Fonsey paused for thought for a moment.

"Hey" he stated "don't you ever think like that,we have more than enough love to go around to all of you.Just ignore what those idiots have been telling you,it couldn't be further from the truth.They'll never know what it's like to be loved and adored like we all love and adore you,actually makes me feel a bit sorry for them"

Dec glanced up at his Dad.

"But not that much" The older man smiled."You are our pride and joy Decky,don't ever doubt that,we all love you to the end of the earth and back"

"Thanks Dad" Dec whispered,feeling increasingly reassured that everything would be just fine after all."I love you to the end of the earth and back too"

He snuggled in close to Fonsey and closed his eyes,already tiring from the lack of sleep the previous night.

"We'll get to the bottom of this Declan,I promise you that" Fonsey swore,kissing his sons head "no one will ever bully you again,I'll make sure of that and to think we just thought you were being difficult because you were hitting puberty"

"I'm a good actor Dad,I knew how to hide things" Dec smiled weakly.

"You certainly are Decky" Fonsey frowned "you must have been in so much pain though?all those times they kicked you in the stomach"

"I was" Dec answered "especially yesterday after three hours of torture,it hurt so much and still does.I just acted through the pain,tried to put it to the back of my mind.I only said horrible things to you so I didn't feel like the little boy they said I was.I swear I'll never say mean things to you again"

Fonsey sighed and placed a gentle hand on Decs bruised belly under his pyjama top,stroking it gently with the palm of his hand in an attempt to ease the pain.

"And I swear I'll never let anyone hurt you again"

With Fonseys loving words in his head,Dec nodded off into a light sleep,exhausted from the raw emotion of the previous hours and finally revealing the torture he'd endured for so long.

But a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders and that could only be a positive thing.

Fonsey didn't move from the spot,just laid back comfortably on the sofa with Dec resting his head on his chest.His small hand resting on his Dads tummy,the occasional small,quivering sob escaping his lips.

Fonsey had already decided he'd stay there as long as Dec wanted to,no way was he going to disturb him and anyway,he was making the most of having Dec in his arms.As he breathed in his beloved childs scent and kissed his hair,he didn't know how much longer Dec would actually let him do this so he too closed his eyes and savoured every blissful moment.

Fifteen minutes later,the sound of chatting and laughter filled the hallway as the rest of the family arrived home.

Anne had rounded up all her kids and wanted to have a family meal to make up for what had happened yesterday,just with her husband and children,not even their other halves or grandchildren came.Anne thought this would be best for Dec and Fonsey under the circumstances and everyone agreed.

All Anne wanted was to get things back to normal as soon as possible and as soon as she entered the living room,she couldn't help but smile at the sight that greeted her.

Her youngest child was wrapped up lovingly in his Fathers arms.It had obviously been an emotional couple of hours judging by the blotchy,tear stained faces in front of her.

"Friends again?" She smiled as Fonsey peered up at her.

"Yeah,friends again" he smiled back and kissed Decs head.

"I hope that little shit explained his actions from yesterday?" Martin demanded to know.

"Martin don't,please" Fonsey pleaded "leave him alone,there's so much we never knew,not even the half of it"

"Oh yeah?" Martin wasn't convinced "more excuses more like"

"No Martin,it's not excuses,he was just retaliating against an awful situation. Sit down everyone,I've got something to tell you"

Fonsey prepared himself to tell his family what he knew would devastate them.

Dec had woken up by this point but carried on pretending to be asleep,not sure how he would be able to handle the pitiful looks from his Mam and siblings.

Fonsey repeated everything Dec had told him,not leaving a single detail out.They all soon knew how Dec was regularly beaten up,how he went without food every day,how the bullies tried to convince him he was unloved,how they put a dead pigeon in his desk and how he'd been stopped from getting home to Fonseys birthday party the previous day.

"And Martin" Fonsey sadly sighed as Martin looked at him with tears in his eyes "Decky saw you looking for him in the park,but there was no way he could get to you"

Martin immediately burst into tears,not caring that his usual macho facade he liked to put on had slipped.

