The Boy With The Thorn In His Side

[monkeysmoke]

Chapter 71

“What the….?” Geoff cried out loud, having just flicked on the lights to find a sleeping figure on the couch.

Aden, who had only just drifted off to sleep, was alerted by the bright light that infiltrated his sleep. He let his vision adjust to it before peering out to see Geoff looming over him. He flinched back, scrabbling up slightly to form a sitting position on the sofa.

“Aden?” Geoff asked him. He already knew it was him, but what he didn’t know was why he was asleep on his living room sofa at midnight. “What the hell are you doing?” His voice was unintentionally loud, and unsettled the whole house.

Aden rubbed his face to wake himself up properly “What does it look like Campbell?” he snapped at him, not one to deal well with rude awakenings.

“Why are you in my house?” Geoff hissed into his face, unnerved by his presence there.

Aden looked down at his own body “I think we’ve just established that; sleeping”

Geoff was annoyed by the patronising tones Aden was using with him “Yeah, really funny Aden. Why are you sleeping in my house?” he yelled at him

Belle, who had been awoken by the raised voices, crept out of her room, relieved to find it was only Geoff, and not Irene, who had been the cause.

“Belle” Geoff stated “did you know about this?” he asked her accusingly.

Belle used one hand to hold her dressing gown round her, and the other to push her hair back, aware of how messy it may appear. “Yes, look Geoff, it’s just for tonight” She warned him, almost apologetically.

Geoff shook his head “Oh no! No he’s not! What if Irene was to find him?”

“She won’t” Belle assured him

“No, he’s got to go. Irene’s got enough to deal with right now.” Adding to Aden “We all have” his teeth gritted at him.

Belle moved towards Geoff and placed a hand on his arm “Look Geoff please”

“Belle” Aden interrupted, rising from the sofa “It’s ok; really, I don’t want to cause trouble”

Geoff scoffed at him “That’s rich coming form you. Everything you do is trouble” he yelled at him, Belle holding him back by the arm.

Annie ran down the stairs “Geoff? What are you doing?” She asked him, stepping in between him and Aden

“Annie, please, just go back to bed” he warned her, trying to keep calm.

“Please, Geoff he just needs to crash here for the night” Annie pleaded with him, the last part of the conversation having seeped through her bedroom floor and woken her from sleep.

“Annie, it’s fine, really” Aden told her from behind.

Annie batted him off “No it’s not ok Aden. Geoff, Aden did me a favour, now I’m doing one for him, ok?” she told him, narrowing her eyes at him.

Annie’s words bought Geoff back to the other day, when she had chosen Aden over him; it had hit him hard, and still hurt. He didn’t want her to have to choose again, worried at what she might decide. “Fine.” Geoff said eventually.

Annie smiled at him “Thank you” she whispered at him gratefully.

“Thanks” Aden heard himself say.

Geoff looked up at him “Don’t let Irene catch you like I did” he warned him as he stepped passed Annie.

“She won’t” Belle reaffirmed sternly, seeing the anger that filled Geoff’s posture as he and Aden locked eyes.

Geoff unlocked eyes with Aden, and silently trudged up the stairs, clearly unhappy by the situation. Annie smiled weakly at Aden before following her brother up the stairs.

Aden looked upwards, drained by the day that never seemed to end, and gave a deep sigh that slumped his whole body.

“Don’t worry about Geoff” Belle said after a moment, forcing Aden to acknowledge that she was still in the room.

Aden shook his head “He’s right, I should get going” he told her, making a move to leave.

“No” She said, a little too urgently. He looked up at her, and she changed her demeanour “Look” She began nervously “Geoff could have easily been Irene, so…maybe you should sleep in my room” She offered shyly, flitting her eyes away from his gaze “On the floor” she added. Feeling her cheeks redden, she moved round the sofa and picked up the pillow he had been sleeping on

He smiled at her, finding her coyness really sweet. “I knew you wanted me” he said jokingly

She shot angry eyes up at him “Watch it” she warned him, whacking him with the pillow, before breaking into a smile. She turned and walked towards her bedroom, and he picked up the cover, following her willingly.

As they entered he couldn’t help but mention it “You know, this is where you first kissed me” He told her wickedly.

She looked at him, not amused “First, and last, now watch it, or I’ll suffocate you with this in your sleep” She threw the pillow on the floor.

“You’re really gonna make me sleep on the floor, aren’t you?” he asked her.

She smiled at him “You got any better offers?” When he didn’t reply she climbed into her bed.

He watched her ignoring his plight for a moment “Guess not” he muttered as he settled himself on the floor. When Belle heard no further movement she switched off the bedside lamp that had lightened the room, throwing them into darkness, closing her eyes to the world.

“Belle?” He asked once he had positioned himself as comfortably as he could.

“Yes Aden?”

“No goodnight kiss?” he asked cheekily, smiling to himself in the darkness.

“Goodnight Aden” She droned at him, shifting in her bed slightly to fight off the image from following her into her dreams.

“Belle?” he asked again, childishly

“Yes Aden?” She snapped at him, expecting another comment.

“Goodnight” he said finally, before closing his eyes, comforted by her closeness to him.

She opened her eyes, surprised by his words. A part of her had wanted him to continue the jibes for a while longer. “Night” she replied wistfully, listening to the movement of his breathing, soft and distant below her.

[monkeysmoke]

CHapter 73

WARNING - Some quite dark sides of abuse are hinted at strongly in this chapter. please don't read if likely to find upsetting.

Chapter 73

Her delicate hand glided down his body, roaming his skin furiously. He felt her hair tickle his neck as she leant over him, her lips teasing his. The hand trailed down, across his chest, grazing him. The warm sensuous heat he had felt a moment ago was gone. He looked down, and a wrinkly, rough hand smeared a dirty trail over him, marking him. As it reached his stomach he felt his insides lurch over in revolt and he tensed up as it rested there dangerously.

“Shhh it’s alright” the voice told him. He didn’t believe him. He didn’t understand why he was here once again, in his room, unbuttoning his jeans, but he didn’t believe him when he said it was alright. Nothing about it felt right. The way he hadn’t switched on the light, the way he’d softly shut the door, the way his eyes leered hungrily over his skin, the way he kept repeating how it was alright. All of these things made it feel like it wasn’t alright. He watched himself pull away, and the flicker of change that passed over his grandfather’s eyes. The eerie calmness replaced by an impatient need. He tried to struggle further away from his grasp, which tightened over him.

“No!”

Belle woke up, startled by the voice that interrupted her sleep.

“No! Please! Just stop”

She pushed herself up so she could peer over the side of the bed. At the end of the room lay Aden’s body and she suddenly remembered he had slept there last night. She switched on the bedside light and crawled out from under the covers so she could peer down at him from the end of the bed, confused by his outburst. She could see that his eyes were tightly shut. So he was sleeping.

“Just be quiet” the voice hissed at him, a large weight holding him down. He continued to struggle against him, anxious to get away, frightened of the strength that held him. Frightened of the change of events his rebellion had caused. The longing in the old man’s eyes was replaced by a frustrated insanity that he didn’t recognise. The frail hands gripped him hard now, forcing him onto his front.

As he cried out Belle couldn’t stop herself from bending down beside him. She watched as his body recoiled against whatever haunted him behind those eyelids. She glanced up at the clock on the bedside table; 3:48am. They must have been asleep for hours now, and she started to wonder how long he had been lying there like this for. She sat and watched him, scared that disturbing him would make him worse.

He felt the pressure on top of him lighten, and the cold night air snuck through the gap, making the tiny hairs on his back prick up through the slimy layer of sweat that covered him. He began to shiver uncontrollably and he felt the rough hand ruffle through his dishevelled hair. He heard the sound of heavy, rattled breaths and a belt buckle fastening behind him. Footsteps sounded out to the door and a shaft of false light stained his face as he lay there motionless. “Get to sleep” his grandfather’s voice commanded him sternly, before he was obscured into a lonely darkness once more.

Years and years of sick, dark, tense, confusing night times had been leading up to this moment. The moment he tried to fight it off.

Belle watched as his body ceased to struggle. It wasn’t what she would consider a calmness that had settled him; it was something else that she couldn’t fathom. She placed a hand on his arm and rubbed it, trying to relax him into a more peaceful posture.

Aden opened his eyes to find Belle staring down at him. He looked at her through dazed, fragile eyes, confused and comforted by her presence there. There had been no interruption this time. He had never reached that far in before; he had always been able to pull himself out of it before it reached the end. He felt the tears curse his eyes at the brutality of the memory, trying to wash the image away.

“Aden?” Belle asked him finally, a gentle compassion in her voice.

He looked up and searched into her eyes, looking for an escape in them. He saw a strength behind them that he thought might save him, and he sat up and reached out for her.

“Hey it’s ok” she told him as she greeted his embrace, holding him close to her. She was confused by his behaviour, and, not knowing what else to do, she began to rub his back soothingly, feeling the rawness of his pain through the short, sharp breaths he took to hold back the tears.

He clung to her, trying to restore himself through the warmth of her body. This time when he had jumped back in time he hadn’t been able to see himself safely through the woods. There had been no jump back to the future, no sign that he would return to this moment, he had remained steadfast in the past till the bitter end. Only then had he woken up. This time it had been worse, so much worse. It had been the moment he could never remember, the moment he’d tried to free himself and ended up making things so much worse.

Once she felt his breathing steady slightly she drew back from him. “Are you ok?” she asked him seriously, studying him.

“Yeah” he lied to her, breathing in “Just a bad dream” he was trying to convince himself as much as he was her. This moment with her felt more surreal than what had just happened in his dream; a moment that he had felt every second of, and kept feeling even now.

“OK” she responded, rubbing his arm as if trying to transfer the feeling onto him. “Do you want me to get you anything, a glass of water?” she offered rather uselessly.

Aden shook his head at her “No, I’m ok” he whispered to her.

She accepted the statement silently, too tired to try and figure the whole thing out. “Ok, well, we should get some sleep” she told him.

