"Son?" Katy hurried along Bridge Street, clamping her phone against her ear with her shoulder as she hunted for her R&R keys in her bag. "Sorry I couldn't make it today… Jessica was throwing up non-stop."

"It didn't go well… Whit found some of her attitude and I thought it was maybe heading in the right direction, but…" The older woman sighed into the phone. "We're in the caf… any chance you can come over? I think… I think we might need you."

Turning on the spot, the blonde strode back the way she'd come and pushed her way into the café. She spotted Whitney, Sonia and the brief immediately and moved to stand beside her elder cousin. Sonia sent her a tight smile, but Whitney barely seemed to acknowledge her presence at all.

"What's happening?"

"You can get Mick back on the stand, yeah?" Sonia asked the lawyer, causing Katy to furrow her eyebrows in confusion.

"Back on the stand?" The blonde asked. "What happened?"

"He collapsed… panic attack." Her cousin explained hastily, before looking at the man seriously. "But you can get him another chance to speak, yeah?"

"I'm–"

"No, he can't," Whitney interrupted, "because I'm not gonna put him through that again."

"Whitney?"

"What is the point?" The youngest of the women snapped. "I'm going to prison. I'm not gonna drag anyone else down with me."

The lawyer cleared his throat. "Maybe we could talk through the key points we need to get across to the jury tomorrow?"

"But they've made their minds up, ain't they?" Whitney asked, apparently already knowing the answer.

"Don't talk like that." Sonia ordered. "Whitney, you need to go home, have a bath, get an early night… yeah? And get back out there tomorrow."

She glanced at her lawyer. "He knows I've got no chance. It's OK, you can be honest, just tell me I'm going down for this."

"No!"

"Whit, don't be an idiot." Katy snapped, scowling at her. "Don't just give up."

"Please! I have been there. I have stood in that court and I've said what I have to say and I've seen people's faces. Nobody believes me… absolutely no one believes me." Whitney cried out, almost desperately, before calming herself down. "So I may as well get it over with."

"What d'you mean, get it over with?" Sonia demanded, anger creeping into her tone.

Katy shook her head, her eyes widening. "Please don't tell me you're saying what I think you're saying?"

"I'm gonna plead guilty."

The blonde rubbed her forehead agitatedly as silence descended between the four of them. Sonia's mouth dropped open in shock, while the lawyer sighed and watched Whitney carefully. The young brunette stared resolutely back at them, as though daring them to try and argue with her. No one seemed to know what to say, Katy knew that there was no point trying to change her mind at the moment, knowing that Whitney was stubborn enough to dig her heels in if they tried to change her mind at the moment.

Instead, she let out a long sigh and offered to buy everyone a coffee.

Katy had decided to let Whitney have some time to calm down and come to terms with her own decision before she attempted to change her mind. She guessed that Sonia would be on her case immediately and knew that wouldn't get them anywhere. Instead, she went to work to try and distract herself.

Sending Frankie a tight smile, still not quite sure why Tina was adamant that she couldn't tell her they didn't need her at the bar anymore, Katy headed straight up the stairs. When there was no sign of her friend upstairs or in the office, she frowned and went downstairs, attracting the barmaid's attention quickly.

"Where's Tina?"

"She had to go somewhere with Linda. I think they're worried about Mick."

"Ahh, that makes sense." Katy nodded distractedly, turning to make her way back to the office. Then she paused. "Any idea how long she'll be?"

"No, sorry."

"Right… can you send her up when she gets back?"

"Course… no problem." Frankie nodded, smiling. "Is it OK if I take my break now?"

Her boss arched an eyebrow. "How are you gonna tell Tina I wanna see her if you ain't here?"

"Uhh…?"

Chuckling at her suddenly flustered expression, Katy shrugged. "I'm kidding, it's fine. Just don't push it, right? You've got work to do."

Leaving the barmaid staring after her, the Mitchell stalked back upstairs and shut herself in her office. She pulled up her emails and clicked through the unread ones lazily, only half-heartedly paying attention to the information they contained. Her eyes flickered to the safe on the wall several times and she sighed, leaning back in her chair and letting her thoughts consume her.

She jumped as her mobile vibrated against the desk and snatched it up quickly without glancing at the name on the screen. As her mother's voice entered her ear, asking whether she'd booked an appointment at the doctor's yet, Katy let out a long sigh.

