A/N - the chapters in this story are based on random events over the course of the school year, so there couple be days, weeks or even months between chapters.

Oh and I didn't write the scene where Will tells Marian about him being in care because I'm not really any good at writing stuff like that and I didn't want to mess it all up. Also I apologise if any of the cutsey coupley scenes are crap, I'm no good at that type of stuff. So sorry if any of this chapter sucks.

Chapter Four- Winter Ball.

Will dropped his bag into his seat and then marched over to Robin.

"What the fuck have you being saying about me?" he shoved Robin in the chest.

"Nothing. Just chill out and then I'll talk to you." Robin turned his back on Will.

"No. Talk to me now." Will was breathing heavily, he had to run for the bus this morning, since his dad had confiscated his bike keys. "You spoke to my dad."

"Yeah, cos I'm worried about you. You never show up to classes anymore, you're always hungover, what's going on?"

"Nothing, I just wanna have fun for a bit. You know. Get away from the shit I have to put up with every day." Will turned to walk away, but Robin's words made him stop in his tracks.

"Gisborne and Carter won't stop will they? They're still bullying you?" slowly Will nodded. "Talk to a teacher, tell your dad. They can help you."

Will shrugged and went back to his seat, where he found Allan and Djaq reading a sheet of paper. They looked up at him as he sat down.

"Why didn't you tell us Luke wasn't coming back for Christmas?" Djaq asked.

"Cos it's none of your business that's why? How did you find out anyway?" Allan motioned the sheet in his hand. "You went through my bag? You fucking assholes. How could you?" he snatched it back from them.

"We didn't take it from your bag, the paper kinda fell out when you threw it down. Honest mate."

"Whatever." Will grabbed his bag and walked out, throwing the paper on the floor as he left.

Robin waited until Will had left the room and then grabbed the sheet of paper off the floor. The rest of the gang gathered round as he unscrewed it and they all read the e- mail.

Hey Baby Bro wassup?

Great th ur back wit dad 4 xmas. Wont b back tho. Met a girl in Thai and we're stayin here. Sozza. Make sure Uncle Brett isn't visiting spec afta last yr. Don't want u bein hurt agen.

Mail back. I'll reply wen I can.

Luke.

"That would explain the mood this morning." Robin grinned as Marian walked in.

Marian hugged him and planted a kiss on his cheek. The other five giggled and looked away.

"So Winter Ball is coming up. I take we're all going?" she laughed. The others nodded in response. "And don't worry about Will, I'll make him come too."

"How he's in self destruct mode lately. He won't want to go."

"But if we keep leaving him out all the time, he'll only hate us." Everyone looked at Charm, she had so far said nothing about Will's recent behaviour, but it had obviously been bothering her. "I'll talk to him. Maybe he just needs a friend. Someone who won't judge him." she took the e-mail off Robin and lft to follow Will.

XxXxX

Will was sat on the quay, his head in his hands. He shifted over slightly as someone sat down on the bench next to him. He felt an arm slip around his shoulder and, without looking up, he leaned in and buried his head into Charm's shoulder. She rubbed his back comfortingly and just sat there, listening to him cry softly.

"Shh, shh it's going to ok. Come on Will. Tell me. Let me help." She soothed him gently, trying not to sound invasive.

"Y... y... you can't help me. N... no one can." Will sobbed harder. "They... they... they'll get you too."

"Who? Who will get me?" Charm was worried now.

"Can't say. I don't... I don't want them to hurt you." he looked so scared, like an innocent child. Charm pulled him close and hugged him tighter. "I can't let them hurt you."

"Ok. It's alright. But you have to do something for me. Ok?" she pushed him back slightly and looked deep into his wide, teary eyes. Will nodded. "Stop drinking so much. Be the Will you used to be. Can you do that for me?" he nodded again. "Thank you."

He pulled her close and kissed her, feeling her soft lips touching his sent a warm feeling coursing through his body and he pressed his lips onto hers harder. They sat for several minutes, caught up in the moment, just the two of them, kissing, in a private circle. As the broke apart, Will became vaguely aware of the fact that an old couple sat on the bench next to theirs were watching them and tutting loudly.

"Young people today, no respect, no need for privacy."

Will and Charm burst out laughing.

