A/N Okay, I am slightly worried this may be a little slow to really get going, but I swear it's all necessary information :) Enjoy!

DECISIONS

Rob and Ellie Howard had been married for 12 years. Rob was a six foot two Police Sergeant with brown hair and bright green eyes, and Ellie, blonde haired, blue eyed and distinctly fluffy-looking, was a receptionist at the primary school which their two children attended. Lani, aged 11, was set to begin her last year at Burton Hall Academy, while her brother Logan, aged 6, would be there for a few years yet. Rob and Ellie loved their little family, and adored their children, but they thought they might like just one more.

"Ellie, I know," Rob said, as he walked into the living room after work one afternoon "that we've talked about trying for another baby" Ellie looked up at him from her seat in her favourite chair, by the living room window, raising her eyebrows and wondering quite where this was going. "but I've been thinking, there's so many kids already here that need parents to love 'em, like that little lad Hunter and I had to hand over the other day, poor little mite," He continued, his eyes darkening at the memory of a child abuse case he and his boss, Inspector Paul Hunter, had dealt with quite recently "and I was wondering what you'd think about fostering?" He handed her the pile of leaflets he'd brought home with him and flopped onto the sofa.

Ellie tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, reading the blurb on the front of the top leaflet. "Yes, well, it's another avenue to explore." She said, smiling when she looked up and found him watching her, eagerly "To be honest love, I don't know enough about it. Give me some time to read these, and we can talk some more, yeah?"

Rob grinned "Definitely!"

The next night, although Rob got in at nearly quarter to three in the morning, Ellie was waiting up for him, the leaflets he'd brought home spread out all over the bed around her, and obviously well thumbed. She turned to look at him as he walked into the bedroom, her eyes glowing.

"It's perfect Rob!" She announced "Let's do it! Let's foster!"

A moment later, as his paperwork and lack of sleep numbed brain caught up with what she was saying, Rob let out a quiet whoop - Lani and Logan were sleeping just across the landing after all - and pulled her into a hug.

From then on, they followed the official process, filling out what must have been a whole forest's worth of paperwork; attending meetings and training courses and much more besides. Eventually, six months later, they found themselves presented with a file on a very troubled young boy that Rob remembered very, very well. He'd been the one to discover the nasty secrets of what went on behind the scenes in 9 year old Jamie Hall's life. Beaten and manipulated since before he was old enough to sound out the words, let alone know what they meant, Jamie was a special case. He truly had no concept of parental affection or kindness and his file, (and Rob's own experience), told them that the boy was terrified of adults, women more so than men as it seemed to been his mother who had carried out most of the abuse. The kid assumed any action of an adult was a prelude to a beating. He even, his file told them, carried out self punishment when he believed he'd done wrong. Ellie was quick to enquire if that meant the boy self-harmed, but was assured that there was no evidence to suggest that he did. His temporary carer later explained that he had a habit of removing himself to face into the corner of the room as punishment for his self-conceived misdeed.

In looks, Jamie Hall was a little tall for his age, 'All legs,' Rob had observed when they returned home from meeting him the first time 'if he was a deer he'd be a cert for Bambi'. Outside of this, he was as handsome a child as could be expected for one so underfed. He was thin and pale, with white-blond hair and grey-blue eyes. In nature, he was quiet, polite, and hard to get to know, but that was only to be expected. 'Poor lamb probably doesn't know who he is himself yet.' Ellie had said, when his temporary carer had picked him up after he'd spent a tense but relatively pleasant day with them while the kids were at school.

End Note: All characters, plot etc are property of me, please don't archive anywhere else online, thanks! :)

2: Chapter Two

The day before Jamie would meet Lani and Logan for the first time, Rob and Ellie sat them both down after dinner for a little chat about Jamie, and what they could expect the next day. Later that night, while Ellie was putting Logan to bed, Rob stepped into his daughter's bedroom, where she was sitting in her nightdress on her bed, brushing the hair of her favourite Barbie doll.

"Lani, love, can we have a little chat?" He asked, from the doorway.

"Sure, Dad." She smiled at him, setting her Barbie on her bedside table in a sitting position, and resting the hairbrush in its lap. Rob crossed to the bed and sat down on the end of it. "Is it about Jamie?" Lani asked, astute as always.

"Aye. C'mere love." He reached out an arm, inviting her in for a cuddle. Once she'd curled up against him, he began to speak, slowly "Jamie's just another kid, Lani, and I don't want yeh to treat him any different because of what I'm gonna tell yeh, but I don't want yeh to worry at all tomorrow, if Jamie says or does things that are a bit odd-"

"Like what?" Lani interrupted, looking serious.

"Like…" Rob tried to think how to phrase it "Well, like, he might get the idea he's done something bad when it doesn't seem bad to you and Logan."

"Can I tell him he hasn't?"

"I suppose yeh can, yeah." Rob answered slowly. If there was anyone who could be trusted to be kind about it, it was probably Lani. "But yeh have to do it gently. Ever so gently. He's been taught to be a certain way, and it's going to be difficult for him to change."

"Why has he?"

"Well, sometimes love, there are people who have kids who… don't look after them right. Jamie's parents were like that."

"That sucks." Lani replied succinctly, looking up at her dad with big dark eyes.

"Indeed it does. Now, Jamie's learnt a lot about the way grown-ups treat kiddies from his parents, so he's a bit… well, he's a bit nervous of grown-ups. I just want yeh to know that, because obviously it might seem a bit funny to you two."

"Not really."

Rob's heart thumped at those words "What d'yeh mean sweetheart?"

"Well, if his own parents didn't treat him right, then why should he think that other grown-ups would?"

Rob smiled at her, breathing a mental sigh of relief. Sometimes, his little girl terrified and astounded him in equal measure. "That's exactly right La-la! Exactly right." He gave her a gentle squeeze as he employed his old nickname for her. "So, Jamie might be a bit shy of you two, probably as shy as you guys will be of him, but he might just feel better being with you than he does with yer mum and me right away. Will yeh look after him a bit fer me?"

"Of course Dad! I always look after Logan don't I?"

"Yes love, but Jamie's a bit more grown up than Logan."

"I know. I'll look after him though."

"I know yeh will, love." He replied, tucking her into her bed.

End Note: All characters, plot etc are property of me, please don't archive anywhere else online, thanks! :)

3: Chapter Three

The next day, standing hand in hand by the patio doors, Ellie and Rob surreptitiously observed their children's first meeting. Jamie looked nervously at the other two children as he walked incredibly slowly across the patio towards where Lani and Logan were playing catch, (or in Logan's case, drop). Lani looked up and smiled brightly at him.

