Broken (Edited edition)

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I wake up at the same time that Mark does, but still don't feel super happy about yesterday.  I feel tired, and I feel depressed.  His step-mother treated me like you treated an old shoe.  No respect and no care.  Mark walks in front of me as we go into the kitchen and he goes over to the counter.  He rubs his eyes, and cleans his glasses with his shirt.  I go sit on the couch, and turn the channel to Investigation Discovery channel.  Deadly Women was on, and I watch as they explain the women.  Mark makes coffee for the two of us, and comes to sit down next to me now."  Here."  He says, and I thank him."  No problem."  He whispers, and pulls me into his arms as we watch TV."  Are you...okay from yesterday?"  He asks, and I shrug."  I'm a little less angry."  I tell him, and he smiles a little bit."  That's good...right?"  He asks, and I nod."  I'm getting there."  He sips his coffee, and rubs my forearm."  She just doesn't understand, she thinks that you're different because of your past.  She's very protective of me, and I can understand that.  She's a mother, and she's becomes protective of her babies."

"But your real mother treats me like an actual person."  I say, and he nods."  I know that, and I want to make things better.  But I can't."  He says, and I feel bad for making him like that.  I set my coffee on the table, and crawl into his lap."  I'm sorry, I shouldn't put that burden on you."  I tell him, and he holds me close to his chest.  I remember being a small child, being held in my grandfather's arms.  He would look down at me, and he would look sad.  He looked...disappointed by my physical appearance.  I remember him shouting at his son, my father, about how he aloud this to occur to his child.  My father would shout at him back, and my grandfather would start screaming.  After that, we would go get food to calm the situation down, and they wouldn't speak about it around me.  Just being here, in his arms, makes me think of my Grandpa.  He was the only person I felt safe with.  Now, I feel safe with Mark.  He's warm, and comforts me just right.  He's just great at what he does, and I feel happy he loves me the same as I love him.

"I'll carry that burden if I have to, if it means that you'll be happy.  I want you to be happy, and I want to see you smile a lot more than you do."  He says, and I grin."  I can try to smile more."  I tell him, and he grins."  I don't like seeing you sad."  He says, that same quote we tell each other that gets the other one happy again."  Sometimes I can't help it."  I tell him, and he kisses my forehead."  Go get dressed, and we'll start the day."  He says, and I smile."  Okay, you want me to bring you new bandages and shirt?"  I ask, and he nods."  That would be great, thank you."  I walk down the hall into his room, and get dressed.  I put on jeans, black flannel, red scarf, and my red converses.  I pull out a fresh shirt for Mark, and also get bandages for his stitches.  I walk back out to the living room, and freeze at the end of the hall.  Both of Mark's moms were standing there, in coats as if they just got here.  Mark's step-mom is talking to him, and he's nodding slowly."  I understand that you want to apologize, but she doesn't want to speak with you.  You hurt her, and badly."  Mark says, and she sighs."  I know, and I want to apologize."  She says, and Thomas spots me.

"Lyca come here sweetie."  He says, and I back up a bit.  Thomas walks over to me, and picks me up in his arms."  Now I know that you and our Step-mother do not get along so well.  I understand that she has said some incredibly rude things, and that you've snapped because of that.  Am I correct as of now?"  I nod, and look him in the eyes."  Well, to tell you guys the truth, I'm don't with this little game we've been playing of cat and mouse.  I want you guys to make up, so during Christmas we could finally be a family."  He says, and rubs my back.  I look down, and Nona comes over to me."  I want good family back, family that cares about one another.  And if that has to change due to girl, than I will go with girl."  She says, and I look down."  Put me down."  I mumble, and Thomas does."  You want to know why I'm a 'troubled' child to you?  My Mother and Father never wanted me, my brother abused me to look like a disgusting monster.  I watched my grandfather take his last breathe, and I have this gift to protect my family.  If that's what bothers you so much about me, it shouldn't.  I would never hurt Mark, I would never you.  So stop treating me like some Freak."

