Hey guys...

So wow it's been a year? I guess no amount of apologizing can make that ok. I think what happened it that I just lost motivation, especially since I'm in the middle of writing several different stories right now and I'm one to put off everything and I mean EVERYTHING.

I think the whole reason for getting this back on track was thanks to Sectum Sempre with reviews for every chapter. Something about them just warmed my heart and made me realize how much I've abandoned some of my earlier stories.

I do have ideas for the near future of this story that I'm SURE have never been used, so it's just a matter of getting there. I've made a vow to myself to finish this story because I'm not going to disappoint you guys.

Thank you to all who haven't lost their faith in this. You guys really are the bomb dot com.

Disclaimer: I only own Piper, her friends and family, and anyone else you don't recognize. Also the pieces of the Disney Song lyrics are NOT mine

Chapter 5

I heard my younger brother sigh contently in his sleep as he involuntarily snuggled himself closer into my side, absorbing my warmth that was contained in the sleeping bag.

"You're not making this easy on me are you..." I muttered in my head while jealously watching how peaceful Matt was able to sleep.

It just wasn't fair! All Matt had to worry about in his fantasy life was mooching enough money off of Mom and Daniel to be able to buy his new video games!

And here I am not even able to sleep because some dream demon has made me the center of his perverted affections, ALONG with having to work, and school...

I immediately felt my body tremble at the thought of the man invading my dreams.

It was almost as if I could still feel his hands on my wrists and his uninviting affections, which just made me all the more desperately curious as to why me?!

Out of all the people in this world WHY ME?!

I just didn't understand, which was infuriating to the point of tears, but it was as if I had no more to shed.

I felt my eyes slowly begin to drift in both physical and mental exhaustion, but I was too tired to even notice.

It was strange and totally unfair because even though I had been asleep during my "meeting" with Freddy, I still felt as fatigued as I would've if it had happened when I was awake.

As I was quickly engulfed in the heat of the sleeping bag, the scent of fruity licorice, Matt's favorite candy which was probably shoved somewhere in his room, suddenly filled my nostrils lulling me even further to sleep.

It was when I felt my arm slack around my brother's shoulders when my eyes shot back open, wide and alert.

"That was WAY too fucking close," I said shakily in my head. There was NO way I was going to allow myself to fall back asleep in the fear of another horrifying nightmare.

I looked desperately over at Matt's alarm clock which stood atop his nightstand. 6:03.

I don't think I could even remember when I had gotten up at this time; not even for school.

I involuntarily began to clench my arm that still was attached to my brother, my face contorting into an angry look.

Why me?! What had I EVER done! I was a good kid, I try to get along with my siblings, I-

"PIPER SELERA TUCK what are you doing to your brother?!" I heard a feminine voice yell, which was unmistakably my mother's.

I felt Matt jump awake beside me as I openly cringed.

Mom only used my full name when she was really really upset with me.

The reason now probably being that I had not been in my room this morning when she had checked on me, scaring her half to death, only to find me looking as if I was strangling my little brother in his sleep on account of my arm being wrapped and clenched around his shoulders.

I felt Matt groggily sit up beside me, his brown hair full of tangles, and cringed in pursuit of myself at the sight of our mother.

Her beautiful blonde hair was in complete disarray, half of it perfectly curled while the other still held a dozen curlers which were falling out.

Her white blouse was adorned with tiny beads accenting the sleeves while she still wore her parsley pajama bottoms, rolled up so that she wouldn't trip on them.

On her left foot she wore a strappy silver heel, matching her blouse, while a bunny slipper laid innocently under her other foot.

Her make up was somewhat done, a tube of lipstick in her right hand, while her other shoe was in her left.

My brother and I exchanged a nervous look.

It was one of those mornings.

The mornings where both Mom and Daniel were late for work, Matt and Felicity deciding it to be the perfect time to start and argument leaving Mom extremely pissed, and Daniel laughing his ass off while trying to break up my younger siblings until quieting down upon seeing the fury in my mother's tired face.

"Um Piper hadith a bad dreamith so she came into my room to...sleepith?" Matt tried using his "Old English;" it had made Mom laugh just yesterday.

"I'm sorry I scared you, I was just stretching my arm," I chimed in, my excuse somewhat lame.

We watched our mother's eyes narrow.

"Ok fine, whatever just...DON'T FIGHT," Mom said breathlessly while massaging her temples and scurrying back to her room.

Matt and I breathed a sigh of relief.

