Burning It Down, All the Way to Bat Country

Trinity’s POV
I woke up alone and in a very unfamiliar room. I was a little freaked out, but I slowly started to remember what had happened. I got out of bed and walked over to the door, peeking out, all I could see was a hallway, so I decided to see if I could find Matt anywhere. Walking through the hall and down the stairs, I heard him talking somewhere to my right. Following the sound, I found him in the kitchen with his cell phone pressed to his ear. He smiled and motioned for me to hold on a minute, then turned his attention back to his phone.

“Yeah, guys I gotta go, she just woke up, I’ll call you all later….Ok, yeah man, see you soon.”
He touched the screen of his phone, ending the call, and slid it back in his pocket. I smiled shyly, then squared my shoulders and began the speech that I had been rehearsing in my head since I woke up.

“You can’t give me back, I don’t care if you’ve changed your mind, I won’t go back. You said I could stay with you, so I’m going to hold you to that and we’re going to go to my parent’s lawyer’s office to get the adoption papers signed and squared away.”
He just smiled and arched an eyebrow.
“Are you done?”
I nodded nervously.

“Ok then. Here’s the deal. I’m not giving you back, you're mine now, and I protect what’s mine. I know it’s only been a few weeks, but I already see you as a daughter, so all the guys are coming back from vacation early, they should be here tomorrow. We’re going to go to your house now and pack all your stuff. Once we’ve brought it over here, we’re heading to the lawyer’s office to get the papers signed. Once the guys get here, we’re going to spend a few days together so you can get to know the guys and get comfortable with them, because we spend a lot of time together. Once I’m sure that everything will be ok, we’ll get the house packed up and move back to my house on the other side of Huntington. You’re not going back there Trinity, you’re MY daughter now. Got it?”
All I could do was nod as my eyes filled with grateful tears, and ran to him, throwing my arms around his waist and whispering “thank you” over and over again. His arms came around me, and he rested his head on top of mine, rocking us back and forth. All I could think was

“I’m free, I’m finally safe.”

Matt’s POV
I woke up, and Trinity was still sleeping. I gently disentangled myself from her, grabbing my phone from the nightstand, and walked down to the kitchen. Walking over to the fridge I dialed Zack’s cell, waiting for him to pick up.

“Hello?”
“Hey man, how’s it goin?”
“Oh hey Matt, it’s good, back at home now.”
“Wow, you came back early?”
“Haha yeah, Jamaica is only entertaining for so long. But I know you didn’t just call to chat, what’s up man?”
“Hold on, we gotta conference the rest of the guys in for this one”
“Wow, must be important then, ok I’ll wait.”

I quickly conferenced the other guys in, and once I was satisfied that everyone was there and could hear me, I quickly explained everything that had gone on over the next few days.
“So basically, I was thinking that you guys could come here for like a week, so that she can get to know you and get comfortable and everything?”
“Of course we will Matt, but have you really thought this through?” Brian asked, concern lacing his voice.
“I’m positive about this Brian, I love her already, she’s like my daughter already dude. I can’t let her go back there, or let her be put into the system.”
“Ok then man, we’ll all be there sometime tomorrow or Friday.” I heard footsteps and turned around to see Trin standing there, looking sleepy. I smiled and put up a finger, silently asking her to hold on for a minute
“Yeah, guys I gotta go, she just woke up, I’ll call you all later”
“Ok man, we’ll see you later” came Zacky’s voice.
“Ok, yeah man, see you soon” I touched the end button on my iPhone, and slid it back in my pocket. She smiled shyly, then seemed to set her shoulders to prepare for something, and started talking.

“You can’t give me back, I don’t care if you’ve changed your mind, I won’t go back. You said I could stay with you, so I’m going to hold you to that and we’re going to go to my parent’s lawyer’s office to get the adoption papers signed and squared away.”
I inwardly chuckled at her little outburst, then grinned and raised an eyebrow.
“Are you done?” receiving a nervous nod in return, I gave my own speech.

“Ok then. Here’s the deal. I’m not giving you back, you're mine now, and I protect what’s mine. I know it’s only been a few weeks, but I already see you as a daughter, so all the guys are coming back from vacation early, they should be here tomorrow. We’re going to go to your house now and pack all your stuff. Once we’ve brought it over here, we’re heading to the lawyer’s office to get the papers signed. Once the guys get here, we’re going to spend a few days together so you can get to know the guys and get comfortable with them, because we spend a lot of time together. Once I’m sure that everything will be ok, we’ll get the house packed up and move back to my house on the other side of Huntington. You’re not going back there Trinity, you’re MY daughter now. Got it?”

She nodded wordlessly, tears filling her bright blue eyes, right before she launched herself at me, locking her arms around my waist, whispering thank you over and over again. I smiled and rested my chin on the top of her head, wrapped my arms around her waist and rocking us back and forth. After she calmed down, I looked at her and smiled.
“So, you ready to go get your stuff?”
She grinned and nodded.
“Yeah man, let’s go!” She shouted and ran towards the front door, before stopping, seeming to remember that she didn’t have any shoes on. She turned around, her cheeks slightly pink, and looked at me. I laughed and said,
“Your shoes are upstairs in the room you woke up in.”

She grinned and bolted back upstairs, coming down a few minutes later, ready to go. She was almost vibrating, she was so excited. I laughed again and led the way out of the house. Her excitement faded when she saw the cars in the driveway, and as we walked inside, her terror seemed to return. She went directly down to the basement? They made her sleep in the basement? I was seeing red at the conditions they made her live in, it was horrendous. She finished packing her meager belongs, and I took the bag from her as she raced back up the stairs. We had almost made it out the front door before we heard her name being called, and she froze. Turning around, I saw the voice belonged to a man I presumed was her father.

“So, she’s turning tricks already? And with the neighbors Trinity? How will this make me and your mother look? Or do you even care?”
“Don’t you dare talk to her, she is no longer your daughter, you gave her up. We have the documents to prove it too asswipe, so don’t bother trying anything later. We are leaving now, and if you EVER try to contact her again, I’ll make your life a living hell.” And with that, I grabbed her arm, leading her out of hell and into her new life.

But is life ever that easy?