Chapter 21

'Choices'

"I'll take that as a no then." Neil says quietly, getting up from the sofa. "I'm going to get going then."

"Neil?" Andrea says, it's clear she's upset him, "Look I'm sorry."

"Don't bother." Neil says, bitterly, grabbing his jacket.

"Neil!" Andrea calls out after him, as he quickly heads for the door. "Neil!" She calls out again, a hint of desperation in her tone, as she follows him to the front door. Neil continues walking though and the door closes on her face.

"Miss Dunbar?"

"Err… yeh?" Andrea looks up from a pile of papers. It's been three weeks now since Neil walked out on Andrea.

"I was wondering if you had thought anymore about the job offer?" Mr Phillips asks her.

It takes a moment for the question to register with her. "Eh, yeah, yeah I have."

"So you've made a decision then?" He asks, giving Andrea a questioning look.

"Erm yeh. I suppose I have."

"Well?"

"I…I. Well I…erm yeh, I don't want the job."

"Oh." Mr Phillips responds, looking surprised by her answer.

"It's just…erm well it's just not practical at the moment. There's er…my daughter to think about and to be honest I'm sure about the moving away side of it." Andrea rattles out an excuse.

In truth, the job had never really had chance to cross her mind since the day she was offered it, her mind and thoughts have been in a different place entirely. And as much as she'd love the pay rise, particularly for a job she has little joy doing, the moving away part was just not going to happen. At least not without the current situation between herself and Neil becoming even more difficult and upsetting, than it already was.

She hasn't heard from him at all in the three weeks that have passed, not even a phone call to ask how Annabelle is or message on the answer phone to ask about arranging to take Bella out somewhere. It's as if he's punishing Bella as well as Andrea herself, she thinks. It is unlike Neil to be like this, it's normally Andrea being the stubborn and unreasonable one. Andrea sighs, she's obviously really hurt him but she's hurting too and if he had just listened to her instead of jumping to conclusions and storming off…

"Miss Dunbar?" The voice of Mr Phillips brings her out of her thoughts.

"Yes?" Andrea says, managing a weak smile.

"The job in Berkshire, it's definitely a no then?"

"Yeah, it is sorry. It just wouldn't have worked out for me."

Phil Hunter is sitting at his desk, trying to make his way through a heap of paperwork, when Sam Nixon comes over to him.

"You alright?" He asks.

"The DI's just had a right go over that assault case. Don't know what's wrong with him lately." Sam comments, giving Phil a questioning look.

"Well it probably didn't help you going running to the DCI about him." Phil responds.

"Should keep your mouth shut then Phil." Sam says, shooting him a look.

"Look I don't know what's wrong with him but he's transferring soon anyway so you won't have to worry anymore!"

"He's transferring?"

"Yes, anymore questions Samantha?" Phil says with a smirk.

"That will be all for now, Phillip." Sam smirks.

Leaving Phil to roll his eyes and return to the day's ever loveable paperwork.

Andrea is walking home, pushing Annabelle in her buggy, having just picked her up from the day nursery, herself having just finished work. She's walking at a more relaxed pace than usual, having finished work five minutes early and making good time on picking Annabelle up, not that there ever is anything to rush home for.

As she continues walking, they start to come up towards the small baby shop, where Andrea many a time will stop and gaze through the window. Lately they've been taking a different route home, and so haven't passed the shop but today they've taken that old route. Andrea thinks back to the last time they passed the shop but can't remember, what she does remember though is that it's only been two or three times since, the day she came by before going home to find the letter from Neil in the post, the one saying he wanted to get in touch and wanted to come and see their baby daughter.

Thinking of Neil again and standing outside the lovely but expensive baby boutique, she remembers something else and seeing that time is on their side; Andrea pushes the buggy through the shop's open door.

Neil is at his flat sitting at a table, a property news paper in hand. Sitting opposite him drawing a picture, that doesn't seem to represent anything, is Jake who is with Neil for the day, due of course to Phillipa working and her not being able to arrange for anyone else to look after Jake.