"So about last night..." Matt started sheepishly, rolling out of the sleeping bag and jumping to his feet, showing off his "knight in shining armor" pajamas.

I quickly untangled myself form the sleeping bag also.

"It was nothing. I just had a bad dream and it freaked me out," I snapped, cutting him off for good measure, letting him know that I didn't want to talk about it.

Hell I wasn't going to tell ANYBODY about Freddy; I'd probably be sent to an asylum...or worse.

I'd just have to figure it out on my own.

I'm smart...

Yah.

"Oh...geez I'm sorry..." Matt muttered uncomfortably, his eyes darting to the ground.

I immediately felt guilty.

Matt may have been being a nosy bother, but he WAS the one who woke me up and comforted me for that matter.

"It's fine, don't worry. Thank you," I said stiffly, before plastering a smile on my face.

"So today's the big day huh?" I asked, changing the subject.

Matt's expression brightened immediately.

"Yeah! I'm so excited! It's gonna be the best sleepover ever! I even got a new game! Promise you'll play it with us?!" Matt babbled excitedly. I inwardly groaned for two reasons.

One, well, who wouldn't be dreading having the house be filled with 4 wild boys getting bored only to prank the older sister? NOBODY that's who!

And two, over the years, it's been painfully obvious to my family that I was extremely good at video games, which I HATED myself for.

So what if I know the difference between a Calvary and a Swordsmen, it doesn't make me a nerd!

"Yeah sure, but you know I'll beat you all," I taunted.

If I was going to by forced to play, which I was because I was going to be babysitting (yippee for me), then at least I should get SOME kind of humor out of it.

"We'll seeith about that," Matt joked, before a familiar pink fluff appeared in the doorway.

"I can't BELIEVE you guys had a SLEEPOVER and didn't invite me!" Felicity screeched, barging into Matt's room. Fuck.

"Yeah because BABIES can't HAVE sleepovers," Matt taunted childishly.

"DADDY!" Felicity cried lunging at Matt, while I quickly excused myself from the room, not wanting to be blamed for this.

I stood awkwardly in the hall, listening to my sibling's screeches thinking that I probably should've done something about it.

"Eh I'll have to deal with both of them later today; plus it's WAY too early for this shit," I reasoned with a groan before starting back to my room.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming," I heard Daniel mutter as he stumbled from his and Mom's room at the end of the hall, trying to fix his tie while trudging towards Matt's room.

"Hey Kiddo," he told me in a goofy voice, flashing a grin my way as he passed by.

"Hi," I mumbled awkwardly, as I studied our carpet, avoiding his friendly green eyes.

My guilt washed over me as I then quickly went into my room and locked the door; which had become a habit now.

Now alone in my room, I immediately went over to the shower and turned the handle letting the water get warm.

As I looked away from the bathtub I caught sight of my reflection in the mirror and sighed.

I could clearly see the burn now that Freddy had pointed it out to me; it was barely concealed underneath my V-neck, which had replaced my "costume", while the burn was bright red and and had bubbled over.

"Good thing I wore a jacket to school yesterday," I muttered in my head, continuing to stare at the gruesome sight.

It would leave a scar, no doubt about that.

The gash on my hand, however, seemed to be no real worry.

I had gotten plenty of scratches on my hands when I was a kid and climbed all those trees; if anybody asked I'd just say I got it when I was rescuing Mrs. Peabody's cat.

The growing heat soon produced enough steam as to where my reflection soon began to disappear, letting me know the water was hot enough.

I quickly stripped out of my clothes and jumped into the shower without a second glance at myself.

"God I am such a bitch to Daniel," I thought suddenly once I was underneath the water, making me jump.

Where the hell had THAT come from?!

"Well it's true!" I thought.

"The guy is practically aching for you to like him while he goes above and beyond taking care of your mother and siblings without a single complaint, and you can't even look him in the eye and say 'Hey!'"

I instantly ran my fingers through my wet hair, soaping the lavender shampoo through it, my mind full of guilt only because it was all true.

All Daniel ever wanted was for me to like him, and he's been apart of my life for 12 years!

He does everything to help me and my family and keep us happy, even if it means working double shifts almost every night so that we can afford to spend elaborate evenings together.

"Just because you have to know everything doesn't mean you have to completely exclude Daniel from your life," I thought while I smothered myself in the lavender scented wash.

If there was anything I hated more than being good at video games, was that I wanted to know...well...EVERYTHING.

From knowing about relationships, to knowing every detail about when me and my friends hang out...I find that it's even worse when I don't know every detail about my OWN life.

