So I'm posting this early because I was so unbelievably excited to share this chapter! It's one of my favorites (probably because Cade's in it) The song in this chapter is on the side >>>

The woman hummed softly, her voice almost intoxicating. A girl no older than seven rested her head on the woman's lap. She flowed her fingers through the girl's soft coca-brown strands and the little girl struggled to keep her eyes open.

Autumn found herself sitting directly across from them, inclined in a rocking chair. Even though she knew nothing about them a sense of familiarity surged through her body.

The feeling comforted her as she listened along to the woman's sweet sounds; Autumn felt so at peace. A knock lightly tapped against what Autumn assumed was the front door.

"Mommy? Who is it?" The child asked. The mother never broke off her hum, she only stared at Autumn with demanding eyes. As if on command, Autumn rose. Her feet hauled her across the room and into a small hallway. The walk down that passageway and to the main oak door was exhausting. Her legs burnt and ached as if she had walked a thousand miles.

Unlocking the door, she peered around the vacant front porch; no one was there. Screams exploded and Autumn raced back down the hall, concerned for the two strangers she'd left behind. The hall seemed to double in size and no matter how hard Autumn pushed herself she couldn't go any faster.

It felt like it took her hours to return to the room.

The child lay sobbing as she called out for her mommy. The mother laid next to her, drowning in the river of her own crimson blood, which was now staining the little girl's knees. Autumn shrieked, her yells and the child's cries harmonizing into one sound. Autumn started to wheeze.

And that's when the mothers closed eyes flew open.

"Stop," the mom dispassionately stated.

"What?" Autumn speculated. The mother snapped her head around to face Autumn. "Please, let my baby go."

"What's going on!?" Autumn pushed for the truth.

"Run Delilah, run," the mother began to crawl in Autumn's direction. Autumn shuffled backwards, something latching onto both of her arms. In her peripherals, she could identify two men; she couldn't move.

Autumn thrashed around and fought the hands enfolded firmly around her arms.

"Run," the mother spoke a little louder. She was now standing up. Blood streamed through her hair, seeping down her face and onto clothes. "Run," her volume increased again. The woman was now inches from Autumn, her blood splashing onto Autumns shoes. Run!" She howled at the top of her lungs.

Autumn woke with a muffled cry. She shot up, a ghastly pain bursting in her side; her eyes burned. She had spent the entire night crying. First, she had wept to Tate. Then, when he tried to convince her everything was alright, she cried some more. After Tate had left, she had sobbed even more. Autumn had literally cried herself to sleep.

Clutching her side, but not too tight, she tugged on her shirt. Bringing her side to light, she could see a web of red and purple. She knew last night that her side would bruise.

Tracing her fingers over her battle wound, and instantaneously regretting it, her hand dropped. Flinging the blanket from her legs, she threw them over the side of the bed.

Using the back of her hand to wipe away some of the sweat that had collected there, she took in a deep breath. Nevertheless, that didn't help.

Burying her face in her hands, Autumn could feel her hopefulness fading. She had tried to keep a positive eye on the whole thing, her cheerfulness being the only thing keeping her afloat. However, what had that gotten her?

Threatened, bullied, and attacked.

A gentle knock signaled that someone was at the door. Autumn's head curved to the door, expecting it to fly open and Tate to rush inside. But no one ever entered. The knock resounded a minute later and her heart was at a standstill.

Who could it be? Was it the stranger from last night wanting to finish what they started? She couldn't open the door.

"You awake in there?" The voice was tender, and in some way familiar, but still unidentified. "I'm coming in. Don't be naked." The door squeaked open and Jade poked her head inside. Autumn rose from her bed, taking a self-protective step backwards.

Jade moved into the room, peering around with a disgusted pout on her face.

"Your room is very . . . bland."

"Uhm . . ." Autumn was left at a loss. No words of response came to her mind. "Yeah." Autumn didn't know what to say. Jade's eyes motioned to the pile of clothes resting in her hand.

