"Hannah" Mark began as he pulled his car into the Flack driveway and looked at his girlfriend of over a year "I love you...and I know you want the best for me...but I can seriously manage living in my own apartment"

"No you can't Mark...how can you manage to pay for heating, water and food? All of the basic things that you need. Never mind college fees and I know you have a loan to cover them but that loan won't go away...I mean mine is building up slowly and I'm dreading paying it off but you won't be able to afford to live" Hannah told him and he sighed, holding the wheel with both hands and resting his forehead onto the wheel, groaning as he went. Hannah pursed her lips and watched him move forwards before resting a hand onto his back;

"I know...I get that this isn't ideal for you Mark...to be honest I think you should just go back to your parents" she told him and he sat up straight and looked at her, shaking his head profusely.

"After what they said Hannah...I can't go back there...I don't want to go back there" he said aloud and Hannah sighed "I'll get by" he sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

"Please Mark" she begged "just see what my dad says...how would you feel if I was living in some place where there were drugs and violence?"

"I wouldn't let you Hannah. Things wouldn't get that bad" he promised her and she snapped her fingers;

"Then you see why I can't let you go back there Mark"

"But I can handle it" he said, puffing his chest out a little to prove it "I'll keep my head down and manage"

"You know what Mark?" Hannah snapped "you're not going back and that is final. Now inside and we'll talk with my dad" Hannah climbed from the car and walked over to Mark's side and opened it up. He folded his arms over his chest and looked at her as she rolled her eyes and grasped his hand and pulled him out.

"I don't like this" he grumbled as he locked his car but Hannah continued dragging him into the house.

"I find the whole situation completely unbearable" Hannah grumbled and entered her home, walking into the kitchen to find Don stood there, drinking from a beer bottle. When he saw Mark behind his daughter he raised his glass to the boy;

"You're right. Your father is a psycho" he said. Mark hadn't seen Flack since that night he had apologised to him but Hannah had told him of what Don had done and if he was being honest he couldn't have cared less.

"I'm sorry about him" Mark grumbled

"No worries" Don shook his head "he isn't pressing charges...seems your mother talked him out of it"

"I bet she'd have managed to do that" Mark nodded in agreement and Don looked at the two teens;

"So what's up? You look like you have something to tell me" he pondered and Hannah looked at her dad and then back to Mark;

"Can I talk with you in the living room dad" she said, figuring it would be less embarrassing for Mark to hear her beg her father to let him stay. Don placed his beer down and followed his daughter into the living room where she shut the door and looked at Mark from the other end of the hallway as he shook his head at her. She mouthed 'I have to' and then turned to face her father.

"Mark...dad...I knew this wouldn't be easy to ask" she grumbled and Don watched her run a hand through her brunette hair and he sighed;

"I think after the bombshell you dropped on me the other day Hannah we can get through anything" he said and she took a deep breath;

"Mark's renting an apartment dad...but...it's not nice...I've seen it and it's full of druggies and there were people shouting...it scared me" she admitted to him "it scared me to think that Mark would be sleeping there at night...but...he's too proud to admit he hates it"

"Oh Hannah" Don complained "can I guess where this is going?" he asked, taking a seat on the sofa and leaning forwards, cupping his hand in his face as Hannah knelt on the floor in front of him, resting her hands onto his knee and making him look at her again.

"Please dad" she pleaded "I can't handle knowing he's there...he can't afford heating or water or food...nothing on the basic salary he is on...I told him if it made him feel better he could pay lodge for us...but he doesn't want to stay...he didn't think you would let him"

"Is it any wonder if I didn't?" Don chuckled in disbelief and then shook his head "is it really that bad?"

"Yes dad" Hannah said "it's horrible...I'd worry for him"

"But you said he doesn't want to stay here anyway?" Don asked

"He's too proud to want to stay here" Hannah snorted "says he can manage. But he can't dad"

"Why do you ask me to do things like this Hannah?" Don shook his head

"Because he refuses to go back to his parents. Said that his father keeps saying things about me which I don't know because he won't tell me. Says it will hurt me to hear them...and then you don't tell me what he said to make you punch him" Hannah mused and Don shook his head defiantly.

"You don't need to know baby" he said, feeling anger just at the thought of Mr Clarke "and...some part of me respects Mark for not crawling back to his father so easily...you do realise he chose you over them?"

"I know dad" Hannah whispered "and I know I should be grateful...but I feel guilty"

"I know Hannah" Don replied "and you say he is willing to pay his way?"

"Yes" Hannah nodded "he would..."

"The things I do for you" Don said and stood up, helping Hannah to her feet.

"Is that a yes?" she checked

"I should suppose"

...

"I told Hannah I would be fine Mr Flack" Mark said when Hannah and Don walked back out and saw Mark stood in the kitchen, making Jess a cup of tea as she sat on a bar stool.

"No you won't" Hannah said and walked round the counter to him, handing her dad another beer as Mark looked at her.

"Look Mark" Don took a seat next to Jess after kissing her on the cheek "I get that you don't want to go back to your father and I really can't blame you...but Hannah tells me your apartment isn't in a nice area and she worries for you"

"She doesn't have to" Mark looked at her

"You would do the same" she said back to him "and you wouldn't be scrounging. You'd pay for lodge"

"It still feels like scrounging" Mark said and Hannah shook her head

"Look. Mark. You're a young man trying to prove you can make it and one day you will" Don promised him "but at the moment you're struggling...I don't mind you paying to stay here as long as it makes my daughter rest easy"

"It's a very kind offer Mr Flack" Mark stated

"Then take it" Hannah said "for me...you can stay for a week...see how you like it and then decide...just don't go back...please" Hannah begged him and he handed Jess her cup of tea.

"A week" he promised "and then I'll decide"

Hannah smiled at him and kissed him on the cheek "thank you" she whispered in his ear and then she head Jess moan loudly as she drank her tea. The three of them looked at her and she raised her brows;

"What? I think he should stay...this is the best cup of tea I've ever tasted"