Chapter Thirty-One

                                    

                                          
Patrick had felt himself slipping, so he dropped Dani off with Mikey as opposed to taking her home and flipping again. She understood completely, happy to be with her kids even though she missed Patrick. She nervously picked at her nails, hoping nothing would be trashed again. Lilli and Luca cuddled up to her in the spare room, babbling on and on about how they couldn't wait to be with her and Patrick forever. Dani smiled as everyone in the house drifted to sleep, herself included. 

                          
The next week, Mikey and Pete had been busy doing something that involved a surprise, and Dani and Patrick wanted some time wind down and just be alone. Dani decided the kids could stay with Skye, seeing as they never had before. She thought it would be fun for them to spend time with their aunt. 

                          
"Lilli, do you know anything about how your mom got her bruises? Does Patrick know about how she got them?" Skye asked the girl slyly. 
                          
Lilli shook her head quickly, but Luca piped up before Lilli could stop her little brother. 
                          
"It wasn't Dad, it was the monster. Dad would never hurt Mommy." 
"Really Lukey?" Skye looked up. 
                          
"Mh-uh... no..." Luca shook his head, realising he'd messed up, "I was playing pretend..?" It came out as more of a question than an alibi. 

                          
Skye texted the recording of the conversation to Aidan. 
                          
"It's okay Lukey, you're allowed to play pretend, we're allowed to play games now, remember?" Lilli reassured her little brother, hoping Skye wouldn't get Patrick into trouble. 
                          
She knew what happened when people found out about these things. 

                          
Less than three hours had passed before the cops surrounded Dani and Patrick's home. Patrick looked through the peephole on the door, seeing cops. 
                          
"Dani! I need you to answer this." 
"Mr.Stump, we know you're in there, open the door." 
                          
"Babygirl, come down please!" 
                          
Dani stumbled down the stairs, gasping slightly as Patrick hugged her tight. 
                          
"I love you, always and forever." Both flinched as the banging on the door got louder, "You're my moon and my stars." 
"D-daddy? Wh-who's that?" She stuttered out nervously, having always hated loud noises. 
                          
"The police." He whispered. 
"To the moon and back." Dani whispered, tears falling down her face. 
                          
Patrick was also crying heavily. 
                          
"I love you babygirl."
                          
Dani slowly pushed him away,
                          
"I love you." She whispered, kissing him softly before answering the door.
                          
"Are you Mr. Patrick Stumph?" the officer asked, looking behind Dani, and pronouncing his surname as 'Stumf.'
                          
"Stump. Yes Sir." Patrick raised his hands slowly as the officers came closer. 
                          
"You are under arrest for the suspected abuse of Miss Danielle Collins. You have the right to remain silent; anything you do say may be held against you in court. You have the right to an attorney, if you cannot afford an attorney one will be appointed to you by the court." 
"Get off him!" Dani cried as the officers cuffed him and started to walk him out, "It wasn't him! He's trying to get better! Get off! Please!" 
                          
"Miss, this is for your safety, please stay back and allow us to detain him." The officers led Patrick out to the car; Patrick not fighting at all. 

                          
He'd given up fighting. He'd given up. This was it. He already felt himself slipping away and becoming a shell of who he truly was. 
                          
Dani cried as the put him in the car, he looked out at her. She stared back, her heart racing and her head pounding from the lights on the police cars. His eyes said something to her. They said, "You'll be okay." She couldn't find the strength to believe it.