"Hi!" She called out, waving.

Jamie bit his lip and waved back, half heartedly. He was saved the necessity of replying, though, by Logan, who sidled straight up to him and took his hand, gazing at him with bright, curious eyes.

"Hi! I'm Logan and I'm six!" the little boy said brightly.

"Um, hi." Jamie replied, looking slightly unnerved. Exchanging a nervous look with Rob, Ellie crossed her fingers as she turned back to watch the scene unfolding in the garden, ready to intervene if necessary.

"Don't mind Logan," Lani was saying, gently, as she walked across to them "If he likes the look of you, he just sort of clings on. It's just his way of saying he wants to be friends."

Jamie looked slightly reassured and gave her and then Logan a little half smile.

"I'm Jamie." He said, quietly, and licked his lips. "But you probably already know that."

"We guessed, but if you hadn't said, we wouldn't have known for sure." Lani smiled. "I'm Lani, by the way."

"Play catch with us?" Logan piped up suddenly, gazing up at Jamie with big, pleading eyes "Pwease?"

Jamie licked his lips again and tried for a smile "If you like." He replied.

The kids spread out across the lawn and ended up playing a bizarre kind of piggy-in-the-middle that involved having to duck the ball and catch it once it was behind you. It appeared very complicated, but all three kids seemed to be having fun, and the ice was definitely broken between them, so Ellie and Rob retreated into the kitchen to start on lunch, relying on the fact that Lani would come and get them if anything major went off.

Lunch went well, the three kids were lined up on one side of the picnic bench on the patio, with Ellie and Rob on the other; the five of them eating their sandwiches in, what looked like it might be, the last of the day's sunshine.

It was while they were crammed into the living room playing monopoly because it was pouring outside, that the Howard family had its first real glimpse of the extent of the damage to the unfortunate boy sitting in front of them. Jamie simply stood up, quietly and with no apparent trigger, and moved over to sit facing the corner of the room. Lani looked to her father for half a second and then hurried to distract Logan before he asked why Jamie was sitting in the corner. Rob and Ellie held a few moments silent debate with their eyes, and then Rob stood up and went over to him. Kneeling down beside the hunched blond figure, Rob reached out to lay a hand softly on his back. Jamie nearly jumped right out of his skin, gasping and shrinking away from Rob's touch.

"Okay. Shh-shh, it's okay." Rob reassured, ever so quietly, taking his hand away immediately. "I'm not gonna hurt yeh." He let the words sink in for a moment. "Will yeh come help me get some drinks ready Jamie-boy?"

Jamie looked up at him, cautiously, then nodded, unfolding himself from his curled position and following Rob into the kitchen.

Once in the kitchen Rob sat down at the table, pulling the chair out sideways. He grabbed the chair next to it and turned that sideways too, facing him, and patted the seat, indicating that Jamie should sit down. The young boy did so, looking for all the world as though he was walking to his death as he crossed the kitchen. Although, Rob shuddered at the thought, he probably was expecting something pretty malicious.

"Why?"

"Sorry?" Jamie asked, in a tight, polite voice.

"Why were yeh in the corner Jamie? What did yeh do wrong?"

"I-" He licked his lips again. Clearly it was a nervous habit. He gripped the edges of the chair tightly "I spoke over Lani. I didn't mean to, honestly!" He added hurriedly, flinching away from Rob involuntarily.

"Look, sweetheart." Rob said, softly, after a moment. "Look at me." Jamie, practically gnawing on his bottom lip, looked up at him, still clinging onto the chair. "That just kind of happens in this house. We aren't gonna get upset with yeh for that. Yeh can't have that many people in one room without them talking at the same time occasionally. So yeh don't need to punish yerself for that." Jamie looked unconvinced "Look at Lani!" Rob said with a small smile "How many times has she yelled over all of us? Have we made her sit in the corner?"

Jamie shook his head slowly, his fingers relaxing slightly on the chair.

"Well then, why would we make you?"

"I- I don't know."

"We wouldn't, cos yeh did nothing wrong, Jamie, nothing at all."

"Nothing?" He asked, looking slightly awed

"Nothing." Rob smiled at him, then frowned slightly as a thought occurred to him "And don't yeh go punishing yerself for punishing yerself when yeh'd done nothing wrong, or anything daft like that, either!" He warned, smiling gently "Because we don't do that either."

The next day, standing hand in hand by the patio doors, Ellie and Rob surreptitiously observed their children's first meeting. Jamie looked nervously at the other two children as he walked incredibly slowly across the patio towards where Lani and Logan were playing catch, (or in Logan's case, drop). Lani looked up and smiled brightly at him.

"Hi!" She called out, waving.

Jamie bit his lip and waved back, half heartedly. He was saved the necessity of replying, though, by Logan, who sidled straight up to him and took his hand, gazing at him with bright, curious eyes.

"Hi! I'm Logan and I'm six!" the little boy said brightly.

"Um, hi." Jamie replied, looking slightly unnerved. Exchanging a nervous look with Rob, Ellie crossed her fingers as she turned back to watch the scene unfolding in the garden, ready to intervene if necessary.

"Don't mind Logan," Lani was saying, gently, as she walked across to them "If he likes the look of you, he just sort of clings on. It's just his way of saying he wants to be friends."

Jamie looked slightly reassured and gave her and then Logan a little half smile.

"I'm Jamie." He said, quietly, and licked his lips. "But you probably already know that."

"We guessed, but if you hadn't said, we wouldn't have known for sure." Lani smiled. "I'm Lani, by the way."

"Play catch with us?" Logan piped up suddenly, gazing up at Jamie with big, pleading eyes "Pwease?"

Jamie licked his lips again and tried for a smile "If you like." He replied.

The kids spread out across the lawn and ended up playing a bizarre kind of piggy-in-the-middle that involved having to duck the ball and catch it once it was behind you. It appeared very complicated, but all three kids seemed to be having fun, and the ice was definitely broken between them, so Ellie and Rob retreated into the kitchen to start on lunch, relying on the fact that Lani would come and get them if anything major went off.

Lunch went well, the three kids were lined up on one side of the picnic bench on the patio, with Ellie and Rob on the other; the five of them eating their sandwiches in, what looked like it might be, the last of the day's sunshine.

