as long as we have eachother

Charles had made Zada the hot chocolate that he had promised her, complete with the little marshmallows floating around on top because as far as he was concerned, hot chocolate wasn't worth it without them. He gave her a light smile. Despite how distraught she was, Charles was doing his best to turn her mood around. He lowered to his knees beside her, holding the hot chocolate out to her. "I'm sure Payton's fine, sweet girl. You just focus on relaxing, okay?" Charles spoke softly, leaning against the side of the tub when Zada took the drink.

He wasn't so sure that Payton was okay. Henry had all but confirmed his suspicions and now, Charles had no way of being too sure what Henry would do. He'd thought his brother was the outstanding twin but if he was touching his daughter as Charles thought... Charles blew out a deep breath, reaching over to brush some of her hair behind her ear. He cupped her cheek, brushing his thumb against the skin delicately.

"Do you want me to stay in here with you? Or can I go start something for us to have launch, hm?" Charles asked, leaving the option completely up to her.

---

If there had been any chance at Payton calming, that completely disappeared when Henry answered her question. The colour drained from her face as she turned inward toward the wall, trying to get even smaller than she already had. Payton whimpered as he started questioning her, panic filling her body. Unable to find the courage to speak, Payton could only bring herself to shake her head. She sniffled, reaching up to rub the tears from her eyes in an effort to slow them. "I-I.. I love you, Daddy," she answered finally, tucking her feet under her. It wasn't an actual answer to what he'd asked but it was what she thought he wanted to hear.

"W-We.. we're not s'posed to.. go to Uncle's..." Payton trailed off, tugging her bottom lip between her teeth. "I don't wanna go.."

Zada rested the cup of hot cocoa on the side of the bath tub and held it with one hand as her free one reached out of the water and up to gently touch his hand on her face. She wanted to ask him to stay with her, but she was afraid too. If he stayed, would he try to touch her? Zada didn't think she could handle that right now. "Thank you for the cocoa."

"You can go..." She whispered, squeezing his hand, "I'll get out in a minute and come find you." Some alone time was probably what she needed. Even though it had only been about two days since their first time, Zada had gotten a lot more comfortable giving Charles what he wanted. She pulled his hand away from his face and kissed his knuckles, before slowly letting him go.

Sighing, she slipped into the water again, completely submerging her hair so she could wash it before getting out.

---

Henry heard her answer, heard her tell him that she loved him, but how could he believe her when she was trying to shrink in on herself? When she pressed her back as firmly against the bed as she could? When her voice cracked into another, pathetic sob? Reaching up to scratch the side of his jaw, Henry slowly made his way the side of her bed. "You sound so convincing, Payton. Maybe we should get you into drama class."

It was sad really. There was no way Payton could even anticipate the blow. Henry's open hand smacked her hard against the left side of her face, causing her head to completely flick to the right side. She probably even tasted blood. How could this help Henry feel better? Beating on his blind daughter. "Then why do you cry, huh, Payton?" He screamed, leaning over onto her mattress, his hands sinking into the sheets as his face neared hers. "Why do you always flinch away from me!?" His voice only grew louder as he screamed in her face.

@ castle.

Charles almost wondered if he should have insisted that he stay with Zada so that she wasn't alone while she tried to process what had happened. He reluctantly rose to his feet, leaning over to press a kiss to her forehead. "I love you, sweet girl. You yell if you need anything, okay? I'll come right in, I promise," he murmured before he turned, exiting the bathroom. He left the door slightly ajar so that he could hear if Zada called for him.

Settled in the kitchen, Charles decided to make nachos because they were a good snack food to sit down in front of a movie with. He chopped up all of the toppings that Zada could have possibly wanted. Lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and avocado were all chopped into small dices so that Zada could mix her nachos how she wanted. Charles leaned against the counter as he cooked the beef, glancing up with a small grin smile when he heard Zada nearing him.

"Hey, you. I made nachos, there's cheese and.. everything you could want... I think.." Charles trailed off, scratching his beard in thought. "Here's a plate, put together yours, hm?" He said, stepping back so that Zada had the space to make her plate of nachos.

---

Payton wanted so desperately to make Henry happy but she was utterly terrified at the moment. She bit back a whimper, trying to gauge where Henry was in the room. Before she could even comprehend where he was, Payton's head snapped to the side with the force of the blow. She cried out, biting down on her inner cheek. Payton choked on her breathes, completely shocked by what had happened. A shaking hand raised up, her fingertips brushing against her cheek.

