started walking over to the kitchen to grab Hank a beer, hoping that maybe the liquor would sedate Hank’s rage for at least a little while… but when Michael felt Hank’s big, rough hand snatch something from his back jeans pocket, his whole body stiffened… He had forgotten that he had stashed the drawing that he had made earlier—when Alex had asked for his help in making the beds—there.

Michael could feel himself stop breathing. There was no pleasing Hank now… It was all over and he had to just prepare himself for the fall.

“What’s this?” Hank asked gruffly, crumpling the childish drawling in his rough, adult hands.

“A drawing, Hank. You do know what a drawing is, right?” Michael responded bitterly, sarcastically, trying to purposely provoke him. If Hank was going to start hitting him, he wanted to get it over with already. “It’s a drawing of your big, fat, ugly mug.”

“You fucking smartass…” Hank huffed, sounding like a walrus out of breath. He got up violently from his recliner and grabbed Michael by the collar, shaking him roughly. “You piece of shit! You ungrateful runts don’t appreciate anything I do for you! You’d all be rotting in the gutters if it weren’t for me taking pity on your lazy asses… And what do I get? Disrespect in my own home!”

“You call this piece of crap a home?” Michael raised his eyebrow mockingly as Hank shook him again. He scoffed, “Go to hell, Hank, and take your useless pity with you!”

And that was when it happened. Hank slapped him across the face, hard and swiftly. He hadn’t even realized what had happened until he felt the sharp, ringing in his ear and the numbing pain creep up across his left cheek. Michael rubbed the red welt already growing on his cheek from where Hank had just slapped him, trying desperately to hold back the weak sobs that threatened to pour out of him. He could hear the air crackle and whip around him again, like a kinetic force as Hank swung back his hand for another round. He could vaguely hear Tess in the background, screaming for Hank to stop, to leave him alone. Then Alex had torn Hank’s hands from his shirt and stepped in front of him, guarding him with his entire body.

And, in that moment, Alex seemed larger than life to him, like his very own guardian angel standing taller than his five foot seven frame would allow, breathing hard and talking confidently.

“I drew the picture, Hank,” Alex said bravely, holding his head up high. He didn't even show Hank a flicker of fear as he said it and Michael didn't feel so scared anymore as he watched Hank’s eyes grow wide with disbelief at Alex’s uncharacteristic display of defiance.

Michael watched as his brother held his own against such an unstoppable monster… and he felt a familiar surge of pride and love wash over him as he looked at his brother, standing taller.

Shy and awkward Alex was conveying unyielding confidence as he stared Hank down, daring him to do something. It was like he knew what his declaration was going to get him… and soon Michael’s pride was once again replaced by fear… fear for his brother’s life. Even at the age of twelve, Michael knew that Hank wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone who dared challenge him… and Alex knew that as well, but there he was… challenging him.

Michael wiped the blood trickling from his ear with the palm of his hand. No. No… What was he doing?!

And because Hank never liked to disappoint anyone, he backhanded Alex so forcefully that he knocked him down to the floor with a hard thud. Michael could hear a bone breaking as Alex hit the floor.
Hank grabbed Michael by the collar again, shoving him harshly into the recliner he had only vacated a few minutes ago.

“Sit there and don’t get up!” Hank yelled firmly, pushing Tess out of the way when she tried to help Alex up off the floor.

“I’m going to show you both what little bastards like you get when you try to be brave,” Hank finished with an evil glint in his eye.

Michael hadn't even got his bearings back when Hank threw another punch to Alex’s face, the thwack of muscle hitting bone echoed throughout the small trailer. Blood gushed through Alex’s nose, coating his white tee-shirt and blue jeans with droplets of thick, red blood.

Tess covered her mouth with her small hands, like she was trying to hold in a scream as Hank stomped Alex in the face with the heel of his boot, knocking him out with a loud grunt.

“I’m S-s-…” Michael stammered, trying to get the words to leave his throat but they trailed away as he watched Hank kick Alex hard in the face again… and he could feel the blow resonate through him, a painfully deep throbbing, making his face ache even worse than before… but it was too late for apologies.

Hank lunged a swift kick to Alex’s ribcage, breaking bone… It was always too late.


TBC...