It was while they were crammed into the living room playing monopoly because it was pouring outside, that the Howard family had its first real glimpse of the extent of the damage to the unfortunate boy sitting in front of them. Jamie simply stood up, quietly and with no apparent trigger, and moved over to sit facing the corner of the room. Lani looked to her father for half a second and then hurried to distract Logan before he asked why Jamie was sitting in the corner. Rob and Ellie held a few moments silent debate with their eyes, and then Rob stood up and went over to him. Kneeling down beside the hunched blond figure, Rob reached out to lay a hand softly on his back. Jamie nearly jumped right out of his skin, gasping and shrinking away from Rob's touch.

"Okay. Shh-shh, it's okay." Rob reassured, ever so quietly, taking his hand away immediately. "I'm not gonna hurt yeh." He let the words sink in for a moment. "Will yeh come help me get some drinks ready Jamie-boy?"

Jamie looked up at him, cautiously, then nodded, unfolding himself from his curled position and following Rob into the kitchen.

Once in the kitchen Rob sat down at the table, pulling the chair out sideways. He grabbed the chair next to it and turned that sideways too, facing him, and patted the seat, indicating that Jamie should sit down. The young boy did so, looking for all the world as though he was walking to his death as he crossed the kitchen. Although, Rob shuddered at the thought, he probably was expecting something pretty malicious.

"Why?"

"Sorry?" Jamie asked, in a tight, polite voice.

"Why were yeh in the corner Jamie? What did yeh do wrong?"

"I-" He licked his lips again. Clearly it was a nervous habit. He gripped the edges of the chair tightly "I spoke over Lani. I didn't mean to, honestly!" He added hurriedly, flinching away from Rob involuntarily.

"Look, sweetheart." Rob said, softly, after a moment. "Look at me." Jamie, practically gnawing on his bottom lip, looked up at him, still clinging onto the chair. "That just kind of happens in this house. We aren't gonna get upset with yeh for that. Yeh can't have that many people in one room without them talking at the same time occasionally. So yeh don't need to punish yerself for that." Jamie looked unconvinced "Look at Lani!" Rob said with a small smile "How many times has she yelled over all of us? Have we made her sit in the corner?"

Jamie shook his head slowly, his fingers relaxing slightly on the chair.

"Well then, why would we make you?"

"I- I don't know."

"We wouldn't, cos yeh did nothing wrong, Jamie, nothing at all."

"Nothing?" He asked, looking slightly awed

"Nothing." Rob smiled at him, then frowned slightly as a thought occurred to him "And don't yeh go punishing yerself for punishing yerself when yeh'd done nothing wrong, or anything daft like that, either!" He warned, smiling gently "Because we don't do that either."

End Note: All characters, plot etc are property of me, please don't archive anywhere else online, thanks! :)

4: Chapter Four

NEW STARTS

Jamie Hall joined the Howard household with at least some degree of permanency the Sunday after that, just after breakfast. He brought with him just one meagre backpack, filled with clothing that was pretty threadbare at best. Lani showed him up to his new bedroom, which had originally been a fairly run-of-the-mill spare bedroom. The walls were white, the carpet was blue and the curtains were blue with a white print on them, and matched the bedspread.

"Mum and Dad said you could choose some stuff next time we go shopping," Lani told him, gesturing around the room, "Like a new bedspread; paint for the walls; maybe a rug or a lampshade or something. They said they wanted it to be properly yours-" She chattered on obliviously, perching herself on the windowsill as Jamie placed his backpack on the bed, slowly, and began to fiddle with the buckles. They were stiff and he worked at them, listening politely all the while. " -and if there's anything you want to know, just ask me." Lani was saying, "You'll be at mine and Logan's school, Burton Hall, in the year below me, so Abby and I can show you around. Abby's my best friend; she's dad's boss' daughter. She's a bit loud, but you get used to her; I'm sure you'll get on great and- and do you want a hand with that?" She gestured at the backpack, which Jamie was still struggling with. He sighed in defeat and nodded,

"Please."

Lani jumped down off the sill, crossed to the bed and swiftly unbuckled the straps for him, making companionable little 'oof' noises at how stiff they were. "Do you mind if I leave you to it?" She asked when she was done "Only I have history homework that's calling me…"

"Of course. I'll be fine." He replied flatly, shrugging and not looking at her as he started pulling out neatly folded clothes and transferring them into the recently emptied chest of drawers to the right of the door.

Lani hesitated in the doorway, glancing back. In anyone else, the behaviour might have indicated wanting company, but in Jamie… She gave her head a little shake. Psychology wasn't a subject she was thinking of taking when she got to secondary school. "The door opposite's my room. Just tap if you need anything." She added, smiling at him before turning away.

At dinner, Jamie was quiet and ate everything that was put in front of him, unlike Logan, who protested loudly and firmly that carrots were 'ucky'. Lani rolled her eyes at Jamie, giggling while Ellie tried to persuade the stubborn, determined little boy that carrots were not, in fact, 'ucky', and would make him see in the dark. Jamie gave her another of his polite half-smiles in return and carried on eating his meal. Rob watched him out of the corner of his eye. The lad seemed to be settling all right, he thought to himself, even if he was pretty tense. Mind you, that seemed to be his standby setting: tense and stand-offish. It was probably only to be expected after what he'd been through. The real test, he supposed, would probably be bedtime.

Bedtime was meticulously planned. Ellie had devised a new bedtime list for their little brood, based on their ages. Logan was to go at seven thirty, much to his delight (this was a ten minute improvement on his previous bedtime); Jamie was to go at eight, and whether that was to his delight or dismay they were never sure; and Lani at twenty past eight. If all went well, they'd have them all asleep by nine.

It was odd for Jamie, curling up in a new bed so soon after getting used to sleeping in his first. Like so many of the factors he had only just begun to grasp, sleeping in a bed, especially one that was specifically his own, had confused him thoroughly at first. He sat on the edge of the bed, petting the soft quilt with one hand and staring around his very first own bedroom. He gave a start when the door opened, standing up almost instinctively. He didn't relax even an inch when Rob poked his head around the door, smiling at him.

"Alright Jamie-boy? You should be in bed, lad. Come on, get yer pyjamas on, eh?"

Jamie looked at him, blankly. "Pyjamas?"

Rob looked slightly surprised, but replied quickly and lightly, "Never mind lad. What do you normally sleep in?"

"Whatever I'm wearing." Jamie said, quietly, glancing down at his frayed shorts, washed out shirt and faded woollen tank-top.

Rob eyed this ensemble too, frowning ever so slightly. "Aye, well, you'd better have one of my shirts then." He gestured to the clothes, "They'll want washing." He added, before retreating to the bedroom he and Ellie shared, and returning a few moments later with a deep blue polo top. "Here y'are, you can sleep in that tonight." He mentally added pyjamas to the list of things that they were going to have to buy Jamie at some point in the next few days.