Her bottom lip wobbled as Henry screamed at her, shrinking away from him. Payton's eyes were wide, it was evident just how afraid she was. "Y-You.. You.. s-scare me," she whimpered out an answer, having no idea how to spin the truth to make it so Henry wouldn't be so angry. Her mind was racing, she was so sure that Henry's anger was because of her and it broke her heart. She just wanted to make Henry happy, she wanted to do good and make him proud. "S-Sometimes.. but.. I love you. A-Always," she croaked, reaching up to wipe her tears as frantically as she could. She didn't want Henry to see them and use them as another reason to be angry with her. "You're my dad," she breathed, relieved that she managed to speak without her voice cracking.

Zada came shuffling out of the bathroom, her dark hair still damp as it clung to her shoulders. Her hands were wrapped tightly around the mug of still piping hot cocoa. Bringing it to her lips, she took a small sip as she tiptoed into the kitchen. The smell of melted cheese and spices filled the kitchen, but it smelled delicious. Sitting the mug down on the counter, Zada moved to take the plate that Charles had pointed out to her.

"You think?" Zada tried to tease him, trying to force herself into a better mood. "Forget what goes on nachos?" She laughed, looking up at him with a sparkle in her eye, even if they were still red and puffy. Looking around at all of the chopped up toppings, Zada couldn't see anything she thought was missing. After Charles finished with the beef and the two of them piled their plates full of nachos, they retreated back to the living room. "Did...you have a movie in mind?"

---

Henry dropped his head when Payton continued to cry, hearing her try to think up anything she could say to calm him down. When she admitted that he scared her, he felt like he might break teeth with how hard he was grinding them. "I scare you?" He whispered, pulling his head back up to look at Payton, "I scare you?" His fist connected with the wall right by her head, punching in the dry wall. It made a noise loud enough to cause Payton to jump. His knuckles were already bloody from what he had done downstairs, but he didn't care.

"Charles can fucking-" Henry stopped, biting down on his tongue before he said it. He couldn't say it out loud, he couldn't tell Payton what Charles had done to that cheerleader, no matter how much better it might make him feel to say it. "I cook for you, I make sure your clothes are always clean, I help you with your school work, I make sure you don't forget any of your medications, and just because I take a little bit, I scare you?" His voice quaked, almost as if he might finally cry. "I do everything, for both of you, and she chose Charles! Do I scare Zada too??" Henry's voice raised again, and before he knew it, he was grabbing Payton by her arms, forcing her to face him.

@ castle.

Charles was very methodical in his plating of nachos - chips, beef, cheese, and then do it a second time with the toppings sprinkled on top of that layer. He grabbed himself a beer out of the fridge before following Zada into the living room. He was all too eager to drop down onto the couch, setting the beer down on the coffee table before he handed the television remote to Zada. "Didn't have anything in mind, no. You pick what you want, okay?" He murmured softly, eyeing her with a small smile.

He reached out and gave her leg a small squeeze before turning back toward the screen. Charles propped his feet up in the table. He took a bite of his food before groaning as he stretched his legs out. "Do you have any homework left or are you all done it?" He asked, glancing her way. As much as he didn't really care about homework, Charles knew that Zada had to put some effort into her schoolwork or it would drag her down. "I'll help if you need it. After the movie, of course."

---

A scream sounded from her lips when Henry punched the wall beside her head. She flinched, all but throwing herself in the other direction. She scrambled away from him, pushing herself as far from him as she could get which proved to be basically nothing because Henry was dragging her back toward him. She had been afraid but then, Henry's voice quivered and she felt her heart skip a beat for an entirely different reason. "I-I.. I.. dunno, Daddy," she whispered, her own voice cracking. Sniffling as she was forced to face him again, Payton swallowed thickly. She wished that she could at least see Henry because then she might be able to better read the situation and his mood.

"I-I.. I.. only get s-scared when.. you hurt me," Payton explained, trying to reason with him. She lifted one hand, wincing as Henry's grip tightened on her arms. She set her hand on his that was wrapped around her opposite arm. Her hand shook even as she tried to squeeze his hand to calm him. "N-Not when.. when you're gentle. Or.. or we do o-other things.." Payton trailed off. She hesitated a moment further before she inched toward him, trying to give him any reason she could to lessen his rage.

Zada took the remote from Charles, turning the television above the fireplace on as she sank into the couch. Her plate of nachos also sitting on the coffee table. When Charles reminded her of homework, Zada all but groaned, feeling her head fall against the back of the couch. "That landscape," she sighed, remembering how she had planned to finish it after their hike, but he had distracted her... That was a simpler way of putting it. "I still have some finishing touches to do to that, and some English work, but that won't take long." That painting though, she'd probably be up all night fucking with it. She was her own worst critic, and nothing ever seemed good enough. The look of worry was probably scrawled all across her face.

