A/N: It has been months!

I have to confess, I haven't watched a single episode of Eastenders in that time - it just isn't interesting me at all at the moment - so I have literally no idea what's actually happening on the show!

But I hate leaving things unfinished, so I'm back to finish this fic. I think there'll probably only be one or two more chapters before the end - I'm not entirely sure how many. This could be the penultimate one!

Hope you enjoy it.


"Hey! I hear congratulations are in order." Katy beamed leaning against the bar beside a very confused looking Mick. When he didn't seem to understand what she was referring to, the blonde laughed, motioning around her. "Getting this place back! It means I can finally come back in here again."

"Katy…" The fond tone of his voice and roll of his eyes made her laugh again.

"What? It's true! You know I wouldn't come in here when Bitch Barbie was in charge."

"Well we haven't taken over yet." He pointed out with a grin.

"I know… that's why I've only popped in to say hi." She teased, shrugging lightly. When he looked confused again, she nudged him with her shoulder. "I saw you coming in… I'm not stalking you."

"Well that's a relief." He joked. "I know what you're like."

Katy laughed for a moment, before her expression turned serious. "Has there been any word?"

Mick sighed and shook his head, not needing to hear a name to know who she was talking about. "No, nothing."

Exhaling sharply, the blonde put her head in her hands, feeling her exhaustion catching up with her in the face of more bad news. Her shoulders slumped and she felt the prickle of tears behind her eyelids, even as Mick reached out and rubbed the space between her shoulder blades comfortingly.

"Sorry…" She sighed, shaking her head and straightening up. "You've got enough on your plate without me getting all mopey."

"Hey, don't do that, baby, alright." He ordered, reaching out and pulling her into a tight hug. "I know you miss her as much as we do. If we hear anything at all, I'll let you know."

"Thanks." Katy smiled weakly, nodding at him and turning to leave, wiping at her eyes almost angrily. She made her way towards the doors, but had barely taken half a dozen steps when her head whirled round at the sound of her godson's name. "Louie? You finally spoken to him, then?"

"What's it got to do with you?" Peter snapped back.

The blonde's eyes slid across to the young woman sitting beside him, arching her eyebrows as Ash looked between them in confusion. "It's got a lot to do with me. If you're neglecting your son just because you can't face Lauren telling you–"

"He has spoken to him, actually." Ash cut in, clearly attempting to defend Peter.

Katy snorted. "Right…"

"Just because Lauren's your mate–"

"She's family and you know it." Katy retorted. "She's my cousin as well as my mate."

"Stay out of stuff that doesn't concern you, yeah?" He ordered irritably. "It's your fault my nan is on my case about it."

"Good."

"Just keep your nose out of my business."

Snorting with distain, Katy ran her eyes over the pair sitting at the table and pushed her way through the double doors and out onto the Square. She couldn't deny that DS McKay's words the day before had unsettled her a little and she resolved to pay them heed. The last thing she needed was the police looking any deeper into her life and finding out anything that she'd managed to bury.

"Ah, darling, I was looking for you." Glenda beamed as she stepped out of the Minute Mart and almost crashed into her granddaughter. "Have you phoned the hospital yet?"

"Uhh… no?" Katy frowned at her, no idea what she was talking about. "Why?"

"Your check up?"

"What check up?"

Glenda huffed, rolling her eyes at the younger blonde, clearly thinking she was being deliberately difficult. "You were supposed to arrange an appointment with your oncologist for before you have the baby. Katy, it's important. You know that."

"I know, I'll get round to it."

"Katy!"

"What?"

"What good are you going to be to your kids if you die of cancer just after giving birth?"

Katy rolled her eyes, not remotely perturbed by her grandmother's words. "I'm not going to die, Gran. I'm fine."

"You don't know that, because you won't make an appointment. When was your last appointment?"

"Uhh… I don't actually remember… but it wasn't that long ago."

"You don't remember because you keep putting it off." Glenda pointed out sharply. "Phone the hospital, Katherine."

"Yeah, yeah…"


"Mum… I called Dad and he said that he could take us out for the day at the weekend." Ruby said with a bright smile, dropping onto the sofa beside her mother. She patted the baby bump affectionately as she always did and beamed at her. "He said Alicia would come and pick us up and then–"

"No. Absolutely not." Katy shook her head vehemently. "If your dad wants to see you then he can come and pick you up himself instead of sending his girlfriend to do it."

