“Let her go, now!” I growled through my gritted teeth, barely able to contain my anger. I could hear my heart beat drumming in my ears; I was so angry that my hands were shaking. I was going to kill him in three seconds if he didn’t let her go.

He turned to look at me, hate clear across his face. “Fuck you! She’s my daughter,” he shouted, yanking her roughly closer to him. She turned and tried to push him away. His face turned hard. I lunged forward at the same time he slapped her hard across the face.

I grabbed his shirt and punched him full in the face, enjoying the satisfying crack his nose made as my fist connected with it. I pulled back my arm and punched him again and again, ignoring the pain each blow caused in my hand. After the fourth or fifth punch his body was going a little limp so I shoved him against the wall so I didn’t have to hold him up, and punched him over and over. I put all of my hate into it, all the anger and hurt and helplessness that I’d ever felt when I would watch my girl cry herself to sleep. I would never let this man hurt her again. He slumped to the floor, wrapping his arms around his head, but I didn’t stop, I couldn’t stop. So I started kicking him instead.

Suddenly, Jake grabbed me from behind and slammed me face first into the wall. What the hell is he doing?

“No! I’m not done! Get the hell off me. Jake, get off!” I shouted, trying desperately to get him off of me so I could kill the man that made my Angel’s life a misery. I shoved myself away from the wall trying to get free.

“Amber’s hurt, Liam,” Jake said, shoving me back against the wall again, his arm across the back of my neck.

“Just get off me. Let me finish it!” I cried, still struggling against his hold.

“LIAM, AMBER’S HURT!” Jake shouted.

Wait, what did he say? Amber? Oh my God.

“What? Where? Where is she?” I asked desperately. I didn’t see her get hurt, he slapped her and she fell and all I could see was him. Shit! He let go of me and I turned to look for her, she was laying on her side, curled into a ball, her eyes squeezed shut, her jaw tight, her whole face was the picture of pain. I felt sick as I ran to her side, bending over her quickly. “Angel?” I whispered, bending over and stroking her red cheek where he had slapped her.

She whimpered and tried to move, making a strangled gasping noise. “It hurts, Liam. Please, it hurts so much,” she cried, looking at me desperately. She looked terrified; she looked so scared that I felt like my heart would stop beating at the sight of it.

“What hurts, Angel?” I asked, trying to sooth her as I bent and kissed her sore cheek. I needed to get her some ice or something then it would be alright, she’d have a wicked bruise for a week or so but it’d be alright.

“My stomach,” she croaked, sobbing, turning her face into the floor, crying hysterically.

Her stomach hurts? I looked down at her stomach, she was cradling it protectively. I could see blood seeping down the leg of her jeans. My heart stopped, I couldn’t breathe. All I could see was the blood, all I could hear was her sobbing and whimpering.

~ Amber ~

I heard the car pull up so I jumped up and ran to the window. I flinched as I saw him get out of the car and stalk angrily towards the house. I felt sick. I couldn’t let them do this; they were going to get in so much trouble. I couldn’t bear to lose either of them. I didn’t want Jake to get in trouble, but it seriously would kill me if Liam was in trouble for this.

I bit my lip, thinking. Maybe I could just go over and be another witness, then that way when he starts something first I could say it was self-defence too. Another witness would definitely help their case. Oh crap, Liam is going to kill me for this! I ran out of his house towards mine. I could hear shouting coming from inside and I stopped, I felt the familiar fear that I always felt when I was a child. I couldn’t move from the spot, it was like I was frozen. I could hear his voice, shouting, and my blood ran cold - but that was Jake and Liam in there, they were always looking out for me, always. I could do this for them, all I had to do was witness him throwing the first punch.

I crept to the door; it wasn’t shut, just pushed to. “This is all your f**king fault! You and Amber had to open your filthy mouths and tell Johnny about what happened. You’ve ruined everything for me, everything, you worthless piece of shit. I should have f**king pushed your mother down the stairs or something when she told me she was pregnant with you!” my father shouted angrily.

I whimpered because of the horrible words he’d just spoken to my brother. My father always was a nasty piece of work, but that was low even for him.

