Author's Note: Just a warning, this chapter does include a flashback with mentions of abuse. Also Emmerdale introduced Maya's mother in the real show and it seems we have different ideas on what her mother would be like. Oh well, rolling on.

Chapter Fifty-Three

"So tell me son, when did it all start?" Justin questioned.

He managed to get him to sit down to discuss Maya. Though already, Jacob could sense this conversation wasn't going to go the way either one wanted. Exhausted of discussing the topic was an understatement. With his legs hunched up by this point, he looked just behind his father. Though Justin didn't notice his subtle turn of direction, Jacob wasn't going to look in his eyes and say this with conviction. He knew not to deny it for that ship has long sailed (and was now firmly anchored in the opposite direction). Though at the same time, he didn't wish to label or for anyone else to label her as a paedophile. That word he hates so much, he can take them calling her a liar, a manipulator, a homewrecker but not that. Never that (though that's what she was).

"It didn't start for real until after my 16th birthday" Jacob insisted; he always went back to that.

She didn't have sex with him until he was sixteen, he was holding onto that as if that would absolve her of everything. Though he was lying to himself by this point because it hurt him to think otherwise. A dead 'girlfriend' was bad enough he thought, he didn't wish to make their memories ugly too.

"Was she your first?" Justin managed to ask despite his obvious disgust.

"No, Gabby was"

He answered with such giddiness too. For he was content to slander Gabby's name or any other girl's name. Never Maya's name though.

"Gabby's the same age as you?"

Jacob just nodded.

"Well that's alright then, that's normal...You and Maya however, not normal" Justin began to say.

Thinking he was the first to try and attempt this. Just like the adults before him, he thought 'Bingo! I got him!'. Though he would soon learn that Jacob's answer to that was to just to go further into denial. Getting rather exhausted of this stage too, the lad just slumped further down in his chair.

"Good chat" Jacob spoke with no emotion.

His father just looking at him with a sad expression on his face. Good chat? That's all he had to say for himself. Going round in circles was an understatement by this point, he wasn't even going around in circles; he was going around in just one repeated circle. Though this was all new to Justin and he wanted to understand the bigger picture. Though he wasn't getting anywhere.

"I should have been there" Justin muttered to himself.

"And where were you?" Jacob asked with bitterness. Changing the subject quickly.

"I was trying to see you for years, Your mum, Leyla and David made it very difficult for me; I sent you cards every birthday and every Christmas...Did you get them?"

"No"

"Well there you see...They probably binned them the moment they came through the post, I was thinking about you all the time"

"If you wanted to see me that much; why didn't you fight for custody?"

"I did! But your mum and David won the case and I was pushed aside like I was nothing. I brought you up for nine years Jacob; I saw your first steps, your first word and everything else...The biggest mistake I made was letting Leyla come between me and your mum"

"Leyla ruins everything"

"Tell me about it...And let tell you another thing, this Maya wouldn't have laid a finger on you if I was there; I can sense people like that from a mile off"

"Don't talk about her like that" Jacob suddenly spoke in a defensive manner.

"Who? Leyla?"

"No, I mean Maya"

"Okay son, if that's what you want...I got you a place in the local college by the way, you can redo your GCSE's there and start again"

Justin seemed to be doing everything a million miles per hour. Though he wasted over seven years doing nothing.

...

Elsewhere, Henrietta have returned to an empty house. Cain was a bit of light relief and nothing more. Being in that house alone was too miserable, so she put on some old home videos to try and ignore the pain. So all you could hear in the terrace house was the sounds of people from 1992 in late November. She was watching some old clips of her daughter Maya Stepney when she was a mere child of thirteen, her 13th birthday. The day where Henrietta truly believed she lost her. She changed after that day. John manned the camera that year. His drinking only got worse from then on...

The faint sound of the radio playing 'Heartbeat' by Nick Berry could be overheard in the background. John began filming everyone at Maya's 13th birthday party much to their annoyance. Henrietta seemed much happier as she had her arm draped around her second and last husband (they were still married at this point). A more sprightly looking Rosa was walking about in the background, reading all the cards. Waving her hand in John's direction as if she was telling him to shoo...

"I could make this into a summer blockbuster and you will miss your chance to star in it" John joked.

