Adopted by 5SOS

Chapter 8. Home Sweet Never

Ashton's POV
As a man stepped out onto the porch, Shiloh froze in place. "D-dad?" She stuttered out as I became defensive and immediately protective. He turned to stare at his daughter with a minute of shock, but then the look disappeared into rage. "Oh. It's you." The man said as he quickly looked up at us before looking at his daughter. "W-where's mom?" She stuttered again as the man rolled his eyes. "Shiloh. Do you honestly think we would have stayed together after we dropped you off at the orphanage? Hell no." The man spat as he slowly walked closer, causing Shiloh to back into me in fear.

"Well...that doesn't answer my question. Where's mom?" She asked him again as he sighed. "I honestly don't know. The divorce was finalized two years ago... She's probably at some mental institute." He said causally, as if he didn't care about his ex-wife at all. "Do you still have your scars?" The man asked as Shiloh looked down. "Which ones?" She muttered softly as the boys and I looked at each other, confused.

"The ones on your back." The man spoke as I looked down at Shiloh. She didn't tell me she had more scars. "Of course I do! They'll never be gone after what you did!" She suddenly yelled out, while crying. "Shiloh, cmon. Let's go home." Luke spoke, anger coming through his voice. "Are these your new guardians? My bad. The names Andrew, Andrew Hawkins." Her father spoke while watching us. I firmly nodded my head, while watching his eyes.

Shiloh's POV
The boys began to walk back the way we came, back towards the van. I followed behind them but stopped when my father said my name. The boys were ahead of me so they didn't hear him call me. "Shiloh, this isn't the last time you'll see me. I want to gain full custody of you." He smirked as my jaw dropped in horror. "You never received your full punishment for what you caused. The day they came for your mother, I promised her I'd get you back and continue your punishment. Don't tell your guardians either." He warned as I heard Luke yell my name.

I ran ahead to catch up with the boys, scared out of my mind now. After we got back to the van, and then to the house... I wanted to go straight to my room. "Shiloh. We need to talk, all of us. As a family." Ashton spoke as I sighed as at the foot of the stairs. I turned on my heels and followed all four of them to the living room. They made me stand in the center of the room, on the carpet, as they sat on the couches. "What did your dad mean when he said 'other scars'?" Calum questioned as I looked up at his face.

I turned and pulled up the back of my shirt, hearing all four boys gasp. "Are... Are those whip marks?" Michael asked as I pulled my shirt down and turned to face them again. I nodded silently as they all got up and wrapped me in a group hug. "We're so sorry this happened to you, baby. Everything will be better now." Luke assured as I avoided their eyes.

No, it really wouldn't. I didn't have the heart to tell them that they might lose custody of me. "What do you want for dinner later?" Calum inquired as I shrugged. "And we're going to make you eat it too. You haven't eaten since Friday, and it's Monday." Mikey added. "Do you have homework?" Luke asked as Ashton walked into the kitchen, deciding what to make. "Is everyone okay with Mac n Cheese?!" He yelled as the three boys grinned like children and yelled back excitedly.

"Yes I have homework. English and a little math. We had private tutors at the orphanage.. So it was weird being in public school." I said, answering Luke's question. Twenty minutes later, Ashton called us all in for dinner. We sat at the table, waiting for Ashton to place our plates. Ashton eyed me as I picked up the spoon and scooped a little of the pasta. I swallowed and made a little smile. It was good, I looked up and saw Ashton smiling back at me. I ate almost half the plate, and then set my spoon down.

"I'm finished." I stated as the boys looked over at me. I bursted out laughing when I noticed pasta was in Michael and Calum's hair. I guess they had a food fight and I didn't even realize. "Wow! Great job!" Luke congratulated me as I smiled at him. I jumped down and went to grab my books from the couch. "I'm going upstairs to finish my homework." The boys nodded as they were still eating their food, and Calum and Mikey continued throwing the macaroni.

Luke's POV
"Hey Luke.." Ashton said as I looked over at him. We heard Shiloh's door open and Ash rushed me up the stairs, just in case she decided to puke it up. I watched her as she sat on her bed, flipping open her book. She hadn't gone to the bathroom yet, surprisingly. Maybe she was gonna keep it down... I was then proven wrong. I ran in her room just as she hopped off the bed, ready to bolt to the bathroom. "No!" I screamed out with my hands outstretched toward her small frame.

I tackled her to the ground in her room as I heard the boys footsteps rush in. She squirmed underneath me, trying to get free. "Shiloh! No!" Calum screamed as she somehow freed herself from our lying position and she raced to the bathroom door. Michael got there in time, blocking the doorway. "Please!" She cried as we all watched her sink to the floor. "I'm fat! I'm ugly! I don't want to be taken away!" She screamed as the four of us looked at each other. What was she talking about?

Ashton walked over and knelt in front of her, prying her hands away from her face. It truly broke my heart to see Shiloh so broken, so distraught, so... Depressed. "Shiloh, what are you talking about?" Ashton asked curiously as she stared somewhere in the distance, avoiding his question. "Shiloh." He pressed as he turned her face towards him. "My father... He-he said it wasn't the last time I'd see him. That I'd be taken from you, and that my punishment for Amethyst's death wasn't over yet.." She whispered; but it was loud enough for us to hear.

Amethyst? Who's Amethyst? I knew she had a backstory, but I didn't know the details. Ashton's eyes widened at the news as he stood up to his full height. "Shiloh, from now on, you are to sleep with one of us every night. We will drive you to school, and we will pick you up. We will have to be extra careful until we figure out what to do." Ashton said as she stared up at him. "So, who am I sleeping with tonight?" She questioned, looking over at the clock. "You'll sleep with me, tonight." Ash replied while helping her up.

"Change, and then head into my room." He said as she nodded and grabbed her things. "Boys, I need to talk with you in private." He spoke as we followed him out of her room and back downstairs to the living room.

After we were settled on the couch, Ash sighed. "What's going on? Who's this Amethyst girl?" Calum asked as Ashton sighed and rubbed his tired eyes. Ashton yawned and then began to tell us Shiloh's backstory.

Ashton's POV
"So, Amethyst is Shiloh's older sister. When Shiloh was six, her parents were constantly fighting-well, they were fighting way before she was six, but you get the point. Amethyst had told Shiloh to stay put in her bedroom closet. Amethyst had then hung herself, because of her parents's constant fighting. Shiloh's parents blamed her for her sisters death therefore giving her up for adoption. When we ran into her father today.. We began to walk, but Shiloh stayed behind. Her father had told her it wasn't the last time she'd see him. That he owed it to Shiloh's mother to regain custody of her.. And still give her punishment. The punishment for Shiloh isn't over. He had said."

I breathed out, finishing the long explanation. "Whoa." "Holy shit." "Fuck." The boys replied as I nodded in agreement. "So, did Shiloh see her sister kill herself?" Calum asked as I shook my head no. "No, but she heard it." I answered as they nodded. "Well, we have lawyers and body guards. We'll just have to get more security, to make sure she's protected. Her father doesn't know where we live." Michael commented as I quickly smiled. "There's no way her father can regain custody. He doesn't have a stable life to sustain a healthy lifestyle for Shiloh. Plus, he's threatening to hurt her... That's child abuse, he can be arrested." Luke added, all of us nodding.

"We have to protect our baby. At all costs." I said, determined to keep Shiloh safe.