Hi Everyone, This is my new story based on the Barton Family and the incredible Ross Barton played by the incredible Michael Parr, who in the aftermath of Donna's death has just been brilliant

This is what I hope to be a three-shot (no longer than five chapters) of the aftermath of everything that has happened on Ross, and how it affects the rest of the family-most of this chapter is in Pete's point of view but other characters will heavily feature as well.

I will try to update as soon as I can but I just got back from Holiday and I'm due back at college at the end of the week so it might be a bit slow

This story heavily features attempted suicide and the misuse of alcohol and drugs so if this is triggering to anyone It would be best if you stop reading now.

As Always Please Read and Review and let me know what you think...


The Darkest Hours before the Dawn

When Ross distraught over Donna's death and feeling alone takes drastic action it leaves his family devastated and desperate to pick up the pieces.


Chapter 1-Twilight


It was the last day. The last day where Ross woke up feeling sick and disorientated and filled with a deep sense of churning guilt. The last day where he woke up feeling tired, where all he wanted to do was sleep but yet he couldn't because every time he closed his eyes he saw Donna's body as she fell and every time he opened them he felt so tired he wanted to just lie in the dirt and let Marlon kill him.

But when he woke up today he smiled (or grimaced more like) because he knew that today would be the last day. His last day. Today was the day that Ross Barton was going to die.

He staggered before standing up swallowing down the bile that had risen in the back of his throat and made it to the shower without throwing up-an improvement on the other week, once showered he dressed in his oldest and most comfortable pair of joggers and a warm black jumper and his black shoes.

Walking downstairs he grunted at Andy who muttered something about spending the whole day with Katie (that made sure that he would be out for the whole day and Debbie would probably ask Pete to help out with Jack and Sarah so that would take care of him.) Everyone else was at work and that ensured that nobody was going to disturb him.

He pulled out the packets of pills he had stolen from the cabinet upstairs. He didn't know half of what he was going to take but looking at the sheer volume of stuff he was intending to take it would defiantly do the job, he reached for the bottle of vodka he had bought just yesterday and opened the first packet.

Ross had entertained the thought briefly of leaving a note-but what the hell was he supposed to say? To his dad that he now had the three boys he wanted the three farm boys that didn't steal cars or get shot. To Pete that he know had the happy ending he so desperately desired-him Debbie and the kids. To Finn that he was now safe and that nobody could ever come after him.

To April that she was without a mother because of what he had done?. What was he supposed to write to his family? No it was better that if he did this with a clean slate. Like he just faded from existence.

He opened the bottle of vodka and unscrewed the cap and began to down the last lethal cocktail. When he was halfway through the bottle and all the pills had been took, there was as considerable darkness around his eyes and his vision was swimming.

The last thought he had before he fell of his seat and crashed into unconsciousness glass from the bottle shattering over the floor was Donna.


It wasn't until nearly three hours later, when Pete who had been babysitting Sarah, (who had claimed she was too ill for school) received a text from Debbie saying that Ross hadn't been into work and if when he had a minute could he check on his destructive little brother. Pete hadn't said much as Ross spent most of the days now either indoors or alone in one of the fields by the barn near the farm and any chance to talk to him had just dragged Ross further into his shell of self-loathing. However as Sarah (who had now made a rapid recovery when she had realised that Pete was going out) needed her book from Andy's place and using her new key Pete let the nine year old scamper into Andy's house while he tried to text Ross.

He was talking to Cain who had just showed up when Sarah came running out her little face confused "What's wrong sweetheart?" Cain asked bending down to her level "He won't wake up" Sarah said "Who won't wake up" Pete said moving around her so he was level with the door "Daddy?" Sarah shook her head "Ross" she said flatly.

Pete stared at her for half a second before running into the house. And it was a sight that made his stomach turn over. On the floor of the kitchen on his stomach was his baby brother. He looked like he had fallen off his chair and glass from the half empty vodka bottle on the floor had shattered into his hands and his head, there were pill packets scattered all around him. "Ross!" he choked falling to his brother's side, "What the hell have you done?" he cried pulling Ross upwards so he was leaning on his chest his head lolling against his chest.