"I uh . . . brought you some clothes. I mean Clarke's all muscle and you're, well, all skin and bones. So I figured you'd fit into mine more. Mine are cuter anyway. Don't get me wrong, Clarke's clothes are comfy but-" Jade cut her ramble off.

"Thanks." Jade passed them over to Autumn. When she was done, Jade locked her fingers together and trundled around in discomfort.

"Listen, Autumn. About what I said to you the other day I . . . I'm sorry. It was rude and mean an-and completely uncalled for I . . . I'm sorry."

"Thank you for apologizing," Autumn could feel a sliver of her hope revisiting. "I . . . I appreciate it."

"It's the least I could do. How are you anyway? I heard about what happened last night."

"Fine," Autumn lied with a slight grin.

"Well, I'll let you get dressed. Cade wants to see you right away." Jade spun around on her heels, sauntering toward the door. It was open and she was already halfway out of it when Autumn called her back.

"Jade." Jade paused, eyebrow raised as she glanced at Autumn over her shoulder. "Where's Tate?" Jade exhaled.

"He's catching up on sleep. He was really . . . distraught about last night." Jade exited the room quickly to avoid answering any more questions. Autumn rushed to get dressed.

She needed to see Tate.

Tossing on her clothes without question, Autumn was stunned when she looked down at them. The black off-the-shoulder top was body-hugging. The dark wash jeans, on the other hand, seemed to fit perfectly. Holes ran up the right leg only and Autumn fought to force on the leather jacket.

Autumn did not feel like herself one bit. She felt like a stranger, a complete and utter stranger. Slipping on the lace white flats Tate had given her last week, her first day there, she entered the hallway. Jade whirled around, smile plastered on her face.

"Now that's hot," Jade smirked.

"Thanks?" Jade progressed toward Cade's office and Autumn jogged to keep up.

"You know; you should try the whole rocker chick look more often. It totally suits you," Jade said with a laugh.

"Thanks," Autumn couldn't help but giggle. Someone who once hated her was being nice, she was happier than ever. "I'll keep that in mind." A distant noise traveled down the hall. Autumn couldn't identify it at first. As they reached the room, she could hear the music clearly.

Jade and Autumn peeked their heads into the room, the sight before them causing them to hide around the corner. David was holding onto to a ruler, using it as a microphone as Kickstart My Heart by Motley Crue blasted through the speakers.

He was bobbing his head up and down, jumping around on the balls of his feet.

"My heart, my heart! Kickstart my heart!" David sprinted forward, sliding across the room on his knees. He landed at the base of Cade's chair. Cade twirled his chair around, seizing the ruler. Latching onto his cane, he shuffled around the room in a giant circle.

"Ooh, are you ready girls?" Cade belted, eyes falling on David. David leapt up onto the chair.

"Ooh, are you ready now?" David responded with an eyebrow wiggle.

"Ooh, yeah! Kickstart my heart, give it a start!" David and Cade sang in unison. David slid the chair over toward Cade, who hopped into it. David rolled his chair around, Cade singing as the chair revolved quickly.

"Ooh, yeah, baby! Kickstart my heart, hope it never starts!" Jade and Autumn paused, eyeing each other before chuckling. They both held their mouths, attempting to keep as silent as possible.

Directing their attention back to the dancing duo, Cade's chair stopped spinning. He began to pretend to use the ruler as a drumstick. David snatched Cade's cane, pretending it was a guitar as he played his solo.

Just before they continued to sing, Clarke stomped past Autumn and Jade. Paying them no attention, she stormed into the room. Stopping in her tracks, Clarke watched with a blank expression. Cade slapped David in the back of the head with the ruler when he saw her.

David rushed to the computer, tripping over his shoelace and face planting a few feet in front of it. Cade scooted himself to the desktop, running over David's finger, as he tapped the space bar. The song cut off, and David whined about his finger as Autumn and Jade appeared behind Clarke.

"Somehow you guys manage to get dumber every time I see you," Clarke scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. David leapt to his feet, shaking off his injured finger. Jade clapped, holding back a laugh.

