Just friends getting together?

Rose sat at the kitchen table while Alec's aunt went back in the sitting room.

"I think you all need to hear what Rose has to say."

"Where is she, has she gone?" Alec panicked as he got up.

"No Alec, she's still here," he was reassured, his dad grabbing his arm.

"Keep calm Alec, she wouldn't leave just like that."

"I'll bring her in then? She had something to ask me, which I need to discuss with your uncle," she told Alec.

Alec already knew what it was and John had an idea.

"She asked if she could stay here?" Alec's dad wanted to know, looking at Alec. "Alec?"

"She was going to ask when she turned sixteen, she wanted to leave Dad, she does not think of where she is staying as home, she never has."

His dad looked at his sister-in-law.

"I had an idea she would and Alec knows the reason she's not asked if she can stay with us. The both of you are too young, it would not be proper. I know she spends a lot of time with us and here Alec but staying is different. I will leave you to discuss it Mary."

"Is that what you want us to hear from Rose?" John wondered.

"No, it's something very disturbing. She can't stay there much longer, that's all I'm saying and I really do feel sorry for her, you know that, Alec?"

Alec nodded, wanting to get to see Rose. He knew when they were apart he felt sad and so did she. He also knew she needed some space from time to time but leaving her where she was living was getting him down. Every time he left her downstairs or outside her door, he just wanted to take her home with him, rather than her face Bob and his weird friends.

Rose rested her head on the kitchen table, wondering what the others would think of what Alec's aunt had just said. She knew things were getting serious at home, she dreaded to think her mother had been taken in by it all, to think it was normal, she knew no different. She sat up as the door opened. It was John.

"Rose, you'd better come with me. We've just been told what you and my mum discussed and we're all concerned about you. We all half expected it would come to this," he told her as he sat opposite. "As one of your teachers, I should report what's going on where you live."

"How can you?" Rose asked as she flopped her head on the table again.

"Rose, look at me," he encouraged her. "We want to help you. Things are getting more serious and you know it. How long have you been planning to ask if you can stay here when you're old enough to leave home?"

"A while," she admitted. "What your mum just told me though, could that be what Bob and his friends are up to? They think I'll be too old at sixteen so they're getting desperate?"

"Maybe? They are hanging around, waiting to see if Bob can persuade you to join in whatever they have going. They're wanting you to make friends with this Jimmy and you know why. They seem to think because you have a boyfriend you'll be more willing to go along with it. They want to get you and him involved with whatever they have planned."

"Yeah, I gathered that," Rose sighed, wanting to see Alec.

"They are already mentally abusing you Rose, with that alone I could raise questions with the authorities, as your teacher. Proving they are sexually abusing you and the other teenagers involved though is something else. Maybe that's their intention, we have no proof. Maybe they are trying to scare you so you'll give in?" John wondered.

"I want to see Alec," Rose looked up again.

"We're all in this Rose, come on, I think my mother has already made her mind up," John grinned.

Alec was on the edge of the chair, his dad watching him.

"Leave it to your cousin," he told Alec. "She trusts him."

Alec got up though when the door opened and Rose stood in the doorway.

"Come and sit here," Alec encouraged her as he got up.

His dad was sat in the other chair, his aunt and uncle were sat on the sofa so Rose took the seat and Alec sat on the chair arm, putting his hand on Rose's shoulder, which comforted her somewhat.

"I know what you're all gonna say," Rose spoke up. "John said Bob should be reported."

"Yes, he should," Alec's dad agreed.

"We all think so," his aunt spoke again. "Rose, all we could offer you is a tiny room we made for Alec a while ago. We never know when Peter is going to turn up but I'll speak to him about it, see if he's willing to give his room up."

"I don't want to cause any trouble," Rose replied.

"If he doesn't agree, well I know you spend a lot of time with Alec, it will only be a place to sleep," his aunt told her. "The main thing is though, you will be safe and at the end of the day, that's what we all want. How long is it to your birthday?"

"About a month after Alec's" Rose replied. "That means I've got about six weeks or so. Geez, what have they got planned, if they're running out of time?"

She leaned into Alec's side, Alec hoping no-one would say anything.

"It's okay Rose, we won't let anything happen to you," he tried to console her. "Aunt Mary, can't Rose just tell her mother she's staying here for a while?"

"It's not that easy Alec," John replied for his mother. "A week, then yes but we don't know how Bob will react. He could use her mother against her and she'll think nothing of it. Alec said you had trouble last night Rose."

