Trigger warnings: forced drug-taking, implied intention of rape

A boxy green car with a dented left hand side, a result of reckless driving, turned the corner somewhat quietly for such an old car. It slowed as it approached the water, slipping silently along the road. A man in a white shirt and black pressed trousers walked straight towards it on the opposite pavement and the driver fought temptation to swerve across and onto the pavement, but he knew it would make him late for a very important date. At least the coast was clear.

Dylan's breath came quickly as he continued to pace along towards the park where he and Ben had walked Dervla most days since his adoption, save the days when Lofty just couldn't seem to get out of bed or move at all, when his mood had been so low he described it as a "flat line". Dylan winced at the thought of his son having kept it secret from his mother for so long, who for one wouldn't ever allow him a day away from school, even when he was vomiting.

He glanced down at his watch and stopped. He thought back to the conversation between himself and Will the night before; he had work in twenty minutes, but he still didn't know where Ben had gone – he had no choice. Dialling the number, he stood tapping his foot in frustration until, finally, after the sixth ring, Ben answered, voice quiet and clouded with sadness.

"Sorry Dad…" He sounded distant, Dylan thought and then it hit home how extreme what he'd done was. Ben was right before, it was all very well Dylan saying sorry, but he hadn't really been sorry, had he? He hadn't cared; he'd been selfish and angry and made a big mistake.

"Ben… Don't be. I can fix this okay?"

"Why did you do it Dad?"

"I thought…" Dylan swallowed, "I thought it might help you if we just got it out the way"

"I told you, I specifically told you no Dad. I said no."

"Where are you?"

"At home"

"Oh"

"Stop ignoring the problem. Why did you do it when I told you no? You shouldn't have done that!"

"I know" Guilt laced Dylan's voice, "There's no excuse for what I did, I'm sorry…"

"Yeah"

"I'll cancel the slot once I get in."

"Thanks" Lofty replied flatly, "Have a good day Dad" He hung up and Dylan breathed out, pocketing his phone, maybe that had gone better than he thought it had? Ben hadn't shouted at him or told him he hated him. He took a deep breath and continued the walk to the hospital, speeding up now so as he wasn't late.

Lofty placed his phone on the kitchen counter and let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. The tension shook in his muscles and he dropped his head down to his outstretched palms, letting out a small whimper into them. His body slackened slightly. Why couldn't he just have the surgery? It frustrated him that it'd been all he'd wanted, yet now it was allowed, he couldn't just do it. Subconsciously, Lofty pushed a hand up his shirt and under his sports bra, feeling the scars he'd left just over a month ago. He'd wanted it then, and he wanted it now, he just couldn't.

A sob rose up his throat, so loud he didn't hear the footsteps entering the kitchen until they were on top of him.

All the air was knocked from Lofty's lungs as he hit the floor, pulling the knife block down with him as his reflexes forced him to try and prevent himself from falling. The back of his head cracked sickly against the tiles, but he couldn't feel any pain through it; only focus on the man in the balaclava who straddled his pathetic, struggling body.

"I do hate to make an entrance such as this" The man cooed, "But oh how I missed my girly girl after mummy got put in prison" He drew the end of the word "prison" out, still sounding too sweet, and making Lofty cringe in fear.

"A-Alex?" His voice shook as the man swept the balaclava from his face and smiled down at him, his brown eyes glistening.

"Hey babygirl" he whispered in reply, "I heard you got mummy in trouble"

"Hey Dylan" David skipped across the ED to the staffroom where Dylan trudged across to the microwave with a cold cup of tea. "You okay?" His tone turned serious as he clocked the expression plastered across his husband's face.

"Yup" Dylan sighed, his gaze not quite meeting David's eyes. "When are you off shift?"

"Two more hours… It's been a long'un"

"Hm. Well at least you have the next two days off…"

"Give me some time to bond with Ben, won't it?" David smiled, making his way back to the door, still wielding a folder. "I'll catch up with you later"

"Yeah okay" Dylan forced a smile, before turning back to the now pinging microwave, "Have a good rest-of-shift"

Alex pinned Lofty against the kitchen counter, sneering into his face as he took a pill from his pocket.

"Swallow this!" he hissed menacingly, "Then, we're gonna have some fun…"

"W-what is it?" Lofty wanted to cry, but he knew better than to show his fear like that. He thought he was free from the constant terror, and maybe if he'd not argued with his Dad this morning, he'd be in the staffroom, working over his maths homework while Dylan microwaved endless cups of tea.

"Never you mind what it is" Alex sneered, pushing the pill dry against Lofty's lips, "It'll hurt a whole lot more if you don't take it…"

"N-not p's'n" Lofty mumbled against the cold white mass, his lips forced shut so tightly they turned pale-y purple at the edges.

"I'm not a necrophiliac" Alex scoffed, laughing as Lofty's eyes widened with realisation. "Enough with the foreplay, I'm bored" he snapped, eyes turning from playful to terrifying in seconds. He shoved his knee between Lofty's legs, forcing him to open his mouth as he screamed in pain, before dropping the pill so it fell down Lofty's throat, which swallowed automatically at the presence of the solid.

Lofty panted in fear as his temperature rocketed almost immediately.

"Oh babygirl, I forgot you're underweight" Alex laughed, "Looks like it won't take so long to kick in eh?"

Lofty fell to the floor in anguish, pocketing his phone swiftly as he slid his hand from its grip on the kitchen counter into his pocket deftly, without notice. A small part of him screamed at his own stupidity at not letting go of the surface earlier, as it would've thrown Alex off balance.

"P-please" He gasped, sweating as black spots appeared in his vision, "Tell me… What was it?"

"Just a little spice, girly girl" Alex plucked at Ben's hoodie, licking his lips. "We warned you that you'd lose your dignity should anyone find out…" He revealed a video camera with the red light now green. Lofty's eyes widened. "Where's your dignity gonna go with the entire male population watching you squirm?"

Lofty wished he'd died all those years ago when his mother had pushed him down the stairs.

Dylan leant in to kiss his husband as they parted at the entrance to the ED. David's long shift was finally over, and Dylan hadn't yet told him about what had happened with Ben – He was sure they'd have a long conversation tonight, now he'd cancelled the theater slot, and he knew he was still guilty for his impulsive actions, but for now at least he could enjoy the calmness of kissing his husband goodbye. Suddenly, a Nokia standard ringtone burst loudly from his trouser pocket and he pulled away just before their lips made contact.

"It's Ben?" His tone was questioning as he answered tentatively, wondering if his son was going to demand to be fostered by someone else. What he didn't expect to hear was the slurred sobs of a half-conscious boy.