“Yeah” he breathed at her inaudibly as she rose up and away from him. He felt an intense loneliness overwhelm him as she moved to the other side of the room, and he couldn’t bring himself to lay back down there. He had never reached that far into his memories before, whichever one his mind chose at random for him to endure. That particular ordeal had never been picked before, and he knew why. It had been the first time. The first time it hadn’t been a confusing request, and awkward unpleasant arrangement of hands in the darkness. The first time his grandfather’s eyes had switched to something darker and he had physically hurt him. The first time he had physically tried to save himself, the first time he had accepted that something was seriously wrong. He shuddered and stood up, eager to escape his own thoughts, and finding fewer places to hide from them.

“Aden?” Belle questioned, looking at him curiously from where she lay on the bed. She raised herself up on her elbows “You want to talk about it?” she offered as he stood agitatedly at the end of the bed, holding himself.

He shook his head, his face forcing itself to form words, “Can I…” he began, shifting his eyes nervously around “lie with you?” he felt the awkwardness of his words and added “Just for a little while”

She looked at him standing there self-consciously, holding himself tightly, as though he thought he would fall apart otherwise, and her heart broke for him. He was like a child scared of the night time. “Just for a bit” she warned, her voice was stern but welcoming as she reached over and pulled down the corner of the bed cover.

He sighed out and rounded the bed, climbing in beside her.

Belle, her whole body suddenly feeling incredibly uncomfortable, turned on her side away from him, all too aware of the closeness of him. She flicked off the light and closed her eyes, feeling the presence of him behind her. She knew sleep would be impossible now.

Unexpectedly, she felt an arm glide over hers, and a shaky hand laced its fingers through hers. She squeezed her hand together gently, welcoming his touch, and slowly let the rhythm of his quiet breathing lull her to sleep.

NOTE: This chapter was probably the hardest to write. Sorry if anyone's annoyed his past hasn't actually been revealed yet, I just thought it would be nice to let it unravel slowly. (well, not nice, but you know). Also, have decided to stop this fic becoming silly amounts of long so I will be making a sequel (series 2 as it shall be known - don't know what I'll call it yet) anyway, so this one's got a max of 10 chapters to go (rough estimate, probably a few less than that)

[monkeysmoke]

Chapter 74

“Kirsty, darl, will you please sit still” Irene lectured, before returning her attention to the nail she had half-gnawed to death. She sat, legs crossed, on the sofa in the caravan park house, watching agitatedly as Kirsty paced the floor in front of her.

“They probably won’t even get here for at least another half hour” Miles warned, stepping out from the kitchen with 3 steaming mugs of coffee balanced precariously in his hands. He offered them to both Kirsty and Irene in turn, who both politely refused. Miles sighed and placed the mugs on the appropriately named table, realising he didn’t want his either, but had merely entertained himself with the routine of making them to distract his own mind.

“What am I supposed to say to her?” Kirsty finally asked, staring directly at Irene. Miles remained quiet, not being able to offer an answer even if she’d asked for one. Irene looked up at her, and sighed “I don’t know love” She replied honestly, reflecting on her knowledge of Kirsty’s familial situation.

“Great” Kirsty muttered, starting to pace again “That’s just great” she threw her arms up despairingly before bringing them round in a circle to her face.

“I don’t think it’s about what you should or shouldn’t say at this point love” Irene offered, trying to produce a calming effect over the girl.

“Why are they even coming here?” She asked, not to anyone in particular.

“Love don’t you think Jade might just be a teensy bit worried about you? About Ollie?” Irene asked her, trying to persuade her.

Kirsty spun round to face her “No! No I don’t. Not after what I did!” She yelled at her.

Miles watched on, not fully understanding the conversation, which made him even more nervous.

The doorbell reverberated throughout the house, silencing the three of them. They shot glances at each other in turn, before Miles took his cue to go and answer the door.

“No wait” Kirsty whispered to him. He stopped and looked at her for a second, awaiting further instruction. “Ok” she said finally, having given herself a moment to take it in. She paced nervously behind him as he went to open the door, turning towards it just in time to see it open, revealing two identical blonde haired women standing awkwardly on the other side.

“A bit like the Shining this” Miles heard himself blurt out. His face drowned into a deep purple, shocked at his own stupidity “I’m sorry I don’t know why I just said that, it was totally inappropriate” he muttered at them, looking down. He stood to the side, mentally kicking himself repeatedly in the head as he gestured for them to come inside. “Please, come in” he told them.

Kirsty knew immediately which one was Jade; the girl standing slightly to the front, staring straight back at her. Looking into her eyes in the house where they grew up Kirsty saw everything that had torn them apart flash in front of her eyes, it weighted her to the spot.

“Kirsty?” Jade asked timidly, treading soft, soundless steps towards her. She saw the broken woman who stood before her, he sister “Kirsty I’m so sorry” She told her, increasing her pace towards her and flinging her arms around her, breaking through the 7 years of absence in each other’s lives.

Kirsty felt Jade touch her and tears overtook her, “Jade, this is all my fault” she choked out onto her shoulder, letting her weight rest on her.

“Shhhh” Jade soothed, brushing Kirsty’s hair back “It’s ok. It’s going to be ok” she told her, tears rimming her own eyes at the impact of their meeting.

The other girl stood nervously behind them, her eyes abandoning the scene before her. Irene watched her for a moment before raising herself up and stretching a hand out “Hi I’m Irene” she greeted warmly, feeling a need to include her into the proceedings.

“Lila” she replied, smiling at her as she accepted her handshake.

The sound of other voices around them pulled Kirsty and Jade apart and Kirsty rushed to wipe the tears away from her weary eyes.

“Look I know there’s a lot to talk about” Irene began when the awkwardness levels became too high. “But I think for now it’s best to focus on Ollie, because I hate to bring it up, but we really don’t have much time” meeting their eyes with a warning.

“Sure” Jade agreed, Lila nodded silently from behind.

“Can I get anyone a drink?” Miles offered, still feeling foolish from his earlier outburst. When everyone had refused his offer he stepped back, trying to immerse himself into the wall and prevent any further mishaps escaping his mouth.

“Right well” Lila began her voice a lot stronger than Irene had expected due to her earlier quietness. They all watched as she rooted around inside the brown leather bag that hung over her shoulder, where she eventually produced a small white slip of paper. “This is the address” She said, stepping forward and handing it to Kirsty.

Kirsty looked at the girl whose face usually brought her so much pain, and smiled gratefully “Thank you” she told her honestly.

“But there’s something you need to know” Lila warned her.

Jade shifted nervously in between them “I think you should sit down Kirst” she warned, gesturing to the sofa.

Kirsty was warmed at how Jade used her childhood abbreviation; it was as though they had never been apart. Although she knew deep down how different things really were now, no matter what they called each other. She obeyed, rounding the sofa and perching on the end nearest Irene, so she could grasp her hand for support. Lila placed herself on the cushion beside her, taking a deep breath before she began.

“When I went looking for my real family, who I thought was my real family anyway” she corrected, making Jade turn her head away awkwardly. “When I went to this address, what I found, it wasn’t what I wanted” Kirsty watched as she struggled to explain herself, the words she had chosen clearly not sitting well with her.

“I know that. You told me” she reminded her, thinking back to the argument they had had all those years ago

“You don’t want to find them!” Lila had yelled at her, standing beside Jade for support.

“Yes I do! They’re my family” Kirsty yelled at her.

"Kirsty please listen to her" Jade’s voice pleaded

"It’s alright for you two. You’ve got your family, what have I got? You just don’t want me to have what you have”

“No, Kirst, that’s not it” Jade choked at her, tears staining her face

“Yes it is”

“It’s not Kirsty.” Lila added

“What is it then? Huh?”

Lila shifted nervously about, before replying solemnly “When I went looking for them, they didn’t want to know me, they turned me away”

Kirsty shook the image away. “But this is different! This is my son’s life!” She found herself yelling again.

Jade came round and crouched in front of Kirsty, placing a hand over hers “It’s not that simple Kirsty” She told her softly. Kirsty waited for her to continue.

“There was a reason they gave me up” Lila interrupted

“What? Will you just tell me?” Kirsty snapped impatiently.

“The woman who gave birth to you” Jade stammered, unable to keep looking at her.

“What? Jade what is it?” She asked, her tone softer as she saw the fear that took over Jade

“She was raped” Lila’s words rang through the whole house. All the eyes in the room flitted up and stared at her, seeking confirmation.

Kirsty’s mind blocked itself off from the words; she stood up, shaking her head “No” She told them.

“Kirsty” Jade called after her

“No, that’s not true” Kirsty whispered to herself.

“Kirsty please wait” jade called after her, reaching for her arm

Kirsty jerked away from her “Just get away from me. You hate me remember?” She spat at her.

Jade’s heartbroken eyes tried to plead with her “You know that’s not true” she whispered at her.

“Yes it is!” She began to laugh, a weirdly pitched, hysterical laugh “I bet you think this is karma’s just desserts, don’t you?” She asked, staring her sister down.

Jade just shook her head at her “I don’t Kirst”

“DON’T CALL ME THAT!” She yelled at her.

“Kirsty love, just calm down” Irene interjected, placing herself between the two girls.

Kirsty found it hard to control the terrible thoughts that invaded her mind. “I… I have to go” She said brokenly, to no one and everyone at the same time as she dithered slightly on the spot. Glancing up at Jade one last time, she let the tears fall from her eyes before turning to leave.

Jade made a move to follow her but Irene pushed her gently backwards with her hands. “Love, I’ll go” Irene’s voice was determined, but sympathetic. She kept her hands in a defensive position as she backed away to the door, before turning to follow Kirsty’s trail.

