This is my first story and it's not great. Sorry if there is any mistakes, as I wrote this on my phone. There may be slight mild language. Apologies. The first three chapters are just to get the story going. It will be a Tom and Sam story. Just there's explaining to do beforehand.

Chapter 1

Joey was a troubled kid. Thirteen years old, and had already seen so many things in life. Some would say too many. He came from a large, decent family. Although, tough times came, breaking the family apart. He was too young to understand, then. But, now, when he can realise what's going on, it is too late to do anything.

"You always have to ruin everything, don't you? And you can never, or ever have, committed to your responsibilities, have you?" Joey and his mother were having, yet another, argument. She had just been released from prison. Of course, Joey had not been left by himself nor had he been taken into care. He had, instead, gone over to the States to stay with one of his uncles.

His father had left him, his four brothers and his two sisters when Joey was only two. Three years passed and two of his brothers were old enough to leave home, so they went. All of them had managed to stay out of care. That was until their father returned. Joey was eight. He hadn't actually seen him, since he walked out. He didn't remember him. But, he always got a quick phone call and a present on his birthday.

That day, their dad had just knocked on the door. He acted like he had just been to the shop without his house keys. Joey's brother, Benny, opened the door. He was the second oldest. Benny was a soldier and had come home from his first tour in Afghanistan about six months ago. He was angry at his father for just coming back, hoping to be welcome and act as if nothing had happen. Benny tried to slam the door in his face, but his father put his foot in the way. By this time everyone, minus their mother, had wondered what was going on, and had came to look. They were all shocked, to say the least, and angry. They were all thinking the same thing. How dare he? To come back after that long period of absence, he better have a bloody good explanation, to get even a hug from one of his children.

"Hey guys," nobody said anything, still too overwhelmed to speak.

Finally Joey's eldest brother spoke for them all. "How dare you?" He hollered. The eldest was Tom. He was training to be a doctor. Tom pushed his father against the wall, about to punch him, when Kayla intervened. Kayla was the eldest daughter, and the fifth child.

"No! Tom, hitting him isn't going to do anything!" Kayla tried to keep her voice calm and firm.

"No, it isn't," piped up Avan, the fourth child.

"I wish it did," mumbled Ketan, the third child.

"Guys I'm... Sorry. I know it's not OK and we all can't just get on with our lives, but I am sorry," their father finished, with genuine emotion, but they weren't having it. Just as Benny was about to speak again, Taylor - the youngest daughter - elbowed him in the ribs and gave him a glare. She knew he was about to say something stupid, something that would mess this situation up even more, if that was even possible.

"Where's your mother?" Their father spoke again.

"Don't know. Same as most days," Tom said this with disgust and averted his eyes, so not to look at his father.

"Then who's looking after you?" He just wouldn't stop with the questions, would he?

"Well, unless you've forgotten dad, Benny, Ketan and I are adults. And besides, you haven't exactly been here to look after us. I think it's more your responsibility then ours," you could hear that Tom was trying his best not to be sarcastic but he was getting ever more agitated.

"I said I'm sorry. I don't know what else to do. But, I'm here now and I'm going to try to help" their father sounded like he was pleading. But, he knew it was going to take far more than one attempt to win their forgiveness.

"Well then, how are you going to help? Pretend as if nothing happened? Just make it look as if we've hid you in the shadows? Tell us some sob story? How?" Benny just couldn't hold it in any longer. He had to say it, even if he regretted it later. Yeah, as if.

"Oh god. I really don't know," their father was lost for words. What could he say to convince them? "First of all, you could help me by telling me what I need to do to help you," he was unsure. He had no clue what to say to them. Or any clue what he was saying.

"You could tell us where you've been?" Tom was beyond annoyed now. Everyone else seemed to want to know that answer too. Why wouldn't they?

"Um, well where do I begin?" Their father was thinking: what should he tell them? How much should he tell them? Should they be told? How could he tell them? Just then the phone rang.

"I'll get it," said Tom, as he walked away.

Predictable. The opportunity gone.

The others just stood there in silence. Minutes passed. Then their father noticed someone he could say he did not recognize, but knew his name.

"Is that Joey?" He said as he crouched down. As he was such a tall man, when he crouched he was at an eight year olds height. Kayla gently nudged Joey, who stepped forward and nodded. He didn't feel shy, he just felt anger. "How old are you now? Eight?"

"Yes, yes I am" Joey sounded somewhat scared. He didn't know what to expect - or who this man was.

"You do look a lot like Tom, when he was your age," his father started to sound proud. "Don't you agree guys?" Their father spoke to the rest of them.

They all nodded. "And he acts like him too," Benny spoke with a smile, lightening the tense atmosphere. Everyone laughed at this comment. They soon snapped out of happiness, when they heard Tom come back.

"Who was on the phone?" Their father asked, concerned, as he stood up again.

"It was the police," Tom gulped. Strangely - or not - they knew what was coming next. "Mum has been arrested," he finished it there.

"What for?" Taylor asked.

"Assaulting a police officer," Tom replied with a sigh.

"Now I have to help out. Please let me?" Their father couldn't bear them having to go through this on their own. Not that they hadn't been coping all those years.

"Well I'm off to Afghanistan, again, in 3 months," stated Benny.

"I'm going too," said Ketan.

"I'm going to live in Canada with your parents, dad. It's something I, we, decided about a year ago. The tickets are already booked," Avan said, trying not to make it sound too bad, to his dad.

"What about the rest of you? Girls? Joey? Tom?" Their father said, sounding unsure. "I think you girls should go to Australia and live with your aunt Mary Ann," all he got was a nod in return. Nobody could be bothered to argue. There wasn't any need; the situation had became standard.

Before he could suggest anything for the other two, Tom spoke, "I will take Joey. Please don't argue with me, dad. I can look after him, trust me. Have done once, can again."

"I won't argue with you, son. And I trust you. Take good care of him. I best be going. I've got to get a flight that leaves in three hours," he was going already, typical. He went down to Joey's height again and said to him, "Now, I trust you to look after Tom. I love you," he pulled Joey forward and kissed him on the forehead. "I love you all. Are you sure you'll be OK?"

"Yes. Go. Catch that plane. We'll be fine," assured Tom.

"I guess I'll say goodbye then. Please keep in touch, don't do anything stupid, and be there for each other," their father looked as if he was going to shed a tear or two, although he would never admit this. He had to stay strong in front of his family.

With that he waved goodbye and walked out the door. He was happy that he could get through to his children, but sad that he knew there'd be downfall along the way.