PREVIOUSLY

"Fred? I have something that I need to tell you and you need to know." She took a deep breath, looking at him. "I'm pregnant."

Freddie heard the words 'I'm pregnant' and froze. He didn't know what to say or do. He shook his head gently to snap himself out of his trance.

"What? And it's mine?" He stuttered in shock.

"Yeah, it's yours." She said quietly.

"Hey, look at me." He whispered, lifting her chin up so she was looking at him. "Whatever you and this baby need, I'm going to be there and you won't be raising this child alone."

"Are you serious? Who says you'll even be around when this baby is born?" She asked, looking up at him.

"Right, I know I've done some bad things, things that I'll regret forever. I've put this family through hell with the amount of times I've got myself hurt but this? This is my reason to stop, put all of that behind me because you and our baby, you two will be the most important things in my life. I'd do anything for you, Lindsey and I'd do anything for the baby too. I will support you."

Lindsey made her way downstairs the next morning after making herself look slightly less ill to what she was feeling. She let out a sigh as she tightened up her ponytail and walked into the kitchen where Sandy, Ziggy, Freddie and the twins were all sat at the table.

"Morning" Lindsey said, smiling at the group as she went to grab a glass from the overhead couple, getting herself a glass of water.

"Morning!" The family exclaimed, Freddie glancing over at Lindsey with a slight smile.

"How you feeling today, love?" Sandy asked, taking a sip of her tea as she looked over at Lindsey.

"I'm okay, got a headache and the leftover feelings of this food poisoning but I'll be fine. I think that takeaway me and Cindy had was just a bit dodgy, that's all." She replied, shrugging lightly as she took a sip of her water.

"Glad to hear you're on the mend, darling!" Sandy added, getting up and placing her empty cup in the sink. "Come on boys, you've gotta get to college."

"I better get going, shift at the hospital but I'll see you all tonight when I get home." She smiled at Sandy, placing her glass on the side before leaving the kitchen and heading into the hallway where she put on her scarf and coat.

"Hey, you alright?" Freddie asked, heading out into the hallway to where Lindsey was.

"Don't sneak up on me like that." Lindsey replied, chuckling as she turned around, nodding gently. "Apart from feeling like I'm going to throw up at any moment, I'm great!" She added sarcastically.

"Are you sure you're up for work? If you're not feeling great then maybe you should stay here." He suggested, shrugging.

"Honestly, I'm fine. Plus, I've gotta work and keep my mind off of everything, it's still so surreal that we're, well, having a baby." She said, looking down for a second before back up at him.

"I know, it's not really sunken in yet but like I said, I'm here for you, the both of you." He whispered to make sure that Sandy wasn't listening.

"Thankyou, it means a lot. Look, I'm going to get off but I'll see you around later probably." She smiled faintly at him before quickly leaving the house and heading off to work.

"Oi, Butterfield!" Mercedes shouted, strutting through the corridors of the hospital and over to Lindsey at the nurses station.

"Keep your voice down, Mercedes." Lindsey said as she jumped, turning around to see Mercedes.

"Oooh, touchy, sorry." She replied sarkily, resting on the counter and stealing a piece of chocolate from the side. "Anyway, have you told Freddie you're up the duff or?"

"Would you be quiet?" She whispered, widening her eyes at Mercedes. "Nobody can know. But yeah, I've told him."

"And? What did he say? Was he happy or shocked or what?" She asked.

"He said he's going to be there every step of the way for everything and he wants to support me and the baby." She said quietly, sighing softly.

"Well, that's a good thing ain't it?"

"Of course it is, he seems dead set on being there for us both but it's just so messed up. I mean, what me and Fred did wasn't supposed to end In a baby and now we're stuck like this…"

"Lindsey Butterfield, be quiet." Mercedes shushed her. "You have wanted a baby for so long and this is your chance. You have someone that loves you, someone that loves your baby and you need to take this chance. Stop worrying, it's not good for you or the baby!"

"He's married, Merc. I'm going to hell after this, when everyone finds out."

"I said stop worrying, I'll be there for ya' too, all the way!"

Lindsey smiled at Mercedes, her pulling her into a friendly hug.

After arriving home from a long twelve hour shift at the hospital, the night drawing in, Lindsey got herself changed into a pair of comfy leggings and her checked shirt, pulling her long brunette hair over to one side as she made her way downstairs and into the living room, plonking herself on the sofa beside Freddie.

"We need to talk." She said, sitting cross legged on the sofa.

"What about?" Freddie questioned, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Right, I've spent the past twelve hours at work wondering what I'm going to do about this mess that we're in. You're still married, I'm technically still engaged and we need to work out how we're going to tell your mum and brothers that we had a one night stand and you got me pregnant." She said quickly, Freddie trying to take in everything she was saying.

"Right…" He said reluctantly.

"So, going by the dates of when we…you know plus two weeks, I'm like six weeks so I think we should sit down with your mum and brothers tomorrow and tell them as they need to know why I look like a zombie and why I can't move from the bathroom incase I throw up, there's only so long I can use the food poisoning excuse. Then, you go to Sinead's either tomorrow or the day after and let her know what you did."

"Sinead will kill me, you know that right?"

"I know, she'll go bezerk but I'll come with you and wait outside incase she unleashes her claws on you, don't worry. What are best friends for, hey?" She said, smiling softly at him as he smiled back, the two of them locking eyes.

The intensity of the gaze between them was rising every second. Lindsey had to discreetly bite her lip to stop herself from grinning like a Cheshire cat. She coughed quietly as she broke the gaze, quickly standing up.

"I um, I need to go get some rest, I'm shattered. See you in the morning or something" Lindsey spoke, glancing around the room.

"Yeah, make sure you get enough sleep alright?" Freddie said, standing up also.

"I will, don't you worry" She replied, heading towards the door of the living area before glancing back at Freddie. "Night." She whispered.

"Night Linds" He whispered back as she smiled at him before leaving the living area and heading upstairs to bed.