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Last edited by morethenwords122 on Tue Feb 03, 2015 4:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Paradise (AU, CC, Adult) Part 3 2/09/2015

Post by morethenwords122 »

Part 3



Roswelllostcause:
Nice start. Poor Isabel. Oh I so want to use Hank's head as a hockey puck!
Thanks! And, Yeah, Poor Isabel... she has it rough right now. I think we all would like to beat the crap of Hank too :(


Carolyn:

Loved the reference to Gone With The Wind........that has to be everyone's mother's favorite story. I remember my mother reread the book at least once a year and when I read it, I was surprised how different it was from the movie.
Well, I probably have the only mom in the free world who hates Gone With The Wind... She says that it has much to do with Scarlet O'Hara being a complete bitch or something...And Honestly, I kind of agree with her. I'm an old movie buff but I just couldn't get behind it but it was the only reference that made sense to me to use to describe the mansion.
Poor lonely little Max.......he just wanted to hang out with Maria. That must be a very sad household.
Max's household isn't perfect in a totally different way than Isabel and Tess/Alex/Michael is... He has it better than them... but sometimes, I also think he has it worse because he had nobody before Maria to share his loneliness with.
Hank is a piece of work.....it's a shame he is a foster parent to the kids.
It breaks my heart for shy, awkward Alex to be backhanded by Hank.
All these scenes with Hank and the kids are hard for me to write... probably because they remind me a lot of the abuse I endured when I was younger... but I marched on and wrote them because it had to be done but it wasn't easy... Plus, it's only going to be worse for them.


April:
I agree with Carolyn. Definitely not paradise so far, so the title is very ironic.
Yes, you're right, I was trying to use the name of this fic in a ironic sense but it also has a double meaning as well. These characters are going to be searching throughout the story for their own form of Paradise to escape the pain that they had or are enduring... And, Some will find it in unhealthy and destructive ways... While others will find it by falling in love.
That was such a sad part, but it makes me love Alex all the more. He's brave and kind and protective. I wonder how this whole incident will affect him.
It will affect all of them... Mostly, Alex and Michael but Tess will still be affected by the events but to a lesser extent.
I'm also starting to wonder if Hank might push things too far at some point. I mean, he's already pushing them too far, obviously, but if it escalates further or if the kids feel like they need to protect each other and retaliate against him for all of this . . . well, Michael already seems like he's about ready to kill him. For real.
Hmmm... You'll just have to wait and see.


Eva:
Whoaw! My head and heart is pounding after reading these two chapters. As always it stays important where your cradle stands. Where you can grow up.

And there's a lot of that shit going on, even in home where you wouldn't expect it. It's sad and it stays sad. The moment people get used to this kind of abuse, the moment people aren't enraged anymore after reading or coming across situations like that, the world is over for all I care.

These kids have been surely dealt with very bad cards from the beginning. I can only hope they will overcome it somehow, leaving as less scares (internal and on the outside) as possible. Even when I know that chance is slim to impossible. But I still need that hope, you know. That hope that they can survive this in one way or the other, that they will still be capable to grow up as fine adults who can still trust another person.
You are not wrong to have hope for these cast of characters or for the real children dealing with the issues that I have and will be talking about in this story... I can relate closely to what Alex/Tess/Michael are going through and if I hadn't had hope that I would someday escape... I don't think I would have survived as long as I had.

It's right to hope for the better... but, at the same time, too much hope can be a bad thing... something that these characters will learn about all too well.


A/N: Warrning: Be responsible.This story will have triggers.




-3-

“Tess…”

The door creaked softly under the weight of Michael’s shoulder. He glanced behind him, afraid for what felt like the millionth time tonight. He leaned against the wall on his left, moving closer to the beer-gutted shadow cast upon it and stared at the figure that was slumped in the recliner of the small living room, half a beer was dangling from his right hand, moments away from spilling all over the carpet.

Michael stared at the dangling beer can. I’m going to have to clean that up before Hank wakes up in the morning, he thought, running a hand through his messy blonde hair.

Michael could tell that Hank had fallen asleep with the football game on. The TV’s static filled up the small trailer with uproarious cheering from the fans and announcers celebrating their recent victory. He panicked for a moment, fearing that the loud cheering was going to awaken the chubby, vile figure that was his foster father, who was beginning to slide off of the recliner a little… but he sighed in relief when he could still hear the loud snoring through all the screaming on the television.

Hank was passed out and it didn’t matter anymore how loud any of them were since Hank was completely out of it.

