Well, here is the second part of todays upload. Don't forget to review. I own nothing but the plot, Libby, Lucy and Charlie and.. Don and Co. And you guys should listen to Retro Rewind with Dave Harris :D

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Café et fraises

Chapter Twenty Three

Welcome to the family

Time skip of seventeen months

'Wow. You look like shit,' was Libby's greeting when Lucy answered the door. The blonde woman shook her head with a smile.

'Good morning to you too.' Lucy stepped aside, letting her best friend in. Charlie was stood by the sofa, hands gripping it, still looking nervous on his feet even though he'd been walking for about a month now. When he saw Libby he beamed, nose wrinkling and eyes also shutting; Libby had taught him how to do that weeks ago and it was their way of greeting. Lucy laughed, moving into the kitchen to put the kettle on.

'Is he still… being naughty?' she asked.

'You could say that,' Lucy sighed. 'When he starts crying, he doesn't seem to want to stop. Me and Bovver are knackered.' It fell quiet for a moment.

'You need to get out more,' Libby said, slumping onto the sofa and pulling Charlie onto her lap.

'No shit.'

'Why don't you come for a walk with me?'

'I can't. There's no one to look after Charlie,' came Lucy's reply as she poured the two teas.

'Bring him with us,' Libby said simply. 'We can have a walk down the high street, look in a few shops; you know, the usual.' Lucy frowned as she came back, putting Libby's tea on the coffee table, before she twisted her engagement ring around on her finger. She hadn't been too bad since she was kidnapped but she still preferred to stay indoors. 'We'll only be an hour.'

So, that was it. Lucy got Charlie and herself dressed and they grabbed some money in case they wanted to stop for a bite to eat and caught a taxi into town. They walked through the park, taking it in turns to push Charlie who was talking to himself in baby talk.

'How's you and Swill?' Lucy asked, and Libby blushed with a giggle.

'We're okay,' she replied.

'Do you think it will go into anything serious?' Libby frowned for a moment, her gaze on Charlie's round little face, before she shrugged.

'I don't know. It's surprising I've lasted this long in a relationship. The high score on my relationship-o-meter was one month four days.'

'How long has it been?' Libby blew a raspberry as she counted the months in her head.

'About… eleven months. That's almost a year!' she suddenly exclaimed, eyes wide.

'Ye-es,' laughed Lucy. 'Almost a year.'

'Shit. Bloody shit! Does that mean it's serious?'

'I'm guessing so,' she replied, linking her arm with Libby.

'Anyhoo, enough about me,' said the dark haired woman with a casual wave of her hand. 'Have you and Bovver got a date for the wedding yet?'

'…Kinda,' Lucy said slowly, chewing her bottom lip.

'Kinda?'

'Well, the Hen Night and Stag Do will be in October and I think we're planning the wedding for November.'

'In the cold?' cried out Libby. Lucy laughed.

'Yes, in the cold. Anyway, I know that I'm having my Hen Night in Belgium. A four day trip.'

'Nice,' smiled Libby, as they crossed out of the park, beginning to head down a road that was the high street; shops and café's each side, the only let down the busy main road running through the middle.

'I don't think we'll be getting Charlie christened. It's nothing we're really… into you know.' Lucy shrugged. 'Not that we have enough money for much at the moment; it's going to be hell saving up for the wedding.'

'I've told you time and time again that I'll give you whatever money you want.'

'I can't do that, Libby!' she shook her head. 'No way am I taking that amount of money off of you.'

'Can I pay for the Hen Night then?'

'Libby!'

'I'm not backing down without a fight, love. Let me pay for something.' Lucy frowned. It would be a help…

'Fine,' she sighed. 'You can pay for one of the day during the Hen…' she trailed off with a frown. 'Isn't that Swill?' Libby's head jerked up, eyes narrowed as she instantly caught sight of Swill sat outside a café sitting opposite a redhead. 'Oh,' Lucy said as she realized what she was seeing. 'I'm sure it's nothing,' she said quickly, but then she saw the redhead put her hand on Swill's and her face fell, her stomach hitting the ground in disappointment. Lucy had known Swill a long time, but never would she think of him as a cheater.

'This is so on,' hissed Libby, walking forwards in surprisingly big strides for a small woman; a woman on a mission. Lucy hurried to catch up, weaving the buggy in and out of people with quick mutters of apology.

'Hey!' she smiled sweetly as she reached the table. Swill looked up in surprise, his mouth opening and closing stupidly as he thought of what to say. 'I'm Libby, Swill's girlfriend. Just one thing.'

And she punched the women in the face.

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Woo you finally get to meet Don's friends in the next chapter!! (Happy)