For a second, Zada thought about forgoing dinner and the movie, wanting to immediately begin working on the landscape, but she knew better. Charles had put a lot of work into fixing their food, so she forced herself to just forget the painting. Bringing a hand up to wipe down her face, Zada sighed before finding a comedy movie for them to watch. She doubted she'd pay attention it. Leaning forward, she grabbed her plate of nachos with shaky hands. This weekend hadn't been what she expected it to be, that was for sure.

---

Henry cursed under his breath when he felt Payton squeeze his hand, the little action doing something to him. It forced him to take a step back and re-evaluate the situation. He thought about all of the damage he had just done to their home, the unnecessary violence he was subjecting Payton to. Sighing, he pulled his hands away and ran them down his face.

"I'm sorry..." he whispered, "for slapping you." It was often that Henry apologized, for anything. He couldn't remember the last time those words had left his mouth. "I'm scared..." he swallowed thickly, as he thought about what he was saying, "for Zada, Payton. Charles,...your uncle, he's not...who you think he is. I can't tell you why, but if you think I'm scary... then he's...."

Closing his eyes, he wondered what torture Zada was being subjected to right now. If she had willingly chosen Charles over him, then Charles was still putting up some sort of sickeningly sweet front, to trick her, but now that he had won... Tears burnt Henry's eyes as one slipped down his face. He was supposed to protect her and instead, here he was, hurting his other daughter. His breath was shaky, most likely giving away to Payton that he was on the verge of tears.

@ castle.

Charles listened to her answer, giving a nod of his head when it seemed like she had made up her mind. He made a mental note of what she had mentioned, wanting to remember to help her with them once the movie had finished. Once he was done his nachos, Charles took a swig of his beer before setting the can back down on the table. He turned toward Zada, raising an eyebrow. "You want to cuddle, sweet girl?" He asked, opening his arm up form her. Charles smiled when Zada moved toward him, his arms slipping around her waist. "Atta girl," he murmured, playing with her hair as he turned his attention back to the movie playing.

- - - - -

Sighing at the movie finished, Charles turned back to Zada. He pressed a hurried kiss to her temple before raising an eyebrow. "So, what needs to be done first with your homework? Is there anything I can help with or should I just be a cheerleader?" Charles asked with a soft laugh, hoping that he could get her to at least smile. After everything that her father had done, Charles wanted to make her happy. At least a tiny bit.

---

When Henry apologized, Payton's jaw dropped. Just slightly but it was enough for her to simply stareat him. Henry didn't apologize for things, ever. She pushed herself closer to him once he'd released his arms. His warning made her nervous but she was choosing to let it go for now. She would ask Henry about it later because right now, she was afraid that if she would ask it would spark Henry's rage all over again. Listening to the way his breathing changed, Payton's mind was made up before she could even think about it.

Her arms slid around Henry's shoulders and she pulled herself to him. She shivered as she pressed herself closer to him, running her fingers through his hair. Her nails drug against his scalp in an effort to help Henry to feel better.

"I love you, Dad," Payton whispered, burying herself against him. She was still shivering, afraid that if she didn't help Henry to calm down, he'd flip right back out but at the same time, she felt awful for him. Zada had hurt him and all he ever tried to do was keep them happy and safe, cared for. Payton hesitated for a moment before she moved backward, trying to pull Henry onto the bed with her. She didn't have the intention of taking it far but she wanted to cuddle with him. That always seemed to help improve Henry's mood and she was willing to do just about anything that was needed at the moment.

Even when Charles mentioned her homework, Zada stayed put curled up against his chest. Her fingers twisted into the fabric of his shirt, wishing she didn't have to go to school tomorrow. "The English hand outs will probably take the least amount of time," she bit down on her lip as she glanced up at him. Worry was beginning to fill her stomach as she thought about school tomorrow. Charles said he would take her, but what about after? She couldn't ask him to make two trips to the school, when he lived about an hour away... She'd most likely have to ride the bus home and then... Henry...

Pressing her hand against Charles' chest, Zada sat up on the couch and rubbed her eyes. All the crying she had done today really wore her out. If he hadn't have said anything, she probably would've fallen asleep right there on his chest. She looked over her shoulder at him when he mentioned just being a cheerleader, and she couldn't help but laugh at the visual image in her mind. "You could keep me company? Can I bring it to your room?"

---

Henry shivered as her fingers passed through his hair, her nails scratching down his scalp. Hearing her tell him that she loved him again, now that he had slightly calmed down, it was much easier for him to swallow. "I love you too, Payton," he breathed, "so, so much..." His young daughter buried herself into his chest, and all Henry could do was wrap his arms tightly around her. Feeling her hands tugging at his sides as she tried to pull him into the bed. Was this just because she was afraid? Worried of how he might react if she didn't try to make him feel better?

