Liz felt sick when she awoke. Every thing came back to her and she felt she could cry again. She hadn't stopped the night before. She had been such a fool. But in her defensive to herself she had been ending it. She had be preparing herself with life with her daughter and husband for ever.

That was what she had wanted. But she was ever going to get that now. She knew Jim and she knew what he was thinking,. He was most likely thinking that she was bad mum and for the first time she had to agree.

She had exposed her daughter she shouldn't have to have been. What she had seen was so unfair on her last night.

Katie's innocent eyes were going to begun fading.

-

Jim had decided when he got up to take actions against Michael. He couldn't just get away with what he had done ripping his family what felt limb from limb. Some physio therapist….some friend!

What he had real worries about though now what was remaining of his family -mainly keeping it together.

When he had heard what had gone on his son who was near to him had come straight round and made his feelings clear. Even though Steve loved his mum he thought what she had done was so wrong and now he wanted to start clean with his dad again so the two of them would focus on his kid sister. If Liz left, Jim would need help with her.

She wasn't even seven yet. Some one had to be there for her and both of them knew it was done to them.

"I can take here to school." said Steve.

"I am going to have to start taking her again sooner or later." he said to him.

"Later then old man. I mean come on you legs still aren't as they could be,." he said.

"But they are getting stronger again." said Jim.

"Yes but you are not there totally there yet. Dad don't be proud. I am your son and she is my sister." said Steve. "You are all ways on at me to be more involved in the family so please let me try and get involved with her and you again." he said to him. Secretly, though he'd never say the words to his dad he hated it when they weren't talking. They were father and son; they made better friends than enemies. Their problem that both of them were too stubborn.

Jim nodded. "Thank you very much son."

"So are you going to let me help?" he asked.

"I don't think I have a lot of choice do I?" he asked.

Steve shook his head.

"Right then. Katie come on you are going to be late." said Jim as he watched her get her bag ready.

"I am coming." she said to him.

"Good." he muttered as she hut her bag and put on her coat.

"Have a good day or the best you can." she said to him as she went over to him, gave him a kiss on the cheek. Smiling weakly he put an arm round her and nodded.

"Yeah you too wee lass." he said and she nodded and her brother took her by the hand.

"Once I have dropped her of I can come back for a cuppa if you like." he suggested.

"Yeah. Yeah son that'd be good."

"Ok. I'll be about twenty minutes."

In the time in which his son was dropping his daughter off at school Jim took some time ro do some much needed reflection

All the time he was asking himself one question. What had he done so wrong? He had treated Elizabeth with respect ever since she had been back in the house. He had held her when she had been crying and the two of them had forgotten the past or at least that had been what it had felt like. Maybe he had got it wrong. Maybe he had read all the supposed signs that he thought she had been given out wrong.

That was the only explanation he had been able to find for what had gone on in his head and heart.

He wished he had given taking her back a bit more thought. If he had been thinking straight he would never had given her another chance, he should have known that, or that was what he told him self knowing it was all lies. He was and always would be madly in love with her.

It wasn't long till his youngest son returned and for the first time in months they talked properly.

They spoke of Fiona and of Liz. It had been long over due. Jim said he was sorry. He should never have struck Liz or slept with Fiona. Steve in turn finally forgave his old man. It was time to forget all that and focus on trying to muster some sort of future together, just the three of them.

"I think it is time we put it all behind us, so I do son. I have been a stubborn old so and so and I hate to say it but I if am going to continue looking after Katie as is should then I am going to need a hand."

"Then I am going to give it to you." he said. "I know I have never been a decent son or brother at least not this past few weeks and I want to put it behind us."

"That us what I want to son."

"Good then I think we are settled." he said to him.

"I guess Katie is going to be chuffed. She has missed the family being together."

"It is hardly going to be the whole family."

"No but three out of five has to be better than two." he said.

"Yeah. Are you going to be staying in the flat or are you coming home?"

"I think I should stay where I am for now."

"Yeah may be your right. I think we are going to get on better if we are not living out one another's pockets."

"My thoughts exactly."

"But you will have a fish and chip supper with me and Katie today."

"Of course I will!" Jim smiled. It was good to have his son back on side. He felt a little less down hearted.

Maybe things would be ok after all.

That was when there was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it."

When Steve opened the door he was horrified by who he saw.

"I can't believe you and I can not believe what you did." he said to the figure at the door. "You've got a nerve coming over here."

"Please let me in. I just have to talk to your father,"

"Let her in Steven." said Jim hearing who it was..

Liz on hearing this went in to the house against her son's wishes,

She couldn't met Jim's eyes when she got in to the house. She was just so ashamed of what she had done.

"You have tot listen to me." she begun.

"I have to nothing. Why? Why did you do it to me?" he asked her. He wished at that moment his son was not there. He didn't want the lad to see this but neither was he going to push him out. They had only just got there relationship back on the right footing. He was going to risk nothing where he was concerned right now, "Did I do some thing? Or did I not? Elizabeth I am confused because last time I looked we were getting our life together back."

He paused waited for her reply and when she did not he went on.

"She cried for you all night. Katie. You know her I think bright little girl, brown eyes - our six year old daughter!" he said angrily. "Tell me were you thinking of her future when you let him in to your knickers?"