Jamie looked slightly confused, but took the top willingly enough.

Beyond his room, bedtime was not going so smoothly, Rob discovered when he left Jamie to change, and was immediately roped in to playing hunt the stuffed dinosaur with Ellie, because the inventively christened 'Deano' had, according to Logan, run away, and the little boy stoutly refused to sleep without him. They eventually located Deano, some ten minutes later, on his back with his legs in the air under the kitchen table, where he'd obviously been dropped during dinner. Leaving Ellie to tuck Logan in, Rob popped his head into Lani's room and found his daughter curled up on top of the covers, fast asleep. With a small smile, he headed over, scooped her up and tucked her under the covers, and for once, all without a single word of complaint. By the time he got back to Jamie's room, the little boy was under the covers, apparently dozing, although he sat bolt upright when Rob entered the room again. Poor kid, Rob thought, before wondering whether he really wanted to know what had made him so jumpy. Maybe he'd find out. Maybe he wouldn't. He pushed the thought aside and smiled instead

"Hey, you." He said, crossing to sit on the end of the bed.

"Hey." Jamie replied, cautiously, following Rob's movements with his eyes.

"All tucked up and ready to sleep are yeh?"

Jamie nodded, still looking cautious.

"Good lad." Sensing that sticking around wasn't going to make the kid feel any easier, Rob patted Jamie's foot through the blanket and stood up, the flinch at his touch telling him he was making the right decision. "Well, we're just next door if you need anything in the night." He didn't linger "Night night then, sleep tight."

Jamie watched him with big eyes as he walked out of the door, turning off the light and pulling the door as he went. A moment passed, Rob's footsteps faded as he made his way down the stairs.

"Goodnight." Jamie murmured to the closed door, laying down again and closing his eyes.

End Note: All characters, plot etc are property of me, please don't archive anywhere else online, thanks! :)

5: Chapter Five

Monday morning was a bit on the manic side; with Rob back at work at stupid o'clock in the morning, Ellie was left to drag three kids out of bed at not-long-after stupid o'clock in the morning on her own, in a vague attempt to get to work on time herself. The kids would be early, but then, they always were. Lani and Logan, at least, were used to it. There was also the small matter of Abby, DI Paul Hunter's daughter. It was pretty commonplace for a Sergeant to pick his Inspector up for work in the mornings, it came with a bagman's territory. However, Hunter had never played exactly by the rules - though he played close enough to them to appease most of his bosses - so he chose to pick Rob up, dropping Abby off for a ride to school with Ellie at the same time. Hunter claimed he liked to drive. Rob claimed he had control issues, but only jokingly, and certainly not to his face. Ellie just thought, privately, that it was a good thing that Lani and Abby were so close. If they'd taken a dislike to each other, it would have been catastrophic.

Somehow, and Ellie would gladly admit that she didn't know how, she managed to get all four kids in the car in good time for her shift. Logan, being at that stage where he wasn't too sure about school, was being a royal pain in the behind; Lani was sleepy; Abby was hyper; and Jamie… well, Jamie was as white as a sheet.

"Nervous?" She asked him, softly, as they walked to the car. He jumped when she spoke, and shrank away when she tried to put an arm around his shoulders.

"I'm fine." He said, in a weak voice that fooled no one.

"You'll soon settle in pet." She assured him, abandoning her attempt at physical reassurance and smiling at him instead. He even winced at that. Ellie sighed as she got into the driving seat, and mentally cursed the Police Force for what may have been the millionth time since she had married Rob. Having him around seemed to put Jamie a little more at ease than her presence did, and that would have been really useful today. She tried not to take his obvious fear of her personally, just thanking her lucky stars that Jamie's class teacher was male.

Walking down the corridor to his new classroom, his scuffed trainers squeaking on the polished wooden floorboards, Jamie could feel nothing but the nervous urge to bolt rushing up and down in his shaking legs. He'd have liked nothing more than to hare back out of the open door to the playground and never set foot in the school again but, he kept telling himself over and over, he needed to be good. He needed to do as he was told. He wasn't yet convinced that someone wasn't going to suddenly cuff him round the head for misbehaving like his mum had done so frequently. His head felt oddly light as they approached the classroom door marked 'Class Four' in brightly coloured, hand painted letters. His palms were cold and sticky, and his borrowed school polo top suddenly felt uncomfortably tight. Memories of sharp tongued, hard fisted boys; Chinese burns and bruised shins whirled around in his head and his stomach churned. He bit his lip, fearing he might actually throw up before they even got through the door, and began chanting over and over in his head 'everything's fine, it's okay, everything's fine' as the head teacher (who was escorting him to class) pushed the door wide. Sadly, it didn't help.

Mr Vern was a smiley kind of man. He had greying hair and piercing blue eyes, and his shirt didn't exactly match his trousers, (and his shoes matched neither), but his smile made Jamie feel like he wasn't the kind of man that hit or smacked or shouted. No one else was in the classroom yet, and Jamie was suddenly grateful for Aunty Ellie's need to get her early. He would have a few minutes to get used to it all before he was surrounded by kids, stared at, prodded, poked, talked at and generally treated like the new class toy.

"Got another one for you Vern," The head teacher said, briskly "This is Jamie Hall, we spoke about him a few days ago."

"Ah yeah," Mr Vern turned his smile on Jamie and hunkered down to his level. "Hey Jamie, I'm Mr Vern, but you can just call me Vern, everyone else does." He said, brightly "How are you feeling today?"

Jamie swallowed, trying to un-stick his tongue from the roof of his mouth even as his brain searched desperately for a reply that wasn't 'I really want to go back to bed'. He ended up managing a shaky "Okay." But Vern nodded understandingly all the same.

"Everyone's a bit nervous on their first day. You'll soon settle in. We don't bite, at least not this soon after breakfast." He joked. Jamie managed a half smile and a nod. Somewhere, a bell rang, three long, loud peals that made Jamie nearly jump out of his skin. His teacher chuckled. "Ah, the signal for the masses to descend! We'd better get you a seat Jamie, my lad, or we'll get run over by a horde of giggly nine year-olds!"

Jamie swallowed hard as he followed Vern over to a table right in front of the whiteboard. That was exactly what he feared most. He was bound to get trampled underfoot here.