Michael sighed again, turning back to the door behind him. “Tess… Alex?” he whispered through the small creak in the door, opening it further. “Are you guys awake?” he asked a little louder to be heard over the loud, constant cheering of the T.V. echoing in through the silent room.

Tess stirred a little in her bed, but Alex was out cold, barely even moving… Hank had beaten him so severely that he had lost consciousness around the time that Hank took another hard kick to his ribs. And for a moment, Michael’s heart filled with fear that Alex might be dead…

He hadn’t been able to tell for sure before Hank sneered something about Alex being weak and picked him up off the floor, throwing him into the top bunk of their shared room with Tess following closely behind, and locked the door behind her, preventing Michael from getting in there until he was sure that Hank was passed out and he could safely get the key from his pocket.

Michael could tell that Alex had been laying in the same position that Hank had left him in, his arms curled around his knees with his head lolling back against a pillow. His chest was heaving up and down with steady breaths, small snorts were coming out through where his nose might be broken… and it wasn’t fear that Michael felt in seeing this… It was anger, white and blinding rage, at what Hank had done.

He felt foolish that he believed that he could rightfully protect them from Hank when he was hardly even able to protect himself from him. He should never have let Alex step in… No matter how tough he was when it came to facing Hank alone, he hadn’t been able to be tough when it really mattered… and now Alex was hurt badly and it was all his fault.

Tess leaned on her elbow, staring at him through the eye that hadn’t yet blacked over from when Hank had pushed her to the floor and she had landed on her face.

“Michael?” she asked, squinting her eyes as she tried to adjust to the new light shining in through the room. “Is he asleep?” she asked a moment later, her voice sounding so small that he almost didn’t even recognize it over the loud voices of the TV.

“More like passed out cold.” Michael said with a raw twinge to his voice.

“He didn’t even get to see that the Giants had won.”

“Good,” she replied venomously, becoming the girl he recognized again. She sat up and leaned her back against the bed board of the wooden bunk beds. He could see the bruises on her arms and face glinting clearly in the moonlight.

“Does it hurt?” he asked after a few beats of silence, walking the rest of the way into the room and closing the door behind him, making the room dark again. “Can I get some ice for you?”

Tess said nothing for a few moments before she replied emotionlessly, “No thanks… It doesn’t hurt that much anymore.”

“Can… can we just go to bed?” She asked softly.
He nodded eagerly, happily. He had never felt so exhausted in his entire life. He just wanted to sleep and forget that this entire night had ever happened.

Michael climbed into the bottom bunk, tired and sore. The left side of his face had swollen from where Hank had slapped him, the black and blue bruise throbbing painfully. It would turn yellow by the morning and he was going to have to figure out how to explain the bruise away tomorrow at Summer school… It shouldn’t be too hard… The people in this town already thought that he was a future menace to society in the making anyway.

He hugged Tess close. All the guilt and pain he had been pushing deep inside of him all night was finally overwhelming him and he let it… It was okay now; it was okay to be weak in the protection of his twin sister’s arms and in the darkness of their shitty room. He felt her hand brush against his cheek, wiping away some of the tears that he hadn’t even known had fallen.

He pulled away from her to grab the comforter of her bed and wrap it around them, when he felt her hand grab his and stop him. “What?” he asked, a little irritated. He hoped that she wasn’t about to comment on the fact that she had just seen him crying…

He’d rather not acknowledge that, but instead she surprised him when she said, “Not here.” She pulled the covers away from his hands, tossing them aside as she climbed out of the bed, waiting for him to follow her.

“Where?” He raised his eyebrow, confused. There wasn’t anywhere else they could go, but instead of answering his question, she began to lift her small feet up onto the railing of the top bunk and pushed herself up and over.

That was when he finally understood what she had meant and for a brief moment, he panicked. What if Hank woke up and caught Tess in Alex’s bed? Would he be angry enough to start beating on Alex again…? Would he beat Tess? Hell, would he even care?

Annoyed with himself for being a little, scared bitch, he got out of the bed angrily and made his way over to the railing as well, using what was left of his strength to push himself up and over.

Tess had already curled herself up against the left side of Alex’s body, her arms wrapped around his waist, her head laid on his chest. She was holding him protectively, like she was trying to prevent any more harm from being done to him.

“I don’t want him to be alone when he wakes up,” Tess said when she saw Michael come up onto the top bunk. She sounded small and afraid again… and Michael hated it.