His life was falling apart at the seams.

Pulling himself under the sheets with her, Henry rolled onto his side and pulled Payton into his arms, her face pressed against his chest. "You know I'll never really hurt you," he whispered, "Your my baby girl, my little angel, my honey bee... I love you more than life." He whispered against the top of her head as he pressed soft kisses into her hair.

@ castle.

Charles nodded at the mention of her English homework. He was so content feeling Zada’s weight against his chest. It was the first real human connection that he had had in so long, he didn’t think that he would ever be able to let her go. He hummed softly, raising an eyebrow as she sat up. His hands slid to her waist and he held her gently, grinning when she did, in fact, laugh. It was a victory. A small one but still, a victory. He would take it.

“Of course, sweet girl. Why don’t you grab it and I’ll make some tea?” Charles offered as he moved to sit up. When he stood, Charles stretched his arms above his head. His shirt rode up, revealing his lower stomach before he relaxed again. Grabbing their plates, Charles headed into the kitchen where he set them in the sink. He would deal with them later

---

Payton could have cried from the relief when Henry pulled her into his chest. It was the confirmation that she needed that he wasn’t going to keep hurting her. She pressed herself as close to him as she could, wrapping her fingers into the fabric of his shirt. “I know, Daddy. ‘m safe with you,” she murmured against his chest, her body slowly beginning to relax. Despite her hesitation, when Henry was sweet and gentle like this... she believed him. She thought he would never hurt her.

She wanted to ask when Zada was going to come home but she thought better of it. Payton was quiet for several long moments, her hands massaging Henry’s arms. It was just as much to comfort him as it was for her. “When... does Zada come home? We should probably..” she trailed off, unsure of whether she was about to set him off again. She hoped not. “Clean so she doesn’t see anything.”

Zada looked up at Charles as he stretched, before scurrying off of the couch. She grabbed her backpack from the room she had first been staying in before bringing it to his room. "Charlie? Can I have a shirt to sleep in?" She called, his bedroom door still propped open so he'd be able to hear her. Thinking it would be okay, she dropped her backpack down on his bed before going to his closet.

Pulling the doors open, she yawned, wishing she really didn't have to do any of her homework tonight. Charles had a lot of long sleeves and flannels hanging in the closet, and as she flicked through the articles of clothing trying to find an oversized shirt, her fingers stopped on something bright red. The material was thick, and as Zada slightly pulled it from the closet, she realized it was an old cheerleaders uniform. Her brow pulled together as she tried to think about why he has this... It was so small...

---

Henry frowned, his cheek still pressed against Payton's head when she began to ask about her sister. "I... Don't know, sweetie. I'm hoping she comes home after school tomorrow." He hoped she was still alive. Looking down at Payton, Henry pulled his head away from hers and ran his fingers through her hair. "Don't worry about the mess daddy made," he sighed, looking up at the hole in the wall, knowing there were many others in the living room. "I'll get it all fixed tomorrow."

"By the way..." Henry frowned, his mind thinking back to what Charles had said. "Have you told Zada anything about...us?" He wanted to believe the answer was no, but what if Payton had? Had she told anyone else?

@ castle.

Charles' brows rose at the request that Zada made. He certainly hadn't been expecting her to ask if she could wear one of his shirts. His face broke into a wide smile as he called out to her, "of course, sweet girl. Just in the second drawer of my dresser," he called before turning back to what he had been doing. The kettle turned on, Charles started scooping the tea into steepers for each of their teas. He was quiet as he waited for the water to finish.

Once he'd poured the water, Charles picked the mugs up before turning to head toward his bedroom. On habit, he walked quietly and moved to bump the door open with his knee. "Hey, did y-" he froze as he looked up, seeing the one thing no one was ever supposed to have in their hands. Henry calmed, seeing the uniform in Zada's grip. His eyes narrowed as he stepped forward, setting the mugs down on the dresser that she must have pulled the uniform front - it was hidden deep within the third drawer so Charles had no clue how she had found it.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Charles spat, his hands balling into tight fists.

---

Payton swallowed, squeezing her eyes shut when Henry answered her. She didn't like the idea of being alone with Henry for so long but she wasn't about to point that out to him, not wanting to upset him. He seemed to be in a good mood now and she wasn't about to be foolish and change that. She could only bring herself to nod, letting out a small sigh. She wished that they could stay like this forever because Henry was content and she felt like she had done something right, even if Henry had been angry with him.