I'm not very picky; and I guess I've just blamed fact that I don't know who my birth father is on Daniel...Jesus I really am a bitch!

I instantly shut my thoughts out as I stepped out of the shower, the guilt almost unbearable to me.

"Wow Piper you get some time alone to think and you think about your Step Father and NOT about the guy that's trying to rape you in your nightmares?!" I thought instead, wrapping the towel around my now sweat and blood free scented body.

"Idiot," I said aloud to myself.

"Ok well if Freddy can only get to me in my sleep then I guess the only thing to do is to stay awake for as long as possible," I said, even though I knew that I was going to have to sleep sometime, I put it out of my head for the time being, now focusing on the mug of coffee I was going to make the second I got downstairs.

When the time came I knew it would come down to another fight, and this time, I was determined to win, and not with a stupid table lamp in my hands.

I began to wander aimlessly across my room, still butt naked, until I saw a text on my phone.

'Hey what u up to?'

I felt a smile tug on my lips. It was from Jacob.

'Getting ready to babysit brother's slumber party, Shoot me' I replied within the minute, now ditching the town to sprawl across my bed.

'Dude I'll seriously come over and help if u wanna...' Jacob replied. I melted while imagining him flipping his dirty blond hair, brown eyes sparkling. I'm sure he wasn't picturing me as I was now...

This caused a blush to rise to my cheeks.

'Really? Omg I love u! Come over at 2, that's when the monsters will get here' I responded, my heart thumping.

'Cool, sounds fun,' Jacob texted.

I mentally smirked.

Oh you poor thing. How wrong you are.

'Alright I'll c u then,' I answered giddily, rubbing my pink cheeks and biting my lip playfully.

I then abandoned my phone on my bed, allowing it to charge while I casually slipped into my undergarments, then putting on a pair of pink pajama shorts and a soft, white long sleeved shirt that was a little big on me, causing it to fall off of my shoulders.

"I'll change later. It's only like 7:00 anyways," I muttered in my head, still pissed at how early it was before slipping on my Uggs and trudging downstairs.

"You ARE TOO a baby!"

"AM NOT! Matt why are you such a BULLY!"

"ENOUGH! Matt go to your room! Lis in the living room, now!" I heard my mother yell as I rounded the corner into the kitchen, Matt angrily storming past me to his room.

Mom sat in her seat at the table, her head in her hands while Daniel stood behind her, his hands on her shoulders to offer her comfort.

"God you'd think by doing something nice for one of them they'd lesson up," Mom groaned, massaging her temples in aggravation.

"Siblings are gonna be siblings honey, they'll grow out of it," Daniel tried to soothe. "But right now we need to get to work alright?"

"Yeah I know," Mom mumbled, reluctantly getting up.

I could see that her lipstick was smeared slightly, but I decided not to push my luck by telling her; Daniel could do that.

"Shit, I forgot my cardigan," Mom moaned, forgetting that Felicity was just in the living room, letting her tongue loose.

"I'll get it," I offered, my presence being known. Mom sighed gratefully.

"Thank you sweetie," She breathed, kissing my forehead tenderly and stroking my cheek with her thumb.

"You know I love you right? No matter how much time your siblings may take from me?" She murmured gently into my forehead.

"Yeah Mom," I responded, my heart melting a bit, for my mother was rarely ever willing to be giving me this much affection.

"Let me get your jacket," I said, gently pulling away.

"It's the silver thing; you know that one. With the flower on it?" She asked as she began rummaging through her purse, Daniel giving me get another winning smile before going into the living room to take care of Felicity.

"Yeah I know," I said over my shoulder as I ran up the stairs to Mom and Daniel's bedroom and entering the huge walk in closet, complete with 3 full length mirrors and grey plush carpeting, 4 mini couches also filling the space for viewers.

I admired the clean scent of leather as I walked to Mom's side of the huge closet and fingered her expensive shirts and dresses before looking for the cardigan of her choice.

"Come on where are you," I muttered, rifling through the many jackets and coats.

"What the fuck!" I said, frustrated.

Trying something else, I began to reach to the space above the clothes to see if the cardigan was hiding there and jumped slightly when a small box fell to the floor beside me, spilling its contents all over the floor.

"Shit," I muttered, scrambling to pick up the mess, which consisted mostly of old photographs.

My curiosity spiking, I began to linger with my cleaning to take a look at some of the pictures.

I'd always loved rummaging through Mom's old things and memories that she kept in here.

I smiled at a particular one which captured a picture that was unmistakably my mother, except maybe 10 years younger.