He gave Tess a hard, guilt-ridden look. It was his fault that she had seen what she saw tonight. Hank wasn’t usually this bad; he was always angry and looking for a fight, but was never this vicious. It wasn’t like she had never seen Hank throw a punch or a kick or two at either of them… but she had never seen a full-on beat down like he had used tonight… and it was Michael’s fault that things had escalated the way it did.

He had provoked him, poked the bear and pushed all of the right buttons to get a reaction… all in an attempt to show Hank that he was a big man… But Hank had seen right through it… because, in truth, he was deeply afraid of Hank… And now that he knew what Hank could do, he was even more terrified then before.

Hank could easily have killed Alex tonight and he knew that Michael knew it… And now, it was going to be hung over his head whenever he tried being a big shot again. He was truly a prisoner of Hank’s abuse now and he was just going to have to take it with a resigned smile on his face if he wanted to keep Tess and Alex safe… And, for some reason, the knowledge of that terrified him most of all.



TBC...

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Last edited by morethenwords122 on Sun Apr 17, 2016 11:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Paradise (AU, CC, Adult) Part 4 2/11/2015

Post by morethenwords122 »

Part 4


Roswelllostcause:

I feel so bad for Michael, Alex and Tess. They shouldn't have to live like that! Someone needs to help them!
Two main people will help the Guerin siblings... and one of them doesn't have the best of intentions.


Eva:
I can feel with the Michael in this story. The feelings of regret and anger are very recognizable. I'm also a person who can keep thinking over and over about what I did and which consequences my actions had on others. It will be Michael's biggest weakness and at the same time his biggest strength too.
The way Tess lay protective next to Alex warmed my heart. Those kids live in hell but they will go to another hell, just to protect each other.
Yes, Michael's regret and anger will be a big strength and weakness. The strength is that he'll be able to realize that sometimes to protect the one's that we love, we have to make great and unfair sacrifices, but at the same time... all those pent-up emotions are going to have to be released in some other way... and they won't be released in a good way.


Eve:
Bad! Bad!... :? They should try to defend themselves, together... especially when Hank is drunk! :(
Yes, I agree. They should defend themselves against Hank... but as someone who's dealt with an abusive relative, it's not always worth it to stand up against your abuser. It can come back to bite you in the ass... especially when you have someone as sadistic and cruel as Hank knowing all your weaknesses.



A/N: I believe that this chapter is a prime example of having a character, or characters take over your story and have the personality of the character you had originally planned to put on paper head in a whole different direction. I originally planned for this chapter to go WAY differently...

When I had first started the drafts of Paradise, I had wanted to have Isabel be cold and unforgiving, to hate and be jealous of Liz for not having to deal with the same abuse that is brought down on her... But then, Isabel had to put her two sense in and say 'No'... that she wanted to be cold for entirely different reason, that she wanted to protect Liz from the abuse not have her endure it. And Max and Maria... Oh, Max! Oh, Maria...

I had wanted to have Max be much more of a arrogant brat, who doesn't trust anybody and have Maria be the seeking a friend to curb her loneliness but then... they switched roles on me, well, Max switched roles on me. He's the lonely guy, seeking a friend and Maria is the one who can't seem to trust nobody.

Man, this chapter gave me a hard time because once again, these characters wanted to tell me what to do! Max wanted to be too over affectionate, Maria wanted to be way too distant, and Isabel wanted to be way too comforting... But I reined them in and found a happy medium. Max gets to be affectionate without being a creeper, Maria got to be distant but still open, and Isabel got to be protective without giving into Liz.

But unfortunately in later chapters, I just didn't have the heart to reel in these characters and tell them 'no' all the time. So, sometimes they ended up getting their way. So this chapter ended up not being all I had envisioned it to be... but I'm still pretty happy with it.


I'm so sorry, guys!... I forgot to post the song of the week when I first posted this chapter earlier. well, it's 'Angel On My Shoulder By Gretchen Lieberum', play when you see :(



-4-

“Izzie… are you awake?” a voice whispered softly, poking her insistently in the shoulder, forcing Isabel back to consciousness with a hard flinch in the darkness. There was a brief moment of vague panic, when her sleep-hazed mind thought that her dad had come back into her room again and, despite being half-asleep, she began to mentally prepare herself for what would feel like another invasion of her soul before she realized that it was Liz’s wide, childish, brown eyes staring up at her with fear. Isabel sighed—whether it was in relief or terror, she didn’t quite know—but she knew one thing. Liz couldn’t be here. Isabel couldn’t protect her in this room, in her room, where it seemed all dark things happened to good people.

