Finding Lilibeth

Lilibeth woke startled by the loud bang and immediately raised her hands over her to protect herself. Everyone noticed this and Leo took in a sharp breath. He didn't realise how bad things affected Lilibeth until he actually watched her today. "Every body out. I need to talk to my little Beth" Gramps told the others. He wanted to speak to Lilibeth to warn her that Leo and Lex would now be staying with them.

Dj ushered his brothers out of the room taking them to the dining room so he could talk to his brothers about how they were feeling. Dj knew his father was an arse but didn't realise he was a murdered too. He felt responsible for his brothers and felt like he let them down by not knowing.

Gramps sat back down still holding Lilibeth. He needed to ground himself and to make sure she was ok. Lilibeth wasn't looking at Gramps, she kept her eyes on the ground. "My little Beth, I'm sorry you heard all that. What Darren said and did was not ok and you are not at fault. He is sick in the head" Gramps explained to Lilibeth but she didn't respond.

"My little Beth, we need to talk" Gramps began. Lilibeth nodded her head, she thought that Gramps was going to tell her she couldn't stay here anymore. All she had done is cause trouble for his family and she was nothing to him even her brothers had told her that. "This is your home now and always will be you know that. Leo and Lex now don't have a home. There dad was like your mum. He was abusive to his children and didn't care about them like he should of. They need a new home just like you did. One that will be loving and support them" Gramps stated.

"There dad hurt them too?" Lilibeth asked in a whispered. "Yes my sweet girl. He didn't hit them but what he has done has hurt them a lot. They need a new home and I would like this to be there home too. They will not hurt you and Beau is not welcome here" Gramps told Lilibeth. He wanted her to have a say and understand why he wanted his grandsons to live with him. Lilibeth was thinking, she knew what it was like to not feel wanted and that's what Darren had said about his sons as well as her.

"They need you too" Lilibeth whispered causing Julian to smile. "They do my little Beth" Gramps answered her. Lilibeth nodded her head in acceptance of Lex and Leo moving in. "They won't hurt me? Lex won't hurt me?" Lilibeth asked.

Dj spoke with his brothers. He realised that they needed to know that Darren was in fact abusive to Dj and also them as well. While he wasn't physically abusive towards his youngest sons he was towards Dj. He was emotionally abusive to the others and neglectful. He explained that how they were treated was wrong and they in fact were repeating the same behaviours there dad had towards Lilibeth. Lex and Leo didn't want to be anything like there father. They didn't want to become murders.

Leo and Lex had heard everything along with the others. Lex and Leo were ashamed of themselves for making a little girl who had been through so much fear them. "No My little Beth, they won't hurt you. Dj, Zac and I will always be here incase you feel scared. You can come to one of us and we will take you to a different part of the house, ok?" Gramps gently told her. Lilibeth nodded her head understanding.

Leo and Lex heard Gramps and Lilibeth stop talking and rushed back into the lounge room. "Lilibeth" Lex called out. Lilibeth jumped scared from the sudden yelling. "Keep your voices down" Gramps told the twins who were shocked that Lilibeth had jumped. "Sorry" Leo mumbled out realising anything could set Lilibeth off. "Can we talk?" Lex asked Lilibeth.

Lilibeth was scared to talk to Lex so she focused on the ground and didn't answer him. "Remember what I said my little Beth" Gramps whispered to Lilibeth. Lilibeth peaked up at her Gramps who was smiling down at her in reassurance.

Lilibeth nodded her head once to indicate she would speak to Lex. "I'm so sorry Lilibeth. I should never of hurt you. I don't want to be like my father" Leo whispered out before he left the room so Lex could talk to Lilibeth. Leo knew Lex didn't want an audience to hear what he was going to say to Lilibeth.

Lex looked at his Gramps wanting him to leave. "I will be staying with my little Beth" Gramps told his grandson. Lilibeth smiled at her Gramps, he knew she didn't want to be alone with Lex. Lex nodded and then sat in the seat next to Lilibeth so she was facing him. "Lilibeth, I umm shit. Sorry. I have a drinking problem. See shit this is hard. I drink, I hurt people. I should never of hurt you and I will not forgive myself for that. You didn't deserve it at all. I want a chance to make it up to you. I want you to learn to trust me. I never want to be like my dad at all" Lex spoke quietly to Lilibeth.

Lilibeth stayed quiet she knew this was part of the cycle. "I know these are just words and you probably heard them from your mum. I will get help and I hope one day you will let me be your brother. For now though can we start as friends?" Lex asked. Lex put his hand out to shake Lilibeth's hand. Lilibeth flinched back and looked at Lex's hand. Lex had put his hand out to shake without thinking how it would affect Lilibeth. Once she realised what Lex wanted, Lilibeth wasn't sure if she should shake his hand or not. She was unsure if she should agree to start again with Lex either, she didn't trust him.

"My little Beth, you are so strong and I'm sure that Lex will need help along the way. He will be seeing someone for the drinking problem. You don't have to trust him now but maybe as time goes on, Lex and even Leo, can earn your trust" Gramps added when he saw Lilibeth make no move to shake Lex's hand. Gramps couldn't blame Lilibeth, she had lived with an addict all her life and probably heard these same lines before.

Lex was nervous, Lilibeth hadn't moved to shake his hand at all. He had really meant it this time. He knew he had a problem with alcohol. He wanted to stop but he had bonded with his dad and Beau drinking and didn't know how to stop. Just as Lex was resigned to never being able to have Lilibeth forgive him, Lilibeth gently placed her hand in his and gave a small shake whispering "hi, I'm Lilibeth". Lex smiled at his sister and realised it was the very first time Lilibeth had ever spoke to him. "I'm Lex and that person over there is Leo andI think he would very much like you to say hi to him too" Lex said.

Lilibeth turned slightly to see Leo watching her and Lex. Lilibeth peaked at her Gramps who was smiling at her and tugged at his shirt. She wanted to get down and go introduce herself to Leo so they could start again. Gramps knew immediately what she wanted and placed her on the ground. Lilibeth slowly made her way over to Leo and put her hand out. "Hi I'm Lilibeth" she whispered to Leo. "Hi Lilibeth, I'm Leo" Leo choked out. "I'm so very proud of you My little Beth" Gramps stated causing Lilibeth to smile. Her other brothers returned to the room seeing every one smiling and breathed a sigh of relief. Things may start to be ok around here now.