"I will take my chances" Rosa replied back.

Making him turn the camera back onto his ex-wife and her husband. He gave John a quick nod. It was a rather carefree looking scene and it was truly the last happy day Henrietta remembers spending with her family. Apart from maybe Liam's wedding to Maya (though that was overshadowed by many things). So no, Maya's 13th birthday was truly the last happy moment she remembered.

Henrietta was almost sobbing by this point while watching the video, she wondered why she put it on.

"And there's the birthday girl...You having a good time, Maya?" John asked.

"Yes! I got so many new tapes to listen to! Billy Ray Cyrus is obviously the best though" Maya expressed.

She looked and sounded so different, she really was like a different person as a child. Nobody would have guessed in 1992 how she would have turned out. She was currently sat with four tapes and a Walkman. Her other gifts included a book on 'The Queen Mother' and a pair of white trainers.

"Achy breaky heart is not real music!" John teased.

"Yeah well all you had to listen to was jazz when you were my age"

"Oi! Just because you're a teenager now, don't go giving me cheek"

The mood was still carefree, even when Ethan walked into frame. For he hasn't yet done what he planned to do yet. He was seventeen by this point and came in wearing his leather jacket, smoking as well.

"Put that out when you're in here!" John scolded.

"Yes put that out" Rosa chimed in.

Making the lad just give a sigh as he wandered back out, putting his cigarette out and chucking it in the bin. Ethan soon coming back; looking towards Maya as he did so, the young girl just looking through her new book. History was always an interest so she was enjoying looking at the old photographs from the Edwardian times and roaring twenties. All seemed alright.

"Why don't I take Maya out for a bit and we can try the Walkman out for speed" Ethan quickly spoke up.

"Oh daddy, can I?!" Maya chipped in.

"Well I don't see the harm; take your coat then and be back in about an hour...We got you another surprise"

"A birthday cake isn't a surprise"

"Oi! What have I told you about giving me cheek? Go on, be back soon"

And with that, Maya departed the room and was never the same again. The tape stopped a bit.

Bursting into tears again by this point, Henrietta kept replaying the scene over and over. That may as been the moment Maya died in her eyes. She wishes she could just go back and tell her no, she can't go out with Ethan to try that stupid new Walkman! He did something awful to her while they were out, she just knew he did. That glint in his eye. Maya really did learn from the worse when she got older, didn't she? Henrietta didn't want to but she watched further on, she didn't see the signs then but now she does.

The tape cut to the moment Maya returned from her walk with Ethan. The lad went straight to the bathroom, telling everyone he was getting a shower for he fell in mud. Everyone just laughed about it. In hindsight though, it was obvious he hasn't fallen in mud. He was just trying to wash away the shame. For he still had some back then (he however got worse after he "forced himself over it"). As if he had suddenly learned how to not feel guilty over doing evil things. Thirteen year old Maya came into the living room however she no longer looked happy.

"Good time?" a younger Henrietta asked her daughter; walking over with slight concern.

The girl had a small rip in her skirt which once again, nobody took much notice. They thought she must have ripped it while playing. Though her mother asked her regardless as she questioned..."What happened to your skirt?"

"I caught it on something" Maya replied in an almost whisper; was that a good enough lie she thought.

John has caught this on film and thought nothing of it until years later. Now he can no longer bring himself to watch this particular film. The truth was Ethan had raped her that day, he never took her out. He did the crime in the shed, just telling her to listen to her music and close her eyes while he 'did something'. His exact words being "Listen to your tapes, close your eyes and let me do something". After it was done, they just sat still for a while before he took her back inside.

"Oh you silly girl...Anyway, close your eyes and and listen" Henrietta spoke.

Though she didn't want to close her eyes again, nor did she want to listen. So she shook her head nervously. Making her father think she was just being cheeky again. As he gave a laugh, still filming. Thinking she was being a typical teenager as he teased...

"You're right! You're too old for birthday cakes now; let's take it away!"

"Don't tease her, John" Henrietta chimed in.

"Close your eyes princess"

With her still refusing to do this, Henrietta just put her hands over her eyes as a last resort. Making them all give another laugh. Rosa bringing out birthday cake at last as they all sang 'Happy Birthday to You'. Henrietta taking her hands away at the end, Maya only just barely able to blow out the candles.

