Hi :-)

I always make Waterloo Road fics so I decided to do something different and I'm going to make an Eastenders one around Carol and David as last year I found their whole relationship/past interesting and he went as soon as he came and I don't think it was explored as much and now in Eastenders Derek has the letter from David so that's going to be the basis for my fic.

If anyone reads this, it would be great to get some feedback :D

Becca xxx

It was a dark and cold winters night. The stars brightly shined on Albert Square. Carol Jackson was outside her house, looking through her handbag searching for her keys after doing the night shift at the cafe.

"Derek?" Carol said coming in.

"What?" He snarled from the couch

"Will you shift off that couch, every time I come in your there making the living room look messy, look Derek we need to talk about you living here" Carol said

"What's this? Are you kicking me out, after everything I've done for you?" Derek said raising one eyebrow in an intimidating manner

"I just don't want you and your dodgy stuff around for when Bianca comes back" Carol said impatiently

"Does family count for nothing these days. Us Branning's Carol, we stick together, were family" Derek said widening his gaze at her

"Well if you cared for your family you'd do the best for us" Carol sighed

"Fine, I'll be gone by the morning" Derek huffed

"Oh and I want that stuff shifted from the garage, you don't think I wouldn't have spotted it would you?" Carol frowned

"Come on, it's just a bit of business" Derek smirked

"No, get it shifted" She sad sitting down on the couch

"Well I better do it now why it's dark" Derek said sloping off to the garage

Carol rolled her eyes then fixed the cushions as she got comfy on the couch. A smile rarely passed her face these days, she had nothing to smile about. All her life was consumed by looking after everyone else, putting their feelings before her own. She had lots of love of her family and she appreciated it, but it just wasn't enough, her heart had turned cold without any love, never had a relationship worked out for her, each one just built on lies making her unable to trust.

"Nana Carol?" Morgan said coming in to the living room.

"Morgan, you should be in bed" She sighed

"I want mum" He said sorrowfully

"She's coming back this week" Carol smiled "Before you know it she'll be here nagging you about your scuffed up school shoes"

"Your back early" Carol said as Whitney came in from the Vic

"I'm tired" Whitney said

"Why doesn't Whit read you a story why I go and check what uncle Derek's doing" Carol said going outside before Whitney could oblige.

"Come to lend a hand?" Derek asked as Carol came in to the garage

"Yeah alright, were are you taking all this stuff?" She asked

"Max says I can keep it at his until I find a place of his own" Derek said whist picking up boxes

"Why would he let you do that?" She questioned

"He understand family loyalty" Derek said raising his eyebrows "Right you stay here, make sure no one see's whilst I take some stuff over to Max"

"Fine" Carol sighed watching as he sneakily went over to Max's, his arms full of boxes

Carol looked round at the dodgy gear, shaking her head. As she lent against a table she accidentally knocked of a small, black plastic box which was locked. As it smashed against the concrete garage floor the clasp on the lock broke.

"Oops" Carol said to herself then looked to see if Derek was coming back, there was no sign of him.

She carefully picked up the box and opened it, there was a large stash of cash and then a letter. A letter which was addressed to her

"What the hell..." She frowned as she opened the letter

'Dear Carol,

I'm sorry, I promised myself I wouldn't do it again. I'm so sorry

for running away like that. I thought I was doing the best by

both of us. But I wasn't I was being selfish, a coward. I shouldn't

have let Derek control our lives. Ever since I went all I can think about

is you. Please ring me, I need to talk to you, explain properly.

I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me,

David xxx'

She gasped as a tear fell from her eyes, she heard a whistling sound coming towards her.

"What's up?" Derek asked seeing her tear stained cheek then he looked at the envelope in her hand "What's that?"

"How dare you Derek!" Carol said angrily "What gives you the right to take my personal letters"

"I was saving you Carol, from David Wicks, he's vermin" Derek snarled

"What makes you think you can dictate my life all the time, I'm not some kid, I'm a grown woman Derek!" Carol said annoyed

"I'm helping you Carol, you and I both know that he's trouble" Derek said "Your not going to get back in touch with him are you?"

She shook her head "No"

"Good, or he's a dead man" He frowned "No one hurts my sister"

"I'm going to bed" Carol said walking away

As she lay in bed there was only one thing going through her mind, she kept reading over the letter, she read over it so many times it's surprising the ink hadn't worn off.

She grabbed her phone a few times, hovering over his number but each time she told herself that she must resist, she can't go through the heartache, not again, she had to be strong for Bianca when she came out of prison. She tried to get to sleep but she couldn't, it was like being young again. All them feelings she felt for David when she was 14, they never really went away. Her heart ruled over her mind and she reached for her phone again and sent him a simple text.

'What do you want David?'

When it had sent she put her phone back on the bedside table, she wondered if she had done the right thing.