Thanks for your lovely reviews! Loving your theories as to who killed Lucy! Keep 'em coming as the episodes progress.

A/N: I've changed the wooden leg of a cafe stool to something else, to give the one shot a bit more suspense... Oh and there's no Whitney either (Sorry!).

Enjoy X

Cafe Explosion

It was after school and Lauren, Lucy and Peter entered the cafe, laughing at something Peter had said. They headed to the counter, Peter ordering his and Lucy's usual, while Lauren opted for a coffee. They headed to a table, near the back, after Marie told the twins she'd bring their drinks over.

'I can't believe Ms Taylor threatened to give me a detention if I didn't finish my work! Such a tight... Woman!' Lucy stressed, changing her original word for something child friendly, as a young girl had just sat down at the table next them.

'Well, you were talking' Lauren pointed out

'Yes, I was! To Peter! Its not against the law to talk to your twin!' Lucy shot back, smiling as Marie placed hers and Peter's hot chocolates on the table and walked away. Peter sighed and looked at his twin.

'Look you didn't get detention, okay? Now, quiet down for a bit and drink your drink' he said. Lucy scowled at her twin and took a sip of her hot chocolate.

'So, your quiet when Peter tells you to, but not when Ms Taylor tells you?' Lauren asked

'It's a twin thing' Peter said, forging hurt when Lucy hit him, while Lauren laughed.

'Luce! Cream mustache!' she said, pointing to Lucy's top lip. Lucy used the back of her hand to wipe it away furiously, while her twin and best friend laugh...

They stayed in the cafe long after their drinks had been finished, laughing and joking with each other. Marie had gone home, as Heather had started her shift.

'Anyone for another drink?' Bradley asked, who had joined them with his girlfriend Syd, when he had been searching for Lauren.

'Nah, we're fine' Peter said, answering for himself and Lucy, while Lauren shook her head at her old brother and smiled gently. Just then, there was commotion outside, causing Lucy to stand up, intrigued.

'Someone just drove into the flower stall!' Abi Branning announced as she rushed into the cafe. Lucy laughed, along with Lauren, however it froze in their throats as Nick Cotton enter the Cafe, dragging Dotty with him.

'OI! What are you doing?' Lucy asked, as Nick pushed Dotty away from him.

'Shut... Up!' he told her, turning to the Cafe door and started to lock and bolt it.

'Oi! You can't do that!' Lucy told him

'NICK!' Bradley shouted, trying to get Nick's attention. Nick finished locking the door and turned back to the occupants in the Cafe, reaching into his leather jacket pocket, revealing a loaded gun, making everyone flinch.

'What the hell do you think your doing?' asked Syd, as she stood up from her chair.

'SIT DOWN!' Nick shouted, cocking the gun and aiming at her. Syd quickly did as he said, while Lauren grabbed her sisters hand, her eyes unable to move from the gun. She watched as Nick turned to Heather.

'Get over there!' he shouted at her, aiming the gun in her direction, making her tremble.

'Bradley...' whispered Abi, as she watched Heather. Bradley turned to his little sister.

'It's okay. Don't worry' he told her softly.

'I said, get over there!' Nick told Heather, grabbing her arm and pushing her towards the others. She rushed past him, knocking him into the fryer, as she did so. Lauren, meanwhile, was sneakily sending a text to her Dad, wanting him to get help. Suddenly, loud banging came to the door, causing Nick to edge towards it, his eyes trained on everyone, before he glance at the door. Ryan, Whitney's brother, stood up. Nick suddenly turned back to Dotty and reached forward to grab her, pointing the gun at Ryan.

'I said... Sit down!' he told him. Ryan looked him square in the eye, before doing as he said. Residents started to gather outside, word spreading fast about what was happening in the Cafe.

'GET AWAY!' Nick yelled at them. Lucy and Peter heard sobbing near them and watched as Lauren got up quickly to rush to her sisters side, hugging her and staying close to Bradley.

'It'll be okay, alright? Alright, Abs?' Bradley reassured his little sister, rubbing her arm comfortingly, before turning back to Nick.

'There's kids in 'ere! You want them out in piece? Keep away!' Nick shouted...

A few seconds past and Bradley stood up.

'Look, what do you want? Just tell us. We can sort all this out' he told Nick, who had his arm clasped rounds Dotty waist, keeping her in front of him.

'If it's money you want, the tills just there! Take it! Take it and go!' Syd said, Lucy was about to speak when Peter clamped a hand firmly over her mouth.

'Don't you dare speak. I'm not letting anything happen to you' he whispered in her ear, before looking back at Nick.

'I'll do what I want! I don't need you telling me what to do!' Nick told her pressing the barrel of the gun to her shoulder and forcing back into her seat.

'So, what do you want?' Peter asked, his hand slipping from Lucy's mouth to her shoulder, squeezing it. Everyone in the Cafe watched as Dotty struggled, but Nick kept a firm grasp on her.

'A car!' he spoke, weakly. He cleared his throat slightly. 'Whose got a car?' he asked, sounding more confident.

'I have' said Ryan, from his seat. Nick looked at him, loosening his hold on Dotty as he did so, who rushed to Lauren and Abi.

'Dear, oh dear!' Ryan said, standing up, getting his car keys from his pocket. 'Bit elaborate. Just get hold of a motor' he told Nick, heading to towards Lucy and Peter.

