The first night was difficult for everyone. Jim didn't want to brush his teeth that particular evening and ran about on the upstairs landing trying to evade capture by Frank. He was eventually pulled out of the laundry cupboard and accompanied to the bathroom, even though he cried a lot and threatened to flush Frank down the toilet.

Sebastian got in trouble for loitering because he waited loyally outside the bathroom for Jim, just to make sure he was okay. Frank told him he was only going to make Jim worse because he'd play up to the audience. Sebastian kicked the bathroom door and then shuffled off to his bedroom to wait for Jim. He was only trying to be helpful in case they needed his help with Jim again. He was trying to act grownup and responsible. Dawn would have understood, but stupid Frank just assumed, as he always did, that he was making trouble. It wasn't fair, Sebastian thought. He'd been good for the whole week and now Frank and Verity seeing his report card was spoilt.

Jim rushed in to the bedroom ahead of Frank, not liking being chaperoned. He was a big boy, he said, and Frank was a stupid lanky idiot who deserved to fall down the stairs. Sebastian's lips twitched into a tiny crooked smile at that from where he was sitting up in bed, knees drawn up to his chest.

The eight year old scampered past him in blue pyjamas, attempting to scramble up the ladder before Frank could 'help' him. Sebastian watched his pale feet make the climb with interest and mild concern. He didn't want him to fall, but at the same time he wanted him to win against Frank. Hearing Frank on his way down the hall to them, carrying Jim's night things which he'd left in the bathroom, Sebastian got out of bed and gave Jim a leg up.

"You see!" Jim cried triumphantly as Frank entered the room. "I could do it myself you moron! I'm not a baby!"

Sebastian chuckled from the bottom bunk and received a weary look from Frank. Seb didn't care about that though. Jim was right. Frank was a moron.

"Bathroom's free for you, Sebastian," Frank said evenly, placing Jim's bag of toiletries on the side for him. Seb grunted at him and got up, grabbing his own toothbrush from the side and heading to the bathroom before one of the others took his turn.

Frank remained in the room with Jim, something that made the Irish boy scowl. "Now, if you have any problems or need anything, I sleep in the bedroom at the other end of the hall," he told him in a condescending voice. "The main light goes out at nine, but Sebastian is allowed his lamp on until half past because he's older, alright?"

"Yes, stupid-pants," Jim said in a sing song voice. Frank said goodnight and then left the room. Jim snuggled up under his duvet with a happy sigh. It was warm and cozy, not like in Dublin where the wind whistled everywhere and older boys and girls shouted and kicked beer cans around outside.

Sebastian returned to the bedroom in an oversized Star Wars t-shirt and a pair of loose shorts. He placed his toothbrush neatly away and then began to clear the desk. After a while Jim poked his head over the edge of the wooden side of his bed and watched him. The ten year old was extremely neat and tidy, bordering on obsessive. All the pens went in one pot, the lids had to be properly on them, the papers were stacked and then placed in the exact middle of the wooden desk, the pencil shavings were brushed neatly into his hand and then placed in the waste paper bin. After the desk was completely tidy, Sebastian got on his knees in front of the picture of Jesus and clasped his hands together.

"Dear God," he mumbled, trying to be quiet so Jim wouldn't listen in. "Thank you for all I have. I have been good this week so please don't send me to Hell. I am sorry I swore on Tuesday, but I didn't mean to, it just came out. Love from Sebastian Moran. Amen."

Jim listened to this in rapt silence. That was nothing like the prayers his mother and father said. They always talked about stupid daily bread and trespasses. The dark haired little boy rested his head on the side and watched Sebastian's face. He had his eyes closed and looked very serious.

Only when Sebastian got to his feet and crossed himself did Jim pipe up. "Praying is stupid."

Sebastian bristled and shuffled from foot to foot. "It's not. It's good"

"God isn't real, doofus," Jim declared lightly, not meaning any harm. "There isn't any proof he exists."

The blonde boy looked up at the ceiling with fear, blue eyes darting everywhere. He crossed himself again and then took a deep breath.

"The Bible is proof," he said, glancing at Jesus's face apologetically. "And you shouldn't say stuff like that. Or you'll go to Hell."

"Better than Heaven," Jim pointed out, blinking curiously at the paranoia on show. Back in Ireland most people were Catholics, but they weren't as shifty as Seb.

"Heaven is for good people. Jesus is there and everything," Sebastian explained, stepping back slightly so he didn't have to crane his neck to look at Jim. "You're little so you don't understand, but Hell is the worst place in the world. You burn there."

Jim laughed at that and then shook his head. "There's no proof, Seb," he informed his roommate. "It's just to trick you in to being good. Like everything else."

Sebastian nibbled nervously on his lower lip and then returned to his kneeling position in front of the postcard. "Dear God, please forgive Jim, 'cause he's only little. Thank you. Amen."