She was smiling like she'd just won a million dollars in the hospital bed and pink gown as she clutched a newborn baby in her arms.

"That must be me," I thought smiling, though confused as to why I had never come across it before.

Letting out a happy "hmf" I picked up my cleaning pace; Mom was probably starting to wonder what was taking so long.

With the box now filled I moved to close it and grab the cardigan, which had been on the floor the whole time, but a picture crossed my vision, causing me to falter.

In the captured image was again my mother, maybe now 15 years younger since her hair was still its original coppery color, seemingly giggling in the arms of an older man.

My eyes narrowed in confusion.

I had seen many past pictures of my mother and her old friends and boyfriends, but this man in the picture was a complete stranger to my eyes.

My eyes...

My eyes were the same dark grey shade as the man's in the picture.

My eyes narrowed even further the longer I stared at the man in the picture, my heart picking up speed.

"Is that-?" I thought with wide eyes.

"Piper!" I suddenly heard my mother call from downstairs.

I jumped and quickly shoved the box back to its original hiding place above the clothes, but kept the one picture close to my chest as I grabbed the cardigan and fled the room.

I then shoved the picture under my shirt before running back into the kitchen, panting slightly.

"Sorry," I breathed. "I swear your closet is a maze." Daniel laughed at that, but Mom only sighed impatiently, taking her jacket.

"It's fine Piper, but we're late. Ok the kids will be here at 2:00 and there's probably a dozen gallons of Mac and Cheese in the pantry for dinner, but if you don't feel like cooking just order a pizza or something. We'll be home around 9:00. Be safe, don't fight, WATCH the kids, you know the drill," Mom rambled while she pushed Daniel out the door.

"I will Mom don't worry," I said her as she turned to leave.

"By Kiddo," Daniel called before exiting though the garage, leaving me alone with both of my siblings and the picture hidden carefully under my shirt.

I then let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, involuntarily placed my hand over my shirt where the picture was.

"I guess I'll take a closer look at it later," I thought with a huge yawn.

Coffee was absolutely my top desire at the moment.

As I placed the scented beans into the coffee machine my ears suddenly caught familiar singing that came from the living room.

When I rounded the corner I grinned lopsidedly as I saw Felicity completely focused on the singing servant girl with several mice surrounding her. Cinderella.

"I guess she's on a Disney streak," I thought with a shrug, then a moan.

That meant the TV would for now 99% of the time be occupied with a Disney Princess movie.

I sighed, deciding not to start a fight and just let her watch her kiddie movie.

"Good stu-?" I started.

"SHH!" Felicity hushed me, her eyes not leaving the TV screen as Cinderella started to sing the opening of her song.

'A dream is a wish you heart makes,"

I felt my jaw drop on its own accord.

'When your're fast asleep.'

No...WAY.

'In dreams you will lose you heartache,'

I felt my heartbeat pound in my ears, fear filling every vein in my body as the beautiful animation continued its singing about the magic of dreams.

'Whatever you will for, comes true."

That was the last straw.

I could deal with Sleeping Beauty, but not a movie that sings about the good of dreams when mine are full of nightmares.

I fumbled quickly around for the remote and immediately switched the TV off erupting loud shrieks of anger from my little sister.

"HEY-!" She started, a tantrum emerging just below the surface.

I quickly put in the first Disney movie I saw, which happened to be The Little Mermaid, and shoved it into the DVD player, quieting my sister.

"This one should be safe," I thought uneasily as I let Felicity snatch the remote away from me.

I then pulled up a warm, fuzzy blanket that was sitting at the foot of our velvet covered couch.

"Geez Piper you're such a spoil sport!" Felicity grumbled.

"I'm sorry Lis, but I was in the mood for a more powerful romance," I retorted, quoting Felicity from last night with a smirk.

Completely missing my sarcasm, Felicity nodded to me as if I made perfect sense.

I let out another yawn as I heard the opening song, something about sailors on the sea-? I couldn't really tell.

I slowly felt my eyelids starting to droop, but I immediately snapped awake.

"Lis!" I shouted, louder than I meant. I felt Felicity jump in her seat, reluctantly tearing her eyes away from the TV to look at me in surprise.

"Sorry, sorry," I said, quieting my voice. "Just make sure I don't fall asleep ok?"

I heard Felicity let out a "HMMF" and something like a "Well if you hadn't had a sleepover you wouldn't be so tired," but in the end she let out a stiff nod and continued to watch her movie.

