When Abby awoke the first thing she did was grab a hold of her head, she had a splitting headache. She looked over to where Emily slept, but she wasn't there. Abby got up out of bed and headed for the bathroom.

She looked into the mirror and staring back wasn't a very pleasent sight. She filled the wash basin with cold water and splashed it over her face, trying to refresh herself. But she looked exactly the same but now she was wet.

She rummaged around in the medicine cabinet looking for asprin or ibuprofen anything to get rid of this headache.

"He's a doctor you'd think there would be something" Abby muttered to herself, but she found nothing. Slamming the door shut she sat down on the floor putting her head in her hands.

She knew one way that would get rid of her headache, she reached down into the bottom of the laundry bin and pulled out a bottle of beer. She searched around for the bottle opener, after a few minutes she gave up. She used her teeth. Chucking the cap into the sink she poured the liquid down her throat.

After half of the bottle was gone, so was her headache. Finishing off the bottle she hid it where she had hid the rest, in her bag under the bed. She went back into the bathroom and started to clean her teeth to get rid of the smell of alcohol, she showered and got dressed before making her way downstairs.

"Wow what time is it?" Abby asked walking into the living room where Carter and Emily were sat reading a book.

"Its a quarter to twelve. So I suppose I can still say good morning." Carter laughed.

Abby sat next to Emily kissing the top of her head. "So are you working today?" Abby asked Carter.

"Yeah I'm covering for Susan I'm doing the 8 till 12 for her."

"Oh okay." Abby smiled. "Is it okay of I go and make something to eat? I'm a little peckish."

Abby went to stand up but Carter got up first and sat her back down. "Leave it I'll get Josie to do us something. Your my guest and your here to rest."

"Seriously Carter its fine, I can do it." Abby laughed as she went to stand up again, Carter placed his hands back on her shoulders and made her sit back down.

"Here Em." He said lifting Emily onto Abby's lap. "Sit here on Mommy's lap and don't let her get up."

"She tiny! I can lift her." Abby laughed.

"Fine!" Carter said raising his arms above his head, he lifted Emily from her mothers lap and sat on Abby's lap himself. "Okay, Emily could you go into the kitchen and ask Josie to whip us up something quick?"

Emily nodded her head before running out of the living room.

"Hmm, I'd like to see you try and lift me!" Carter laughed.

"Wanna bet?" Abby twisted his arm behind his back and tickled under him other arm. Carter laughed and quickly jumped up from Abby's lap, and lay on the floor in defeat. Abby laughed and stood up dusting off her hands in accomplishment. Carter grabbed Abby's legs and pulled her down with him. Abby laughed before Carter leaned in a kissed her, Abby willingly let him kiss her then they heard tiny footsteps running down the hall. She quickly pulled away and stood up.

Emily opened the door and ran and jumped on Carter who was still lying on the floor. "Ugh!" He said as Emily jumped straight onto his stomach. "Okay did you tell Josie Squirt?"

"Yeah, and she said it'll be ready in fifty hundred minutes." Emily laughed.

Carter tickled her stomach. "Fifty hundred minutes! I think someones telling fibs."

Emily continued laughing. "Okay she said 15 minutes."

Abby looked on, he was so good with her. He and Emily had a bond, the kind of bond that she would have liked with her own father, if he'd had stayed around long enough. And the kind of bond she wanted Emily and Richard to have, that was the reason she had stayed with him for so long. For Emily's sake, but now she could see that it was a waste of time. Richard hated children, but Carter loved them and he especially loved Emily.

Carter started to make his way into the kitchen, he placed Emily on a chair up to the table and went over to Josie who had a can of whipped cream and some strawberrys.

"Ummm Josie what are you doing?" Carter asked holding in his laughter.

"Im making you something with whipped cream Mr Carter, that is what you asked for is it not?" Josie asked slightly confused.

"No I asked you to..." He turned round to Emily. "What did you asked Josie to do Em?"

"To make something with whipped cream, like you asked Uncle John."

Carter looked over to Abby and they both laughed.

"Did you want me to make something else Mr Carter?" Josie said as she started to pick up the bowl of strawberries.

"No no its okay Josie, the strawberries are fine. Emily just got muddled up what I said." Carter sat opposite Abby who was sat next to Emily. Abby coyley smiled over at Carter but tried avoiding all possible eye contact after that.


"Here." Ben dumped a bag full of money on the the reception table at the police station. "Now let my brother go."

"Excuse me?" The female officer said. "Who is your brother?"

"Richard Lockhart. You gonna let him out or what? Here's the bail money."

"There is a ritual that I have to go through first but as soon as im through with that then yes, your brother will be free to go." The Officer said sorting through some paper work.

"Women." Ben muttered under his breath.

"I'm sorry sir what was that?"

"Nothing!" Ben gave an exasperated sigh.

"Frankly sir I don't like your attitude."

"Frankly Trish" He said reading her name badge and emphasizing when he said her name. "I don't give a shit, I just want my brother so I can get outta here."

Trish sighed and got back to the papers. "Okay if you would like to sign here, and here and here. Then your brother can go."

Ben picked up the pen and signed before throwing the pen onto the table. Trish went back and released Richard.

"Hey bro." Ben said as he saw Richard emerge from the big double doors. "Ready?"

"You bet." Richard said grabbing his things from the police officer.

Both of the Lockhart brothers left slamming the doors behind them.

Richard took Ben back to his apartment, he opened up the door and was greeted with the mess that he had made. He went into Emily's bedroom and saw that nearly everything was gone. "I knew that bitch would have come back and cleared all her stuff out."

"I told you I saw her, and she was heading somewhere with this guy called John. And she had Emily with her too."

"Did she recognize you?" Richard asked

"How could she have recognized me? I've never met her before, I only remember her from the pictures you've showed me. But I tell ya that little girl she's got your eyes bro, shes a right special one that one."

"Truth be told I can't stand that little brat, I only want her, to hurt Abby because I know she means everything to her. And by taking her away Abby will break down, and I wanna be around to see it happen."