Hello :) Finally I managed to write new chapter for you :) Hope, you'd like it.

Things can turn out in the way you'd never expect them to go

He noticed the young lad standing outside the shop, shuffling nervously on his feet and looking around like he was looking after someone. He rolled his eyes and overtake the car, before the other driver has a chance to occupy his selected location. He speed up and smirked as in the last moment he turned toward the pavement, avoiding the collision with the other vehicle and breaking at the same time at least three misconducts. Someone toot at him, while some granny knock a few heads at him and openly outraged pushed her handcart toward the nearest shop. He only rolled his eyes at her and unbuckled his seat belt and with a spring step got out from his car.

'Sir?' The lad asked unsurely as he approached him with one hand already under his puffed jacket searching for his notepad.

'Who else would you expect, eh?' He retorted irate. 'I've got your message few minutes ago.'

'But, Sir, you just…' He motioned at his car with widen eyes, but didn't say a word as he got a harsh look from the older man.

'I just what, Moore?' He bristled, giving him unfavorable look. 'You'd give me a fine for a bad parking?'

'Well, no…Ah, never mind.' He muttered and looked down at his feet, embarrassed.

'So, did you already buy everything what I told you?'

'Yea, I have everything.' He nodded his head fiercely and to his surprise began walking toward the narrow alley.

'Where the fuck you're going, Moore?' He asked losing the remains of his patience. 'I don't have time for any stupid games as I'm needed somewhere else.'

'I have the bottle under my jacket.' The las replied in confidential whisper, as if he already didn't notice the bulge under his clothes and the way his hands were around his stomach like he was pregnant.

'So?' He cocked his eyebrow at him, didn't understand. 'Why don't you give me that, right now?'

'In front of everyone?' He looked nervously around the people passing by them with widen eyes.

'If you keep looking at them like that and behaving so irrational they'd think you're selling drugs, Moore.' He said irate and reached his hand out toward speechless lad. 'Give me the bottle now and cut this crap out! It's only bottle of wine.' It was ridiculous. If he knew he'd make such a big fuss about one bottle of wine, he'd never asked him for the favor.

'As you wish, Sir.' Moore muttered and finally handed him the wine with a quiet sigh. 'The flowers I have in the basket.'

'I hope you bought a nice bouquet, otherwise Jo…Joanna, would bite my head off.' He rubbed the back of his neck under man's suspicious glance. 'It's meet my mother kind of party. So, she wants to impress her...'

'Ah, I see.' Moore grinned knowingly and leaded his superior toward the old bike with a basket on the front, leaning against the wall of the shop. 'I'm sure they'd get along, Sir. Mothers always want the better for their kids.'

'Well, that's the problem, mine wants the better for me and let's say Joanna isn't the good candidate for me, like my mother would says.' He sighed and reluctantly grabbed the bouquet wrapped with a white paper. 'I hope you chose some bows and other stuffs to let it look better.' Moore glanced at him questioningly. 'You know, so she wouldn't think we just picked the flowers from some roadside garden or meadows.'

'Ah, yea, don't worry, Sir. They look like they were just bought in the florist.' He assured him with a small smile. 'And there's also a chocolate box. Thought your mother would like sweets.'

'Well, thanks for thinking.' He smiled slightly and handed him the money. 'Thanks for the shopping, Moore.'

'No problem, Sir. I hope I bought everything you need?' He asked, but man was too busy looking through the glass of the shop behind their back to hear him. 'Sir? Do you have everything?'

'Yes, Moore. You can go.' He replied and scratched his head. 'I just need to pop to one shop and would be going also. Once again, thanks.'

'No problem, Sir.' He nodded with a small smile and grabbed his bike when the man pretended he was busy with his phone, probably writing a message to someone. Didn't want to push his luck further, he quickly moved in a different way than his boss and smirked as in the mirror he noticed him popping quickly to the shop. It looked like someone is preparing two different parties today, he thought and with cheeky smile, turned into busy street leading to his own home.

The last half of the hour they spent in the small bar, near to the centre of Hollyoaks, eating in complete silence French Fries and drinking coke. Darren seemed to be far away with his thoughts, all the time staring at the space outside the big window, in hand squeezing the can about which he forgot long time ago. John Paul wasn't used to silence and he was all the time wriggling on his plastic chair and glancing at other man with hope he'd say something or at least look at him. But minutes passed away, and they still were in the same positions, didn't exchange even a word.

