A/N This idea sort of came to me so I thought I'd see where it went. I've also always wanted to do a Clove/Cato fic so here is my attempt! I hope you like it!


The atmosphere in the room was tense. I sat watching my mother as she nervously fussed over the kitchen stove. Her eyes constantly darted back and forth to the clock, watching each minute tick by and getting more frantic every time she did. Her anxiety was understandable. Dad would be home soon, in exactly seventeen and a half minutes, and if dinner wasn't on the table piping hot when he was home… well then, there would be hell to pay.

Bes wandered in with another one of his toys, "Mom, can I go see Cato now?" He asked her with the best puppy-dog look he could muster. Back then he had been pretty good at it too.

Glancing at the clock, she shook her head hastily, "No, sorry darling, not right now."

"But why not?" He said, stretching out his vowels in that annoying tone of his.

"Because dinner will be ready shortly and we must eat as a family. You know that Bes." She flinched slightly as she spoke, her tone abrupt and harsh.

With a fallen face my brother came to sit with me. We both knew it was for the best. His brown hair hung over his grey eyes and freckled face when he bowed his head like that. I tried to cheer my big brother up by giving him a nice smile. He was as good a big brother as they came, though he could annoy the hell out of me (and did so on many occasions). He was very protective of me both at home and school, making sure I was never picked on by anyone but him and his best friend Cato. They were both two years older than me, them being ten and me being eight.

"Could you two please set the table? Make sure it's right, okay? Exactly right." Mom didn't have to tell us twice. We jumped down from where we perched on the counter and hurried into the dining room, grabbing all the stuff on the way.

We took our time laying out everything; we had to make sure it was just perfect and nothing less. Dad could be very particular about these sorts of things and the last thing we wanted was him to get angry. Nothing went well when he was angry. Mum always stuck up for him in those situations, saying something like, "He has a stressful job so let's not make home stressful too." but he always got annoyed whenever we did anything wrong.

Honestly, he made me stressed. He took the whole "children should be seen and not heard" saying to a whole new level where we weren't seen or heard. Sometimes I thought he'd be happier if we just didn't exist at all.

His routine was exact, we would eat as soon as he came home at precisely six-thirty, then Bes and I would go straight to our rooms to play, as long as we were in bed by eight and not a second later. The time that Dad got home was always the worst, my least favourite time of the day. Everything would be fine until then, fun even, but as soon as he was home everything would change. Usually all smiles, Bes would be straight-faced and silent, Mom would worry and fluster and fuss, and I would be silent and wish that I could just be anywhere else but in my own home. And what is a home you don't want to be in? No home at all.

When the table was set, Bes and I sat in silence waiting. My stomach fluttered, my legs trembled and my hands sweat. I prayed silently that he would be in one of his oh so rare good moods and just be a normal father for once. His best moods were Sundays when we were alone, and also my least favourite day of the week. He'd tell me he loved me then, he'd hug me and touch me and tell me I was pretty. I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable on those days but I never breathed a word of it to another living soul. I constantly dreaded the weekends but thankfully it was Monday, and for a little while that day was behind me.

We heard the sound of the car pull in and I felt Bes clutch my hand under the table. He gave me a look that told me to behave myself and I tried to tell him I'd try. A few minutes later Dad came in. It's always odd how alike he and Bes looked but, thankfully, how different their personalities were. For one thing Dad was always frowning.

"Hello." His loud, deep voice echoed in the silence. A shudder ricocheted down my spine with that one word. He took his honourable seat at the head of the table as he set down his bag on the workbench. His eyes were cold so I tried not to look at them. In fact, I barely moved at all due to the fear that I'd do something wrong and get us all punished. I still remember the days before he became like this, before the days where we all lived in fear of him and his moods, but ever since his new job three years ago things changed. He still favoured me over Bes, but generally pretended we weren't there at all, and sometimes he'd even look at us as though he'd rather we didn't exist at all.

"Hello Dad." We replied mechanically.

Mom walked in then, right on cue, carrying a plate of food. "This looks pleasant, Paula." Said Dad, giving her a small, almost forced, smile. He turned to Bes. "How was school?"

