Next chapter is up. Only one (possibly two) after this one, but it is very close to the end. Please review. Thanks Jodie xx


Chapter Nine

Stevie applied a tiny amount of lipgloss, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Her and Smithy had been dating six months to the day and he had a big evening planned for her, she was really looking forward to it, she slipped her dressing gown off and eyed her curvy figure in the bedroom mirror before grabbing for her black dress hanging on the back of his bedroom door "It'll ruin it" she turned to face him, he was leaning against the ensuite bathroom door way in just a towel, she smirked at him before turning back to the mirror "What will?" she asked. He kissed her shoulder pushing her bra strap down her arm "The fact you are putting clothes on when all I really wanna do is get you out of this rather sexy little set you are wearing" she turned to face him and pecked his lips. "We are going out Smithy" she replied pulling her strap back up her arm. "We dont have to... I can think of lots of very bad things we can get up too if we stay in". She fiddled with the top of his towel and sighed "As tempting as that offer is Inspector Smith... I am a good girl.." he cut in "And every bloke wants a good woman to be bad just for him Stevie.." she gently kissed his lips "And I am bad for you whenever you ask.. but.. we are going out". He sighed "Well I guess there will be plenty of time to have my wiked way with you when we get home eh?" he kissed her lips once again before he headed over to his clothes layed out on the bed. She turned back to the mirror and watched him as he began to dress "Did you think we would last this long?" she asked. He smiled at her "Corse... you are the love of my life Stevie... if I couldnt make it work with you... I couldnt make it work with anyone". She smiled slightly "You are a big softie at heart arent you Smithy". He grinned "Shut it Moss... you will ruin my rep..". She giggled "I think you did when you let me tie you to the bed the other night". She felt his hands on her body as he tickled her, moving her to the bed and pushing her down on to it, he sighed "Once, you have tied me to the bed... I have you naked every night and at my becking call". She leant up and into his lips. He sighed as she pulled back from him "Shift your arse Moss... we have resevations".

She smiled as she slipped into the car next to him "So what is the plan?" she asked. He sighed "Fish and chips and a walk by the river?". She grinned "I thought we had reservations..." he cut in "We do.. in the bedroom.." he leant into her cheek and kissed her gently "Or we can go to that italian in town.. the one you say you want to go to everytime we drive past?". She smiled at him "It takes over a month to get a table.." he pecked her lips interupting her "I pulled some strings.." he gently stroked her face and smiled "So is it a date?". She nodded slightly "Its definatly a date Smithy". He started the engine to his car and sighed as his mobile began to ring, he pulled it out and smiled at her "D'you mind... its me mum?". She shook her head and he answered the phone, she glanced out of the window and listened as he spoke to his mum. "I cant..." he began and she glanced at him "No.. I have plans with Stevie... well this is important.. Mum.." he smiled to the small blonde and she returned his smile "I can pop round tomorrow..." he sighed as he glanced at his watch "I told you I dont want to see Damien anyway... why cant you tell us seperatly". He rubed his eyes and stressed "Fine... but I only have half hour.. so you will have to make it quick.. Im on my way". Stevie sighed as she grabbed for the door handled and he smiled "Stevie Im sorry..." she shook her head "Dont be.. I will see you later.." she leant up and kissed his cheek and he grabbed her wrist "I promise we will do something after.. if we miss the restaurant we may have to get fish and chips" she cut in "Its not about missing the restaurant Smithy... tonight was meant to be special.." he sighed "I will ring her back.." Stevie shook her head "No donti its obviously important.. I will see you later Smithy". He shook his head "No.. Stevie.." she turned back to him and he was visably upset "Listen.. why dont you come with me, to my mums... then we will do something after... even if its just a drive through macdonnalds and a movie... please". Stevie nodded slightly "Ok.. but Im not staying long at your mums with Damien" he kissed her lips "Ok.. I love you Stevie". She nodded once again "I know" she spoke and he sighed as he began to drive away.

They had driven the whole way in silence and as she grabbed for the door handle once again he sighed "I had tonight planned Stevie... this aint how I wanted it either" she smiled at him "I know Smithy... its just tonight is the first time we have both made a real effort... and I dont know why I bothered.." he watched as she removed the hoops from her ears and pulled her necklace off and dropped them into her handbag". He shook his head "Dont Stevie... I feel so guilty.. Im sorry". She smiled as she touched his face gently "Im not trying to make you feel guilty... but we are serious now... I want you to put me first Smithy". He nodded "I do... but she is my mum Stevie... if you tell me now that you dont want me to go in there we will drive away... you are the most important person in my life". She smiled "No Smithy.. lets go and find out what is so important but you can buy me dinner after". He had let them in and led her through to the kitchen, holding tightly onto her hand. Smithy sighed as he saw Damien leant against the kitchen side "Wheres mum?" he asked and Damien shugged his shoulder "Dunno... she was on the phone when I got here..." he smirked at Stevie "You alright Stevie?" he asked and she nodded slightly. Smithy cut in "I heard you took Kayleigh back... where is she?" he felt Stevie pull from his hand and he turned to her, her face was downcast and he sighed "Me and Stevie are thinking of getting married.." Damien cut in and she glared up at him "Must hurt eh Dale... knowing your bird would rather screw your brother". She laughed "You are deluded Damien". They all jumped as Pauline appeared "Right lets get this over with" she spoke before heading back out and towards the living room.