"Jim please."

"No, no of course you weren't. You are too selfish to be a mother. I may have cocked up a few times since we had her, and I regret it with all my heart, and she knows I love her, and she trusts me." he said to her. "Can you say the same thing. No, of course you can't. She couldn't trust you as far as she could through you. Now get out and do not come back in to me, or any of my children's lives." Liz turned and run out the house in tears. His words had hit home and she felt as if they were true.

There was only one deceit thing she could do for them now.

Elizabeth had decided to go to Milton Keynes with Michael. Jim had made it quite clear he would never trust her again and the kids couldn't be colder. If she went it was going to be best for all of them. They needed space to breathe. And she had a chance to give it to them. If there was one ting she could do to prove there love for them this was sit.

Michael over the last few week proved his love for her. She would be loved if she went, and the kids would be safe with Jim. She could trust them with their father. Even if he had been a bad husband at times he had always been a good dad, or for the most part. They meant more to him than any thing in the world.

"If I stay here I think I am just going tot hurt the three of them more. They need a break." said Liz to Deirdre. "Will you watch over her for me? Keep Katie safe?" she asked.

"Of course I will." she said to her.

"Rhanks." she replied.

"Well I am her god mother." she said to her. It was her job to be there for her when Liz was not.

"Yeah I think making her god mum was the only thing I have done right since I have been here, except that I did have her. We said when she born that she was our little miracle. She brought me and him so close together for a bit." Liz remembered mournfully. This was the first time they were going to be apart in over twenty years. She was going to miss him very much. Miss the tender moments. Miss the laughs, even miss the rows.

"I know. I remember as well as you do I think. You two were the happiness couple on the street." she said to her.

"I wish I was back there. I wish I had never gone to bed with Michael. I wish we were together still. He is the love of my life." she said with tears in her eyes. Maybe in another life then Michael could be what she wanted but he wasn't, Jim and the kids were.

"I know he is love, I know he is."

-

Ever since Steve and her dad had made it up Katie was happier to. They got on and they chatted and even thought there was no Andy or Liz, it was like the three of them were back on top or getting there at least.

It was Friday when her mother came over for the last time. Just as she had told them she was leaving to go to her new life. She hadn't even asked Jim to let Katie come, she knew she wouldn't. She also felt she had done enough damage already. Why add to it?

"I'll ring all the time. You won't go a week w0ith out hearing from me I promise you." she said to them.

"Ok mum." Steve said.

"I am going to miss all three of you. A lot."

"I think I am going to miss you mum." said Katie. Even though they had been so angry with her lately she didn't want her to go away. Not completely.

"I knew, but I am going to be speaking to you. I am just on the end of the phone. That's a promise."

"Good." she said as they embraced. Liz had never held her so tight. She didn't want to leave her, but she didn't see another way.

Turning tot Jim last of all Liz had tears in her eyes.

"We were good together weren't we?" she asked,

"We were." he agreed. "We were the best." He didn't have any anger left for her now. Only sorrow, for all he could do now was dream of what might have been between them once again.

Kneeling down by him she embraced her ex lover. Her tear stained face said all that needed to be said.

She remembered standing in that room six years back thinking she would never want or need another. And you know what; she thought to herself, I still don't…

"What did time to us Jim?" he asked so only he could her.

"I don't know darling. I just don know."

-

The first week was unbearable.

The three remaining members of the family let out there emotions in different ways.

Steve just carried on. He didn't seem effective. Then again why should he be. He had been living with his mum for quite some time and while he would miss her (some times) he wasn't that affected.

Jim didn't sleep. He didn't cry and he didn't drink. He just sat there thinking on every thing he had been through with that women and when he had got it so wrong.

Katie cried a little and was quiet, but over time she grew back in to herself.

Day by day though it seemed to get easier for the three of them. They got in to routines and they were given chores so the house work was divided. Mainly Steve had to go it. For now there was limited amounts the other two could do.

Jim how ever when that first week was through with came back with a fighting spirit. He was determined on the fact that he should walk again for his daughters sake as much as he was for his own.

It started off as slowly as it had ended when he had learnt of the affair but with every session of physic he attended he felt life seep back in to hi m.

And then finally the day he had been waiting for six months came and he took four steps before he fell over.

He was walking once more. It took strain and he needed a walking stick but the look of joy in his kids eyes made it worth while.

"Does this mean you are going to be ok in the end?"

"Looks that way son." said Jim to Steve

"Good."

"I am going to be so thrilled just to walk your sister ter school," he said.

"We could be a few weeks away from that." he said.

"Yeah but it is weeks instead of months." said Jim.

"I guess so." he said. "Any way there is some thing else I have to think about."

"And that is…"

"Some how trying to get your sister some birthday and Christmas presents." he said.

"Well I can chip in." he offered.

"I don know. I want to try and do it on my own but it is so important to make this a good Christmas for her. She has had such a bad year, we all have, I want to show her that we are getting back to where we were." hew said.

"And we are, you are on your feet, Fiona's leaving and the three of us are doing well." he said to him.

That was true enough.

Normal life was resuming at last.