“Liz…” Isabel said, running a hand through her hair as she wiped the troubled sleep from her eyes. “What are doing up this late?” she asked sternly, trying not to move her limbs too much. She was still sore from earlier… Her father had been rough with her tonight.

Liz rocked back on the balls of her feet nervously, looking away and avoiding Isabel’s questioning stare, like she was afraid that what she was about to say was going to get her scolded.

“I had a nightmare…” Liz paused, her young, fearful eyes meeting her big sister’s world-weary ones as she played with her hands. “And I was wondering… if I could sleep with you?” she finished. Her look was hopeful and pleading, and Isabel felt her heart sink… Of all the things she could have asked…

“No.” Isabel said quickly to mask the growing pain in her heart… As much as she wanted to comfort and hold her sister, Liz couldn’t stay… not tonight... not ever. Isabel had seen the way that her dad had started looking at Liz lately and it terrified her. It was her responsibility to handle this constant pain, as long as their dad never touched Liz; it was the deal she had made with her dad when this had started. She just couldn’t bear for those things to happen to Liz … Besides, she didn’t want her little sister to be there if their dad decided he wanted another go-round and came back. She was afraid of what he might do to her too if they both were in the same room together.

As long as Liz was out of sight, she was safe. But if he saw her there and took himself a taste, he might just thing that he had the right to do whatever he wanted… that Liz, too, was his to have… Isabel didn’t know what kind of monster he would become…

Isabel knew that her father’s satisfaction with her was starting to wane. She was going to be thirteen soon— and he had begun to deem that too old for his liking. He was getting so tired of her, in fact, that he had started making off-hand comments about other young girls around the neighborhood… and for one terrifying moment, he had even made a comment about Liz… So… no, Liz couldn’t stay and she needed to know that.

It was her job to protect Liz and, if that meant being a cold hearted bitch when her sister needed comforting, then that was the way it would have to be… It was time for Liz to stand tall on her own and start learning to be a strong, independent woman, who didn’t need anybody—not even her big sister—to comfort her. Liz wasn’t a baby anymore and no one was going to treat her like it for much longer. As much as it hurt to be so cruel to her, it was probably the greatest gift that Isabel could ever give her sweet little sister. It was much more than she had ever gotten at that age.

“You’re almost nine years old, Liz… Grow up,” she spat harshly, watching as her sister’s beautiful, hopeful face fell and grew sad. Isabel felt her heart breaking a little. She felt like she was the monster, not her father. She felt like bawling her eyes out for what felt like the millionth time tonight… She felt like dying… but she sucked it up, making herself into unbreakable iron. She told herself to be strong. It needed to be done.

“Okay…” Liz said sadly, turning back toward the door and opening it as she said, “Good night, Izzie.” She sighed, closing the door behind her with a small wave and smile… and Isabel felt like hitting something… hard.

It wasn’t a good night. It wasn’t a good night at all.

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:(

“MOM!!!”

Max woke with a start, his whole body on high alert as he heard Maria scream again.

“Mom! Wake up, please… Wake up!” she yelled.

He could hear her violent sobs though the thick walls of his room and that scared him badly. Max pulled back the covers of his bed with haste and raced down to Maria’s room, not even bothering to put on his pajama pants before he left his room. Maria needed him and he had to get to her… He had to get to her now.

He didn’t bother to knock on the door before he pushed it open with a click and ran in… and what he saw caused a deep pain to slowly creep up in his heart, squeezing it tightly.

Her hands were clutching the bed sheets around her tightly, like she was trying to ground herself back into reality and her breathing was coming out in quick gasps. Small whimpers escaped her mouth as tears silently tracked down her cheeks. Fear and horror were stamped clearly across her face as she fought to keep the pain of her nightmare at bay.

“Maria… are you okay?” He asked, his voice barely above a whisper. He was unsure of what to do, what to say. He felt like he was treading in uncharted territory or like he was talking to a caged animal that he was afraid could strike at him at any moment.

He suddenly felt so foolish for rushing in there with all his calibers running on high, charging in on some white horse… like he was some kind of cowboy, who was ready and willing to save the person he loved. He didn’t know how to help her anymore then he did himself… and that made him feel stupid and useless. He had never had anyone but himself to take care of and look after before… and he wasn’t so sure that he could be what Maria needed right now.

