Norman stood there in a daze for a minute, unsure if his day could get any more shitty, and trying to work out if, maybe, he was still asleep, and this was some kind of massive nightmare. Alas, no such luck.

"Erm... Norm?" Anna asked tentatively. "Can we... can we come in? The kids are getting cold." Jayden looked down at the kids, the oldest two girls looked about four, and the younger boy about two. They looked up at him, something resembling fear in their eyes. Concerned, Jayden opened the door wider to let them in. The kids flooded in through the door, and Anna followed close behind.

"Norman!" Carter yelled from upstairs. Norman winced at Anna's quizzical look, and went to go upstairs to see what Blake wanted.

"I'll be right back down." he said. "Make sure you don't trip over the..." But it was too late, Anna had already tripped over the new rug Jayden's father hadn't stuck down yet (mainly because she was craning her neck to see who was upstairs). Out of instinct, Norman grabbed her arm to stop her falling, and Anna yelped in pain and pulled her arm away. "Jeez! Sorry, are you okay?"

"I'm... fine." Jayden gave her a quizzical look, and rolled up her sleeve to find a purple bruise, and what appeared to be a cigarette burn on her arm. He narrowed his eyes, and looked up at her.

"Anna... did he do this to you?"

"I... Norm, please. If you insist I'll talk to you later, but at least let me leave the kids with Mom first." Jayden nodded, sure he should be feeling something like "I told you so", but only a strong feeling of resentment for whoever hurt his little sister was there.

"Fine." he said, crossing his arms. "But we are talking later."

In all the commotion, he had forgotten Blake had been calling him, and was only reminded as Carter walked halfway down the stairs, with only a hand towel covering his modesty.

"Norman!" he hissed. "Where the Hell did you put my clothes?"

Anna looked at the two of them, confused, tilted her head to one side, and hurriedly took the kids into the living room. Jayden blushed, averted his eyes from Carter's semi... well, more than semi-nakedness, and glared back at him.

"Thanks for that! Now she'll think I'm gay!"

"You are bloody gay!"

"That doesn't mean I want Dad knowing that!" Norman sighed, and tried to calm down. "I put them in the wash. They're nearly dry from being in the tumble, I'll give them to you when they're done."

"Norman, you little prick, that shirt was no tumble-dry!"

"Well do your own bloody washing then!" Jayden hissed back. Great... They were having their first 'lovers' tiff', and they weren't even going out yet... He breathed out, and tried to calm down. Unfortunately, Carter didn't do the same.

"I would do if you hadn't bloody run off with my clothes! We're not a bloody item, Jayden, you don't have to do my washing!"

"Just because I'm gay doesn't mean I fancy every sodding man in the universe!" Norman yelled back. "Anyway, you can talk, Mr Hypocritical-Snog-face!" Carter turned beetroot.

"That's not even a word!"

"Whatever!" Norman growled, and stalked off to get Carter's clothes so at least his stomach would stop fluttering when he looked at him. Hopefully...