'So what happened to Loony?' John Paul asked cheerfully, deciding to encourage him to talk. 'He stayed with Hannah?' Darren looked at him and he took it for a good sign.

'I left him in the dog's hostel. Hannah would never take care about him, she's scared of him.' He replied numbly and was going to return to his previous seizure, when John Paul spoke once again.

'Well, he's a big dog, so I'm not surprised she doesn't want to stay with him alone.' He stated. 'Besides the only thing she's interested in is her wedding, right now.' He smiled, trying to encourage him to talk.

'Probably you're right.' He shrugged off, without interest. 'She's only talking about that.'

'Well, not every time you're getting marry.' He was searching for some reaction from Darren's side, but he didn't give anything back to him. 'You do remember it's your wedding, don't you?' At least small smirk crawled on his lips.

'Yes, I do.' He confirmed with a small nod. 'I was even choosing suit for myself.'

'I'm glad to hear that.' He smiled and threw a fork on the empty plate, as he decided to push conversation on a different patch. 'So…You think she'd like me?'

'What? My suit?' He asked with a small grin.

'Craig's mother.' John Paul chuckled amused.

'She's okay…' He replied carefully after a small pause. 'Can be really supporting and sweet when she has her day, but sometimes…Well, she can be a total cow. Let's say we don't get well along since she started interfering into mine and Hannah's private life.'

'I guess she wants the best for you.'

'She wants the best for herself and Hannah's mother. I'm sure they were preparing our wedding from years.' He rolled his eyes. 'Anyway, it's not like she's going to make a crusade against you.'

'So, you think she'd like me?' He moved nervously on his chair.

'Show me at least one person who doesn't like you, John Paul.' He retorted with a small smile. 'I don't know why she might wouldn't like you.'

'Well, that give me a bit of courage, huh?' He chuckled slightly.

'It'd be fine if you buy for her chocolate box and nice bouquet of flowers. Then, you can be sure, you'd be in her good book.' Darren advices and crashed the can in his hand. 'Anyway, it looks like Craig find us and he already have a few thing with himself.' He added with a smirk as he noticed a familiar car parked outside the bar and his stepbrother walking toward the entrance.

'What things?' He asked puzzled and turned around on his chair to might look at his boyfriend rushing quickly toward their table.

'You're okay? Good. I have a box of chocolate and flowers for you to give my mum.' Craig threw the things on the table, in front of shocked John Paul, before he showed Darren the bottle. 'And that's for us. Mum's favorite wine.'

'Cool.' Darren muttered and moved his eyes on the window, while John Paul was still staring speechless at his boyfriend.

'I was looking for more enthusiasm from both of you side.' Craig said with a roll of his eyes.

'You want us to jump to the roof, because you shopped without anyone's help?' Darren snorted with a smirk. 'Well, good for you, Craig. You were very brave you went to the shop on your own.' He continued sarcastically.

'Ha, how funny.' He looked coldly at the man before moved his eyes at John Paul. 'And what about you? Already end your shopping?'

'Yea, if you didn't notice I bought new trousers.' He replied irate, didn't like his tone of voice. 'You can be angry only at yourself, Craig. If you didn't do such a secret of meeting your mum, you wouldn't have to buy anything.' He snapped.

'Jesus! I just asked if you buy anything and you're already attacking me!' Craig yelled, annoyed.

'Then you didn't have to behave so obvious…'

'Obvious about what?' He asked with a snap.

'That you're annoyed because you have to buy everything for your mother, and having a laugh of me because I only wanted to wear something elegant for meeting your mum.'

'Look, you both are very nervous, because you don't know how Fran…'

'If you want you can always go back to home, John Paul. Your will.'

'That's not what I was trying to say.' Darren looked at them both worried. 'Just take a deep breath both of you and calm down.'

'I'm very calm.' Craig snapped and clenched his fists when his stepbrother gave him a long look. 'Okay, maybe I'm a bit stressed.'

'You're stressed?' John Paul snorted ironically, couldn't stop himself from speak up. 'It's me who's gonna meet your mother and spend with her almost two weeks, without knowing it!' Darren sighed heavily and almost growled, feeling that his tactic wasn't going to work.

