Chapter Twenty-Six: Now or Never Part 2

Ruthie glanced from the door to her family, she knew she could make it but it wouldn't be easy and would it really be worth it? Anger and fear bubbled inside her as she watched Matt approach her. She knew it had been a setup all along. He'd already told them. She glared at Matt hatefully, but he seemed unfazed by her stare.

"Ruthie come on down." He said stiffly at the end of the stairs. Ruthie took a deep angry breath and eyed the rest of her family. On the couches were, Mary, Lucy, Sam, David, and Simon. Her parents were standing watching her. Lucy had tears in her eyes and Mary was holding her hand. Sam and David were staring at the floor as though afraid to look Ruthie in the eye, and Simon was watching her unsure how to react, as though his anger was all burned out.

"I'm on my way out. I'm leaving." Ruthie said trying to stay calm, when her insides were screaming. She could feel every inch of her body burning with rage, and a new feeling was overcoming her; a powerful and strong feeling. Like she was untouchable.

"No, you're not." Matt said taking a step in her direction. Ruthie narrowed her eyes and walked down the rest of the stairs so that she was face to face with Matt. Her strength building as she stared down her brother, with an intensity emanating off her that scared even her.

"Don't threaten me Matt." Ruthie said her voice dangerously low as she glared at him in disgust. Her eyes flashed with anger as her eyes met his. He watched her carefully, wondering if she would actually strike him.

"Ruthie come sit down." Eric said firmly. Ruthie didn't even glance in her father's direction, but she could feel the heat of their anger, the holes burning through her as they glared endlessly at her.

"I'm not threatening you. And someday you'll thank me for this." Matt said looking at her directly in the eyes. Ruthie had no sympathy for him, even though she could see the pain in his eyes; he was trying to destroy her life. At this moment all the love she had for her family had vanished as she stared at Matt with pure hatred.

"Don't count on it." She hissed back. She turned to her father, "I already told you I'm leaving. I don't have time for your little family intervention." Ruthie snapped. She was done playing nice, if you could call what she'd been doing nice.

"Sit down, Ruthie!" Annie said raising her voice. Ruthie's eye slid over in her mother's direction, like a snake, she stared at her and stepped off the last step. Ruthie let go of one of her bags and strode over to her mother her walk entrancing and filled with an evil that scared them.

"I am not a little girl anymore. I'm legally an adult. I don't have to listen to you, and I won't." Ruthie snapped, her tone just low enough she wasn't yelling. Annie glared at her in utter 

disbelief. Ruthie thought for a moment then nodded slightly. "I'll humor you and listen to your sob story for all of five minutes and then I'm gone!"

Annie couldn't believe this monster was her daughter, the little girl she raised. The once beautiful and smart child she'd known was ugly and disgusting she could hardly look at her it was so painful. All of her denial went out the window as Ruthie spoke to her with utter disrespect and no remorse in sight.

"You're not leaving. You need help, whether you want It or not. As your family we care about you and are going to ensure that you get the help you need." Annie said glaring at Ruthie. "We all love and care about you—"Ruthie rolled her eyes and landed on Simon who was sitting glaring at her his fist clenched. Annie stopped, she knew Ruthie wasn't listening to her, she was too far gone.

"Ruthie!" Annie snapped.

"Obviously I'm not listening to you." Ruthie said snottily.

"That I can see—"Annie said getting frustrated.

"Trying not to punch me Simon?" Ruthie said pushing his buttons. She crossed her arms and cocked her head smiling evilly at him. She wasn't sure where this strength to deal with this attack was coming from, but she loved it. She felt empowered telling off her family, and the old Ruthie was only a tiny voice off in the distance.

"Of course not. But your arrogance is making it hard not shake some sense into you. You're my sister and I love you. I don't want to see you like this, none of us do." Simon said his face red with anger and from trying not to cry. He looked down at the floor and ran his hands through his hair. He tried hard to remember the old Ruthie, why they were doing this. He tried to block out the monster standing in front of him possessing his innocent little sister.

