Finding Lilibeth

Julian held onto Lilibeth like both there lives depending on it. Lilibeth first was stiff but soon she relaxed into her Gramps arms and silently cried. Miss Emma had made a platter of food for them all and made sure that Lilibeth had kiwi fruit in an attempt to make her feel better. No one liked seeing Lilibeth like this at all. She had been a carefree child this morning and seeing Leo and Lex sent her backwards.

"Is she ok?" Leo whispered out so he didn't scare Lilibeth. "Does she look ok?" Dj spat. He didn't know what had gone on and why Lex and Leo had been here but he knew that they scared Lilibeth. "She will be ok. Now do you want to tell me how you and your brother ended up in police custody?" Gramps asked calmly while still holding onto Lilibeth. "Lex called me he was off his face. I went to get him and he started on me. Someone called the cops and we were both picked up. We tried calling dad but he didn't answer. They held us for 12 hours trying to contact dad before I rang you otherwise Lex was going to be charged as it isn't his first time" Leo told Gramps.

Gramps was lost in thought for a few minutes. "What did he take?" Dj asked Leo. "He had been smoking pot and drinking. Last night he took some pills" Leo replied. Dj nodded his head. "Leo I will offer you to move in here. However there are rules. You deserve better then what your father is providing" Gramps stated causing Lilibeth to go stiff again in his arms. "My little Beth I promise you are still safe here even if Leo moves in. He will not be anywhere near you until you are comfortable, this is your house" Gramps assured his granddaughter.

"Lilibeth, I swear I won't hurt you" Leo said but didn't get any response from Lilibeth at all. "My little Beth, why don't you have something to eat, Zac will be home soon and if I remember rightly he is going to teach you how to ride your bike" Julian spoke softly to Lilibeth remembering she hadn't eaten since breakfast. "If you don't eat, you won't have energy to ride the bike" Dj encourage when he saw Lilibeth made no move to eat. "Miss Emma gave you your favourite" Dj continued.

Leo couldn't believe how still Lilibeth was. Everyone could hear her stomach rumbling but she still didn't try to eat anything even when everyone else started. "My little Beth , Leo is a guest here only until he proves he is trustworthy. This is your home. He won't hurt you and you are safe here" Julian continued to coax his granddaughter. "This is my home?" Lilibeth whispered. Leo was shocked, he had never really heard Lilibeth speak and wasn't sure she could. "Yes my little Beth, this is your home and you will always be safe here" Gramps answered his granddaughter smiling that she had finally spoken again.

Lilibeth began to nibble on the kiwi fruit that was on the platter but still didn't look at Leo. Leo watched on and noticed no one took the kiwi fruit like they were saving it. Each time Lilibeth took some more kiwi fruit he understood why no one had touched it. Lilibeth didn't even reach for the cookies, just the kiwi fruit, gosh she was a weird one he thought.

"I don't need to stay here" Leo finally told his Gramps. He didn't want to make Lilibeth uncomfortable in her own home. "None sense, you are my grandson and you are welcome as a guest until Beth feels safe then if you would like, this will be your home as well. There will be rules and that includes respecting my little Beth, not being alone with her and no drinking or smoking. Plus you will attend the same school as Zac and Beth" Gramps stated just as Zac came home from school.

Lilibeth jumped hearing the door open thinking it was Lex coming back. "Lili are you ready to learn to ride?" Zac called out. Lilibeth curled into herself again, she was back to being jumpy even around the people she trusted. Zac walked in to the room looking for his sister seeing Lili scared and Leo watching her. "What is he doing here?" Zac asked. "He will be staying with us" Gramps answered causing Zac to frown.

Zac moved closer to Lilibeth, "let's go ride this bike seeing your cast is off" Zac whispered to Lili so he didn't scare her. Lilibeth nodded her head slightly, slowly standing up trying to keep her body shielded from Leo. Zac gently took Lilibeth's hand in his squeezing it slightly to reassure her she was safe. Leo watched Lilibeth closely trying to work out how he had seen a carefree girl at the police station and then now she was back to being scared of everything.

Zac took Lilibeth out the back. He helped her put on her helmet and got the bike out. He helped her to climb on the seat and explained what she had to do. "Lili, you are safe here with us" Zac reassured his sister who wasn't speaking but at least she nodded at him to acknowledge what he said. Soon enough Lilibeth was pushing the pedals trying to ride her bike. It still had training wheels on it and occasionally she would push the pedals backwards causing the bike to break.

Leo sat in the lounge room with Dj and his grandfather. Gramps was going over the rules and how things would work in the house. Leo would be expected to go to school daily and Dj would be taking him back to there fathers place so he could pack his things. As they were speaking they all heard Lilibeth squealing "I'm doing it Zac, look I'm doing it". Dj and Gramps smiled looking out seeing Lilibeth's riding her bike. "Go Lili" Zac cheered her on. "She is happy here. Do you really think it's a good idea I move in?" Leo asked. "She is happy. You deserve to be happy too" Gramps said before heading outside to watch his granddaughter. He was so proud of how far Lilibeth had come since moving in with him. He had worried seeing Leo and Lex would send her backwards but he knew no child should be left in the care of Darren.