'So, are you going now with us, or prefer to take a bus back to home?' He asked sharply. 'I'm not stopping you.' John Paul immediately stood up and was ready to go, when Darren quickly followed him and wrapped arm around his shoulder, stopping him at the place.

'You really want to give him satisfaction, John Paul?' Darren asked with a sly smile. 'He'd win if you go back to home.'

'Yea, because we're taking a part in bloody race!' Craig scowled, but he has been ignored.

'Show him you're above that and can have a great fun on your vacation even if it means you would be force to watch soap operas with Frankie.'

'My mum has a good taste if it comes about movies and soap operas.' Craig argued, but again they even didn't look at him.

'And deal with whole Dean-Osborne clan, but I'm sure that after hard school in your family, you're able to go through it.' Darren winked at him and squeezed his shoulder. 'Come on, get back to car and face your demon.'

'Well, only if Craig wants me.' John Paul replied and looked deeply into his boyfriend's eyes.

'If I say yes, you'd cut off this stupid game and we can move on?' He asked irate and shoved hands into the pocket of his jeans. 'Fine. I want you to come with me.' He added when John Paul nodded his head. 'Are we ready, then?' He shook his head as both men headed toward exit without looking at him. 'Sure, we don't have to talk with each other if it means we'd got at the place in one piece and total silence.' He added sarcastically, before he grabbed his things and quickly followed them to the car.

'I have toxicological result. You're still interested with it?' Danny opened the door of the common room and fixed his eyes at sitting there alone Charlie and new sergeant whose name he didn't remember.

'Whose results?' Charlie asked uninterested above his greasy steak and smashing potatoes.

'Young woman you found above the river. Mr. I Know Better isn't around?' He snorted and handed the man documents.

'He's on the vacation.' Unnamed sergeant replied above the book he was reading, his hand blindly was searching for the mug on his desk. 'Should be back for two weeks, I guess.'

'And no one makes a party?' He asked surprised with a slanting smile.

'There's no point in making it when Craig isn't around to see it.' Charlie replied with mouth full of potatoes. 'There's nothing funny about that when the object of your celebration is off and you can't piss him off and make cheesy comments about his imaginary girlfriend.' He rolled his eyes. 'We'd wait with party for his return.'

'I'm sure he'd appreciate it.' Danny smirked and rubbed his nose. 'I'm off for the weekend so if you want any expertise or you'd be lucky to find a new body, my mate would take my place until my return.'

'Bad things only happens when Craig is around, so I don't think there'd be a need.' Charlie grinned cheekily. 'Although maybe some Russian would fall dead after interrogation with feisty Tomb Raider.' He added with a chuckle and finally looked at the documents he has got.

'With who?' Danny asked irate, didn't like the changes in the department. He never liked to let the strangers walk through his mortuary, and now, he was forced to do it all the time as new faces appears every day.

'Sergeant Svetlana Asimov.' Young sergeant explained, without taking eyes off from the book. 'The new Russian officer.'

'Anyway, I'm off so you can forget about bringing me down.' Danny said firmly and was heading off toward the door, when Charlie called him back. 'What's wrong?' He asked annoyed, didn't like the frown on man's face.

'You found in her blood Midazolam? They're sleeping pills, aren't they? And that's what killed her.'

'It's very strong medicine. In hospital sometimes they're giving it to the patients to cause unconsciousness. You won't get anything like that without doctor prescription, if it's what you wanted to ask me.'

'So, whoever gave it to our victim, he has to use it.' Charlie stated, his eyes shone with excitement.

'Usually doctors prescribe it for the patients with severe, long-term injuries, so I don't think your killer would be able to kill anyone in state like that, let alone under the influence of the pills.' Danny cooled him down. 'He could got this medication on the black market, or he has an easy access to them.'

'It means he could be a doctor, nurse or maybe pharmacist.' Young sergeant chimed in and for the first time move his head above the book. 'There's a lot of possibilities.'

'And it doesn't sound as a quick work, either.' Charlie growled. 'I guess it didn't help us too much.'

'You know what cause her death. If you look in the good places, maybe you'd be able to set up where you can get Midazolam without any problems.' Danny suggested with a shrug. 'Anyway, it's your job not mine, so goodnight.'

'Is he always like that?' Young sergeant asked when pathologist made his way out of the room and there was only him and Charlie left there. 'I mean, showing so openly his hate toward boss.' He explained as he caught his surprise look.

