Kriss climbed into her bed and pulled the covers over her bruised and battered legs
"I want Chloë here with me, she's going to sleep in my bed" Kriss told them "have you found Dave yet?"
"No" Arnold answered, "We're looking for him"
As if on cue Dave walked into his room. Chloë pulled the covers over her head to hide from him, as she didn't feel safe
"Don't let him hurt me Mummy" Chloë whispered, "Promise you wont let him hurt me"
"I wont, Chloë" Kriss assured her "I promise
"Kriss can I talk to you?" he asked "alone?"
"What ever you want to say you can in front of Arnold and Chloë," she told him "I can't be alone with you"
"Okay" Dave agreed "I'm sorry Kriss, I'm sorry I got so angry"
"Why did you hit me?" she asked "you've really hurt me"
"I know my love, I'm sorry"
"Don't call me that?"
"Please Kriss, will you forgive me?"
"Forgive you?" Kriss was angry "you knock me out and leave me for dead and you expect me to say 'don't worry, I'm alive, no harm done, I forgive you' you really expect that?"
"No of course not…"
"And you hit Chloë, you must apologise to her"
"Okay, where is she?"
Chloë lifted the sheet off her head and pushed her long brown hair behind her ears "I'm here Daddy Dave" she announced, "Please don't hurt me"
Dave heard his stepdaughter's words and broke down in tears "I'm so sorry darling" he sobbed, "I didn't mean to hurt you darling, do you forgive me?"
"Okay daddy Dave" Chloë tried to smile "I forgive you"
"Thank you Chloë" Dave hugged her before turning to Kriss "what about you?" he asked, "Do you forgive me?"
"Do you promise you'll never do it again?" she asked him "hit any of us, I mean"
"I promise"
"And you forgive me for what I did?"
"Completely, it was nothing compared to what I did to you"
"I'll think about it!"
It took two weeks for Chloë and Kriss' bruises to completely heal up, Kriss had a lot of time to think about it, and, except for Isabelle and Damien, it was all she thought about. During the two weeks Dave was himself again, spending time with the children, doing his best to gain Chloë's trust again, being a wonderful husband and father. She had to give him another chance. She loved him, it was what she wanted and she felt he could be trusted to be safe with her children.
"Okay Dave" Kriss announced, "You can come home, on two conditions"
"Go on" Dave answered "anything"
"Okay, you let me ask Chloë first and you never raise a hand to any of us ever again, if you do, you're out"
"I agree" Dave smiled "so if Chloë agrees then will you love me again?"
"I never stopped loving you, Dave" Kriss confessed, "You just shouldn't have hit me"
"I know, I'm sorry, I don't know why I wanted to cause you any pain" Dave sobbed, "you're perfect, I love you"
"Okay" Kriss promised, "I'll talk to Chloë"
Chloë and Theo had been at Arnold's for a few days. When Yvonne brought them back Kriss saw it as the perfect opportunity to talk to Chloë about Dave
"Yvonne" Kriss asked "can you keep Theo for a few hours longer, I want to spend some time with Chloë"
"Sure" Yvonne promised "you come and get him when you are ready"
"Thank you" Kriss gave Yvonne a hug "that really helps"
"Where are we going Mummy?" Chloë asked Kriss
"To the officer's club" Kriss smiled "would you like a milkshake?"
Chloë's little face lit up and her personality shone through. Kriss hadn't seen her this happy since before the attack and it made Kriss feel better too.
In the officer's club Chloë chewed on the straw in her milkshake drinking the occasional mouthful while Kriss took sips of her lemonade
"So, Chloë" Kriss started "how do you feel about Daddy Dave coming to live with us again?"
"I don't mind, Mummy" Chloë smiled
"If you don't want him to, he won't" Kriss assured her "it's up to you"
"I do want him to, Mummy" Chloë promised "will you love him again?"
"Yeah" Kriss nodded "I will love Daddy Dave again, very much"
"Okay" Chloë smiled "let Daddy Dave move in"
"Okay" Kriss smiled "finish your milkshake and we will go and pick Theo up"
Chloë sucked on her straw and swallowed the last mouthful of her milkshake
"Come on then mummy" Chloë got up and pulled Kriss' arm "let's go and get Theo"
Arnold knelt down outside his door and held his arms open to Chloë. She ran into his arms and he hugged her so tight
"Guess what Daddy" Chloë screamed, "Daddy Dave is coming home!"
Arnold stood up still holding Chloë and looked at Kriss
"Do you think that's wise?" Arnold asked, "what if he does it again?"
"He won't Arnold" Kriss tired to assure him "he's promised me he wont and he knows what will happen if he does!"
"What does Chloë think about it?" Arnold asked, "He hit her too"
"Ask her" Kriss replied
Arnold pulled his daughters face away from his shoulders and looked into her deep blue eyes
"Chloë" he asked her "do you want Daddy Dave to move back in with you?"
"Yes Daddy" Chloë answered, "I love Daddy Dave and he's told me that he's sorry"
"Are you sure, Chloë?" Arnold shook his head "you might get hurt again!"
"I wont Daddy" she assured him "I'll be okay"
Kriss carried Theo back down to their floor and Chloë followed. Waiting at the door of Kriss' room was Dave. His cheeky grin make Kriss' heart melt.
"Hello darling" he sang in his strong Liverpool accent "fancy a drink?"
"You know I can't resist that accent," Kriss giggled
"Come on then Krissie" Dave smiled "I've got Jemimah and Lilimay to look after the children"
"But, Dave…"
"I'm not taking no for an answer!"
"Okay" Kriss agreed, "Give me ten minutes"
Kriss went into her bedroom to get changed. She put on her red cocktail dress and high boots. She then went into Chloë's room to say good night, then Llewey and Jim-Bexley's room, then Alicia-May's then Theo's and finally back into her room to say good night to Isabelle and Damien. She gave them all a kiss and said goodnight before going back to Dave who was waiting.