[A/N: character inspiration for Ripley]

"She said yes!"

"Is this supposed to surprise me? Because I'm not surprised...at all."

This was Ripley's response after I had explained to him what happened after dinner that evening. Beckett wasn't answering his phone at the time, and I really needed to tell someone because I was that excited.

"This is why I don't tell you stuff," I huffed back, laying further back into the bean bag. Ripley and I were playing the newer Madden NFL. I was currently losing to him.
He paused the game, for once in his life, and had given me a strange look.

"You really like her like her...don't you?" His question had thrown me off guard, and my response was only a sputtering of random words. He had laughed and resumed the game, mumbling a "knew it."

I ignored it in the moment and asked him about school. Even though I saw him everyday, I never had much of a chance to talk to him.

"So, how's school going?"

"Ew. Why do you want to know?" he retorted back.

"I was just asking...how's your friends? The ones that play on your hockey team?"

He rolled his eyes and paused the game. His eyebrows formed a slant as he narrowed his eyes.

"Did you hear that I'm moving in with dad and that's why you're trying to bond with me now? Or are you just annoying?"

My heart had dropped as he spoke. He was moving in with the monster.

"Y-you're moving in with dad?"

He scratched his head, looking around the room. "Um yeah... I thought mom told you...but I guess not." He had gotten up from his bean bag, tossing his controller to the ground. "Before you ask, it was my idea. It's closer to the school where my hockey friends go to. I'm going to be switching schools next week."

I stood up from my bean bag at this point. "I can't believe this." I crossed my arms so he couldn't see that my hands were literally shaking.

I couldn't protect him anymore.

"Dad actually likes me, so it's not going to be bad." He shrugged it off, clearly unaware of how much slack I've taken for him. Anytime he'd do something wrong, I always took the blame.

"Do you know how many times I've taken the beating for you? Do you not understand that it's not because he doesn't like me... he's a bad man!" I yelled at him, getting up in his face. I was frustrated that he didn't realize who our dad really was.

"No he's not! You deserved those beatings!" He yelled right back, clenching his little fists before stomping away. My heart clenched at what he said, so I said something back that I have regretted for years.

"Don't come crying to me when he finally beats your ass!" I yelled back as he walked away from me and up the stairs towards his room.

I didn't mean it. I was just so disappointed in him. It was mind boggling how he didn't realize

It only took him a couple weeks before my mom and I were rushing to the hospital by his side.