Danny drove Linda and his siblings back to their house. Erin, Joe, and Jamie didn't know what had happened with Linda; they just thought her mom was working, and she was going to hang out at their house until after dinner. It had happened before, it wasn't weird that it was happening now.

As normal, the siblings said hello to Mary, gave the usual monosyllabic response to the question how was school? before grabbing their desired snack and heading up to do thier homework.

Mary sighed, then smiled when she saw Linda standing next to Danny. "Hello, dear. Mom working late again?"

Linda nodded, hoping Mary couldn't see that she had been crying. No one else had noticed.

She tilted her head, feeling the tension in the air. "Is everything okay?"

She forced a smile and nodded. Turning to Danny, she said, "I'm going to head up."

"Okay, I'll be up in a minute."

Mary waited until Linda was out of ear shot, "okay, tell me what's going on."

He sighed, "Linda's dad came back last week, I guess, and... beat her."

Her eyes widened, "what?"

"Yeah. He poured whiskey all over her, then slapped her around because it was crappy whiskey."

"That's terrible!'

"I know. She wasn't in school for an entire week. He must;ve done a number on her."

"You look like there's more to this story."

Danny sighed and sat at the island, "the last time it happened, I promised not to tell. I told her if it happened again, I'd tell Dad. Now it's happened again, and I'm not so sure."

"About telling Dad?"

"You didn't see her, Mom. She was scared when I said I'd let Dad know. I don't think she wants it to stop."

"She wants him to keep hurting her?"

"I don't know... she told me child services would take her away. I think that's what sje's scared about. Being taken away from everything and everyone she knows."

"She could stay with her grandmother," Mary's brain was already planning a way for Linda to keep a normal life but get out of that house.

"She could."

"What about her brother?"

"Jimmy? He's eighteen already. He's fine." He stood up, "I should go up now. I'll try talking to her again."

Mary watched Danny exit the kitchen, then heard him run up the stairs. She frowned; somehow she had a feeling there was more to this story than Danny was telling her.

Danny entered his room, confused about the lack of Linda. Where did she go? He peered over her opened notebook, noting it had some fresh wet spots. Was she crying again?

"There's not much there," Linda's voice was hoarse as she walked back into the room.

"Are you okay?"

"Let's do homework."

"Are you okay?"

"How much do you have?"

Danny raised his voice, "are you okay?"

"Am I okay? Gee, let me think.." her voice was mean and sarcastic. "No!"

"You don't need to be sarcastic about it."

"You don't need to pry into my business."

He tried telling himself she was upset; she wouldn't act that way otherwise. He let it be, not wanting to make her feel even more upset.

After dinner, Danny's siblings went back to their homework or the current books they were reading. He and Linda stayed at the table.

Frank looked at them, "Mary tells me you've got something to tell me, Danny."

He looked at Linda who almost looked betrayed. How was he supposed to tell Frank now? "It's... not important." He was going to be in so much trouble for openly lying to his father.

"Linda?"

She cast her blue eyes at Frank. She had to look away- he looked too mad. "Nothing. It's nothing."

He sighed quietly, "which one of you is going to tell me the truth?"

"It's nothing!" Linda insisted, her voice slowly choking with tears.

"Daniel?"

Shit, he thought before figuring out a way to avoid punishment but also keep Linda's wish.

"I'm waiting."

Linda could see Frank getting more impatient while Danny figured out what to say. When Frank said Danny's middle name as well with a warning tone, she blurted out, "promise not to hurt him!"

"What was that?" Frank questioned, not expecting that at all.

"What was that?" Danny echoed, equally surprised.

"If I tell you, will you promise not to hurt him?"

"Linda, I don't-"

"Promise!" She sounded desperate.

"I- I promise. What's going on?"

She swallowed before taking in an encouraging breath. "My dad hits me. The last time it happened, I told Danny. Well, he actually figured it out himself," her voice was even and her eyes were focused on the table wood. "I made him promise not to tell. And he didn't. But he said next time Tony hit me, he would tell."

"It happened again, Dad," Danny spoke up, wanting to hold his girlfriend. "Really bad this time. She missed a week of school."

