Violet Bolton sat on her bedroom floor, her hands clamped to her ears, trying to prevent the angry shouts from reaching her ears. It was then her baby brother Oliver, wandered in.

Violet's heart went out to him, he was only four. She scooped him up in her arms and held him tight, covering his ears and kissing his sandy flyaway hair.

'Why is Mommy and Daddy so mad?' Oliver asked her in his adorable baby voice.

'I don't know Olly' she replied.

'Don't they want to sleep?' he whispered.

'I'm sure they will. Mummy and Daddy just want to sort some stuff out first'

'Why do they got to be so loud?' Olly asked, looking up at her.

Violets eyes welled up,

'Because sometimes Ol, you have to be loud just to feel better, like when you cry, you scream don't you? Mummy and Daddy are like that'

'Are they hurting?'

'Yes, Ol, they're hurting'

'Do they got a plaster?'

A tear slid down Violet's cheek at her brother's innocence.

'No, not a plaster, Mummy and Daddy's hurt is deeper, it's inside, not like a scratch'

'Not like this?' Oliver asked, pulling his pyjama trouser leg up to reveal his scar.

He was so proud of it; he'd been in the oak tree in the garden and fell. He cried and cried until Violet had told him only little boys cry, big boys are proud of their scars and don't cry.

Violet smiled sadly,

'No Olly, not like that'

The shouting suddenly stopped and Violet held Oliver closer.

'See, I told you they'd get better' she whispered.

It was followed by a crash as something shattered against a wall. This was then answered by a loud bout of shouting.

'Maybe it hurts more than my leg did' Ol considered.

'Maybe, I think it's a different kind of hurt Ol, I think it might hurt a lot longer'

'Do we got to go to hospital?'

'No, not hospital, try and go to sleep Ol'

'Can I come in your bed?' he asked innocently.

'Just this once' Violet answered, smiling slightly, she picked him up and got into bed, wrapping the sheets around them both.

She felt him wriggle into her, his thumb in his mouth.

'Hey, wriggle bottom, lie still' she joked, poking his side.

She heard him giggle and soon after heard his breathing slow to signify his sleep.

She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling, not bothering to drown out the shouts from downstairs. She caught the odd few words.

'So what Troy? You're just gonna walk away?'

'No I'm not gonna walk away!'

'Whatever, look at you!'

'Look at me! Look at you! You're the one-'

'Shh, the kids are asleep!'

Violet was consumed with rage as she looked at her innocent brother sleeping. She jumped up and ran to the top of the stairs.

'Don't worry about us! We've not been asleep for hours!' she yelled, slamming her bedroom door.

She noticed Oliver stir and quickly went to him, kissing his forehead,

'Shh, Ol, nothing to worry about, go to sleep'

Violet got in bed beside him and cuddled up close, it was then that the door opened. Violet's parents, Troy and Gabriella , walked in.

'Honey' Gabriella started, walking towards her daughter.

'Don't come near me, either of you' Violet warned.

'But sweetie-' Gabriella started, tears welling up her eyes.

'But sweetie what? What exactly do you want to say to me mum?' Violet asked angrily.

Gabriella could only drop her hand and looked at the floor.

Violet jumped out of the bed and stormed downstairs, both parents following close behind.

'Baby, I'm sorry we woke you, please honey' Gabriella attempted.

'Don't even try it Mum, I know what's going on, you think I'm stupid? You both don't have a fucking clue'

'VIOLET!' Troy shouted, 'Don't you dare speak like that!'

Violet laughed.

'Oh look at the filthy hypocrite, word of advice Dad, if you're going to shout at me for swearing, don't set the example ok!'

'How dare you-' Troy began, only to be cut off by Violet.

'Yes, how dare I! How dare I speak the truth! How dare I show the selfish both of you what your screaming and shouting is doing to me and Ol! How dare I cope and cope with it, for months, and then crack and shout at you! How very dare I!' she yelled.

Troy pointed his finger angrily at his daughter.

'You don't know anything, you're a kid Violet, you've no idea what's really going on'

'Yeah, a kid that knows her father and mother are on the brink of a divorce!'

Gabriella yelped, her baby girl, her poor baby girl.

'You've no idea the stress we're under' Troy said.

'The stress you're under! How about some home truths Dad! You wanna know exactly what your daughter's been doing for the past few months? I'll tell you! She's been comforting her little brother every night when he comes into her room crying because of the noise, answering his questions about why Mommy and Daddy are hurting. She's been sharing a bed with him for god knows how long, because he's too scared to go in his own bed. She's been going to school, laughing and joking, so no-one will know exactly what's going on at home! So none of them will know exactly how many times she's cried herself to sleep, feeling like the loneliest person in the world! That's what your daughter's been doing!'

For once, Troy was silent.

