Physical injuries healed. Emotional ones had a habit of sticking around.

Sarah was feeling better. Her bruises were slowly clearing up, though right now they were an awful shade of dark brown and purple and she was no longer feeling sick or unlike herself. She had a little more energy and felt a little more in control of herself, which was always welcomed.

Calvin's parents were home before Sarah's recovery was finished, but she managed to spend the next couple of nights at Hayley's house. She wouldn't go home, despite Jenny's insistence. Sarah still wasn't sure how she felt about her step-mother keeping such a big secret from her.

Of course, she wasn't surprised her step-mother knew her mother had been a bad woman. Given her mother's profession, she was sure her dad would have told Jenny about his own past with her. She would have to know what she was getting into.

What really burned Sarah was the lie her step-mother told that led her into trouble. She had allowed Sarah to believe that her first kidnapping was a random act. She had been in the wrong place at the wrong time and Kathryn and Drex chose her out of convenience. Had she known Kathryn was her mother, and had Jenny thought to remind her that her mother was a terrible woman, Sarah would have been a lot more cautious on her walk to her physiotherapy appointment. She would have been able to recognize her mother sooner, and maybe get away before there was trouble.

Hayley's parents had kicked both girls out of the house for the night. Without knowing what had happened, they didn't see a problem in asking Sarah to head home and asking Hayley to spend the night at Calvin's house or even Sarah's so they could have their own little date night.

"I still don't want to think about it," Hayley said as she stood by Sarah's locker, waiting for the pink Ranger to gather her books so they could leave together. "They could be doing it… right now…"

She shuttered at the thought of her parents on their date. Sarah rolled her eyes.

"Now you know how I felt sleeping in Calvin's bed," she said. "The one you rightfully described to me as so comfortable it would be like sleeping on a cloud."

"I guess it could be worse," Hayley nodded. Sarah shut her locker and looked up at the white Ranger.

"So how many texts from Jenny?"

"Thirty five."

"Today?"

"I really think you should talk to her," Hayley suggested. Sarah made a face. "She was really worried about you, you know. I'm sure if she could do it again, she would have told you sooner."

"So you're on her side?"

"I'm on yours," Hayley promised. "I think she should have said something. I really do agree with you, Sarah. But you should head home sometime, right?"

"Your parents liked having me around."

"I don't think they'd want you moving in," Hayley said. "Though you did help with the dishes more than Calvin ever did. I think you made a better first impression that he did."

"Parents like me."

"Talk to Jenny. If you don't like what she says, you can crash with me and Calvin tonight," Hayley promised. Sarah sighed.

"Fine."

-Ninja-Steel-

Heeding Hayley's advice, and knowing that Hayley was getting frustrated with being the middle man for her and Jenny, Sarah went home after school. She hopped off her hoverboard once she was in the driveway and slowly walked to the door. When she was inside, Jenny rushed to greet her. She stopped once she saw the heavy bruises. She had seen them before, but in the few days that had passed since then, she had forgotten just how bad they looked.

"Stop blowing up Hayley's phone," Sarah said. She leaned her hoverboard against the wall and took off her helmet. "You're really starting to piss her off."

"Sarah…"

"I don't really want to talk," Sarah said and started to walk to her room. Jenny let out a defeated sigh, allowing Sarah to believe she had won.

Shane stepped out of the living room at this point, "You've been gone for four days, Sarah. You don't get to come home like that."

Sarah turned to Shane and glared, "I really don't need you trying to be a dad right now."

"You know that's not what I'm doing," Shane said. "You worried your mother sick."

"Step-mother."

"Sarah, you have to believe me," Jenny said. "I did everything I could to keep this from happening. It's been a living nightmare for me."

"For you?" Sarah screamed. "My mother's a fucking prostitute and sold me to her pimp!"

"Sarah…"

"I was taught how to submit myself to a man!" Sarah shouted. "They tried to condition me to think that it was flattering if a man wanted to control me! That's your fault!"

"Sarah, that's not fair," Shane said, raising his voice now that Sarah was yelling, just so he could be heard. However, when he did that, he noticed the way Sarah jumped. It was brief, and she had quickly composed herself afterwards and was now glaring him down, but he had seen it.

Fear.

Jenny didn't seem to notice, "Sarah, please listen…"

"Fuck you!" Sarah shouted and stormed into her bedroom. The door slammed shut, but that didn't stop Jenny from following her daughter up the stairs. She knocked on the door, but knew better than to enter.

"When your father first told me about you, he made it very clear he didn't want it to be discussed openly around you," she tried to explain. "I wasn't supposed to tell you anything, not unless you asked me about it point blank! I tried to honour that."

Something hit the door. Jenny wouldn't be turned away.

"I know I made a mistake. I know it hurt you," she said. "Sarah, I… I really didn't know what to do. When Kathryn escaped I… I thought about telling you, but your father, he was very clear and… I'm very sorry."

"Jen," Shane whispered as he arrived behind her. "She's scared."

"What?"

"She's scared."

It took a minute for Jenny to process what Shane was trying to tell her. Scared was never a word used to describe Sarah. The girl had been fearless since the day Jenny had met her, and took on challenges with a positive attitude. Things that would have terrified Jenny when she was a child seemed to draw Sarah in. She liked to explore risks. She didn't get scared.

But of course, there had to be things that scared her. No one was truly fearless. And after what she had been through, there was no doubt in Jenny's mind that her daughter had to feel completely and utterly terrified.

And it had to be stronger than Jenny's fear. It had to be worse. Sarah had been through the unimaginable, and though she fought her way out, though she was safe now, there had to have been times when she had her doubts. Times where she feared she would be hurt – or even killed.

Suddenly, having Sarah screaming at her didn't seem so bad. Jenny opened the door to Sarah's bedroom and though her daughter yelled at her for coming in, Jenny walked towards her. She sat down on the bed and took the pink Ranger in her arms.

"I am so sorry," she whispered and she held Sarah tight. "I won't let it happen again. From now on, total honesty – both ways. I promise you, Sarah. I promise."