2 updates in 24 hours? I know, I thought I was kidding about the OCD updates, too but apparently not...

You know the drill, read, review and make me smile. After this weekend, I could do with a boost and you guys are always phenomenal at doing that. I'm starting work on the Pete/Allie oneshot this week as well as posting more of Intervals. The end is nigh, people but don't worry, you haven't seen the last of Pete and Allie yet. In fact the next story is kind of AU (even more so) and Lara is back in it because I'm having serious withdrawal from her. haha.

ps, if you've not read my bio, I'm looking for some gorgeous soul to make a banner for Intervals. If you're good at it, (I'm shockingly bad) then please help me out, if not well then just sit back, read and enjoy.

El xx

"So just to clarify,"

Eddie Hatcher fixed the police officer with a disinterested stare as he continued to scribble notes down on his pad. They had been in here interviewing him for almost 20 minutes now and seemed determined to get more information out of him that he was willing to divulge. He glanced at the clock and snorted.

Oh well, their loss.

"You were approached by a group of men who attacked you...but all they went for was your left hand?"

Eddie smiled at him tight lipped and wide eyed, lifting his wounded hand and waving it around for them to see.

"I'm guessing they thought my face was too pretty to damage," he grinned. "Not that I can blame them,"

"Mr Hatcher," the older officer who had been the quieter of the two stepped forward and sighed. "I don't think I have to tell you that given your family history, we're finding this a bit hard to swallow."

Eddie looked at him in disgust; the man was all salt and pepper hair and badges of honour. In other words, he knew better than the younger man next to him who played by the book. If this bobby was old school then he knew who the Hatcher's were. And he knew they didn't get "set upon" all for the sake of a scratch to the hand.

"Well chuck some butter on it and have a good old munch, son," Eddie snapped. "Because its the truth."

The older man smirked and rubbed the back of his head tiredly, knowing that he was getting nowhere with this kid.

"So if I said the name Matt Buckner..."

"I'd say its pretty and all but I prefer Eddie," he rolled his eyes. "We done 'ere or what?"

They had nothing to pin him on, although between the mention of the Yank's name and the look in the officers eyes, he knew damn well that they weren't as stupid as they looked.

"For now," the policeman nodded. "I won't bother giving you our card," he smirked. "We'll be in touch,"

Eddie blew them a kiss as they disappeared through the crumpled blue curtain surrounding his bed and leant back against the stiff pillow, letting out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. Like it or not, that was close and they knew it was to do with the GSE. They didn't have to say it, they knew.

"I don't bloody care if he's asleep, let me in!"

That voice was one of the few in this world that could truly evoke fear in Eddie Hatcher. Since his uncle's death, his aunt Sarah had been beyond overprotective. She had lost her son and her husband to firms and now all she had left was him. He knew it was unfair to put her through this, but he had to end this. Once and for all, then they could all move on.

The curtain pulled back sharply and the older woman appeared her face streaked with tears. The oversized black jumper she was wearing made her look even smaller as she stared at him open mouthed, her body losing all its fight before his eyes as she slumped down into the chair at the end of the bed.

"Eddie," she whispered.

"I'm alright," he told her gently. "Auntie Sarah, I'm alright. Look at me, its just a scratch."

"Just a scratch," she shook her head. "Just a bloody scratch!"

The last word came out as more of a scream and he winced as she lifted the blood soaked blanket off of his legs and thrust it into his face.

"You're going to end up in the ground next to them," Sarah screamed, grabbing his face hard enough to warn him but tenderly enough that he still felt his heart go out to her. She had been the closest thing he had to a Mum growing up and this was how he repaid her. Remembering the Yank last night, he frowned. Some sacrifices needed to be made in life.

"This ends now," she whispered, her voice hard. "I mean it Eddie, or so help me God I'll shop you into the old bill myself."

He met her eyes and saw the fear there; the anguish that had never left her since her son had died all those years ago. He owed her this but then he also owed his uncle and his cousin. Steve and Pete Dunham were off playing happy families and living their lives while two of his family lay cold in the dirt. No, it wasn't fair.

"It will," Eddie told her honestly, though not clarifying what he meant. "I promise you, Auntie Sarah. By tomorrow, this will be over once and for all."

Allie Dunham shrugged out of her clothes and reached into the shower, turning the large Victorian tap to the right and wincing as the water shot out, nearly burning her arm. That was the way she liked it though, the past 24 hours had been so exhausting, she needed to feel numb for a moment.

"Every time you 'ave a shower, you turn the bathroom into a Tim Burton film," Pete smirked at her through the steam rising around them. He eyed her appreciatively, hating the fact that they had things to talk about, issues to deal with; because frankly, the pastel green underwear she was wearing was giving him different ideas. "I can barely bloody see where I'm going,"

His laugh was cut short when he felt her grab him, pulling him through the steam and leaning into his body, her hands on his face, reaching around to cup the back of his head and bring his mouth down to hers.

"I guess you'd better hold onto something then," she shrugged, crushing his lips beneath hers and walking him backward to he was leaning against the large marble counter. Pete blinked, licking his lips and fighting to get words out as she pulled back and went to work on his clothes, her lips trailing over his shoulders, chest and stomach.