'And what's more, while you two are intent on ruining each other's lives, you've been destroying mine. Going out shopping? Nah, no time, who knows what might be going on at home, what if Olly needs me? Boys? No time to think about them, I've got my parents relationship to worry about. What's more, they don't want a girlfriend who takes her four year old brother everywhere because she's scared what will happen. School? I'm trying my hardest. My homework always gets done on time, although the teachers are questioning me on why it's not completely up to scratch as usual. I think to myself, how can I tell them I'm so pre-occupied with the screaming going on downstairs that it's a little hard to concentrate on Pythagoras' Theorem? Then I realise I can't, so I smile, say 'hormones' and promise to do better next time. Is that really the life you envisaged for your daughter?'

She was answered by a silence, both parents looking anywhere but her or each other.

Violet cleared her throat before continuing.

'Yesterday, we had to write a poem in English, something that made us feel strongly about it. I wrote the usual, stuff like global warming and such, but when I came home, I wrote the real poem. Do you wanna hear it?'

Troy and Gabriella couldn't bring themselves to answer.

'Cause when it gets too sad I think thoughts that I know are bad I close my eyes and I count to ten Hope it's over when I open them I want the things that I had before Like a Spice Girlsposter on my bedroom door I wish I could count to ten Make everything be wonderful again I hope my Mum And I hope my Dad Would figure out why they get so mad I hear them scream I hear them fight They say bad words that make me wanna cry I close my eyes when I go to bed And I dream of angels that make me smile I feel better when I hear them say everything will be wonderful somedayPromises mean everything When you're little and the world so big I just don't understand how you can smile with all those tears in your eyes and tell me everything is wonderful now I go to school and I run and play I tell the kids that it's all ok I laugh a lot so my friends won't know When the bell rings that I just don't wanna go I go to my room and I close my eyes I make believe that I have a new life I don't believe you when you say Everything will be wonderful someday

Please don't tell me everything is wonderful now

The tears streamed down Violet's face.

'LOOK AT ME!' she yelled.

Both parents' heads snapped up, their eyes locking with their daughter's.

They looked and they saw the baby they held lovingly that day in the hospital. They saw the toddler that had brought them so much joy. They saw the 8 year old, her beauty just blossoming. They saw the 10 year old, always a smile on her face, making them so proud. Now they saw the 14 year old, her face wet with tears, her eyes blinking furiously, trying to prevent anymore from falling, and it hurt.

It hurt that they themselves had hurt their daughter so much, that they were the ones that had got her in such a state.

'Violet?' said a small voice from the top of the stairs.

All three looked towards the voice and there stood Olly, his bunny clutched tight in his little fist, his face confused.

All three of their hearts went out to him. They all moved instantly towards him when Violet ran in front of them.

'No! You don't dare come near either of us! Stay away! You can keep us out of your circle of never-ending anger, me and Ol will be fine on our own, we've managed this far.'

With that she walked up the stairs, towards Olly, who had his arms out, waiting for her. She picked him and soothed him. As she walked towards her room, Olly said in a loud enough voice for his parents to hear,

'Are you hurting like Mommy and Daddy are hurting Violet?'

Violet turned to face her parents, her eyes holding a steely gaze that only softened when looking at Oliver,

'No, my hurting is a different kind of hurting Ol'

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'Violet, it's time for school' Gabriella said through the door.

It pained her that her only daughter could feel so much hurt inside of her. That her son could only be comforted by his sister, and not by herself. That her husband was cheating on her, and she was so worried about her children's future.

The door opened and out walked Oliver, Violet had obviously already got him dressed. He was still yawning though, his sandy blonde hair sticking up at the back.

'Hello sweetie' Gabriella said, kneeling down.

Oliver only looked at her, no hug or kiss, not even a smile.

Just as she was about to get up, tears already running down her face, her little boy asked,

'Where does it hurt mummy?'

'Everywhere, honey' she answered, stroking his cheek.

'Should me and Violet kiss it better?' he asked.

'No, but a cuddle would be nice?' she said, holding out her arms.

Olly climbed into them and hugged her.

Tears ran the usual course down Gabriella's face as she held her baby close. Over his shoulder, she saw her other baby, her baby girl look at them, combing her thick brown curls. Violet smiled a half smile. Gabriella returned it, it was a start.

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'Troy, think about this, please! These are your children! Leaving them now will leave a mark on them forever. They'll always remember the day their Daddy left them. And no matter how many times anyone tells them it wasn't their fault, they'll still think it was theirs. Please don't leave us!' Gabriella pleaded.

Violet had allowed her mother to drop her and Olly off at school. The kisses on the cheek goodbye had stopped a while ago. Now Gabriella realised why, it would take time for her to regain Violet's trust. She watched them as her eldest, her beloved girl, guided her youngest through the puddles and the mud, taking care not to walk too fast as to tire him out, but not too slow to give him time to make a splash.