Nervously he replied, "It was good, thank you. I had a test and I –"

He hadn't finished his sentence before Dad just nodded, as if he were listening, and cut him off by turning on me. "Yes, yes, whatever, that's great. And you Clove?"

His gaze fell on me and I gulped. Be polite. Be polite. Don't ramble. Be polite. It was the same mantra I said to myself every day. "Erm, good, thank you." I replied quietly.

"Speak up!" He shouted at me. I flinched, jostling the table slightly, thinking he was going to hit me. "It was good, thank you." I repeated relatively louder this time, trying to hold my voice steady. He frowned but let me be.

My mother sat ringing her hands nervously as she always did. He turned his piercing gaze to her next. "So what have you been doing with your time today, Paula?"

"Well, I bought in food that you like and did your washing." She answered quickly and without hesitation. She always prepared her answer so he wouldn't catch her out with anything 'inappropriate' and get mad. She had made that mistake once and wasn't likely to make it again.

I reached forward to serve the potato, but knocked over my glass of water with a trembling hand. It's contents spilled right across the table.

Dad leapt up from his seat. "Shit! You stupid bitch!"

He grabbed my arm and shoved me up against the wall so hard my head throbbed. I bit my lip to suppress my sob, crying only made it worse; Dad said only weak people cry. I didn't want to be weak. His hand drew back and I prepared for the blow. There was nothing I could do but take it, same as always. Bes suddenly leapt from his chair and threw his arms around me so that his back was to Dad, shielding me.

"Get out of my way! She needs to learn!" He grabbed Bes' shirt and shoved him to the floor with a good kick to his leg that made him moan. "Don't get in my fucking way again, you hear?"

Without further warning he struck my face so hard the blow was like thunder to my ears, lightning in the pain and acid rain in my tears. His temperament was a storm but it would always blow over then be back again. My Mom just stood and watched it all happen without the slightest emotion on her face and I felt a surge of hatred for both of them. How could she stand there and do nothing while her husband beat her children? Not an ounce of sympathy passed over her face. But more than anything I felt so guilty that Bes was curled on the floor in pain for trying to protect me, as he always did. No matter what he always tried to deflect my father's anger to himself so that he would take the anger out on Bes rather than me. And every time Bes got hurt.

Our Father picked up his food and stormed into the living room whilst muttering about us being 'the worst kids in the world'. Mum followed him like the obedient slave. I sank to the floor as my legs crumbled beneath me.

Shuffling over to Bes I wrapped my arms around him tightly, clinging to him as though I were the roots and he were my soil. I muttered my apologies for what I'd caused but he dismissed them all. Crying into his shoulder didn't make me feel any better. He hissed in pain as he sat up and hugged me back, then gently brushed his fingers over my stinging cheek.

"You okay there, Clove?" He asked and I couldn't help but stifle a laugh at the fact that he was more concerned with me that himself. I nodded weakly which made him smile a little. "It's not your fault you know." He started attempting to get back to his feet but I could struggling so I climbed up and gave him a hand.

Bes and I quietly grabbed our dinners from the table and crept upstairs. We had a nice house really, with four bedrooms and in a nice area. It was because of Dad's good earning that we could afford it, but I'd live anywhere else if it meant I could have the old Dad back. Bes and I slipped into my room where we ate on the floor next to my bed in silence. He held my hand tightly when we heard a smash and our Dad shouting. I ignored it. Or I tried to ignore it. A few tears slipped over my cheeks because I knew that his anger towards Mom was entirely my fault. I truly was a horrible daughter. Bes wrapped his arm around me giving me a small squeeze, and I couldn't help but envy his maturity for a ten year old.

He whispered 'don't worry' about a thousand times before my anxiety started to fade. We played cards, which was nice, but just as we finished the third game we heard footsteps coming up the stairs. We both tensed. They passed our rooms and kept walking as we let out our sighs of relief.

"Listen, I should go since it's past eight. I'll see you in the morning, okay? Don't worry Clove. Lock your door and it'll be ok." He got up and I watched him go.

