Title: Changes
Summary: Neil/Andrea - Sequel to Choices – Set one and a half years later – Neil and Andrea have been living happily, with their young daughter for the past one and half years. But they're about to discover that some changes in life are more destructive than others.
Disclaimer: All characters except Annabelle, belong to Talkback Thames Television, The Bill.
Author's notes: Like it says above, this is the sequel to Choices (as promised) so if you haven't read Choices, you might want to before reading this.
Secondly, this is the first chapter and I do have some good ideas of where this fic is going, but updates are going to beslow for a while. This is mainly due to my health not being too good at the moment. I will try though not to leave it any longer than a week/10 days between updates. Once I've got a few chapters pre-written though, things should quicken up.
Lastly Big Thanks to Phoenix Angelwolf for her support, advice and help with brainstorming for this fic.
Anyways, here's Chapter 1. Please Read and Review. :)
Chapter 1
It's been a typical summer's day. Outside it's still light despite it now being early evening. It's been a long day for Neil Manson though, who pulls up outside his house, in his car. There's no doubting he's pleased to be home. 'Home' these days a lot more warm and welcoming than it ever was before.
Letting himself in through the front door, with his key, he finds the house silently empty for once. Walking through to the large kitchen/dining area though, it's a different story. Standing at the sink washing some dishes, whilst singing along to the kitchen's radio, Is the woman he loves, the woman that's made all the difference in his life.
"Andrea?" Neil says, smiling.
Andrea jumps slightly, not having heard Neil slowly creeping up behind her.
"Neil!" She squeals, "God, you're getting to be as bad as the kids creeping up on me." She says laughing.
Neil moves forward wrapping his arms round her waist. "And hello to you too." He teases.
Andrea smirks, leaning in to be kissed. As they break apart the back door is pushed open, letting two young children through.
"Daddy!"
Neil turns round with a smile, which is matched by Andrea rolling her eyes, as he drops his arms from her waist to make way for little toddler heading towards him.
Annabelle, now two and half giggles as she's lifted into her father's arm, "Hello Madam." Neil says, dropping a kiss on her forehead, "And how's Daddy little pickle been?"
"Goood."
Andrea laughs aloud. "Bella good. You've got to be joking!"
"Aww, what's Mummy saying Belle." Neil says, smirking. Bella at two and half is a mischievous, stubborn little thing. A real Daddy's girl, although looking at her, she's definitely her mother's daughter, with her brown eyes and dark chin length bob of hair.
"You should have seen her earlier, Daddy." Neil's elder son, Jake adds, as he stands in the doorway. "She threw a right tantrum."
"Aww, I don't believe that." Neil teases.
Andrea hits him playfully. "That's because our little Bella has got you wrapped round her little finger."
"Ouch!" Neil says, dropping Annabelle to the floor. "She hasn't." Neil protests, as he and Andrea watch the two children run back outside.
"Hold on minute. How comes Jake here?" Neil asks.
Andrea rolls her eyes. "Took you long enough to notice didn't it."
"So when did he get here?"
Andrea sighs. "Phillipa rang up asking why you wouldn't answer your phone. I said I had no idea why you weren't answering it. Although I left out the bit, about it having something to do with the identity of the caller, of course." She smiles.
Neil rolls his eyes. "And?"
"And then she goes on about how she's supposed to be working and how you call yourself a father." Andrea smirks. "And then she says, 'Well I suppose you're gonna have to pick Jake up, Andrea, as I can't possibly miss work'." Andrea says laughing, whilst mimicking Phillipa's voice.
Neil smirks. "Well that's Phillipa, isn't it?" He says, reaching out to pull Andrea back in to his arms. "But..."
"But what?" Andrea asks, her eyes shining teasingly.
"But…you shouldn't take the mick out of Phillipa. What if Jake was listening, hmm?"
Andrea backs away slightly, "But he wasn't." She says, turning her attention back to the sink and what she was originally doing.
