AN: WHAT IS THIS? A CHAPTERED AU FIC FROM ME? INSANITY!

When the door to her room opened, Liz Thompson shrank back against her wall. The hall light silhouetted her step-father and something else. However, the young girl's mind was more focused on Earl coming in at night. It usually meant one thing. Deep blue eyes darted to one side to make sure her sister was still sleeping. Maybe Liz could satisfy him well enough he wouldn't go after Patti. He had threatened but as far as she knew, he hadn't touched her yet.

Earl took a few steps into her room, his smirk clear on his face as he kicked the thing into her room. "Stay in here brat." He kicked it again, laughing at its yelp. "Your parents should send the money tomorrow." Liz didn't move, even as Earl pulled duct tape of the thing's mouth. When he moved, she could see the thing better.

Except it wasn't a thing. It was a little boy no more than four years old. Both children flinched when the man flipped a switch-blade open. "Stay still brat." He muttered as he cut the ropes of the little boy's arms. With one last kick, Earl left the room.

The little boy just fell onto his side, sniffling softly. Liz stared at the lump of a child for a moment before crawling to the edge of her bed. She wanted to get a closer look. He flinched a little when her bed creaked. "Hey." She whispered harshly. When he didn't look up she whispered a bit louder. "Hey kiiiiiid. Whatchur name?" Her hand slipped a bit as she tried to creep closer.

The boy hadn't acknowledged her at all yet. So she crawled a little closer. The hand on the edge of the bed couldn't keep her up any longer and she toppled to the floor. When she righted herself, she looked over at Patti's bed. Happy to see her sister still sleeping. The seven year old took a second to kiss the palm of her scraped hand before scooting closer to the boy.

His sniffles had subsided a little but not very much. He did, however, look up at her when she prodded his head. "W-what?" The boy shrunk away a bit, staring at her with wide eyes. He looked so small and pitiful, like a puppy or something. She just wanted to hug him and squeeze him and love him and and and..He was crying again but louder this time. So loud now that either Patti was going to wake up or Earl was going to come back if she didn't stop him soon.

"Shh," She hissed, holding one finger to her mouth, "I jus' wanna know yer name." The little boy tried to blink his tears away before quickly rubbing his eyes with the back of his sleeve. Upon closer inspection, Liz realized the little boy was wearing a suit. A fancy suit. He must be from a rich family. So why was he there? Maybe Earl had something to do with it.

After a few more seconds, his sniffling had quit. "My name is S-soul." He choked a little on a hiccup before sniffling again. Liz scooted a bit closer and smoothed out his hair. She didn't want Patti or Earl being disturbed. Maybe if she could just get him to go to sleep.. "That guy..t-took me." Liz pulled Soul into her arms, trying to calm him down. The little boy was trembling in her arms, trying half-heartedly to get away from her.

"I'm sure he'll take you home tomorrow. You should ju-" She was cut off by a loud thump to her right. Liz whipped her head around only to find her little sister staring at the boy excited. Soul shrank back against Liz, staring at Patti. She could feel his whole body tense up as Patti inched her way closer.

"OH! Did momma get us a brother? He's so little!" Something about what she said must have angered Soul because he quickly sat up in Liz's arms. He bared tiny serrated teeth, red eyes narrowed.

"Not little." He hissed as Patti leaned forward more. "And I'm not your brother." Liz could already tell that Earl would be in there at any minute to yell at them and maybe whip them. She tried pulling the little boy away from her sister but he kept clambering toward Patti.

"Yer littler than me and that makes you little." Patti said with a huff. "So if you ain't our brother, what're ya doin' here?" Soul just gave a little shrug as he leaned back on Liz. "You don't know?"

"No. That guy just took me away and now I'm here and I don't like it." He yawned widely, relaxing a little. "I want to go home." Soul yawned again, rubbing his eyes with one hand. The excitement had worn off and the little boy was clearly starting to feel the effects.

Liz struggled to stand up, pulling Soul with her, "We should probably go to sleep then." She glared at Soul when he looked at their beds with mild disgust. "I guess you can sleep in my bed and I'll share with Patti.." However it seemed the two four-year olds had a better idea. Patti was dragging Soul to her bed.

"You kick in your sleep Sissy.." Patti muttered matter-of-factly as she tugged on Soul's arm. "I'm Patti by the way. You can have my teddy to sleep with." She shoved the scraggly brown thing in his face as she crawled into her bed. Soul stared at the bear before giving the girl a confused look. "His name's George." Patti bounced a little and held her hand out to Soul, "C'mon."

Soul looked back and forth between the girl's hand and the bear. He was tired, he yawned again, and there really wasn't anywhere else to sleep. So he slowly, delicately, crawled into the bed with her. "Ew.." Soul plucked at the sheet a little bit before slipping under it. His jacket would keep the icky off probably. Either way, he was almost asleep when Patti wrapped her arms around him with a soft 'goodnight.'

AN: Yes their step-dad is a pedo. SORRY 'BOUT THAT FOLKS. IT HAPPENS THOUGH. And sadly, this isn't rated M for smuts. SORRY ABOUT THAT.

IN THE NEXT CHAPTER:

Wes Evans doesn't believe his parents and resorts to the help of a detective who may or may not be drunk.