Interlude

"Seriously?" Ronnie ran a hand through his messy hair. "No one saved me any pizza? Or Natalie?"

"I'm eating for two. The baby likes garlic bread." Sarah smiled cheekily. Ronnie smirked. It was the first time she had referred to her pregnancy in anything close to positive terms. Lucy shrugged.

"I'm still growing."

"I know kidda." Ronnie pretended to sulk. "What's your excuse Matty Boy?"

"You were snoring, we needed a distraction." Lucy burst out laughing. Natalie walked into the kitchen.

"Matt! I, er."

"Alright Guv?"

"Natalie." She corrected him. "I know everyone knows but, you know." She shrugged. Matt nodded, knowing how much they both guarded their privacy. Lucy began to explain how Matt had promised her and Sarah would never forget their mum. Ronnie nodded, glancing at Matt he knew he had a lot to thank the younger man for.

"Oh, and Dad. There's more pizza in the oven. Needs warming." Sarah kissed his cheek before ushering Lucy towards the living room insisting Dappy needed attention.

"You ok?" Matt asked. Ronnie nodded.

"He says e is." Natalie answered for him.

"Once the trial is over and the funeral. The DI running the case called me earlier, all being well there's going to a death certificate issued this week and we can start planning stuff." Ronnie spoke quickly, letting the words tumble over each other. Running a hand over his face he sighed. "I'm tired."

"I can see that."

"My girls. They just lost their mum, their home. What can I say? Nothing is going to make it any better." Ronnie turned the oven on, rehearing the pizza.

"No, it won't." Matt agreed. "Nothing will turn back the clock, so stop trying to. It's where my mother went wrong when my dad died."

"Eh?"

"Tried to be everything, make out my dad dying didn't matter." Natalie slipped away quietly to call her oldest son. The men barely registered her leaving. "I was a kid, bout Lucy's age, Kathy barely a toddler but it mattered. He mattered. And Denise matters to her girls. Always will."

"I know." Ronnie swallowed hard. "She's their Mum. Simple as."

"So, let them tell you what they need." Matt watched as Ronnie gripped the edge of the sink. It was then he realised his best friend had probably barely slept since the night his ex wife had been killed.

"So far that comes down to them living here. Keeping the baby and staying in touch with their mates."

"It's a good place to start. What about you?"

"Me? Ten minutes with the little shit that got my daughter up the duff, dumped er when she wouldn't get rid, broke into her home with the intention of beating her up to cause a miscarriage but ended up killing her mother instead. Ten minutes, a bottle of vodka and no CCTV - that's all." Ronnie's voice was dangerously low. "I mean it Matty."

"No you don't."

"Matt."

"I know you." Matt kept his voice low. "You think too much of those kids to pour that crap down your throat again. You love Natalie too much to risk her seeing you at your worst."

"You have no idea."

"Don't I? Merrick ring any bells? If someone else hadn't killed him I'm damn certain I would have. But you know what stopped me? My son, Alesha and you." Matt kept his voice even. "So, don't tell me I have no idea. I wanted to kill that scum, you have no idea how much I wanted to."

"Matt."

Matt curled his hands into fists.

"Matt, you're right. I'm sorry. I was just mouthing off. I'll be at the Plea Hearing tomorrow. Sober. I would say sober as a judge but I know too many of them."

Matt smiled slightly. He knew Ronnie meant it.

"Ok, ok." Matt paused. "I should go. I said I'd collect Lesh and Cam."

"Go on then son." Ronnie watched as the younger man said goodnight to the women in the living room before turning to open a kitchen cupboard. Moving a few tins of beans and spaghetti aside he pulled out the bottle of vodka he had kept since he could remember. Silently he undid the screw top on the bottle and begun to pour the clear liquid down the sink. He jumped slightly as he felt two arms encircle his waist.

"Nat. I wasn't. I."

"I know." She kissed his shirt covered shoulder. "I know. I trust you, remember?" He sighed, turning in her arms he nodded before hugging her.

"I know Luv. I know." He closed his eyes as he held her, determined not to cry.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"You're serious?" Joe drove towards the address Angie had found as Sam tugged on his tie. Sam nodded once.

"Yeah, I arrested that girl when I was in Vice. Nasty cow."

"She's tiny. How could she kill someone his size?" Joe paused as he turned the car into a side street.

"Like I said, nasty cow. I knocked Georgia Harris for procuring girls for a pimp. Anyway, she did eight months of a twelve month stint. Her pimp, Philip Cassidy died of a heroin OD last year. She's more than capable of killing a fat, drunk oaf like him." Sam glared out the window. Joe raised an eyebrow before parking the car.

"Let's hope she's home now then." He killed the engine before leaving the car, knowing Sam would follow him.

Xxxxxxxx

A/n next chapter will be longer - the plea hearing and do the lads have the right suspect? Is Ronnie going to cope and what about Kate? Please review