It's always worse at night.

10.37pm

"Please, Kale don't, Kono's upstairs sleeping you'll wake her. She doesn't need to hear this, please."

"I warned you Leia. If you tried to leave you would be in trouble. I told you not to push my buttons, but you don't listen do you?" "You thought you could change the locks and that would fix your problems ehh?" "You really think I would let you push me away, take my money and my child?"

"Kale, please, I can't live like this. You're dangerous to yourself, me and Kono! I won't let you hurt my little girl." *slap*

Kale Kalakaua stood over his wife as she lay crying on the floor. "I warned you Leia. You don't want to piss me off anymore. Maybe I'll have to take Kono away myself."

Leia looked up through teary eyes. "Please, I'm sorry. I just want to protect our family."

Kale leered over Leia, breathing on her neck, tightening his grip on her upper arm. "You better be sorry". Kale stood abruptly then kicked Leia hard in the ribs, before walking out the door for his next drink.

11.01 pm

Leia Kalakaua sat curled up on the couch, sobs gently racking her body as she tried to calm her tears.

"Mommy?"

Leia frantically wiped at the tears on her face before turning to see an equally teary eyed Kono standing at the bottom of the stair.

"Baby what are you doing up, did you have a nightmare?" Leia asked, as she reached for Kono to join her.

"I heard daddy shouting again. He made you sad mommy"

"Kono sweetie, Mommy and Daddy just have some grown up problems. Everything will be okay. I'm sorry we woke you, come here you need to sleep, you have school in the morning."

"Is Chin going to take me to school mommy?"

Leia smiled at her daughters question, the admiration Kono had for her older cousin was the cutest thing. Leia knew Chin would always protect her little girl.

"Yes baby, Chin will come and collect you at eight, which means you my little surfer need to go to sleep." Leia said as she poked Kono on the nose.

" Kay mommy, love you"

Leia choked back a sob, at the realisation that Kono had heard the screaming. She pulled Kono close to her chest, gently stroking her hair and whispering that everything would be okay in her ear. Leia Kalakaua realised at that moment that she would do anything to protect her daughter, and if that meant suffering at the hands of her husband, then so be it. Kono swiftly fell into a peaceful sleep in her mother's arms, snuggling into the crook of her neck.

12.43 am

Kale Kalakaua returned home to find his wife and daughter asleep on the couch. He stumbled over to the pair, dropping down next to them. He looked at his daughter sleeping soundly. He knew he couldn't afford to lose his wife and daughter. Not because he loved them too much to lose them. But because it would taint his reputation as the stand-up family man he had created. Since his shoulder injury, that halted his job as a cop, his wife's job was all that was keeping a roof over their heads, and food on the table. He should be grateful, but Kale Kalakaua had become a selfish man, and he wasn't interested in changing that now.

Leia awoke at the sudden dip in the seat, looking through sleepy lids at her husband. She smiled sheepishly, afraid of how he was going to react. Despite his previous anger Kale returned a crooked smile in his clouded state. Leia rose with Kono in her arms and headed upstairs to put Kono to sleep.

1.04 am

Leia returned down stairs to grab a glass of water, glancing at the couch as she passed. Kale was passed out across the couch, face in a pillow, stinking of booze. Leia knew this environment was not good for Kono, she was only four, she didn't need to be around this, but after every fight, Kale would return home in various states of inebriation sorry for his actions. Leia knew what she had to do, but she had never been so scared in her life.