“Maria,” He said more firmly, determination driving him on and pushing the uncertainty to the back of his mind. Maria needed him to comfort her right now and nothing was going to stop him from being who she needed him to be.

He moved over to her bed, sitting on the edge to stay out of her way and giving her space to breathe. “It’s okay…” He said softly, tying to wrap a comforting arm around her, but she moved away from him with quick and jerky movements, like his touch was made out of fire or something.

Max shook his head, waving away the slight ping of hurt he felt at her rejection. He told himself not to take it personally; it was all probably too much for her to handle right now and, besides, she had only known him for one day. How could he expect her to be comfortable with showing him this weak and vulnerable part of her when she didn’t even know if he’d use it against her?

“Maria… it was just a dream.” He whispered again in the darkness, trying to reassure her that it was all going to be okay now... that it had been only a bad dream, and he was there to keep her safe… But she didn’t move, or smile… and she didn’t even acknowledge his presence, let alone his words.

He felt a sudden rush of fear once again; she looked like she was dead inside. She just was lying there, not moving, hardly breathing. She was staring at the ceiling above her with a far away, glassy look in her eyes. The pain that he had seen there earlier was gone and what replaced it killed him even more than the pain written across her face had.

Before he even knew what he was doing, he jolted up, ran out of her room and rushed back into his, and dove under his bed for what he believed could help her, like it had helped him during some of his most lonely moments. He was hoping that it would help bring her back to life and take away that scary, beyond dead look in her eyes that terrified him more than her painful yelling had.

He began to inch back out from under his bed once his hands had grasped the object that he was looking for and began to pull it out along with him; his cold, sweaty palms left wet streaks across its surface. He held the item close to his chest, his heart, guarding it with his life as he got back up and went back into Maria’s room.

She was still lying there, not looking or seeing anything, when he opened her door. He walked back to her slowly, to keep from scaring her, and pressed the box into her cold and lifeless hands. Her whole body jerked violently under the weight of something new and unfamiliar… but her eyes cleared and color was coming back into her cheeks as she stared at the object before her.

She rubbed her thumb over the surface of the leather box delicately, like she was afraid that she could stain the leather with her touch if she pressed down on it with too much purpose. “What is it?” she asked softly in the moonlight, her voice sounding small and hoarse from the screaming… but her whole being was vibrating with renewed hope and curiosity. Her expression was open and alive… much more than it had been before.

“It’s paradise, Maria…” he said, leaning down to her eye level again. He ran his own hand over the box gently, pushing it tighter into her grip. “It’s a place where you can tell about all your fears, your wishes, and hopes without ever being judged… because a box doesn’t judge you, Maria…” He paused, taking a deep breath, before he said, “And neither do I.”

She sighed, ignoring his statement as she ran her hand continuously over the box’s smooth surface… almost as a form of comfort, grounding her back from the dark place that she had been. She held the box closer to her body as she asked, “Whose is it?”

“It’s mine,” he answered, folding his arms over the edge of her bed. He was upset and hurt that she refused to take his offered help… but he could tell the moment that she had walked through his front door earlier that morning that Maria Deluca was special. She was the type of girl that was so used to taking care of herself and others on her own that the idea of having someone help her along the way was a foreign concept to her.

She radiated independence and he admired her for that… because if it wasn’t for Hinckley, Max Evans wouldn’t know what to do with himself.

“I made it in school… It was my only friend until now.” He continued after a few moments of silence. “I’m here for you, Maria… whether you believe… or want me to be… or not… I’m here,” he finished softly. There wasn’t anything else he could do… It was all he had left to offer… and hopefully, some day, she would see that he wasn’t an enemy and he just wanted to be there for her.

“I don’t…” she paused, looking up at him, begging him not to leave with her eyes. Max knew that this was the closest Maria was going to come to admitting that she needed somebody.

She shook her head, continuing, “I don’t want to become like my mother…” she said, still looking at him, her eyes swimming with unshed tears. “I don’t want to be so deep into the darkness of my own mind that I begin to forget that there are other people around that care about and need me.” She finished, her voice breaking, and Max nodded his head.

He understood with his whole heart and soul what she meant. He was afraid too. God, for a twelve year old, he was afraid of a lot of things… but what he was most afraid of was becoming like his father—distant and bitter—the loneliness he felt engulfing him until it started turning into something dark and uncontrollable, something that made him cold and hardened.