'You okay?' he asked, Dotty, as he past her. He turned back to Nick.

'You could have just done a simple hot wire' he told Nick, who grip on the tightened.

'Sit down!' he repeated. When Ryan didn't, Nick aimed the gun at the ceiling and fired a shot, causing everyone to scream. Peter looked up and saw Nick pointing at the wall what him and Lucy were resting their chairs against. He just had time to drag Lucy to the floor with him, before another shot hit the wall. Peter felt Lucy sobbing next to him.

'Luce?' he whispered, pulling her closer to him.

'I'm scared' she whispered to him. Peter slowly sat back up and pulled Lucy to him, hugging her tightly, letting her know silently, he wasn't going to let anything happen to her. Everyone in Cafe looked at the door, as kicks started being delivered, as someone tried to break the door down. Nick faltered for a second before turning back to Ryan.

'Sit down!' he repeated, staring at Ryan, who refused to back down. He held the key as he slowly lowered himself to a chair.

'YOU!' Nick suddenly turned to Lucy, who stiffened as he pointed the gun at her.

'What?' she asked, her voice trembling

'Bring it me!' Nick told her nastily, pointing to the car key Ryan had in his hand. Lucy swallowed in fear and turned to Peer.

'Peter...' she whispered.

'DO IT!' Nick thundered. Peter sat up straighter and turned Lucy's attention to him.

'Listen to me! You get that key, give it to Nick and you come straight back to me! Got it?' Peter told his twin who nodded. He let go of he before turning to Nick.

'You touch her and I swear-'

'Shut up!' Nick said, aiming the gun at Peter. Lucy walked over to Ryan and got the car key, slowly turning back to nick and edging forward, handing the key over to Nick before rushing back and curling up against her twins side.

'What is it? Where?' Nick asked Ryan, who stood up to answer.

'The silver ford. Up on the Square' he answered to Nick,w ho turned back to Dotty.

'Dotty, come here!' Nick ordered. Dotty sniffled and looked at everyone, making it clear she didn't want to go to her Dad.

'Okay... We're getting out of here, but you lot are staying here and I don't want anyone following us!' Nick said

'DAD!' Dotty cried

'Shut up!' Nick told Dotty, before carrying on with his speech. 'And I don't want anyone phoning anyone. I'll do that. Once we're off the Square. I'll let someone get you all out! Is that understood?'

'DAD!' Dotty screamed, pointing. Nick turned and saw a fire quickly spreading up the fabric near the fryer. It was then that Peter ad Ryan made their moves. They quickly rushed to Nick and forced him to the floor, punching him hard, giving the others chance to rushed forward, heaving the two boys off Nick.

'Just leave him get everyone out!' Bradley told them. Unbeknownst to them, Nick had picked up the gun and they froze when he fired a shot.

'LUCE!' Lauren screamed. Peter scrambled to his feet at Lauren's scream, the panic rushing into his viens, seeing his sister in pain, clutching her arm. He rushed towards her and tugged her hand away, seeing a crimson stain spreading down her school top.

'No! No!' Peter gasped. Syd stood up and quickly took charge.

'Let go! C'mon!' she said, ushering everyone to door, as the fire began to spread. Peter rushed for the door, unlocking and unbolting it, before rushing back for Lucy.

'C'mon!' he said, the panic evident in his voice, as they all spilled out of the Cafe. Christian rushed up to them.

'What's happened?' Christian asked seeing the blood on Lucy's top.

'She got shot at!' Peter snapped, tearing his school shirt sleeve and using it wrap around his sisters wound to stop the blood flow. They heard commotion behind them and turned to see Bradley rush back inside for Nick. Nothing happened for a minute until a loud explosion had everyone screaming and protecting each other from the glass that showered the Market ground...

'You're lucky, Ms Beale. Two inches to your left and you'd be dead' the nurse said to Lucy, who rapidly paled at the words. She plastered a smile on her face as she tugged her school back up her arm and stepped out of the room. Peter scrambled to his feet.

'Well?' he asked.

'I'm fine. The bullet grazed my arm. Ten stitches' Lucy said, calming Peter down. He smiled and breathed a sigh of relief, hugging her as he led her out to Christian's car, taking them back to the Square...

'Two inches to your left and you'd be dead'. The words going round Lucy's head, like a record stuck on repeat. She was wide awake while everyone else was asleep. She sniffled before the tears started gently. She jumped when two arms hugged her.

'It's okay, Luce. You're home and your safe' Peter said, his voice scratchy and thick with sleep. Lucy quivered in his arms.

'Two inches more to my left and I'd be dead' she admitted, stunning Peter. 'That's what the nurse said' she continued, as she wiped her tears away.

'Well...' Peter began, his voice wavy. 'You're not, okay. You're here with me and Dad and Bobby. You're safe, okay? Nothing's bad going to happen to you again. Not while I'm around' he promised. Lucy smiled and looked at him.

'Thanks' she said sincerely, smiling at him. Peter smiled back and kissed her forehead, before getting to his feet.

'You going to be okay?' he asked, watching as Lucy nodded. He headed for the door, turning back when Lucy said his name.

'Love you' she said, smiling

'Love you too' he said, smiling back, before exiting the room and closing the door behind him and headed back to his...

R&R :D X