To get to him, you have to go through me. (Ty/Lil)

[Cass Old Account]

Cass was fidgeting with the stove top. Ty was out with Lillian and she was scrubbing the kitchen, wondering if Ty was going to bring her home again. She wasn't sure of what to think when it came to Lillian. It made her feel a little uncomfortable, but she thought that it was just because it had mainly been just the two of them. A year and a half, had been three people, but that was a long time ago.

Cass heard a creak and put down the sponge. Pulling off her gloves, she walked to where the sound was. Her eyes widened..Ritchie! She heard him mutter, "Where is he? He has to be here..."

Cass thought for a moment. Who could he be talking about....Ty...."He's not here." Cass revealed herself, anger and fear both shining in her eyes. Yes, she was afraid of Ritchie, but she'll be damned if she stood there letting him get her Tyler. Besides, she could do this....She could fight him and win....She'd win this...

Ritchie turned to her. "Aw, Cassandra....I just want to have a chat with the little squirt..." Cass scoffed. "And do more than that, I'm sure..."

Ritchie smiled. "You always did know what my plans were, sweetheart. Now...where is he? ...No, you know what? I'll go find him on my own..." He went for the door, but Cass pushed it closed. "I don't think so."

Ritchie glared at her. "And why not?" Cass pushed him away from the door, receiving a shocked look from him. "To get to him, you have to go through me," she said sternly before kicking at him. He grabbed her foot and flipped her on her back.

"Have it your way, sweet cheeks. I'll have some fun with you until he comes home. Then you'd get the luxury of watching him die...." He went over to Cass and grabbed her hair, pulling her up to her feet.

Cass threw her hand forward, scratching him in the face, hearing him yell out, and stepped back when he had let go of her hair. He sent a punch her way, but she dodged it, and hit him in the jaw with her elbow.

Already, though, Cass was almost out of energy. She closed her eyes as he was still on the ground. Do this for Ty...you know you can do it...he's fought for you so many times and won....like with Jay...if he can do this, so can you... She opened her eyes and kicked Ritchie in the stomach after he had stood up. "Why are you fighting me, Sandra? You missed me, didn't you?"

Cass crinkled her nose. "No, you ass, I didn't. Why would I when you hurt my little boy like you did?!" Rage flowed through her, and not just rage at him, but rage at Jay, at everyone in the world that had hurt the two of them. She hit him in the face three times, kicked him where it usually hurt, and probably left him with some bruises.

But it wasn't enough. She soon found herself being hit and smacked, not even getting a chance to stand up or morph. She felt a knee hit her stomach, and her lungs felt like they were crushed. "Agh....!" With all the strength she could muster, she pushed him off of her, and stood up on weak legs. "You won't...get him...."

Ritchie grinned. "Oh, but I will..." She was fast....Ritchie was faster. Soon, she felt Ritchie's lips on hers and his hand snaking his way upward under her shirt. She stepped on his foot and got out of his reach. "Over my dead body..." she spat.

Ritchie smirked, "I could make that happen..." Cass raised an eyebrow. "No, see, you couldn't unless I piss you off enough..." Ritchie grinned. "Then piss me off..."

Cass didn't see him coming when he spoke. Soon, she felt herself fall backwards, and he landed on top of her. In the process, they had knocked over the ten plates she had just rinsed crashing onto the ground. Ritchie sent consecutive slaps and punches on her face, pinning her legs, and one of her arms. He didn't notice her free one.

Cass reached for one of the shards of the broken plates, and as he busted her lip, she screamed and pushed the shard she had into his left eye, sending him flying away from her.

She stood up and heard him yell, "You blinded my left eye, Bitch!" When he turned to her, she saw eye goo sliding down his face and blood just pouring. It horrified her. Ritchie said, "You know what? It'll be sweeter if you die first..." Then he ran at her full speed.

Cass didn't have time to react as his hands went around her throat and she was pushed upwards and against a wall. Her hands pulled at his wrists, and she scratched and she cried and she tried to speak, but she was losing energy...she knew that Ritchie could feel her pulse weakening...

Her life flashed before her eyes. Random things that people said she heard clearly...

"Mama! Look what I made!"

Most of her memories were of Ty...she remembered meeting Nichole..Her last thought....her last thought was of seven years ago, when Ritchie said she wasn't a good mother and how she had vowed to prove him wrong.

She failed....Ty has had to save me sooo many times...What did I do for him? Ritchie was right....I was a horrible mother....This...this is probably better for Ty, if I'm gone...he can...actually live his life...without a heavy burden....but I wish, I could see him one last time...and say, that I love him...

With that, Cass closed her eyes and felt her heart stop, her body being lifeless....Ritchie dropped her as the door opened...

[Tyler Ryonas]

Ty had been to a movie with Lillian, and they were walking up the driveway together. He had his arm around her as they walked, and Ty opened the door and walked inside. "Mom, we're-" He stopped cold, letting go of Lillian.

His blue eyes widened and his face turned pale at the scene. His mom, with some guy's hands wrapped around her throat. Not just any guy. Ritchie.

Ty's heart pained when he saw his Mom's lifeless body drop to the floor. His eyes flashed with a new intensity, a cold and bitter hatred swept through him.

He didn't say a word as he rushed at Ritchie full speed, and tears flowed down his face when he saw that his Mom didn't go out without a fight. He threw all of his weight into Ritchie, knocking him to the ground.

Once on top of him, Ty punched madly at his face before picking up a piece of broken plate that was nearby and jamming it into Ritchie's throat. Even though he was dead, Ty flailed, attacking Ritchie's body even more, a growl-like noise emitting with every breath.

