Episode 2:

It was a few days later, after a weekend of blessed privacy and delightful intimacy that Meredith Gates and Gavin Cochran finally came back down to earth and returned to London.

"We could move somewhere else you know." Gavin reminded Meredith for the umpteenth time as she once more bemoaned the fact they had to return to London.

"No it's my home and I'll be damned if I let those bastards drive me out…its just if only I could find the little squealer who let them know my home address…"

"Our home!" Gavin teasingly corrected, watching delightedly as her eyes narrowed slightly before she caved in and a smiled contentedly.

"Fine our home…Well until that sham of a trial is over…"

"Oi!" Gavin gasped in mock affront. "I thought we were going to do this properly, no more secrets, no more bullshit and definitely no more separate beds!"

"Definitely no more separate beds!" Meredith teased leaning over and grasping his hand before capturing his lips with hers and then suddenly pulling away as the car stopped outside her house.

"You are such a tease!" Gavin whispered. "Just you wait till I get you upstairs!"

"What you mean us actually do it in one of our own beds…My My Mr Cochran that is almost to kinky for words."

"I know!" Gavin retorted springing out of the car as soon as James opened the door and helping the grinning Meredith out after him, however her smile only lasted as long as it took the first camera to flash.

"Mr Cochran do you have anything to say about your upcoming trial…" The questions began before the happy couple could even take more than a step towards their front door.

"I have no comment!" Gavin hissed, his handsome face contorting in rage as he towered over the photographer who for a moment paused in real terror.

"Ms Gates how do you feel about sharing a house with a suspected murderer?" He changed tactics, backing away from Gavin and crowding the now panicking Meredith.

"He's not a murderer now get the hell out my way you low lying scum!" Meredith hissed. "Before I have a restraining order slapped on you!"

"Ohhhhhh tough words from such a little lady...Tell Mr Cochran is she like that in all other areas? Is that what attracted you to her?"

But Gavin didn't even justify that question with any sort of answer and seizing the fuming Meredith by the hand he dragged her up the steps and into her building.

"THAT MAN!" Meredith screeched once they were safely inside.

"I know." Gavin whispered kissing her forehead softly. "But he can't hurt us in here…How about this time you give me the grand tour?" He added wrapping his arms round her middle as she fumbled with the door key.

"It would be an honour!" Meredith replied sliding her hand into his and pulling him into her apartment.

For a moment Gavin didn't speak, too startled by the change that had taken place. "Where did everything go?"

For a moment Meredithn didn't answer too embarrassed to admit the truth. "What do you mean the place is crammed to bursting but then I suspect that's what happens when my boyfriend forgets to keep his landlord sweet!" She added jokily.

"Where are your paintings Meredith?" Gavin retorted seriously.

"Oh I got bored…I thought since this is going to be our apartment we should choose something that suited us both."

"Stop lying…You don't have to lie to me remember…So what is really going on?" Gavin cut her off harshly catching her chin and gently forcing her to look up at him.

"It's no big deal but well legal fees are expensive and what with the gallery closed and the insurance company screaming bloody murder and well the bills still need to be paid not to mention I had to find two million in bail from somewhere…." She trailed off unable to continue.

"So you sold your paintings…for me?" He asked incredulously.

"Only my personal ones from my apartment…The Gallery ones are still safe in the vaults at the Tate."

"Well I am bloody glad to hear it!" Gavin snapped.

"Gavin stop it, I told you before none of that matters, it was my choice and I made it gladly."

"Well its one you should never have had to make…Who brought them I want their names and numbers…"

"What good would that do?" Meredith retorted pulling out his grasp and striding over to the staircase.

"I am still capable of repaying my debts!" Gavin snorted.

"Are you so sure about that?" Meredith whispered.

"What?"

"Well things haven't been going brilliantly recently have they I mean first the robbery at your gallery and the insurance company refusing to pay up and then all those firebombing of your clubs…"

"I can still more than pay my way!" Gavin retorted. "It is only temporary I assure you."

"I know…" Meredith began placatingly but whatever she was going to say was suddenly cut off by the shrill ring of the doorbell. "I'll get that then shall I?"

"No leave it!" Gavin retorted. "It's probably just those bloody journalists baying for our blood!" He trailed off as the shrill ring filled the air once more and continued to whine on and on until an exasperated Meredith stormed over to the intercom jabbing at the button with such force it was any wonder it didn't become wedged in.

"Yes, who is it and what the hell do you want?" Meredith spat into the little speaker, her normally cool exterior positively bristling ready for a fight.