Miles stood by the door, momentarily paralysed by the information that had hijacked his brain. Kirsty was switched at birth. That much he had known. The adopted part had been a mystery to him, and as for her outburst over the information about her mother being raped, it was understandable why she’d be so upset. What he didn’t understand, was why she thought any of that was her own fault. Why she thought Jade would hate her when she clearly didn’t. He looked up to see the Shining twins staring at him awkwardly, and felt the humiliation of earlier overwhelm him. He cleared his throat in a bid to dispel the tension. It didn’t work. “So…” he began, clapping his hands together “About that coffee”

p.s. i know Jade looks nothing like the girls out of the shining, its just that the image came to me as i was typing it and i thought it would be funny for Miles to throw it in there - sorry if it seems a little inappropriate i just have a bit of an off sense of humour at times.

[monkeysmoke]

Chapter 75 - sorry this was put up so late, only got in about an hour ago.

Chapter 75

He had the most irritating itch that danced about teasingly on his nose, but he daren’t even breathe, let alone move to scratch it, for fear of waking her. He had lain awake the rest of the night, unable to sleep for fear of what lay waiting for him beyond his dreams. At first she had faced away from him, and he had listened as her breathing had become deeper, a sign she was sleep. A while after that she had rolled over, her hand whacking him in the face as she lay on her front, her face towards him, with a few hairs obscuring it slightly. Then a few hours had passed before she fidgeted slightly, burying her head in the pillow with a soft grunt, before finding breathing impossible and rolling over again, coming to rest slightly over him, a leg wrapping over his, and an arm draping over his chest precariously, her head resting on his shoulder. He smiled, imagining her dreaming of being a koala bear, and he was a tree she had wrapped herself around. Throughout the night he had watched her sleeping in fascination. There was a carefree determinedness to it, a Zen like place that he couldn’t reach. Watching her sleep was more peaceful to him than gaining any shut eye himself. He daren’t touch her though, not even to move the stray hair that had fallen onto his face, causing his mighty itch. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to; he just couldn’t face disturbing her peacefulness.

The sound of footsteps pattering down the stairs disrupted the silence.

“Belle?” Annie’s voice called out before swinging the door open.

“Oh” She said as she looked in on the sight of them, before breaking into a smile “I wondered where you were” she whispered to him lightly, aware of Belle who was still fast asleep. She giggled slightly at the sight before her; Belle’s relaxed body stretched out over Aden’s stiff, deadly straight frame. “When she wakes up tell her me and Geoff have gone to school” she told him quietly, glad it hadn’t been Geoff to have found them. She could just imagine the draining conversation she would have had to endure on the walk to school.

Aden allowed himself the briefest of nods, suddenly reminded of his own need to be at school. Annie giggled again before closing the door.

The sound of the front door slamming shut stirred Belle out of her sleep, her body jolting at the sound. Slowly raising her head up she looked at the chest she had just drooled over, and tried to slyly wipe it away as she raised herself up. AS her brain reacquainted with reality she suddenly remembered who the chest belonged to and looked up to face him.

“Morning sweetheart” He greeted with exaggerated cheer as she rolled away form him, her cheeks reddening at the position she’d wound up in “You still here?” She muttered as she reached for the glass of water on the bedside table.

He raised himself up into a sitting position before scratching his nose furiously. “Well, it was a bit hard to leave with you clinging onto me” he shot at her.

She sipped some water and replaced the glass onto the side “You were supposed to get out of the bed before I fell asleep” she told him, although there was no meanness to her voice as she remembered why he’d got in it in the first place.

“Trust me, I wish I had. You’re not exactly sleeping beauty” he lied, having been mesmerised by her for the past few hours.

“Good, because I wouldn’t want you trying to sneak in for a kiss whilst I was sleeping” she warned him as she ran her fingers through her hair, trying to tame it from a night of tossing and turning.

Aden smirked at her, folding his arms as he leant back on the headboard “Like I’d have to sneak in, you practically threw yourself at me”

“Get over yourself Jeffries” She told him, frowning at his smugness.

“Belle, you literally drooled over me last night. Not your finest hour admittedly…” His grin widened as he saw the look of horror on her face.

She whacked him with the pillow “That’s the last time I do you a favour” she warned him, still embarrassed he’d noticed, before raising herself off the bed to try and put the covers back into shape.

“Oh come on, I was only joking” he told her, getting off the bed.

“Well it wasn’t very funny” she told him childishly as she rounded the bed.

“Wait Belle” He grabbed her arm as she went to pass him, holding her there. When she stopped he released her “Thank you, for… everything” he mumbled. The light of the day made the events of the previous night glare overly bright in his mind, and his face was the one to redden now.

She watched him for a moment, battling with herself for a while before deciding to face the issue head on, turning her whole body to him “Do you want to talk about what happened last night?” She asked him, slipping a hand into his and staring at him.

He down at where there bodies connected, unable to concentrate on anything else momentarily, before looking back and reconnecting with her eyes “Which part?” he laughed the words out nervously.

She shrugged, guiding them both into a sitting position on the bed “Any of it? All of it?”

He sighed, fiddling with her hand that rested in his lap. A moment or two went by where Belle wasn’t sure whether to speak more or wait, before his voice interrupted her “Do you ever feel like the past is dragging you back?” he asked her.

“What do you mean?”

He stroked the nail on her thumb gently, zoning in on it “Like, have you ever felt like your mind was playing tricks on you? Making you believe you are back in a different time, or that something else is happening, something that’s already happened?” He looked up at her, the words so guarded and yet so fragile.

Belle mulled over the question a moment “Well, when I got panic attacks I used to feel the same feelings of a moment I knew was over” she told him. “Why? Is that how it made you feel?” She asked him, trying to search behind the wall his eyes were putting up.

“Kind of” he muttered, knowing there was more to it than just the panic attack.

“Well, what does it feel like to you?” She pressed him gently, squeezing his hand.

He sighed again, shaking his head “I don’t know, it just feels like, like there are moments that keep repeating themselves, not just the feeling though, it’s like it happens all over again, like Groundhog Day. It just, feels like I’m suffocating” he confessed to her.

Belle knew that he’d been deliberately vague, that there were huge gaps missing in the tale. “Well, look, if you ask me, the best way to deal with something that won’t go away is to face it head on” she told him honestly.

He sighed, the truth in her words killing him. Tears threatened his eyes “What if I’m not ready to do that?”

She sighed, looking at the ground as she kicked her feet out from the bed “If I had the answer to that one I don’t think I would have ever faced any of my problems” she admitted, laughing lightly at how true it probably was. Every problem she had faced had been because she’d run out of places to hide.

He took in her words, and the weight of them made his body fall back into the bed “Or how about we just lie here forever?” he asked, gazing up at the ceiling.

“So you’re choosing avoidance hey? Glad to see my advice got through to you” she jibed sarcastically.

He let his eyes meet hers and she smiled at him, the warmth of it radiated his body. He looked down to see his hand still linked with hers, and he pulled himself up to sit beside her again, his head lingering dangerously close to hers.

She breathed in, her body tightening in knots at the closeness of him. She felt a tingle run through her as she looked at him and she realised there was something she’d been avoiding for a little while now.

“This is familiar” he said, smirking at her. His words jolted her feelings back into their hiding place and she drew away from him, kicking herself for what she was about to do.

“Oh come on, don’t get all shy on me” he joked, reaching to touch her hair.

She slapped his hand away, glaring at the ground “Why do you do that?” she asked him frustrated by his actions. She knew there was a good reason for keeping her distance, and he’d just reminded her of it.

“Do what?” He smiled at her, an irresistible smile that she had to look away from.

“Act like such a complete jerk just when I think we can be….” She let the sentence trail off, only just realising what she was about to say.

“Be what?” He asked her, noticing it.

She stood up, trying to escape the situation “Nothing just forget it” She muttered to him.

He stood up after her, grabbing her arm lightly “No Belle, what?” he asked again, a little more urgency in his voice.

“Look, you're gonna be late for school” She told him, trying her very best at avoidance tactics.

“Just tell me what you were going to say?” He asked her gently

“No!” She yelled at him “There’s no point when you just proved what a complete jerk you still are” she yelled to drown out the question, the answer she would inevitably have to give.

“Belle” He tried to reason softly

“Just get out” she muttered. He looked at her painfully, knowing she was right. He was a mess. How could he expect her to deal with that? To want that in her life? He brushed past her, heading for the door, but she grabbed his arm. He looked at her hopefully.

“You can’t go out the front, Irene might see you” she warned softly, pushing her hair back from her face with her free hand.

His face fell and he nodded, his attention zoned in to where her hand touched him. He stepped back towards the window, raising the glass panel up with a little force where it was stiff. He turned to look at her once more, her back towards him, before climbing over into the garden.

[monkeysmoke]

Chapter 76

“Kirsty love, you need to calm down” Irene called out, marching after her down the footpath.

Kirsty continued to stride ahead, facing the harsh wind that hit her face, willing it to sweep away the million and one thoughts that darted around inside her head. She was a rape baby. That’s why they got rid of her, or got rid of Lila rather, it wasn’t just that they didn’t want her, they hated her. She was a tainted person, which made sense now. All the things she’d done, it wasn’t just a series of bad choices or unfortunate circumstance, it was in her blood. Rape was in her blood. She was so consumed by thoughts she didn’t notice as her body collided with the fence in front of her, and she stopped there, letting her eyes peer out into the sea that it overlooked.

“Kirsty love” Irene comforted as she walked round beside her. The two words seemed lonely and small in the dark atmosphere that surrounded them, but Irene couldn’t think of any others to accompany them. Instead she studied Kirsty, goading her to speak with her eyes.

“I’m a rape baby Irene” Kirsty informed her painfully, feeling the eyes that burnt the side of her face. Irene was the one person in her life she could never escape, it seemed. Wherever she was, whatever she had done, Irene was always there, watching her, awaiting her next move. “I am the daughter of a rapist”.

Irene sighed, not fully having let this new information sink in “Kirsty, that’s not your fault love” she reassured her, although she knew already from her years of watching Kirsty fly off the handle, that whatever she said would not stop her from erupting right now.

