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Jack listened to the message again, quickly he pulled a pen from his pocket and took the number down. Surely this was all some sort of mix up. He'd ring and it would all be sorted in a matter of minutes, then it would be back to his normal life because nothing was about to change, he reasoned to himself quietly as his shaky hand dialed the number. He listened to the dull tone that beeped from his phone, he paced up and down quickly, why weren't they answering. He was so concentrated on willing someone to pick up the phone he didn't notice Max come into the flat.

"Come on? Come on!" Jack said loudly into the phone.

"Jack?" Max questioned coming near him.

"What time is it?" Jack asked seemingly not surprised or bothered by Max's sudden appearance.

"What's the matter?" Max replied ignoring his brothers question.

"What time is it?" Jack shouted agitation showing in his voice.

"10 to 7.."

Jack sighed as he hung up the phone.

"Important call?" Max asked

Ignoring Max Jack redialed the number, and continued pacing around the flat impatiently.

Max stood watching every move Jack made.

"Finally.." Jack said loudly down the phone.

Max listened to one side of the conversation looking at his younger brother in confusion.

"It's Jack, Jack Branning, I need to talk to Aileen Cooper.."

Max rubbed his forehead in frustration at his younger brother.

"I don't care if she's not taking any more calls today, she'll take mine!" Jack ranted down the phone.

Jack remembered silently what the message had said.

"Tell her it's about Katie, Katie Branning" he breathed calmly.

Max continued to look at his brother confused.

"Yeah, Yeah, I'll be right there.." Jack said into the phone scribbling an address on paper before hanging up.

"What's all this about Jack?" Max asked following his brother outside "Who's Katie?"

Without answering his brother Jack drove off in his car at full speed.

20 minutes later he pulled up outside a large grey building, Getting out of his car he raced up the steps that led to a large brown door. He got inside and looked around the empty waiting room. After his initial rush he stood still looking around What am I doing here..

"Mr. Branning?"

Jack turned to see an older woman behind him, she was a short, plump woman with long greying blond hair, a pair of glasses resting comfortably on her head. She looked like a caring woman, her smile relaxed Jack.

"Do you want to come in to my office, we need to chat.." She said walking into a room next to her.

Jack quickly followed her into the small room. His stomach twirled nervously. Why was he nervous, he felt like a schoolboy who had been sent to the principal for misbehaving.

"Now, Mr Branning" Aileen started when they had both taken a seat on either side of a large desk that took up most of the office "I've been trying to contact you all day, Are you prepared to take Katie, provide for her unt.."

"Look Miss Cooper.."

"Call me Aileen"

"Aileen, I don't know why you think I'd be taking in this girl.." Jack said his tone staying calm waiting for her to realize she was obviously mistaken.

"Her mother, her mother was adamant that the child be placed in the care of you, her father in the event of.."

"Her mother??"

"Yes" Aileen said confused looking through her papers "Veronica Mitchell.."

Jack covered his face with his trembling hands, this was all happening too quickly, his head spun with this new information. He thought over what had just been said to him, that's when he realized, raising his head again he looked straight at the woman in front of him.

"..was adamant?" he whispered

"Excuse me?" Aileen asked bending forward.

"You said was.." he replied taking a deep breath.

"In the event of what?" he asked his voice coming out in meek whisper, strangled by fear.