Author note: thanks to everyone who has sent feedback on the story, I am glad you are enjoying it, and I appreciate you taking the time to read the story. As promised, here is the next chapter:
"Mr Owen, you are the father".
Dani and Russ, sat there for a couple of minutes in a daze, then when she realised that it was true, and that her attacker could not have fathered her child, she smiled, and a huge sense of relief washed over her. Russ too was speechless, finally realising that he was a father. He also realised for the first time, that he was happy about that, not just because did not want Dani to have had to deal with the alternative option, but also over the last few days, he had started to fall in love with the baby Dani was holding in her arms.
They both walked out of the doctor's office in silence, both processing the thoughts in their minds. When they got to the car, Russ took Lucy out of Dani's arms and put her in the baby seat in the car, only then registering that it is own daughter he was holding in his arms.
Russ turned around to Dani, and realised she looked like she was about to cry, he held her, calming her, and when she finally did she answered his questioning look "sorry, about that, I guess it is the relief and the stress of it all finally getting best of me" "don't be silly" Russ replied smiling, and still holding her " you have every right to be emotional at the moment" just as they were about to let go of each other, they both looked into the others eyes, they kissed each other gently at first, then it became more passionate, until they were interrupted by Lucy's crying from inside the car.
They drove home in silence, both feeling awkward about the kiss, Dani thinking that Russ regretted it, and Russ thinking that Dani kissed him because she was in an emotional daze with everything that had happened.
When they pulled up at the flat, Dani asked him to come in, but Russ said he couldn't, that he had to do something, but would pop around later. As Dani got out of the car Russ turned to her and said "about the kiss…"
Dani, thinking that he was going to say that it should not have happened, could not face hearing the words, so she interrupted him and said "forget it Russ, its Ok, I know you've moved on, lets just put it down to the upheaval of the last few days, and forget it happened" not seeing the disappointed look on his face, she got Lucy out of the.
It was not until got indoors to the safety of the flat, and closed the door, did Dani let the mask slip, and a tear fall over what might have been between her and Russ had she stayed in the village all that time ago. She cursed herself for the tear, as she swore to herself she would not let herself admit how she felt for him, she could not risk her heart been broken all over again.