Thank you for the reviews.

And I think LittleH12 summed up perfectly Melissa's reintroduction. What the hell does she want?!

Coffee and Cake

Rachel knew that she had this horrible habit of being early, especially when she didn't have Eddie to calm her down and tell her that there was no need for them to be 20 minutes early (except for when it came to the baby).

But with her meeting her sister on her own, there was nothing stopping her from entering the coffee shop at 10:50 (10 minutes early) and joining the line, smiling at one of her students as they wiped down one of the tables after spotting her. The line moved quickly and as was, not surprisingly, faced with another of her students.

"Alright miss?"

"Perfectly fine Marley."

"What can I get you?"

"A tea."

"Milk?"

"Please."

"Rachel, you are glowing." The owner said as she took Marley's place as he made her drink.

"Almost halfway there."

"Have you had your second scan yet?"

"Yeah, we had it Thursday. But we didn't find out."

Rachel watched as she looked at her bump before turning to Marley.

"I think you are right with a girl."

Marley looked a bit embarrassed. "The whole school is placing bets on what they think the gender is going to be. Talk may have overspilled into work."

"I have heard the whispers in the corridors." Rachel said with a laugh. "Plus I expected it from the staff after finding out that they all had bets after my first day as to whether me and Eddie were going to get together."

Marley asked her if she wanted anything else and she was about to say no when her eye caught sight of one of the cakes on display and suddenly she was craving it. If she wasn't having the coffee (or something stronger) to get her through her (potential) meeting with her sister, she could afford the sugar rush.

She settled, with her tea and cake, on one of the tables by the door, so that Melissa couldn't say that she walked in, couldn't see Rachel and then left. If Melissa was being genuine, then she couldn't give her a get out of jail card.

Rachel slowly made her way through her cake and tea, checking her watch at certain intervals to see how long left she had to give her sister. By the time she looked at her watch to see that it was 11:08, she didn't think that Melissa was coming and almost finished her tea there and then and left. But she waited out the two minutes, which might have been the wrong thing to do.

At ten past, on the dot, Melissa walked into the coffee shop. She walked over to her and gave her some stupid comment about traffic being bad and asked if she wanted anything. Before Rachel could say 'Yes, a tea', Melissa had taken her answer of yes, although she was glad that Marley was still serving and looked over to her, making the letter T with his hands, which she nodded at.

"You don't drink tea," Melissa said as she placed the drinks down.

"I do now."

"Feeling nostalgic?"

"Slightly." Rachel sighed. "Where have you been Melissa?"

"You're not the only one to go to a dark place."

"I never thought I was. That doesn't explain why you upped a left."

"Bet Philip filled you in."

"He told me about the problem that he thought that Danny had offered to help you with, in return for you doing as he asked."

"He doesn't know everything that has gone on."

"Probably not, but that is a big secret for him to carry around. I'm surprised he said nothing sooner."

"What good would that have done?"

"Melissa, I would have offered you help. I would have got you a solicitor and everything."

It was clear that, for once, Melissa didn't want the conversation to be about her. It was the moment that Rachel realised that there was another reason, other than the reason that Melissa had given, as to why she wanted to meet up.

"Saw Danny."

"Did you?" Rachel said with a sigh.

"It would be nice if you went and saw him."

"After he held me at gunpoint. Melissa…"

"Rachel, why don't you hear him out?"

"Because I know what he will do. He will say that it was Uncle Keith that told him to do everything that he did. He won't take any responsibility for his actions, like you. And you are a fool to think otherwise."

"Why do you hate him so much?"

There was a problem with Melissa's question. Because no matter how much damage Danny had done to her and she would never be able to understand all his actions, she had never stopped loving him. She just rather remember him as her slightly older, caring cousin as a little boy rather than the man that he turned into.

"You know what? Eddie was right. This was a bad idea. Jane was right. I should have cut you out of my life years ago."

Rachel allowed her words to sink in as she collected up her bag. She stood up, with the clear intention of walking out when Melissa caught her arm as she passed.

"Danny knows where Mum is," Melissa said.

"Why should I care?"

"Because she is our mum."

"Who let me do what I did."

"Rachel…"

"Melissa, if you want to reconnect with her or whatever, you do that. I don't want to. I've finally put that all behind me and I am, for once, looking forward to the future. I am no longer looking backwards."

