Disclaimer: I don't own Bones
Title: Never Again
Author: ReadingRed
Chapter One: Only Finn
She'd met him after the boys' father died. He'd been gone for a year when Gunter came into her life. She wasn't looking for anybody. She didn't want a new husband or another father for her boys, after all, they had Booth, and he was willing to be the male influence Angela and others said the boys needed in their lives. But he came anyway and soon after their relationship turned serious. Gunter got along well with Benjamin and Finnian, in fact he got along well with everyone she cared about, except Booth that is. Gunter disliked Brennan and Booth's friendship since the moment he learned of it, but Brennan wasn't willing to let go of him, so Gunter learned to deal. Booth too, made it clear that he wasn't going anywhere and if Gunter was going to be in Brennan and her children's lives Gunter was going to have to accept that fact. He did, albeit reluctantly.
Benjamin and Finn were both so young when their father died neither had any real memories of the man, so Gunter didn't have much resistance on their part. It seemed like he was ready to take on the role of father and Brennan eventually let him. Gunter took the boys fishing and to the zoo. He taught Ben how to hit a baseball and the proper way to throw a spiral. He seemed to everyone to be the perfect father. Only Finn knew the truth.
Only Finn knew what Gunter was like when he was drunk. Only Finn had felt Gunter's fists as they rained down on his small body. Finn knew how to hide the bruises that showed up on his body after an especially bad beating. He knew that he had to hide what Gunter was doing to him from his mom and especially from Uncle Booth. What Finn didn't know was why it was happening to him. Why Gunter hit him instead of Benji. He wanted Uncle Booth to save him. Part of Finn wanted to tell his mom what was happening, but she was so happy with Gunter he didn't want her to be sad again. He remembered what it was like before Gunter came. His mom was sad all the time; he didn't like it when she was like that. She would act happy when Benji and Finn were around and sometimes when Uncle Booth and Parker were visiting.
Finn loved Uncle Booth and Parker. Gunter never hit him when they were around. Uncle Booth always asked if Finn needed anything. Finn knew what he was really asking but he never said anything. Gunter told him that he would hurt his mom or brother if Finn ever told anyone, so Finn kept silent.
"Finnian! Get over here boy!" Gunter yelled through the house. Finn jumped. What had he done this time? Quickly he walked to his step-father. Gunter grabbed him roughly by the arm, jerking his small body up closer to the man's body. Finn wanted to let out a whimper, it had hurt a lot, but he knew there was so much more to come, if he started crying now Gunter would just hit him more. Gunter rarely ever told him what it was that he had done. Finn was starting to think that he was just a bad boy and he deserved to be hit. It was the only reason he could think of for Gunter to treat him like this.
Finn let his mind float away as Gunter punched him over and over. He felt his body fall to the ground. He hated this part. Once he fell the punches stopped and the kicks started and they hurt so much more.
Finally Gunter stopped. "Now get to your room" Gunter grunted. Finn wasn't sure what he said or if he said anything at all but he found his legs automatically taking him to his room. He climbed the ladder to the top bunk and gently laid down. He let out a moan as the new bruises on his back and side touched the bed. He rolled onto his stomach and was glad that the bruises there weren't as extensive as the ones on his back. He fell into a fitful, exhausted sleep.
Then the nightmares started. It was a monster chasing him. The monster was big and hairy and it had Gunter's face. The monster said nothing, just grunted and growled and slashed at him with sharp claws. Finn begged the Gunter-monster not to hurt him. "Please stop. No, no, no, don't hurt me. I'm sorry. I'll be better. Please stop." Finn felt hands on him. Hands, not claws. Through the foggy haze of sleep, he let the hands pull him out of his misery.
"Finn! Come on Finny wake up. Finnian, please wake up. It's just a nightmare." Finn woke up but kept his eyes shut. Gunter never hit him when he was asleep.
"Finny, it's Ben, come on Finn wake up." Finn snapped his eyes open. It was his big brother, not the Gunter-monster. Next to Benjamin stood Parker and if Parker was here that meant that Uncle Booth must be here too. Finn felt relief flood his body. It chased away the pain from the beating. If Uncle Booth was here Finn was safe.
"Finn, what happened to your back? Did… did Gunter do that to you?" Benjamin asked.
"Finn, did he? We have to tell my daddy. He'll stop it" Parker said.
"No!" Finn's arm shot out and grabbed Parker, nearly making the boy fall off his perch on the bunk bed's ladder. He let go of Parker and repeated himself. "No" he said quieter. "You can't tell anyone. Promise. Please" he begged. They didn't understand. This wasn't happening to them.
"But we can't let him keep hurting you Finn. It's not fair" Benjamin said.
"We should run away" Parker said.
"We don't have any money. Where would we go?" Benjamin being the oldest of the tree boys at the ripe old age of seven had to be the voice of reason.
"But we have to Benji. We can't let Gunter hurt him anymore" Parker reasoned.
"What do you think Finn?" Ben asked looking over the railing of the bunk bed at his little brother.
"Let's do it"