"Don't remind me," Rose sighed. "Are they even serious? Like I'd ever join in with whatever they get up to. Mum will never say anything when I ask her. She just laughs and says they were joking around about when the kids grew up. She just doesn't see anything wrong."

"It's Bob, making her think it's what friends do," John told her.

"I'm going to do something about it, when I'm older and in the police," Alec spoke up, making Rose smile.

"We know you will Alec," his dad told him.

"Yeah, when you make detective inspector," John laughed. "I wish I could think of a way of approaching child services with this."

"I'm not a child," Rose protested.

"You're classed as one until you are sixteen," John reminded her. "Sorry, I wasn't implying you acted like a child."

"She knows that," Alec told him, taking her hand.

"The thing is, you can report suspected sexual abuse and mental anguish but they would go straight to Bob and that could make things even worse," John told them. "He could throw the both of you out Rose and being away from home, the authorities may not be willing to re-house you, if your mother's working and able to afford a place."

"She may not even want to stay," Rose thought. "Then what would I do?"

"Don't think that Rose," Alec told her. "She may defend him."

"Yes, Alec's right," John agreed. "If I send anyone from child services, her mother could tell them there's nothing going on and want to know who sent them. She then might even move Rose to another school until she's ready to leave or take her out altogether and make her find a job."

"I was talking to Alec about that," Rose admitted.

"Yes, she mentioned it to me," John's mother told him. "We don't want you to have to leave school Rose. John, you could report it and say Rose has a safe place to stay."

"It may make no difference, if they act quickly and are assured by her mother that nothing's wrong. We have no proof, remember?" John reminded them.

"I could get proof," Rose told them.

"Rose! No, you are not going to get proof," Alec objected.

"Calm down Alec," his dad told him. "Rose, like he said, we do not want you to get proof."

"They're both right," John agreed. "If you did, they'll claim you were complaint, so that's out. You could try and get that Jimmy on his own, see if he'll tell you anything though?"

Alec didn't like either ideas.

"She can't do that," Alec objected. "She's not going anywhere near him on her own."

"Alec, if we can get proof of what's going on," Rose told him.

"Forget it Rose, we'll just get you out of there first, before John sends anyone after them. You can do that, can't you John?" Alec asked him. "Can't you tell them we got Rose out?"

"Alec. It's going to be hard enough as it is," John replied. "I could say Rose came to me and didn't want to stay there I suppose? They may still go after Bob and his friends but it's her mother I'm bothered about, she's got caught up in all of this."

"John, she made her choices," his mother reminded him.

"I have to make her see what's going on," Rose joined in. "Do ya think if I told her I was so worried that I got my teacher onto it?" she wondered.

"You could try Rose," Alec encouraged her, wanting to hug and kiss her. "What do you think she would say?"

"I'm not sure, if Bob's brainwashed her," Rose tried to joke.

"It sounds exactly like what he's done," Alec's dad agreed.

"Rose, try to talk to her," Alec's aunt asked her. "Tell her you're uncomfortable with things and I've invited you to stay for a few weeks. The Easter holiday's are coming up, maybe she'll agree?"

Alec's uncle finally joined in, Rose thinking he'd been quiet so far.

"I agree Mary. Rose should come and stay with us for a while. Rose, you do know I'm a solicitor?"

Rose had no idea what Alec's uncle did for a living but it explained the larger than normal semi-detached house they lived in. She wondered why he'd kept that quiet but so had Alec and John.

"I don't specialise in family law though," he added. "I can look someone up who may be willing to give you some advice, for free."

"Thanks Mr Smith, I'll see what happens. John, I should talk to my mum first, see if she can talk Bob into keeping me out of whatever he's up to."

"Do you think she can?" Alec asked her, putting his arm on the back of the chair and Rose leaning back.

John had to smile at the two of them. They may be invisible in school but not here.

"We have to give her the chance," John agreed, his mother nodding. "I could come round one night after school, when she gets home?"

"We never have much time until Bob got home," Rose told him.

"Well, I'll have to talk fast then," John joked, Rose thinking he already did in science class.

"Let's wait until you've spoken to her then but meanwhile, Rose, yes, you can come and stay with us but it might be the spare room, for now. I'll call Peter, get him to make his mind up if he's ever coming back," Alec's aunt told her. "We expect you to finish school though, no excuses. If you don't get into college, well we'll have to see."

Rose nudged Alec.

"Thanks, it's a few weeks off yet though. I'll just have to manage for now."

"Then come and stay over the next holiday," Alec suggested.

"Yeah, mum can't object to that. I can pop back and see her before Bob gets home. I might have chance to talk to her then? I can maybe tell her why I chose to do it?"