Stevie rested down next to Smithy on the sofa and he took hold of her hand, kissing the side of her head gently before he whispeared into her ear "I do love you Stevie". Pauline smiled as Damien leant against the far wall and glanced round the three staring at her "Ok.. I know you didnt want to do this tonight Dale but I had to tell you now..." he cut in "Are you ok Mum?" he asked. She nodded "Im fine... couldnt be better actually but I have made a descision... I am going to move in with your Nan.." he cut in "You are moving to Scotland?" she nodded "I wanted you to know..". Damien cut in "When are you going?" he asked and Pauline grinned "As soon as I have sold this place". Smithy rose to his feet "You are selling this place?". She nodded "Yes.. it will be of no use to me when I leave.." Damien cut in "I will rent it..". Pauline shook her head "I need the money from the sale Damien... I want to buy a few things.." he interupted "So in other words you dont trust me to come good with the money". Smithy glared at him before back to Pauline "I will buy it... we can buy it.." he glanced to Stevie and she rose to her feet "Hang on a minute Smithy... we need to talk about this..". He turned back to her "Whats to talk about?" he asked and she laughed "Well quite a lot actually... you are deciding we are going to buy a house without even talking it over with me" he nodded "Fine.. lets talk upstairs" he led her from the room and towards the stairs.

Stevie had only ever been in the bathroom upstairs in Paulines house but now Smithy had led her into a large bedroom with a single bed in the corner, he had rested down onto it, she pushed the door closed and moved over to him and sunk down next to him. "Im not sure we are ready for this Smithy..." he cut in "We have spoke about buying a place together.." she nodded "And we always said a few years down the line... I am not sure we can afford it.." he smiled taking her hand "Stevie.. I am on a good wage... I can pay the mortgage and we can live off your wages.." she sighed "And what if we go wrong?" she asked and he shook his head "We wont Stevie.. I promise you". She took his hand in hers "And what if things change?" she asked. He smiled "Nothing is going to change Stevie... we have everything planned.. and this was the first step.. and I know we said we were going to wait eighteen months but.. this is too good an opportunity to give up". She sighed as she glanced round the room "Was this your bedroom?". He laughed "Yeah.. you are the first bird I have had in here in a long time.." she smiled at him "I know this house is full of horrible memories Smithy... you used to climb out of that window to get away from your family... why would you want to buy it?" she asked. He grinned "I hated this place but it is a lovely house Stevie... I hated growing up here... but we have the chance to make it something really special.. me and you.. and one day we could be raising our own family here... I want to make this the home it never was to me". She smiled "I need some time to think about this" he cut in "You can think about it as much as you like Stevie... but I am doing this either with or without you". She rose to her feet "Well my opinion obviously doesnt matter" she headed to the door but feeling his hands on her waiste he turned her back to face him. "I love you.. and nothing matters more to me than making you happy.. but this is a big deal to me Stevie.." she sighed "And Im not sure now is the right time". He kissed her lips "Its exactly the right time... I love you and we are going to work... and this place will be the perfect place for us to spend our lives together.. we said we were gunna start a family in five years... we will need a bigger place for that.. a proper home for both of us and it gives us a few years to make it exactly what we want.." she cut in "Things dont always turn out how you plan..". He smiled "We can do this" he kissed her again, letting his hands wrap round her waiste, hers round his neck, he led her back to the bed and he sunk down pulling her on top of him "I love you" he whispeared against her lips "This is a perfect opportunity.." he smiled before kissing her once again "We can do this Stevie".

He had headed down the stairs first, holding her gently the whole way "I will tell my mum we need a week to think about it.." he headed towards the noise in the kitchen and she made her way into the living room to grab her bag. As she moved back out into the hall he stormed past her "Im going to kill him" he shouted and she smiled "Smithy.. Dale.." she watched him slam the door shut before she turned to the kitchen, seeing Pauline in the door way her mouth fell open "Jesus... what happened to you Pauline?" she asked as she stared at her cut lip and black eye "Damien.. he flipped out.. you have to stop Dale.. Damien is trying to make sure he loses it take my car" she held the keys out to Stevie and she took them and jogged outside and jumped into the car and began the short journey towards Damiens place. The traffic was terrible and Stevie could feel her heart in her mouth, Damien spent his life trying to wind Smithy up and maybe he had finally found the way to make him crack but she wasnt prepared to lose him, not now anyway.

Stevie pulled up in the block of flats car park and ran up the steps and through the communal hall way and towards Damiens flat, the door was ajar and she pushed it and walked inside, she could hear the shouting and she froze to the spot. Smithy had a temper, she knew that and judging by today Damiens was just as bad she had no idea what she would be walking into. She made her way into the hall way and seeing Smithy with his hands wrapped round Damiens throat she grabbed his arm "Smithy let go". He pulled from her "What the hell is the matter you?" he shouted moving into Damiens face "She is our mother.." He rose his hand and Stevie moved between the two men "Smithy you cant do this.. its exactly what he wants.. and I cant lose you". He shook his head "Im not letting him get away with it Stevie..." he pushed her aside and pulled Damien and pushed him against another wall "You are just as bad as Dad" he rose his hand and Damien laughed "Go on... when I get you locked up.. Im gunna enjoy taking advantage of her.." he pointed to Stevie and Smithy pulled his arm back, Stevie grabbed him "Dont do this.. you cant do this.." he shouted "Get off me Stevie... he deserves this... he has to pay.." she cut in "Then do it the right way.. arrest him". He shook his head dropping Damien and turning to her "Im pissed off with doing things the right way..." he turned back to him and he laughed "You trying to prove your a real man... she still wont hang round..". Smithy hit him and she shook her head as the tears rolled down her cheeks "Smithy no..." she screamed. "That all you got" Damien shouted and he pulled him back to his feet "Smithy you cant do this.." she shouted, he ignored her and she grabbed his arm "Please Smithy..
I need you... Im pregnant".