"Fuck, Allie," he groaned as she stood up again and pressed her lips to the jagged scar across his chest; not many people would be able to spot it, but she could. To her it was still as raw and angry as the day it had been when Tommy Hatcher had slammed his foot into Pete's chest, breaking his ribs so violently that one had snapped and protruded through his skin.

The memory almost made her fall to her knees again, the agony of that day sweeping through her as fresh as it had all those years ago.

"Promise me,"

Pete met her eyes, knowing exactly what it was she was asking him. Promise me you won't go there, promise me this won't happen ever again, promise me I'll never hear his name again.

Reaching down, he caught her under her knees and pulled her up so she was straddling him, every inch of her pressed against him, the heat from the shower already making them sweat. Everything about her, the twinkle in her eyes, the dimple she got when she smiled, the ladybird tattoo on her hip, the small scar on her stomach where Tommy had attacked her...when she had been pregnant.

Pete bit his lip hard at the memory and fought to keep himself in check; Tommy had been lucky Bovver had gotten to him first. Pete would have killed him slower and kept him conscious enough to remember every fucking second of it.

"Always," he told her with the same smile she had fallen in love with.

It didn't take a second for her mouth to find his again, the rest of their clothes becoming nothing but a wet pile on the floor as he carried her into the shower, wincing at the temperature of the water for a moment before leaning back against the tile wall, sighing as the coolness seeped into his back, fighting the tingling sensation on his skin caused by the almost boiling water.

"So what did you say?" he mumbled against her collarbone, his heart beating faster she leant her head back under the stream of water, letting it wet her hair and cascade down the front of her body. More tricks like that and he wouldn't be able to put sentences together.

"Who?" she raised an eyebrow. "Nathan?"

Noticing the way his eyes flashed at the mention of the other man's name, Allie made sure to push herself even closer to him if that were possible and smirked, tracing her fingers over the hammers tattoo on his heart.

"I told him if he didn't leave me alone, I'd give him a guided tour of his own intestines," she giggled at the look on his face. "What can I say? Swill and Dave got me watching the Soprano's."

"That's my girl," Pete smirked at her. "Jesus Christ, remind me never to piss you off,"

"I suggest you avoid the threat all together by always being extra extra nice to me," she nibbled on his bottom lip.

"Well if that's what its gonna take to keep the peace," Pete feigned reluctance, turning around so that she was the one pinned against the wall. "Then I think I can muster up extra nice..."

"PETE!"

The sound of someone hammering violently on the bathroom door caused both of them to jump, Pete almost dropping her as he stumbled back.

"Fucking hell," he grumbled as his head hit the metal railing, causing bottles of shampoo and expensive looking shower gels to clatter to the floor, making the large cubicle even more of a death trap.

"Pete!"

Dave's voice carried through the thick oak door and into the hot steam, the urgency in his voice making Pete's stomach tense into instant knots. Pushing the glass door open, he reached for a towel and wrapped it around his waist, shaking his head at Allie as she moved to do the same.

"Nah, stay," he told her gently, his thumb caressing her cheekbone. "You might actually be able to have a shower without me here," he smirked at her knowingly and she blushed, hating the fact that after so many years, he could still make her feel like a giddy 16 year old. "Knowing these tarts, they'll just be after the beers or looking for another x-box pad anyway,"

Giving her one last kiss, he slid the door closed and made his way over to the hallway, yanking the heavy door open and frowning at his friend. Dave didn't get flustered; much like Pete, he tended to take the GSE less seriously in that it was just something that came naturally, not much phased them. But staring at the man in the hallway, sweat beads forming in his hair, his teeth clattering together nervously and his skin almost grey, Pete fought to recognise him.

"You alright, mate?" he frowned.

"Nah, we got a visitor." Dave shoved his hand through his hair, making it even more matted. "Hatcher,"

Pete tensed and Dave could actually see the muscles in the younger man's shoulders clenching, getting ready for whatever was coming next.

Eddie Hatcher was in his house? The same house he shared with his wife and children. This wasn't going to end well.

"Sarah," Dave told him quietly. "Sarah Hatcher is downstairs."

"You what?" Pete snorted. "Tommy Hatcher's missus is downstairs?"

"She said she wanted to talk to you," Dave nodded. "And Allie."

Pete's blood ran cold; how the fuck did she know who Allie was? How did she know where the house was? How...

"She's in her 50's, Pete. I doubt she's here to start a fight," he grimaced at the look he received. "Mate just give her a chance, hear her out,"

"I'm not-..."

"Tell her we'll be down in 5,"

Both men turned to look at Allie who was towelling her hair, her skinny jeans and lacy royal blue t-shirt she wore making her look as though she had just come from a photo shoot, only the dark rings under her eyes belying her.

"Allie.." Pete shook his head.

"I want to know what she has to say," the blonde nodded firmly. "Don't you?"

Pete stared at her as she approached the huge staircase, her foot hanging mid-air as she waited for them to follow her down. Allie never thought she would see the day when the former GSE boys were more frightened of something than she was. But she needed to do this. The woman had been through so much and knowing exactly how it felt to love a man who's life revolved around a firm, Allie felt the need to hear her out. It was the least she could do.

"She gets 5 minutes," Pete told her firmly. "Then I'm calling the old bill."

Because regardless of age or gender, there was no way Pete Dunham was letting a member of the Hatcher family sit in his house eating biscuits and drinking tea.

Whatever this was, it ended now. He would make sure of it.

Aaaaaand...review! ;) xx