TRIGGER WARNING FOR VIOLENCE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND MENTIONS OF RAPE.

Alex was taking his jacket off, stretching his limbs uncomfortably after a long day at work, throwing his keys onto the sideboard, when he froze, hearing a familiar voice coming from his living room.

"Oh, he's a beaut, huh?" The muffled voice came from behind the door, and Alex frowned, turning slowly towards the sound.

"It's a shame he aint got your eyes though, Norma Louise. You always had the prettiest eyes."

Alex swung the door open, glaring coldly at the man he hated, who was sitting much too close to Norma for his liking, his son perched on his knee. There was a pause, where Norma and Caleb's heads snapped round, both of their mouths dropping open at the sight of Alex standing in the doorway.

"Blue eyes are a recessive gene." He muttered coolly, never taking his eyes off of Caleb, watching as the knee bouncing Jacob slowed to a stop. Norma was sitting stiffly on the other side of the couch, one hand holding on lightly to Jacob's little foot, like she needed to keep a hold of him.

"Sure, sure." Caleb muttered, his eyes flicking uncertainly to Norma, who was gazing in horror at the two men.

She sprung to her feet, reaching to take the wriggling toddler from Caleb's hands, ignoring his disappointed look and crossing over warily to where Alex was standing imposingly in the doorway.

"Caleb heard about Jacob." She started nervously, settling him on her hip, biting her lip as she tried to get Alex to look at her. He didn't take his eyes off Caleb, like he was a dangerous animal and could strike at any moment.

"I didn't know he was coming." She murmured nervously, and Alex finally glanced down at her and then back at Caleb. "He just wanted to meet his nephew."

"Ok, well. You've met him." Alex spoke finally, narrowing his eyes. "Now get out."

"Alex!" She blurted out in shock, shrugging apologetically to Caleb over her shoulder.

"What, Norma? He's seen him-?" He spat and she shoved him out of the room hastily, closing the door behind her.

"Alex, don't be like this." She implored, dropping her tone to a whisper.

"Like what, Norma?" He said wearily, shrugging at her, rubbing his hand across his tired eyes. "I don't know how you would expect me to be ok with this?" His tone wasn't angry, just genuinely confused that she could think he wouldn't be upset with that man holding their child.

She shifted Jacob's weight on her hip as his chubby little fingers reached up to sweetly play with her hair.

"We sent pictures to your dad..." She started defiantly and he scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"That's not the same and you know it!" He hissed back and Jacob frowned up at him, glancing between the adults, starting to sense something was wrong.

Alex sighed, reaching out to swing Jacob's hand back and forth a little until his innocent little face relaxed and he smiled at his father.

"He's dangerous, Norma." He whispered, trying to keep his tone casual and Norma huffed out a frustrated sigh, striding into the kitchen without another word and sitting Jacob at the table.

"You want something to eat, honey?" She cooed at him and he nodded, reaching for the little yoghurt she grabbed from the fridge and deposited in front of him. He tore into it, smearing it all over his face and Alex ruffled his hair gently before Norma jerked her head at him and they retreated back into the hallway, pushing the door too a little.

"He's not dangerous, Alex." She whispered, casting her eyes anxiously to the closed door to the room where Caleb was still waiting.

He shot her a skeptical look, crossing his arms across his chest.

"He's not! He would never hurt a child!" She muttered angrily and he cut her off.

"He already did!"

She frowned at him, leaning back on her heels, confused for a second.

"You, Norma! He hurt you!" He yelled, and she looked stunned for a moment, before she shook her head, screwing up her face a little.

"You were a child." He added softly, his tone quieter now, imploring her to listen to him, but she ignored him, her face still screwed up like he was being ridiculous, shaking her head at him.

"No... No it's not... It wasn't-" She spluttered, waving her hand around dismissively.

"Norma. I swear to God, if you make an excuse for him right now..."

"I'm just saying, it wasn't the sa-"

"He raped you, Norma!" He roared, his frustrations at Caleb's closeness to his family boiling over, and she shrank back a little, tears springing to her eyes.

He panted, closing his eyes, not wanting to watch at her bottom lip trembled, her arms curling protectively around herself.

The sound of a door swinging open forced his eyes to fly open again, seeing Caleb standing in the doorway behind her, glaring daggers at Alex.

"Listen, I dunno what she told you, man..."

"Everything. She told me everything." His eyes darted back to Norma who was now steadying crying, worriedly chewing her thumbnail, staring at the floor and shaking. He took a small step forward and she took a step backwards automatically, taking her a step closer to Caleb. Alex stopped, holding his hands out, his eyes darting from his trembling wife to the man who hurt her and back again.

"Then you know it wasn't like that." Caleb said, a hint of smugness in his voice. "It was just..." His voice broke a little. "It was just that one time... And Norma Louise here forgave me herself so..."

"I don't really give a fuck if she forgave you." Alex saw her flinch out of the corner of his eye and instantly regretted how hard his words had sounded. He meant them though. "I don't. I don't forgive you. And I really don't want you anywhere near my son."