"We should fix a time for me to call and see her," John suggested. "She has to be told Rose."

Rose didn't want to be reminded of the fact.

"Yeah, I know. I hope she takes some notice then. Can we go for a walk Alec?"

"Sure, if you want?"

"Be back for tea," his aunt reminded him. "Rose, don't worry too much but you know why we all want you out of there?"

Alec got up off the chair arm to help Rose, thinking normally he'd get told off for sitting there.

"Yeah, something's going to happen, before my birthday. Bob wasn't going to let Alec in last night when he called for me because I wasn't downstairs. He kept me back on purpose for his friends arriving. Now, it's always the same ones."

Alec wanted to put his arm around her.

"You got out Rose, I know he wasn't going to open the door. I should start calling for you early, a good bit before his friends are due to arrive. Aunt Mary, they somehow got in the building, making it look like I'd left the door open. Rose, there was no way I left it open, they must have got the code somehow."

"I know Alec," Rose tried to assure him. "I bet they saw you that other time and waited until you were going in to make it look like they followed you in. Geez, this is getting even creepier. It's funny that everyone else has stopped calling round."

"We all know why that is," John told them. "That's what they must have decided, to concentrate on that Jimmy."

"Sometimes there's a girl there," Rose told him.

"Rose, they mean to try to make you jealous," John replied, getting nods from his dad and his uncle.

"John's right," Alec's aunt told her. "Either that or they meant to get her to go after Alec."

"What?" Rose had to ask, sitting down again.

"Think about it Rose," his aunt replied. "If Alec calls for you, she might be there as a distraction. Maybe no-one else goes around now because that's what they've agreed. Was the girl there when you got back last night?"

Rose tried to think back, since she'd gone straight to her room.

"She may have been. So they were waiting for me to go back then what?" she dreaded to think.

"Rose, you're old enough to know why," John told her. "She may imply she'll make a play for Alec or be there to try to make you jealous and start implying about this Jimmy."

"Well that won't work," Rose replied, folding her arms.

"We know that," John grinned. "If you ask me, they're all a bit weird and maybe Bob got dragged into it and in turn, got your mother involved. There's no way of knowing."

"I'll find out when I get older and join the police," Alec reminded him.

"We know you will Alec," his aunt reassured him again. "Rose knows you will. Maybe you should stay at Alec's when you get back from town on Saturdays?"

"I was thinking that but I wanted to see my mum for a while. Maybe I'll just go back for an hour then meet you early Alec?" Rose asked him.

"Yes, that's best, I told you that," he smiled, since he'd sat down again.

"We know you want to spend time with your mum," John told her. "We'll fix a time for me to call and see her then or do you want to try again?"

"I can come with you," Alec offered, hoping Rose still wanted to go out. "I can back what you tell her."

"We both can," John suggested. "Don't worry too much Rose."

Rose thought with everyone behind her, she had nothing to worry about. That was until the next day after school when she asked John to drop her at home. Alec got out with her.

"Sure you don't want me to come back when your mum gets home?" John offered as Alec helped her out of the car.

It always made him smile, the way his younger cousin always helped her. He bet Rose could do it herself but she wasn't going to refuse. Rose thought she'd tidy up a bit while they waited, Alec watching her.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked her. "What are you going to say to her?"

"That their friends make me uncomfortable, the way they talk," Rose replied, putting a magazine on the coffee table in the centre of the room. "Mum could never have afforded a place like this, that's why she was so easily led."

"I get that Rose," Alec replied.

"So, you never told me what your uncle did for a living? You kept that quiet," Rose tried to joke, taking his arm.

"Don't change the subject Rose. He'll help you if he can but we have no proof of anything as yet. Bob will be very careful, if John sends anyone round and it may get you into trouble with Bob. John will try to take the blame but you won't get away with it."

"Yeah, I get that Alec, that's why I don't want John to send anyone around. If I can just get by until my birthday, I'll be out and going to your aunt's over Easter will be a big help. I just won't want to come back though."

Alec went up to her, pulling her into a hug.

"I know that Rose, I'm sorry. At least you'll be there for my birthday and I won't have to worry about bringing you back here."

"Yeah, that's something then. I'm moving out, on my birthday."

"You'll have to come back for your things Rose. We can go out for the day, since it's on a Sunday this year. I was thinking about what we can do for your birthday? Maybe John will take us to Edinburgh if we ask him?"

"Yeah, that would be great and maybe we can see a film or something afterwards?"