I locked my door as he'd said and then turned back towards my bed. That's when the tears really started to flow, so I went and sat on my bed with my pillow pressed against my face and cried into it. I couldn't stop the sobs racking my body. It'd been my fault had happened! It was my fault Bes and Mom had been hurt and I deserved that slap! I'd been stupid, so stupid tonight. I vowed never to do it again. Ever.

My eyes snapped up as I heard a scratching tap at my window. I didn't expect see a pair of eyes staring back at me and certainly not Cato's eyes looking at me sadly. Something compelled me to get up and unlock the window. I slid the window up quietly and we just stared at each other.

"Cato, what are you doing here?!" I yelled under breath. He should be at home, what if my Dad found him here? He climbed through the window pushing past me. "You need to go now!" He ignored me. My eyes darted to the door as I thought about the consequences of him being found in here. Dad didn't like Cato coming over at all. "Please get out!" I pleaded trying to push him back towards the window. Cato didn't budge an inch, my feeble shoves barely shaking him. He pulled my to his chest and wrapped his arms around me. Being roughly the same height my head rested neatly on his shoulder, and the more I tried to push away, the tighter he held me.

"Shh, it's okay." He whispered in my ear as he stroked my hair. I don't know what came over me but I cried right there on his shoulder with a care. I thought of everything that I'd caused with my stupidity and let it out in the form of tears onto his shoulder.

Since we'd moved in four years ago, Bes and Cato had been the best of friends. Cato was cute according to most of my friends, with his blonde hair and blue eyes. He and I had never gotten on though; he'd always tease me, trip me over and call me names. What was he doing here, hugging me like this? I pulled back to look at him and his eyes looked so sad.

He continued to hold me as tears shone in his big blue eyes. I knew he knew about my father. Bes had been black and blue with bruises once and was forced to tell him the truth. Cato had sworn he'd never tell anyone and as far as I knew he hadn't.

"What are you doing here?" I repeated a little less hysterical this time. I tried wiping my face but the tears didn't stop falling. He pulled me down onto my bed and rocked me gently while I cried some more. When I looked to his chest I saw that he was dressed in his pyjamas.

"I saw you crying from my house. Our bedrooms are opposite each other. I wanted to make sure you were okay." He whispered, still hugging me. It dawned on me that he'd seen me at my weakest. I was never weak. I hated crying in front of anyone but Mom and Bes. I felt so embarrassed.

"You need to go. I'm fine. Go." I gave him another shoved towards the window, trying to push him from my bed.

"I won't leave until you have no more tears." He lay me down on the bed so we were face-to-face and his arms still wrapped around me. As much as I knew I should make him leave and move away from him, I felt safe and warm so I just scooted closer, pressing my whole body into his. I sobbed some more.

When I opened my eyes in the morning something felt strange. Suddenly I realised I was in somebody's arms. Cato still had his arms wrapped tightly around me. I gasped as I looked at the clock. "Cato!" I hissed, shaking him.

"Ten more minutes, Mom." He said with his eyes shut.

"Shh!" I hissed covering his mouth. His eyes darted open and slowly he pieced everything together. I can't believe we fell asleep! He sat up and started running a hand through his hair. I got up and pulled him off the bed, shoving him towards the window. He opened it and slipped through but before he could properly leave, I grabbed his wrist and pecked him on the cheek quickly. "Thanks." I said to his shocked face and shut the window, quickly turning away.

I really needed that hug last night. That was for certain the nicest thing Cato had ever done for me. I quickly got dressed for school whilst thinking about Cato sneaking over here and being in the house when he wasn't allowed. We were so lucky not to have gotten caught. I dreaded to think what would have happened if his parents had gone into his room in the night and saw his bed empty, or what would have happened if I hadn't woken up early. I shuddered, thinking of what my father would have done if he had walked in here to find Cato in the house at night-time. In my bed. But still, he had put a smile on my face.


A/N I'd love to hear what you think if you'd like to leave a review of some sort! :)

Until next time

ME4427