His question, it made her blood run cold. Payton jumpe,d her head snapping upward to look at him. Her eyes were wide as she started shaking her head, feeling as if she was sinking into a deep hole that she couldn't get away from. If she answered wrong or if Henry didn't believe her for whatever reason.. Payton's face scrunched as she fought the urge to cry. "No! Of course not!" She declared, her frown remaining on her face despite herself. "Why.. why are you asking that?"

Zada heard Charles' footsteps coming down the hall and even when they stopped at the door, but she hadn't felt her heart hit her stomach until he spoke. Dropping the uniform back to the drawer, she turned looking up at him as he stepped up to the dresser. A look of confusion written across her face as he all sat the mugs down on the top of it. "Looking for a shirt," she whispered, her eyes finding his. Suddenly, she could hear her father's words in her head, from earlier that day, telling her she couldn't trust him, that she didn't know him.

She glanced back towards the uniform that now laid crumpled across the other clothes in the drawer, wondering what the big deal was. She thought it was weird that he seemed to have a teenager's cheer outfit, but her mind certainly wasn't going to murder. Looking back up at him, her hands started to shake and she took a step back, "I-I'm sorry," his demeanor was oddly calm, but the look in his eye... It turned her stomach. "I heard you s-say the dresser, I-I didn't mean-" Zada felt stupid, feeling how her heart started to beat hard inside of her chest. She hadn't heard him say which drawer, he had sounded kind of muffled all the way from the kitchen. Quickly, Zada picked the uniform back up and folded it back neatly, before placing it neatly back in the drawer, before apologizing again, her voice trembling.

Charles had never talked to her like that, had never cursed at her that was certain. She saw how his hands had tightened into fists and she immediately felt like she was in danger.

---

Henry frowned when Payton jumped, her head snapping back to look up at him. Her eyes were wide, filled with fear despite how cloudy and gray they looked. He just shook his head and ran his fingers through her hair, trying to calm her down. "Because she knows."

He was silent after that for a moment, not knowing exactly how much information he wanted to enlighten her with. "And now, so does Charles. That's why Zada won't come home, she's... jealous of the attention I give you. Or, more upset about the fact that she feels neglected." It felt nasty telling Payton that, especially because Henry knew she would probably do anything to stop the way he touched her. To tell her that her younger sister was jealous of it, how would that make her feel?

"I think your sister is in danger, up there, with your uncle..." He whispered, pulling Payton closer against his chest, the feeling of her small body pressed against his enough to help keep him calm.

@ castle.

"I told you the second drawer, did I not? That belongs in the third drawer... you don't know how to listen very well, do you?" Charles spat the words. He was breathing heavily. Some part of him was trying to calm down but this was the closest anyone had ever come to realizing the secret that he kept buried in his back yard. It sent him into a panic because he knew what would happen if the wrong person found out about it. If Zada so much as opened her mouth... everything was over for him. Huffing, Charles ground his teeth together as he looked up toward Zada, his eyes narrowed.

He reached forward, without any warning at all and backhanded her. Charles didn't react when her head snapped to the side and the handprint appeared on her cheek moments later, his own hand stinging from what he'd just done. Charles took a step forward, his hand sliding around her neck. He didn't squeeze but the weight of his hand would be enough of a reminder, he was almost sure of it. Backing her up against the wall, Charles set his other hand on the wall beside her head.

"You ever mention what you just saw, to anyone, sweet girl..." Charles trailed off, leaning so close to Zada that she could feel his breath against her lips. "Your father is going to be the last thing you need to worry about. Am I clear?"

---

Payton only started to calm back down when Henry didn't lash out at her. She gave a small nod of her head, chewing on her bottom lip as she set her head back on his chest. It was odd for Henry to say that Zada was jealous. There was no way Zada would want to trade places if she knew about last night - about how Payton had begged and pleaded, only to have to split her own lip to keep from making too much noise as Henry fucked her. The thought alone was enough to make her shiver.

Her brows pulled together at Henry's comment about Charles. She swallowed, tilting her head back enough that she could look at Henry. "Dad? Why.. Why're you saying that? It's Uncle... he's... he's not a bad.. man?" Payton's words were whispered, growing more concerned as she spoke because she could feel the way that he tensed with each word she spoke. "S-Should we... go get Zada, now?"

Zada whimpered, her hand instantly shooting up to her face. She had faltered, the force from his slap being enough to almost cause her to fall, but she didn't. Tears burned her eyes and she squeezed them shut trying to get over the pain that ripped through her face. "I'm sorry!" She squeaked, pressing herself into the wall to try and get away from him. She couldn't look at him, instead, opening her eyes and keeping them down on the floor.