She'd grown up fast. So fast, and Gabriella knew she would never get that time back, she would never be able to take back the horrible things Violet had heard being shouted, the tears she had cried.

'I have to' Troy said bluntly.

'But why? Please, let's just go back to how we used to be, just us four, us against the world! A team!'

'You don't get it do you! I don't want to be a team! I don't want to be a part of this family! I need space!'

'You need space! You should try being me for a day! How is that being a father! You honest to God need help Troy!'

'I need help! I think you're the one that needs help here! Not me, I'm going to live my own life, the way I should be doing!' Troy yelled, slamming the car door and pulling away.

'You should be here with your wife and children!' she screamed after him.

She sank to the floor, head in hands, and her body shook with crying.

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Violet knew as soon as she laid eyes upon her mother. She gripped Olly's hand tighter, practically dragging him towards the gate.

'Hello darlings, how was school?' Gabriella asked, avoiding her daughters questioning eyes.

'Good, I showed Mrs Collins my scar for show and tell, she said I was a big boy 'cause I don't cry anymore!' Olly said excitedly.

'That's my boy, how was your day Violet?' Gabriella asked, still not meeting her look.

'Better if you'd look at me' she responded coolly.

Gabriella took a deep breath and lifted her head.

Violet saw in her mother's eyes, a sense of sadness, a look of pain, and the fury, it surprised her that she could read so much from just a look.

Gabriella saw in her daughter's eyes, complete understanding. Violet knew without her having to explain anything.

Violet dragged her eyes away from her mother's and said to Oliver,

'Dora the Explorer should be on soon!'

Facing her mum again, she said,

'Wouldn't want to miss that!'

Gabriella laughed a grateful, relieved laugh and climbed into the driver's seat.

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After settling Ol in front of the telly with Dora the Explorer and a satsuma to snack on, Violet made her way to her Mum's room.

Gently, she pushed open the door and looked around; it looked so empty without her Dad's things in it.

'I'm sorry Mum' she said simply.

'You've nothing to be sorry about sweetheart, none of this whatsoever is your fault'

'No, I don't mean for this, I mean for shouting last night, some of the things I said, well, I wish I hadn't have said them.' Violet answered.

'No, I'm glad you did' Gabriella responded, getting up from the bed, 'because otherwise I wouldn't have known how you truly felt, and it's good that I do, because now I can treat you as an adult, as you clearly are growing up.'

Violet smiled, 'I don't blame you for anything Mum, I want you to know that, I want you to know that Olly and me, we'll never blame you, just the man we call Dad.'

6 Months Later

'Happy Birthday dear Oliver, happy birthday to you!' Violet sang with Gabriella.

Oliver beamed up at the both of them, today was his fifth birthday. It was 6 o'clock at night, and so far, there was no call from Harry. This wasn't surprising as he hadn't seen or spoken to his children since he left, without even saying goodbye.

Olly insisted on cutting them a piece of cake himself. They were all surprisingly big, his the biggest of them all.

'Oh Ol, you'll get chocolate everywhere!' Gabriella exclaimed.

'Too late!' Violet said laughing, for it was all on Oliver's top and face, how it got smeared on his forehead was a mystery.

Late that night, when everyone was in bed, Violet laid there and stared up at the ceiling once again. The house was quiet for a change. It hurt Violet that her Dad hadn't bothered to contact her, she thought for the first couple of weeks he was just busy finding a new house or something, but the reality that he was never going to call soon hit her.

1 month on

Christmas was fast approaching and Violet wasn't sure what to get Olly. She decided to take a rare trip around the mall with her friends, only they couldn't make it. She ended up going alone.

As she wandered, she stopped outside a guitar shop, Olly had always wanted to play the guitar but his fingers were too little, it was too expensive anyway. As the day drew on, Violet saw several things she liked for Ol, and bought them, all with her own money. As she was headed for Starbucks, it was then that she saw him. Troy. Dad.

Slowly, she walked up to him, noticing as she did the bags under his eyes, the gaunt face and pallid skin tone. Nothing like the handsome man she used to know.

'Dad?' she asked tentatively.

Troy's head snapped up and he gazed at Violet.

'Vi' he said.

Violet just stood there, when Troy stood up to hug her, she stepped backwards.

'You think you can just leave for 7 months and then act like nothing's happened?' she snapped angrily.

'Violet, please, let me explain, please' Troy pleaded his daughter.

A/N

So, what do you think? Yay or Nay? I think it'll most likely be a two-shot or a three-shot. I do need your help though. Answer these questions in your review and you'd be helping me out so much!

Should Troy...

A-Want to come back to his family?

B-Realise he loves Gabi but she doesn't take him back?

C-Introduce Violet to his girlfriend, revealing she's pregnant?

D-Do all of the above?

If you have any other suggestions I'd be glad to hear them! Like if you choose D but want to change another letter, anythings fine! Thankzxxxx