Odd One Out/Falling Skies fanfic

Chapter Twenty-Three

Authors Note: I know it's been a while since my last upload, but I promise I have tried my best during exams to produce something of quality rather than just posting for the sake of posting something. I honestly hope it was worth the long wait and please let me know what you think of the twists in the comments. Don't forget to like and share!

Tanya's POV

I can't breathe. I can barely stand but now I can't even breathe. Fallen down the stairs...how convenient that this happened after he had raped me again...after Ben had left the room...

If he had thrown him down the stairs, I don't know what I would do. And then there's Lourdes' reaction. Did she realise how callous she sounded? The man was brain dead and all she cared about was the fact that Anne was in labour.

Oh my Lord Anne was in labour. My head is going to explode.

“On the bright side” Brandon said as he turned around “he can never hurt you again”

“How can you say that?” I asked, for once in my life being the voice of reason. “Someone obviously pushed him down the stairs. How can you be OK with that?”

“It's much easier for me to not have to do it myself, is it not?” he said and I just stared, looking deeply into his eyes to see nothing but content. He truly was OK with that. The fact that our step-father was near brain dead did not affect him negatively in the slightest. He was happy. I should be happy...

But a strong feeling in my gut told me that this was all too convenient. He couldn't have 'accidentally' fallen down the stairs. Someone done it. And I had a bad feeling I knew who. If they got into trouble because of me, I would never forgive myself.

Ben's POV

Half an hour earlier

I couldn't let him get away with this. The man couldn't obviously stop. He had abused her in the past and now if he had done it once since the invasion, he will definitely do it again. He won't leave her alone. I can't let her go through that.

“Are you OK kid?” I heard a voice come from in front of me, but I didn't look. I recognised the voice and I couldn't bear to look at him. Pope. I had just left his daughter, beaten and bruised by her own step-father; how could I look him in the eyes? “KID!” he yelled, almost knowing something was wrong.

“Yeah” I gulped as he caught up with me.

“What's wrong?” he asked me and my heart sunk to the ground.

“Nothing” I lied but knew that he realised.

“Ben. I'm not going to ask you twice! Has it got anything to do with Tanya?” Of course he had to ask that!

“No...”

“You are a lot of things kid but a good liar is not one of them. What's going on? You look … I don't even know what to say you look like. Guilty maybe...”