*Early the next morning and Brendan wakes Lucas for his early swimming lesson*

"Is your arm going to be ok?" Lucas asks as he strips his pyjamas off. He gets the top stuck on his head and Brendan pulls him free.

"Yeah, I should be fine and the nurse said I should take it off for swimming and stuff to strengthen my arm and help to heal"

"Leah was right" Lucas says as he puts his trunks on

"Oh?"

"She said you'd always protect us and she was right wasn't she or you wouldn't have hurt yourself to stop her falling"

"Of course I'll always protect yis. Your like my own kids"

"Do you have other kids Daddy Brendan?"

"Yeah. Two. Twins"

"Why don't you see them anymore? Where they bad?"

"No, they weren't bad but their mummy didn't like me"

"Why?"

"Well you know that some people like ladies and other people like me and your dad, well we like men don't we?"

"Yeah"

"Well the boys Ma doesn't like the fact that I like men now, so she doesn't want me to see the boys" Brendan says with sadness in his voice. They're walking to the pool now and Lucas reaches up and grabs his hand.

"It's ok, you'll always have me and Leah and daddy."

Brendan smiles "And you'll always have me, I'll never let you down. Now let's get this sling off my arm and get you into the pool"

They hop in the pool and Brendan gets Lucas to hold onto the side of the pool and kick his legs.

"That's it. Keep going."

After Brendan holds Lucas in his arms (mainly using his good arm) and gets Lucas to repeat the windmill motion that he was previously taught.

"Ok now kick."

Lucas kicks and windmills his arms whilst Brendan holds him.

"Ready for me to let go?"

"I'm scared"

"I'll keep holding you if you want me to but remember I will never let anything bad happen to you. I'm right here Ok?"

"Ok daddy…. Let go"

Brendan slowly eases his arms away and Lucas thrashes his arms and legs. He splashes water in his face, screws his eyes up and starts to go under but Brendan catches hold of him immediately.

"It's OK, you weren't really gonna swim first time but we'll try again when you're ready. Just try to relax and don't thrash about. Just do it like when I hold you ok?"

They try again and Brendan stands in front of him so it looks like he's still holding him. Lucas manages to doggy paddles a few strokes, the water lapping around his chin and he makes it to Brendan.

"I DID IT DADDY, I DID IT!"

Brendan scoops him up out of the water. "Well done me boy!"

They spend the next 20 minutes improving and getting Lucas to swim a little bit further each time. By the end of the session he can successfully doggy paddle from one side of the pool to the other (and half way back again before getting too tired and needing Brendan to help him).

They rush back to the hotel and Brendan quickly showers Lucas and gets him changed before getting a shower himself.

*Later that day*

"What fish will we see tomorrow?"

"Don't know sweetheart"

"Lots of bright ones I hope"

"I wanna see a turtle!" Lucas pipes up

"Yeah like the ones off finding nemo" Leah gasps "Will Nemo and Dory be there?"

"Possibly, I don't know what kinda of fish live around here"

"I can't wait" Leah says bouncing around

"Me too, me too!" Lucas says copying her

Brendan smiles fondly as he watches Ste distract the kids.

"How about more painting for our walls at home? And some for mummy too"

"YEAH!"

Brendan and Ste set out the paints and the kids sit quietly painting for several hours whilst Brendan and Ste cuddle up watching TV.