His gaze was steely as he stared Caleb down, puffing out his chest a little as Caleb took a few steps closer, his height making him an intimidating figure, Alex's mind flooding with horrific images of her trying to fight off this large imposing man. He shuddered, his eyes fluttering shut and when he opened them, Caleb had stopped behind Norma. Alex's jaw tightened, his hands curling into fists at his sides. Norma didn't seem to notice his proximity to her, her tortured, watery gaze still fixed at the same spot on the floor and Alex began to worry about exactly where her mind was right now.

"Well that's not really up to you, is it?" Caleb said triumphantly, his hands coming up to rest on Norma's shoulders, his fingertips brushing her collarbone. She shuddered, her whole body flinching and Alex had had enough. He sprang forwards, pushing Norma out of the way and closing his hands around Caleb's throat, shoving the man back against the wall. He choked and spluttered for a second before he wriggled out of his grasp, pulling back and punching Alex hard in the face. Stars burst behind his eyelids and he struggled to stay upright, the force of the punch staggering him for a second before he was coming back swinging, each of them landing blow after blow on each other, savagely swinging and clawing and kicking.

Alex was vaguely aware of Norma screaming for them to stop, but he was too far gone to notice, unable to make out anything clearer than the thundering of his own heartbeat in his ears.

"Caleb! Alex! Stop! Please! Please!"

He could feel a little hand trying to tug him back but he shrugged her off. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't stop now, Caleb was staring at him with a vicious hunger through one partially swollen-shut eye, jealousy and longing and dark desires swirling in his eyes as he snarled and roared like a wild animal. Alex reared back on his heels, determined to end this all now, knowing he needed to knock Caleb out with his next punch. He couldn't even entertain the thought of what would happen if he lost this fight, not with Caleb panting and shaking with the adrenaline running through his veins, his former prey so nearby. Alex concentrated, throwing his punch, but Caleb anticipated his move, rearing back just in time and grabbing for Alex's wrist, flinging it defensively away from him.

It all happened in a heartbeat. He felt his bones strain and ache, his tendons stretching as Caleb forced his wrist back, away from himself, and then his fist made contact with something soft and delicate and much too nearby to his right. He'd barely clipped her, just catching her chin, but it was enough, and she staggered back, her hand flying to her mouth, her eyes wide and terrified.

"Norma." He choked out, watching as she lowered her hand, staring in horror at the tiny smear of blood coming from her lip, and then back up at the two men, panting and gaping at her in shock.

"Mommy?" Jacob's little voice came from the doorway behind her, and all three of them froze, Norma and Alex sharing a beat of horrified silence.

She turned, seeing Jacob standing in the doorway to the kitchen, his chin quivering just like his mother's did when he was trying not to cry, the very same face she was making there and then.

Both of them failed, Jacob beginning to blub at the confusing situation in front of him, and Norma wiped her hand across her lip once more before she reached her hands out, tears silently streaming down her face as she hurried over to him.

"Shhh, shhh... It's ok. I'm ok. See! I'm fine." She cuddled him close, trying and failing to keep her voice even, scooping him up into her arms and turning back to them, her gaze cold and hard.

"Norma... I'm so..." He choked out, feeling helpless as he tripped over his words. Jacob wailed into her neck, clinging to her and she clutched him even closer, quietly sobbing.

"I know." She said sharply.

She looked up at the ceiling for a second, sniffling deeply, trying to pull herself together a little.

"I can't do this again." She muttered, more to herself than Alex, but he heard all the same.

"It's not... This isn't the same. I'm not like... It was an accident." His voice broke on the last word, feeling tears spring to his own eyes. She nodded.

"I know." She sighed sadly. "I know."

"I would never hurt you..." He implored taking a step forward, freezing when she held up her hand to stop him, her body tensing. Jacob was still sobbing into her collar, his chubby little arms locked around her neck.

"I know." She nodded stiffly.

"I need you to leave. I need you both to go." She said quietly, her words barely audible over Jacob's cries.

"Norma Louise... Please..." Caleb spoke finally, his voice thick with tears, but neither of them looked at him.

"No. Leave."

Alex and Norma closed their eyes for a second, listening to the shuffling footsteps and the quiet click of the door opening.

"I'm sorry, Norma Louise..."

When they opened their eyes he was gone, and it could have all been a bad dream, had it not been for the tiny bead of blood still lingering on her lip and Alex's multiple injuries.

"You too, Alex." She said, her voice quivering as fresh tears sprang to her eyes.

"Norma. Please..." He took another step forward and she flinched.

"Please..." He implored brokenly.

She turned away.

"Please don't make this harder." She sobbed. "Just... just go."

She stared at the wall for a long time, until she heard to door shut softly and then she released the wail she'd been holding in, sinking to the floor with the toddler still in her arms, curling up with him against the basement door, both of them weeping together for a long time after Alex left.