Things I changed: Walker's impression about Brendan. Walker does not inform Brendan that he wasn't going to show up for the deal. Cheryl's reaction to Joel's stabbing. Doug and Ste have nothing but a sweet friendship. A couple of old characters are re-introduced. Brendan did not give Doug the money for the Deli, it was arranged some other way.

Brendan paces around the hospital corridor, arms folded. He occasionally pops his head around to see through the glass window of the door behind which Joel is helplessly lying. But that is not what he peeps in to see. He is keeping an eye on Cheryl. He watches her sometimes saying something to Joel, sometimes letting her tears out, sometimes catching Brendan's face in the window and giving him a disappointed look. Brendan sighs each time she does that. Looks down and keeps pacing.

It's not my fault. The kid wanted in. Now he knows how dangerous this life really is. Maybe now he'll stop pondering around me.

Brendan is frustrated. He did not want this to happen. He doesn't particularly care about Joel but Cheryl keeps creating these feelings of guilt in him. Brendan didn't expect things to go this badly, but they did and Joel pulled out just fine. So why is the fuss still going on?

What does she want me to do? I already promised her I'll keep Joel out of any dodgy business now. I'll stay away from it myself, as much as I can. I need her to stop being like this.

Cheryl finally gets out of the room. Brendan stops his pacing and looks up at her. She gives him a tired, un-cheerful look. Why does she have to be like that? Brendan walks up to her, hold her shoulders, tries to get some eye contact. "I'm still your brother Chez. Please… I… I promised…" She gets his hands off. "I'm heading home Bren… I'm tired…" She walks away.

Brendan is once again left alone. His thoughts return to haunt him. She seems so heartbroken, not like anything before. We've been through many things like the mugging, the real reason behind my divorce, Declan leaving and… Stephen. But all those things are we genuinely cared about so I expected Cheryl to be unforgiving. Take her time to come around. But this was nothing like that. Joel was nothing like them.

Brendan wasn't sure that she knew about the deals Brendan made. Now she had some idea. But that was not raising any issue. This was purely about Joel. Why? Then it hit him. Whatever Cheryl and Warren had must be causing this. Cheryl didn't have kids of her own. That's why she felt so strongly when Brendan did something to mess up the life of Declan or Stephen and now Joel. Brendan didn't even realize how Cheryl must be feeling about Joel. She probably saw him as a son. She must feel responsible for him, perhaps as a mother.

Shit! How did I miss it? It's not about someone else's child anymore. I guess I've let Joel come into my life a bit too much. Worse! He's found a place in Cheryl's life. I have to be careful with him. Great! Another weakness, another chink in the armor, another... Stephen.

Walker came around after he saw Chery leave. He's seen Brendan beat nearly the life out of those men. He couldn't imagine what he'd do to him if he tried anything with Cheryl. I'd best stay out he thought. He approached Brendan when he was sitting on the edge of the chair, hands clasped, chin on hand, bending down lost in deep thought.

"You seem a bit concerned there… didn't think the real Brendan cared,"

"He doesn't. Not for Joel at least"

"Your Cheryl then, don't worry; I swore I'd stay clear"

"You are not my worry. Never were"

Walker let a quick breath in. He had almost began enjoying the converstion. But Brendan not once look up. A bit desperate for attention, c'mon Simon. Brendan had something about him that made everyone feel this way. To Walker Brendan was the big Brady man whose 'real' side he'd seen when he beat those guys up. Nope I do not want to get on the wrong side of him.

"So let us stop mourning for a while and talk about that deal" he said as cockily as he could

Brendan still didn't look up and asked casually "what deal?"

"Well I let you have a cut in it, I'd like my share now" Walker tried to sound as less desperate as possible

"Oh yeah… that deal" Brendan was now in his twisted mood, still not looking up. Stubborn as they come.

"Yeah!" Walker snapped, his patience wearing thin.

"The one you let me have…"

"Yea that one… and I said cut not completely…"

"Shhh… hospital… we're… we're in a hospital" Brendan hissed

"Look just gimme my money, yeah"

"Just wanna clear one more thing"

"WHAT?"

"The deal…"

"Yes…"

"Your deal…"

"Yes mine…"

"The one you backed out from…"

"Yes… no… what are you saying?"

"You don't like to get your hands dirty. I thought that was my thing Simon" Brendan finally sat up, his one arm stretched, resting on the next seat. He still gave Walker no eye contact, staring straight. He was playing hard man Brendan Brady. To Walker, this was the real Brendan: cold, ruthless, straight-to-the-point; a cocky, selfish miser. Money was obviously all this man cared about. He had this 'close relation' with his sister because of the club. She was, after all the previous owner. He had probably schemed and plotted his way through to get it. Now he let Joel, an inexperienced little lad to do this major deal and he didn't give a dime about his safety. He was merely concerned about Cheryl's reaction. She did still own 2% of the club. This man owned only about half but controlled it completely. He probably wanted Joel out of his way.

Walker tried to calm down. He no longer wanted to be involved in this anymore. He saw Brendan had a family; his first impression was that he's a family guy who had nothing but a puny little club, a sister he really cared about and a lad who was like a son to him. That time Walker just thought Brendan was trying to be like this guy who had everything under control. He realized now that this was actually who he was. Walker just wanted his money. He wanted out. He'd seen the real Brendan and he didn't like it. Being just out of prison he just wanted to make loads of money real fast and get out. He thought he could use Brendan. But Brendan was hardly someone to use. He cannot be used because he's the ultimate user.

"Look, okay. I get your point right. But who cares now. The deal is done. I mean I got you that deal. That counts for something. Just give me my share. I'll be out."

"You wanted to see the real Brendan…"

"…silly of me… I should have stopped at what you showed me."

"Yea… you should have"

"Look I don't want any more of this. I want out."

"You were out when you didn't show up for the deal. Let the kid handle it alone yea. Well the kid works for me. If you wanted your share you and your smug little face should have shown up."

"You're right! But this was my deal. I figured if your Joel was gonna do it, then why waste the extra man-power"

"Waste…"

"I mean he could do it on his own, right. Cause he's done it before" Walker knew it wasn't true. Joel was definitely new at this business.

"You reckon…"

"Look I don't know what game you're playing with him right. I just want my money."

"You're not gonna get it." Brendan stated, plain and simple. He was getting bored of this.

"I bet your Cheryl wouldn't like it if I told her how things really went down"

"She already knows." That was it. Walker was crazy enough to ask Brendan for the money because of this. It all seemed too easy for Brendan now.

Shit! That was all the leverage Walker had over Brendan. "So I guess I won't get anywhere if I believed you were a man of your word." Walker said, defeated.

Brendan smiled. "You know the real Brendan now, what do you think?" Brendan was up now, facing Walker. Walker couldn't meet his eye, knowing he's defeated.

"I will get back at you Brendan!"

"That sounds a bit desperate, Simon. In fact it sounds a bit like Warren. You know Warren, the guy behind bars. He used to say this kind of stuff too…" Brendan smirked, feeling the victory crown his head, so pleased with himself.

Walked swallowed his pride and walked away, seething.