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Alec woke up to the sound of the shower running, he looked around the bedroom still half asleep. “Hon?” He moves a hand behind him to feel for Joe but he wasn’t there. “Noah?” He worries, hand jumping to grab the monitor but the toddler was still sound asleep. “Okay.” Alec takes a few breaths before getting up out of bed and chucking a shirt on. “Joe it’s a bit of a weird time for a shower.” He calls out, opening up the door. “I’m not…Shut up...Stop talking…Don’t touch me…” Alec hears Joe’s gentle whimpers, the man is sitting in his pyjamas under the shower with the water rushing over him. “Joe? Hon?” Alec moves over to the boy carefully. “Let me turn this off.” He tries to lean over to turn the shower off. “Stop! Get away… don’t touch me please!” Alec backs away, his hands up. “Okay. Look I’m away.” He says, moving into a crouch to look at Joe. “Who am I?” He asks, looking at the boy. “Sandor this isn’t funny…” He whimpers, hiding his head in his hands. “It’s me hon. It’s Alec.” The man says, trying to reach out to touch him again. “Sandor don’t! Don’t hurt him! Hurt me!” He shuffles further into the shower. “Okay, I’m just going to sit down.” Alec rests his phone on the floor by the shower before sitting down and under the water too. “Look, Joe it’s me.” He says, moving his hand to rest on top of the boy’s lap. “Alec! He got you too.” He whimpers, looking up to a spot in the room, he looked terrified. “It’s just us… just us hon.” He says, taking hold of the boy’s shaky hand. “It’s just me and you.” Joe rests his head on the man’s shoulder. “Noah?” He whimpers, looking to Alec. “Noah’s in his room, asleep.” Alec says, he leans over to turn the water off. “Why don’t we stand up? Go back to bed?” Joe seems a little uncertain but nods, flinching when they walk past the corner of the bathroom he was staring at earlier.
Joe sits awake, holding his knees up to his chest. “He’s over there.” Joe whimpers, looking to the open door. “He’s looking at us.” He whispers, flinching randomly. “I’ll go close the door.” He says, getting up off the bed and closing the door. “Alec? Where’d you go?” Joe looks around, landing back on Alec. “No! Don’t touch me.” Joe kicks his leg out, hitting Alec in the crotch. “Sandor please...I’m tired. I’m tired.” He starts sobbing. Alec tries to move back into the bed again, Joe grabbing the man’s arm and pushing it back. “Shit!” Alec shouts, pain shooting up his wrist. “Alec! Did he hurt you? Where did he go?” Joe looks, suddenly moving off of the bed. “Don’t you fucking touch my son!” He shouts, storming into the room and waking up Noah. “Get away from my son!” He shouts, Alec moving into the room and wrapping his arms around Joe. “Hey, hey. Stop shouting. No one is there.” He moves Joe back, turning on the light. “Look it’s just Noah.” Alec soothes, catching Joe as he sinks to the floor. “He’s crying. Sandor hurt him. Baby I’m sorry. I let that man hurt you.” He sobs, watching Alec move to pick up Noah. “Okay, it’s okay. Daddy is okay.” Alec shushes Noah. “He’s just a little worked up.” The man says, wincing as the toddler leans on his injured wrist. “Let’s show daddy that we are okay.” Alec lowers them, moving Noah into the boy’s arms. “Daddy. I. Otay.” Noah says, snuggling into his daddy’s chest. Alec leans his head on Joe’s shoulder. “We are both fine.” He turns to kiss the side of Joe’s head.
“Ellie, can you come round? Bring Fred if you have to. Joe... he keeps hallucinating. Buggered up my wrist… no Noah is fine, thankful.” He looks around the door to double check. “Joe’s just cradling him.” Alec swallows. “Oh you’re a gem.” He says, moving to unlock the front door. “The door is open, I’m going to sit with them.” He tells her and hangs up the phone. “He’s not talking…” Joe looks to Alec. “He’s not making noises.” He cries, hugging the boy closer to him. “Let me see him.” Alec sits down next to Joe and opens his arms. “Pass him to me.” He says again, helping the boy guide the toddler into his arms. “Shh it’s okay baby.” Alec shushes him as Noah fusses a little. “He’s just sleeping.” Alec says, rocking Noah slightly as the door opens. “He’s back.” Joe whispers, grabbing onto Alec’s sore arm again. “Take Noah.” Alec says, trying not to drop the toddler as he passes him over again. “It’s just Ellie.” Alec tells the boy. “Hiya, sorry if I scared you.” The woman whispers. “Sandor came. He hurt us.” Joe whimpers. “He hurt Alec’s arm.” Ellie looks down at the man. “Put some ice on it?” She suggests. “Haven’t had the time.” He groans, pulling himself up. “Don’t go out there.” Joe starts to panic. “Hey, it’s okay love. Why don’t we turn some lights on?” She nods to Alec, who turns on the hallway and kitchen lights. “Let’s walk together. We can protect each other.” Ellie suggests, taking Noah from him as Joe stands up.
“Sorry.” Joe says, taking a sip from his tea. “Don’t be, hon.” Alec brushes the boy’s back passing him a cup of tea. He looks up to Ellie who was rocking Tyler back to sleep. “I can do that.” Joe says, looking over to her. “It’s okay, you should rest. Plus I miss when they are this little.” She smiles, lifting the boy up a little to rest his head against her shoulder. “I’ll go put him back down.” She says, moving off into Noah’s bedroom to give the other two some space. “Are you sure your wrist is okay?” Joe rests his head on the man’s shoulder, Alec pulling him closer with his free hand. “It’s starting to feel better already. Don’t worry, can’t help things like this.” Alec kisses the top of his head. “But Sandor is gone now. He can’t get us anymore.” Alec comforts, catching Joe as he falls into his chest and starts to sob. “He can’t hurt us anymore.” Alec repeats, rubbing the boy’s back as he tries to hold back his own tears.