What had woken her up? It had been late, outside was still very dark. Her eyes flew open though, her heart was hammering. There was something wrong. Everything in her gut told her so.

Faye.

Where was the little girl? Hadn't she fallen asleep next to her? Reaching out, she patted the bed beside her but there was no little body curled up next to her. The hall light was out, was that why Faye wasn't in bed. Shayna always left the hall way light on for Faye. She could never sleep without it since they had left.

Getting up, Shayna brushed her hair back from her face and began searching the house. First she checked under her bed. Not wanting to alert any possible threats that she was indeed awake, she checked the closet before creeping very carefully through the house. First she checked the bathroom, nothing. Faye's room. Nothing.

Shayna's heart began to beat faster. Her pulse skipping through her chest as she continued her search. Stepping carefully down the stairs, she searched the living room. Still nothing. Her panic was rising, she hurried through the kitchen, still finding nothing. Moving on she noticed the basement door open. Surely she had closed it? Faye hated the basement. Her daddy used to put her there to punish her. Would she really wander down there? Shayna almost turned away from the basement when she heard a small noise. Something or someone was down there. Rushing to the kitchen, she grabbed a knife. Feeling a little more comfortable with a weapon she headed down the stairs. It was dark, and she would do nothing that gave her presence around.

"Tiny bird.." That voice. She knew it. Those words, those were for Faye. Faye had to be downstairs.

Her anger tinged the air around her. She could feel it almost choking her. Almost. Holding her anger to her, she turned the corner. There was a tiny light, she was careful not to get in the way. Not to give away her presence. Careful. That is what Shayna had become since she left. So how did he get into her home? How long had he known where she was? They had left New York shortly after arriving and landed in Chicago.

Again, he started talking.

"Tiny bird, that was not nice of you. Why would you kick your father? You know better."

Whooooshhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Smack.

Shayna bit her lip from crying out. She knew the sound of the belt he wielded so well. Faye began to cry, and Shayna's blood began to boil. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself. Taking all the help she could get, Shayna was no longer defenseless against her husband. No longer was she the scared girl just trying to get away. This was her home. This was not where he belonged. They no longer belonged to him.

"Tiny bird, shh, shush now or the next one will hurt worse."

Shayna no longer held herself back. Stepping out of the shadows and up behind him, she brought the knife up quick and slit his throat. His blood landing on the floor. Faye had stepped back just before the knife connected and avoided the spray that came with it.  Her eyes were wide.

"Never again."

Shayna hadn't realized those words had come from her. Collapsing next to the body in tears. As the adrenaline left her, all she was left with was an empty pit. The man on the floor next to her had hurt her for the last time. Never again would Faye or her be at his mercy. She had finally won their freedom.