When he stepped forward and threatened her, his breath against her face, she cringed away. "I-I won't tell anyone, I-I don't even know what you're talking about," her words were running together, speaking so fast, trying to get her apology out before he would hit her again. His hand slipped around her throat and she gasped, forcing her eyes up to his, "Ch-Charlie, please," she begged, not knowing how to react. She had never seen him like this before. Her small hands slid up to his chest, desperately trying to calm him down. "I wouldn't tell anyone anything, even if I did know, I p-promise," tears streamed down her face. "I love you, I wouldn't do that!"

---

Henry frowned, "Zada wanted to stay with him." He brushed his fingers through her hair, trying his best to relax. "I hope Charles wouldn't hurt her, he's not a bad man, he's just ... He can be like Daddy sometimes," that was the easy way of putting it. Henry never felt the urge to kill, the want to torture like Charles did. Sure, Henry couldn't control his anger sometimes, but Charles was a different story. He could control himself, every action he made was completely thought through.

"Don't worry about it tonight, okay? If she doesn't come home after school tomorrow, we'll call. She probably won't want to talk to me .. I might've scared her, I ... I got a little angry when she told me she wasn't coming home, but if you call... Shell listen to you, I'm sure." He pressed a kiss against her forehead, hoping he was right.

@ castle.

Charles wasn't the least bit phased by Zada's apologies, his anger and paranoia were only feeding off of each other. He sneered as she stuttered over her words, his fingers twitching slightly as he fought the urge to tighten his grip. It would be so easy to just... squeeze. End this here and now and then he wouldn't have to worry about Zada running her mouth if she recognized the uniform. It was from nearly a decade ago so it was unlikely but.. anything was possible.

Exhaling slowly, deliberately as Zada continued to apologize, Charles only started to calm down as Zada said she loved him. His grip loosened on her and instead, his thumb started to rub her throat gently, enough that he hoped it would easy whatever pain he'd caused to her throat. Charles gritted his teeth as his hand dropped from her throat entirely, fixing Zada with a hard glare. "I know you wouldn't. You're not that dumb, are you, sweet girl?" Charles murmured, his tone taking on a sickeningly sweet tone. "You said it yourself. You love me, you'd never hurt me, would you?"

---

Payton had to bite back a whimper when Henry explained that Charles could be like him. Did that mean that Charles was hurting Zada right now? The thought made her feel like an awful sister for even letting that happen. That was part of the reason she never did truly complain about what Henry did to her - she was trying to protect Zada so that never happened to her. She pressed herself closer to Henry, her fingers twisting into the material of his shirt. "But.. what if.." Payton trailed off, worrying at her bottom lip. The thought of letting Zada stay at Charles' overnight.. it scared her.

"Can we.. can we get Chinese food?" Payton asked after a moment, wanting something that she could distract herself with. She hoped that it would help the same with Henry. "We haven't in awhile.. and then maybe we can watch a movie or something? Maybe it will help us to relax," she said after a moment, her hands settled on Henry's chest. She smiled slightly, hesitating for a moment longer before she pushed herself up to press a kiss to the corner of his lips. It was all she could bring herself to do but it was more than she had ever done before. Payton was desperate for some sort of comfort.

Zada hated the look in his eye. It was so dark and menacing, and even though his hand had left her throat, she still felt his grip there. Sniffling, bringing the back of her hand up to wipe at her eyes, she choked back a sob. Her hands found their way to his biceps, slowly rubbing up and down his arms in an attempt to calm him down. The muscles under his shirt felt so pronounced, and it was a terrifying thought to think how easy it would be for him to just end her life. If he wanted to snap her neck, it would've been like breaking a twig to him. Even with how scared she was, Zada couldn't help but feel like it was her fault. She hadn't listened. She had heard his yes and after that, she had just gone straight for any drawer, without listening for his instruction. "No, never," Zada shook her head, her hands sliding down his arms until she found his hands, her fingers wrapping around his as hard as she could. "Your right, I'm stupid, I'm sorry, I-I should've listened better," She whimpered, her dark eyes frantically searching his face.

The pain in her jaw was almost unbearable, and out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at her face in the mirror. Her skin was already raised, a red hand-print visible on her pale skin. She wondered if it would bruise, and by the way it felt, she was sure that it would. All she could think about was disappointing him, thinking about the two years since her mother had died, how her father had been neglecting her... All she had to do was keep Charles happy, and then he'd go back to praising her right? "I love you so, so much, I'm sorry," She sniffled, feeling a tear fall down her face.