"Take that back!" Jim demanded angrily, hanging over the edge of the bed and pointing accusingly at Sebastian. "I don't want him to forgive me! I don't want anyone to forgive me! I'm not sorry! I'm not!"

Sebastian shook his head and crossed himself again. "I'm just trying to help you," he mumbled.

Jim, who wasn't used to having other children want to help him, bit back his response and simply stared at Sebastian. After a moment, he hummed a bit and got himself comfortable again, disappearing from sight.

When it reached nine, Sebastian turned the main light off and turned on his lamp so he could read before he went to sleep. He felt guilty for not reading the Bible, but he had a new comic to read and he wanted to get to the end of it. Jim seemed to be asleep because he was almost completely silent, apart from relaxed breaths.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMMMMMM

Sebastian awoke in the middle of the night because he could hear a sniffling sound. At first he panicked that it was The Devil come to get him because of his swearing on Tuesday, but then he realised that the noises were coming from above him and if it was The Devil the noises would come from below.

Jim was crying and trying his best to muffle the noises in his pillow. It wasn't working very well though. He didn't want to wake Sebastian up and get in to trouble. At home in Dublin he got in to trouble if he woke his baby sister up because she cried for hours and hours and the neighbours sometimes shouted through the walls and threatened them all. Jim wasn't scared of the people next door because they were on drugs and drugs were just medicine, besides, they never actually went through with any of their threats.

It wasn't because he felt lonely that he was crying, because he never got lonely. It was more because he was in a new place all alone. There was a difference, Jim thought, between loneliness and being alone. Loneliness meant you needed other people and wanted them there, being alone merely meant you were by yourself. A huge difference. Because Jim didn't need anybody.

Jim was so scared when he heard feet on the ladder that he hid himself under his covers. He didn't want Sebastian to be angry with him like his parents used to be. A couple of times they slapped him to make him be quiet, and he hated that. Sebastian was quite a big boy really, and Jim supposed being hit by him might hurt quite a bit.

"Jim?"

The voice was low and gruff, but didn't sound angry. Still, Jim had to be on his guard.

"Wha- what do you want?" he demanded tearfully, his voice cracking slightly as he started to cry again.

Then there was no answer, so Jim assumed Sebastian had gone. Relieved, he pulled the covers down do he could breathe properly again, only to find the other boy watching him.

"Don't you dare tell anyone!" Jim hissed at him, defensive now Sebastian had seen his tear stained face. It was okay for people to see him cry when he had a tantrum. Part of the fun of having a tantrum was people seeing you. But when you got sad at night it was horrible for someone to know how upset you were.

"Is it my fault?" Sebastian asked quietly, chewing on his lower lip anxiously. Even in the darkness Jim could see that his blue eyes weren't cross at all. They looked…kind.

Jim sniffled and wiped his nose on his sheets. "No, don't be an idiot," he berated the boy.

Sebastian swallowed. "Oh. Right. I thought it was because of what I said to you about Hell," he mumbled, hanging his head in shame.

For some reason that made Jim laugh and his expression changed instantly as he began to giggle. He placed a hand over his mouth to mute the noise. Sebastian looked confused and pleased and had started to blush. Usually he hated people laughing at him, but Jim was so little and sad that it didn't matter when he did it.

"I already knew all about Hell before you told me," he informed Sebastian, wriggling in his sheets and rolling his eyes cheekily at him. "My Mummy and Daddy used to read the Bible all the time. They said I was a sinner."

Sebastian's mouth dropped open in shock. "That's what my Father said to me!" he told Jim quickly, his surprise making him rush his words.

"It's all lies," Jim reassured Sebastian, reaching out to stroke his blond hair. He decided he liked it and then patted Seb's head as though he were a dog. Jim had always wanted a dog.

"How do you know I'm not a sinner?" Sebastian asked eagerly, ignoring the way Jim was patting his head. "Are you sure"

"Of course I'm sure," he drawled, having now completely forgotten about his sadness. "Silly Sebastian. I know because you came up here to see me and because you tried to save me from Hell."

Sebastian's blue eyes widened and he nodded his head, suddenly feeling less afraid than he had done before.

Jim giggled again and snuggled back into his duvet, wrapping himself up like a caterpillar. "Now hush," he commanded the blonde boy in a bossy little voice. "I need my beauty sleep."

"Oh, yeah, sure," Sebastian mumbled, smiling slightly at the odd phrase Jim had just used. He wondered where he'd got it from. Maybe from his mother?

Jim closed his eyes and hummed slightly. He had an expectant look on his face and Sebastian didn't know what to do. He supposed he should climb back down the ladder now and leave him in peace.

"Night then, Jim, " he mumbled, leaning down to press a light kiss to the little boy's pale forehead. He then proceeded to disappear back to his own bed, leaving Jim staring up at the ceiling with wide brown eyes.