As Neil studies the paper looking for a new place to live, a pen in hand ready to circle anything that takes his eye, Jake continues to scribble away, until his latest masterpiece is finished.

"Daddy! Look!" Jake says proudly showing off, his latest work of art.

"Yeah." Neil says, barely looking up to glance at his son's picture.

"Daddy you didn't look!" Jake says, scolding Neil, "It's me and Bella, and Andrea and you. We're at the park again but I haven't broken my arm, this time."

Neil looks up now properly to study the picture carefully. He can now make out three stick like people and a small round shaped blob with a smiley face that he can only guess is to represent Annabelle. The picture despite its messy state clearly depicts the day they spent at the park. They'd all been just like a family that day and it's clearly reflected in his son's scribbly drawing.

"Yeah, it's really good Jakey." He says, to his expectant son.

Jake's face lights up in a proud grin. "Can I put it on the fridge, Daddy?"

"Yeah go on." Neil says, with a smile, having Jake for the day has definitely started to cheer him up.

Meanwhile Andrea is feeling rather pleased with herself. The £100 that Neil had left that first time he'd visited Annabelle she still had yet to spend. It'd been put safely in Andrea's own bank account but she'd always been careful not to spend it, the money she decided all that time ago was to be spent on Bella.

Browsing round the baby boutique though she'd finally decided to spend it. Annabelle had grown quite a bit lately so Andrea had bought her a few new outfits and some new toys for her daughter.

Now continuing the journey home, Andrea is in a very happy mood. Ever since the first time she'd walked past that shop with Annabelle she had wanted to be able to buy her daughter something from the small boutique which prices were over her budget. She had never wanted to spend the money before; it was like she wanted to prove that she didn't need the financial help that Neil had consistently tried to force her to accept. She's not sure what changed, why it's suddenly alright in her mind to spend the money, maybe it's to do with the way things are between herself and Neil or maybe she's just trying to make things up to Bella who from looking at the current situation seems to have lost a father. But no matter how much Andrea seems to be blaming Neil, the ever growing guilt inside her is telling a different story.

Back at home, a few hours later, Annabelle safely tucked up in her crib. Andrea decides to sort through her daughter's ever growing mountain of toys. It whilst doing this she's comes across the pink teddy bear that Neil bought for Annabelle. It seems that everywhere she looks, everything she does there's something that reminds her of Neil, something that sparks a trail of thought that is consumed by thoughts of herself and Neil.

Squeezing the teddy's soft paw, the soothing tune it plays, sings out. Bringing tears to the back of Andrea's eyes, as memories keep playing back and forth in her mind. The pink teddy is one of Annabelle's favourite toys, she may only be a baby but there's no doubting that Bella loves her daddy. Just as Andrea herself loves him.

She continues to sit there the bear in her hands. As much as tries to hide it she does love Neil. Yes he sometimes annoys her but Andrea knows that she's partly to blame for that. As he's always telling her she's too stubborn. And perhaps, just perhaps she's let that stubbornness go too far this time.

Neil is now currently trying to get an equally stubborn Jake to go to bed. But as always, Jake isn't tired; at least that's what Jake says.

"Jakey."

"I told you Daddy, I'm not tired." Jake states simply whilst his eyes are glued to the tele. He may only be young but little Jake Manson knows what he wants and more importantly how to get it.

"Yeah, well I am. So bed!" Neil says, the empathises clearly on the word bed.

"Ohhh, but please Daddy." Jake tries again, this time using his best grin to attempt to win his dad over. "I won't tell Mummy."

"No, you won't because you're going to bed, Jake Manson." Neil says firmly, starting to get annoyed, as much as he loves having his son stay for a night, Jake does know how to play up.

Jake sticks his tongue out and puts on his best sulky face and continues to watch the tele, ignoring Neil.