Mark's step-mom just stares at me for the longest time, and gives me a concerned look.  Finally she just smiles,  and reaches out her hand."  Let's wipe the slate clean, fresh start."  She says, and I look up at her.  I shake her hand, and she introduces herself."  I'm Dee."

"Lyca."  I say, and she lets go of my hand."  Why don't we go out to lunch, and then come back to watch a movie."  I nod, and give her a soft smile."  That would be great, I just need to grab a jacket.  It's a bit cold out still."  I tell them, and walk into where my suit case is.  I find a dark purple sweater, and before I can put it on someone grabs me from behind."  I'm so proud of you!"  Mark says, and twirls me around.  I squeal with joy, and hug his arm."  You did so good out there, you didn't even swear!  You showed her the true you, without even going Black."  He says, setting me down.  He hugs me tightly, and kisses my forehead."  Plus, I've got some other news."  He says, and I tilt my head." I've just reached 7 million subscribers on YouTube, so I want to make a special video with Thomas.  But I want you to be there to okay?"  I nod, and congrats him on 7 million.

We go to lunch after that, a sandwich joint, and come back to start working on the video.  I watch as Thomas helps him put peanut butter onto his face, and he starts laughing when he sees himself."  Oh my god, I look so stupid."  He giggles out, and Thomas starts laughing as well.  We all start laughing, and some are even crying their laughing so hard.  I sit inside as Mark and Thomas start making the video, talking about how squirrels need their king.  Nona is holding me, and is telling me how much of a dork Mark was in highschool."  He always play prank on Wade, Wade always end of joke."  She explains so many stories and events that happened between Mark and Wade as the boys are filming.  When they come back inside, Mark asks for help to clean his face.  I go into the kitchen, take a paper towel, and wet it. He sits down on the couch, and I start wiping his face carefully."  Ow!  Careful Lyca!"  He says, and grabs at my wrist."  Well I have to scrub to get it out of your beard, so hold still."  I say, and scrub more peanut butter out.

His face starts to slowly turn red as I rub more off, and finally get all of it off his face.  He smiles at me as he rubs his extremely sore face.  He lays down on the couch, and sets a pillow on top of his face."  I throw away the towels I used, and grab a soft towel to dry his face off.  I pull the pillow off, and press the towel to his cheek."  Mmmm, that's warm."  He starts smiling, and I grin at him.  I take his glasses off, and wipe under his eyes."  You have very pretty eyes."  I tell him, and lean closer to see them more clearly.  He starts laughing and rubs my cheek."  So do you."  He says, and brushes some hair behind my ear."  Yours look like creamy chocolate."

"Well yours are gems stuck in chocolate."  I lay my head on his chest, listening to his heart beat.  It's slow and steady, like a clock.  Ticking away the minutes and hours of the day, just tick tick tick."  You ever think about your old family?"  Mark asks, his voice is soft so Nona can't hear him."  Sometimes, I don't think about them a lot, just a little bit here and there."  I tell him, and he rubs my back."  I wish you wouldn't."

"I wish that could happen, I would pay all of my money for that to happen."  I tell him, and shut my eyes."  I just wish...everything could change."  I tell him, and he nods."  I wish I could've gotten to you faster."  He says, and kisses my cheek.  I don't answer him, I don't look at him.  For the rest of the day we're watching TV and movies, and we order pizza.  We watch more TV, and eat ice cream for dessert."  Lyca, you seem quiet.  Everything okay?"  Nona asks, and I shrug."  Just somethings been bothering me.  Something your son said.  He said that he wished he could've gotten to me sooner, but there's a problem with that."  Mark sets his spoon down, and looks over at me."  What's the problem?"  He asks, and I take in a deep breathe.  I look over at him, and give him a sad look.

"If you had tried to save me sooner, you would be dead."