"I know but…Andrea, don't be like that."
"Like what?" Andrea answers back sulkily, whilst drying a plate.
"Going all cold on me." Neil says taking the plate from her hands and setting it back on the side, and resting his hands round her waist. "What's up Andrea, you've been so up and down lately."
"Nothing I'm just tired." Andrea answers, turning round in Neil's arms. "I'm sorry." She mutters.
"I'm sorry too." Neil softly says, pulling Andrea in closer into his embrace.
The back door then slams shut, as Jake and a sniffling Annabelle enter.
"Daddy. I hurt ma knee." Is the cry that breaks Neil and Andrea apart again. Neil rolling his eyes and Andrea muttering "Kids, huh."
It's not until later that evening, once Jake and Bella are safely tucked up in bed, that Neil and Andrea, get chance to relax.
Curled up in Neil's arms on the sofa, her head resting on his chest, they lay watching the TV in the living room.
Neil sighs, running his fingers through Andrea's hair. "I'm so fed up with Phillipa messing us around." He comments, interrupting what had been an air of peaceful silence.
Andrea rolls her eyes. "You going on about it all the time is just what she wants." She replies, shifting in Neil's arms slightly. "You're just playing into her hands, letting it get to you." She mutters.
"I want to apply for regular access." Neil adds, ignoring Andrea's reasoning. "I've had enough of only being able to see Jake when it suits her."
Andrea shifts in his hold again, to look him in the eye. "Is it worth it though?"
"What you mean? Of course it's worth it, if I get to see Jake more regularly." Neil responds annoyed slightly.
"But all the hassle, the going to court, the money. I thought that's why you gave up before. Phillipa's a lawyer; remember she won't give in without a fight."
"I know that. I just want what's best for Jake. It's not fair on him being dragged round here and there all the time, not knowing where he's supposed to be." Neil argues, "I thought you'd understand that."
Andrea is silent for a moment before, answering. "Yeah, I do understand." And then sitting upright to face Neil, "I…It's just everything's great at the moment; us all living together, Jake as well. I just don't want that to change. When you look at what it's taken for us to get to where we are now, I…I don't think I could cope with all the stress and hassle of everything getting dragged back up again, the past and all that, people getting hurt again, because really Neil when you think about it, that's all you're likely to achieve."
Neil looks thoughtful, but says nothing, as if he's absorbing and taking note of Andrea's words.
Not wanting to wait around for some sort of answer, Andrea says, "Look I'm tired. I'm going to go up to bed."
"Okay." Neil replies softly, leaning over to kiss her gently on the lips. "Love you." He adds, as she gets up from the sofa.
"Love you too." Andrea whispers in return, before disappearing out the room.
Leaving Neil with just the TV playing quietly and his thoughts for company.
Neil moves so he's sitting up properly on the sofa. Eyes staring straight ahead, lost in thought, it's as if he can see right through the TV.
Andrea was right when she'd said that everything had been great lately, it had. Ever since they had brought the house and Andrea and Annabelle had moved in with him, life had been seemingly running smoothly. They were just like a real family, especially when Jake was here.
Andrea and Jake had bonded well despite her being nothing to Jake. Her response to him wanting to go for regular access of Jake had surprised him slightly, although Andrea had been very up and down lately. For some reason, she just hadn't been herself and Neil had yet to work out what it was.
Neil lets out a sigh, before picking the remote up from the floor and switching the TV off. His eye's beginning to feel heavy; he decides to make his way up to bed, with work the next morning he can't afford too late a night.
He stops at the open doorway to his young son's room. Jake lies fast asleep, sprawled out in his bed. It's looking at his sleeping son that makes Neil even more determined to go by his original decision. Jake looks so peaceful and earlier when Neil had watched him and Bella out in the garden playing together, he'd seemed so happy, that there's no doubt in Neil's mind that Jake would be happy to spend more time with him. After all he'd coped well enough with all the changes that have already taken place in his life, why would this one be any different.