The Scholarship

It's up to you

It was weird, how no matter what I said my father never listened. How no matter how much I cried he would continue to do whatever he wanted. Whatever he fucking wanted. Screams always turned into a punch, or a slap, even slamming me into things. He'd never gone so far as to grab a weapon. The bat he had hurt, it hurt so god damn much. Everything hurt so fucking much. I was begging him to just kill me. I just wanted to die. I cried about how much it hurt, and he just kept going. It was fueling him. He had always told me that crying added fuel to the fire when he was angry. I remember being a little girl and when I did something wrong he would spank me, and I would start to cry. The more I cried the harder he would hit. The welts that I would always have seemed to prevent me from being able to sit for days at a time. He would always sit me down afterwards on his knee he just bent me over,

"Now Andrea, you know why I did this to you right?"

"Yes daddy." I would say and I played with the ends up my hair and kept my tear stained face towards the floor.

"You know that crying only adds fuel to the fire darling."

"Okay daddy, I'm sorry daddy." He would pat my shoulder, remind me not to tell my mother and tell me to go play. And I would, because I loved this man so much that it hurt. He was always going to be my one and only father. I would never have another one. After my mother left I was so heart broken. The day she told me she was leaving was heart breaking.

"Andy, baby girl please come with me." She cried as she had her suitcase in her hand.

"But Daddy will be alone mommy. He needs someone with him. He needs to be loved too." I whispered. I was only 10, I didn't want to make any choices.

"Baby girl daddys a selfish man. You're only going to get hurt if you stay with him." She whispered as she hugged me tight.

"I can't leave." I stated as I started to cry. She nodded her head.

"I'll come get you one day baby." As she kissed my cheek and walked away. It's too late for you to come get me now mom.

He left hours ago I think he did atleast, and I was a bleeding mess. I was going to die today. My body was battered and bruised. I was positive I was laying in my own blood. I think I was laying underneath our ceiling fan. How long was I here? Did I ever pass out? Is the fan on or is the room spinning?

I think I must have passed out, when I came to again I heard him crying, "You look so much like her. You're a spitting image. It's why you deserved to die. I'm so so sorry Brooklyn. I'm so sorry I couldn't love you enough. Please if you come back to me, I can show you what it's like to be in love." He sobbed.

Was I dead? Had he killed me? Why was I still in so much pain if he's killed me. I just don't get it. I think I passed out again, or was I finally dead? No. I wasn't. I was in too much pain to be dead. I had to still be alive. I guess. I heard a loud bang. Was it directed towards me? Was I just shot, It sounded like a gun. I don't even know anyone who has a gun. I moved my head slightly to the left, but couldn't see anything. My head was in too much pain for me to see. It was starting to hurt really bad to breath. I was really scared, what was going on? Once again I passed out. And this time I knew I was dreaming. Everything was peaceful. Damon and I sat on a couple swings in a park as we watched Tony try and teach Pepper how to 'properly barbecue' as he put it. Our fingers intertwined and a small smile was on his face as he watched the two bicker. Sam, Ky, and Ash all were at the basketball courts playing horse. Clint and Natasha were walking across the pond that was in the middle of the park. Everything was just so calming and everyone seemed so content. "I'm glad you agreed to come live with us." Damon said.

"You're only saying that because you convinced your dad to let me sleep in the same room with you." I joked.

"Please my dad knows what we do." He winked and my cheeks grew a very deep shade of red.

"Shut up!" I squeaked and pushed my swing against his and laughed. He stopped and looked at me.

"You know I love you right?" He said, his eyes growing dark and serious.

"Of course I do, I don't think I could ever question that."

"I fell in love with you after our first kiss."

"How?"

"I can't explain it, but it happened. And I would do anything for you. Would you do anything for me?"

"Damon what are you getting at?"

"Will you wake up for me?"

After those words came out of his mouth my world went spiraling, literally the entire world starting spinning until there was nothing but darkness.

"She has a concussion, several contusions. Several ribs are cracked and we had to go in and re break her arm, as well as her right femur. There is evidence of previous abuse. And we've tried to contact her mother but she has no place to go. She'll be forced into foster care once she's healed." Someone said. It was far off like I was listening through a door.

"No. She won't be put into the system. I'll take care of her."

"Mr. Stark it isn't that simple. There's a process. Her father is dead and she has no other known family. Both parents being only children as well as her grandparents being dead. Her mother has to give up custody and if we can't get ahold of her its required by law."

"What do I have to do to get her to be mine?"

"Have a very good lawyer as well as a very good case. She's almost 18 and you may be able to let her decide. But she has to wake up before any of this can be possible. If I were you I would contact your lawyer and hope he's willing to be on this case." A door shut and there was sigh.

I had no idea how long I was there hearing everything everyone was saying. I was in fact numb and couldn't feel any supposed pain I should be in. But feeling came back and it hit really hard. It started in my legs and made it's way all the way up to my head. And I didn't want to open my eyes. Someone squeezed my hand, "Please Andy, please open your eyes." Damon whispered really close to my face. I should have known it was him from the warmth I got from our skin touching. I didn't want to open my eyes it hurt to much.

"mmm." I moaned and tried to shake my head no.

"Does it hurt?" I moaned again hoping he could tell what I meant. Shortly after someone came barging into the room touched my face.

"Andy, I'm Dr. Anson. I need you to try to open your eyes for me. I'm going to help you do it but you can't flinch away from me." He slowly opened my eyelid and shone a light in my eye. Holy fuck that hurt. As he did it to the other eye I fought to keep my eyes open. I just wanted to go back to sleep. Damon sat me up a little and fed me water. I had no idea when he got into the bed but he did, he had me laying on his chest as he fed me water because I couldn't sit up on my own. Apparently I had been out for several days. Tony and Pepper came in to talk to me as did the nurse. Explaining what happened.

"Sweety, your fathers dead." Pepper whispered as Damon and Tony both rubbed small circles into my hands.

"What?" I croaked out, "How?"

"Police believe he shot himself after inflicting pain on you." Tony muttered not able to keep eye contact.

"What happens now?" I asked as I looked down willing myself not to cry.

"It all depends on you." Pepper said while pulling my chin up to meet her eyes.