“It makes sense though doesn’t it?” She turned and glared at her now; seeking out Irene’s hidden thoughts on the matter, when she couldn’t find any she pushed further “I mean, I did marry a known rapist Irene…. Oh wait don’t tell me you’d forgotten that?” She added as Irene’s eyes left her. She knew it was because Irene couldn’t bear to look at her, at the truth in her words. “Lets face it, it’s in the blood” the words were chopped up and wonky as they came out of her mouth, as if she couldn’t bear to say them.

“Now look” Irene shouted at her, unable to accept what she was saying. She knew Kirsty, it didn’t matter what facts poured out of her mouth or how bad they sounded, and she knew she was better than how history portrayed her. “They are not even close to the same thing!”

“Irene they’re exactly the same can’t you see that? I knew what Kane did to Danni and I still chose him! I chose him over my own family. I never understood why I did it, other than that I felt pushed out. But now…” the venomous yelling left her mid sentence as the tears came to her eyes “now I know exactly why I did it.” She waited for a response, for Irene to ask why, but Irene was all too used to Kirsty’s buttons and kept quiet, fixing her with an unfaltering stare, daring her to go on. “I chose Kane because a part of me knew… a part of me knew that that was what I was worth” She choked, breaking eye contact with Irene to hide the tears that made their way down her cheeks.

“Kirsty, this is a lot to take in for anyone” Irene began slowly, still watching her for signs of behaviour. At the moment Irene knew the outburst was over, but Kirsty’s tense, course demeanour meant anger was still lurking in her, and that she needed to tread carefully. “But you are really vulnerable right now darl. Your boy is in hospital fighting for his life, you’ve just seen Jade, one of the closest people to you in the world for the first time in years” She reinforced, trying to get Kirsty’s brain into perspective. “And now you’ve found out your real family ain’t all that great either” she added, taking a deep breath as the accumulation of events overwhelmed both her lungs and her heart.

Kirsty rolled her eyes to stem the flow of tears that threatened them, folding her arms to constrict her chest. “What’s your point Irene?” she snapped

Irene sighed at her “My point is love, you can’t handle it all at once, you need to focus on one thing at a time”

Kirsty swallowed the lump in her throat, letting Irene’s rational calm her. “So what do I do Irene?”

“Right now Ollie needs you, and we need to do everything we can to help him” she hinted. “Now where’s the address?” she asked, taking control of the situation she held out her hand at Kirsty expectantly.

“I can’t face them Irene” she admitted weakly, reluctant to obey. Irene continued to stare at her and she reached in to her jean pocket and handed Irene the slip of white paper she had stored there earlier. “I don’t even know where it is, I haven’t looked at it yet, it could be miles away” she rambled, trying to think of excuses to put her off.

Irene squeezed her hand in the exchange “You won’t be doing this alone love” she reminded her, before unfolding the paper and reading it over

“What?” Kirsty added as Irene’s eyes bulged out of there sockets.

Irene gaped at the address in front of her, studying the letters individually and then bringing them back into focus and forming the words again, to check her mind wasn’t playing tricks on her.

“Irene?” Kirsty prompted impatiently.

Irene’s mouth stammered into various shapes as she continued to stare at the words in front of her. Kirsty watched Irene’s mouth move but slowly

“It…” Irene stuttered

Kirsty lolled her head to the sound of the words, encouraging her to finish

Irene looked up and peered into Kirsty’s anxious face, as if seeing her for the first time “It can’t be”

[monkeysmoke]

Chapter 77

Aden closed the door silently, scanning the living room for signs of life. Deciding the coast was clear he began to tread softly up the stairs.

“Morning” Roman’s voice made his insides somersault and he turned on the stairwell towards the unexpected voice that came from below. He looked down to see Roman saunter out of the kitchen, his arms folded in front of him, a displeased look on his face.

“Uh…morning” he replied, trying to sound casual as he sussed out what emotion lat behind Roman’s stern exterior.

Roman looked up at the boy who had unsuccessfully tried to sneak into his house, tired from a night spent awake, waiting for his safe return. “Your home late…. Or should I say early?”

Aden scratched the back of his head, trying not to reveal how nervous he was “Yeah, sorry about that. I err… got caught up” he thought back to Belle’s body wrapped round his own and figured it was partially true. The thought of her minced his emotions. On the walk back he had had time to clear his head, to see reason, but thinking back to her soft body against his, he felt a huge sadness that he would probably never be that close to her again.

“Look Aden” Roman began; trying to keep the edginess out of his voice, remembering how freaked out Aden had been yesterday by it. “I’m not trying to tell you what to do, but it’s not fair to stay out all night and not tell anyone”

Aden screwed up his face “Tell who? It’s nobody’s business”

The words grated on Roman “Where were you?” He asked authoritatively, ignoring the question.

Aden felt an anger shoot through him at the hostility in Roman’s voice, fuelled by his earlier rejection from Belle “Does it matter?”

“Aden, I spent half the night worrying about where you were the least you could do is answer me” he tried to keep his voice steady, gritting his teeth to prevent any anger seeping through.

“Well I didn’t ask you to” Aden shot back. He knew it was low but he couldn’t help but kick out at him right now. He just wanted to be alone but he was cornered and it was all he could do to keep himself steady.

“No you didn’t, but I’m giving you a place to stay, I think the least you can do is call and tell me where you are at night so I don’t worry about where you are”

Aden furrowed his brow inwards “Anyone would think I’m your girlfriend” he shot at him, forcing a smile to try and lighten the mood.

“This isn’t a joke Aden” Roman warned him

“Not with your poor sense of humour it isn’t maybe” he muttered.

“Aden!” Roman found himself yelling. He hadn’t meant to get angry, but the lack of remorse and ‘get lost’ vibes coming off of Aden were beginning to wear him down.

“Look Roman, you’re not my dad alright? You don’t need to be so anal. If you want to worry about someone, worry about Nicole” He told him, fighting his corner, even if he wasn’t sure what his corner exactly was.

“No I’m not your dad Aden, but I am giving you a place to stay, so maybe you could show a little bit more common courtesy?” He asked him sternly, taking deep breaths to calm himself down.

Aden couldn’t take the arguing anymore. He hadn’t meant to get on the wrong side of Roman, now he felt like he’d finally pushed him away. “Do you know what? Just forget it I’ll find somewhere else to stay” he told him, charging back down the stairs.

Roman met him at the bottom step, grabbing his arm “Whoa, why have you got to go somewhere else?” He asked him urgently, shaking him so he turned to face him.

“You don’t want me here Roman, I get it” he snapped at him, a glint in his eyes revealed to Roman that he truly thought that was true.

“Wait I never said I didn’t want you here” Roman told him.

Aden looked up into Roman’s face and saw the dark circles that lined his eyes. He sighed, tugging away from Roman’s grasp so he could breathe properly “But I’ve screwed everything up” he admitted, looking ashamedly at the floor.

Roman sighed, feeling the anger leave him. So the boy did have remorse in him, it was just another barricade. “Look you haven’t screwed everything up” he told him, unfolding his arms and letting them wander around in front of his aimlessly, accompanying his words. “Trust me. You’d have to do far worse before I’d not want you here anymore” he told him truthfully, letting his hands rest on his hips.

Aden looked up at him “You still want me here?” He asked him timidly, revealing another side to himself that Roman hadn’t seen before.

“Yes.” He answered, letting the word linger in the air so they could both get accustomed to it “But like you said, I’m not your dad, so you think you can start behaving a bit more like an adult?” he pressed cautiously, forcing Aden’s eyes back up to meet his.

Aden sighed, nodding humbly.

“And while were on the subject of your dad. He turned up here yesterday”

Roman watched as Aden’s face hardened again “What did he want?”

Roman thought back to how Aden’s father had been last night when he’d shown up at the house. He hadn’t seemed drunk, or at least, not to the extent he had been before. He’d had a heartbroken look in his eyes; a desperate man. He’d thought Roman was lying when he’d said Aden wasn’t in, and Roman had felt guilty for not knowing the whereabouts of his son. Looking at Aden’s face now, he decided to pick his words carefully. “To speak to you.” Were the only words that came out, although it didn’t seem enough to explain what had happened the night before. So Roman added his own thoughts “Look Aden, I don’t know what’s going on, but don’t you think you should at least speak to him”

Aden immediately looked at him in disgust, as if he’d just hit him or something. “No”

“But Aden…”

“What is this?” Aden began, not understanding why Roman was so eager to defend his father “Is this you trying to get me to move back home? Because if it is then I’ll just find somewhere else…”

“No!” Roman interjected hurriedly, realising how it came out. “Look, you can stay here for as long as you want. I just, I just don’t want you to use it as a way of avoiding the problem, that’s all” When he knew Aden had accepted his words he continued “Listen, Aden, as a parent, I know I have made a lot of mistakes. In fact I can’t think of anything I’ve done worse than being a parent.”

Aden shrugged “What’s your point?”

“My point is” Roman emphasised “I don’t know what I’d do if Nicole wouldn’t forgive me for how I’ve treated her, if she never spoke to me again, it’s break my heart” He admitted, an edge to his voice.

Aden scowled, trying to bat off Roman’s emotions to stop them affecting him “That’s different”

“How is it different?” Roman asked him a little too quickly.

Aden shrugged “You’re different” he explained “You’ve changed. My dad, he’ll always be the same”

Roman sighed, knowing he couldn’t tell him any different, not really. “I’m not saying you should forgive him. But don’t you think you should at least hear him out?”

Aden thought on the idea of speaking to his father again. The last time they had spoken had been a pretty public affair, a gruesome one at that. It had hurt him so much just to look at his father stumbling and slurring, his drunken state obscuring every emotion towards him other than betrayal. But even with that image in his mind, he felt a dull ache knowing that he hadn’t seen his father for a few days, that he had left him alone in that big empty house with all its dark secrets. He just didn’t know if he could face him. To face him would mean trailing over all the old history he was trying to avoid.

“Aden?” Roman asked, awakening him to the world around him.

Aden shrugged “I don’t know…. Maybe”

Roman smiled sympathetically “Look, not to play parent again but, aren’t you late for school?” he asked him, nodding to the clock that hung on the far wall.

