"You worthless brat!" My mother screamed angrily.

"I wish you were never born." She spat.

My chest heaved trying desperately to get air into my lungs. Her every word felt like another stab to the heart reminding me of how unwanted I was. "You don't deserve to cry!" She screeched sending me into another horrible fit of coughing and tears.

"Please! Please I'm sorry!" I say through choked sobs.

I was apologizing for my existence. Suddenly I was in the bedroom with Greg towering over me

"No dinner huh? Think you're too good to make dinner for me?" He slurred.

I knew what was coming but there was nothing I could do.

I screamed in vain.

It was always in vain.

"Thea! Thea! Wake up! Thea!" Someone was shaking me awake from that horrible nightmare.

I hyperventilated from the awful adrenaline that was slowly leaving my body. My face was wet with tears that weren't stopping anytime soon.

Someone I think was Hayden reached for my hand but I flinched and moved my body as far away from him as possible, pushing my back against the headboard

"Thea it's okay. Just calm down. Everything's okay." Hayden said in a calm voice.

It should have soothed me but it did nothing to stop the endless stream of tears spilling from my eyes.

I pulled my knees to my chest, hiding my face. I could feel the eyes watching me as I continued to silently sob into my knees.

"Go get Dad." I recognized that voice as Alex.

There was shuffling around and then I felt a hand on my knee. I screamed and shrunk further into myself. I wanted to yell for him not to touch me but I couldn't muster the strength to speak.

Can't breath. Can't breath. Can't breath.

"Dad wake up! Wake up!" Hayden said.

I grabbed his hands to stop him from shaking me and looked at his panicked face

"Hayden whats wrong. What happened." I muttered groggily.

"It's Thea. I heard talking coming from her room and I went in and she was sleep talking and then I woke her up and she burst into tears and now she's not calming down and we don't know what to do and-" He rambled

"Okay okay I'm coming." I quickly got out of bed and headed for Thea's room.

All of the boys were surrounding her bed looking worried and Thea was pushed up against the headboard with her face hidden in her knees.

I could see her shoulders shaking and I assumed meant she was crying. I stood next to Alex who gave me a desperate look

"I don't know what to do. She won't let anyone close and isn't calming down at all." He said rubbing his temples.

I put my hand on his shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze

"All of you back to bed. I'll take care of her." They all nodded sadly and left the room.

I sat on the edge of the bed and looked at the sad little girl on the opposite side

"Thea I'd love to see your beautiful face." I said softly.

This seemed to calm her down and she lifted her face from her knees keeping her eyes shut

"Can I see those pretty eyes?" I asked.

Slowly she opened her eyes that were glossy and red from crying. I smiled at my daughter.

"C'mere." She hesitated but slowly crawled over the bed to me.

I gently pulled her into my lap hugging her close. She was still crying softly and I rubbed her back.

"Shh it's okay baby girl. I've got you now." I cooed to her soothingly

"Deep breaths sweet girl. Deep breaths." She hid her face in my chest, hugging her body to me tightly.

I could feel how bony and thin she was. God, what happened to this kid in the past? Alex told me she was jumpy and flinched every time someone touched her, and Hayden told me she seemed scared to eat, and she had a panic attack when the boys were yelling.

It breaks my heart to imagine what this little angel has been through. I rocked her back and forth, whispering reassuring words to my sweet Thea, until her sobs turned to whimpers.

Carefully, I stood up with my baby girl in my arms and carried her to my bedroom. I lied down with her face still hidden in my chest, and slowly once I was sure she was asleep, I closed my eyes and joined her in dreamland.