"Wey! There we go!" John cheered.

Something seemed off however to Henrietta's second husband. The man giving a nervous smile as he watched them having to force Maya to slice a bit of her cake. She was perfectly alright before so he called John over once she sliced the cake. Mainly to double check with him.

"Maya seems a bit down" he commented to him.

"She's just being a typical teenager" John insisted.

With a slight shrug, the man caved in and agreed. Not pressing him any further. John would surely see if his daughter was truly upset. Sadly though, this presumption wasn't correct and everyone seemed to not notice her sudden mood change until it was too late. The camera cut off again.

Henrietta still in tears as it ended, watching that again wasn't a good idea. Maya seemed so much happier before Ethan came onto the scene. He just took away her childhood like it was nothing on that day. Maybe Maya felt it no longer mattered years later because it didn't stop her ruining Damian and Jacob's teenage years. Though it still hurt Henrietta a lot to watch the tape, the before and after was plain as day in hindsight.

...

Leyla was standing outside her door with a cup of tea, she needed to get some fresh air. Jacob was ignoring her calls still. Her mood didn't get much better as she noticed Tracy with her arm locked in David's, she looked so happy. Leyla did know they were back together but seeing it in the flesh felt like another kick to the ego. She didn't want David for herself so it wasn't that, she just supposed she was jealous that he was moving on. Quite quickly too for Maya has only been dead for five months. Though at least Tracy was an ex-girlfriend and not some stranger. So much for their kiss a couple months ago being 'a mistake' for it clearly was what they both wanted deep down.

"Hiya!" Tracy called over with a small wave; she just got a small nod back from her friend.

David still keeping his arm firmly around her. It was like he wanted everyone to see he had a normal girlfriend again. Leyla wondered if he only went back to Tracy as an attempt to try and erase the last few months. For he has barely mentioned Maya since he found out, it wasn't a surprise but it was telling. Nobody expects him to talk about his "ex-girlfriend" as if she was normal but they expected more nonetheless. Even Liam had shown more emotion then him (and he barely got on with her before the truth came out).

"Hi...You two having a nice time?" Leyla simply asked.

"Yeah, we just had some grub at the pub" Tracy paused slightly before quickly adding..."Don't tell them I called it grub!"

"What is this?"

"What's what?"

"This pretend act you two got going on...I mean, you two were all over each other before and now you're suddenly back together and in love?"

Tracy looked insulted at this while David just shook his head. He knew that she could see through his act. Nevertheless, he didn't want her to talk about their reunion in that manner. Tracy was his ex-wife, she wasn't just a smokescreen. Though the key word being 'Just', for she was someone he cared about but yes, she was also a smokescreen.

"Excuse me?!" Tracy managed to blurt out.

"Come on Tracy...He was going to marry Maya a few months ago, I doubt if she was normal then he would have gone back to you" Leyla dared to comment.

"Are you for real?! How dare you put that on me!" David hissed.

"She's just jealous, aren't you Leyla? I mean, me and David have never stopped loving each other...Things just got in the way and you know what? We don't have to explain ourselves to you!" Tracy argued.

"And you're just deluded" Leyla argued back.

"Deluded?! I'll show you deluded!"

She was about to slap her friend however she felt David quickly grab her arm. Making her retreat back slightly with a sigh. Knowing there was no point in arguing for she has made up her mind; Tracy just warned her..."You just stop thinking you have a right to say anything about David and what he feels for I'm with him, not you!"

"You can have him Tracy, I'm not going to mope over it" Leyla replied.

Quickly making her way back inside and shutting the door. David giving a sigh as he wrapped his arms around Tracy. Giving her small kisses on her neck however she just pushed him off slightly. Telling him they may as well go back inside. Though what Leyla said clearly bothered her. Was she really just some sort of drug to make him feel normal again? If that was true then it would break her heart and she doesn't even think she could be his friend again after that .

"You know I love you" David told her as they walked into his cottage.

"Yeah I know...Leyla doesn't know what she's talking about" Tracy insisted. Trying to pretend that didn't just happen.

Though now it was out there; she couldn't unthink it.

...

TBC