"What did he do?" Frank wondered, watching Linda put her hands in her lap.

"He beat her!" Danny had a weren't you listening? tone in his voice.

"Yes, Danny, I know that. But how did he beat you?"

Linda whimpered and the tears came fast. She only sat there, waiting for Frank to tell her how she couldn't cry like that. She stood up after a moment, fleeing to the kitchen.

"Linda," Danny followed her. "Dad wants to help you."

She whipped around, ready to tell him Frank wasn't going to give her the help she needed, when her vision blurred and her knees buckled.

Danny was quick to catch her, "Linda!"

She only cried harder, not noticing Frank coming in.

"What happened?"

"I don't know," Danny picked her up. "She just... collapsed."

She hid her face against his neck as he took her to the couch where Mary was waiting for them.

"What happened?" Mary stood up, shocked.

Danny tried to put Linda down, but she whimpered loudly and clung tighter to him. He sat with her in his lap.

"She collapsed," Frank said, sitting in his normal chair. "Linda, we can't let you go back to that house."

She said something, her voice muffled and full of tears.

"Her dad doesn't live there anymore," Danny said. "He only shows up when he wants something from her dad."

"Does your mom know about what he does?" Mary asked, her voice soft and calm despite how she felt inside.

Linda nodded against Danny, wanting to curl up and die.

"She does," Danny filled in. "But she doesn't care. She thinks Linda's exaggerating, making up stories for attention."

"I would never do that!" Linda's voice was loud.

"I know that, sweetie." Mary answered. "But we can't let you stay there anymore. It's not right."

"You can stay here again tonight," Frank said. "Tomorrow, we'll do something about this."

"In the mean time, you just try to relax. Danny, why don't you get a bath ready?" Mary was a firm believer in baths being the ultimate de-stresser. He firmly disagreed; a bath would be the last thing he wanted. Little did he know his future wife would share his mother's belief.

That did sound really nice.

"Linda, come with me, please."

Reluctantly, she peeled herself away from Danny and followed Mary into the kitchen. She was surprised when Mary hugged her tightly.

"We love you, Linda, and we're sure as heck going to do everything we can to make you feel safe."

That only made the tears come again.

Danny offered to sleep somewhere else that night, so Linda could have his bed, but she insisted he stay with her. He held her, again with her insistence, wondering what to say. Should he say anything? "I'm sorry your parents are a couple of f***s."

That somehow made her smile a little. "I'm glad your parents are super parents. Especially Mary."

"I asked her once why she was like that, and she told me not to be so nosy. I guess she was used to comforting people and inviting them into her home."

Silence followed for a few minutes until Linda spoke again. "I'm sorry I'm such a pain in the ass."

"You're not a pain."

"Sure I am."

"No you're not. Stop saying that."

She wanted to insist she was, but wanting to sleep took over. Sleepily, she told him, "you're a good boyfriend. I love you."

"I love you too. Tomorrow will be better."

She wasn't so sure.

Rosita Mancini had just finished her breakfast when there was a knock on the door. She frowned; who'd be here this early?

"Nonna, it's me," Linda called out almost meekly.

"Miele," Rosita met Linda in the foyer, her brow furrowing when she saw Frank- was that his name?- as well. "Signor Reagan?"

Frank talked as Linda hugged her grandmother. "Linda's father has been beating her again. She missed a week of school this time."

"He said he'd stop. He swore he would."

"He lied. Linda is pretty adamant we don't press charges."

"Throw his ass in jail."

Frank's eyebrows raised. For some reason, he didn't peg Rosita as a swearer.

"Just leave him be, Nonna. It's not worth it."

Rosita said something in Italian to Linda, who answered with the same tired tone as before. Rosita said more in a tone Frank recognized as don't argue.

The teenager sighed, "Si, Nonna." She turned to Frank and gave him a hug. "I'll be alright. Thank you for everything."

He watched her walk upstairs, presumably to her room.

"Linda's going to rest some now," Rosita told Frank. "But I want to talk to you about Tony. Are you free at lunch?"

"I think I am."

"Good. Meet me at Joe's Coffee. 12:00."