"Are you ready to head back to school?" Will nodded, taking Charm's hand in his. They stood up and very slowly began to walk back to the school.

"Um... er... Charm... well... um..."

"Come on Will, spit it out." she laughed.

"Will you go to the Winter Ball with me? As my girlfriend?" He closed his eyes, dreading a negative response.

"Will Scarlet, I thought you'd never ask." She wound her arms around his neck and kissed him. "And that was a yes."

XxXxX

Will was nervous, why was he nervous? He had met Charm's parents a million times before. Drawing a deep breath, he rang the doorbell. Charm's older brother Kurt pulled the door open and grinned down at him.

"Come in. She's upstairs with the other girls. The lads are in the front room." Will muttered thanks, before making his way into the sitting room.

"Hey guys." he muttered.

"Hey Will." they turned back to their conversation, which was promptly interrupted a matter of seconds later by the girls coming in.

"Hey. You look great." Charm wrapped her arms around Will and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

"So do you." he whispered in her ear. "I got my bike out front. If you really wanna make an entrance."

"I'm not riding in on a motorbike in this dress." she shrieked.

"Why not?" Will grinned. Charm punched him on the arm.

"You prick."

"Anyway, let's get moving. Can't be late." Much and Eve hustled everyone out of the house.

XxXxX

So far so good, as far as Will was concerned. They had been here for nearly two hours and neither Gisborne nor Carter had shown their faces. He knew it was only a matter of time, but for once he didn't care. He pulled Charm close to him as the music slowed down. They leaned in for a kiss when the doors crashed open. Will tried to ignore it, but seconds later he felt his head being yanked backwards by his hair.

"Fuck. Get off." he was spun round and found himself face to face with Gisborne and Carter. "Shit." he began to panic slightly.

"Outside. NOW!" Gisborne pointed to the door, and Will turned and walked away from Charm and the dance floor.

Everyone in hall had turned to watch, assuming it was some sort of revenge Guy had planned for Will, considering he had taken Charm to the last Sixth Form dance. They turned back to their partners when they realised there wouldn't be a fight, not inside anyway.

Outside, Carter shoved Will into the back wall of the school hall. Will cursed loudly as his back hit the wall.

"Shut it. You don't get to talk until we say so. Got that?" Carter stepped right up to Will, pinning him to the side of the building. Will nodded. "Good boy."

Will was shaking from both fear and cold. He was dreading whatever Guy had planned for him tonight. He had expected a beating at some point, but he thought they would at least have the nerve to do it in front of everyone.

Gisborne stepped out of the shadows, and began beating the crap out of Will, he kicked and punched him until Will was lying on the floor, barely able to breath because of the pain.

"Maybe that'll teach you for putting the moves on my girl Scarlet." Guy sneered.

"She's not your girl, Gisborne. She only went to Fall Prom with you cos you asked her before I got the chance. Face it, she wants me." Will yelled back. Gisborne froze. Will smiled to himself, he had hit a raw nerve there.

Guy pounced on him, grabbing him roughly by the throat. "If she's with you, why did she tell me she wanted me, when we were in bed together last night? Hmm?" He laughed as Will struggled to draw a breath. "Pathetic," he hissed throwing Will back to the ground. He smirked as he headed back to the dance with Carter, leaving Will on the floor gasping for breath.

"Will? You out here?" Robin's voice echoed around the quad. "Will?"

"Robin. Over here" he called back. His voice was weak, but Robin heard him.

The guys dashed over and found their friend, lying flat out on the cold, wet ground. They lifted him to his feet and helped him walk back inside. None of them wanted to ask what had happen, but they were all positive it had something to do with Gisborne. Allan helped Will into the boys toilets on the ground floor, where he cleaned himself up as best he could.

When they re- entered the hall, Will glanced around, looking for Charm. When he finally found her, the sight that he saw, made him want to throw up. Standing in the middle of the dance floor, arms locked around each other, stood Charm and Guy Gisborne. They were swaying in time to the music and they were so close they were almost kissing.

Guy looked over at Will and smirked, as if to say I won. Charm spun round and saw him. She looked at him with pleading eyes, seeing the hurt in his. Will stared at her and shook his head. He turned and left the hall before any of the guys could stop him.

R&R please. I know I'm mean to Will, but I can't help it.

Much Love

SxBx