"Pst" Don whispered as he sat at the kitchen table with Jess, Hannah and Mark. The two teens had brought their Chinese back home in rapid time whilst Don and Jess were eating pasta salad. Don nodded at his daughter and then his eyes fell onto the Sweet and Sour Chicken Balls she was eating and she rolled her eyes before picking one up with her fork and placing it onto his plate.

"Thank you" he said triumphantly and Jess turned to look at him, her eyebrows raised as he gulped and shrugged

"It's Chinese…and no offence sweetie…but…it looks more appetising then pasta salad" he said

"Next time you want dinner, you cook it Donald Flack" she said, mockingly in anger

"Ah" Hannah spoke up "I think you mean fetch it" and Jess laughed at the teenager as Mark chuckled lightly, not daring to look at Don.

"I can cook" Don interjected and Hannah stood up, clearing her and Mark's plates away

"Of course you can daddy" she said, stopping him from going off on one of his rants, kissing him on the cheek as she went past. Suddenly, there was a ringing noise in the house and Don began to stand up and walk over to the door, and when he opened it up, he was shocked.

"Hey Donnie" her voice slurred and Don shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose

"What are you doing here Sam?" he asked her. He had invited her to his wedding and she didn't show. He had given her his new address and here she was, drunk as a skunk.

"Coming to see how my favourite big brother and little niece are doing" she smiled widely. Don could smell the alcohol on her and he shook his head;

"You've been drinking Sam" he stated and she snorted loudly

"No" she waved it off "I haven't…but I need a favour…" she bit her lip, pushing past Don and into his house, walking through into the kitchen and stopping in her tracks when she saw a woman sat on a bar stool, conversing with two teenagers as they washed the pots.

"I know you" Sam looked at Jess who nodded

"We met once" Jess replied "when you asked if I knew Don?"

"Why is she in your house Donnie? And pregnant by the looks of it" Sam spoke back and Don simply just looked at Jess for a moment before she nodded in understanding.

"Me and Jess got married Sam. I sent you an invitation to the wedding and we're expecting a child" Don informed his sister who raised a brow

"You invited me?" she checked

"Maybe you should open your mailbox" he suggested and she chuckled once again "how did you get here Sam?"

"I took a cab" she shrugged and walked over to Hannah "to see how my favourite niece" she hugged Hannah and Don's daughter returned her embrace, looking at her father over her shoulder who simply shook his head.

"Good to see you Auntie Sam" Hannah smiled at the woman who simply kissed her on the cheek and then looked at Mark, pointing at him but looking at Hannah.

"Hmm…this is Mark…he's my boyfriend" Hannah said and Sam's mouth fell open

"You've got a boyfriend…letting your little girl grow up are you Donnie?" Sam joked with him and Don simply just went back round to Hannah and took her hand into his own, walking her from the kitchen with Mark in tow. He stopped in the doorway and looked down at her;

"Go upstairs, okay? I need a word with Sam" he said and Hannah nodded in understanding as she grabbed Mark's hand and dragged him up to her room, him asking her questions of the events which had happened.

"Okay Sam" Don placed his hands onto his hips whilst Jess remained sat silently "what is this?"

"I…Don…I need help" she said "I'm down on the rent for the month…my landlord will kill me and I haven't been paid in a few days"

"So this is about money?" Don checked with her "you come crawling to me when you need money"

"I come crawling to you because I thought you could give me a loan" Sam slurred a little again, looking at Don who was frowning and shaking his head.

"I will pay you back Don" she promised "I just need help"

"Is that the only time I will see you Sam, when you need money?" he asked her

"Well we don't see each other any other time" she spoke quickly back to him "and it works both ways"

"I never know where you are Sam" Don said "you move about constantly and you're always getting new jobs…"

"And you were always too busy with yours" she folded her arms "I came here for a favour…because you're my brother…if you don't want to help me then I'll just go" she tumbled out of the kitchen and began to let herself out. Don shut his eyes for a moment and then stopped her on the pathway up to his house.

"Sam wait" he said "how much do you need?"

"One hundred and fifty dollars" she grumbled and Don nodded;

"Just wait here" he ordered her, going back into the house and fishing out his wallet and then the spare cash he had in his drawer before going back out to her and handing her the money.

"Thank you Donnie" she smiled at him "I'll pay you back"

"There's no rush Sam" he said "and you've started drinking again" he stated

"Not much" she chuckled

"Sam this has to stop" he said "You can't keep going on like this"

"Don't tell me how to live my life Donnie…I'll pay you back" she promised before leaving him again.

….

"Is it wrong of me to still like Auntie Sam?" Hannah asked her father that night when she finally plucked up the courage to go downstairs and see him. Mark had turned in for the night, using the spare room and Jess was in the bathtub after having spoken to Don.

"No baby" Don said "she's your Aunt…and she's never forgotten your birthday which is weird of her…she likes you too…but she's gone off the rails again" he sighed and Hannah sat beside him, folding her legs beneath her and leaning against the sofa arm, turned to the side, facing her dad.

"She always seems to be going off the rails" Hannah muttered "I feel sorry for her"

"I used to" Don said "I helped her through the alcohol once…helped her find a job…get set up…but she wastes it away every time. Your auntie Sam will never change"

"But she has no one" Hannah whispered

"She had me Hannah" Don informed her "and she stopped talking with me…only coming back if she needed something…and I grew tired of it"

"And she's too independent" Hannah pointed out and Don chuckled

"That too" he agreed "but she's tough. She'll get by and manage…she somehow always does regardless of if I help her"

"I just can't imagine being alone" Hannah shuddered a little and Don pulled her to him, holding her tightly;

"You never have to imagine being alone" he promised her