Nine

A/N: Depressing chapter, sorry.

Mia, Rick and Summer were sat in the girls room. Rick was trying to place Summer's nose back in place. He cracked it back. "Ow!" Summer exclaimed. "that hurt." Rick glared at her.

"And it didn't earlier," he said sarcastically. Summer just raised her eyebrows.

"That was brave what you did but why?" Mia asked.

"They are so little. Those monsters are almost 16. They can't pick on the little ones. Also I saw the amount of bruises on them and I assumed they were from other fights that the older ones had caused," Summer explained. "I don't think it's fair. Josh and that lot shouldn't be able to do that." Mia nodded.

"I know but Denis doesn't care. I mean you saw his response to your fight. He didn't even bat an eyelid at the blood you were losing," Mia commented. Rick nodded.

"Hey at least you two know first aid," Summer said happily. Rick looked at Summer.

"You seem to be really protective and caring towards little ones. Why?" Rick asked.

Summer looked at her feet. "That's a long story." Mia and Rick looked expectantly at Summer. "I was the oldest of three. When I was really little mum got a boyfriend who tried to hurt me. Mum got pregnant with Ophelia, my little sister by 4 years, with this man. After mum gave birth two years later she started getting drunk and had a drug addiction. As a result she became violent and abusive towards me and Ophelia. Social services came round and threatened to take us away because every day we'd be late to school, we'd have bruises. I even had a broken foot and mum couldn't be bothered to take me to hospital. I was overprotective of Ophelia then. Luckily mum got her act together and stopped taking drugs and alcohol and was better. Then one night when I was nine mum went out and didn't come back until the morning. She'd found another man and had got herself pregnant again. Nine months later my little brother Jamie was born. However this was the start of mums slippery slope. She kept getting drunk and staying out and never cared about us. So I had to learn, quickly. On how to look after young kids and first aid and everything. When they came home from being bullied about having a mum who didn't care I had to go to the school and sort it out and stick up for them. They were my only family that I really cared about and I had to help them. Mum didn't care so I had to and I hated seeing them sad or seeing them getting hurt. That's why I stood up for them," Summer told them. Rick looked at her.

"So where are you brother and sister now?" he asked. Summer looked at her feet and almost cried.

"They... They're dead. They drowned. The day after my 13th birthday, it was Ophelia's ninth birthday and mum was drunk, so we took her to the park to get her sober. Ophelia fell in the lake whilst feeding the ducks, mum went in to get her, the pair of them drowned. Then Jamie ran in. I tried to stop him but he bit me. He drowned too," Summer told them, tears welling up in her eyes. Mia put her arm around Summer.

"I'm sorry Summer. I didn't mean to upset you," Rick said. Denis came in.

"Oh I'm so sorry Summer that you killed your own family," Denis mimicked. Mia and Rick both glared at him shocked. "it's dinner. Thought I'd let you know." Summer just stared stunned at the place where Denis had been.

"he's right you know. I could have stopped it. I killed them," Summer cried. Mia and Rick sat down next to her.

"No he's not. Now let's go get some dinner," they comforted her. She nodded her head and followed them downstairs.