'Everyone hates Craig, so why he'd like to bother about one pathologist saying loud and clear what's he think about him?' He shrugged off. 'And believe me, Willy, here no one is normal. We're just a band of freaks.' He added in confidential whisper and grinned at him, before he put the documents aside and grabbed back his plate to finish his dinner. 'You'd learn about that pretty soon, if you didn't yet.'

'But what are we going to do about the dead woman? We know what caused her death, but nothing more.'

'I think it's clear what are we going to do.' Charlie gave him a funny look. 'We'd do only what Craig said us to do and with the rest we'd wait for him.'

'But we're coppers and adults.' Willy said weakly, didn't understand Charlie's politic. 'I think we can handle things without boss being around.'

'If you want to be in his bad book if you screw something up, you can do whatever you want. Anyway, firstly we need to set up who the hell is lying in our mortuary and then we can focus at other things.' He said firmly. 'Now, get back to your book and let me finish my dinner. I'm so hungry I could eat whole horse!'

'Well, you already looked like you ate one.' Willy muttered and hid his face with the book.

'What?' He smirked hearing Charlie's puzzled voice.

'Nothing. Just talking to myself.'

He was standing there like petrified; with a big, stupid grin on the face and hands clutching desperately on the bottle of wine he was carrying on since they've left the car and Darren had made it clear he's not going to share with Frankie any words of courtesy, let alone give her a present. He was all sweating and his body was stretched to the limit, but he kept standing there, knowing that if he freaks out now, he can forget about John Paul for good. He'd never forgive him such betray, especially when it was only his idea to brought him here. Okay, he was nervous and scared, but he was sure his feelings couldn't compare to what his boyfriend has to felt right now. And until now he realized that John Paul indeed has rights to be angry at him and he really shouldn't provoke him through their whole trip. It was just unfair. His John Paul would never done anything like that to him.

'Craig, love, why are you standing there? Come in!' He blinked few times to wake up from the trance he recently fell and surprised noticed that his mother was already standing in front of him in her favorite, classy shingle and welcoming him with warm smile he has been missing for months.

'Mum…' He said with hoarse voice, suddenly didn't know what to do. Should he introduce now John Paul nervously shuffling on his feet behind his back? Or maybe he just should give his mother a kiss on the peck and wait with introduction until they all come inside the small flat? He was a one mess and the worst, no one was going to help him to do the right thing or prompt anything.

'Craig, why are you standing in door and you're not letting them come inside?' His mother asked confused with a slight frown. 'Move, love.' And finally he did. Like a robot he approached her and without thinking wrapped arms around her tightly, pressing face into her shoulder, like he was a teenager again and was searching for a comfort in her. 'Everything's fine, love?' She asked softly, her hands gently caressed his back. He just hoped he wouldn't push him back, that she'd understand and accept his choice. She was always for him and he was so scared he could lose her for good.

'Yea, I just missed you. Didn't see you for ages.' He replied as he pulled back with nervous smile, feeling embarrassed with his action. He was discreetly wiping few treacherous tears from his face when he felt someone's eyes at himself. With the angle of the eye he noticed John Paul watching him intently with soften face, a bit of warmness and something else in his eyes. Something what let him think he just forgave him.

'Ah, don't be silly, love. We've seen each other few weeks ago.' She smiled amused and ruffled his hair, before she took a look at her guests. 'Darren. Nice to see you, love.' She said with forced politeness, her smile faded a bit.

'You too, Frankie.' Darren replied without emotions, didn't bring himself for any courtesy for her. 'Where's dad?'

'He's repairing something outside the pub. He should be…' She even didn't has a chance to finish, when the man was gone. 'Well, it wasn't so worse as I thought.' She smiled slightly and looked directly into John Paul. 'Welcome in Dean-Osborne mad house, love.'

'Good afternoon, Mrs. Osborne.' He smiled warmly and handed her the small present Craig bought for her. 'It's a pleasure to meet you. Craig is talking about you all the time.'

'Ah, that's nice of you! And you even bought my favorite flowers.' She almost giggled when she received the presents and put them aside on the commode before she pulled John Paul into friendly hug.

'It's nice to meet you too, John Paul. And call me Frankie, please.'

'Of course…Frankie.' He smiled shyly, making Craig grin widely and breath with relief as everything seemed to move in a good way.