---

Henry didn't want to move and the thought of forcing himself up off the bed and downstairs... He wanted to tell Payton no, to just go to sleep in his arms, but when she reached up and pressed a small kiss to the corner of his mouth, he felt his face heat up. He shivered, possibly even felt his stomach tie up in knots. Licking his bottom lip, Henry barely opened his eyes and looked down at Payton. "Whatever you want, baby girl." He whispered, before leaning forward and pressing a kiss to the top of her forehead.

Placing his hand down on the mattress, he pushed himself up and found himself sitting on the edge of her bed for a moment, his hands running through his hair. "I'll run and pick it up, while I'm gone, find us a movie, okay?" At the end of the day, Henry would do whatever Payton asked of him, especially if she gifted him small intimacies like the little kiss she had just given him. Rising to his feet, he moved to the bedroom door before looking over his shoulder asking her if she wanted her usual order. With her answer, he ducked out of the room, heading downstairs, doing his best to ignore the rubble of the living room.

When he returned, Henry shut the front door with his foot, a large brown paper bag in his hand full of all the Chinese food he had ordered. "Payton?" He called, his hand searching the wall for the light switch, the living room too shadowed to see. "Did you find us a movie?"

@ castle.

Zada talking down about herself, it somehow managed to help him calm down. It was important to Charles that Zada realized just how badly she had messed up. She had deliberately gone against what he had told her to do and even if he was remotely sorry about it, Charles wasn't about to apologize for having smacked her. His shoulders sagged as Zada squeezed his hands, doing what seemed like her absolute best to calm him. It showed him that Zada didn't want to upset him, that she cared about him and the way she was telling him that she loved him? Charles couldn't help but smirk slightly as he nodded, his gaze softening just slightly.

"You love me? You're sorry?" Charles' voice dipped, reaching up to cup her cheek. He still hadn't backed away from her, his chest brushing against hers with each breath. "You goin' to show me that or are you just going to keep talking and telling me you care? All talk?" Charles murmured, his eyes flicking to her lips. "Or are you going to show me that, too?"

---

Payton was a bit reluctant to let Henry sit up when he started to pull away from her. She wanted to reach out and stop him, for just a bit longer but she decided not to. With everything that was going on, as happy as Henry seemed, she didn't want to push her luck. She gave him a tiny smile as she answered, "yes, please." Pushing to her feet, Payton tiptoed out of the room and made her way downstairs slowly. Before she headed into the living room, Payton paused to grab the broom from the hall closet. She kept the broom in front of her, sweeping up the mess as much as she could. Bumping into the coffee table, Payton cursed to herself as she leaned to turn it back over on her feet. Tossing the glass into the garbage, Payton was careful as she carried the bag outside.

Once she had done as much as she could, Payton sat down on the couch. She curled her legs up, chewing on her lip as she settled the tv remote on her knees. She spoke, all too thankful they had the special remote, before she picked out the new Spiderman movie for them to watch. When Henry opened the front door, Payton looked up with a small smile. "Yup! Let me just grab forks," she said, heading into the kitchen to grab the forks before she decided to pour them each a drink before carrying the carefully into the living room so they could eat and watch the movie at the same time.

Zada felt a tingle run between her legs when Charles' voice lowered, watching the way his eyes flicked down to her lips. Biting down on her bottom lip, her eyes flickered up to his, before she wrapped her arms around her waist. Was she safe? Had she succeeded in calming him down? Pushing herself up on her tiptoes, she pressed her lips to his cautiously as first, feeling the way his beard and mustache tickled her skin. Tilting her head to the side, her lips ran along his as she kissed him, her eyes closing. Whatever he wanted her to do, she would.

Behind her eyelids, all Zada could see was that cheer uniform. The colors matched her school's and she had even seen their mascot, a panther sewn onto the front. Where had he gotten it? She told herself to stop thinking about it, reminding herself that if Charles backhanded her just for looking at it, what else would he do if she tried to pry? Maybe she was an idiot, letting her curiosity get the better of her.

Her hands ran under his shirt, her nails lightly scratching at his skin. Every movement she made was thoroughly thought through first, worried she might make a wrong choice and upset him again. Breaking her lips away from his, Zada felt suffocated with how close he was, how she was being pressed into the wall. "L-Let me show you how sorry I am," she whispered, her hands pressing against his chest, slowly pushing him away from her, towards the bed.

---

Henry frowned as he looked around the living room, seeing that Payton had done her best to clean it up as much as she could. He sighed, dropping his shoulders as he brought the foot to the coffee table. Setting it down, he pulled out the little white containers, sliding Payton's over in front of where she had been sitting. "I think I got everything you could've wanted, egg rolls, crab rangoon, your kung pao chicken and rice..." He rifled through the bag, pulling out the little bag of powdered donuts, "Donuts too." He smiled, sitting down on the couch with his own container of green pepper steak and his chopsticks.