Aden followed his gaze, sighing “Yeah, don’t worry, I’m just going to get changed and head off now” he told him, retreating up the stairs, still partially in his own thoughts. As Roman’s body sauntering back into the kitchen flitted across his peripheral vision he called out to him.

“Hmmm?” Roman hummed, turning his head back.

Aden dawdled for a moment, tapping his fingers nervously against the banister “Err... I’m sorry, for ruining your night and that” he mumbled awkwardly before darting quickly up the remainder of the stairs, away from Roman’s pleased face.

[monkeysmoke]

Chapter 78

“I just don’t understand why you’ve suddenly decided we need a change of scenery” Geoff whined, begrudging the extra 5 minutes and the steep hill that accompanied Annie’s new route to school.

“I already told you” Annie replied cheerfully as she skipped along beside him, breathing in the fresh morning air “I’m bored of the old way”

“Right” Geoff drawled as he trudged along beside her, shifting the heavy backpack that he had slung over his shoulder.

“So… Aden on our sofa. Care to explain?” he asked her, his mood lightening as he watched her skip along, like the carefree Annie he remembered of old.

“He just needed a place to stay” she replied vaguely, turning when she heard him sigh heavily behind her. “Look Geoff” she said, stopping in her tracks “I know you and Aden don’t get along, but I’m really grateful that you tried to” She placed a hand over his wrist and fished his hand out of his pocket so she could hold it in her own “And I’m really grateful for everything else too”

He looked down and examined the hand that held his. It felt a lot wiser and sturdy than it used to, but the same warmth and love emanated from it, it was definitely Annie’s. “Well I suppose it was the Christian thing to do” he reflected, thinking back to Aden on the couch.

She let the comment slide, a much more pressing matter weighing on her mind “Not just about last night Geoff. I’m also really grateful that you care so much about me, that I have a brother who loves me like you do” she looked at him earnestly and his face broke into a relieved smile, a wave of mutual understanding passing between them.

He squeezed her hand back “I’m happy to do it Annie, I want to look after you” he assured her.

“I know you do Geoff, it’s just that I’m older now. I know you had to look after me a lot over the past few years, but you don’t have to do that anymore. You can have your life back now.”

Geoff searched her face with confused eyes “But you’re my sister, you’re a big part of my life Annie”

“And you’re a big part of mine” she enforced strongly “but that doesn’t mean we have to live in each other’s pockets. We have a bigger family unit now, and I’m older, we can let go of each other a little bit, live our own lives” she tried to emphasise her point as clearly as possible, trying desperately not to offend him, that their understanding of each other would continue.

He shrugged, her words finally making some sense to him. He hadn’t been able to decipher them behind all her shouting, too hurt at feeling rejected by her. Now it was clear that there was no malice in them. “You really are grown up aren’t you?” he asked her smiling.

Her own face broke into a smile, relief filling her at his reaction. Composing herself she shrugged smugly, ecstatic that he’d finally noticed, “I guess” she responded casually as they began to walk leisurely up the peak of the hill.

“Hey, who’s that?” Geoff asked, pointing to the boy who stood leaning against a fence over the arc of the hill. Spotting the two figures that neared him, he waved a shy hand at them.

Geoff looked confusedly at his sister, a big grin plastered over her face as she waved back at him. “Uh… anything you want to tell me Annie?” he asked lightly, his eyes darting between her and the boy.

“What?” She replied distantly, her attention focused solely on the boy who they were slowly nearing.

“This scenic walk to school had nothing to do with the actual landscape, did it?” He asked her knowingly.

She gave him a cheeky smile, her cheeks reddening slightly “Maybe not” She admitted, looking up as they came face to face with the source of her embarrassment.

“Hey Annie” Jai said, trying to sound casual and failing miserably, he looked fearfully at Geoff, thinking back to their debacle down on the beach “Hi” he welcomed nervously.

Geoff looked at his sister, and finally saw her, not as his sister, but as a 14 year old girl, trying to impress a 14 year old guy and his heart warmed a little. He stretched out a hand to the boy in front of him “Hi, I don’t think I introduced myself before, I’m Geoff” he smiled at him, assessing his character.

“Jai” Jai responded, agitated further by the unexpected pleasantness in Geoff’s voice.

Annie felt like bursting into laughter on the spot she was so happy. She hadn’t known what Geoff’s reaction would be; she’d expected the worst from him. Amazingly he’d just shown himself at his best, and her heart filled with pride for him.

“We should probably make a move, don’t want to be late” Jai said, partially to impress Geoff as well as Annie, a bid to stay in his good books. The three of them set off down the hill, a silence overthrowing them.

Annie turned her attention to Jai, and suddenly remembered other matters “Do you know what’s happening with Kirsty?” She asked him seriously.

He looked at her “Sort of, I know she met up with Jade and her sister, but I don’t really know what else happened, I thought it was best to keep out of the way” he told her, reflecting on the raised voices he’d tried to listen into this morning. Alf, noticing him on the stairwell, had shooed him away till things had died down.

“Did you see them?” Annie asked, curious.

“Yeah, Jade and her sister were downstairs when I left, but no one was saying much, not even Miles” he added in disbelief.

“Well, I hope it works” she thought out loud.

“Hope what works?” Geoff asked, not following any of the conversation.

“Oh, me and Jai had a plan for how to help Ollie” Annie told him.

“Yeah and Miles hijacked it” Jai joked as they neared the school building.

Annie laughed lightly “He is very eager to help Kirsty”

“Well her kid is seriously ill, of course he wants to help” Geoff contributed naively.

Annie and Jai both looked at him with patronising eyes, before catching each other’s gaze and laughing.

“What?” Geoff asked them seriously as they entered the building.

Annie stifled her laughter, not wanting to upset him “We think maybe Miles likes her” she tried to convey a deeper meaning behind the words with her eyes, but Geoff still didn’t follow.

“Well of course he does, they live together” He explained, as if that were obvious.

Annie slapped him on the arm “Geoff!” she said, laughing again.

“What?” he asked grouchily, rubbing his arm as they walked down the school corridor.

“We think Miles fancies her” Jai explained matter-of-factly as they stopped half way down the corridor, by the lockers.

“Oh” Geoff sighed, as recognition dawned on him. “How do you know?” He asked him pointedly.

Jai smiled “I just do” he said to Geoff, letting his eyes stray towards Annie at the end. She returned the gaze momentarily before letting her eyes flit down to the floor shying away from the intimacy. At that moment a body collided into Jai, knocking him slightly.

“Do you mind? This is a corridor? That means people want to get somewhere, not stand in like a bunch of losers”

The three of them stared up at the blonde haired girl who stood before them, blinking at her as if mesmerised.

“And who are you?” She asked flirtingly, sidling up to Geoff and placing a hand out for him to shake.

Geoff, mouth wide open, looked at her “I…” he stuttered, his mouth failing him as he continued to gawp at her.

“He’s Geoff” Annie offered, saving him from himself.

She kept her eyes fixed on Geoff, ignoring everything about Annie except for Geoff’s name “Geoff, I’m Nicole.” She said seductively. He continued to blink at her. “Well, I might see you around some time” she told him when she realised he wasn’t likely to respond. Pleased at the effect she had on him, she strutted down the rest of the corridor, before rounding the corner, out of view.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

As she rounded the corridor she saw him bundle into the back entrance to the school. She made sure he spotted her first, before making a point of walking past him, avoiding his gaze.

The moment he saw her he felt his insides crumble. If he was to keep living at Roman’s he knew he’d have to face her eventually. He turned and ran after her “Nicole” he called out, running up so he was beside her.

“What do you want?” She asked, keeping her eyes focused on the wall ahead of her.

“Can we talk?”

“Nope, I have to get somewhere” she told him sharply, continuing her pace.

He grabbed her arm “Come on, you’re running out of corridor” he warned her, pointing at the dead end ahead of her “Please?” he asked her.

She battled with herself for a moment, deliberately making him suffer. He had humiliated her last night that much was certain. But she was pleased that he felt bad about it, it made her feel important to him, and therefore curious about what he was about to say. “Spit it out I haven’t got all day” she told him.

He let the silence soak up the atmosphere for a moment, not having prepared for this moment; he had no idea what he was going to say to her. “About last night…I didn’t mean to…”

“Didn’t mean to what? Kiss me or throw me off? She demanded forcefully, her hands on her hips.

He was flummoxed by her blunt question, her sharp eyes that bored into him. “I don’t know” he stammered.

“You don’t know what exactly?”

“I don’t know what I meant to do”

“Well it’s pretty simple, you either want me or you don’t, so which is it?” she stood, judging him.

He frowned at her “Just forget it” he replied roughly, turning to leave.

“Why don’t you just answer the question?” She demanded, stepping closer towards him, blocking his path.

He looked at her, everything about her so familiar to himself, the way she held her ground, the way she was always on the defensive, ready to strike. He looked into her eyes, her need to be wanted shone back at him as brightly as his own.

“Well…?” She whispered into his ear, he felt her soft cheek brush against his own, and longed to be close to someone.

“Yes” he whispered into her soft blonde hair, inhaling her scent.

She stepped slightly back, so she could see his face “Yes what?” she asked him, her eyes teasing his.

Before he could reply the ringing of a phone erupted from his jean pocket, and he leapt for it eagerly, escaping the conversation, he flipped the phone open “Hello?”

She stepped back from him, rolling her eyes as she brushed a hair away from her face. She tutted, sighing to herself. “Forget it” she muttered snidely to him before walking off, feeling rejected once again.

“What?” he asked fearfully to the person on the other end of the line.

approximately 4 more chapters of the first series to go - just to let you know....

[monkeysmoke]

Chapter 79

“Can I help you?” The man asked them as they stood silently at his front door. He peered between them, the red haired woman who looked back at him he recognised from somewhere, possibly the Diner but he wasn’t sure. The other woman’s face he couldn’t see, only the top of her head as she fixedly gazed at the floor.

“Uh, Larry is it? Hi, I’m Irene” Hearing his voice brought Irene back into the moment and she stretched out a hand to him. “This is Kirsty” She gestured to the girl standing next to her, aware that she was incapable of speaking right now.