"Jake. Bed now!"

"I want Andrea to put me to bed." Jake moans, trying a new tactic.

"Yeah, we'll she's not here." Neil replies bitterly.

Just then the door bell rings.

Neil goes to answer his front door, leaving Jake in front of the TV, even more pleased with himself as whoever's at the door is adding some time onto his plan to stay up.

Neil swings the door open to find Andrea standing on his doorstep, Bella in her arms.

"What?"

"Can we come in?" Andrea asks calmly.

"Suppose." Neil says dubiously, backing away slightly to let her in.

Andrea makes her way in, going into the living room, where Jake is still sat in front of the TV.

"Hiya Jakey!" She says.

"See I told you Daddy." Jake turns round to say.

Neil just continues to stand in the doorway; he's more interested as to why Andrea's suddenly appeared on his doorstep.

"What?" Andrea starts to say but is interrupted by Bella's.

"Da!"

"Do you want to hold her? She's missed you." Andrea says turning round to face Neil.

Neil accepts, taking his daughter into his arms, without voicing a reply. He's missed Annabelle too, but he hasn't been able to face getting in touch these last few weeks.

He waits for Andrea to say something more, but she's just standing there familiarising herself with the new surroundings of the flat she hasn't been in before.

"What do you want, Andrea?" Neil asks, finally breaking the silence.

"I wanted to see you." She says, turning her attention back to him. "We both did." She adds, indicating Bella who is happy gurgling away in Neil's arms. "You haven't rung or anything. It's been three weeks; I thought you'd be pleased to see Bella."

"I am." Neil bites back before turning to look away.

Andrea looks over to where Jake is sitting before asking the question, she's been waiting to ask.

"Are you still transferring?"

"Yes, in a few weeks." Neil responds, walking Bella over to where Jake is, to put her down.

Andrea follows. "Have you found somewhere to live yet?"

"No, I'm still looking." Neil replies, "And what is this? Question time?"

"No it's more to do with an answer, why I came here."

"Oh yeah."

"Yeah, Neil. Three weeks ago when you asked me and Bella to move in with you, I never got the chance to give you my answer."

"Oh no, you made it quite clear what your answer was." Neil retaliates.

"Yeh, I would have, had you not stormed out on me."

"I didn't."

"You did, Neil." Andrea says firmly. "And had you actually stayed and listened to me and at least given me some time to think then you would have known that answer would have been yes."

Neil swallows, in light of this information.

"Yeah, and I know why you did storm off, because you thought I was going to say no. I know I'm a stubborn cow and a right pain but I do still love you. I never stopped loving you, not once, not ever." Andrea says tearfully. It's taken a lot to get her here but she's taken all she can handle and one of them had to take the first step to repairing things between them and seeing as she believes it to be mostly her fault, she'd made the choice to come and see Neil.

Neil doesn't say anything; he just takes Andrea into his arms. "I'm sorry." He whispers into her hair. "I love you too, even if you are a stubborn cow."

"Yeah?" Andrea says looking up; tears still fresh in her eyes.

"Yeah." Neil says, kissing her gently on the lips. He then holds her in his embrace a while longer before saying, "Guess I'd better start looking for a bigger house if you two are moving in with me."

"Yeah, I think you'd better." Andrea says, as she looks up smiling, every bit confident that she's finally made the right choice.

Authors notes: Well that was the last chapter! Special thanks to Phoenix Angelwolf, Stacey Ellen, Meegan Boulton and Fabio for all your reviews! And thanks to everyone else that took the time to read and review; madz87, Chelsee6, aerialplug, Fandragon, Jen and Loz06. I really do appreciate it!

Will I be writing any moreAndrea/Neil fanfics in the future? Am not sure to be honest, did think about writing a sequel to Choices and have had a few other ideas, so maybe in the new year.

Anyway please read and review this last chapter :)

Merry Xmas and once again thanks for all your continued support!

Take Care, Lorna xx