Sorry for the wait, I spent ages trying not to drop a piano on Will in his chapter but, after much pain and suffering that does not result in the death of our favourite Huggybear, here is Henry :P

Thanks to everyone who's been reading, especially those who've been reviewing too :)

Enjoy

xx

Henry:

He was a son to her. Someone who looked up to her, idolized her in a way only her daughter should but she couldn't deny him anything. Not that it upset her. In truth, she liked it. She'd always wanted to have a sibling for Ashley and the camaraderie between the two of them had warmed her heart. Then, as he'd grown, she'd been proud to be there for him, to see him become the warm, kind, intelligent man that he was today. Secretly, she liked to think she'd helped with that.

When they'd first met, he had been shy, stuttering over his words, afraid of his own shadow. Not that that had completely disappeared but with every passing day, Helen could see him growing into his skin, proving himself time and time again to be dependable, someone who was always there for her. She'd comforted him through losses, held him as he broke down and was there to see him build himself back up. The bond they shared was one of mutual trust and an understanding that stemmed from years of troubles. None of the others ever understood it but there was always an unspoken understanding. What had started off as one sided nurturing eventually became something more.

Once or twice he'd heard someone refer to one of the Five as 'her boy' but he'd never asked, instead smiling his secretive little smile, letting her pretend he hadn't heard it. Not that she was ashamed of any of her boys but the term in itself was something she wasn't always comfortable with. Then, one day, by a slip of the tongue that wasn't even a little bit of a slip, she'd commented offhandedly that 'her boys' weren't limited to the Five. She'd caught his eye briefly as he slipped from the room and he smiled brilliantly at her.

Funnily enough though, he was the only one she'd never considered to be a boy, despite his child-like glee at times.

He had been a good boy but now he was a good man.

A man she was proud to think of as her own in some twisted, outdated way.