Hello again :) , I went though putting in capitals and some grammar, sorry if I left errors but as long as its still readable, Next chapter we meet Montgomery. also I apologize in advance but i have no idea how social services work and i just made it easier for me to write, I cant wait till I get to there teenage years I have lots of ideas.

Rick slowly moves in to the house looking around taking it all in it's like nothing he's seen, he moves around the house and finds the kitchen where Kate is still waiting Johanna comes in and moves around him to Katie's side she takes her food out of the oven using the oven mit, she puts it on the counter and helps Kate up on the stool.

"Thanks mammy".

Joanna gives her a kiss on her temple and gives rick a smile, and points to the stool opposite indicating for him to take a seat. He gives her a small smile and walks to stool he looks at it.

How am I going to get up there?

Looking around for anything to help, because he's so small, Martha sees his position and puts her hands out, rick looks his mam did it to help him up on the counter, Maratha sees a flash of hurt run across his face for a brief-moment then back to neutral, rick slowly picks up his arm wincing when his jumper scrapes across his cuts, Martha carefully picks him up under his arm and puts him on the stool, wincing again as she does so.

"Why don't you take that horrible jumper off its obviously not comfortable" says Martha.

"Ummm" rick doesn't really-want to but is scared to say no, so he gently picks up the hem of his jumper he doesn't have anything under it, he looks around at their faces, over his shoulder at Johanna and Katie then back a Martha for a moment then lifts his jumper over his head, he winces at the stretch in his side.

Martha and Joanna are taken back by the number of scars and busies running across his back, chest and stomach, he was sickening skinny they could see his bones though his skin.

Joanna: Domestic abuse, Can't imagine what he went though, although I do get a good idea from his back, he needs a good meal, he must be scared.

Martha: Poor kid, I really want to help him, he obviously has no one else left, I wonder why he only picked his food at the diner?

Kate looked up from her food because the everyone was quite for while she saw ricks back and looked at her mam.

"Mammy he's got lots of boo boos"

That seemed to snap the women out of there trance they looked at each other and back at rick who was looking to his hands in his lap holding his jumper.

"Rick who did this to you".

"Mam" pointing to the long cuts along his arms, and long one that goes around his chest, stomach and back, head still pointed to his lap "Da…Colin and people" pointing to the circler blistered and pick skin also his buries on his ribs and stomach, tears in his eyes he won't let fall.

"Mammy why did his mammy and daddy do that".

"Eat your dinner baby".

"Why?".

Always wants to know something I can't explain to her.

"Eat your dinner baby, Rick do you want some"

Rick weakly turns around, giving Martha a view of his back, Rick weakly nods at Joanna, scared if he talks he'll cry, Joanna gets a bowl and fills it with chicken and vegetables, she pushes it in front of him, he looks up at Joanna like he seeking approval like he did it the diner, she gives him an encouraging smile and nods.

"Thank you".

He looks back at his food then at the fork, he's never used a fork in his life until diner his food normally just gets food thrown at him, and his mam occasionally sneaks stuff to him past Colin or when he's out.

"Just use your fingers if you want" Rick startled at Joanna's voice, almost falling off his chair but Martha was fast to grab him and stable him, Rick screamed in pain as Martha grabbed his side to stable him, everyone jumped but at the sudden noise Katie manged to grab her food before it went over the side of the counter, Rick had jumped of the stool on to the floor, tears falling down his face hugging himself with his arms crossed over holding his sides.

"Im sorry im so sorry sory soy" words started Suring as he was fighting for breath though the pain and tears taking a breath "please don't hurt me" repeated over and over again he's now on the floor in a ball back up against the counter hugging his knees, hiding his face as he carries on the chant.

Kate jumps off her stool and goes around the counter kneels in front of Rick and gives him a hug, rick jumps and first but looks up and hugs Kate back holding on like she's life, the adults long forgotten they sit there and hug until ricks sobs quieten down, he nuzzles in to her neck smelling her hair, she goes to let go but he holds on, so she puts her chin on his shoulder they sit there for 10 minutes but it feels to fast to get up, Kate looks in to his blue eyes and he looks straight back he give her the biggest smile he has ever done in his life and she just beams one right back at him.

Yeah I'm going to be just fine.

Kate picked up his hand they both got to their feet Kate pulled him over to couch grabbed the TV remote and sat down, Rick followed her actions and sat down next to her, they watched TV for 5 minutes when Martha comes in.

"Rick you have 35 minutes to have a shower and change until the police comes, wash your hair then we'll patch up that huge gash down your side I can see blood picking out of it".

Rick nods while Martha passes him clean clothes.

"Bathroom is that way" pointing to the door on the left "You should find shampoo and shower gel in there we forgot to grab some while we were out but me, Joanna and Katie won't mind you using one of ours" given them both a smile "Joanna is making your bed up Katie can show you it later if you're out and dressed before the police come" looking at Kate for approval, she gives a smile and a nod.

Rick nod gets up and pushes open the bathroom door, he looks at the shower.

How do I work this, should I get Kate, no I can't do that can I.

After a minute arguing with himself he wonders out to the lounge where Kate is still sitting on the couch, Rick clears his throat Kate turns around with a smile she looks him up and down.

"mmm can't turn on the shower or reach?" with a teasing smirk.

"b.. both" with a small shy smile.

"come on".

She grabs his hand again, pulls him in to the bathroom and shows him how to turn it on and off and puts a safe stool down for him to reach the taps, and walks back out.

Rick tries to wash as best as he could his out hurting his gash on his side, he didn't realise how dirty and greasy his hair was, he spent most of the time washing it.

He got out 20 minutes later feeling more human he quickly dried and dressed feeling clean like never before feeling 10times lighter than before, hair flopping in his eyes.

I need to get it cut

He walks out of the bathroom smiling, it's been so long since he last smiled his jaw was aching after a couple of seconds this was quickly turning in to the best day ever for Rick, he can't help but feel abit guilty for enjoying his day because his mam is dead but she always said at least she would be at peace with herself and will always watch over him, let no one else hurt him, he silently thanked her for letting him run in to Martha and Joanna in the street.

He puts Colin repeated threat behind him because his mother always told him she won't be letting that happen, she may have failed in life but she always promised to be there when she goes and all her promises came though even if the treatment got worse for the both of them.

The first person he seen was Martha on the stool next to the counter talking to Joanna with a first aid kit on the counter Joanna smiled at him looking over Martha's shoulder, Martha turned on the stool and beamed at the smiling boy.

"Well don't you look happy and clean" Martha beamed.

Rick nodded happily and walked over to them he was about to get up on the stool with help from Joanna when there was a knock at the door, Katie run though the kitchen to the front door while Martha follows her, they open the door 1 police woman, a women and a man.

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it,