Alexis

I open my mouth to scream, but his hand clamps over it before I can.

"Miss me, Darlin'?" he drawls, and I smell the usual stench of alcohol on his breath.

It's Kirk, one of my most regular "customers". He was one of the ones in the house that first night when it all started with them selling me.

And the mere sight of him, after such an emotionally trying day, causes me to break.

I'm still rendered unable to say anything, but I start to cry, my tears leaving streaks on his dirty hand.

"You think cryin's gonna save you, *****?" he snarls, and allows his body to fall onto mine, leaving me helpless against the brick wall. His hand slides under my shirt, and there's nothing I can do to stop it. "You ugly little ******," he says quietly. "Where'd you go anyway? A group home. It ain't like anyone would actually wanna take a ***** like you."

Seeming to lavish the water running down my face and the fear in my eyes, he presses his lips into my neck in a slow, agonizing fashion. I squeeze my eyes shut against it.

This can't be happening. Please, God, tell me this is all a dream. The hand under my shirt slides further up, and I start to cry harder.

And it seems everything happens in a blur.

There's a shout from the direction of the door, then another, then a feminine scream. And before I know what's happening, something is hauling Kirk's body off of me, and I'm crumpling, only to be caught by strong, gentle arms.

I open my eyes to see Colton holding me bridal-style to his chest, as Nate finishes shoving Kirk to the ground and Annie turns to run back inside, no doubt to get some of Dad's police escort.

"What do you ******* sons of ******* think you're doing?" Kirk growls furiously, his eyes locking onto me even as he speaks to them. I whimper at the lust I see there, pressing into Colton as I feel myself beginning to shake.

"I think that I'm protecting my daughter!" It's not only the fierce anger in Colton's voice that surprises me, but also his chosen noun. Did he really just call me that? "Now what do you think you're doing?"

"Giving the ******* ****** what she deserves," Kirk snarls in return. "How much do you get paid every month to keep a worthless ****** like her?"

Nate leaps onto him in an instant, fury guiding him as he hauls him to his feet by his collar and holds him close to his own face. "Call her that again." His voice is dangerously low. "See what happens."

Before Kirk can respond, two uniformed men burst from the building, and Nate shoves Kirk into their waiting grasps. One takes him, immediately escorting him out to their squad car, as the other walks towards us slowly.

Colton gently sets me on the ground, but his hand doesn't leave my shoulder.

The officer kneels in front of me. And it's only now that I realize how familiar his face is.

"Hayden?" I choke out in shock.

His eyes fill with tears as he sees my face, and he reaches out and takes one of my hands. "Hey, Lexi." He squeezes gently, obviously forcing himself to get back to business. "Was that man there just assaulting you, Sweetheart?"

I nod, unable to stop the tears streaming down my face.

Hayden returns the gesture. "What did he do?"

I swallow hard. "He... he slammed me against the wall when I first got out, and he... he was reaching under my shirt, and kissing my neck and..." I trail off, unable to speak with how hard I'm crying.

"I'm sorry, Lexi," Hayden says softly. "I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"

I manage to nod.

"Good." He says. "Has this man in particular ever done anything like this to you before?"

"He... he was one of the men who my... my parents were selling me to," I choke out. "Back before they got caught."

Hayden's face tightens at the words. "More than once?"

Once again, I nod.

He takes a deep breath, squeezing my hand again. "I'm sorry, Alexis," he repeats. "He's never gonna hurt you again, alright?"

All I can do is nod yet again.

Gently, Hayden helps me to my feet, then pulls me into a tender hug. "We've missed you around the station, Lexi," he says softly. "And I've been so worried about you. First, you were posting all that stuff about suicide, then we heard about what your parents were doing to do, and now people have been saying all that stuff online..." He shakes his head as he finally pulls back from the hug. "I'm so sorry, Sweetheart."

I look at him in shock as a realization hits me. "Wait... are you the one who's been defending me online, Hayden?"

He offers me a tiny half smile. "Hey, you're our chief's girl. I don't let people talk about you like that." Before I can answer, he turns to Colton, holding out his hand.

Colton shakes it readily. "Officer Lenderink?" he asks, referring to his badge, but he shakes his head.

"Just Hayden. And you're Colton Dixon. I'm a fan of your music."