'Craig, why don't you and John Paul sit here and I'd make a tea for us, hmm? We could talk, and I'd have a chance to know better your friend.' She suggested.

'Well, to be honest we were thinking about bring our luggage here.' Craig replied and rubbed the back of his neck. 'I don't want to do it when it'd be already dark outside.'

'But you'd have to leave your luggage here, love. I didn't prepare rooms for your arrival, yet.' She said worried. 'I spent almost all day preparing dinner for us, I barely had time to wipe the dust around.'

'It's fine, mum.' Craig assured her with a small smile. 'I'm sure we can handle everything on our own. If you need a help with rooms for us, I can give you a hand.'

'No, love, you just come.' She protested and bite down on her low lip. 'But when we're talking about rooms, I think there's a small problem, love.'

'Oh? What kind of problem?' Now it was his turn to got worry.

'Jake is occupying your old bedroom…'

'That's okay, mum. I can take Steph's room, there's no problem.' He smiled.

'Steph is coming around tomorrow morning, and I'm afraid she'd like to stay here with Cameron till Darren's and Hannah's wedding.'

'Oh, great.' Craig growled and rolled his eyes. 'Just like we need her now.'

'I don't want to make any problems, Frankie. I can stay at hotel.' John Paul offered, but she quickly silenced him.

'You'd stay with us, love. I don't kick out my son's best friend on the street.' She protested and laid hands on the hips. 'You'd have a room, but the problem is you'd need to share it with Craig. I just don't have any free bedrooms at the moment.' She bite down on her low lip, worried. 'It's okay with you love, to share a room with Craig? I know the bedroom is very small as for two persons, but I'm sure you already get used to work in less favorable conditions and it wouldn't be a problem for you.'

'No, course there's no problem.' John Paul assured her with a wide smile. 'We don't mind to share a bedroom together.' He added, looking straight into his boyfriend's eyes.

'Oh, that's good…Craig, why are you grinning, love? Did I say something silly?' She asked annoyed, measuring him intently.

'No, mum. I'm just in a good mood today.' He grinned even wider and threw himself over the couch.

'It's good to hear that.' She stated with a slight small, not quite believe in that, but she decided to drop the theme. 'John Paul sit down and in the meantime I'd prepare a teas for us.' She ordered and quickly popped to the kitchen area, didn't notice silly grins exchanging between both men and the way they were looked into each other eyes.

His whole stress and nervousness disappeared in the blink of the eye, when they only sat at the decorated in red table and Darren joined them with his father. Jack Osborne turned out to be a very nice and funny guy with hard, Scottish accent. It surprised John Paul. He'd never thought Darren was a half Scot, since he never showed up any signs of his origin. He was just a one big mystery and now he understood more why he'd feel any attraction toward Spike.

'It's my new recipe.' Frankie was almost the same like John Paul imagined her. There was no doubts from who Craig inherited stubbornness and need to be always in control, although in contrary to her son she was mostly doing it in very subtle way and she was more openly and friendly than he could ever imagine his boyfriend to be. They both also liked to wear classy, elegant clothes around, regardless off if it's a business meeting or dinner with family, and definitely any of them liked to sit with at least one dirty plate in the same room. Cleaning freaks.

'I'm sure it's delicious, Frankie.' Jack assured her with a warm smile and moved with her to the kitchen to help her bring the meals. 'You're a great cooker.'

'Only if she doesn't try any exotic recipes.' Darren muttered from his place and lit the candles decorating the table. 'I'm not sure if I'd survive her another octopus in cream sauce and with garlic bread.'

'Is it caviar?' Craig cocked his eyebrow as he delicately dig his knife into something black in small sauce container. 'You can feel like in expensive restaurant.' John Paul looked warily at his boyfriend tasting caviar on his knife with a content smile. 'Delicious.' He has never eaten anything like that and he wasn't sure if he wants to do it tonight. It looked disgusted.

'I didn't think they have so much money to make a dinner like that.' Darren replied surprised. 'Maybe Frankie made a salmon for us? She has a hand to fish.' He stated and looked with hope at their parents pacing around the small kitchen area.

'By the smell I conclude it's something different.' Craig said as he sniffed the air as a dog. 'John Paul, would you like to try caviar?'

'No, thanks, Craig.' He moved his head back when he pushed the container close to his nose. 'I think I'd wait for a dinner.'

