More Than Meets the Eye

part 2

5 years later
Kennedy was now 10, Sal was almost five and she was no longer living West, as six months ago her dad returned.

He had ditched after finding out about June from the hospital the next day. Kennedy didn't care, she assumed he wouldn't ever come back anyway,  that was of course the plan. He had completely fallen off the earth.

Kennedy didn't know why he seemed so effected it's not like he loved her. Sure he liked the drug buddy, the punching bag, the warm body, but even as a child Kennedy knew that was not love. She did find what what live in a family was supposed to look like through living with the Adam's for those months. No drugs, no checking pulses on the middle if the night, no hiding narcan under the pillow "just in case". And definitely no beatings when you'd say the wrong thing.

They ate together and did other normal family things like trips and movie nights. She even started going to dance classes with West where she met his friend, Arlene and they got along great. She had cute curly blonde hair, brown eyes and had sun-kissed skin. She so badly wished it could stay this way, she felt free and maybe even happy. She lived this fantasy for five years,but happiness never lasts for Ledgers, good fortune was not something they knew as her dad would say. So when that court order came to the door saying she would be to return home that next morning, it felt like her whole world just was spun out of wack all over again. nothing really is permanent
"Why does he even want us back" she cried to West, although all he knew was what she told him. Which was that he was a drunk who cheated, it was better than he really was. "Maybe he really is different he told my mom he was so sorry I think he really regrets it" I wish I could be as naive as you. she thought

Darcy did what he had done when she still had her mother and CPS would be threatening to take them, he sobered up enough to present to the court. This time as a "new man" who just needed time after losing the love of his life. He thanked Mrs. Adams for her generosity of taking his daughter in and that he would do everything he could to repay her. She barely knew about the situation before so she took to his warm smile and charm just like every body else always did.
This was the problem of having a drug addict parent who didn't "look like a drug addict."

Although you may know the ins and outs people only see what they want. Kennedy knew this about the world, just like she knew a lot of other horrible truths that most parents would have stopped their child from realizing.
But not hers, they made sure to expose her to almost everything in the book even if usually unintentionally. Kennedy never really loved her father, he was really mostly a stranger. She bit back tears as he packed his briefcase and pulled the cuffs of his suit smiling and shaking hands of the jurors who gave their undeserved sympathy.
She came to the realization that she had really only seen this man enough times to count on two hands, her own father. Her mother although flawed was around sober at least enough for memories. why couldn't he have died she thought.
As everyone left and it became only the two officers, the judge, her father, his lawyer and herself, she felt the air leaving her chest. She felt the way her whole body tingled with anxiety like everything was one second away from exploding she looked down at her shaky hand and picked the skin around very polished nail. Her fathers steps against the floor made her look up from her nail picking and visibly shiver. "You cold babygirl here" he put his jacket around her small frame and reached his hand out. She jumped at the contact which made him grab her tightly on the shoulder. "Lets go home" she took his hand with a fake smile and spoke into his ear, a harsh tone behind each word. "If I was going home we both know I wouldn't be going with you." He gave her hand an uncomfortable squeeze and creepily sweet smile. They walked over to West and Mrs.Adams bidding goodbye and giving Sal over to her as she made sure to hold her hands out first. "Let me" Darcy opened his arm to take him, "I got it" she walked ahead without a second glance. The drive to their new home was quiet. They arrived in a small neighborhood block cornered off from town by dense trees, around what she guessed to be 5 minutes from West's. Their town was small less than 5,000 so there wasn't far to go. The house was smaller than their last and clearly outdated, still it seemed like such a perfect picture on the outside. A single dad with his kids starting their new beginning. If only that could be the truth Kennedy thought. She watched silently as Darcy took Sal out of the back seat and went to the front door, as he got there he turned back and shouted, "Come on asshat let's go I don't have time for you to be dramatic" she moved even slower now to be an ass, opened the door and followed behind him to her new hell. One inside, he set Sal down on the floor where a few toys waited. He turned to Kennedy and kicked her in the stomach, knocking her on her butt with a loud gasp. "You're done disrespecting me no one is gonna like a slut like you if keep acting up" he said coldly as she laid on the floor, tears in her eyes. She took a while to catch her breath again and stood up to go play with Sal.
a slut? im ten years old
was all she could think as she wiped the tears.

~~
That night, he brought out a bottle of Jack out with his microwave dinner, sipping it all too fast. After around three gulps, he picked Sal off the ground and began spinning with him as he sang a song horribly. "Dad stop you're gonna drop him" Kennedy says getting up trying to take him back. Darcy stops and gives a  slap to her lip, not hard but left a nice sting. "Don't tell me what to fucking do with my son" she touched her mouth as she felt blood. She looked at him with tears and grabbed Sal forcefully running to her room and slamming her door. She lifted her shirt and saw a large bruise on her right rib.
Not even a day and i'm getting my ass beat
She let Sal play on her floor while she drowned out the sound of Darcys drunken singing with her tears and loud music.
~
As weeks grew on she left Darcy had no problem jumping right back to his real self, if not something more adapted. He had stopped using drugs as far as she could tell but had only doubled on his alcohol use. He was still always around complaining and giving her all the shit he had previously given her mother. If not complaining he was smacking her, pulling her hair, if he was really mad he would punch her shoulder or kick her. He always made sure it never left a bruise, if it did it was hidden. As much as she wished she could just run away she'd fight for Sal since she couldn't imagine just abandoning him. It was like night and day watching him with her brother, he was sweet. He cooed at him as they sat in front of the TV, fed him, changed him. maybe i'd be better if i just left
But she was too scared, what if he found her?
She couldn't go back to West's or he definitely would. If she ran somewhere new she'd likely be taken or die before she could even get anywhere.
I guess i'll just have to get tougher, only 8 years then im gone.
As she got older she would find herself counting down to the days until she could legally leave. She got multiple jobs in the summer and maintained a part time for the time she was 14 at the West's mothers flower shop. She kept up with dance even when West and Arlene stopped, mostly because they weren't really too great. Unlike Kennedy who arguably by most people was insanely talented for her age. She'd go on to win multiple awards until she stopped at age 16 due to injury.  Even after she healed she didn't see a whole lot of purpose in doing it anymore

She felt really guilty and found a new hobby to release her pain. She had cut before when she was young, probably 11 or
12 but that was more to release something. This time she felt like she deserved blood and pain. Each cut was deep but careful, she didn't want to die.
She continued to do it whenever she felt guilty and when Darcy saw see them that first night when he grabbed her, he laughed. It happened unexpectedly and it hurt her in a way. The way he called her pathetic and sat there and hit them, scratched them, even told her to do it in front of them, she cried her heart out that night.

Even through everything, she had been so strong but after losing dance and getting into things she shouldn't, she didn't know how much stronger she could be. She was lost like a part of her was forever empty. She was distant from life from this time till she could finally move out and escape. Theres a lot more hell that happened in that year and a half but we'll unpack that later.

a/n I promise they wont all be this bad I just wanted to set her background cause I feel like theres so many characters who get this messed up personality for like no reason. I also just like twisted stories :p