Ally wondered if Tom would be home from work yet. She had no idea of the time but glancing about at the lengthening shadows she guessed it was getting quite late. She quickened her pace.

If Tom was home he probably already knew what she had done. Thinking back she tried to remember if she had pulled the bed covers up to conceal the evidence. She couldn't recall whether she had or not. She had left the house in a hurry with no particular destination in mind just knowing she needed to get out and clear her head, or was that clear her conscience. It didn't matter anyway, it wasn't as if she could hide it. He would find out as he had on every occasion previous.

"What would he do?" Ally wondered momentarily pausing in mid-stride.
A flashback to last time made it's way into her mind. Tom had flown into such a rage, throwing things at her and threatening to kill her, till she was sure someone must hear and come to investigate, but no-one had come. He had then locked her out of the bedroom for a week, barely acknowledging her presence the whole time. But eventually he had forgiven her. Shaking her head as if to shake away the memories she continued on towards home.

What was wrong with her? Why did she keep doing it, knowing how Tom would react? She didn't mean to, she loved Tom, he had taken her in when she had nowhere else to go. She was consumed with guilt and self loathing every time she did it. She had considered running away, just wait till Tom went to work and leave, never looking back, it was better than continuously causing Tom such anguish. But she needed Tom and he needed her too, without her he had no-one.

The street lights began to flicker on around her. Tom would definitely be home by now. There was no avoiding it, Tom would have worked himself into such a rage finding the proof on the bed and her missing. Ally knew Tom only got so mad because he felt it was a personal affront to him, like he had let her down somehow, in reality he wasn't mad at all, but hurt. Try as hard as she might she couldn't get him to understand it wasn't him, but her, there was just something in her that compelled her to do it, she couldn't control herself.

"Would he carry out his threat to kill her." He had told her the time previous was the last time he would forgive her for it. She wondered vaguely about death and what it would be like. So completely lost in her musings she suddenly became aware she was on the walk directly in front of her home.

Gazing up at the two story Tudor style home she had shared with Tom for the past five years she wondered if it would be the last time she would see it, for surely even if Tom didn't kill her he would force her to leave. Following the path up to the front porch she noticed the door was open confirming Tom was indeed home.

Taking a deep breath to calm her turbulent emotions and effecting a innocent expression she walked through the door. Tom was sitting in his battered old lazy boy, staring at the door, his .22 resting across his lap.

"Where have you been" he bellowed . "No, it doesn't matter, I know what you did you filthy little bitch!"

Raising the .22 and aiming it at her a sorrowful expression on his face. "I warned you what would happen if you did it again, and after I gave you so many chances." Tom shook his head a firm look of resolve coming over his face. "I told you I would shoot you if you ever shat on the bed again Ally Cat."