Author's Notes: I just want to let my readers know that this isn't the way I wrote my story, but every time I upload it, the site changes my indentation, tabs, paragraphs, line spacing, fonts, etc. I know it looks really sloppy but this is not the way I wrote it, yet I can't figure out how to get the site to return my stories to their original format, so please bear with me, and excuse me. If you have any idea how I can get the site to keep, and post the stories in the original format with the same indentations, tabs, paragraphs, line spacing, fonts, etc., please tell me. You can email me at: benbrattlover at yahoo dot com.

Even though I know that 7th Heaven is set in Glenoak, a fictional town in California, I'm not sure whether it is in Northern or Southern California. As such I don't know whether it snows during winter in that area. So in this story I am assuming that Glenoak has specific season changes like snow, ice and cold weather in winter, leaves falling and chilly weather in autumn, mild temperatures and sunny/rainy weather in spring, and hot weather in summer. Although it may not be the case in reality, it is the case in this story.

Also, since I think the whole storyline with Mary's basketball team lockout, trashing the gym, and losing her college scholarship, was really horrible, and a big waste of a character who potentially could have had a very successful future, in this story it NEVER happened. Therefore, just assume that Mary is still an honor student, and a champion basketball player, in her senior year of high school, with a scholarship to college. The Wildcats basketball team was never locked out by Coach Cleary, and Mary and her team-mates never vandalized the gym, and got arrested. So, nothing in or after the episodes, "Sin", "and Expiation", including the existence of Robbie (and his subsequent moving into the Camden home) ever happened.

In addition, I'm not sure of the EXACT age differences between all the Camden kids. (I mean I know that Matt is two years older than Mary, and Mary is a year older than Lucy. But I'm not definitely sure of the age differences between the other kids, although I want to make it as accurate as possible. So in this story, Matt is 19 and a sophomore in college, Mary is 17, and a high school senior (still on the basketball team - the "lockout" never happened) Lucy is 16 and a junior in high school, Simon is 14 , and in the 8th grade, Ruthie just turned 8, and is in the third grade, and the twins are infants, almost 10 months old (They were born on February 14, and in this story it is the beginning of December. The date at this point of the story is December 7.)

Finally, although this story may seem similar to SparksJSH's story, "Throwaway", I wrote this fanfic on my own. SparksJSH is one of my fanfic idols, and I LOVE her work. As such, even though I am trying to emulate her style in the writing of this story, I have NOT copied, or plaigiarized her work, in any way. Someday I hope to be as good a writer as SparksJSH. Until then all I can do is try as hard as possible to make my stories as good as hers. SparksJSH, if you are reading this, I hope that you will start posting more stories to this category again, your're such a GREAT writer!

Please read and review. Be kind, yet please give me honest feedback. If you have a negative comment, it is okay to post it, but also include some practical suggestions on how I could make the story better. I love to write stories and poems and I want to be a good writer so I don't mind negative comments as long as they are not flames. Positive and/or helpful advice and pointers are appreciated and welcomed. Negative, AND unconstructive feedback is not, and will be deleted. Otherwise, feel free to write what you think, with the exception of flames. Thank you!

I don't own any of the characters, except for the ones that I create. The "7th Heaven" characters belong to Aaron Spelling, Brenda Hampton, the ABC Family Channel, the WB Network, and all the creators, writers, producers and directors of this show. But I've written this story, I own this story, and all the others that I write, or have written. Please do not use, copy, post elsewhere, or reproduce it in any way, shape, or form without my permission. Thanks.

Rating: PG - PG-13 in first few chapters, then may or may not increase to R rating, depending on author's whims:)

Contact: Any extra comments (beyond the review) questions, or concerns, Email me at :benbrattlover at yahoo dot com

Enjoy and after you're done, please hit the pretty, and sexy, little purple button at the bottom of the page, and leave me a review. Thank you!

It is a bright and sunny December afternoon. The temperature outside is in the 20's, and the air is frigid, even though the sun shines brightly on the freshly fallen snow, making it, glisten, and shimmer like sparkling crystals. Fifty-one year old Eric Camden gets up from his desk, and puts on his coat, as he walks through the door of his office, at the Glenoak Community Church, where he is a minister. It is about 5 in the evening, and Eric locks up his office, on his way out to visit the homes of those congregation members unable to attend regular church services, before heading home for the evening. As he strolls leisurely through the church, glancing out the window, he sighs, noticing that it has started snowing heavily again. He continues walking, enjoying the peace and quiet, but then suddenly freezes, at the sound of someone crying in the sanctuary.

Worried, he looks in, and sees a young girl huddled in one of the pews, knees clutched to her chest, sobbing loudly. As quietly as he can, so as to not disturb or frighten her, Eric tiptoes down the aisle towards her. With her head buried in her knees, she does not see him as he sits down in the pew in front of her. She continues to weep loudly, unaware of the minister's presence. Eric waits patiently for several minutes, letting her bawl undisturbed, until he can find an appropriate opportunity to interject, and make his presence known to the young girl. After about five minutes or so, it happens when he senses a lull in her crying.

"Ahem!" coughs Eric, clearing his throat.

The young girl's head immediately pops up with a frantic, and petrified expression on her face, and that's when Eric sees that in addition to the numerous bruises all over her face and neck, she also has two black eyes. The young girl opens her mouth wide, as if to scream, then jumps up from the pew and with tears still clouding her vision, she stumbles into the aisle, looking like she is about to run off.

Eric stops her with a comforting hand on her shoulder, as he looks at her carefully, realizing that she looks to be no older than about fourteen, at the most, and that not only is she pregnant, but he also figures that from the size of her bulging belly, that she is due anytime now. Despite the snowing, and freezing wintry weather, the young girl stands in front of him dressed in only a thin sleeveless tank top shirt, threadbare shorts that only reach to mid-thigh, and a pair of well-worn beach flip-flop sandals. It is then that Eric notices that nearly every visible inch of her body is covered with bruises, welts, and every other conceivable kind of wound and injury. He blanches, and swallows hard, trying to get rid of the nausea building up in his throat, sickened to the core at the way that this young girl has been so severely abused. As she looks at him petrified, like a frightened deer caught between headlights, Eric immediately holds up his hands in a peaceful gesture to try and soothe this battered young girl.

"Shhh… Its all right sweetheart! No one is going to hurt you here!" Eric whispers. "My name is Eric Camden. Reverend Eric Camden. I am the minister here at Glenoak Community Church. I was on my way out , but I came in when I heard you crying, because I want to help."

"Why?" asks the girl, suspiciously "Why do you want to help me?

"Because I'm concerned." Reverend Camden replies kindly. "I care about you, and want to help as much as I can."

The girl looks at him hard and carefully for a long time. Then she suddenly bursts into tears.

To Be Continued…..

What dark and mysterious secrets is the young girl hiding? What kind of horrible past is she running from? Find out in Chapter 2!