I heard a bang and a groan, so I pushed open the door, to see Liam holding Jake, trying desperately to keep Jake away from my father who was standing up against the wall looking at them angrily. “Not like this! Jake, not like this!” Liam shouted, at Jake as he thrashed in his arms.

Jake wasn’t calming down. His face was red with anger, the only thing that could stop him when he was like that, was me. He hated to see me upset or anything, he was so overprotective.

“Jake, calm down!” I pleaded desperately.

He stopped moving, and Liam pushed him away, looking at me shocked and a little scared. He moved towards me and I saw my father move at the same time, he was so much closer to me than Liam, and he was blocking Liam’s path. I didn’t even have time to move away before he grabbed my wrist, squeezing hard, his face angry and red. I flinched as he squeezed harder making pain shoot up my arm. I tried to pull my arm away quickly, but he wouldn’t let go.

“You! You f**king ruined everything!” he screamed at me, digging his fingernails into my skin. I couldn’t breathe.

“Let her go, now,” Liam ordered, looking so angry that it actually scared me.

My father turned to face him, still holding me tightly. “Fuck you! She’s my daughter,” he spat, pulling on my arm, making me lose my footing and stumble closer to him. I could smell the alcohol on his breath, making me feel sick. I twisted and pulled on my arm, trying to get free. He still didn’t let go so I put my hand on his chest and shoved him as hard as I could. He didn’t budge an inch. I saw his hand move and I closed my eyes knowing he was going to hit me.

His hand connected with my face, making me feel like my whole head had exploded. I fell back and crashed into the sideboard. Pain like I had never felt in my life shot up through my stomach and lower back. It was like someone had stabbed me. I clutched onto the sideboard, trying to stay on my feet as I hissed through my teeth. Jake ran over and grabbed me pulling me down onto the floor, sitting us down, leaning against the sideboard.

“Shit. Ambs, are you OK?” he asked desperately, cradling my head to his chest.

I wrapped my arms around my stomach, trying to breathe through the pain. “No,” I croaked. Oh no, I was losing the baby! “Liam? Where’s Liam?” I asked, opening my eyes and looking round for him, but I could barely see anything because my eyes were filled with tears. I could hear a grunting and groaning noise. Oh God, he’s not…… Please tell me he not doing that! I blinked and looked over to see Liam punching my father over and over; his face was the picture of rage. He wasn’t going to stop until he was no longer breathing. This was it. Liam was going to be taken away from me and I was losing his baby. I felt my heart breaking into a million pieces.

“Go stop him,” I whispered, barely able to talk.

“No. Let him kill him,” Jake growled angrily.

I shook my head. Oh God, please! “Jake, go stop him! For me, please? I need him. Tell him I’m hurt. I need him,” I gasped as a wave of nausea washed over me, making me retch. “Liam?” I called desperately, but it was barely above a whisper.

Jake moved. “I’ll get him,” he said quickly as he jumped up. I rolled onto my side, pulling my knees up to my chest, holding my stomach. Oh please don’t let me lose this baby! I squeezed my eyes shut against the pain; a couple of seconds later Liam stroked my cheek making it sting again.

“Angel?” he whispered, sounding so concerned it was breaking my heart all over again. How could I tell him I was losing the baby? He was so happy about it, how the hell could I say the words? I wanted to wrap my arms around him and have him hold me and make all this go away. Liam could make this OK, he could make everything OK.

I moved to get up but a fresh wave of pain hit me, making me gasp. “It hurts, Liam. Please, it hurts so much,” I mumbled, looking up at this perfect face. He looked so worried about me. I was losing everything. He was going to be in jail and I would be on my own. How was I going to live without him?

“What hurts, Angel?” he asked, as he bent his head and kissed my cheek.

“My stomach.” I couldn’t look at his face when he realised I was losing the baby, I didn’t want to see the hurt and devastation there. I turned my face into the carpet and sobbed. This was entirely my fault. I should have just stayed at his house like he told me to. If I was there now then baby would be safe, and Liam wouldn’t be facing jail. He had only hit my father because I was there, he wouldn’t have done that if I had just stayed. Why couldn’t I have just stayed there like he told me?