He knelt down in front of Dec and placed a kiss on his forehead.

"Oh no,poor Decky.Im so sorry squirt"

With that,Dec finally opened his eyes,deciding he'd been pretending for long enough.He slowly sat up on the sofa to a sea of tearful faces staring at back at him.

"Hi everyone" he whispered sheepishly,immediately averting his gaze down to the floor before looking directly at Anne.

"Mam,I'm so sorry for my behaviour yesterday"

"Oh darling" she practically scooped him into her arms as she sat down on the sofa."Don't you worry about that,it's forgotten,I'm just so sorry for everything you've been going through,things are going to get better from now on,I promise you that.We're all here for you,always"

She hugged him warmly,raining kisses down onto every part of his head and cheeks she could manage to reach.

"My poor baby" she sighed tearfully.

It all made sense now.Why he was so moody and withdrawn,why his grades were slipping at school,why he was so hungry when he got in from school,who wouldn't be if they never had lunch?

Anne was kind of grateful now that the awful events of yesterday had happened or they may never have been made aware of what Dec was going through.

All of Decs siblings took turns hugging and kissing him.He immediately noticed how wet all their faces were,there obviously hadn't been a dry eye in the house as Fonsey talked.

Dec felt calmer than he had in months.There was finally a glimmer of hope that this was over with,things were going to get better and he was wondering why he kept it to himself for so long.He should have known he could rely on his family,they had never let him down so far.He felt extremely loved in that moment.

"Tomorrow we'll go to school and get this sorted out" Anne promised "and I'm so sorry I never realised what was going on.I guess I need to stop blaming everything on puberty?"

"Well it is that a bit" Dec smiled "weird things are still going on with my body and mind"

Martin Laughed and ruffled his hair "don't you worry about that squirt,you'll get through it,we all do"

Now everything was out in the open and Dec had been assured that everything would be ok,Martin summoned Dermott and Eammon to the kitchen.

"We can't let those bastards get away with this" he fumed "the worse the school can do is expel them,they need teaching a lesson"

Dermott and Eammon nodded in agreement.

"We'll pay them a little visit tomorrow" Martin concluded.

The lads were older and bigger than the bullies and weren't usually in the habit of intimidating teenage boys,but what they had put Dec through was unforgivable and Martin wanted to make sure they knew that.

He knew exactly which boys they were when Dec described them,it wasn't hard to figure out.He knew they had a reputation for picking on younger kids,cowards that they were.They were going to pay for their actions,Martin was going to make certain of that,but it would have to wait until tomorrow.

"Decky" Anne smiled "why don't you go and have a shower and get dressed, then we can all have a late lunch together!You can choose baby,whatever you fancy to eat,I'll make it"

"Can we have Chinese then?" Dec cheekily grinned.

"For Sunday dinner?" Anne laughed "ok,if that's what you want?just this once mind"

"Thanks Mam" Dec cheerily replied.

Anne pulled him in for a hug before discreetly trying to lift his pyjama top up slightly,Dec noticed the movement immediately.

"Mam,if you want to see what they've done to me,you only have to ask"

"Sorry sweetheart" she whispered.

"It's ok Mam" he assured her and unbuttoned his top.

"Oh Declan,look what they did to you?how could they?" Anne felt the tears immediately begin to fall as she stared at her youngest childs deeply bruised tummy and chest.

"I'm so sorry we didn't protect you" she wept openly as Fonsey enveloped her in his arms from behind.

"Mam,it's not your fault,you weren't to know,please don't cry" Dec pleaded,he couldn't bear to see any of his family cry,especially not his Mam,they were all so strong,he was the weak one,or so he thought.

Decs siblings had also seen the bruising and were equally upset although they all didn't show it.

Dec hugged Anne and Fonsey then made his way upstairs for a shower.

"We all need to put on a brave face for that boy" Fonsey ordered "he's been through so much and we now need to be strong for him,show a united front like we always do.We all love him and now is the time to show him just how much"

Later on,they were all happily sitting around the living room,spread out over the sofa,armchairs and floor tucking into their chinese takeaway.

