----- "Dominic... Are you there...?" Her question was answered by her own echo, causing her to feel more alone in life than she had felt before. Snippets of memories of the girl holding a wine bottle, indulging in her own pity flashed in the back of her head, making her stumble into a vase. The antique shattered, the pieces on the floor. She carefully turned around, gasping. The girl stepped back, and was greeted by firm arms wrapping around her waist, a cold face nuzzlin her neck. The scent of cigarettes was so familiar, triggering more flashes of excruciating memories. The girl squirmed against the well buit body, causing the arms to tighten. "Well... It seems as though you've come back, Vanessa..." His response came as a purr, as he held Vanessa closer to him, his breath hitting the back of her neck. "*hiccup* L-let me go!" "That wouldn't be fun... Now would it...?" "Dominic, LET ME GO! PLEASE!" "You remember my name..." Barely above the whisper, a swift punch to the jaw made him stumble back, catching him off guard. Dominic clutched it before giving a predatorial growl. "But that doesn't matter..." Giving a bitter and haughty laugh, the man appeared in front of her, grabbing her wrist, causing her to scream. "No!" A bruise was forming, as she kept struggling. Pity was etched onto his face, but was soon wiped off when he remembered the past events of their lives. "It's not a choice, Vanessa." "I don't know you! I hate you! I HATE YOU!" The words struck Dominic like a knife, as he let her go and clutched his shirt and head, giving another bitter laugh. Tears were in his eyes as they slowly fell, turning the girl's attention to him. "I... *hic*... want to go... *hic* home!" Vanessa was sprawled on the floor, crying loudly whilst Dominic only looked at her with eyes full of hatred and sorrow. How could such a sweet romance turned to this? "No... You're staying with me, and we'll be together... Forever." ---- "Dominic, damn, I never pegged you for a pedophile!" "Shut up!" The wine glass fell on the floor as he slammed his fist onto the mahogany table, although not fazing the two girls that were in the corner, reading silently. "Dominic, chill out." "Vanessa's with us, there's nothing to angst about." The other male in the room nodded, grinning. "I missed her! Isn't it nice? We're a family now!" The word family echoed in the room, with awkward silence following. It ended abruptly when a boy of the age of 7 walked in, smiling. "BIG SISTER IS BACK!" "..." "Why don't you seem happy, big brother?" "... N-nothing..." Dominic clutched his shirt, breathing heavily. "... Doesn't seem like nothing to me." ----- ._.