Kirstie, Tim, Jenika, Kevin and Tori sat outside on the patio enjoying their morning coffee. It was a beautiful morning and they were loving the breeze coming in off the ocean.

Patches, Emily and Adam had gone inside to watch cartoons after finishing their breakfast.

Satchmo and Mack lay a few feet from the 'adults' enjoying a nice peaceful nap.

"This is so relaxing." Jenika says as she lays her head over on her husband's shoulder.

"It is." Kirstie nods in agreement. "So peaceful and quiet. Only the sound of the ocean."

"TIM?" Adam calls as he stomps out to the patio.

"So much for the peace and quiet." Tim chuckles.

"Tim?" Adam calls again, tapping Tim on the shoulder.

"Yes, dear." Tim answers, looking up at the blond pirate.

"I was wooking fo catoons and dare is dees two guys westling wid no cose on like you and Jen Jen do." Adam says.

Tim bites his bottom lip as his eyes quickly shift to meet his wife's.

"Oh, God. Adam, where is Patches?" Kirstie asks, quickly standing.

"He .. He in dare wid Emmy." Adam points.

"NAAAAA!!" Patches screams.

"What the hell!" Tim says as he jumps and looks around at the patio door.

They all jump up and hurry inside.

Patches has his hands covering his face as he rocks back and forth screaming.

"What's wong with Budda?" Emily asks as the 'adults come running in.

Kevin grabs the remote and quickly turns off the porn that they had accidentally stumbled across.

Kirstie falls to her knees beside the man-child, grabbing him into a hug.

"Shhh. It's alright, Sweetie. It's okay." She says softly as she gently rocks him.

"What's ... What's wrong with him? I've never seen him act this way?" Tim asks as he stares in shock down at Patches.

Kirstie looks up at Kevin and gives him a slight nod.

"Uh, Tim, Jenika, and Tori, can I speak to you in private?" Kevin asks.

"Is he going to be alright?" Tori asks with a frightened look.

"Just come with me and I'll explain." Kevin says as he takes her by the hand.

They follow him into the den and he closes the doors behind them.

"Okay." Kevin sighs as the others take a seat.  "Back when Patches and I were on the street, Patch didn't come out that often. A lot of the other homeless would bully Patches. Beating him, stealing whatever he had. They stole the shoes right off his feet. And then I found out that a few of the homeless men had actually raped him several times before I became homeless."

"Oh, my God." Tim moans and shakes his head.

Both girls cover their mouth as tears fill their eyes.

"I vowed to protect him. But I got caught stealing him a pair of shoes and had to do community service. I'd come back and he would have fresh bruises. They even raped him a couple more times whenever I was gone. He used to have bad dreams a lot but they're not that frequent anymore. He does great until he sees something that refreshes the images of them raping him." Kevin finishes and looks around at his friends' sad faces.

"You just can't wipe something like that out of your mind." Tim says quietly and wipes his eyes. "I was molested by my uncle when I was just a kid. I've never told anyone, not even Jenika. I was only seven, I was too scared to tell anyone. After I got older and the b*stard was already dead and buried, I tried to bury that too. But I still remember everything. And Patches does too. You can't just block something like that."

Jenika reaches and takes her husband by the hand as a tear rolls down her cheek.

"Maybe it would help if you talked to him, Tim." Kevin says.

"Well, let's go see how the little guy is doing." Tim says as he quickly wipes the remaining tears from his eyes.

Kirstie was sitting on the couch with Patches laying down with his head resting in her lap. She was gently running her fingers through his hair.

Adam and Emily sit quietly on the floor.

"Jenika, Baby, can you and Tori take Adam and Emily outside to play?" Tim asks as he eyes the sobbing man-child.

"Sure." Jenika forces a smile as she reaches down for Adam and Emily's hands. "Come on guys."

"Ith .. Ith  Patches gonna be otay?" Adam asks with a pout. (Is)

"Yeah, Pumpkin, he's just a little upset right now." Jenika says as they walk toward the patio door.

"Hey, Little Man." Tim says, laying his hand on Kirstie's knee for support as he sits down on the floor by the couch. "How ya doing?"

"Mmm hut, Ti." Patches whispers as he moves one of his hands to his butt.

"I know, Buddy." Tim says softly as he rubs Patches gently on the arm. "I know exactly what you're going through. You see, a bad man hurt me too when I was little. But you know what? That bad man is gone. He can't hurt me anymore. And those bad men that hurt you, can't hurt you anymore either. They're gone too. They are far away. They still live on the street. And you're safe here with us."

"Naaa hut?" Patches sniffs as he wipes his eye.

"They'll never hurt you again." Tim whispers softly and smiles.

"Ti hut?" Patches asks as he raises up wiping his nose.

"Not anymore. The bad man is gone." Tim says. "And so are the bad men that hurt you."

"Naa mo hut?" Patches asks shaking his head. (no more hurt?)

"I promise if anyone ever tries to hurt you again? Me, Kit, Jen, Keb, Toe, Ad and Em will kick their asses." Tim smiles.

"Mmm Mack, Sat?" Patches says with a small smile on his lips.

"Yep, Mack and Satchmo too." Tim chuckles.

Patches giggles and leans shyly against Kirstie.

"Mmm ass." Patches giggles.

Kirstie bites her lip to keep from smiling as she raises her brows at Tim.

"Sorry." Tim mouths to her.

"Mmm Ad?" Patches asks.

"Adam went outside with Emily, Tori and Jenika." Kirtie answers as she kisses him on the forehead.

"Pay Bee?" Patches asks with a nod.

"Sure. They went that way." Kirstie smiles as she points toward the patio.

Patches quickly hugs Kirstie and Tim, waves at Kevin then skips from the room.

"Thank you, Tim." Kirstie smiles as she rubs him on the shoulder. "I'm sorry about your childhood. I didn't know. That had to be hard to talk about."

"Today was the first time that I've ever told anyone." Tim sighs. "I just didn't want Patches to feel alone."

"I think it worked." Kirstie smiles.

"I hope so." Tim says. "Uh, Kevin? Help please?"

Kevin chuckles as he reaches down to help Tim from the floor.

*********

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