He fumbled blindly against his brother's neck, hands trembling as he tried to locate a pulse and he almost cried in relief when he felt something week fighting back.

"We need to get him to hospital" Cain said from the corner of the door, "I don't think that we the time for an ambulance, Pete" he grabbed Pete's face and knelt down next to him "We haven't got time to wait we need to get him in the car and to the hospital"

Blinking back tears Pete nodded hoisting Ross up by the waist as Cain grabbed his legs, letting Cain get Ross into the car Pete scrambled up and grabbed all of the pill packets. "Pete" came a cry from the end of the street and looking up he saw Finn running down the street "What the hell happened?" he half-asked half-howled "Get Dad and get to the hospital" Pete said sliding into the car with Ross's head in his lap "What the hell has he done?" he asked "Just get Dad and get him to hospital!" Pete yelled through the glass.

And with that Cain put the car into reverse and they sped off.


When they arrived at the hospital the Doctor on duty had took one look at Cain and Pete carrying an almost comatose Ross and they took action. There was a swarm of Doctor's around his body prodding and poking his little brother's body and Pete could see the looks that they were sharing. "What did he take?" the Doctor said looking grim "All of this" Pete said grimly clumsily throwing them the pill packets "And half a bottle of vodka" the Doctor nodded. "Did he take it with the intention of taking his own life?" he asked and Pete swallowed heavily feeling something wet in his eyes because he realised that he didn't know. He had no clue whether or not that had been Ross's intention, he didn't know if he had been so depressed lately-if he had been so deep into something that Pete couldn't protect him from, that this had been his only option.

God he was a shit big brother.

"We don't know" Cain cut in "but probably" he grabbed Pete and half dragged him over to a chair as if sensing the younger man's legs were close to falling out. He watched the Doctor's move Ross into a side room unable to speak.


It was nearly half an hour later when the door opened and his dad came in followed by Finn, Debbie, Chas and Adam. His dad looked wreaked, having to come to the hospital twice in the past two months because both of your sons had ended up their having been found in highly suspicious circumstances did that to you.

"What the hell happened?" his dad asked voice trailing off at the look on his eldest face "Pete, where's Ross? What happened? Finn said something about Sarah finding him collapsed on the floor…" he stared at Pete for a long moment, who was staring at his hands unable to look his dad in the eye. How were you supposed to tell your father that his son had tried to commit suicide?

"Peter" his dad said in a voice that Pete had never heard before "Peter where is my son?" Pete shrugged unsure of what to say. "He's in with the Doctors" Cain said "He…" he paused as if struggling with what to say and Pete noticed how his eyes seem to rest on Debbie as if to reassure himself that she was there and not in the hospital bed. "He tried to kill himself Dad" he said flatly looking up at his father.

"What?" Finn said his voice louder than anything Pete had heard him and in the silence of the room it greeted on his ears. "Don't be daft Pete, this is Ross were talking about…" he trailed off eyes widening in horror when he realised that Pete wasn't saying anything, wasn't laughing this off as one big joke. "How…" his dad croaked eyes flitting to the door where the Doctors were trying to save Ross or maybe they had given up and Pete swallowed against the rising images "Took a load of pills" he mumbled "Downed them with vodka and was unconscious when I got there, there was barely a pulse".

His dad sat down heavily at that point his hands burying themselves in his jacket one of them brushing down Pete's arm as if to assure himself that his eldest was still here.

What was it about their family? Why was it always them? Ross was supposed to be the indestructible one, the one that nobody could harm. The one Pete realised with shining clarity that he was supposed to protect.

And as the Doctor's continued their work in the hospital trying to save Ross, and his dad and brothers sat their falling to pieces Pete just sat and wondered by how much he had failed.


Like I said Please Leave a Review I hope to update shortly