He sat fully clothed in his bed clutching his knees to his chest; he couldn't sleep not when that monster was in his house. He jumped at every little noise that washed over the otherwise silent house. His breath hitched as he heard someone making their way down the stairs, it was too heavy to be Cheryl so it could only be him. The man that took away his innocence when he was 8 years old; the man who was meant to love him more than anyone else was the one who ruined his life. As soon as he heard his Dad make his way back to the room he was staying in he had to get out.

He tiptoed towards the front door hoping no one would wake up as he snuck out. He looked at his watch that showed that it was 3am and he contemplated going to the club and staying there but even that wouldn't make him feel safe. So he went to the one person that he knew would look after him no matter what time it was. Once he arrived at the flat he knocked quietly hoping he wouldn't wake Ste's kids up.

Ste groaned when he heard a knock on the door, who the hell would be knocking at this time? He dragged himself out of bed and looked through the peephole he was soon wide awake when he seen his boyfriend (it was still strange to call him that) slumped against the wall. He quickly opened the door and opened his arms as Brendan through himself towards him.

"What's wrong? What's happened?"

Brendan tried to answer him but he couldn't breathe properly never mind talk. Ste kept running a comforting hand down his back whilst guiding Brendan towards his bedroom. He sat a dazed Brendan on the edge of the bed before moving his shoes and his jeans. They'd hadn't been back together for a week yet but already they'd been through so much with Seamus turning up right after they arrived back from Dublin.

Seamus made his skin crawl he was so creepy, he knew that the bastard used to hit Brendan when he was little but there seemed to be something more there, something Brendan hadn't told him. Something Brendan probably hadn't told anyone. Once he had undressed Brendan he lay him in the bed and held him in his arms.

"He used to rape me."

Ste froze as Brendan's whimpered those words; he didn't know what to say. What do you say to your boyfriend when he says his Dad used to rape him? He didn't have to say anything though because Brendan carried on talking; almost like if he didn't say it now he never would.

"It started when I was 8; he came into my room and closed the door behind him. He put his cigarette on my bedside table and sat on the edge of my bed. He sat there for a few minutes just staring at me and it was starting to make me uncomfortable. He looked me in the eye and said this was my fault for being a fag that I was asking for it. I didn't know what he was talking about but he pushed me back and pinned my hands above my head using one of his hands and he pushed himself onto me. At the time I didn't know what it was but I could feel something hard against my leg. He used his other hand to pull my pants down and then he raped me."

Ste felt Brendan's tears start to soak his t-shirt as he openly sobbed in his arms.

"I haven't slept since he's been here; I couldn't relax just in case he came back for more."

"He won't hurt you any more I promise you're gonna stay here with me."

"Thank you, I love ye."

"I love you too, know try and get some sleep Bren."

Once Ste felt Brendan relax in his arms he let out the tears he had been holding in. There was so much they had to talk about but at the minute he was just wanted Brendan to feel safe.