You're Automatic.

In the middle of the road stood my mother, more emotion I had seen on her face than I had seen in years. And the complete look of hatred, the glare that sent shivers down my spine... It made me more afraid of my own mother than I had ever been of Shawn. She looked like a villian in a movie, the wind wiping her hair through the air wildly and the enraged look on her face.

I knew we couldn't avoid her forever, and that she wasn't going to wait much longer before coming over to drag both my brother and me out of the car so that she could say what she needed to. I looked at Skye and then took a deep breath. I looked at our three companions, "Y-you guys don't have to come."

[Bill's POV]
She almost said it convincingly, but the look in her eyes betrayed her. She glanced out the windshield at the scowling woman and shuddered, looking away quickly like she might turn to stone otherwise.

"I'm coming," I told her, giving her a reassuring smile. I released her from my arms and pat her back."Me too." I looked at Tom as he nodded. At least I knew Amy would be in a safe hands; that he was willing to brave anything for her.

Gustav looked at her and sighed. "I'm still mad at you, though," he said, jokingly, as he opened his car door. He looked in at her and smiled.

She returned a small smile and looked at all of us. "You guys really don't have to do this." She looked back toward the woman, "I have a feeling this could get ugly." She frowned and bit her lip.

I smiled, "We know we don't have to. But we're going to. Like it or not, you're stuck with us." I opened the door and got out, holding my hand out to her, "Come on, Spatzi, be brave." She half smiled and took a deep breath, taking my hand and getting out of the car.

We all quietly walked toward the scowling woman. I found myself wondering how anyone could look at Amy and Skye like that. Amy let go of my hand, looked at me for a minute, then stepped ahead of Tom, Gustav, and I along with Skye.

"Hey, mom," Skye said hesitantly as he rubbed the blood from his forehead. He gave a nervous smile and cleared his throat.

She glared harder at him and he shrank back. "'Hey mom'? That's all you can say to me right now!?" She looked like she was ready to explode. She glared at the three of us for a second before looking back at her son and daughter. She grabbed them by the arms and pulled them toward the house. She stopped and looked back at us, "You three are coming as well." She watched us look at each other reluctantly. "Now," she roared, and we were suddenly right on her heels.

We all walked into the living room and she released her kids. She stood in front of us and pointed at the couch, her face stern as a military officer's. "Sit."

Gustav bit his lip, "We can stand, it's really no -"

"I said sit!" She scowled at us until we all piled onto the couch, squishing together. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, seeming to try to gain some sort of composure. When she opened her eyes, she looked at us all, her glance turning into a glare at me.
[End POV]

"Skyler Harvey Sanders, how dare you take your sister off without our consent! How could you worry Shawn and me like that? And to make matters worse, you don't come home either!" She looked at Skye, her face getting impatient as he took longer and longer to answer her question.

Skye blinked and looked at her, like he didn't understand the question. "Well, I wasn't going to keep us locked into the bathroom forever." He looked at me for a second, then back to mom. "It isn't fair that we have to take that, or that we've had to deal with it for so long. So I'm not letting it happen anymore." He sighed and shook his head, "She's been safer away from home than she's ever been at home since dad died. I took up Aubrey's offer and have been staying with him at his parents' house."

I don't know if that was an accident or if it was strategic, telling our mom where he was staying now. The way he said it almost implied I was with him. And I probably would stay with Skye at Aubrey's when the guys went back home since it was close and I liked Aubrey.

"Mhm. And you didn't think we'd care that you two had just gone missing? And, what, the Mikkel's would just adopt you and you'd never have another worry?"

Skye rolled his eyes, "Fine, I didn't really think it through! I just knew I wasn't going to let it happen anymore!" He threw his hands up in the air.

"Don't you get an attitude with me you ungrateful brat," she snarled, smacked Skye across the face.

I jumped to my feet, "Don't hit him!" I was taller than my mom, even if it was only by a littler bit; it was enough to give me a little bit of a edge and some confidence. "He isn't an ungrateful brat, he's a good big brother!"

