Chapter Ten

Dave knocked on the door of Kriss' quarters, when no one answered he opened the door himself. The only person in the room was Chloë, she had been sent by Kriss to find Dave so they could tell him about Yvonne

"Ah, right on time" Chloë snapped "you are wanted"

"Why?" Dave asked, "What's wrong?"

"She's dead!" Chloë wiped her tears away with the sleeve of her top "Yvonne is dead!"

"How?" Dave asked, "How did she die?"

"She fell off the bridge in the cargo bay," Chloë told him "the bridge gave way as she stepped on it!"

"Holy smeg" Dave shook his head "hard luck"

"Is that all you can say Dave?" Chloë screamed, "my stepmother is lying dead in the medibay and all you can say is 'hard luck'?"

"Well, yeah" Dave answered

"She's mum's best friend!" Chloë yelled

"So?" Dave answered, "She's not my best friend!"

"You're not bothered by this at all are you?" Chloë taunted, "You're glad she's dead!"

"Hey" Dave shouted, "I'm not glad she's dead!"

"Yes you are" Chloë hissed, "You're glad that mum and dad are hurting just like you are!"

Dave reached out to Chloë and held her by the hair "you take that back young lady or I'll hit you!"

"Go on then" Chloë replied "hit me, I'm not scared of you like last time!"

"Fine" Dave pulled back his fist and struck her on the cheek. Chloë was bleeding and in terrible pain, but she didn't care, she didn't cry or even put her hand to her cheek. She wasn't going to show her pain. That was what Dave wanted!

"I'm still not scared of you" Chloë hissed "hit me again"

"I can't" Dave said softly "Chloë, I can't hit you!"

"It's more fun when its mum you're attacking and she's cowering in the corner, isn't it"

"I'm sorry Chloë" Dave sniffed "I'm sorry"

"I hate you Dave" Chloë screamed, "I hate you!"

"Come on Chloë, Dave responded, "I've been like a father to you!"

"No you haven't" Chloë answered back "and you don't need to be, I've got my own father and he's ten times better than you are!"

"Who was there to help your mum with you when you were born eh?" Dave asked her "who changed your nappies and held you when you cried?"

"Fine, Dave" Chloë snapped "but ask yourself this, who was it who beat my mother up and left her for dead eh, you think about that"

Dave lifted his fist to Chloë and struck her lip. Chloë wanted to cry, she wanted to scream out for her mum and tell her what Dave had done to her. But Chloë knew that if she did that Kriss would be the next person to be attacked and Chloë didn't want that. Dave was still beating her, Chloë blocked out the attack by thinking about other things. Chloë remembered the first attack. She was so grateful to Kriss for probably saving her life. She then thought about the past six years. Kriss hadn't told anyone but Chloë knew that Kriss and Dave's marriage hadn't been all love and affection. Chloë thought back to certain times, when she heard screaming and crying. She remembered Alicia asking what was wrong and Kriss telling them that she'd hurt herself on the bunks or walked into a door, but Chloë knew the truth. Chloë was grateful to her mother for not letting the abuse be apparent and keeping Chloë's brothers and sisters away from it all. Chloë thought about the hell Kriss must've gone through to protect her and her siblings, and prayed that she never had to go through that.

When Chloë came back to reality she was on the floor and Dave was gone. Chloë tried to move her arm but the pain was too much. Chloë knew she couldn't give up, Dave hadn't finished, and he was looking for someone else to beat up. Who though? Alicia, Izzy, Kriss? Chloë couldn't deal with that, if Kriss were beaten up then the baby would be hurt too. That was too much, Chloë couldn't' allow that, she had to try and stop it. With this in mind Chloë found the strength in her body to get up and find everyone else before Dave did.

Chloë staggered into her room and looked in the mirror. Chloë had to do a double take because she didn't recognise herself. Her face was smeared with blood. Her hair was all knotted and her lip and both of her eyes were swollen. It hurt her to walk, it hurt her to talk, it even hurt her to breathe. But somehow she managed to get to the officer's club, where she found everyone. As she walked in Kriss' hand shot to her mouth

"Chloë" she gasped "who did this to you?"

"Dave," Chloë croaked, "he's really hurt me mum!"

"I know Chloë" Kriss responded, "I'm sorry darling"

"He can't stay mum" Chloë pleaded "get rid of him please!"

"I've left him" Kriss told her "what more can I do?"

"Send him away" Chloë pleaded "put him on Starbug and send him away before this happens again"

"How did this start Chloë?" Arnold asked, "What did you say?"

"I told him that you are a better dad than him" Chloë answered "but that doesn't mean that what he's done is right"

"No, you're right" Arnold agreed "but he doesn't like it when people say I'm better than him at anything, especially his parenting skills"

"You don't beat your stepchildren up though, do you?" Chloë asked him "you're my dad, he's not at all, he used to be, but not anymore"

"If I send Dave away" Kriss interrupted "what about the others?"

"Who?" Chloë "who are you worried about?"

"Llewey, Jim-Bexley, Alicia, Damien, Izzy and this one" Kriss rubbed her emerging bump "they need to know their father!"

"They'll be next" Chloë pleaded "or Theo"

"Chloë, I…" Kriss started

"No, mum" Chloë shouted "if you're willing to let your husband attack your children then fine, but I don't want him to be here, listen to me mum, I'm your daughter!"

"Okay" Kriss smiled "you're just like your dad in that way"

"What's that?" Chloë asked

"If there's a problem, get rid of it" Kriss joked "but I know you're right this time!"

"So what are you going to do mum?" Chloë croaked, "are you going to get rid of him?"

"Yeah" Kriss promised, "I'll ask him to leave!"