"You still married Eddie?"

"Of course."

"Well, marriage obviously suits you."

"What do you mean?"

"You are putting on a little weight."

Rachel looked down at her bump. It wasn't the biggest bump in the world but it was obvious that she was pregnant rather than putting on weight. She leant on the table, just so that they could keep what she was going to say between them.

"I'm pregnant Melissa." She said in a low voice. "For the first time since I was pregnant with Danny's baby. I bet her never told you that, did he? That he tied me to a bed and… our cousin did that. No one else." She paused for a moment. "I'll tell you what. I would be glad for this child to call anyone else but you their auntie. That is what Jane and Sally are going to be to them. This is it, Melissa. This was your last chance. I don't want anything to do with you any more and I am not going to be at your beck and call. Don't worry, I'll look after Philip. I have always cared for him more like my own son than my nephew. Mainly because you loved me doing my auntie duties."

Rachel didn't give Melissa a chance to respond. Mainly because she needed to leave before she completely burnt all her bridges with her sister.

Sally cursed herself for thinking that the train would be quicker than driving. Although she was quite glad that she could jog the distance from the train station to the coffee shop they had chosen without getting out of breath or breaking a sweat. She was obviously still as fit as she was before she took on the job at Waterloo Road. But she still made sure that she looked okay in a nearby shop window before she entered the coffee shop.

17 years was a long time but it was strange that Sally scanned the room, with her usual police instinct, and stopped when she saw her sister, not really looking any different from the last time that she saw her, except for the usual signs of age. She watched her for a moment as she tried to get her three children in order before she walked over.

"Amy," Sally said.

She didn't quite expect her sister to launch herself at her the way that she did but there was a way that her grip was tight around her shoulders that Sally instantly copied.

"Have you got a drink yet?" Sally said as they parted.

"No. These three are being rather disobedient today." She turned back to her children. "Jack, just sit down. Or Auntie Sally here will arrest you."

"Are you actually in the police?" One of the boys said.

"I am. What do we all want?"

Sally had almost brought her notebook, thinking that she might have to take an order, but thought better of it, mainly because she would have to go through it and take out any sensitive information. But it was the good thing about being in the police. Always having to remember things meant that her memory was decent enough to remember the order from the table to the line.

"Can we have cake?" The little girl said.

"Why don't you come with me and you can choose which one you want?" Sally said as she held out her hand.

Amy gave her a look which Sally knew meant that she didn't have to but she enjoyed the little time that she spent with her niece, finding out that she was called Grace (most people called her Gracey though), she was three (going to be four in 24 days, which was very important), she was going to primary school in September (which she was scared about) and her favourite colour was red. Her brothers were Jack and Harry. They weren't twins but were born within the same year (Jack being the oldest in January and Harry being born 30th December). Sally was sure that Amy would tell her more about it as they went back to sit down. She was sure her face almost dropped when she realised that there was someone else sitting at the table as well.

"Grandma!" Grace shouted as she ran back to the table.

Grace ran straight into her arms and Sally took a few moments before she walked over to the table, trying to get all her thoughts straight before she reached her mum. If anything, she did think that she was ordering more drinks that she should have done. She slid the tray onto the table and before she could say anything, her mum stood up and cupped her face.

"You look well, Sally."

"I am Mum."

"Still with Jane?"

"Of course."

"Civil partnership?"

"As soon as we could."

"Still in the force?"

"Of course. Although, for the moment, still a constable. But hoping that will all change soon."

"Good, good." Her mum said before placing a kiss on her cheek.

"Mummy, what is a civil partnership?" Grace asked as Sally sat down.

"You know how me and Daddy were married," Amy said before she paused for a moment. "It is like that. But Auntie Sally is… married to another girl."

"Like Toby had two dads," Harry said.

"Exactly like that." Amy turned to her. "So where is Jane?"

"She is working," Sally said. "The one time I have stopped working weekends, she is working more."

"I was looking forward to finally meeting her properly."

"I am sure we will get there someday." Her mum said.

"She finishes at 12. Maybe we could always go back there. She has always wanted to meet you." Sally said before she thought about it more. "Unless you need to get back."

"Only if she doesn't mind the kids," Amy said.