Snapping to is senses, he got up and walked over to Cass' corpse. He fell to his knees, crying uncontrollably. I should have been here. I could have saved her...it's my fault...

He stared in disbelief for what seemed like ages. He'd never see her smile again, or her eyes flash with that insane grin he'd gotten from her. He'd never get to snuggle in her arms again, or have her sing to him in that angelic voice. He broke down, not knowing what to do. How he'd even survive now that she was gone...

[lillian]

For a moment Lillian felt frozen, as if the whole thing were just some fucked up dream she didn't know what to do in.

As Ty tackled....whoever, Lillian moved to kneel down next to Cassandra. Those blue eyes darted over the body, clueless for what to do. "Miss Ryonas?" She said hopping to get some kind of response.

Her hands shaking Lillian pulled out her cell phone, having to hold it with both hands just to dial 911. She began franticly trying to explain things to the operator on the other line, seeming almost afraid to even try and pull Ty off the guy.

When Ty knelt down next to her Lillian simply watched him a moment, unsure of what she should say or two, unsure what she could say or do. Hesitantly she reached out to let her finger tip's touch Ty's shoulder before daring to let her hand slide across the back of his shoulders to wrap an arm around him.

[Tyler Ryonas]

Ty was trembling as he sat there crying. His breaths were shaky, and he was in a state of disbelief. It wasn't possible. It couldn't be possible. Ty's mind raced through random memories.

"Ty, I'll always be there for you."
"I'll never leave you. You'll always have me...."

When he felt a soft touch on his shoulder,Ty flinched at first, snapping out of his trance-like state. When Lillian put her arm around him, he leaned into her, putting his arm around her as well, and burying his face in her shoulder, crying.

"I....just...just can't....believe....." he sobbed.

[lillian]

Lillian tightened her arms around Ty, holding him against her. Her cheek leaned against the top of his head, glad he couldn't see her face. She wouldn't want him to see the tears in her eyes that spilled on to her cheeks. Ty would need someone to be strong for him, no need for him to see her weaken.

Out side blue and red lights flashed as police and paramedics arrived. Lillian simply closed her eyes, blocking out the rest of the world for a moment as she simply held Ty.

[Nichole Matthews-Koris]

Tires screeched to a halt as the driver slammed on the breaks. Her eyes widened behind her glasses as the red lights flashed over her face. She leaped out of the car and ran past the paramedics and into the house, knocking on the door and coming in.
"Cass?! Tyl--" She stopped and stared at the scene. She started towards Cassandra's body and knelt down. "Tyler...what happened?" she asked, her voice hollow as she checked Cass's pulse. She couldn't feel anything.

[Tyler Ryonas]

Ty closed his eyes as he sat there in Lillian's arms. He lifted his head and wiped his tears, trying to be strong. Cass wouldn't want him to break down like this. She'd want him to keep going.

"Tyler...what happened"

Ty looked to see Nichole standing there. He had recently met her, but knew she was an old friend of his Mom's. He didn't bother to tell her to call him Ty. This wasn't the time.

He began speaking shakily as his eyes went from Ritchie's body to Cass'. "I...came home from a...movie with my...girlfriend...and....saw Ritchie...." he indicated the body with the piece of plate still sticking out of it's throat. "...Mom's boyfriend from like...seven years ago...very abusive man...thought he was supposed to be in jail...but...he was strangling her..." He started crying again. "She put up a fight, but he...then I killed him....I...should have....been here...for her....I feel like it's my fault...."

[lillian]

"It's not your fault." Lillian said softly, quickly whipping a few tears away form her eyes to keep Ty from seeing them. "There's no way you could of known....."

Those blue eyes shifted briefly to a women Ty apparently knew before returning her attention to her boyfriend. Lillian lifted a hand to wipe blood smeared from Ty's hands off of his cheeks. "It's not your fault."

[Nichole Matthews-Koris]

Nichole nodded. "She's right...You couldn't have known..." She looked down at Richie and clenched her fists. Habits being what they were, she didn't realize her teeth were elongating as she began morphing jaguar.

"If he were alive, I'd tear his throat out," she said with a growl, her eyes yellowing. She realized what she was doing when she heard the growl in her voice and stopped, but she didn't have the focus to demorph. Not...not now...

She shook, staring at Cass for a moment. Then back at Ty. She didn't know what to say...

[Tyler Ryonas]

He smiled weakly as Lillian wiped the blood from his cheeks. He lay his head on Lillian's shoulder.

Then, he turned to Nichole. She was morphing, for some reason. "Um....any particular reason you're morphing?" Ty asked lightly, though his voice cracked a good bit.

[lillian]

Lillian hugged Ty against her, kissing the top of his head as it came to rest against her chest.

Her gaze shifted to Nichole as Ty's did. Lillian had of course heard of the Andalite's morphing technology, but who was this human woman that she would have it?

Lillian ignored the question tugging at the back of her mind for now, there were more pressing matters at hand. Cops and paramedics were beginning to pour in the house, lights seemed to be flashing in every window.

[Nichole Matthews-Koris]

"Morphing is tied to your emotions," she said flatly. She closed her eyes and began demorphing slowly. A cop stepped up.

"Can I ask you three some questions?" he asked gruffly.

Nichole nodded. She began to answer the officer's questions, explaining how she had gotten there, why she had been in mid-morph when he came up, and other stupid questions the man had for her. Finally he turned to the other two and started with them.