Tension

Stephen and Rory walked side by side through Hyde Park. Stephen pushed the pram in front of him. Whenever Regina was awake, he and Rory made faces at her to make her giggle. Whenever she slept, they both watched her adoringly. She was wrapped up warm against the October weather in a tiny, pink winter coat, hat and gloves. The blanket in the pram was wrapped around her tightly. The rain cover was in the baby bag that sat on the tray above the wheels, ready for any rain. The day was sunny, though cold. They had decided to take her for a walk through the park before the sun packed in for the winter. Rory, like Regina, was dressed for the winter. Stephen, like the Brit that he was, wore no coat. He only had a thick jumper and a scarf to keep him warm. His coat was in the baby bag alongside the rain cover. Stephen laughed and said he wouldn't need it. Rory had insisted it come with them.

They talked of everything and anything. They discussed the very recent visit that Frank and Louise had made to meet their granddaughter and how they had adored her. They excitedly talked about Boo and Callums engagement. They laughed about Jerome being next to pop the question and Rory squealed with delight at the thought. She would, she told Stephen, actively encourage it. He laughed and adjusted the teddy bear that lay in the pram next to Regina. They had just been to Jerome and Jazzas flat an hour beforehand for a cup of tea and they had gifted the teddy to their goddaughter.

It was a good day. A very good day. But then Stephen stopped walking. He stopped walking so suddenly that the pram jerked. It only jerked a little bit but it was enough to make Regina whimper. Stephens frozen expression immediately changed from nerves to concern for his daughter. "Oh sweetheart, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He placed his hand in pram and stroked Regina's head soothingly. "Daddy's silly. Daddy's very silly. Daddy didn't mean to wake you up. You go back to sleep sweetheart." He was vaguely aware of Rory's hand on his arm. "Stephen, what's wrong?"

He took a deep breath and placed his hands back on the handle. He looked to her and forced a smile. He spoke quickly and there was a shake in his voice that he couldn't hide from her. "Nothing darling. Shall we turn around and head back?" He sounded eager. Too eager. Rory didn't buy it. "Something's wrong. What is it?"

"How many times must we cross your path on our visits to London?" Rory tensed when she heard the voice ahead of them and she narrowed her eyes angrily. That bastard. That was the last thing Stephen ever needed in his life. "London's a big city. You'd think we'd be able to come here without seeing you."

Stephens eyes were intently studying the ground. His hands were tensed around the handle of the pram. Rory took a deep breath and turned her head to the voice. Stephen might not say anything but she sure as hell was gonna. "Trust me, you're the last person we want to see."

She hated the man who stood a few feet in front of her. Both of his parents stood there but only his father had spoken. He stood straight and proud. She was looking at the pram with surprise. Even at a distance, Rory could see that Stephens mother was curious and, maybe she was imagining it, a little sad. At the moment, Rory couldn't care less about his mother. She was just standing there quietly. She hadn't said a word, either good or bad, to either one of them. That was fine by her. As things stood, the entirety of Rory's hatred was trained on Stephens father.

Edward Dene didn't respond to Rory and that was maybe a good thing. There was no way of knowing how she would react to him if he continued. This was the man who had given Stephen and Regina no love, who had made Stephen feel so guilty for Regina's death that he had tried to kill himself, that had made Stephen question his abilities as a father. The hate she felt for him was intense and, on top of that, she had had very little sleep. If his father spoke to her again, she would probably snap. She saw him looking at her hand and heard him scoff. He spoke to Stephen. "So, you married the American whore, did you?"

Stephen saw Rory tense out of the corner of his eye. He glared up at his father. "Don't you dare call her-"

"Answer me, Stephen."

Stephen exhaled slowly through his nose, closing his eyes as he did. When he opened them again, he plastered a smile on his lips. He spoke politely. Sarcastically so. "Yes, I did. And I would very much like to thank you for the allowance you give me. It allowed me to give my wife the wedding she deserved. How does it feel to know that your money helped me marry her?"

The last words were said victoriously, like he knew he had challenged his father and won. His father turned his nose up and started to walk away.