"Honestly we need a bit of practice. Rachel is pregnant and we are going to be aunties to her child."

"How is she?"

Sally smiled as she said that Rachel and Jane were good and they started to catch up on the last 17 years.

"You were bloody right." Rachel said as she walked into Jane's kitchen.

"Riled you did she?"

"Eddie?"

"Sally."

"I've finally done it. Told her that is it. I'm not going to come running when she calls." Rachel paused. "She didn't even notice that I was pregnant. 'Marriage obviously suits you. You are putting on a bit of weight'. Selfish bitch."

"I could have told you that for free."

Rachel sighed as she leant against the counter. "Sorry, I just needed to be somewhere I could calm down and here was closer than home."

"It's fine Rachel, you know I am always down to bitch about Melissa. Maybe Philip can take a break from his revision to join us."

"Has she been in contact with him?"

"If she has, he hasn't said anything."

"Is Sally not in?"

"Currently in Manchester meeting up with Amy and her children."

"So she did call." Rachel paused. "I didn't have the chance to ask her. I see her but don't, if you get what I mean."

"That is how I used to feel when I would be getting out of bed when she would just be getting in. There were some mornings where I was late because I wanted five minutes in bed with her."

"Don't blame you. I know that feeling. Well, the feeling of not want to get out of bed."

Rachel watched Jane's face light up as the front door opened. It was clear that her cousin was happy for Sally that she was back in contact with her family. Just because theirs were rubbish, didn't mean that Sally's was completely. Although they had both burnt their bridges with the one person that could have put them back in contact with various family members.

Sally came into the kitchen.

"You don't mind that I have invited a few people back," Sally said.

"Sal, this is as much your house as it is mine," Jane said.

"Then this is Amy. Amy, this is Jane and Rachel, who I know you have met briefly before." She said as she stepped to one side to let her sister stand in the doorway.

"So nice to finally meet you," Amy said.

Rachel allowed Jane to tell her likewise. After all, this was her sister-in-law.

"How many weeks?" Amy said as she turned to Rachel.

"19."

"That second scan?"

"Had it, didn't find out. Me and my husband didn't want to know."

"Oh, I did. Not that it made anything easier. Finding names were awful. Actually, talking about the kids, where shall I put them to entertain themselves?"

"Living room. Although Philip could do with a break." Jane said.

"I'll shout up for him," Sally said.

There were a few moments when Rachel could only smile at Jane, knowing that everything would be okay as Sally returned with someone else on her arm.

"Mum, this is Jane," Sally said.

Rachel knew that this meant as much to Jane as it did to Sally and she could only smile as the older woman let go of Sally's arm and walked over to Jane, cupping her face.

"At least I know my daughter can pick a beautiful woman."

"Trust me, she is the beautiful one," Jane said.

"Thank you for looking after my little girl."

"Mum," Sally said.

"She looks after me just as much as I look after her," Jane said.

Rachel's eyes flicked to Sally. "I better go."

"Don't be stupid," Sally said.

"You are perfectly alright there my dear." Sally's mum said. "Actually get the poor girl a chair. How long have you been standing there? Trust me, I didn't listen and kept my all-day standing job when I was pregnant with Sally and I regretted it."

"I can assure you, I do my fair share of sitting down." Rachel said.

"Didn't realise that you were here. Your car isn't outside." Sally said.

"I walked. Firstly to meet Melissa and then to here."

"I'm guessing that didn't go well."

Her eyes flicked up to Philip as he joined them. Sally told him about her niece and nephews in the living room and hoped that it was okay if he could entertain them. He told her that he could, saying something about practice for his cousin before he left them to it.

"No, it didn't." Rachel said as Amy rejoined them. "I just don't want him to know that just yet."

"She has finally told her to get lost," Jane said.

"Then we need a cup of something and a long chat," Sally said, moving towards the kettle.

Rachel was going to argue more but looked at her phone as it rang, Eddie's name lighting up.

"I'll tell him to come and get me." She said.

"Tell him to come in when he gets here," Jane said. "Her husband. Honestly, he is one of the sweetest guys ever. I'll tell you about what he did when they first got together. It was one of the most romantic things ever."

Rachel shook her head as she walked towards the end of the kitchen to talk to Eddie.