Hi everyone! I know it's been a long time since I've updated anything, and a really, really, long time since I've updated this story. I started this chapter a long time ago but only just finished it, so here you go!

Mom should have been back by now. She'd ordered the pizza before she left; it would have been done before she got there. She'd likely just seen someone she knew, started a conversation, and didn't or couldn't text to let me know she'd be late. Yes, that's what happened; she did it all the time. She wasn't answering her phone, but she always forgot to charge it anyway.

But still. A tiny nudge in my chest; a small instinct, told me something was very, very wrong.

I trusted those instincts.

I'd been pacing for fifteen minutes when I heard gravel crunching under tires in the driveway. Finally. I breathed out and the tension left my body, as I started toward the front door, ready to open it for her.

Then the doorbell rang.

Ben froze, his eyes locking with mine, hands tightening on mine, as he tried to process what I'd just said.

"Tory," he breathed. "Are you sure? That's him? I thought the sentence was for fifteen years. How is he here?"

I looked away from Ben, at the man. Alvie Turnbauer. The man who killed Mom. He'd stopped when he realized I saw him, and he stared at me now. "It was only ten years," I forced out, voice barely loud enough to be heard among the cheers around us.

Of course, in the past few months I'd known he'd be getting out soon, especially with the ten year anniversary of Mom's death as a reminder, but...it was something I tried not to think about. Actually, I pretty much completely avoided it, as usual.

Ben looked at me, then his face hardened, and he straightened. "I'm going to kick his ass to sixth century Antarctica," he muttered, turning to go over there. Mom's killer (I couldn't bear to call him by name after the horrible crime he'd committed) stood still, looking in our direction. Ben was halfway to him.

"Ben!" I called out, and as quickly as I could, followed him and grabbed his arm. "Don't touch him, just make him leave. Please," I said. "He isn't worth it. I just want him gone."

He opened his mouth as if to argue, but looked at me, and at my bulging stomach, then just said, "Okay. I'll make him leave."

"Thank you."

I turned my attention back to the fireworks, fighting off tears after the reminder of Mom's death.

I was sitting on the couch in the living room, and a police officer was working up to telling me something very, very bad. I could tell she was trying to be gentle, but her eyes were averted and her posture was stiff. It wouldn't lessen the blow at all. She'd asked me where my father was, and tensed even more when I said I didn't have one.

"Victoria- can I call you Victoria?"

"Tory."

"Okay. Tory."

"What do you have to tell me? I know it's bad. Just do it."

She stiffened, forced herself to make eye contact with me. "Tory, your mother was in an accident."

I'd known that already. Hadn't wanted to admit it. Couldn't admit it.

"How bad? Is she in the hospital?" This one, I forced myself to admit. She's in the hospital. It wasn't that bad, but she went to the hospital just in case, and couldn't call me. She's fine.

"No, Tory, she isn't."

Hearing that should be a relief; instead, my stomach clenched tighter. "So it wasn't that bad then? If she's not at the hospital, she has to be okay, right?"

"Tory-"

"Where is she?"

She flinched, and I knew. "No. No."

Quickly, she came and sat next to me. "I'm sorry, Tory. She didn't make it."

I was vaguely aware of Holly attempting to show me something, but I couldn't concentrate enough to hear what she was saying.

"I just want to talk to her!" someone yelled.

"Too bad," I heard Ben say, from a distance. "She doesn't want to talk to you. Or see you ever again. Neither do I. Get out of here. Now."

The impulse to look over my shoulder at the man who'd killed my mother was tempting, but I resisted. I told myself he wasn't worthy of my attention. He's not. Don't look. Ben will handle him.

"Victoria!"

Don't look. Just walk away.

Should you?

Startled by that idea, I thought about it. He didn't deserve anything from me, and wanting to speak to me after the crime he'd committed against my family spoke of an unbelievable level of entitlement. He had no right to be in the same state as me.

But now I had the chance to describe to him exactly everything he'd put me through.

No. He wasn't entitled to me even acknowledging his existence.

I focused all my attention on where Hi and Shelton were standing, and forced myself to walk in their direction. Wiping my hand over my face where a tear had escaped, I thought of happy things, like Colleen. We'd just finished the last touches on her room; finished painting the walls; arranged everything the way we wanted it. We started packing hospital bags, to have them ready for when I went into labor. Both Ben and I were terrified we wouldn't be good parents, and we were obsessing over having everything perfect.

As I reached Hi and Shelton, a car pulled away. Hopefully, it was him, and Ben's threat had been taken seriously.

Hi glanced up towards me as he heard my approach, but his smile disappeared when he saw my face. "Tory? What's wrong?"

"I-"

"Tory!" Ben called. He ran up behind me and grabbed my arm.

I turned around to face him, and he wrapped his arms around me and pulled us as close together as he could. "Are you okay?"

"No."

"Come on. Let's go home."

Hi and Shelton asked what was wrong, and Ben led me away with a "We'll talk later," tossed over his shoulder.

"Will he stay away?" I whispered.

"Don't worry about him now. Let's just go home," he said, and quickly kissed me when we reached our car.

Okay so there you go! This was a hard chapter to write, partly because I haven't written anything in a while and also because it's been a while since I've read or written anything to do with Virals (which I really need to read again), and also just because this is a hard topic to write about. So I know that at some parts this chapter doesn't really flow nicely, but otherwise just let me know what you thought and hopefully I'll be able to update soon. Thanks!