"Ahh Clarke, come to see the gun show?" David held up his biceps.

"What gun show?" David frowned as Clarke redirected her continuous rage to Cade. "I came to see if you did your job yet."

"Autumn!" Cade's face lit up when he saw her peeking over Clarke's shoulder. Clarke scrutinized her, a twisted and unreadable expression on her face. David offered Cade his cane and Cade used it to hobble across the room and to Autumn. "Are you alright?" Clarke listened tentatively.

"Yeah," Autumn responded way too quickly to be convincing.

"Hurry up," Clarke barked, eyes on Cade as she charged from the room.

"What's up her butt," Cade muttered, shaking his head. "I'm glad you're alright! I have the perfect surprise for you!" Latching onto her wrist, Cade lugged Autumn over to the office chairs. They sat down, David and Jade crowding behind them.

Cade tapped away on the keyboard, hitting key after key until a man popped up on his screen. Autumn recognized the area behind the man. He was in one of the halls of Mark's apartment building. Cade got a hold of his old Nokia Brick phone and held the phone to his ear.

The man on the screen itched the back of his scalp, fumbling in his back pocket to uncover and answer his cellphone.

"Hey Crash. Are you ready?" Cade put the phone on speaker, placing it on the countertop.

"Yeah Cad, just tell me what to do." Crash cracked his neck.

"Alright, turn on your earpiece and the watch." Crash hung up, sticking his phone into his pocket before driving something into his ear. Crash clicked a button on his watch, holding his wrist up to the light to better see, and a close-up of his face surfaced on one of the monitors.

"Which one is she?" Crash skimmed the room.

"Crash, this is Autumn," Cade set a hand on her shoulder; Crash smiled.

"Well hello Ms. Autumn. Geez Cad, your description did not do her justice," Crash bobbed with a wink.

"She normally doesn't dress like this. She borrowed the home wrecker's clothes behind me," Cade pointed toward Jade.

"Screw you Cade," Jade sneered, slapping the back of his head.

"Hey princess," Crash called, obnoxiously smacking on his gum.

"I told you Crash, don't call me that." Jade showed Crash nothing but utter contempt.

"She's my princess." David highlighted his role as boyfriend by throwing his arm around Jade. She rested her head against his shoulder.

"Ahh," Crash commented. "They are as obnoxious as you said. "Autumn couldn't help but giggle.

"Let's do this before someone comes in," Cade tried to get back on track.

"Okay. Just tell me what to say. And Cad, this is it. No more favors after this, we're even. I have to go back into hiding after being out this long." Crash investigated the area.

"I'll owe you for this, how's that?"

"Perfect," Crash advanced forward.

"Room 408," Cade instructed. Crash stormed down the hall and Autumn kept switching between Crash's face cam and the halls security camera feed.

"Here comes the fun part," Crash muttered to himself as he came to a standstill outside of someone's room. He squeezed his eyes shut firmly and within seconds his face began bubbling. Autumn rubbed her eyes and pinched herself just to make sure she was awake.

It was real.

"What is he doing?" Autumn wondered. Crash fell to his knees, clutching his stomach as he whimpered. "Oh my goodness! He . . . he needs help!"

"Give him a second," Cade reassured. After a minute, Crash got back up. Though, Crash wasn't Crash any longer. He now was a spitting image of Autumn; a copy of her appearance.

"Whoa," Autumn remarked.

"Hold on a second," Cade directed before dialing a number into the phone. He then proceeded to pass the phone to Autumn.

"What?" Autumn asked, staring at it.

"Speak to Mark. Say something spooky, creep him out, I don't know," Cade shrugged.

"I . . . I don't want to do this." Autumn shot down the offer. She wasn't the vindictive type. And, after seeing Kyra, she didn't know if she would ever be spiteful.

"Autumn, come on. This guys an ass! He left you behind to die and," Cade halted his rant to open a file. "He lied in the police report and said he was by himself and that you were out of town."

