Author's Note: I am so sorry that I haven't updated the story in an extremely long, long, long, long..Ten minutes later long, long time! Please forgive me, but I do have a life to live! Anyway, heres a chapter!

Billy had come out of hiding finally, anxious to see his surrogate mother. Royce had smacked a good one upside the boy's head and, of course, Laura scolded him, smacking the back of Royce's hands until they darkened with what she liked to call 'guilt'. Laura was glad to have her little makeshift family back, but how long could it last? 'Not nearly long enough,' her mind explained. 'Ryan will take you back. You're practically his!' The young woman sighed heavily, feeling tears threatening to overstep their boundaries. She had gotten the two most valuable people in her life into a whole mess of trouble.

"You feelin' alright, babe?"

"Dandy," she grumbled. "I feel like a million bucks run through a shredder and taped back together."

The obvious sarcasm in her tone made him shut up, Royce's icy eyes turning upon Billy who was busy giving Laura a comforting hug. The kid genuinly loved her, it was evident enough in his eyes and actions. Hell, even he was surprised the kid still had any affection of any sort.

"We should get going now." Laura commented. They all nodded.

That was the last time they had ever been able to act like a family. The memory was engraved in the woman-child's head, being one of the main sources of her pain. Everything had been ripped from her........her entire family, her life! It all happened to quickly, too. Royce had been caught. Caught by the same bastard that had Laura killed. She had been crying for what seemed like weeks. Sure, Billy was there to comfort her, but it wasn't the same. He couldn't comfort her the way her guardian did, much less touch her the same way. Oh, how she ached. Ached to feel the Torn Prince's hands run over her naked flesh, driving her senses to the brink. She blushed. She was acting silly then, but when Billy had been taken, she had completely lost it.

Two and a half weeks ago, the Jackal had caught her. Again. Funny, ain't it? Like the saying her mom use to tell her: if something can get worse, it can and probably will.

Ryan Khun had found her, tired and vulnerable with the kid. He saw it as an opportunity to really strike Laura where it hurt. He took Billy from her and mauled him. Again. And again. And again. Then he burried him beneath six feet of rocks, cacti, and sand all before her while forcing her to sing "Hallelujah" then "Praise the Lord". She just about died knowing that she couldn't help. Thats when she had just given up and gone with him willingly.

He viciously ripped his way through her body as he pumped into her repeatedly. Though she had kicked and screamed just the way he wanted her to, her eyes held a vacant look, almost as though she were no longer there. Brain dead. She had grown use to his harsh treatment over the while that she had stayed with him. What was left to do? She had nowhere else to go, obviously!

Her body had adjusted to the abuse quite quickly. She healed much more quickly and her resistance to pain had grown greatly. When the pain was to much, she just thought of Royce and his tender touches, his soft whispers, his love. Tears leaked out from the corners of her eyes, but she didn't give the Jackal the satisfaction of having her express her emotions. She still held her stoic mask in place. 'He will finish soon,' she thought. He always did, but never soon enough.

Laura had obviously fell into her thoughts during his rape. Ryan growled, smacking the woman, leaving bloody scratches over her body. The rest of her was battered up beyond recognition, putting Dana's wounds to shame. This was no fun for him. He finished up with her and shoved her away in disgust. She moaned softly, disgusting him even more. His treatment held no meaning to her anymore! He screamed, getting up and running around in his containment cube. Yeah, you read correctly, they had been caugh, obviously being put in the same cube. Right infront of Royce.

The young woman-child stared at him blankly every now and then and now was one of those times. Her eyes were hauntingly empty to him. He even shuddered when she gave him an empty smile with a cheerful 'hello!' and a wave.

Laura was truly dead to the world.

AN: Sorry I ended the story with a short chapter, but what is a busy girl to do? Anyway, I may write a short story again soon, so keep your fingers crossed! Until next time!