Author Note: This is soley dedicated to my fantastic mate Jay, she has put up with so much tonight, I have bombarded her with three chaps of this Fic to read and she hasn't complained once. Thanks Jay you're a true Star!!
Back in the office Kerry had already been on my case and I was now sat at my desk listening to John animatedly connecting all our pieces of evidence. I jumped as my phone rang:
"Stanton?" I paused as I listened
"Any idea who? Right thanks Rob" I hung up
"All right Claire?" Kerry asked
"Mmm... yeah, got a visitor on their way up here, who would be coming to see me at this time of the morning?"
About three minutes later my visitor appeared in the doorway:
"Pete! What are you doing here?" I exclaimed getting up to talk to him outside
"Mum's collapsed, she's been rushed to hospital, I'm on my way there now"
"Oh no! Where are..."
"Here" Peter indicated the children who were sat on the chairs in the corridor.
"Give Maggie and James my love won't you?"
"I will" Peter said walking away
"I'll be there as soon as possible" I called after him
"Mummy!" Came the delighted cries of April and Connor as they ran down the corridor towards me.
I risked a glance at John and I could see the shock and confusion on his face as my children threw themselves at me
I knelt down my arms outstretched as they ran into me:
"Hey little ones" I said quietly hugging them tight
"Kwerry!" April cried her face lighting up
"Go on then go and see Kerry! I said letting go of April's hand
I got up holding Connor's hand; suddenly he let go and ran to John:
"Connor Stanton come here!" I ordered, not wanting him near John, I started to make my way towards John when my phone rang, I was torn between letting my phone ring and retrieving Connor or leaving Connor with John and answering the phone.
"Claire answer the phone, Con's all right here" John said deciding for me
I snatched my phone off the cradle
"Stanton?"
"Claire it's James, Maggie died a few minutes ago"
"Oh no, I'm... so...sorry" I said my voice choked with emotion, I could feel the tears threatening to roll down my cheeks
"Maggie said to tell you to divorce Peter and get on with your life, she asked if you could pictures of both the children in her coffin so she could take them with her. Maggie said she understood why you couldn't come to the hospital, and that she was sorry she couldn't wait, she also said don't give up your day job but spend every moment like its your last. Her last words were tell Claire I love her" James sobbed
"Thank you so much James" I hung up and let the tears fall, I couldn't help it, I was distraught, now it looked like I would be giving up my job to look after my children. I turned round to see all eyes watching me, I couldn't take it anymore as another wave of tears rolled down my face I ran out of the office.
I found myself in the toilets leaning on a sink, tears cascading down my face, Maggie was dead, my childminder and second best friend.
She had always been there in my hour of need, why wasn't I there during her last few moments on earth?
I hear the door open but I didn't look up- I knew it would be Kerry
I jumped slightly when a hand slipped round my waist; only John could pull me in to him with one arm.
"Are you all right Claire?" He asked softly
I looked up at him:
"Kerry didn't try to stop you coming here?"
"I didn't give her a chance, Con's playing with Duncan's tie"
I smiled and buried my head in John's shoulder, a few minutes later I realised John was crying as well
"Hey, don't cry, it's not that bad" I tried to smile but failed
"It is trust me"
"Why is it?" I asked curiously
"I only took the undercover job to come back down here, I wanted to find you"
"Why?" That was all I could find to say
"I still love you Claire, I came back to find you but I see you have married and now have children"
"I waited for you John, but I couldn't wait any longer, I had to move on"
"You named the children what we decided on"
"That's because Con is your spitting image and they are your children"
"They're mine and you didn't think to tell me?"
"I didn't think you'd be interested" I said bluntly, pulling away from John and turning round
"Not interested in my own children, you must be mad!"
When I didn't reply John spoke again:
"So... how old are they?"
"Nearly three"
"Three!" John was shocked "You must have been pregnant when I left?"
"I was, I planned on telling you on your birthday, but then you announced you were leaving, shortly after that I met Peter and we married"
"I'm guessing you don't feel the same way about me as I feel about you?"
"I've been hoping you would return, I missed you, Peter's lovely but he's not you" I said settling back into John's arms
"Claire... This is going to sound extremely mad considering you're already married but..." I gasped as John got down on one knee, produced a box and said:
"Will you marry me?"
"Of course I will" I smiled, in just twenty four hours, my life had been turned upside down, my thoughts uncomprehendable, my other in law was dead and now John had asked me to marry him.
John kissed me, I was back in heaven with the man I loved, now we could be a proper family.