"It's Mrs Cochran to the likes of you!" A sharp and wholly recognisable cockney voice hissed back causing a shocked Meredith to start back and turn to glare at Gavin.

"How the hell did she find out my address?"

"How the hell should I know?" Gavin retorted, pushing Meredith gently aside and leaning over the intercom himself. "What do you want Melissa?"

"I would have thought that would have been obvious Gavin dearest I want to talk about some papers that arrived in my mail this morning."

Puzzled Meredith glanced across at Gavin watching as a smile flickered briefly over his features. "The Divorce." He mouthed to Meredith whose face suddenly lit up in recognition and delight.

"Well there is no time like the present!" Meredith muttered mischievously nuzzling into Gavin's neck whilst taking his hand and resting it gently on her belly. "I'm certainly not getting any smaller now am I!"

"No, not that I mind in the slightest." Gavin retorted rubbing her stomach softly before capturing her lips at first tenderly then with increasing ferocity, pushing the unresisting Meredith back against the wall, all thoughts of a certain visitor fleeing from their minds as he ran his hands down her back tugging gently at the zip of her dress, however just as he was placing amorous kisses along her now bare collarbone a certain irate voice piped up once more.

"GAVIN COCHRAN DON'T YOU BLOODY WELL IGNORE ME OR I WILL TURN ROUND AND TELL THESE JOURNALISTS EXACTLY THE KIND OF MAN YOU ARE!"

Startled the flushed pair pulled apart, a flushing Meredith quickly adjusting her clothing whilst Gavin took deep calming breaths. "Later." He whispered a smile tugging at his lips as Meredith vigorously nodded her agreement before pushing the release button which opened the front door.

A few moments later there was a sharp knock at the door and Gavin reluctantly moved to open it.

"Melissa how simply delightful of you to pop round." He snorted sarcastically as the short slender blonde pushed past him her blue eyes raking over the apartment disapprovingly. "We really don't see you often enough…"

"Oh cut out the crap Gavin!" Melissa snapped whirling round to glare at Meredith a look of shock and then horror appearing on her face as her eyes dropped from the brunette's face down to the now telling bulge around her stomach. "Oh this explains a lot, yet another bastard for the Gavin Cochran stable!"

"How dare you!" Meredith hissed her hand moving instinctively cover her child. "At least this child is his unlike some other's I could mention!"

"Sure of that are you?" Melissa retorted smiling evilly as she paced around the living room of Meredith's apartment. "It's not very impressive is it? Very bare and uninspiring and all these boxes, or are those some form of modern art that is debasing our galleries these days?"

"Not that it is any of your business but they are my things I just haven't unpacked yet…We've had far more interesting things to keep us entertained." Gavin cut in smiling slightly as he walked over to Meredith sliding a protective hand around her waist. "Now you wanted something?" He added smiling confidently over at his estranged wife for the first time looking at her properly and noting something looked different. "You've had facelift!" Gavin gasped in surprise.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Melissa snapped back.

"You have…" Gavin gasped turning to Meredith for confirmation. "So that's what my monthly allowance has been put towards and here was I thinking that that hike in school fees had actually been for the children's education!"

"I don't have to listen to this!" Melissa hissed, turning away and rummaging around in her bag before suddenly drawing out a fist full of papers. "I want to talk to you about this!" She hissed scrunching up the papers before throwing them at Gavin's feet.

"I wouldn't go doing that Melissa you wouldn't want to hand them over to your brief all crumpled now would you!" Meredith cooed triumphantly, freeing herself from Gavin's grasp to lean casually against the back of one of her cream couture couches.

"Oh I won't need to do that I think I can leave them here with the other trash!" Melissa retorted her blue eyes narrowing as they bore into her husbands. "I won't be needing them you see… well not for another five years!"

"What?" Gavin hissed closing the distance between them and roughly grasping Melissa by the elbow.

"Five Years!" Melissa reiterated. "That's how long this is going to take Gavin darling, you see I've talked to my mouthpiece and he told me something very interesting, I can fight this….I don't have to grant you a divorce if I don't want to, and unless you find some serious grounds for it he reckons no judge would even look at it for another five years, five long years of separation, and if you talk…I TALK!"

"Oh we have grounds!" Meredith cut in angrily. "What about all your affairs, hell a simple blood test would prove Jessica isn't Gavin's!"

"Meredith." Gavin murmured warningly, gingerly releasing Melissa and moving to try and calm down his fiancé. "Don't get upset…The baby…"

"Oh to hell with that, are you going to let this jumped up bottle blond ruin all our plans?" She demanded, her face slowly falling when instead of immediately refuting her accusation he hung his head. "GAVIN! What sort of a man are you, you asked me to marry you and now you're just going to give up…."

