A/N: Strong Language. Featuring Niall Rafferty/McQueen and Phoebe as tear-aways.
"There's scum walking around breathing air in their lungs when your Nana Flo's six feet under"
It wasn't an act. Seamus was really choked up. Needing someone to share the pain. Every time Brendan was sharing the same air as his father, the little boy that he had been was crying out for him to run away. Seamus wasn't safe. His sister may have been his Da's number one fan, but Brendan saw through his Da's bullshit. He just wanted Seamus to disappear and never come back. He stayed in the club until the night light streamed in through the windows. His sister came in, greeting the punters with a dazzling smile and flirting with the guys that couldn't take their eyes off her. Brendan knew that she couldn't find happiness with the losers that were in the bar, Brendan included.
"Bren Da's really shaken up, about Nana. Join us for a birthday drink" Cheryl said with a grin. Seamus crawled to his daughter's side and Brendan felt punter cigarette smoke clog his throat. "Gotta go" He told his sister. "See you at home" He nodded to his Da but couldn't look at him. Brendan looked at all the people drinking and laughing on the pull with their mates. It was a long time before Kiddo Brady actually had friends. When he was little Seamus aways told him that a boy's best friend was his Da.
She was so fucking tired of being homeless cold and lonely. Being skint pissed her off too. To get pennies she got involved with the wrong crowd. The tarty tramps that got into stranger's cars and took their knickers off for a fiver or less. Phoebe didn't want to be that kind of girl, but she had no choice. She got picked by a couple of losers, before she got with that rich sicko Dr Davies. She didn't think a doctor would do those kind of things, but as time went on, she knew he loved getting away with it. After he'd paid her he'd chuck her underwear out of the window. He'd make Phoebe go out half nude in the dark and film it on his phone.
She'd come back from Dr Davies bruised bloodied and sore. He'd call their meetings "Doctor examinations" and make her sit on a chair at first. Dr Davies would fuck her without protection, say that he trusted her. He'd hit her and call her dirty. He'd say that if she saw anyone else and he found out he'd track her down and make her pay. The only reason she did it was because of the money. Dr Davies paid well. Well enough to get her out of a hostel and into a crappy little shared flat. It didn't matter how many fancy baths she could have, the Doctor was always on her skin, making her feel unclean, but anything was better than the hostel.
Walker was getting ready to start living the low-life. What would little brother Cam think if he saw him now? He'd get his own back. On his former colleagues, on the doctors who stood by and did nothing, on Brady. He'd do whatever it took. He settled down into his sleeping bag when he felt someone kick him. "What the fuck are you doing?" Walker shouted getting up ready to fight. "Don't cry newbie" Niall said as he shrugged his shoulders. Walker had always played by his own rules but he'd have to fake making friends to survive.
Walker shuffled out of his sleeping bag and wandered around the hostel until he caught up with the guy that kicked him. "Waking people up is rude" Walker said punching Niall in the face. He walked off and Niall watched him with a grin. Walker kept to himself and slept as best as he could on the cold floor. In the morning he got up to go to the bathroom. He took one step forward before Niall came out of nowhere and tripped him up. "Fuck" Walker said as he landed on one knee. "Morning sunshine" Niall said with a smirk. "Fucking idiot" Walker said. "Sorry..there's a better place you can stay you know" Niall said. "If you keep ya fucking mouth shut, I'll show you" Niall said.
"Phoebe Phoebe Phoebe my Dear you have outdone yourself" Dr Davies said as he adjusted his collar. It was one of those frustrating nights. Dr Davies had had two patients from hell that had pissed him off. He'd taken it out on Phoebe. "Get up and leave" Dr Davies said. Phoebe clutched her coat and put it on her shoulders. She couldn't bend down to tie her trainers. The belt marks on her back were stinging. Dr Davies stuffed a wad of cash in her pocket and told her that it would be the same time next week.
"Fuck, you alright Phebs?" Niall asked. "You look like shit" "Thanks" Phoebe said looking at the stranger on their little couch. "Umm...this is Walker" Niall introduced. "He's our new neighbour" Niall said. "Mmmmm" Phoebe muttered. She wanted to get a shower, but she couldn't o anything with this "Walker" around. "I'm going to the shop you coming?" Phoebe asked hoping to get time alone with Niall. "Nah" Niall said looking at Walker opening a beer. "See you later Phebs" Niall said as Phoebe went off in a mood that Niall was too blind to notice.
Yeah, with all the assholes Phoebe had been with even thinking about being with a guy was a bad idea. But Niall was different. She could see it in his eyes. They'd seen each other around at first. She'd been paid for a date with "extras" and the guy turned out to be a tosser. Niall was driving taxis at the time and was gonna drive Phoebe and this guy home. The guy turned nasty, Niall stood up for her and told the guy to fuck off and drove Phoebe home free of charge. Phoebe had dreamt about Niall ever since. Niall checked up on her and they slowly but surely forged a friendship. Phoebe needed Niall more than ever, but Niall was too interested in this "Walker" to notice her.
Phoebe went to the shop and was one pound short to get Niall's favourite crisps. She took them off the shelf and stuffed them under her coat. Brendan Brady watched with a beady eye. He followed her out of the shop and tapped her on the shoulder. "Get the fuck off me!" Phoebe yelled. "Pass over the crisps and no-one gets hurt" Brendan said. "Take your stinking crisps" Phoebe said throwing the packet at Brendan. She ran off. Brendan picked up the packet called her back. "Hey!" He yelled. He followed her to the nearest bus stop and put the crisps next to her.
"Bad day?" Brendan asked.
"Bad life more like" Phoebe said. "I don't need ya crisps or your fucking sympathy" Phoebe said. "Silence is good" Brendan said. "Well shut up then" Phoebe said. Brendan sat on the very edge of the bench away from her Phoebe felt guilty for shouting. "Sorry" She said. "I'm just tired of guys thinking they can push me around" Phoebe said. "You don't seem like the weak type" Brendan said.
"Everyone has a weakness mate" Phoebe said taking the crisps and walking away.
In his new damp room Walker took out the picture of Brendan's Dad. The mysterious Seamus Brady. Walker was ready for him. With Brendan Being such a man's man, he figured Brendan's Dad was his idol. He'd have to find out more about him. Maybe even meet him. He needed to look at the man that created Brendan Brady. He wondered if Seamus knew the type of monster than his son really was. He put the picture of Seamus Brady up on the wall and took a shower, determined to see Daddy Brady in the flesh. The closer he got to Seamus, the easier it would be to destroy Brendan.