"Come on you," Gary said softly as he touched Summer's back and leading her out of the living room. "Let's get you to bed."

"Why?" Summer pouted as she folded her arms across her chest stubbornly and dragging her feet across the floor.

"Because there are adult conversations," Gary pointed out. "Mummy will be with us in a moment. In the meantime, what story would you like?" He asked as he managed to escort Summer out of the hallway.

"Goldilocks and the three bears!" Summer exclaimed enthusiastically from the hallway.

Abi's head was turned round and she smiled timidly at the young girl. It reminded Abi of her younger self, how she used to be around her father. But things had changed. She had no father. She pushed the one man that use to be her entire world away and led him to prison and for what? Nothing.

"You sure there's not anything else I can get you Abi?" Dawn asked as she placed a hot mug of coffee on the coffee table as Abi and Jay sat down on the sofa together.

Abi shook her head, "No, that's great. Thank you."

Dawn smiled at the young woman, noting how wonderful she was and couldn't interpret why someone as lovely as her could ever have it so rough in life. Like Jay, really. Dawn knew that deep down, Jay and Abi needed each other but was certain that she was not going to intervene and was going to let it all come naturally. Only they could sort out their problems.

Dawn turned to her step-son and smiled timidly, "Do you want to stay the night Jay? I can quickly make up a bed in the spare room?"

"No it's alright, I'll just go back to the Mitchell's," Jay responded, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.

Dawn smiled at the two of them, "Well I'm going to help Gary with Summer and head to bed myself, it's been a long day. I can trust you to let yourselves out?"

Jay nodded, "Yeah, course. Night Dawn."

"Night," Abi smiled weakly. Dawn flashed them both a small smile before leaving the young pair to it in the living room.

"So what's it like at the Mitchell's now?" Abi broke the ice as she played with her fingers, "I can't really imagine what it's like there without me."

"Yeah well you did get the party started," Jay teased before they both laughed a little. Jay let out a sigh, "It's been dull if I'm honest, and hasn't been the same. Things have been tense between Ben and I since…y'know and then there's Phil's drinking."

Abi smiled sympathetically at her former lover, "Well you could always take up Dawn's offer and stay here?" Abi encouraged.

Jay scoffed, "For a night, Abs. Not permanently. Plus, I've made my bed over at the Mitchells haven't I, there's no turning back now, eh."

There was an awkward silence. Abi picked up her cup of coffee and stared down at it while Jay just gazed at her. She looked so weak and fragile, like the wrong move could easily break her.

"What happened with Jordan, Abi?" Jay gulped.

Abi sighed and shook her head, "I don't really know. I was waiting for him back at the Vic while he went to the loo and when he returned, he just stormed out, with no explanation. So I followed him and he kept being persistent about not being like his dad. I reassured him that he wasn't and where all this was coming from," Abi let out a heavy sigh. "And he just said that I don't understand him and never had…and then…well you know what happened."

"Oh Abs," Jay sighed sympathetically.

"I guess I've never really been good at understanding things," Abi stated sadly. "I mean, I never understood Ben. I remember him telling me how I was really good at not understanding things. I guess that's just me all over."

Jay reached out and squeezed Abi's knee, "You understood me Abi. When we were together, you knew exactly how I felt and what I was thinking without me having to tell you."

Abi looked down at Jay's hand which was placed on her knee. She felt his gentle and reassuring touch which made her heart flutter. She knew that she couldn't give into temptation. Observing her current state, she couldn't just jump and then fall. She had to be strong. Slowly, Abi moved her knee away from Jay's soft grip.

"Obviously I couldn't as I didn't realise that you were falling for Lola in front of my eyes until Ben opened them for me," Abi corrected him. She let out a sigh before turning to Jay with a soft expression. "I don't blame you for falling for Lola."

Jay furrowed his brow, "What do you mean? Abs, I was an idiot."

Abi chuckled, "There was obviously a reason why you fell for Lola, thinking about it there was probably a reason why you kissed Kitty on that holiday," she let out a sad sigh. "I was selfish, I was a nag, I was self-centered as all I could think about was passing my exams and being a vet. I could have been pregnant and all I could think about was myself, I didn't think of you," she put her hand over her heart as she spoke these words. "Then my exams were approaching and I working towards uni and I didn't even notice that you had taken a shine to Lola. I don't blame you. I mean, come on, she's pretty."

"She's not as pretty as you," Jay admitted, genuinely.

Abi scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Oh give over- you were all over her!" She took a sip of her coffee.

"It was just a phase," Jay said. "I should have just gone to Bolton with you, we would have been so happy."

Abi frowned, "Would we really, Jay? You didn't want to go to Bolton."

"I should have realised that you were working towards our future and me spending time with Lola didn't make me see that," Jay argued. "I was an idiot."

"No you're not," Abi insisted. "You and Lola were perfect for each other. She's like the female version of you."

Jay chuckled, "It doesn't mean that we are the perfect couple though. I mean, you know how we turned out in the end. I should never have gone there."

"You were really into her Jay when you got with her," Abi responded. "You were itching to go and join her in Newcastle once you got your tag off!"

"Abs," Jay took a deep breath. "I loved you for you and I still do. My feelings for Lola were nowhere near to how I felt for you and they never will be. You're the one for me."

Jay went to reach out for Abi's hand until she jerked it away from his reach, quickly putting her mug back down on the coffee table and standing up to grab her coat. "I'm sorry but I can't do this."

"Abs please," Jay pleaded as he rose to his feet. "What do I have to do to get you to believe me?"

"No Jay," Abi raised her voice in a firm manner. "Just because you were my 'knight in shining armour' tonight does not mean anything's changed. It hasn't."

Jay's lips twitched upwards into a small smirk. He liked the sound of 'knight in shining armour'. He knew for definite that he would rescue Abi any day, just give him a time and destination.

"Stop smiling," Abi demanded, sternly. "I'm serious Jay. I just physically and mentally cannot go back there, not again. I'm sorry but you really hurt me."

"Then let me fix that," Jay insisted.

"No Jay," she told him gently. "I think we both need to move on."

"What if I don't want to?" Jay challenged, raising his eyebrow.

"Well you're going to have to," Abi confirmed quietly. With that, she started to make her way out of the living room.

"Abs," Jay's voice lingered behind her.

By the doorway, Abi turned her head round with her hand resting on the doorframe. She noted how Jay had a desperate look on his face. This would have usually made Abi go weak at the knees but she learnt how to control it and not drop down to his level. She knew she was stronger than that.

"I'm sorry."

This was all that could spill out of Abi's mouth before she left the flat. Jay sighed with exasperated as he ran his hands through his hair. He knew that he really damaged Abi when he ended things over a year ago and he knew that things wouldn't be able to pick up where they left off. He was aware that things were not just going to slide back into place. He knew it was going to take time. But time is not what he had. Abi was leaving for New Zealand in less than a week and Jay needed to act fast. Jay loved Abi with all of his heart and soul and he wasn't going to let her slip between his fingers, not again…