Lani hooked her arm through Abby's the minute they were free of the classroom at break time and dragged her off to find Jamie. She'd promised Dad they'd keep an eye on him for a bit, but that was proving difficult to do when he didn't actually seem to be in the playground. After ten minutes fruitless searching, the girls hooked up with Logan, who'd been playing on the climbing frame with some other monkey-wannabe Year Ones, and persuaded him to go check the boys toilets for them. Lani and Abby slouched against the wall outside the boys toilets, Lani tapping her foot impatiently. When Logan eventually emerged a few minutes later, he reported that, if Jamie was in the one occupied cubicle, then he wasn't answering. The bell rang for the end of break and, unhappily, Lani and Abby headed back outside to line up, Lani searching the crowded playground desperately for some sign of her little foster-brother. It worried her that she couldn't find him, but she consoled herself that she still had lunchtime to catch up with him. She consoled herself a lot through their next lesson.

Jamie sat in the library at break time. A boy in his class, Pip, had offered to show him where it was, and he'd spent a blissful half an hour surrounded by silence and, as no one else was there but him, Pip and the teacher on duty - who was more interested in her marking than in them - a pile of picture books for kids younger than Logan. It wasn't that he couldn't read, exactly, more that he found too many words on a page confusing. Looking at the pictures helped him understand. They were almost late for class putting all the books away, but they just made it back in time to tag on to the end of the line disappearing into the classroom. Jamie almost grinned as he slid into his seat. He'd survived his first break time and, if it wasn't too bold to hope, it looked like he might have found his first ever friend!

Lani's deep brown eyes raked the dining hall, searching for Jamie again. Abby searched too, the pair of them almost back to back, taking half of the room each. They'd just about given up when Lani caught something out of the corner of her eye, a flash of blond hair in the doorway. Her head snapped round so fast she nearly cricked her neck, and there was her illusive little brother, walking through the door with another, ginger haired boy Lani vaguely recognised. His name was Pip or Pop or something like that. But it wasn't Pip-Pop-whatever-his-name-was that caught her attention. It was Jamie's expression when he looked over and saw her watching. He grinned at her, actually grinned! It was the first time she'd seen him grin, she hadn't even known he was capable of grinning, but she found herself grinning back, balancing her tray with one hand and raising the other to wave. He even waved back before he and Pip-Pop-whatever-his-name-was went to join the dinner queue.

"Happy now?" Abby enquired, grinning at her friend's stunned expression.

"Wow." Lani replied, glancing back over her shoulder at him as Abby steered her towards a nearby empty table. "Who is that boy and what has he done with my Jamie?"

"When did he become your Jamie? He was just Jamie this morning."

"Yeah, but that's not the same Jamie I knew this morning." Lani replied, dazedly, picking up a jug to pour herself some water. Abby grabbed her wrist "What?"

"The water goes in your glass, Lani, not the custard." Abby replied, fighting back a grin.

"Oh yeah…" Lani replied with a slightly bemused expression.

After lunch and another library session with Pip, Jamie was feeling a little odd. It was a good odd though, and it took him a little time to realise that he was content. And that was when it all went rapidly to hell. Monday afternoons in class four were devoted to a reading and comprehension session. The class teaching assistant, Miss Laine, called him out into the corridor. He went, feeling suddenly tense again. The easy smile he'd been wearing since break time slid off his face like water.

"I'm Miss Laine, Jamie," She introduced herself. He already knew that, so he said nothing, just pulled out his tight, polite half-smile again for her. "I just want to give you a little reading test, sweetheart. Nothing to worry about, just so we have some idea which books you can choose from." Jamie felt a little shiver run down his spine. Now was the moment to speak up, he told himself, to say something so she wouldn't be expecting much.

"I'm not- not so great at reading."

"Well, sweetheart, just do your best." She smiled, opening the door of a cosy little room with brightly coloured beanbag chairs and big cushions scattered around. There was a TV in the corner with a DVD player balanced on top of it. "We're here to help you get better at things." She placed the tray of books she was carrying onto a little low table and sank down onto one of the beanbags, patting the one next to her to encourage him to sit down. He did so and, with a mounting sense of foreboding, accepted the book she handed to him. Taking one look at the full pages of text and occasional half-page pictures, he knew this was not going to go well. But he tried. He really did. After half a page, it was obvious that this was too much for him, and Miss Laine gently cut across his stuttering, much corrected sentences, "Let's try another one shall we?" She said, reaching for a book two grades below the first.

It was better, Jamie thought, as he read about the birthday party that some children were giving for their dog. It wasn't brilliant, but it was certainly better, and besides, wasn't reading supposed to be a challenge? He even managed a small smile by the time they'd read three pages.

"Alright, Jamie, that was great. You only made a few mistakes, and you corrected most of those yourself. That was really good. So." She folded the book shut, making some notes in a yellow covered book with 'My Reading Record' on the front. "I'm going to get you to take this home with you, and you need to get somebody - an adult - to listen to you read." Jamie nodded, smiling more broadly again, almost unable to believe that he'd actually got through a reading session without catastrophe. "And from now on, for reading classes you'll be in class three-four. That means after lunch on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, okay? I'll show you where three-four is in our way back to class." Jamie felt his smile slip. If he wasn't much mistaken, he had just been moved down a class. "Don't worry Jamie." Miss Laine added, catching his expression. "It's just so we can help you read better. There's no point struggling on in a class that's not right for you is there? Plenty of children who are in class four or even four-five for other subjects are in three-four for reading. You won't be on your own, sweetie."

Jamie tried to feel reassured, but he couldn't help feeling like he'd failed. And worse, he'd left Pip in class four for his reading lesson. He was going to have to walk into another room full of people he didn't know, for a lesson on something he wasn't particularly good at. Still, he stored away the way to class three-four, and resolved to put it out of his until Wednesday. He had a music lesson with his new friend next, and he liked music. He might as well finish the day on a high if he was going to have to go and tell Aunty Ellie and Uncle Rob that he had been put down a class for reading.

End Note: All characters, plot etc are property of me, please don't archive anywhere else online, thanks! :)

6: Chapter Six

UPS AND DOWNS

Rob Howard was well aware that he didn't spend as much time at home with his family as he'd have liked. He'd booked the last weekend as holiday, given the situation, and they did mostly get at least one weekend day off, but he was still out until all hours most nights of the week. He did, however, try to find a little quality time to spend with each of his kids, even if it did mean popping into see them a little after they'd gone to bed, or before they got up in the mornings. That Monday night he got in at about quarter to nine and, having kissed Ellie hello, he headed, on tiptoe, upstairs to check on the kids. Logan was out for the count when he popped his head round the door, his blond hair tousled; his mouth slightly open. Rob smiled. Bless him. He withdrew his head from the room and pulled the door very quietly to. He padded on up the landing and quietly opened Jamie's door.