“Jake! Call an ambulance!” Liam shouted desperately. He was stroking the back of my head gently. “Shh, everything’s OK. It’s OK, Angel,” he cooed. I felt his arm wrap around me, so I turned my head back towards him. He was laying next to me. How the hell is he still comforting me? This is all my fault - why is he not shouting at me?

“I’m so sorry,” I said honestly. This was going ruin everything; he wouldn’t want me now that I’d killed our baby.

He bent his head and kissed my forehead. “Angel, you have nothing to be sorry for,” he whispered, moving closer to me. His hand rubbed circles on my stomach, so softly that I could barely even feel it.

“This is my fault,” I cried, sobbing again. He shook his head fiercely and pushed himself away from me. I felt my heart breaking. I knew it; he was going to leave me now. He got up and moved over to my father who was trying to get up off of the floor and started punching him again, shouting a string of expletives.

Jake tackled him to the floor. “Stop it! Go to Amber, now!” he ordered, looking at him angrily.

Liam nodded and ran back to me. “I’m gonna pick you up, OK?” he said softly.

I shook my head, I didn’t want to move. “No, don’t. Please don’t,” I whispered. The pain was so bad that I felt sick. He looked like he was in pain too as he fussed over me, brushing my hair away from my face, kissing me gently, murmuring soothing words.

“Where’s the freaking ambulance?” he screamed at Jake.

“On its way. What’s wrong with her?” Jake asked, kneeling at my side. I squeezed Liam’s hand, not wanting to see them fighting about it if Jake freaked out about the baby.

“She’s pregnant, Jake,” Liam explained, kissing my cheek.

“P…. pregnant?” Jake stuttered. Liam nodded, looking at me worriedly.

“I’m gonna make you pay for this, you little shit!” my father shouted from the door. Jake and Liam both moved to get up but I grabbed Liam’s hand, I didn’t want to be on my own again.

“Get the f**k out before I kill you myself, and if she loses her baby I swear to God, you’re dead,” Jake growled venomously.

“Jake, please,” I whispered, not wanting anymore trouble.

“Baby? She’s pregnant? The little slut,” my father growled.

Liam was so angry that his whole face was red as he moved to get up again. Just then I could hear sirens getting louder. Liam’s face snapped to mine, he smiled weakly. “It’s alright now, Angel, helps here. Everything’s going to be fine,” he said softly. I looked up to see that my father had gone; Jake was standing at the door waiting for the ambulance.

Liam was looking at me, his gorgeous blue eyes tight with worry. I loved him so much, how am I going to cope when he leaves me and go to college, and all I have left is what could have been?

The paramedic came over with Jake. “What’s happened?” he asked Liam.

“She’s pregnant. Angel, did you hit your stomach or something?” Liam asked, holding my hand tightly. I nodded, scared to move in case the pain got any worse, I couldn’t cope with much more.

“How far along is the pregnancy?” the paramedic asked.

“Five weeks,” Liam answered, looking at him pleadingly.

“OK. Well let’s get you to the hospital; I’ll check you over in the ambulance. Does it hurt anywhere else, Amber?” the paramedic asked.

“My back’s hurting, and my hips.” I winced as he guided me to move onto my back.

He nodded. “That can sometimes happen. It looks like you might be having a miscarriage,” he said, apologetically. I nodded in agreement. I knew that already, there was no way I wasn’t having a miscarriage, this was just too damn painful to be anything else. Liam held my hand the whole time on the way there, just watching me, not speaking. His face was the picture of grief. He was hurting badly; I could see the pain on his features as he looked at me. He wasn’t going to forgive me.

When we got there I was wheeled into a little cubicle and a doctor came in almost immediately. “OK, Amber, I’m going to have to have a look and see if your cervix is open,” he explained, pulling on some gloves.

I looked at Liam, horrified, gripping his hand tighter. “Shh, everything’s OK. I’m here. Everything’s fine,” he soothed, rubbing his free hand over my face gently. I cried out as pain shot through me, making fresh tears fall as the doctor did his examination. Liam kissed them away softly, looking at me, heartbroken.