"Please, please don't go!" my baby sister said, her eyes wide and anxious.

"Sorry, sis, Mom's not getting out of prison anytime soon and I refuse to live in this house with just Dad." Because he'll use us both as bargaining chips. He'll hurt me if you don't do what he says and he'll hurt you if I don't do what he says. Mom's not here to stop him anymore.

The teen didn't share this thought with her sister though, she couldn't stop herself from crying if she did.

"Dad, and you, and me," Artemis argued, "We have to keep this family from falling apart!"

Oh, baby, this family fell apart ages ago. You need to stop clinging to the shards, the older girl thought sadly.

She hated hearing Artemis sound so sad. Artemis was still just a kid, no matter what their dad seemed to think. She wanted to turn around and give her some comfort, but she knew she couldn't. She avoided her sister's sad, sad eyes.

"Toothbrush, duh, knew I was forgetting somethin'." It was a weak excuse, but it got her out of the room long enough to keep up her uncaring attitude.

"Dad'll come after you," Artemis said as her sister walked back into the room.

"Let him." It'll keep him busy. Keep him off your back for a while, and maybe he'll be nicer, so you don't leave as well.

"I'll disappear, like the Cheshire cat," she said, feeling a pang at how well they'd chosen their nicknames. She was the one who could be the trickster, the one who was always slipping in and out of places, unfazed by what others did or said. She could sneak around, be confusing, be whatever she needed to be to get what she wanted.

Artemis couldn't do those things. She was sweeter, more honest. She had originally said that Artemis could be Alice because of her blonde hair hair, but it was more than that. Artemis was innocent, honest, and lost in a world of evil Mad-hatter's and other terrors. She was in the underworld of Wonderland, and her sister just knew that if she stayed, she would only drag Artemis in deeper. The last thing she wanted was for Artemis to end up like her.

It was these thoughts that gave Cheshire the strength to walk towards the door.

"You should get out too," please get out. Get out as soon as you are strong enough. The older teen continued speaking, keeping her voice nonchalant.

"I'd let you come with me but you'd slow me down," I'd let you come with me, but that would mean putting you into a worse situation than you're already in. You're far too precious for me to let you live on the streets.

"Someone has to be here when Mom gets out," said the blonde.

Good girl, keep those ideals, be loyal to Mom, she'll be out of jail by the time you're old enough for Dad to really manipulate. She'll protect you; she'll send him away. He'll listen; he has a soft spot for Mom, especially since she's crippled now.

"Haven't you learned anything? In this family it's every girl for herself."

She had to say it; she had to say something that would truly make Artemis give up on her. She knew Artemis would never stop trying to help the people around her, but maybe with her out of the way Artemis will look out for herself more. If she knew her big sister wasn't going to help her then she would rely on someone else, someone good, because both of them knew that they could never rely on their dad.

The girl that was now Cheshire walked calmly out of the apartment, but as soon as she was out of sight of the building, she started running. She ran as fast as she could, just to get farther away, because she knew if she slowed down, she would go back and she could never go back now.

I'm so sorry, baby sister.