"How are you enjoying your Chinese Decky?" Dermott asked.

"It's gorgeous" he replied with a mouth stuffed full with spare ribs "I love Chinese"

"Don't talk with your mouth full please Decky" Anne scolded "remember your manners"

Anne just laughed as Dec playfully rolled his eyes at her.

"I think we're all very aware of just how much you love Chinese Dec" Dermott teased.

Dec had barbecue sauce all around his mouth and smudged around his cheeks,but no one bothered to tell him to wipe his face,he just looked too adorable.

"Decky" Fonsey announced "today is going to be your special day,you deserve to be spoilt,whatever you would like to do,we can do it,so what do you fancy?"

"But it's your birthday weekend Dad,you should be choosing" Dec replied sweetly.

"Don't you worry about that my boy,I'm too old to care about choosing what to do for birthday and anyway,it's not my birthday anymore so it's entirely up to you?"

"I'm just happy to be with all of you guys" Dec smiled.

"Really?" Fonsey teased "you might not get another chance to have a day like this for a long time,you don't want to take advantage of it?"

"Ok,can I watch an eighteen certificate film then?" Dec cheekily asked,although he was pretty sure he knew what the answer would be.

"Absolutely not" Anne snapped authoritatively "you'll have nightmares"

"Ok Mam" he smiled "what I'd really like to do is just hang out with you guys,all of you and play my favourite games.Can we please?"

Everyone laughed at the cute youngest child and began their afternoon of fun.Eammon pulled out the ace card by producing several packets of minstrels,Decs favourite chocolate.

They laughed so much all afternoon while playing twister,charades and truth or dare,where Fonsey and Anne learnt some home truths about their kids they'd probably have rather not known.Everyone agreed afterwards that truth or dare probably wasn't the most appropriate game to play with your parents.Although there had been much hilarity when Cam dared Dec to run up and down the street with a pair of underpants on his head.

They had a light dinner of sandwiches and fruit as they'd had such a huge lunch.

In the evening,Dec wanted to watch a film and chose 'The sound of music" although he'd seen it what seemed like hundreds of times before,he still loved it.He was used to everyone taking the mickey out of him for liking it,but he didn't care,he loved all the musical numbers and would always imagine what it would have been like to play the part of one of the children.

They all settled down to watch the film with Dec snuggled firmly between his parents.

As the long movie was nearing the end,Pat looked over at Dec.

"Looks like someone is exhausted" she smiled.

Everyone looked over at Dec,who was asleep with his head resting gently on Fonseys arm.

"Decky" Pat knelt in front of him and nudged him gently "I think you might be ready for bed"

Dec wearily opened his eyes and yawned.

"Sorry,I guess I dozed off"

"I guess you did" Pat laughed at the small boy trying to stretch himself out between his parents."I just wanted to say Goodnight,you've had quite a day,but you're all good now"

"Yeah,thanks Pat.Goodnight"

Dec hugged his adored big sister as tight as his little arms would allow and she in return revelled in holding her baby brother close,wishing she was still able to scoop him up and carry him to bed as she had when he was tiny.

"I love you" she affectionately whispered in his ear.

"Love you too" Dec answered as he pulled out of the hug.

All of the kids then proceeded to say goodnight to Dec,embracing him and telling him how loved he was before they all went off to the privacy of their own homes or bedrooms.

Dec knew how lucky he was to have such a loving,supportive family.

Once he was left with just his parents Fonsey told him "you'd better get off to bed Decky,it's been quite a weekend for all of us"

"Ok Dad" Dec replied,attempting to stifle yet another yawn.

"And Dec" Fonsey continued "don't you worry about anything.Tomorrow me and Mam are coming to school and everything will be sorted once and for all,now you go and get a good nights sleep"

"Goodnight Mam,Goodnight Dad and thank you for everything.I know things will be better now" he hugged his parents before wearily climbing the stairs.

And for the first time in months,Dec really did feel like things would finally get better!