Author's Note: 70 parts...is this story getting too long?

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Jimmy was taking a bite of a cookie when I came downstairs. I ran to him and he wrapped his arms around before shoving the last of the cookie into his mouth. He pressed his lips against the top of my head. Carrie walked into the kitchen. She was rubbing her arm up and down.

"Good cookies, Julie," Jimmy said.

"Just don't ruin your dinner," Charles told him.

Jimmy chuckled and kissed my head again. Charles went upstairs to wash up. Tommy walked in from outside. I looked at Carrie to see her chewing on her lip. Her eyes were down on the floor.

"Were you helping Carrie?" Jimmy whispered into my ear. I shook my head. "Good girl."

Tommy glared at me as he walked towards Carrie. Her eyes grew large when he grabbed the back of her head and crushed his lips against hers. She stared to struggle and push Tommy off of her. I gave her a look and she knew to calm down.

He let go of Carrie as soon as he was finished and he stomped up the stairs. She crossed her arms over her chest and rubbed her arms. Jimmy kissed my head again before following Tommy up the stairs.

"Let's finish dinner," I told Carrie. She shook her head and we walked the counter. I handed her a stack of plates. She placed them on the table and I took the roast out of the oven. I quickly boiled the potatoes while I heard the boys washing up.

Charles was the first one down. He picked Hunter up out of his grab. He cradled him into his body as he sunk down into his seat. Carrie stayed close to my side.

Jimmy and Tommy came down the stairs at the same time. I looked over my shoulder to see them chuckling. Jimmy ran his fingers through his hair. Tommy sat down in his chair and Jimmy was beside Charles. He cooed at Hunter before looking up at me.

"Put this on the table," I whispered to Carrie. I shoved the bowl of potatoes into her hands. "Then sit down next to Tommy."

Carrie quickly looked over her shoulder before looking back at me. Her eyes were wide and she began to shake her head. I gave her a soft smile and she stopped. She took a deep breath before turning on her heels and walking towards the table.

I grabbed the roast off of the counter and brought it over to the table.

"Smells good, Juliet," Charles said handing Hunter over to me.

"Thank you." I gave him a smile. "Carrie helped me."

"I know she's going to settle in well."

I kept Hunter in my arms as I sat down. Bowls were being passed around and Jimmy piled food onto my plate. I ate with one hand and I felt Hunter reach up and grab my hair.

"Eat," Tommy said.

"I'm not hungry," she told him.

"I told you to eat."

I looked up to see Carrie pushing the food around her plate with her fork. She looked up at me and I gave my head a slight nod. No one saw it but the two of us. She hesitantly brought a piece of meat up to her mouth and began to chew it. I knew she would freak if she knew what she was doing.

"Tell us something about yourself, Carrie," Charles told her.

"There's not much to say." She shrugged her shoulders.

"Sure there is," he said. "Tell us something."

An awkward silence fell over the room. Carrie twirled her fork around in the mashed potatoes as she thought.

"I used to sing a lot," she said.

"Julie sings too," Jimmy said.

"No, I don't," I said. My stomach tightened when he said that. I didn't know they could hear me when I was humming to myself.

"Yeah, you do." Jimmy shovelled a forkful of food into his mouth. "I hear you singing to Hunter all the time."

"James, don't talk with your mouthful," Charles told him. "You should sing for us, Carrie."

She shook her head violently from side to side. "I can't. That was a long time ago. I only ever sang for my boyfriend."

Tommy threw his fork down onto his empty plate. I jumped in my seat and curled Hunter tighter into my body. Carrie gasped and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Don't argue," he growled. "Just do it."

"I...I can't do it," she stumbled over her words. "I was never any good."

"I can't expect much from you," he said running his hand down his face. "It's your second day here. I haven't trained you right yet."

Tommy grabbed Carrie's wrist and pulled her up onto her feet. Carrie screamed and she clawed at Tommy's hand. He pulled her away from the table and she thought against him. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her towards the stairs.

"No!" she screamed. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. She dug her heels into the ground to slow down Tommy. "Please don't hurt me!"

"I'm just teaching you a lesson," Tommy snapped.

"No! You won't brainwash me like you've done to Julie!"

I looked over at Jimmy. His jaw was clenched and he was running his finger along the chain on his neck. I reached out and rubbed his leg, but he didn't notice. Charles was watching Tommy. His lips lifted into a faint smile. I was just happy that Tommy wasn't harassing me anymore.

"Tommy don't make too much noise," Charles said. "Some of us want to get some sleep tonight."

"Don't worry. I'll gag her," he said.

"No!" Carrie begged. "Please don't! Just let me go home! Please let me go home!"

Tommy threw her down onto the floor. He swung his leg over her and pinned her down onto the ground. Carrie continued to scream and she kicked her legs out. She struggled to get out from underneath him. Tommy fished around in his pocket and pulled out his knife.

My heart slammed against my chest as I watched him flip the blade out. He held her hands above her head with one hand. He sliced down her collar bone. Carrie started to scream even louder.

"Just shut up," Tommy scolded her, "and this won't hurt."

He hauled her back up onto her feet. Blood was running down her chest and seeping through the material of her dress. She face was red and she started crying harder. Her pleads were mumbled with her sobs. Tommy pulled her up the stairs. I almost threw up when I heard their bedroom door slam shut.

I hoped Tommy would gag her. I didn't want to hear what pain she'd be in.

"Julie, clean up the kitchen," Charles told me. He got up from his seat and went into the living room.

I put Hunter down in his crib. I cleared the table and Jimmy stayed close to my side as I did the dishes. We could hear the faint sound of Carrie's sobs.

Please get used to it here, I thought. Please get used to it here. My family needs you to get used to it here.