"I'm honored to meet you," Colton replies simply. "I take it you're an old friend of Lexi's?"

Hayden offers a sad smile. "Back when the chief was alive, she was around quite a bit. We miss her at the station. But I can't thank you enough for taking her in like you did." He glances at Annie. "You too, Ma'am."

She smiles, and the two of them shake hands as well.

"We love her," Annie states simply in answer to his gratitude.

Finally, Hayden turns to Nate.

"I'm a big fan," he tells him, smiling a little. "Real music, am I right?"

"Absolutely," Nate replies, smiling as the two shake hands. "Thanks for stepping in so quickly."

"Of course, it's my job," Hayden says. "Just like making some awesome rap is yours."

Finally, he turns back to me, and a few tears leap to his eyes again.

"I've gotta get back on job, but keep in touch, alright, Lexi?" he asks. "I mean it... we miss you. All of us."

I look at the ground. "Okay. I will."

He nods. "I love you, girl. Stop in next time you're in town."

I dip my head in agreement, he hugs me briefly, then disappears inside.

Colton turns to face me, placing both hands on my shoulders. "Hey, are you okay, Lexi?"

I open my mouth to say yes, but it seems just as I do, everything hits me again. Every horrible memory of the same thing over, and over, and over again. Every terrible image. The tears that I've only just managed to stop come back in a rush, and I crumple to the ground. Colton catches me, allowing me to sink to the pavement more gently, as his arms wrap around me. Softly, I hear him begin to softly sing an old Matthew West song.

Look what he's done to you. It isn't fair.

Your light was bright and new, but he didn't care.

He took the heart of a little girl

And made it grow up too fast.

Now words like innocence don't mean a thing.

You hear the music play, but you can't sing.

Those pictures in your mind

Keep you locked up inside your past.

This is a song for the broken girl.

The one pushed aside by the cold, cold world.

You are – hear me when I say –

You're not the worthless they made you feel.

There is a love they can never steal away.

And you don't have to stay the broken girl.

Those damaged goods you see in your reflection,

Love sees them differently. Love sees perfection.

A beautiful display of healing all the way tonight. Tonight.

This is a song for the broken girl.

The one pushed aside by the cold, cold world.

You are – hear me when I say –

You're not the worthless they made you feel.

There is a love they can never steal away.

And you don't have to stay the broken girl. Girl.

You don't have to stay the broken girl. Girl.

Let your tears touch the ground.

Lay all your shattered pieces down.

And be amazed by how grace

Can take a broken girl and put her back together again.

This is a song for the broken girl.

The one pushed aside by the cold, cold world.

You are – hear me when I say –

You're not the worthless they made you feel.

There is a love they can never steal away.

And you don't have to stay the broken girl. Girl.

You don't have to stay the broken girl. Girl.

No, you don't have to stay the broken girl.

By the time he's finished, I've cried all I can. "I know it hurts, Sweetheart," he murmurs. "I know. But you're gonna get through this, okay?"

All I can do is nod into his shirt. After another long moment, I finally pull back, and he gently helps me to my feet.

But I look at him before we can return to Annie and Nate.

"Colton?" My voice comes out small and timid.

"Yeah, Lexi?" he asks tenderly.

I hesitate a long moment. "Did... did you call me your daughter back there?"

He smiles softly. "I guess I did. Why?"

I shrug, staring at the ground. "I just don't know why you would want to claim me like that."

"Alexis, look at me," he says quietly.

Against my own will, I obey.

"I know we have more of a sister-brother relationship than a father-daughter one. But Annie and I adopted you so that we could have the privilege of claiming you as a part of our family. You're not Alexis Greggors anymore, Sweetheart. You're Alexis Dixon, because you are ours. I will never hesitate to claim you as such, alright?"

I nod, a few tears jumping back to my eyes.

He does the same, then wraps an arm around my shoulders. "Good. Now I don't know about you, but I've had enough with this place. And I'm sure the bus will be an absolute mess without us to keep the guys in line."

I sigh, shaking my head slowly. "I just wish you were actually joking."

He laughs. "You and me both. But, mess as it might be, what do you say we get back to our moving home?"

And I can't say that that doesn't sound incredibly nice.