"This afternoon." She assured the older woman. "They've squeezed me in."

"D'you want company?"

Katy hesitated for a moment, before nodding. "Yes, please. If you're free?"

"Of course I'm free." Ronnie promised her. "What time?"

As they arranged for Ronnie to meet her outside the R&R, Katy felt some of the tension leaving her. Getting some clarity might do her some good, she decided. While she waited for the time to pass, she checked through the CCTV footage from the night before, looking for anything suspicious at all. It was a routine that she'd been following ever since Nick had told her that Jason Williams was planning on robbing the bar, assuming that he'd check the place out before he attempted anything.

"You wanted to see me, K?" Tina asked, poking her head around the doorframe.

Katy jumped at the sudden intrusion and frowned a little, trying to work out what she meant. Then she shook her head a little. "Oh, no… I was just wondering where you were, that's all. Everything OK? Frankie said you were with Linda? Is Mick alright?"

"Oh… oh, yeah. He'll be fine." The brunette shrugged and smiled. "You OK?"

"Yeah, fine. Got an appointment later about the baby… Mum's coming with me."

"That's good news." Tina beamed, pleased that things seemed positive for her friend. "You thought any more about telling Tyler and Isaac?"

"I guess so…" Katy sighed. "I think I'll tell them after the appointment. Isaac and me are done, now, so that won't complicate things. You were right; I do need to tell them, whatever happens."

"It will be OK, you know? You've got people around you who love you and will stick by you, whatever anyone else says or does."

"Thanks, T." The blonde smiled weakly, not quite so sure that everything would turn out as well as her friend was making out.

"I've gotta get on, but if you need me…"

"Yeah, I know." Katy nodded as Tina shot her a broad grin and vanished from the room.

"You OK, sweetie?" Ronnie asked, reaching over and squeezing her daughter's hand tightly.

They were waiting for the doctor to come back and give them more information about the pregnancy. Katy was tapping her foot nervously on the floor, her unseeing gaze fixed on one of the posters on the opposite wall. As her mother squeezed her hand, the younger Mitchell jumped.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." She assured her quickly. "Just want this done with… well, the next part of this."

"D'you want me to come with you?"

"Nah, I have to do it on my own. I can't take my Mum along to hold my hand through this one." Katy sighed. "Besides, I've dealt with scarier people than Isaac and Tyler and come out better."

"Mmmmm…" Ronnie didn't look entirely reassured by her words, but was prevented from saying anything else by the door opening and the GP returning.

She smiled warmly at the pair and started talking. Noticing that her daughter seemed to have zoned out, Ronnie nudged Katy gently in the side.

"April?" The younger blonde repeated in surprise as the doctor told her the due date. "So…?"

"You're roughly sixteen weeks pregnant." The woman continued, smiling understandingly at the expression on her patient's face. "I'm guessing that makes a difference?"

Katy sighed and nodded. "It certainly complicates things."

"Well, seeing as this is your initial appointment, I want to schedule you in for a scan as soon as possible so we can go through all the tests you've missed. I'd like to keep a closer eye on you because of your medical history, as well."

"OK, no problem." Katy sighed, smiling weakly. "Thanks…"

There was a tapping sound as the doctor checked her schedule on the computer. "Tuesday OK? I can book you in at two?"

"Perfect." The blonde nodded in agreement.

She listened as the doctor ran through all the do's and don'ts, barely taking any notice, considering that she'd done it twice before. When the midwife team was mentioned, Katy asked whether Anna was still working for them, prompting the doctor to promise she'd do her best to get Katy put on her list.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come to Isaac's with you?" Ronnie asked as they pulled up on the Square and Katy took a deep breath, bracing herself to tell him about her pregnancy.

"No, it's OK. I'll be fine."

"I'll bring Matthew round for tea." Ronnie suggested, smiling warmly. "Give you a bit of support?"

"Sounds good." Katy nodded in agreement. "Ask Gran and Rox, too. I can tell everyone at the same time, then."

"Your Dad?"

Sighing, sending her a quick nod, the younger woman shrugged. "Can you see if him, Amy and Ricky are free?"

"Course, sweetie, no problem." Ronnie promised, pressing a kiss to the side of her head and watching as her daughter climbed out of the car and headed towards Patrick's house.