"NOT NOW MEREDITH, I HAVE ENOUGH ON MY PLATE WITHOUT YOU…" He shouted back, his normally composed face darkening with anger as he felt trapped between a rock and a hard place the vein in his neck throbbing tellingly.

"WITHOUT ME WHAT?" Meredith screamed back her hands tightening into fists. "GO ON SAY IT!"

"FINE WITHOUT YOU TURNING INTO HER! I have no desire for another SHREW for a WIFE so perhaps the wait will be a GOOD THING, GIVE ME A CHANCE TO RE-THINK MY OPTIONS!" Gavin snapped the words were out of his mouth before he realised but one thing that couldn't escape his notice was the sharp stinging slap at caught his cheek a moment later. Catching her wrist Gavin dragged the furious Meredith towards him then seizing her chin tightly he lent down staring her right in the eye.

"Don't you ever, ever do that again!" He hissed, his normally ardent gaze now frozen like ice and for a moment Meredith felt actual fear. Trembling slightly she pulled away the moment he released his tight hold on her, rubbing her chin in an effort to get the circulation going.

"Get out!" Her words were soft but firm.

"What?" Gavin retorted his fury quickly abating and turning to confusion.

"You heard me I want you out, both of you!" She replied moving and picking up his jacket, throwing it at him in a gesture that reminded him vividly of another argument. "I don't want you here."

"Oh dear don't tell me I've gone and upset the little lovebirds!" Melissa cooed evilly as she adjusted her bag on her shoulder before fluffing her hair. "Well I will be going at least I have far too much to be doing….Oh Gavin don't go thinking when little miss priss throws you out you can come and stop with me, cause I'm sorry darling but that space is being more than adequately filled by someone else!"

"Oh shut up you bag of bile!" Gavin bit back, glaring at Melissa with such hatred that if she were at all sensitive she might have combusted on the spot.

"Such a sweetheart isn't he?" Melissa joked at Meredith, but the brunette was in no mood to answer her, so Mrs Cochran simply shrugged smiling sweetly as she showed herself out, things were going better than she could ever have hoped for.

"Meredith." Gavin began warily once Melissa had left, his eyes locked on his former fiancé. "You can't throw me out it would contravene my bail terms."

"Explain to me how that's my problem Mr Cochran!" Meredith retorted coolly

"Well despite loosing my excellent companionship which over the weekend you seemed to enjoy immensely there is also the matter of two million pounds which you would loose, and as much as you would like to see me face down in the gutter at the moment I doubt very much you can afford the bill!" Gavin explained coolly striding past her and throwing his jacket over the back of the couch before sinking into one himself. "That I believe makes it your problem! So why don't you just be sensible and let us talk about this as adults not infants!" He added patting the space beside him on the sofa suggestively.

"You Bastard!" Meredith hissed, unable to stop the heat from building in her face. "Do really think after that little performance I am going to let you anywhere near me, I don't care if you don't divorce her for five years, hell stay married to her forever if that is what you want, one thing is for certain you are never going to be marrying me!"

"Meredith you're just over…"

"What OVER-REACTING? Well I don't think so, I've just seen you for who you really are, a bully and a coward and there is no space for either in my life, so I'll put up with you as long as I have to, you can stay in the guest room, or hell even the couch for all I care but one thing is certain you come anywhere near me or my room and I swear two million might just be a price I am willing to pay."

"You're lying." Gavin retorted but there was a flicker of uncertainty on his voice that Meredith recognised.

"Am I? Tell me lover after all the hell that knowing you has put me through can you think of any reason why I should continue to torture myself, I mean lets just think of it, for the sake of two million I could have you out of my life for years, in that time I could sell up and move live a normal life with my child far away from you and your polluting influence…"

"You wouldn't!" Gavin gasped jumping up and grabbing her roughly by the arm, shaking her slightly as if the knock some sense into her. "You know I would never allow that to happen, I will never let either of you go!"

"Oh wouldn't I?" Meredith retorted coolly freeing herself from Gavin's loosened grasp and striding towards the staircase calling back over her shoulder. "It's in your own hands Gavin just don't go expecting any more favours from me!" And with she disappeared out his sight, her bedroom door slamming tellingly a moment later leaving an increasingly furious Gavin Cochran to stare after her, his eyes seeming to burn through bricks and mortar, this was not over until he said so and that was a lesson that Meredith Gates was going to learn sooner rather than later.