He could see immediately that the older boy was awake, the light from the small lamp on the landing glinting off his open eyes. Rob gave him a smile, stepping into the room,

"Hey Jamie-lad." He whispered, crossing to the bed and perching on the end.

"Hi." Jamie responded, quietly.

"How was school today?"

"I made a friend." He said, with a touch of pride.

"You did? That's great. What's their name?"

"He's called Pip."

"That's definitely a funky name."

"Yeah." He hesitated. "I got put down a set for reading." He admitted, in a very tiny voice.

"Yeah? You'll get better, Aunty Ellie and I will help you. And I bet Lani'll help when we're not around."

"Thanks." He said, in an equally small voice

"Hey, don't look so worried lad. Everyone learns at a different pace. Look at me, I'm forty-three and I still haven't got me head around which there to use. I have to get Hunter to check all my paperwork!" He gave a little chuckle at the absurdity of it

"You do?" Jamie said. What Rob could see of his face in the half-light looked surprised.

"Sure I do. 'S nothing to be ashamed of. Yer supposed to learn something new every day, ain't yeh?"

"I s'pose."

"You'll learn. And there'll be something that comes easy to you that other kids have trouble with." Jamie grinned, a sudden expression that changed his whole face.

"I'm right aren't I?"

Jamie nodded, tentatively "Music. I like it, and I can play it sooner than the others."

"Well, there yeh go then!" Rob replied with a smile "What are you worrying about huh?"

"I don't know…" Jamie replied, not-quite honestly. Rob smiled, patting his foot as he stood up. The boy still flinched, but it looked like it might just have been automatic this time.

"Go on with yeh, snuggle down and get some sleep lad. Night night, sleep tight."

This time the door was still open and Rob within hearing distance when Jamie replied, "Night."

What a difference! Rob thought as he crossed the landing to check on Lani. What a difference one single day had made!

End Note: All characters, plot etc are property of me, please don't archive anywhere else online, thanks! :)

7: Chapter Seven

Tuesday dawned bright, but unseasonably chilly. Ellie found herself thanking her lucky stars that Lani had gone through a tomboy phase a year or two before, because her old winter jacket was just the right size for Jamie. She'd have to get Rob to take him shopping that evening. There was so much the kid didn't have that he just couldn't do without. New shoes for a start. She'd had his trainers off him when he went to bed, to give them a clean. In the process she'd discovered that the soles were nearly worn right through. It made her wonder exactly what Social Services had given him while he was in their care. Apart from a bath and a few hot meals, it didn't seem like a long list.

The last two lessons of the day were one of the things Jamie had been dreading about school. PE. He hated getting changed in the crowded classrooms; everyone stared at the scars he couldn't hide on his back and legs. He'd have given anything to be able to change in the toilets, locked away out of view. He dragged his feet as the class filed in from the playground, as if he'd be able to delay the inevitable by his sheer lack of enthusiasm. The bag that contained his cobbled together PE kit looked just like everyone else's. Pity the kit didn't, he thought as he reluctantly stripped off his polo top, the same one he'd worn yesterday, with Lani's name sewn in the back of the collar. He pulled the other shirt on quickly, it was one of Lani's old PE tops, it's bright green washed out. The socks didn't look too bad, he thought, once he'd folded them over a few times. They were Uncle Rob's and, without the folds, the heels could easily have made it up to the back of his knees, had he cared to pull them up that far. The shorts - more-grey-than-black, with a red strip running down the sides - Aunty Ellie had managed to unearth in Lost Property; they fitted well enough, although admittedly, if they hadn't, there wasn't all that much he could have done about it. He was still reeling from the shock of no one actually saying anything about his scars when they walked into the gym to join class three-four. If he hadn't been, he might have noticed that, on sight of him, there was an outbreak of somewhat mutinous muttering in a group of three boys that stood slightly away from the rest of their class.

Much to his surprise, Jamie found he was a fairly upper-average athlete in this class and, as he scrambled down one of the ropes he'd been climbing, he was surprised to find the lesson was virtually over. Vern dismissed them in their PE kits, as it was the end of the day, and the two classes dashed off in various directions.

The rest of the class had disappeared by the time Jamie was ready to leave. His pencil case had somehow ended up down the back of the radiator, and he'd spent a few minutes poking at it before he'd been able to persuade it to drop out. Returning it to his bag as he stood up, Jamie suddenly realised he wasn't alone. Standing in the doorway in utter silence, staring at him as they effectively blocked his way out of the classroom, were three boys he vaguely recognised from PE. Something wasn't right, he realised, with a sensation something like a giant fist squeezing his guts.

"Um, hi." He said, politely, dropping his bag quickly on the nearest chair. It wouldn't do for anything to get damaged.

"Those are mine." The boy in the middle said, pointing, his tone unfriendly. He was dark haired, with eyes so dark a brown they might've been mistaken for black, and a slightly upturned, snooty looking nose. His friends were taller than he was, one blond and the other dark, and both sneering at him.

Jamie glanced down at the shorts he was wearing in surprise. "Sorry?" He looked back up at the boys just as snooty-nose took an impressively intimidating step towards him, brandishing a finger threateningly in his face.

"You will be if you don't give my shorts back you poncey little twat!"

Jamie took a nervous half a step back and immediately regretted it as the backs of his bare legs hit the radiator. He jumped forward again, yelping in pain, and nearly landing on top of Snooty-nose, who deliberately took the obvious accident as an intended start to a fight. His friends moved into the room to join him, and Jamie found himself pinned against the wall to the left of the radiator.

"If you won't give 'em back, we'll take 'em back!" Snooty-nose snarled in his ear. Jamie began to struggle in earnest. He had a hunch that particular plan would not go well for him. It was a waste of time anyway, he realised, as he found himself being pinned much more uncomfortably and divested of said shorts, whether he liked it or not.

And that was exactly the scene that Lani walked in on, hunting - not for the first time in two days - for her foster brother.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" She exploded.

Jamie hit the ground with a dull thump as his captors released him. Staring up at her, Jamie suddenly appreciated how wonderfully scary Lani could be, as she loomed intimidatingly over Snooty-nose and company. Snooty-nose held up the shorts as though they were some sort of shield and replied defiantly

"They're my shorts! I'll take 'em back if I want to!"

Lani stared at him like he was mad for a moment, then shook her head disbelievingly and neatly snatched the shorts from his grasp "Well, you can collect 'em tomorrow from Lost Property, where they came from! Run along then little kiddiewinks! Go home and tell Mummy how nasty the big girl was!" No one moved. "Go on!" Lani took a step towards them, making a broad shoo-ing gesture with the hand that wasn't holding the shorts. "Get!"