“Look if you’re selling something…” he began cynically, pushing the door forwards, ready to close it on them.

“We’re not” Irene blurted out quickly, stepping forwards to stop him from shutting them out. “We’re here to speak to you about something, it’s important” her tone lowered to convey how serious she was.

Larry’s face fell in to a mixture of worry and confusion “Is it about Aden?” he asked quickly, alerted to possible danger.

Kirsty, who remained staring at the floor, flinched at the name, which he noticed, before Irene answered him “No, no he’s fine. Please can we?” Irene gestured to the inside of the house. Larry looked them over once more before nodding and stepping aside to let them in.

He led them through the dark hallway to the living room. The curtains were only partially drawn so only a slither of sunlight escaped into the room. There was a pile of clothes piled messily on the sofa and he swept them up with his arms, dumping them into the corner of the room before turning back to them “Please, take a seat” he gestured kindly.

Kirsty mirrored Irene’s movements as they sat down on the brown leather sofa. She continued to look down, focusing on how the leather squeaked against her jeans. She clasped her clammy hands together in front of her, to stop them from shaking.

“Can I get either of you a drink?” he asked, eyeing Kirsty suspiciously as he did so. Irene, noticing, spoke for both of them “Uh no darl, we’re alright thanks”

Accepting this, Larry sat down in the armchair opposite them, rubbing his hands over his knees nervously to stop them from shaking, the lack of alcohol making his body spasm under the pressure “So, what can I do for you?”

“Actually love, we’re here to talk to you about your wife, about Rose” Irene told him gently, finding no easy way to begin the conversation.

The mention of his wife’s name made his heart try to leap out of his chest, and he felt it banging forcefully against his ribcage. He cleared his throat “I see…what about her?” he asked curiously, no one having mentioned her for years, not even himself.

“Well, there’s no easy way to put this, but” Irene stalled, dreading the consequences of her next words “but a long time ago your wife gave up a baby girl for adoption” Irene told him gently, not sure if he even knew about it. She watched him carefully, testing his reaction.

Larry looked down at the ground as he felt a huge spasm go through him, shaking his entire body, he stood up, trying to shake it off, trying to shake the moment away as he realised what they knew, what they must know. He felt anger build up inside of him slowly. Who were they to come here and drag up this old history “Why are you here? What do you want?” he asked them sceptically, his voice gruff as he tried to keep his shakes in check.

“Larry, that girl you gave away, well, it’s… she’s….” Irene stammered, trying not gesture to Kirsty. Larry followed her movements, looking at her. Kirsty felt there eyes upon her, and felt her face prickle with an irritable heat, her hands slipping about clumsily in front of her, and her body tightening into a thousand knots. She looked up to meet them, to finally see him, her heart in her throat. “It’s me” she whispered at him.

Larry froze to the spot as he looked at her face. “You…” he stammered. It was as if his wife was standing before him, like an illusion, a ghost from the past. “You can’t be…” he whispered, his hand reaching out to her, to check she was real, that It wasn’t some weird trick played on him by the alcohol withdrawal. A tear trickled down her cheek as he reached out to touch it. The softness, the realness of her made him flinch back away from her in fright. “No! No you can’t be!” he muttered, shaking his head and moving away.

“It’s true Larry” Irene reinforced, standing up to support Kirsty by her side.

“No” he muttered to them “No, we already had a girl come here, she wasn’t you” he told them, determined this was all a trick of the mind, that he was going crazy.

He thought back to that day 8 years ago, when a thirteen year old girl had turned up on the doorstep. He’d been off of his face with alcohol, so much so he shouldn’t be able to remember the horrible things he said to her, but they were ingrained into his memory, never to leave.

“Get out! We don’t want you here! You’re not welcome!”

“Please, just give me a chance!” she pleaded eagerly

“No! We gave you away! We didn’t want you! We never wanted you!” his voice raised to a pitch of hysteria as he waved the half empty bottle in front of her manically

“Why not?” she cried at him

“My wife was raped! You are just an awful reminder of that! Now please, just go! She never wanted you!” He had yelled and screamed at her until he felt sick. He watched as the tiny child before him ran out the door in a flood of tears, never to return.

“There was a mix up, at the hospital” Kirsty rambled, just coherently enough for him to understand her “She thought she was your daughter, but she never was. We were switched at birth, she found out after she met you” she told him, tears streaking the sides of her face

Larry listened attentively to her, trying to get the information to process in his brain. But it was too obscure, too surreal “This isn’t happening” he whispered, his palms placed together, in front of his lips as he paced the floor in front of them. He looked at her again “It really is you isn’t it?” he choked at her, a nostalgic pain tinting his eyes.

Kirsty nodded, fresh tears falling down her face “Yes”

Larry gave a weighty sigh, “We gave you away…” he began unsteadily, avoiding her gaze, avoiding his wife’s gaze. “We had to…” he felt the need to explain to her, to try and make her understand him. He felt as though it was Rose he had betrayed, Rose that he had given up.

“Don’t” Kirsty said strongly, not able to bear hearing him say it “I know” she told him, bringing his eyes to her, he saw the truth he had been trying to get out already rested in them.

His watery eyes leaked down his face at the darkness that obscured hers “I’m so sorry” he told her honestly.

Irene, who had been watching the pair of them, trying to stop her own heart from breaking at the sight, stepped in as they both appeared to have run out of words “Larry, we came here, because we need your help” she told him softly.

He brought his eyes up to her, confused “Need my help for what?”

Kirsty found her voice again, a little stronger than before “My son, Ollie, he’s really sick, he’s in hospital, his kidneys are failing, and he needs a donor”

“The doctor said that blood relatives are the most likely match” Irene added, getting the message through to him as directly as possible.

Larry’s eyes glazed over, a hardness covering them as he understood what they wanted from him “My wife’s dead” he told them firmly, placing his hands on his hips.

“We know that Larry, but…” Irene began

“I’m not your father!” he heard himself yelling at them, the hurt of the memory filling his lungs.

“I know that.” Kirsty reminded him softly, reassuringly.

He felt himself soften towards her “I’m sorry, I can’t help you”

“Larry, you have three sons” Irene reminded him, determined.

Larry shook his head vigorously “No” he told them sternly, a finality in his tone.

“Why not?” Kirsty asked him, pleadingly

“They don’t know, about any of it” he warned them both.

“Larry, this is important” Irene reminded him.

“Look, I don’t even know where Justin is, and Sean is in prison” he reasoned with them apologetically.

“What about Aden?” Kirsty asked him, his eyes shot up and they stared at each other for a moment.

“I can’t tell him” Larry told them both, aggression rising through him. Aden already wasn’t speaking to him. The thought that he might was all that was keeping him from reaching for another bottle. He couldn’t risk it now; he was all he had left.

“Larry her little boy will die without this operation” Irene told him, trying to make him take a different perspective

“I’m sorry I just can’t” he told them, desperation smothering every word.

“You have to Larry, this is important” Irene told him, authoritatively.

“No! I don’t have to do anything!” He spat at her through gritted teeth, trying to quell his hands, which shook with a new ferocity.

“Please Larry, this is my son” Kirsty pleaded with him helplessly, stepping closer to him and taking his hand in hers “Aden will understand”

He shook away from her, unable to handle her closeness, the closeness of his wife, when he felt so weak, so cornered. “He won’t understand!” he yelled at her.

She looked at him, and the memory of Aden clinging onto her surfed through her in a huge wave. Him crying onto her, about his grandfather… she shuddered, speechless.

Irene stepped forward “Listen to me. This is a little kiddie’s life at steak here! So if you don’t tell him about this Larry, then I will you got that?” Irene yelled, shoving a finger furiously into his chest. He glared down at her, unmoving.

At that moment Kirsty felt a vibration from her pocket, and reached inside to fish out her phone, which had begun to ring loudly, disrupting the conversation. “Hello?” she answered, trying to assume a casual voice. There was a silence as she listened to the person on the other end of the line. “What? Well who?” her eyes darted to the two people in front of her warily “Ok I’ll be right there” she flipped the phone back down, staring at it

“Kirsty love, what is it?” Irene asked her curiously.

“That was the hospital, they’ve found a match” she told her quietly, slipping the phone back into her pocket.

“Well who is it?” She asked hurriedly.

She looked up, locking eyes with Larry “It’s Aden”

Larry’s face hardened and he stood immobilised, feeling his insides run ice cold.

“We should get to the hospital” Irene directed, her tone robotic as she tried to let the news sink in. Kirsty nodded willingly.

Larry watched them as if in slow motion as they moved towards the door. “I’m coming with you” he heard himself tell them as he marched hurriedly after them.

2 more chapters to go....

(and yes there is a 2nd series planned)

[monkeysmoke]

Chapter 80

“No Roman, I’m at the hospital now, I’m just waiting until Kirsty gets here. Yeah, they went off to call him a while ago because he’s my next of kin, but I don’t know I just thought I should call you” Aden’s voice lingered over the last few words, he was wary of speaking them. He rested the side of his body against the wall, his mobile placed against his ear. “No you don’t have to do that” Aden spoke hurriedly down the phone “I’m ok really…” he was cut off by the voice on the other end “…ok” he finally accepted, relief overwhelming the small word. “Thanks Roman” he added. He felt a hand tap his shoulder, and turned to see a stern faced nurse glaring at him, coughing deliberately, she nodded at the phone in his hand. “Look, I have to go, alright, bye” he whispered before hanging up. The nurse gave him a triumphant look before walking away down the sparse, drafty hospital corridor. Aden leant his head against the wall, feeling an intense loneliness overcome him as he watched the nurse walk away.