"Answer me, father." Stephen spoke with the same, patronising tone of voice his father had used on him a moment before. His father turned back and glared at him. "How dare you talk to me like that?"

"I dare very easily." Stephen spoke confidently and Rory smiled at the strength he was showing. "I'm 23 years old. I'm not a child. And I'm not afraid of you or any tone of voice you adopt. I've seen things you wouldn't believe. I've nearly died a few times. I've nearly lost the woman I love more than once. Do you really expect me to be intimated by someone like you?"

Rory exhaled gently. She hadn't been aware that she was holding her breath. She grinned at him but then heard his father's voice. "And what are you smiling at?"

She didn't take her eyes from Stephen and the smile didn't leave her face. Stephen looked at her, proud of himself. "I'm smiling," she said without looking, "because my husband is strong enough to make sure you can't ruin his life anymore."

Stephen smiled widely at her. He turned back to his father when he heard him scoff. "Come on Diana. We're leaving."

Stephens mother didn't move. This shocked Stephen and the smile faded as he watched her carefully. She had never ignored his father before. Her eyes were still glued to the pram and Rory wasn't sure if she had heard anything that had happened. Her mind appeared to be nowhere but the idea that she was a grandmother. Edward followed his wife's eyes to the pram and spoke again, more forcefully this time. "Diana."

Ignoring her husband, Diana stepped closer to the pram. Stephen tightened his grip on the handles and glanced cautiously at Rory. She gave him a steady look before looking back to his mother. She was close enough to the pram to look inside now. She spoke, her attention on the baby. Her voice was quiet, as if unsure. "Is she yours?"

"Yes," Stephen replied. His voice shook, betraying his feelings of uncertainty about the situation.

His mother nodded softly. "What's her name?"

Stephen watched her nervously, almost afraid to say his daughters name but he pushed the fear away and spoke with pride. "Regina."

He had expected her to react, to perhaps chastise him for saying that name out loud. It was, after all, a taboo word in the Dene household. To his surprise, she continued to look at the baby, her expression almost unchanged. He thought he saw, but couldn't be sure, the tiniest hint of a sad smile. She whispered. "Regina."

After a few more seconds she inhaled quickly, but not sharply, and raised her head to look at Stephen. For the first time he could remember, she looked at him softly and, for a moment, he thought she might cry. Her voice was unsteady, almost inaudible, as if she were afraid to speak lest she weep. "She's beautiful."

Stephen furrowed his eyebrows gently, shocked, but touched, by his mothers apparent care. His voice was just as soft as hers. "Thank you."

She swallowed hard and nodded to him politely, even attempting the smallest of smiles, before looking at Rory. Rory looked at her uncertainly but, when Diana nodded to her as she had to Stephen, she nodded back.

With one final look at Regina, Diana cleared her throat and turned to walk away. Her husband was watching with something approaching disgust. Rory watched Stephen carefully as he watched his mother walk away. She saw him take the breath and then heard him speak.

"14 Goodwin's Court."

His mother turned back slowly, her eyes tearful, her voice unsure. "Pardon?"

"That's where we live. 14 Goodwin's Court. In case you want to visit your granddaughter. I'm not sure whether to expect you or not but...if you do come... our door will be open."

Rory watched the scene unfold with love and admiration. She glanced from Stephen to his mother. Diana's lip was quivering. She nodded again and smiled gently, silently thanking him, before walking back to her husband.

Rory placed her hand on Stephens arm. "I'm so proud of you."

He nodded as he watched them walk away. His mother looked over her shoulder to them before turning away again. He exhaled evenly. "Well...that was interesting."

Rory smiled gently and linked her arm through his. "Come on," she said. "Let's drop by Waterloo and see the others."

He smiled at her. "Yeah." She pulled away from him so that he could turn the pram around. Then she linked on again as he pushed it down the path they'd just walked up. He too look over his shoulder for one final look. He caught his mothers eyes as she looked back again. As they walked in opposite directions, Stephen nodded to her one last time and she returned it. Then mother and son turned back to their spouses and continued their day.