"Right, So I guess that would make it your turn Lucy?" Ruthie said dismissing Simon and turning to Lucy who had tears running down her face.

"I knew this would be hard…" She cried. She wiped some tears away and looked back up at Ruthie. "But I didn't think it would be this hard…Ruthie, you have…so much potential…You can be so great…We don't want to see you end up…the way you're heading." Ruthie nodded in fake agreement.

"I'm going to tell you the exact same thing you told me all those years ago, you're being selfish; self-destructive doesn't mean you're the only one you hurt. You're hurting everyone in this family and you don't even care." Mary said. Ruthie cracked a smile.

"Very informative." She turned to the twins but held her tongue. "Time's up." Ruthie said looking around the room. The faces had changed for the most part from somber to angry. As far 

as Ruthie was concerned she'd accomplished her goal. She turned to head for the door when Simon yelled.

"Get it through your head, you're not leaving!" Ruthie glared at him, tired of this game and losing her edge.

"We're not letting you leave Ruthie." Eric said sternly. Stepping towards her so that he and Matt were even. Ruthie narrowed her eyes, her head felt like it was about to explode from the heat that was fuming out of her.

"Fuck you! All of you! I already explained this shit to you! I'm leaving and there's nothing you can do." Ruthie grabbed her bags and opened the door. A hand closed around her arm and she spun around. Her eyes closed as she flailed her fists, a sudden fear overtaking her, her breath caught in her throat. She felt her fist collide with someone's face and the grip around her arm loosened. She heard the rest of the family gasp but didn't turn around to see who she'd hit, instead she used this opportunity to escape. She pulled open the door and bolted her bags tightly enclosed in her sweaty hands. The moment the door was open sunlight burst through as though she'd been standing in the dark, engulfed in a lightless space. Her eyes still shut mostly; sweat dripping down her face mixed with tears.

Ruthie raced down the driveway hearing her name called out after her. She hopped into the cab and looked back to see her mother and father standing outside watching her drive off. Matt was standing in the door way his face red, and tears sliding down his face. She turned her back on them and faced forward. Driving away from her home, her childhood, her family and their pain.

The road stretched out in front of her trees surrounding her on either side; tar as far as she could see. A calmness settled over her as she imagined the city skyline coming into view as the plane flew over New York.

The Statue of liberty and other landmarks visible as they grew closer and closer to their destination.

The lights of the runway flickering red as the plane came in for a landing.

The cool air hitting her face as she stepped out of the plane and breathed in the damp night air.

Bobbing along with the crowds of people unaware and uninterested in her life or the lives of the people around her.

The hot, stuffy airport crammed with thousands of self-centered homeward bound New Yorkers, with occasional tourist here and there, visible by their tired but happy faces.

The sight of the two people in the world who knew and accepted the real her, standing waiting for her.

The calmness she felt in their arms as the tension and pain of the past seven days were erased with a single hug.

The look in Megan's eyes when she saw the pain in Ruthie's.

Knowing she was safe from prying eyes, back in the city where no one cared.

It was good to be home.

Authors Note: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! AT 10:04 I WILL BE EIGHTEEN!! WHOOO HOOO! I have had it planned since the beginning for this story to star on my half birthday (February 14th Valentines day) and end on my brithday (August 14th) So, if all goes according to plan, the first chapter of the sequel should be up very soon a couple days. So please continue to be amazing and give this last chapter the reviews it deserves. So read, enjoy and review this chapter.

I hope everyone has enjoyed this story as much as I have enjoyed writing it. I know it may not have ended the way some of you expected but in order for my master plan to be achieved this is how I envisioned the first part ending. I am happy with how it turned out, I tried very hard to make this chapter longer and I took into consideration all the suggestions I got in the last chapter and tried to include thoughts and feelings of her family. So, hopefully you were all satisfied, and I will see you in the sequel!

Lots of Love,

Katie