He looked up to the television, seeing the movie had already started. "Spiderman over Batman, huh?" He laughed, watching as Payton came back into the room with their drinks. This felt... Weird. Normal. It was nice. Despite the wreckage of the room around them, and Zada not being home, this felt right. "Thank you, sweetie," he smiled, leaning up to take his drink from her and help her sit down.

@ castle.

Charles had pushed for Zada to right him last night and after a bit of coercion, she had. But when Zada leaned up to kiss him, he couldn't help but smirk. His grip tightened on her hips before he pulled her closer. Humming, his thumbs dipped beneath the material of her shirt. He wasn't naive, he could tell just how skeptical she was. She was thinking about every move she made and whether it was the right one or not. That was just a little bit of extra enjoyment to him because Zada was so desperate to please him, to ensure that he didn't hurt her anymore that, she was willing to do just about whatever he asked of her.

Taking a step backward at Zada's encouragement, Charles lowered himself to the bed in front of her. He propped himself up on his elbows, his eyes locked on hers as a little grin settled on his lips. "Go on, girl. Show me?" Charles prompted, palming himself through his pants. His cock twitched and he had to hold back a groan, biting down on his bottom lip. "Be a good girl. Show me you know how to behave," he said, reaching out to grab Zada's wrist. He tugged her closer, far more gentle than he had been even a few minutes ago.

---

Payton grinned, reaching out and all but snatching the bag out of Henry's hand when he produced the donuts out of the bag. "This is why I love you," she joked as she picked out a donut before taking a large bite. The donuts were practically the best part of ordering chinese. She groaned as she leaned back, eagerly eating the rest of the donut. "Thank you," she said. Payton was sure that some of the feelings she had at the moment, they weren't right. Payton shouldn't want to sit closer to Henry, she shouldn't want to be cuddled up to him while they ate and watched movies but still, she found herself inching closer to him. When she finished eating, Payton was practically pressed against his side.

She slid her arm through Henry's, setting her cheek against his shoulder. Her head was turned toward the movie as she listened to it, one hand dragging up and down Henry's arm in random designs. When the movie finished, Payton found herself needing to voice something that had been on her mind since Henry told her that Zara must have figured out what happened between them. "You.. you're not gonna.. hurt Zada, are you? Just.. since she knows. And I know it was supposed to be a secret.." she blurted, picking at the edge of her shirt.

Zada couldn't help the blush that rose to her cheeks when Charles took her by the wrist and dragged her closer to him. Forcing herself to at least come off a bit more confident, she crawled onto his lap, her hands working down his chest until she found the bottom of his shirt. Seconds later, Zada was tossing his shirt to the floor by the bed, her hands back to his chest so she could push him down on the mattress. Crawling down his body, she placed small kisses down his chest, trailing down his stomach until she reached the waistband of his jeans. Unbuttoning them, she shimmied them down his legs, until they met his shirt on the floor. The side of her face still ached, but she was doing her best to forget what had just happened. She wanted to make Charles happy and if she kept thinking about what had just happened, she'd freak herself out and ruin everything.

Once Charles was completely undressed, Zada teased a few more kisses around his waist, slowly trailing them lower as her hand stroked his cock. She hoped she was pleasing him, still having very little experience. One hand stroked his hip as her tongue slid up the length of his cock, swirling around his tip before she barely placed her lips around him. "Tell me I'm a good girl," Zada whispered, barely lifting her head to look up at him. She craved the affirmation. The movement had elicited a low groan from Charles and she found her heart started beating hard in her chest. All she wanted to do was make him proud. Turning her attention back to the job at hand, she slipped him into her mouth. Zada bobbed her head up and down on his cock, her tongue tracing patterns around his shaft as she focused on him.

---

Henry wasn't sure what he was feeling as the movie went on. It came as a shock to him to feel Payton slowly inching closer and closer as time passed. By the time she was done eating, the young girl was pressed firmly against his side and his arm was wrapped around her. Henry held her close to him, cuddling her against his chest as they rested on the couch together. It felt like some surreal dream he was living in, where Payton reciprocated his feelings and everything was...right.

He was pulled from it when she mentioned her sister. Glancing down at Payton, he ran his fingers through her hair, pressing soft kisses to the side of her face and forehead. "Don't worry about that, okay?" Henry couldn't promise that he wouldn't hurt his youngest. Remembering how she had so boldly defied him, embarrassed him in front of his brother... He had to push the thoughts away, otherwise, he was already beginning to feel his blood pressure rise. "I'm not mad that she knows, I should've been more discreet... But, the way she acted today, her and I are going to have to have a...talk when she comes home..."

@ castle.