But what he feared most of all… before Maria had come along… was that he was already too late to stop it. That he was just a rich, lonely boy, who would forever wish for a friend… but get a big, empty box instead. But he wasn’t scared any more… not with Maria by his side… and as long as Maria was welling to be his friend, he knew he was going to be alright.

“Yeah,” he whispered, smiling sadly. “I’m afraid of that too.”



TBC...

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Last edited by morethenwords122 on Sun Sep 27, 2015 3:26 pm, edited 4 times in total.
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Re: Paradise (AU, CC, Adult) Part 4 2/11/2015 [TFD - 7/31/1

Post by jbangelo »

Author is ready to update.
“You know you’re right for someone when they force you to be the best version of yourself.”

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Re: Paradise (AU, CC, Adult) Part 5 7/14/2015

Post by morethenwords122 »

Part 5


Roswelllostcause:
Liz will understand some day that Isabel is trying to protect her.
Yes, someday she will... but not today. Not now.


Eva:
In their loneliness, their despair and even their hell they are all so brave. Too brave for the young kids, they still are.
You have to have some strong sense of will to survive what they are going through. You have to be brave... or else you'd never survive.
Except for Liz, they all had to grow way too quickly and everyone of them took the path they thought would help them.
Yes, they did and they still will have to grow up in some ways but don't rule out Liz's pain... she may not have to experience some of the hardships the others have... but she's grown up in the Parker residence... and their parents are far from normal.

April:

Such sad parts. I'm glad I have a high tolerance for angst!
:lol: Good thing I have a high tolerance for writing angst, or else this story wouldn't exist.
I can totally relate to what you said about the characters telling you what needed to happen in the chapters of this story. I think that's the sign of well-developed characters. And its good that you listened to them. Sometimes it's nerve-racking to deviate from the plan, but that's often what amplifies the story to another level and creates characters you're truly invested in (either as an author or a reader).
I don't know why, but all these characters are switching over on me! Changing and making me have to evolve with them or lose this story entirely; it's nerve-racking to have characters with a mind and will of their own, I constantly have to prove that I'm the master of this story(cue in the rain and thunder)...

The only one not changing is Alex, but then again Alex is well... Alex, fanfic or not. But I still love these wacky cast of characters, and I believe that they're changing for the better... or for the more dramatic... I can't tell :D
I really love this Max. He's so lonely but so kind. I think his relationship with Maria is going to be a very special one.
I love Max too :D Max and Kyle are by far my favorites in this story.
So did Maria's mom kill herself?
I'd answer that question... but I'd have to kill you after I answered it.
Poor, poor Isabel. She was so brave and selfless there. Hopefully when Liz is old enough, she'll be able to understand why Isabel shut herself off and acted like that. That whole situation makes my skin crawl.
I know! I hate writing about Isabel's situation, it not only makes my skin crawl but it makes me want to reach through my own words and pages and Kill her dad... but then I have to remind myself that he'll get what's coming to him and he'll get it good 8)

As for Liz understanding... umm... well... She's young and all she sees is that her big sister doesn't want to be around her anymore. It hurts her, and it will drive her to put up with some messed up stuff that will be done to her and will happen around her, but she will eventually understand why Isabel's acting the way she is-- but not before their relationship does a swan dive and they become completely estranged.
I'm interested to see how all these dark, twisted lives end up twisting together.
I have a instersting way to bring them together :wink:

Eve:
I understand Isabel really well, because she is afraid her little sister Liz will - as well - have to support Hank's ill-treatment too, when she will be older... and it will be too soon anough... :?
Sorry, if I haven't made clear that Hank isn't Isabel and Liz's father. He's isn't anyone's biological father. He's just foster parents to Alex, Tess, and Michael and a seriously lacking one at that. Sorry if you misunderstood :(

Isabel and Liz's father remains a mystery for now... but I have a feeling that some of you have already guessed who it is? :?:


A/N: Sorry that it took me sooo long to update guys but I recently bought myself a new computer, so there solves that long age problem and I plan to update more frequently from now on.

And then my beta had some work related project to finish and I had to wait for her to have the time to review this chapter over... I kind of feel bad that I'm only giving you guys a filler chapter for your long ass wait... but I don't feel too bad since I already have chapter 6 written out and sent to my beta.

