It was the first day of school and Winnie was very calm about it. She got breakfast and got ready in the time it took Dan and Phil both to get up. She was standing by the door loyally as she had made a promise the night before to wait for them.

Dan and phil stepped forward and gave their daughter a hug.

"Have a fun time in Hell." Dan said waving goodbye as their daughter walked down the pavement.

"Dan!" He said slapping his husbands shoulder playfully as they both waved goodbye.

Winnie got to school and was happy, she got through to lunch and was happy. Then it started to go downhill. At lunch a huge probably kid two grades up snatched little Winnie's lunch and wouldn't give it back.

Winnie walked up to the kid. "Why do you have to eat my lunch when you've got your own?" Winnie said, with her five year old innocence, coming close to the bully. The kid stood up and quick as could be punched her in the stomach causing her to fall to the ground. He hurled insults at her till lunch was over, and for the rest of the day Winnie was sad.

Winnie got home late, so late that Dan and Phil started to worry. The kid from earlier had pulled her aside and had beat her up, physically, for about an hour. But when she walked into the house she put a fake smile on her face and acted happy. That night she cried so softly you couldn't hear her from right outside the door.

The next day was the same as the first. The bully beat her up after school and took her lunch. But today Winnie had taken a small plastic knife from the cafeteria. She rolled up her pant leg and made 14 cuts on her leg. One for each insult the bully had said to her. Then she put the knife away and walked away putting the same fake smile on, for her Dads.

This continued on for a while. By now Winnie had been eating less and less and the scratches went up her legs and onto her arms now.

Then one day Winnie hadn't eaten breakfast and she was walking out when Dan said "You won't need that jacket." He said and he pulled it off to see the scratches.

Dan and phil were both quite for a moment, just looking at the scars that went up my arm. "Who?" Dan said. He was a bit angry bit really just afraid of what he thought was happening.

"Me." Winnie said looking down. She pulled out the plastic knife. She saw a silent tear go down Dan's face.

"Why?"

"People at school." It was very obvious now. Winnie was depressed and they hadn't been smart enough to realize it.

Dan hugged the little girl and she broke down. Phil joined in the hug. To be honest he didn't understand depression. This was Dan's knowledge. And Phil knew all he could do now was support Winnie.

"It.. it started the first day." Winnie said. "A bully would beat me up after school and... and take my lunch."

"It's okay Winnie, we understand." Winnie nodded and went up to her room changed into sweat pants and a t-shirt then she came back down.

Winnie's Dads were in the kitchen. She pulled up her pant legs to reveal the scars on her legs.

Dan looked up and down her. "How many are there?"

"65." Winnie replied.

Dan sighed and pushed a plate towards Winnie. "Eat." The plate had a crumpet on it and Winnie carefully reached out and grabbed one.

"I know it's hard at first" Dan said. " But it gets better and you always have me and your papa to help you through it."

Winnie looked up at Dan, her Daddy, "I.. I love you." And she gave her Daddy a hug that lasted a long while and for that moment she was happy.