"But Mum–"

"Ruby, what kind of mother would I be if I let you go off with some random woman?"

"She's not! She's dad's girlfriend. We know her."

Katy arched an eyebrow. "Oh, so you think I should just let her take you?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, tough." Her mother shrugged. "That's not going to happen. Tyler picks you up or you don't go."

"But he said that…"

"Ruby, baby, I know. But I need you to get him to change his mind, OK? He'll listen to you if you ask him, right? So I need you to call him and tell him that you want him to pick you up or you won't go."

The nine-year-old looked at her uncertainly for a moment. When Katy reached out and ran a hand through her hair, smiling softly, she returned the expression and nodded slowly. Climbing off the sofa, she disappeared from the room and headed back up the stairs to her bedroom.

There was a thump and Katy jumped, whirling round and spotting her aunt leaning in the doorway. "What the hell was that?"

"What?"

"That… with Ruby?"

Katy sighed. "I was just telling her that I'm not letting Tyler's girlfriend pick them up. He needs to come himself if he wants to see them."

"Yeah, but that?" Roxy narrowed her eyes, shaking her head. "That was… getting her to do your dirty work for you?"

"For god's sake, Rox… he won't talk to me. This is the only way I can actually communicate with him."

"So that's the only reason you're doing it? It's your last resort? Your only option?"

"Huh?"

"You are just like your mother!" Roxy hissed. "You are controlling Ruby just like Ronnie controlled me when I was a kid. She is going to end up resenting you, like I resented Ronnie!"

"I do not control Ruby!" Katy snapped back furiously. "She's my daughter; it's my job to make sure she's safe and happy and–"

"You're controlling, cold, self-obsessed, deranged–"

"Shut up, Roxy!"

"Just. Like. Ronnie." The older woman punctuated every word with a jab to her niece's chest. "Just. Like. Archie."

There was a loud cracking sound as Katy slapped her aunt. Roxy recoiled, clutching a hand to her cheek and blinking several times. Then she let out an almost feral growl and leapt towards the younger woman, grabbing for her hair. Katy let out a sound of fury, shoving her away and taking two steps backwards.

"I'm not going to fight you, Roxy… I'd probably end up killing you."

"Yeah and we both know that's not an idle threat coming from you, is it?"

Narrowing her eyes, Katy scowled at her. "Exactly, so don't take me on."

"What the hell is going on in here?" Ronnie demanded, closing the living room door firmly behind her and looking between her sister and her daughter. "We could hear the screeching from outside!"

"Are you gonna tell her or shall I?" Katy snapped, folding her arms and narrowing her eyes at her aunt.

"Katy was emotionally blackmailing Ruby into getting Tyler to see her." Roxy snapped bluntly. "She was using her daughter, threatening her that she wouldn't see him, to get him to come here."

"Katy…"

"Roxy said that we're like Archie." Katy retorted childishly. "She said that Ruby will resent me like she resents you."

"Like I used to resent you." Roxy corrected.

"Right… you need to stop this right now. Both of you!" Ronnie ordered, glaring between them. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Rolling her eyes and folding her arms, Roxy muttered something about needing some air and slamming her way out of the room. When the front door banged shut behind her, Ronnie dropped down to sit on the sofa, patting the cushions and wrapping an arm around her daughter when she sank down beside her. Katy rested her head on Ronnie's shoulder and squeezed her eyes closed.

"Maybe Roxy had a point… maybe I am like Archie?"

"You're nothing like him."

"But I was trying to manipulate Ruby into getting Tyler to come here so I could talk to him. She's a smart kid. She will end up resenting me. I'm surprised she doesn't already."

"Ruby loves you, Katy. I'm so, so jealous of your relationship with her. I wish we'd had that while you were growing up." Ronnie told her gently, carding her fingers through her daughter's hair. "But fighting with Roxy? Really? You've got just over a week until your due date!"

"Not my finest moment…"

"And that's saying something." The older woman teased, pressing a kiss to the side of her head.

"Now, come on… you go and talk to Ruby and I'll go and deal with Roxy. Wish me luck."

Katy laughed, watching as Ronnie pulled a face and headed out in search of her younger sister.