I sighed thankfully, and casually started to work my hands through my blonde hair, massaging my scalp.

Time seemed to slow then, even stop all together.

The blanket around me was just so warm, and the clothes on my body were so soft.

I looked up, my head seemingly dropping, to see Ariel singing her song.

'Wandering free, wish I could be, part of that world."

Wait wasn't that song like 15 minutes into the movie?! Had it been that long?!

It didn't matter.

My head hit the cushions before I could process the thoughts, or before I could drink my coffee.

I felt my throat grow hoarse as I began to cough and hack on the ground uncontrollably.

I writhed on the dirt covered, schorching hot floor, clutching my stomach in pain.

Wait...hadn't I fallen asleep on the cou- WAIT!

"Fuck..." I breathed, rolling to sit on my butt, the scenery around me becoming clear.

I felt my body erupt into a series of violent shivers as I found myself back in the same boiler room that I'd dreamed of in my first nightmare.

DAMN you Felicity!

"Now now, Briar, we mustn't use such language in front of the children," I heard the rough voice come from behind me.

I felt my body shudder at the use of that name. It was a constant reminder of my last nightmare; something that I desperately want to forget.

I coughed again, waving the steam away from my face as I scrambled to my feet; thankfully I was still wearing the same clothes, but I was surprised to find that now my once white shirt was now pink?!

What the FUCK?

I felt my anger boil as I squinted to try and see Freddy and express my anger to someone other than myself.

Jesus the smoke was freaking thick!

"At least I don't keep them trapped down here," I retorted shakily.

I could now easily see Freddy's tall, dark silhouette through the cloud of gas.

His never-changing clothes still remained, and I cringed as I heard his razors rub together, most likely in anticipation.

But what surprised me, however, was that there were at least 4 or 5 smaller figures standing just behind him.

"Trapped? The kids seem pretty willing to me. Right brats?" Freddy snickered evilly at me, gesturing to his children standing at attention in his ominous shadow.

"Yes Freddy," they answered in unison, there innocent little voices chilling me to the bone.

Who would've thought a child's voice could sound so evil?!

"And children, since you're so willing, let's all make sure our new playmate doesn't escape before we've had our little chat this time," he coaxed, his voice heightening into what could have been recognized as a "baby talk" voice.

I felt my body shake as they children let out another monotone "Yes," and quickly began advancing on me with inhuman speed.

I watched Freddy as he leaned up against the burning pipes, not even flinching, but giving me a pointed toothed evil grin that I could easily see through the smoke.

"He's expecting me to run," I thought.

Yeah right I was going to run! If that's what he wanted I was going to make sure I did the absolute opposite.

I forced myself to keep still, adrenaline pumping through my blood.

As the children neared, I suddenly choked up in horror, my bravery diminishing, as I saw that deformities placed onto their little bodies.

They were all blonde, like me, and small in size, some were missing their hands and feet, while others had no eyes or ears; but all of them had one thing in common.

They were coated in blood.

With a loud shriek I turned to flee the horrifying sight, but let out an even louder scream when I felt a tiny hand strongly grip my ankle, dragging me down the the floor with impossible strength.

"LET ME GO!" I screamed in terror as I felt several pairs of hands begin to pin my flailing limbs down to the burning ground.

This erupted a cold, but pleased chuckle from the dream demon.

HOW could I have LET myself fall asleep?!

"Come on little Briar; no need to get so worked up. I just want to chat," the cold voice said in an eerie, but soothing kind of voice, somehow lingering behind my ear.

I yelped as I felt my body being pushed off the ground and into an old, wooden chair, the children still gripping my upper arms, forcing me to stay in my seat.

"Now you don't worry your pretty little head," Freddy cooed, now suddenly appearing in front of me, the smoke clearing enough as to where I could see clearly now.

I violently struggled against the children, the thought of hurting them never even crossing my mind; if anything they were hurting me! I was sure to have bruises on my upper arms when I woke up.

If I woke up.

I shivered at the thought.

"Now, I just want to ask you a few questions. Answer them, and I may just let you live for a little while longer. Fail to do so and...well let's just say you'll never get to have you cup of coffee."

Ahhh I'm sorry about the cliffhanger, but this chapter was pretty long! Almost 5,000 words! I wanted to do more, but it was just a lot for one chapter, but I'm currently in the process of chapter 6.

Again I am so sorry about the delay, but it was ALL of your support that kept me going.

Please continue with your wonderful support! Reviews are always so appreciated they just warm my heart, so don't forget to click that button!

Till next time guys!