"We can ask. So, what have you planned for mine then?" he smiled at her and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"It's a surprise, I'm not telling ya. Alec, how do I start to tell my mum what we think's going on?"

"I don't know Rose? We could start with what happened on Saturday night?"

They sprang apart when they heard a door opening. Jackie stood in the hallway as the room door was open.

"Rose, is that you?"

Rose went out, followed by Alec.

"Yeah, hi Mum. Me and Alec, well we wanted to talk to ya."

"If it's about what you two get up to, I don't wanna know Rose. I do know why you got me to take ya to get put on the pill last year though so don't bother denying you've started having sex young lady. For goodness sake, don't let Bob find out."

"Why Mum? Maybe then his creepy friends might stop coming round."

"They're not creepy Rose, that's just you and not all of them come round now," her mother replied.

"Yeah and why's that then? Why is it just that Jimmy and his parents?" Rose wanted to know, Alec putting his hand on her shoulder.

"That's not true Rose, a few others still come round."

"Only the same girl and her parents. Why's that then?" Rose wanted to know.

"How do I know?" her mother protested as Rose and Alec followed her to the kitchen.

"Mum, I think ya know why. Bob wasn't going to let Alec in on Saturday night, you heard him, he wanted me to stay. Stop telling me it's because they ask about me and want me to stay. Why do they want me to stay?"

"Be careful Rose," Alec leaned over to whisper as her mother lit the stove to warm up the food Rose had prepared earlier.

"Rose, all I know is, well Bob said all their kids were growing up together and it made him wish he'd had kids as well. He said he was really lucky he got sent to work on our old estate and he met me."

Rose just bet he was as well.

"Mum, think about it will ya? Why does Bob keep saying he's gonna make me stay? What goes on here?"

"Nothing Rose, we just have a laugh and talk about the kids growing up and what they did."

"Geez Mum, what are ya telling them about me? Don't you need my permission to tell them now I'm older?"

"Rose, I just tell them about what you and Shareen used to get up to, tormenting poor Mickey on your way home from school."

"What? Don't ya see Mum, that's what they want."

"What are you talking about Rose? There's nothing wrong in that. We show each other photos, we're all friends."

"Mum, ya have to stop, I don't want my photos showing around. I thought you'd left them all behind when we moved up here? No wonder the cases were so heavy."

"I only managed one album Rose. I had to bring something and Bob had said he wanted to see them."

"Mum, you have to stop, doesn't she Alec?"

"What's he got to do with it?" her mother asked. "We're all just friends, what do ya think's going on?"

"Mrs Tyler, Rose is worried about what is going on," Alec told her.

"Worried about what? Just because Bob wants a family and to join in with his friends? If anything, ya should be having a go at Jimmy's dad," her mother replied.

"Why?" Rose wanted to know, not liking this in the least.

"Well he's the one who said in the first place that it was a good idea for all the kids to mix with each other. He was saying the other night, we're missing out."

"Then why do they come round Mum?" Rose asked her.

"Well, the others wanted us to join in with them but you were never here so Jimmy's dad thought it would be a better idea if not so many were here, then you might stay."

"Mum, I told ya, I have Alec, why would I want to stay?" Rose almost laughed.

"Well Bob thinks ya should, he says ya should give it a chance. He doesn't think you'll stay with Alec forever, sorry Alec."

"Mrs Tyler, I'm not leaving Rose, even if we don't get to go to college together. Why does he think I'll not be around?" Alec asked her.

"Well I don't know, do I?" Jackie replied.

"He's playing games Mum," Rose told her. "Think about it."

"What are ya talking about Rose? Okay, I won't talk about when you were little or just before we came here, okay?"

"Don't show the photos either Mum and I'm gonna stay at Alec's on Saturday afternoon from now on, I don't want any of your friends following Alec in and he didn't let them in last Saturday. Can't ya see what they're doing? They're trying to turn Bob against Alec."

"Don't be daft Rose, why would they do that? Anyway, me and Bob have been talking lately, about him being responsible for ya."

"You said it was nothing formal," Rose reminded her.

"Well, it's not but he says as you're gettin' older, well you need someone until ya become an adult."

Rose thought Bob would not be her first choice for that role.

"So what does that mean?" Rose asked, wanting to get out before Bob got back, it was bad enough when she came back from Alec's, which was as late as she dare.

"I can't say Rose but he's only doing what he thinks is best for you, it makes sense."

"What makes sense Mum?" Rose wanted to know.

"I told ya, that he takes some responsibility for you."

Rose wanted to say well tough, she was leaving home as soon as she could after her birthday but Alec remained silent as well, would Bob make a move to stop her?