Everything had happened so quickly, it was like a blur. The hospital had rung him, explaining he was a match for Oliver Phillips and he had rushed to the hospital because they’d stressed how important it was. Once he had got there a suited doctor had taken him into an important looking room and explained an operation to him in long, complex words he hadn’t understood, to which he’d merely nodded. Then he’d been ushered into the corridor, and told to knock again when Kirsty arrived, so they could run through it with the both of them before starting the operation immediately. A nurse had came to ask for the number of his next of kin, who needed to be contacted and he’d given them his dad’s number, and for the first time in years, he really, really wanted him to be there. Right now his reasons for avoiding him seemed pretty insignificant, he just wanted him to come and explain to him what was happening, to tell him he was doing the right thing, just to have someone with him. Then he’d phoned Roman, battling a few times to do it and then hanging up, he’d eventually let it ring, and told him what was happening. He didn’t even know why he was ringing him, other than that he kind of wanted him there too. He just wanted somebody there, it didn’t really matter who. As he’d racked his brain trying to decide who to call, he’d realised how few people there really were, and the feeling stuck to him now as he waited for a familiar face to walk through those doors.

He thought back to the last time he’d been in hospital, after the car crash, when all those awful memories had come back, when the past had come back to get at him with a vengeance. His father had come for him then, he’d stroked his forehead and done small, kind things that he didn’t usually do, with a soft look in his eyes. He hadn’t said he’d loved him. He hadn’t heard him say those words since he said them at his mother’s funeral years ago, when he’d broke down by her graveside, sobbing them out. Since then it was as though his father couldn’t bear to love again, and every feeling of love he’d had for anything else in the world had died along with her. Aden swallowed hard at the memory. His mother would want him to do this, he was sure of it.

The double doors down the end of the corridor burst open, and Aden looked up from out of himself, to see his father striding down the hall towards him, followed by Kirsty and Irene. He blinked at the unusual sight of the three of them together. His father, the woman who hated him and the woman who knew far too much about him, the one he was going to help.

“Aden!” His father exclaimed, coming to stand in front of him. He watched him uncertainly, unsure how much he knew, what had happened since he’d been here, or what was the cause of the lost look on his face. “Aden?” he said gently, trying to catch his eyes, bring them back from whatever dark place they’d taken him

“Dad?” Aden asked weakly, looking him over as if he wasn’t sure.

“Are you alright? What did they say?” Larry asked him, realising Aden may be confused by his presence here.

Aden looked about him, trying to place where he was “I don’t know. They said to knock when Kirsty got here” he told him distractedly. He hadn’t known what state his dad would be in when they rang him which had worried him, but clearly, he thought, he wasn’t drunk, which surprised him.

Kirsty and Irene exchanged a glance behind Larry’s back, so Aden couldn’t see. So he didn’t know still, the hospital hadn’t mentioned any other part of his results.

“Aden?” Kirsty spoke softly, stepping out from behind Larry. Larry moved slightly, relieved that Aden appeared unaware. He watched her nervously, like she was a bomb ready to go off and reveal all.

“Hi” Aden greeted shyly, feeling awkward in front of her eyes.

“You’re really going to go through with it? You’re going to help Ollie?” She asked him timidly, playing with her fingers, scared of his answer, of giving him the option to back out.

Aden sighed “Of course I am why wouldn’t I?” He asked her honestly, not understanding why anyone would refuse.

Larry felt like someone had stabbed him in the gut, and looked at the ground, ashamed of what had happened earlier.

Kirsty let out a deep sigh, smiling “Thank you” she breathed at him, she meant to lean over and place a hand on his, but the relief overwhelmed her and she threw her arms round his neck, hugging him tightly. “Thank you so much” She whispered into his ear, sniffing. She drew away rapidly as the events of earlier with Larry crashed down around them, invading the moment, and she looked down at the ground. He’s my brother. Her mind screamed at her. He doesn’t even know. Kirsty felt the words rising up in her; she couldn’t let him do this for her without even knowing what she knew.

Larry, sensing the danger before it could escape, stepped in “Why don’t you knock and get that doctor?” He hinted softly to Aden, who willingly obeyed. Pleased his dad was sober, so he was really here for him. Maybe Roman was onto something, maybe they should speak, and maybe they could get past it.

As Aden walked away Larry bent down, leaning into Kirsty’s ear “Not a word” He threatened quietly.

She turned to face him “I have to tell him” she told him earnestly “We can’t let him do this without knowing” she began in a rushed whisper.

He leant in, so there faces were almost touching “You’ve got what you want, now just leave it!” He warned her, a desperate anger laced through his words. He stooped back up, concealing his anger as Aden walked back towards them, a doctor following swiftly behind.

Kirsty, who had so much more that she wanted to say to Larry reluctantly spun round.

“Mrs Phillips” the doctor greeted warmly “This is your lucky day” the doctor began.

“So, when will you start to operate?” Larry stepped in, trying to dominate the conversation, to control it, and stop anything dangerous seeping through.

The doctor turned to face him “And you are…?”

“He’s my dad” Aden informed him, turning his head slightly to smile softly at his father. The image melted Larry’s heart. Maybe this could all be salvaged. They could get through this and Aden would forgive him, they could be a family again.

“Hello Mr Jeffries, you must be very proud” The doctor beamed at him, reaching his hand out to shake hands with him. “Well there are a few things we need to discuss, and then, if you’re all ok with them, I’d like to get started on the operation as quickly as possible. I don’t think I need to remind you that we are still on a time limit” he added solemnly.

“That’s fine” Aden said.

Kirsty merely nodded in agreement beside him, scared to open her mouth for fear of what she might say. As she stood there listening to the doctors warnings, she fought with the urge to tell him, the doctor’s words having hit her hard. They were on a time limit. What if telling Aden upset him? What if he was to change his mind? What if he needed more time to get over it before he could go through with it, time that Ollie didn’t have? She would tell him, she decided. But afterwards. Ollie’s life was more important right now.

The doctor finished speaking and Kirsty zoned back into the conversation. “Is that ok with everyone?” he asked glancing over them all.

“Yeah that’s fine” Aden said again, feeling comforted by his dad’s presence behind him.

“Kirsty?” Irene badgered from behind.

“Yes. Yes that’s fine” Kirsty agreed quietly, hating herself for what she was going to do.

“Right” the doctor said brightly, clapping his hands together “Let’s get started then”

Next: Series finale!

[monkeysmoke]

Chapter 81 - OK. So my thanks go out to... Taniya, xknomex, wrongturntaken, Aden+Belle Forever, LAURZY!, MissOlivia22, whispered_envy, ~AdelleFanEver~, SAM#27, maccaz, mk1diva, enjoy the ride, honeychild, I love music, rfran, HAA girl 08, Frogg, lucylinda and ezaz8 for all commenting on the story! Seriously I appreciate you guys all taking the time to not only read this seriously long piece of fiction but to also take the time to comment on it as well it really is motivating and means a lot. (oh and I guess H&A writers and actors for their material and inspiration and bttb for giving me a place to post the damn thing)

Alright I guess I better get on with the final chapter then *tear*

FINAL CHAPTER

“Kirsty love” Irene spoke softly to the girl, gently tugging on her arm to stop her from following the doctor, Larry and Aden down the corridor. “Are you going to tell him?”

Kirsty’s arms were folded protectively in front of her “tell him what exactly? I’m your sister? The by-product of your mum’s sexual assault?” She hissed quietly at her, aware of their presence behind her as they made their way to surgery.

Irene let go of her arm, backing off slightly “I know this situation ain’t easy love, but don’t you think he has a right to know?” Irene urged her. For the first time, she had seen a caring side to Aden, and knowing about his mother’s past made her heart go out to him.

“I can’t tell him Irene! Kirsty told her determinedly, shaking her head “Not now” She thought back to what he had told her the night of Annie’s assault, and swallowed the lump in her throat. Somehow she just knew he wouldn’t be able to handle the information.

Irene gave her a warning look

“Don’t look at me like that Irene” Kirsty pleaded with her “I’m thinking of Ollie”

“Yeah and what if one of the nurses or the doctors lets it slip? How do you think he’s going to feel if we all knew about it?” She lectured.

“His dad is not going to let that happen, you saw him” Kirsty reminded her, hopefulness in her voice. She couldn’t imagine how angry he would be.

Irene sighed, gazing about helplessly. She knew she was fighting a losing battle. “Well, I just hope your right darl” Irene told her, admitting defeat.

Kirsty forced the tears away from her eyes. She had no right to cry for her mother, or for Aden. Not after what she’d done. She was a traitor not just to one family now, but two. “Could you please call Miles for me?” She asked Irene, fighting the thoughts away.

“Don’t you think I should call Kane first?” Irene asked her sceptically.

Kirsty’s face grew stern, she couldn’t even think about Kane right now.

Irene sighed again “I’ll call them both love” she said softly “You go and see to Ollie” she commanded, before heading off down the corridor in the opposite direction.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

“If you could change into this before we start. You can use this room, then we’ll take you down the corridor, so that we can have you and Ollie side by side, makes the operation easier” A new doctor was speaking to him now, a green cloaked one, ready to operate. “I’ll give you two a moment” he added, before excusing himself from the room.

Aden looked down at the surgical gown that lay on the bed for him, fear coursing through his veins. Larry watched him; a mixture of guilt, love and fear swirled around inside of him. He felt the secrets bubbling out of him, he was sure that Aden could see them, that he knew the truth, could see it in his eyes.

Aden slowly peeled the t shirt off of him, placing it neatly on the bed. They were going to cut him open. Cut him open and take out one of his organs. As he let the idea play about inside his head he wondered if they would be able to reach down inside there and take out all the bad stuff that lurked about inside of him. All the horrible things he’d said or done all the horrible things that had been said or done to him. Could they take them all away too? Make him a new person? He sighed, knowing it wouldn’t be that easy. He picked up the surgical gown, slipping his arms into the holes, he tried to reach around and tie the back bit at the top, but his shaking hands failed him.

Larry, who had stood transfixed, watching him guiltily, stepped forward from where he rested by the door. “Here, let me help you” he told him, taking the two strings and tying them together. When he had finished he remained there, letting his hands linger over his son’s back, the closest he had been to him in a long time.

“Ade-”

“Da-”

They spoke simultaneously, stopping abruptly to listen to the other one’s words. Aden turned round to face him. “What is it?” Aden asked him.

