Hi there, I'm currently working on updating my stories, but had this idea for a new one. {I know I'm the worst, oops!}, but here's a story based on the Carters, and a daughter that was left behind, I wanna make this a few chapters long since I'm in love with the dynamic of the family and totally love them tbh. They're a family that I wish I had, especially Mick's relationship with his kids. Just completely melts my heart. I hope you like this, Maia has a few secrets too up her sleeves, but I'm gonna keep them to surprise you, but I may ask people's opinions, on why she's come home. My ideas are 1. She's pregnant after a fling in University, or with an ex boyfriend. 2. She's not been well, I was thinking maybe she could have developed epilepsy or something like Nancy? 3. She's in trouble? 4. Any ideas you have, honestly they would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks for reading, and please review, fav, and whatever you wish. Thanks lovelies. Essy. xx

There comes a time in life where you have to take a risk, leave things behind and reconnect with people you haven't seen in a while, that's what she wanted to do. That's why she was now here, staring out at what was before here, with keen but wary eyes. What if she had made the wrong mistake? What if being here wasn't what she wanted, and this year out was a waste of precious time?

Heels clacking against the steps of the tube station, and the noise of her suitcase wheeling on the concrete vibrated through her whole body as she began to look at her surroundings through the sepia overview of her sunglasses. Two trains and a plane to get here, and she was beginning to wonder, was it all worth it? Trading up the bright lights of her university to come to Walford, the home to her family now. She had been training for two years, to become not only a professional dancer, but a beautician as well. Her parents didn't even know she was home, she had planned to surprise them, knowing how glad they'd be to see her, especially as they didn't expect her to be moving to Walford with them, they expected her to go straight to London and start doing dance work, but quite frankly, Maia was tired, she was exhausted and she had worked her ass off finishing university with first class honors in both subjects, so now she was both a qualified dancer and beautician. The best part about all of this was that her parents had absolutely no idea what her final grades were, of course, she had planned to return for the wedding, and that was only a few months away, and she was going to tell them then. But having had her grades back in August, she had wanted to keep it a secret, keep them in suspense.

Jet lag was something that was plaguing her now, as she began to walk through the square, past a club called the Albert, she lifted the sunglasses up and looked up with a smirk. Her brother had told her about this club and how he worked here before he left. Oh the stories he had told her after leaving here. How he had set off into the sunset on his moped with his new boyfriend, she was proud of him to say the least for finally coming out to Mom and Dad.

Turning on her heel and letting her sunglasses rest back upon her nose, she paused for a moment to pull her bag over her shoulder and set off, in search of the Queen Vic, passing through a narrow street by a children's park that she heard someone gossiping behind her, and listened in. It wasn't until she heard them notice her and began to speculate who she was, that she rolled her eyes and turned around. Pulling the glasses up and pushing them through her long silky brown tresses, she looked at them.

"Can I help you?" She questioned, her cockney accent peaking through as she looked over them, one was short and had specs, and the other taller with piercing blue eyes and a mop of strawberry blonde hair.

"Sorry, we just don't see many new faces around here." The one with ginger strawberry blonde hair piped up, walking over to her, as she placed her hand upon her hip, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh really? Well, I'm not exactly a new face, my family lives around here, I'm just returning home." Her eyes scanned over the one with specs who looked bored of the situation and went back to texting quickly on his phone. Ignorant, much? She thought to herself, but brushed it off. Not all people can be polite.

The boy in front of her gave a nod, and she gave him a polite smile before thinking to herself for a moment. If they were from around here, then they knew where the Queen Victoria Pub was, and they could show her. Or the boy who was paying attention to her could.

"Actually, sorry to bother you again. But do you know where the Queen Vic is?" She asked, her eyes began to search for his name on his overalls but came up with nothing.

"You are literally around the corner from it, just walk past the park and turn left, and you're right outside." He smiled looking at her skeptically for a moment, she nodded along before he spoke up again. "And it's Jay." He said, turning to go back to his work, her eyebrows furrowed with confusion at why he came out with that.

"You were looking for a name tag, and I don't have one, but my names Jay." He concluded, and she gave a nod.

"Well, thanks for your help, Jay."

Turning to walk away, she placed her sunglasses back in their previous position, and carried on walking, hearing his voice speak up from behind her and ask her the question she was expecting she laughed.

"Ain't you going to tell me your name then?"

"It's Maia." She called back, turning her head and waving at him before disappearing from his view and stopping outside the doors of the Vic.

This was it. This was the pub her parents had moved here for over two years ago now, the two years she was away at University, she smiled to herself. It looked like it could do with a bit of livening up, a way of making it younger, perhaps? She wasn't sure. But she liked the feeling Walford gave her already, it was a feeling of being at home after just getting here, a feeling she hadn't had in two years, maybe even longer. University had been great, and she was still glowing from the beautiful sun of Los Angeles, but after all the work she put in, the money she had raised to put herself through it all, the money her parents contributed, it had all finally paid off. And now, she had earned a well deserved rest.

Lifting the suitcase, she grabbed it by it's side handle, and pushed on the door of the pub, walking inside, and straight up to the counter, she placed the bag by her feet and let her eyes scan around, spotting her father talking to a punter.

Her lips fought a smile, as he walked over, obviously not recognizing her and her long brown locks, it was understandable, a lot could change in two years, and of course they had skyped. Her eyes captured her mother now emerging from the doorway in the middle of the bar. Perfect timing.

Lifting her sunglasses off and placing them down onto the bar, her brown eyes connected with her fathers and she let a smirk lift at her features, her mother saw his gaze and two caught their line of sight, and Maia couldn't help but want to burst. She had always been close with her father, she was her daddies little princess, but then again so was Nancy, they both shared that title. It was just more so her, since she was younger. Her curiosity was also peaking since she hadn't had a hold of her new baby brother yet, she was desperate to see baby Ollie. Her amusement was rapidly increasing as she saw how shell shocked and speechless both her parents were, and how everyone was looking around confused.

"What's a girl gotta do to get a drink around here, eh?"

"Maia." Her parents said at the same time before they both somehow began to run around the bar, in what seemed like a race to give her a hug. A hug she'd been waiting for, for a very long time. When she found their way into their arms, it was then that she felt welcomed, she truly felt welcome, like nothing would change that. She felt as if, she finally had found her place, even if she'd miss her friends and the weather of Los Angeles, she was so god damn glad to be here. Surrounded by family. Wiping her eyes, she laughed to herself at her mother's tearful eyes, and her dads big smile.

"You're back." She heard a voice say, and turned to see Lee at the bar, her older and very protective brother, and she grinned.

"I'm home."

Maia Rose Carter was finally back where she belonged.