"He did what?" Autumn didn't want to believe that he had the nerve to leave her behind to suffer but not the courage to admit she had been with him. Cade pointed at the screen to direct her focus and, after reading it, she discovered his words were in fact true.

"There has to be some sort of mistake," Autumn denied. She didn't want to believe someone she used to love had that much darkness in their heart. "What about the security cameras?"

"Kyra erased all the footage for the day," Cade educated.

"Did you tell anyone you were going?" David quizzed.

"I . . ." Autumn thought hard.

"How hard is it to remember?" Jade spat. Both Cade and David sent her a questioning glare. "Sorry. Still getting used to this." Autumn ignored her outburst and considered David's suggestion. She hadn't told a soul. At the time, Autumn didn't think she'd have to send out an all call regarding a trip to the grocery store.

Cade shoved the phone in her face and Autumn stared at it.

"I could always kill him for you." Jade presented as a way to strength their newfound friendship. Autumn wouldn't wish death on anyone, it wasn't who she was. But the innocent Autumn was gone and though she'd never hurt someone intentionally, making Mark crap his pants was something she could permit.

Autumn plucked the phone from his hand and called the number he had pre-dialed for her. She listened, waiting for the line to stop ringing and for him to answer. Though, she was still unsure of what she'd say to him.

"Hello?" He answered on the final ring, just as Autumn had lost hope that he'd pick up. Autumn's blood boiled, she was furious.

"Mark?" She wanted to slap herself. He'd betrayed her and she'd been given the golden chance to get him back and all she could say was his name.

"Yeah? Who is this?" Autumn gritted her teeth. His ignorance had broken through her skin and now she was only a ball of rage.

"Let me give you a hint. Please, I love you . . . I'm sorry." She quoted the last exchange they had before he slammed the door in her face.

"Autumn? How . . . How are you alive?" His lack of concern was staggering.

"No, you don't get the ask the questions," Cade's eyes opened wide as he nodded in approval. "Why did you lie to the police?"

"I-I-I," he stammered. "I looked for you and I didn't want-"

"Don't you dare lie to me!" Autumn had no control over the volume of her tenor "Why did you leave me? We could of hid together!"

"I didn't leave you!" He whined like a child. "I-I was going to get the police and I thought you-you were hiding-" Mark lied through his teeth and Autumn could no longer swallow his crap.

"Lying is a sin," Autumn roared.

"I . . . "

"And you can't hide from karma." Autumn hung up the phone and it took every ounce of strength she had left not to chuck it across the room. "That felt so good!"

"It's about to get a hell of a lot better," Cade laughed a bone-chillingly evil laugh. "Now Crash."

Crash knocked on the door he had stood outside of, tapping his foot impatiently as he had been waiting for the duration of the phone call. The door swung open and Mark stood before Crash, looking unbelievably horrified.

"Karmas here to collect," Crash chortled. Mark let out the world's womanliest shriek. He charged past Crash and sprinted down the hall, hands wailing around, screaming: "Ghost!" at the top of his lungs.

Autumn cried she was laughing so hard. Mark had gotten just a slice of what he actually deserved. With Cade's power and malevolent nature, she had a hunch more pranks were to come.

"Oh my god, shut up!" Sibella yelled. She stood in the entryway, hands over her ears. Her face was bright red as were her eyes, hinting to Autumn that she had been crying. Sibella stormed off before anyone had the chance to retort.

"She is such a- "

"Jade," David interjected before her thought was complete. "Cut her some slack."

"Why should I? Just because her mother's on the council doesn't mean she can treat everyone however she wants." Autumn tried to imagine which member of the Legion of Doom her mother was.

"You know they stuck her mom with all the paper work. She hasn't been a real council member in years," David defended. "Besides, have you seen her room? I was helping her mom with something once and I went down there. Her room is just a closet."

"You're lying," Jade denied.

"No, I'm serious. Her mom said she likes the closet cause there's not a lot of sound and light."

Even with Sibella's attempt to rain on her parade, and the addition of some details into her life, revenge was still sweet.