The three boys made for the door and disappeared down the corridor at some speed.

"Thanks." Jamie murmured, not looking at her, as he reached for his bag and pulled out the black tracksuit bottoms he'd been wearing as uniform. He felt like he'd rather wear them. He wriggled into them still sitting on the floor. He didn't think his legs would hold him at the moment.

Lani knelt down beside him, "Did they hurt you?"

Jamie shook his head, staring at his knees.

"Jamie?"

"Mm?" He didn't look up.

"They aren't allowed to do that. Please don't let them make you hate it here. We love you."

He finally looked up at her, sighing "I won't. I like being here. It's… better."

"They're just idiots who think they're big."

"Yeah. I know." He sighed again and accepted Lani's help to his feet again. He straightened his t-shirt and slung his bag over his shoulder again. "Let's just go home."

Lani wrapped an arm around his shoulders as they walked down the corridor, stopping at Lost Property to toss the shorts into the box. She nibbled at her lip as they walked on.

"You're going to be in trouble aren't you?" Jamie asked, guiltily

"Not half as much as they're gonna be in when I tell Dad!" Lani exclaimed, with a kind of savage delight.

"Don't." Jamie said, quietly.

Lani nearly stopped out of surprise "Why not?"

"Just don't. Please." He looked up at her, wide eyed, begging.

"I have to Jay." She answered, gently

"You don't." Jamie insisted, still making puppy-dog eyes at her.

"I do. It's bullying. It's wrong."

"It happens." He shrugged "I'll live."

"I'm telling Dad." Lani replied, firmly.

Jamie sighed. "Please."

"Sorry." She squeezed his shoulders soothingly.

"Let me tell him, at least."

Lani looked at him closely for a moment. He seemed sincere enough. "Okay. But if you don't tell him by tomorrow, I will."

"I'll tell him."

End Note: All characters, plot etc are property of me, please don't archive anywhere else online, thanks! :)

8: Chapter Eight

For the first time in living memory - or so it felt to Ellie and her children - Rob had made it home before them. He explained it had been quiet all day, as his slid an arm round Ellie's waist, tugging her closer to the chair he was sitting in; at the same time wrapping his other arm around Logan, who'd pretty much dived into his lap and curled up, sucking his thumb. Lani perched on the arm of his chair, pulling Jamie with her.

"Well, that's worked out well then," Ellie replied with a smile. "You can drop Abby home and take Jamie shopping."

Jamie had had no idea of quite how much 'shopping' would entail. As he followed Uncle Rob round the boys department of John Lewis, he could barely believe the sheer variety of clothing. By the end of the trip, he found himself the proud owner of a new PE kit; two green polo tops; two pairs of school trousers; a pair of plimsolls; a pair of smart black shoes; new trainers; two pairs of jeans; three t-shirts and his very first pair of pyjamas. The colours of his new clothes were so fresh and vibrant that they almost scared him. He stroked his hand across the leg of one of the pairs of jeans he was now wearing. Uncle Rob had insisted he change into them the minute they'd paid for them, He thought back to the conversation…

"Go on, go and put 'em on. I'm surprised yer Aunty Ellie let yeh out in them shorts this morning, it's freezing outside!"

"I only had shorts. They last longer. I grow out of jeans too fast." He had explained, a little reluctantly.

"Daft lad, if yeh grow out of 'em, we'll buy yeh some more. Now go on, go and put 'em on."

Thinking of shorts reminded him of his promise to Lani. He eyed Uncle Rob speculatively across the table of the café they'd stopped in for a drink before they headed home. How did he start that conversation then? He licked his lips and stared out of the window instead. It seemed a bit cowardly, he thought, telling tales. Maybe he should point that out to Lani when they got in. Maybe she'd see it his way. He'd almost made up his mind to say nothing when Uncle Rob spoke instead.

"Lani tells me there's something you want to tell me."

She must have wanted to make sure he didn't back out. Making a mental note to congratulate her on that move, he licked his lips again and gave in, telling Uncle Rob the story of Snooty-nose's shorts-snatching.

Rob was not pleased. The poor kid had been at the school two bloody days and he'd already been assaulted. Because that's what it was. Common flipping assault from three nine year-old boys. God, they were getting younger and younger!

"Jamie, if anything like that ever happens again, promise me you'll tell me. Whether Lani's making you or not."

"I…" The little boy hesitated.

Rob sighed. "Jamie, bullying is wrong. No one deserves it; no one should tolerate it, and when it gets physical like this, it's unlikely to just go away. I'll be phoning the school tonight; this will be sorted out, sweetheart. Now promise me."

Jamie looked sheepish "I promise."

"And I want to know if those three give you any more trouble."

"Okay."

"And if you can't tell me, if I'm not around or whatever, then tell Aunty Ellie."

Jamie looked reluctant, licking his lips again

"She's not gonna hurt you love."

Jamie stayed silent, slumped in his seat; picking at a table mat, apparently fascinated by it.

Rob gave up "Alright, tell Lani then." He said, knowing his daughter would just tell one of her parents anyway.

"Okay." Jamie nodded, slowly, finally meeting his gaze.

"Good, now, what are these boys names?"

Jamie almost looked relieved "I don't know."

"Then I'll find out. Lani might know."

Jamie returned to miserably picking at the table mat. "Probably." He murmured, bitterly.

"Oh, come on Jamie-boy! It's not that bad." He reached out and gently nudged the boy's chin up with two fingers until they were eye to eye. He didn't move his hand, stroking the two finger across his cheek gently, reassuringly "I'm not gonna let this get worse, okay? I want you to feel safe here."

"I do."

"Do you?" Rob asked, seriously, studying his face.

Jamie hesitated and then admitted "At home."

"Mmm." Rob sat back in his chair, "Yeah, that's what I thought. You need to feel safe at school too, lad. You spend enough of your time there."

"I know." Jamie replied, in a small voice, licking his lips again.

Rob looked at his hunched figure and mentally sighed. Ups and downs, he reminded himself. They were bound to have those.

"C'mere." He reached out an arm in, what was unmistakably, a hug gesture. Jamie hesitated, licking his lips again, hands braced on the edges of his seat. "C'mon. I won't hurt yeh, I promise. C'mon." He coaxed as Jamie moved, slowly, out of his seat. "That's it." He stepped closer. Closer. One step at a time. "C'mon, that's right" Rob kept up his gentle coaxing until, eventually, Jamie stood rigidly in his grasp. Undeterred, Rob pulled him a bit closer and wrapped both arms around him. After a few moments, he felt Jamie relax, leaning his face against Rob's shoulder. Ups and downs, he reflected. Yeah, they did seem to come together.