Larry, who had been working up the courage to tell him the truth of his situation, looked at his sons scared eyes looking at him and bottled out, sighing, “It’s nothing, what were you going to say?” Larry asked him

“Are you…” there were so many questions that Aden had for his father, he hadn’t thought of which one he was brave enough to ask first “I mean… you’re sober” he stated, partially as a statement and partially as a question, willing an explanation.

Larry nodded humbly “Yeah. I am.” He moved away slightly, pacing the floor of the room softly “I’m not drinking, anymore” he added.

Aden checked him over, noticing the small spasms that ran through his body; the drained, ragged look the alcohol withdrawal was having on him “Why?” Aden asked him, fiddling with his fingers, nervously awaiting his reply.

Larry sighed “For you.” He admitted. When Aden’s eyes looked up to his, checking for deceit, he held them there, showing him it was true. “Aden, I am so sorry” he had stopped pacing the room as the words fell out of his mouth in a huge gasp, a weight leaving him “about everything” he added finally.

There was no drunken façade that Aden could get angry and hide behind this time. It was only his father and him, no drink or denial stood between them, and he really listened to the words this time. “Dad I’m…” he began. He wanted to say he was glad, that he forgave him, but he wasn’t sure any of that was true yet. It was too soon for him to know how the words made him feel. There was only one emotion running through him at that moment that he could feel with any certainty “I’m so scared” he whispered at him, tears sprang to his eyes as his vulnerability was revealed.

Larry hadn’t expected it, of all the things he expected; anger, rejection, even acceptance, or forgiveness, but his son actually revealing how he felt he hadn’t expected. He ran over to him, encircling him. Aden grabbed him helplessly. “It’s ok. Shhh Aden, it’s going to be fine.” He reassured him softly. He hadn’t held him like this since he was a toddler, since before his wife had died. He was manly now, tall and muscular and stronger than he was, but all he could really feel was his scared little boy, the one he’d held as a baby, the one he’d held after falling off of the climbing frame, the one he’d ignored for the past 12 years. “Everything’s going to be alright” he told him, rubbing his back firmly.

Aden sniffed, not allowing the tears to claim his face this time. There’s nothing to cry about. He told himself as he drew away from his dad’s embrace. His dad cupped his face, holding it close to his own “You’re going to save a life, not lose one” he told him sternly, pride filling him at the sight of him. “Ok?” Aden nodded, his dad’s spirit warming onto him, glad that he was taking control.

The sound of the door opening forced them apart. “Are you ready?” The surgeon asked, standing in the doorway.

“Almost” Aden told him. He unbuttoned his jeans, slipping them off under his gown and throwing them onto the bed. “OK” Aden told him, looking over at his father for reassurance.

Larry smiled, placing an arm on his son’s back supportively as they walked out the door.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Kirsty bent down and placed a kiss on Ollie’s head. “You’re going to be fine sweetie. I promise” she whispered to the tot as he lay there, already asleep, weary from the toll his illness was taking on him. She looked up as three people entered the room.

“Right if you just pop yourself on this bed here” The surgeon who had just entered the room with Aden and Larry gestured for Aden to lie on the empty bed on the opposite side of the room to Ollie.

“Can I just see Ollie first?” Aden asked him.

The surgeon looked over to Kirsty, who nodded at him. “Of course you can” she told him. Another surgeon and some nurses entered the room and began preparing the area. Larry waited nervously in the corner, his eyes watching Kirsty, like a hawk.

Aden crept over, peering over Ollie’s bed. “Hey mate” Aden greeted in a gentle whisper, looking over Ollie’s frail body “Are you nervous?” he asked him. “Yeah me too” he replied as he began to conduct a one way conversation between them. “You know, when I was little, I always thought that people’s kidneys, they were actually the same ones as Kidney beans, you know, the kind you eat?” he laughed lightly to himself “Anyway, my mum, she assured me that human kidney’s were a lot bigger and that there weren’t so many available. I never really understood what she meant. But… well, I guess I do now. I mean, look at how many people it took to try and find you one right?” Kirsty winced at the mention of his mother, and walked away from them, no longer able to listen to the turn the conversation was taking “I guess it’s what my mother called fate, you and me being a match. You’re supposed to pull through, otherwise this wouldn’t have happened” Aden raised his sweaty hand and placed it nervously over the tots forehead, stroking it softly “So don’t be worried OK?” he told him, tears filling his own eyes “Everything’s going to be alright” He took his arm away and moved back over to his side of the room, nodding a reassuring smile at Kirsty as he did so.

Kirsty couldn’t bear to smile back at him, guilt crept up through her throat like vomit, she felt the words ready to explode out of her, and ran through the door. Aden looked at her worriedly. Larry mouthed at him “It’s OK” before following her out the door. “Kirsty!” He called out after her, before running to catch up. He grabbed her arm “Kirsty”

She span round fiercely to face him “I can’t do this! I can’t lie to him!” Kirsty yelled at him.

“Shhh! Will you keep your voice down?” he hissed at her urgently, panic cloaking his words.

“I can’t do it alright? It’s wrong, we have to tell him” She whispered back at him.

“No we don’t. He’s doing what you want now just leave it” Larry warned her, gritting his teeth with rage. Just when it looked like Aden had forgiven him, this woman from the past was going to creep up and spoil it for them

“Yeah and he thinks they’ll both definitely make it through because of fate. Because fate is what made them a match! We have to tell him that’s not true!” She lectured to him.

“They will both make it!” Larry assured her, also trying to assure himself in the process.

“You don’t know that ok? What if something happens? We’ve let him do this when we know what he believes is wrong” She warned him, guilt streaming off of her.

“If you tell him now, and he walks out! That is it for Ollie. Your son will die for certain! Is that what you want?”

Kirsty fell back at his words, her love for her own son dominating her, forcing her to choose him.

At that moment a doctor coughed from behind them. He had been in the surgery room, and must have followed them up the corridor. Having grabbed there attention he began to speak “We are ready to start the operation whenever you are. You can watch from the window outside if you want” he told them.

“Thanks” Kirsty told him

“Are you ready?” The doctor asked.

Larry looked at Kirsty, begging her with his eyes; she nodded “Yes. Yes we’re ready”

They followed the doctor back up and looked in through the window at the two boys who lay on the operating tables, ready to be sedated.

Larry smiled encouragingly at Aden, who, seeing Kirsty and his father back by the window, felt reassured and lay back, letting the doctors take over his body. Kirsty stared absently through the window as she watched a doctor inject her son, sedating him “We have to tell him afterwards” She told him quietly as they stood side by side, staring through the glass panelling.

“No. We are not telling him anything” He warned her, his voice was low, but there was a force behind it. She knew he meant it.

“We have to. I can’t lie to him forever. He’s my brother and he needs to know”

“If you tell him I will lose him. He’s the only family I have left” he told her sombrely “I’m helping you to keep your son, now I’m asking you to help me keep mine” he glanced at her as she stared through the window. She glanced back at him, analysing him. She looked at them both and thought of all the mistakes she had made, of all the pain she had caused. She thought about Aden, about everything she knew he had been through. “Alright” she told him finally, bowing shamefully at what she was agreeing to do. “OK. I won’t tell him”

He nodded, relief sweeping through his eyes “Thank you”

They watched on as the surgeons opened up the two boy’s insides, clinically slicing and dicing their most beloved before their very eyes. They stood side by side; forced allies cloaked in a veil of secrets that hushed them into silence; both desperate for time to move forward, watching the seconds crawl by as they prayed for the life of the ones they loved.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Aden lay on the bed, feeling his senses slowly leave him. The bright light above him blinded him, and he couldn’t see the faces that peered over him. They spoke words he didn’t understand and moved busily in a different world up above him. He wondered if he would feel calmer if he had the blinding faith that Geoff had. Would it save him from the fear that gripped him now? Somewhere a voice above him told him to count to ten, but he didn’t. He lay there and thought back to an old song his mother used to sing to him when he would tell he couldn’t sleep. He sang it softly to himself, wrapping himself up in the safety and comfort it reminded him of.

Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,

I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to.

Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,

In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.

Though I know that evenin's empire has returned into sand,

Vanished from my hand,

Left me blindly here to stand but still not sleeping.

My weariness amazes me, I'm branded on my feet,

I have no one to meet

And the ancient empty street's too dead for dreaming.

Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,

I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to.

Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,

In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.

Take me on a trip upon your magic swirlin' ship,

My senses have been stripped, my hands can't feel to grip,

My toes too numb to step, wait only for my boot heels

To be wanderin'.

I'm ready to go anywhere, I'm ready for to fade

Into my own parade, cast your dancing spell my way,

I promise to go under it.

Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,

I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to.

Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,

In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.

Though you might hear laughin', spinnin', swingin' madly across the sun,

It's not aimed at anyone, it's just escapin' on the run

And but for the sky there are no fences facin'.

And if you hear vague traces of skippin' reels of rhyme

To your tambourine in time, it's just a ragged clown behind,

I wouldn't pay it any mind, it's just a shadow you're

Seein' that he's chasing.

Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,

I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to.

Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,

In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.

Then take me disappearin' through the smoke rings of my mind,

Down the foggy ruins of time, far past the frozen leaves,

The haunted, frightened trees, out to the windy beach,

Far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow.

Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free,

Silhouetted by the sea, circled by the circus sands,

With all memory and fate driven deep beneath the waves,

Let me forget about today until tomorrow.

Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,

I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to.

Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,

In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.

Song By Bob Dylan - Mr Tambourine Man

The End. Ooooo I hope you all liked it and weren't disappointed I didn't put all the characters in it. I did try to sort of round off everyone's stories a bit in the previous episodes but left some bits hanging about for the sequel! Ah so weird that this is complete! Anyway lemme know what you thought of the chapter and of series as a whole as I will use criticism to help improve next series. Also, if you have any suggestions they are welcome too! (Oh and Taniya you were right - always end on a cliffe!)

Will advertise series 2 once i've thought up a name!

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