So without further-a-do, here's part 5 :D




-5-

Alex crashed back into conciseness, his whole body shaking and seizing in unbelievable, unbearable agony. He couldn't even catch his breath without a sharp jab of pain radiating through him… his ribs were broken for sure and he probably had a concussion. He was barely able to keep himself from blacking out again, he was quivering so badly.

He had never experienced this kind of pain before in his entire life… He was hoping he’d never have to again, but for some reason he had a feeling that he would. It was just the way that his life rolled now.

Alex tilted his head upward slightly, trying hard not to use his entire body in the action and took in his surroundings. He was in his room; he had no idea how he got there… The last thing he remembered was bleeding on the floor—Hank probably threw him in there after he passed out. He hated it when he couldn't watch the pain in his victim’s eyes. He was also unbelievably warm, smothered… almost like he was suffocating on more than his jagged breaths for air.

He looked to the left of his bed and found Tess was sound asleep, her tiny arms wrapped around his side, her fingers gripping tightly onto the fabric of his shirt as though she was afraid that he’d disappear if she didn't hold on tight enough. He couldn't help the warm smile that fluttered across his face; he smiled through the pain of his broken and swollen lips.

He didn't know why, but Tess’s embrace made him feel loved and safe, like she would protect him no matter what… but that didn't surprise Alex. Tess tended to cuddle up to one of the boys after taking a beating from Hank. What surprised him that just on his right was Michael was holding him just as tightly and furiously as Tess.

Hell, he was holding him even more closely than she was. It wasn't really a surprise that Michael was holding him after a beating like he had taken tonight. He knew that Michael could be affectionate when he wanted to—in the privacy and solitude of their room, where no one but he and Tess could see and judge him for it. That wasn't what surprised him… What surprised Alex about Michael’s equally strong embrace was that he was giving it so willingly and freely.

Even though, Michael could be as sweet as the next person… he wasn't ever sweet and yielding without expecting something in return. It was usually praise that he wanted and craved… he expected that just as the recipient accepted the hugs or kisses he gave… the praise that he had done well or had done what was expected of him. He wanted to make sure that the people he cared for and respected would never doubt that he loved them or respected them, even when he couldn't always show it… and Alex fulfilled these expectations just as willingly.

He understood that Michael needed praise like he needed air; that the desperate need to be appreciated was one of his deep rooted hang ups and he knew not to question or try to fix it. Alex didn't want his own hang ups fixed, so he left Michael’s alone. Who was he to judge? He was borderline OCD and would practically have a panic attack if he had to deviate from his well-planned routine.

He guessed that he should give the same approach to whatever this was now. Michael was holding him tightly as he dreamed sad dreams, if the wet tears streaming silently down his face were anything to go by.

So he just did what he normally did when Michael gave affection in real time. He patted Michael’s shoulder softly, telling him in a soft whisper that he had done well, and tried to fall back into a restless, and painful sleep, hoping that he wouldn't dream sad thoughts as well.

He might have a lukewarm, abused life… but it could also be a lot worse.



TBC..


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keepsmiling7
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Re: Paradise (AU, CC, Adult) Part 5 7/14/2015

Post by keepsmiling7 »

I'm glad you have been able to come back to this story.
Are there really people like Hank out there in the world? That is so sad and leaves you with a feeling of helplessness.
That is amazing how Isabel is protecting her younger sister.
Love Max's paradise box......what a wonderful idea.
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April
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Re: Paradise (AU, CC, Adult) Part 5 7/14/2015

Post by April »

Yay, you're updating again! I was so happy to see this.

I like this dynamic between Michael, Alex, and Tess. It's so unusual to see the three of them depicted as having any sort of relationship in a fic, so that's very cool and makes your story unique.

That last line makes me feel like Alex has just gotten so used to this kind of life, like he's forcing himself to settle for this. Yeah, maybe things could always be worse, but his life is pretty damn bad already. I can't wait to see him and the rest of these people rise up from the ashes and find something better out there.
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Roswelllostcause
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Re: Paradise (AU, CC, Adult) Part 5 7/14/2015

Post by Roswelllostcause »

The life Michael, Alex and Tess live is so sad. Someone really needs to help them!
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begonia9508
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Re: Paradise (AU, CC, Adult) Part 5 7/14/2015

Post by begonia9508 »

It shouldn't be allowed, from some people to take care of children...

EVE :(
Last edited by begonia9508 on Sat Mar 12, 2016 10:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
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