End Note: All characters, plot etc are property of me, please don't archive anywhere else online, thanks! :)

9: Chapter Nine

The next few days were all kinds of blur to Jamie. A daunting blur when he was in the head's office with Uncle Rob. An embarrassing blur when Snooty-nose and his friends were made to apologise to him. A nervous blur when he resumed his lessons. A relieved blur when it was all over. On Friday, however, everything came suddenly back into painfully sharp focus. Uncle Rob picked them up from school. That in itself was odd. Being ushered upstairs the moment they walked through the door, that was odder. Jamie went back down to get a drink, and he hovered for a few moments, choosing between orange squash and blackcurrant and apple before heading back towards the stairs. He had a foot on the bottom step when he heard a voice he vaguely recognised emanating from the front room, mingling in with Uncle Rob's and Aunty Ellie's. Attention caught, he licked his lips and slipped over to the door of the living room. He realised when he saw her around the door frame, sitting on the sofa drinking tea, it was the woman from Social Services, the one who'd put him with the Howard's. As he listened he caught phrases like, 'unforeseen circumstances', 'not settling' and 'unsuitable placement'. That was that moment it hit him that they were talking about him, about him being here.

"But I like it here!" He blurted out, forgetting, in his anguish, that they didn't know he was there. The three adults turned to stare at him. Jamie felt a blush creeping up his cheeks. "But I do…" He added in a small voice, looking down at the drink he still held in his hand.

A few moments of silence passed before the woman - Jamie thought her name might have been Mrs Walker, but he wasn't sure - spoke again, directing her question at Aunty Ellie. "Outside of the bullying incident, do you think Jamie is settling here?"

Aunty Ellie raised an eyebrow "Why don't you ask him?" She replied wryly "Now that he seems to have found his tongue."

"C'mon Jay, come tell the nice lady how you feel." Uncle Rob added, reaching out a hand towards him and encouraging him into the room.

Jamie stepped forward, taking his hand willingly enough, and he watched Mrs maybe-Walker's eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "I-" He hesitated, fighting the urge to lick his lips. "I like it here." He repeated after a moment "It's safe." He thought of Pip "I have friends." He paused, thinking of the people who'd let him into their home. Aunty Ellie, understanding his reasons for staying back from her and not pushing him. Uncle Rob, coaxing him out of his shell with affection and calm; letting him learn how to be himself. Then he thought of Lani and Logan upstairs. Logan, who had loved him unconditionally from the second they met. Lani who had protected him. "I have a family," his voice almost gave way as he said the word, "and I want to stay with them." He finished more firmly "Please?" He asked, pleadingly. "Please can I stay?"

"I see." She replied, carefully. Jamie felt his heart sink into the soles of his new trainers. She looked back and forth to Aunty Ellie and Uncle Rob, her gazing resting for a moment on Jamie's hand, still in Uncle Rob's. She looked back at him "Let me have a little chat with your foster parents in private Jamie, dear, and we'll see."

'We'll see.' He thought as he padded dejectedly out of the room and back upstairs. That phrase didn't give him good feelings. Standing on the landing, he realised he couldn't face returning to Lani's room. She and Logan would make him tell them what was going on, why he was upset, and if he had to do that… well, he didn't think he could hold it together. Instead, he traipsed miserably into his own room; closed the door behind himself and sank onto the bed. After a moment, he kicked off his trainers and curled up face down on the bed to have a little private sob.

"Jamie?" Uncle Rob's voice, faint though it was, broke into the fogginess of Jamie's brain. Opening his gritty eyes, he realised he must have cried himself to sleep. He sat up, sliding to the edge of the bed as the door opened

"Jamie, love?" Aunty Ellie stuck her head around the door. "There you are!" she took in his tearstained face and sleep-crumpled clothes "Oh, love, it's alright!"She exclaimed, crossing the room, sitting down beside him and bundling him into a hug. Jamie didn't even want to flinch; he just held on as tight as he could. He felt rather than saw Uncle Rob join them, sitting on his other side and wrapping his arms around both of them.

"You're staying pet." Uncle Rob reassured him, softly. "You're staying."

End Note: All characters, plot etc are property of me, please don't archive anywhere else online, thanks! :)

10: Chapter 10

A/N Okay so this is the last chapter I have. I have some ideas for some oneshots of the rest of Jamie's life - the significant moments as it were - but I'm not sure... shall I, or is this enough? I'd be ever so grateful for some opinions if you have any guys! Thanks xxx

Waking up that Saturday morning to Logan diving on him and giggling in his sweet, six year-old way was the best way that Jamie had ever woken up, especially when a laughing Lani joined them. They lay there, three siblings in a heap, laughing and giggling and screeching as they tickled each other, until Aunty Ellie came in.

"What on earth are you kids doing in here?!" She exclaimed, unable to help smiling at the sight of them as she stood in the doorway, in her pink dressing gown, with her hands on her hips. "It sounds like feeding time at the zoo!"

Lani moaned "Oh Mum, I'm starving! Can we have breakfast now? Can we, can we?" she begged, scrambling onto her knees and clasping her hands in an overly-dramatic pleading gesture

"Breakfast!" Logan demanded, grinning as he copied his sister

"Please?" Added Jamie, who was still trapped under the covers by the other two kneeling on them

Aunty Ellie looked at her watch, sighing, then smiling at them "Oh alright, go and wake your father up and I'll start breakfast!" She said, turning away

"YAAAAAAAY!" Lani yelled, throwing herself off the bed and bounding out of the door, Logan at her heels and Jamie scrambling after them, grinning.

All three of them threw themselves on top of poor Rob, who was awake, but pretending not to be, as was their Saturday morning ritual. There was lots of yelling and more tickling and laughing and screeching until they all lay in a giggly heap.

"Lani!" Ellie's voice floated up the stairs "Come and help me with the plates, love!" Lani disentangled herself from the heap, leaving the boys to sort themselves out while she helped her mum fetch up the tray of teas and two plates of still sizzling bacon butties.

"Saturday mornings rock!" Lani said, contentedly, once they were all back on the big double bed. Logan was under the covers between Rob and Ellie, as usual, and she and Jamie were perched on the end between the adults' feet, their backs propped against the footboard.

"Aye, vat vey do." Rob agreed, with his mouth full, making Ellie laugh at him.

"I think this is gonna be my favourite part of the week." Jamie added, thoughtfully. Then he grinned and sank his teeth into his butty. There'd be plenty more Saturdays.

End Note: All characters, plot etc are property of me, please don't archive anywhere else online, thanks! :)