Safe and Sound (Watty Awards 2012).

Chapter Twenty.

Author's Note: I have decided that I am only going to be updating this story on Sundays so that I have more time to write each chapter.

The song for this chapter is "Lego House" by Ed Sheeran. I've attached a youtube link on the side if you want to listen to it. (:

This chapter is dedicated to 'thelovelessklutz' for being completely and utterly awesome!

-Please vote, comment and fan.-

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Chapter Twenty.
Kyle’s Point of View.

“If you’re broken I will mend you, and I’ll keep you sheltered from the storm that’s raging on.”

I jumped a foot into the air as Sophie’s screeching of my name startled me. I dropped my pen onto the books that were scattered on my desk, and pushed the computer chair back so that I could get up. The urgent tone of Sophie’s voice embedded a deep set fear in me; almost as though my subconscious knew that something was desperately wrong. I rushed from my room and down the stairs as quickly as I could.

“What...-Oh my God...Madeline?!”

My gaze shifted to the girl who was standing in the doorway. It was so incredibly difficult to believe that this was my Madeline. Her hair was wild and untamed, sticking to crusted rusty brown blood that was on her cheek. Her other cheekbone was purple and blue, and her face was wet from tears. I ran my eyes over the rest of her body, mentally checking that there was nothing else wrong with her. Attached to her hand, was a confused and scared looking William.

As soon as Madeline’s big eyes caught sight of me, she ran forward, dropping William’s hand as she threw herself at me, her face pressing against my chest as she began to cry. The sight of her sobbing frightened me and sent my heart into an erratic rhythm, my stomach clenching so tightly that it boarded on painful. I tightly wrapped my arms around her, holding her to me. Madeline was sobbing so hard that she collapsed to her knees moments later, and I went with her, not wanting to let go of her for a single moment. Her entire body was shaking in my arms, and I wished that I could just take away all of her pain.

Someone had hurt my girl, and I wasn’t best pleased, to say the least. I looked up as I heard footsteps, to find my mother standing beside a baffled Sophie. Both were staring at Madeline and me with wide eyes. William stood slightly in front of them, looking as though he wanted to be closer to his sister.

“Kyle, Sophie, what on earth is going on?”

I lifted my shoulders in a shrug- just as confused as my mother was. I was angry too. Madeline was so fragile, and I wanted to know who had dared to hurt her so that I could hunt them down and kill them. I pulled back, and placed each of my hands on Madeline’s cheeks, holding her head in place so that I could look into her tear filled eyes. She looked so shaken up and terrified that all I wanted to do was pull her back into my embrace. Today was supposed to be a good day- she was supposed to meet her father for the first time in almost four years, unless...

“Madeline, what happened? Did your father do this to you?”

She shook her head so rapidly that I half expected it to fly right off her shoulders. However, she had dismissed my suspicions, and for now I would believe her. She clearly did not want to speak about it, so there was not much that I could do other than hold her. My arms once more wrapped around her small frame, and I lifted her up, standing as I did so. I was surprised by how incredibly light she was.

“William?”

I looked down at her bruised face, another flash of anger shooting through me at the sight of the blood on her cheek. I reined it in, and nodded my head.