Chapter Six

Alice's first day at the new job went well, she really enjoyed working alongside Lucas, who she had been spending more and more time with due to working with him and on occasions sleeping with him. The next thing that Alice had to deal with was the fact that she was practically homeless, she couldn't spend much longer living in the hotel, her savings were fast running out and the money that Lucas was paying her, although very generous, was no where near enough to keep her going at the hotel.

"You okay?" Lucas could see that Alice was worrying about something "is there a problem with the job?"

"No" Alice shook her head vigorously "I love it, it's just that I have no where to live"

"Ah" Lucas smiled "I'll find out if there's somewhere you can live, there must be a space somewhere"

"Thanks" Alice looked again into Lucas's eyes, she knew that she was in love with him, she had known it every since she first slept with him but didn't want to say it out loud in case she ruined it, things for Alice never ever ran smoothly.

Rebecca Robinson looked through the glass into her husband's hospital room, he had been in a coma for a long time now, too long, so Rebecca thought. Declan walked in calmly and gently put his hands on his mother's shoulders.

"How's he doing?" Declan looked through the window too, as far as he was concerned there was no physical change that he could see

"There's no change" Rebecca answered telling Declan basically what he already knew "he's still in a coma, still no change, what am I going to do?"

"Look at me" Declan gently eased his mum round to face him, he couldn't help but notice the large bags around her eyes, her hair was lank and greasy, this wasn't his mum, he was so pleased he finally had some good news for her "I have some good news"

for a second, Rebecca heart was lifted, she hoped that he was going to tell her something fantastic, for some good news in the Napier family was way overdue "what is it?" she thought about what it could be, and only one thing came to her mind "have they found the person who did this to Paul?"

"No" Declan shook his head, thinking that it had put a downer on his news "me and Kate have got engaged"

Straight away, a little bit of Rebecca spark came back. She was so pleased for Declan, Kate and India. They would be a family, at last India would have a step-mum and Declan a wife. Nothing would ever get in the way of Bridget's memory and Kate knew all to well exactly what had happened. Now Kate and Declan were more important than Paul, there was no change and there would be no change for the foreseeable future, so she decided that she would go home, get washed and dressed and then go and visit Kate. Her new daughter in law. "congratulations, why didn't you tell me that you were going to propose?"

"Because you were caught up in everything here" Declan knew that what ever he said would make her feel bad, "and I didn't want to look stupid if she said no"

"You should have spoken to me about it, I would have pulled myself away from here for you and Kate"

"I know mum" Declan looked down at India in her pram, she had fallen asleep again, "I'm going to do this for India as much as me, I love India and Kate more than anyone else"

"I know" Rebecca spirit was coming back leaps and bounds "come on, let's go and celebrate the good news"

by the time Rebecca India and Declan got to Charlie's bar the news had spread across the whole of the street. Kate was already at Charlie's and celebrating with Ringo and Donna

"There he is" Kate cooed "my fiancee"

Declan was relieved, there was a little part of him that was worried that Kate would change her mind and call off the engagement. Rebecca sat down on the side of the bar that she didn't usually sit on and stared at the glass of champagne that Donna had poured her with all good intentions, for the last few days she had wanted to just sit in her bar and sink as many bottles of wine and spirits that she physically could, but now she didn't want the glass, she didn't want the drink.

That night Declan stayed at Kate's. They both decided that consummating the engagement would be a very good idea. Declan laid in Kate's bed with her in his arms and kissed her on the forehead, he had never loved anyone quite as much as he loved Kate and India, and now, finally after god knows how many problems Declan's life was finally coming together.

"I do love you, Kate" Declan promised "I promise I will not let you down, I will prove to you that I can be trusted, and that nothing else matters to me as much as you and India"

"I know" Kate answered sincerely "i know you want to be with me and I know that you will do your best to prove that I can trust you, why else would I have said yes to your proposal"

"Thank you" Declan smiled "you're wonderful"

"Can you believe it?" Donna Brown climbed into her bed next to her new husband and kissed him on the cheek "Declan and Kate have got engaged"

"I know" Ringo Brown, ran his fingers through his wife's beautiful blonde hair, he loved this hair, this was one of the things that had made him fall in love with her initially "you are beautiful"

"Thank you" Donna looked at her husband and thought about all the time they had missed, she could not believe her luck, she had treated Ringo in the worse possible way and he had been so in love with her and so forgiving that he had let it go and married her anyway. That was luck, that was love, that was amazing.