As always thank you to Chloe67 and CBloom2 for reviewing it always means so much :)

I don't own Emmerdale all rights go to ITV.

TRIGGER: this chapter includes eating disorders so if you feel you may be affected please don't feel like you have to read it :)

Chapter 26:

The next day, things hadn't changed in the Barton household. Emma and Victoria had came over the day before but Finn had just stayed in his room. James had explained everything to them and to Victoria this was news. She'd never expected her best friend to have an eating disorder, Finn just didn't seem like the type of person, but then looks could be deceptive.

"Morning", Pete said as he came downstairs to find Ross and his dad. "Morning", they both replied. "Finn up yet?" James asked. Pete shook his head and sat down taking a piece of toast. "I was gonna see if Finn wanted to come out with me later", Ross and James nodded.

"Right, where would you go?" Ross shrugged, "the pub, you know just to get him out. He can see if Victoria wants to come." Pete nodded, impressed that his brother had came up with an idea that was actually quite good. "Do you think he'd want to go the pub in the village?" Pete asked knowing that Finn wasn't a big fan of the village.

Ross noted this and Pete had made a good point; the last time Finn went out into the village things didn't go well. "Well I'm hardly going to get in a car with him, am I" Ross said; James and Pete laughed. "Is he even awake?" Ross asked and Pete shrugged. "I guess I better go and see", James said, standing up and leaving to go up the stairs.

Finn was up and he was awake. He was getting himself dressed, knowing that he couldn't go downstairs wearing the same clothes as yesterday; it would just make his family even more worried. He put his trousers on and was about to put his shirt on when he dad burst through the door. "Finn I was..." James said but trailed off when he saw Finn's chest. It was just skin and bone. There was nothing to him, how thin had his youngest son become. "Dad!" Finn shouted grabbing his shirt to cover his chest. James snapped out his trance and walked out the door shutting it behind him, still shocked with what he had just seen.

"Is he awake?" Ross asked as James arrived downstairs, still in shock at what he'd just seen. "Yeah, he's awake", James replied sitting down on the sofa. "Everything alright dad?" Pete asked noticing his dad seemed different from when he went up. "Finn" James said. "What's happened?" Pete asked, him and Ross both now concerned. "He's just skin and bone", James said rubbing his hands over his face. "He's ill, really ill" James added.

Pete and James both looked at each other and frowned. They were both confused by what their dad meant, Finn didn't look that ill so what had their dad seen? "What do you mean, dad?" Ross asked wanting to know what his dad was getting at. "When I went in, Finn was getting changed and I seen his chest", James said. Pete and Ross both nodded, putting together the pieces and they realised what their dad meant.

Before anyone had a chance to say anything, Finn came down the stairs and appeared in the living room. "What?" He asked, as he sat down at the table. James, Pete and Ross all looked at each other waiting for one of them to ask the question; Pete finally plucked up the courage. "Do you want something to eat?"

Finn knew that question was coming, but what was he supposed to say? He considered saying no, in fact he wanted to say no but then a thought crossed his mind. What if he said yes. If he said yes then his brothers would be off his back slightly and his dad would worry less. That was a good thing. "Yeah go one", Finn replied. The other Bartons looked at each other, shocked at what Finn had just said. Pete immediately jumped to his feet, followed by Ross.

Both Bartons made their way into the kitchen, both of them taking advantage of Finn saying he wanted something to eat. "What do you want?" Pete asked as Finn sat down at the table along with Ross. "Erm, I don't really know", Finn replied, he hadn't thought of that. Finn thought, what could he have that was low calorie and wouldn't matter. Cereal wouldn't be good, but a slice of toast that would be alright.

"Do you want some toast?" Ross asked as if he was reading his little brother's mind. "Yeah", Finn replied quietly. He was starting to regret saying he wanted something, because now they would expect him to eat more. Why didn't he think of that? Ross sat opposite Finn, looking pleased, pleased that his little brother was eating something.

"I was thinking about going to the pub later, you can bring Victoria if you like" Ross said and Finn nodded, not quite knowing if he wanted to go through with Ross's idea. He thought about it and decided that he might as well just go and if he wanted to leave, Ross would let him. "Yeah, all right then" Finn replied as Pete put the plate down in front of him and Ross smiled.

The next 15 minutes were awkward, to say the least. James had sat on the sofa constantly glancing over at Finn, Ross sat at the table with him trying to make conversation but it wasn't working and Pete was just lurking in the kitchen watching his little brother like a hawk. For Finn it was a struggle, having to make it look like he genuinely wanted the toast and not that he was forcing it down just to make his family happy.

Finn spent the rest of the day in his room, he'd text Victoria to see if she was free and she was so that was sorted. Now all Finn had to was get himself ready to go out with Ross. "Finn, you ready!" Ross called up the stairs 30 minutes later. Finn sighed, got up off his bed and went downstairs. After making sure they had everything, Ross and Finn set off into the evening weather, with Finn praying that he wasn't going to see Eric.

Thank you for reading, please review, I'd love to know what you think :)

I hope all my readers have a good new year and I'll see you next chapter :)