"Sit your ass back down, " she eyed the twins and Gustav, "you little slut." The look on her face said that was what she thought, even if she knew better than that. The fact that I was hanging out with three guys and she had gotten around when she was my age was all she needed.

I stumbled back and sat on the couch, completely stunned. I hadn't been prepared for it, how could my own mother even call me that? Tom looked at me, appearing equally as shocked as I was. However, what happened next shocked everyone.

"She is not a slut, lady!" Bill was right in my mom's face, scowling at her. "She is the most amazing, sweet, beautiful, kind, and independent young woman I have ever had the honor of meeting! She doesn't deserve to be treated the way you and your husband treat her. And neither does Skye!" He looked back at us for a second before scowling back at my mom, "The only ungrateful person I see around here is you and your son-of-a-bitch husband!" He clenched his fists at his sides and glared down at my mom.

No one had ever, in my entire life, said anything like that about me before. Tears brimmed in my eyes and there was a smile glued to my face. I looked up at Bill as he stood up for me and my brother, wanting to cry out of joy.

"Yeah, he's right!" Gustav barked, jumping up to Bill's side. "And you're both lucky we don't call the police and file a report on what you guys have done to them!"

Fear flashed behind my mother's eyes for a split second and she took a small step back, only for the guys to get right back in her face.

Tom jumped up and joined them, "Maybe we will, you both definitely deserve it after everything you've put them through," he hissed.

Skye scooted closer to me and put his arm over my shoulders; you could tell he was enjoying every second of it. "Hey, I like these guys, I think we should keep them around," he whispered with a smug grin.

"Child abuse is a crime," Tom continued, glaring at my mom along with Gustav and Bill as they loomed over her.

"So is kidnapping," she hissed acidicly, shooting a glare at each of them then toward Skye and me. She turned and looked out the window at the sound of a car door shutting, a wicked smile making it's way onto her face.

"Shit, Manda, go get your homework; we need to get out of here asap," Skye said, jumping up and running toward the front door.

I ran up the stairs to the bedroom and searched frantically for it. As soon asI found it, I threw it into my backpack with a couple other things. I looked out my window as something tapped on it; Tom and Skye were throwing stones at my window and waving frantically for me to hurry.

I closed my backpack and threw it over my shoulder as I crept over to the window. I opened it and, upon climbing out, realized just how icy and dangerous it was. But it was my only way out.

"Oh no you don't!" I heard Shawn grunt as he ran through my door. I pushed myself out the window, only to have him grab me by the shoulder of my jacket.

I whimpered and struggled as the guys below me hollered and shouted at Shawn. He grunted in satisfaction and started to pull me back in. I kicked my feet and tried to roll out of his grip, but he was too strong. Panic flooded through me the closer I got to the house until I was almost back through the window. Finally, an old trick I learned in a self-defense class in junior high came to me as I turned a bit into Shawn's hand until I could taste blood. He howled and pain, almost instantly releasing me.I screamed as I tumbled down the roof and fell to the ground below, pain shooting through my foot and up my leg. I blinked and cried out, holding my foot as the guys pulled me to my feet. The twins half carried me as we followed behind Skye. He unlocked the car and jumped in, Gustav pulling open the door for me and the twins before jumping into the passenger seat.

As the twins pulled me into the backseat with them, I watched Gustav point out the window as Shawn. Gustav's eyes were wide and Shawn looked like a bull, ready to charge. "Hurry, man, he's coming!"

Skye grit his teeth and turned the key in the ignition, but nothing happened. "Fuck you you stupid fucking car!" He turned it again only to have a repeat. "Shit fuck, goddammit! Turn over you motherfucking -"

"Skye!" I screamed as Shawn was nearly at the door. Tom pulled me across the back seat so I was at the opposite side as Shawn, but it did little good. The door flew open and I heard the tired screech on the ice, but it was too late. Shawn grabbed my ankle and I kicked with my free foot, accidently kicking Bill in the face. I cried out in distress as I chocked back sobs, just repeating Skye's name over and over.