I DON'T OWE EMMERDALE OR THE CHARACTERS BLAR BLAR BLAR...IT'S ALL THE PROPERTY OF ITV.

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XXX

Marlon was feeling excited about seeing his daughter. It had been 3 weeks since he went down to London to visit her, and it had been about 6 weeks since she was last in the village.

Laurel was washing up and turned to him, "Awwww, April will love to see everyone up here again, 6 weeks for a toddler is a very long time"

Marlon was seeing to Daisy the dog, "Yeah...Bob said he'll text me when they arrive, it's a long drive up"

Laurel dried her hands and sighed in thought, "I wonder who the father is, of her baby? Are you sure she never said anything to you when you went down there, I know what you men are like...in one ear and out the other"

Marlon let Daisy go free to roam the house, he looked at Laurel, "I asked her...but she just said that it was none of my business...I mean I think it IS my business, because of April...but she's stubborn like that"

Laurel made them a brew, "I wonder if that Ross Barton knows something...it was HIM who told me that she was pregnant in the first place...and he said it was yours"

Marlon blew out a laugh, "You can never take anything seriously from that man's mouth...I just take everything with a pinch of salt, me"

"Yes, but HOW did HE know in the first place...have you asked yourself that?"

Marlon sat on the sofa and made a fuss of Daisy, "I was wondering that myself...maybe he just got lucky and over heard her talking to someone about it..."

Laurel handed him his brew and curled up beside him nursing her mug, "Yes, but I'm ALSO wondering who the daddy could be...must be someone from her work, what do you think?"

Marlon shrugged as he mulled it over, "makes sense I suppose...You know what all them coppers are like when they get together...she used to say it was all a bit incestuous..."

"Then that's it, then...that's why she had to leave and move away so quickly...bet he's married"

Marlon turned to her, "well...when she gets back...YOU can ask her, can't you"

"ME ask her!"

Marlon laughed, "Yeah...as you say, it goes in one ear and out the other with us men...you might learn something different..."

XXX

Bob and Brenda stood outside the café as Donna pulled up in her car. Bob opened the driver's door and Donna jumped out and hugged him.

"Ohhhhh welcome home love!"

Donna smiled at him, "It's good to be back...I really miss this place when I'm not here, plus it's great for April to breath in the fresh country air"

Brenda toyed with her necklace, "It must be...they say the big smoke is full of pea soups...must be all that fancy food they eat down there..."

Donna laughed and then helped April out of the car, "Grannnddaad!"

Bob lifted his granddaughter up and gave her a massive hug, "Ohhhh I've missed you..."

Brenda looked at Donna and could make out the beginnings of a bump underneath her floaty top, "Everything...you know...okay is it?"

Donna shook her head and her hand rested on the bump instinctively, "Yeah it is...shall we go inside, I'm dying for a coffee and April just loves your muffins!"

XXX

Ross was at Andy's, he checked his mobile and zipped up his hoody and went to his ruck sack. He looked both ways and then up the stairs, then he pulled out a baby sunflower and smiled at it, he then made for the back door and slipped out.

XXX

Inside the café, Donna sat with a coffee as April scoffed down her muffin, Brenda was drawing a picture with her. Bob was talking to her as he served Priya.

"I know you're only back for the weekend love, but we do need to talk if that's alright"

Donna shook her head at him, "I know...and I will I promise...there's just a few things I need to do before we do that..."

Marlon and Laurel then came in through the door, and April turned her head to see the sight of her grinning father.

"Daddyyyyyy!"

Marlon leapt forward and gave his daughter a nice big hug, Laurel looked at Donna finishing her coffee, "did you have a nice trip up"

Donna stood and shook her head, "Yes I did...look, Laurel, would you and Marlon watch April for a bit, there's just something I have to do...hopefully, it won't take long"

Laurel nodded and watched her go to the door, "Of course...is it about...", her eyes went to Donna's bump.

Donna just gave her a half a smile and walked out.

Marlon realised she was gone, "Where's she off to, she didn't even stay to say hello"

Laurel sat on the other side of April so the little girl was in between them, "...she said that she had things to do, it won't take long...apparently"

"Ohh right...better not do"

XXX

Donna waited outside the cricket pavilion. She checked her phone, then Ross came up behind her holding the sunflower.

"Hey..."

Donna turned and greeted him with an unsure smile. Ross stepped forward and held out the flower in front of him, "I seem to remember you liked these...expensive...but what the hell...I'll do anything to get back into yours good books, you know me..."

Donna took the flower and smelt it, she smiled at him, a more relaxed smile, "It's beautiful...thank you"

Ross looked about them then looked back at her, "brings back memories us standing here, doesn't it? You know...when we were happy"

Donna looked sad.

Ross stepped forward, "I didn't mean to say that to stir up any trouble...I just said that...we were happy...back then..."

Donna turned away from him and reached for the wooden rail.

"I was going to tell you that day...about me"

Ross stuck his hands in his jeans pockets, "I guessed there was something up, didn't I? I kept asking you again and again... And don't just say it was just because you were lying to me about the operation being planned and everything...looking back, it was MORE than that...like you were scared and you didn't want to tell me..."

Donna swallowed, "I thought you'd go mad"

Ross came to her side and rested his hands next to hers on the wooden rail, "Why would I be mad for...wasn't it that day I told you I loved you...that I was IN LOVE with you...why would you think I'd be so mad for?"

Donna looked at him, she at last met his eyes, "Because YOU thought we were running away together...me you and April...I didn't think the news of an extra mouth to feed would of gone down well with you"

Ross shrugged, "What does it it matter...it's here isn't it? That life growing inside you...", his eyes finally looked to her tummy, he could see she was bigger, "...wow, these things grow fast don't they"

Donna smiled and walked to the bench to sit down, "look...you don't have to be apart of this if you don't want to be"

Ross screwed his face up, he stared at her like she had said something wrong, "What...are you saying that YOU don't want me to be apart of this...", he tapped his chest as he continued, "...do YOU think I'm not good enough, is that it...is this your way of telling me to do one and stay out of your life...", he cracked, "...because if it is Donna...I can't bear to hear it"

Donna jumped up and cupped his face with her hands, "Heyy...no...I'm not SAYING that at all...I'm just trying to make you realise that I'm not trying to trap you or force you in to this...I want you to be apart of our baby's life...but only if you want to be..."

Ross was hesitant. He looked at her, then around him, and then to her bump, he looked at her again. She reached out for his hand and then lifted her top and placed his hand on her bump.

Ross looked at it nervously and then up to her and there was a hint of a smile.

"You have a think about it, no pressure...I'm here till Sunday...if you want to be apart of our life then let me know before I go back..."

Ross withdrew his hand and stuck it quickly back into his pocket, "Yeah...you best get back, girl...they'll be wondering where you've got to"

Donna stood there toying with her sunflower as Ross turned his back on her thinking. She then slowly turned and walked away.

Ross closed his eyes. This was way too real. He knew that he wanted Donna. But it was all that went with it, it was all so very serious and it wasn't the fact he didn't WANT that...it was the case whether he was ready...or even...man enough for this...

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NEXT CHAPTER: FIREWORKS...ROSS PAYS THE PRICE WITH DEBBIE AND DONNA TELLS MARLON AND LAUREL THE TRUTH...

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