'I just hope we won't regret it.' Darren muttered as Frankie and Jack made their way back with the plates.

'I hope you'd like it.' Frankie said somewhere above John Paul's head, as he watched with horror his dinner. There was something furious red lying like embryo with thousands legs on his plate, drowning in slightly yellowish sauce. 'Prawns in wine sauce.' Frankie said proudly and with excitement looked over her guests. 'There's a garlic bread if you want.' John Paul bite down on his low lip to not burst into laugh as he noticed Darren patting his prawn with a knife, not sure what to do with it. 'Why don't you eat, John Paul?'

'Err, I just flew away with my thoughts, but I'm back.' He replied with sheepishly smile, feeling very uncomfortable under her inquiring eyes. But she seemed to accept his answer as she happily returned to her meal. John Paul looked once again at his dinner and then at Craig sitting on his right. 'Do you…' His smile dropped down as he watched his boyfriend almost who almost ate a half of his prank like a hungry beast and pushed the shell aside.

'Yea?' He asked with mouth full of white meat, looking at him questioningly.

'I don't know how to eat it.' He whispered and blushed.

'Okay, let me show it.' Surprisingly Craig didn't laugh at him or make any sarcastic comment, only grabbed one of John Paul's prawns and held it between thumb and forefinger, with all legs facing downwards. 'Now with your other hand grabbed the sides of prawn's head with the thumb and forefinger.' He instructed and did what's he said. 'Then you have to remove its head in a snapping motion, using downward force.' John Paul looked surprised as discharged head lying on the plate. 'Now you need to remove all of the legs in a single motion, and then…' One of the doors closed with a slam, making everyone jump and forget about their meals.

'Sorry for being late, but Rhys needed my help with his car.' Tall, handsome, dark haired man explained as he panted approached the table and sat next to Darren. 'Ah, it's good to see the future husband of Hannah's Ashworth.' He added mockingly and patted man's back. 'But seriously, are you sure you want to marry her?'

'Jake!' Frankie scowled at him from her seat. 'What kind of question is that?'

'It's not like he's looking like a happy bunny about the fact he'd has a wife very soon.' Jake replied, unmoved and John Paul got a feeling he'd like this guy, although it was hard for him to believe it's Craig's brother. They looked so alike. 'I'm just worrying about him.' He could tell by one look at Darren's face he was surprised but yet very pleasant that Jake's stood on his side.

'So don't be.' Craig suddenly said instead of Frankie. 'Because your two marriages turned into complete disasters, it doesn't mean he's going also. You could be more supporting for him not wish him the worst.'

'I just don't want him to walk in my shoes.' His brother retorted angrily. 'It doesn't mean I wish him the worst. I want him to be happy and you should want the same.'

'I'm sure no one wants to hurt anyone, sons.' Jack decided to interfere, before things would go too far. 'Why don't we just enjoy our meals and discuss with Darren about his plans later?' He suggested, while Frankie marched toward the kitchen area for the plate for Jake.

'Maybe I don't want to discuss about them.' Darren replied irate and threw the fork on the plate didn't even think about trying to taste his dinner.

'It's always the same when four men met at the same table.' Frankie rolled her eyes as she handed the plate with prawns to Jake. 'Don't pay any attention to them, John Paul. They're just bickering around like they're still kids.' She gave them unappreciated glances before she moved to her chair at the top of the table.

'Well, we're still your kids.' Craig retorted and snapped the prawn's head.

'Just eat, Craig.' She snapped irate and smiled apologetically at John Paul.

'How can I eat if my dinner is looking back at me, mum?' Jake suddenly asked, smiling funny at the creature on his plate. 'It fixes his small, black eyes at me.' Even Jack couldn't help the small chuckle leaving his mouth, although Frankie looked relentless.

'Then turn it around.' She advised annoyed. 'Don't be childish, Jake.'

'Okay, I don't know how Darren and Craig's friend, but I have already enough of appetizer and would like to eat pork chops with smashing potatoes and salad. So can I take it back to the kitchen?'

'There's nothing more to eat, love. That's your main meal.' Frankie replied slowly. 'Eat your prawns.'

'I even don't know how to eat that.' He scowled, staring warily at his plate.

'I can help you.' Craig quickly offered. 'Firstly you have to grab your prawn with thumb and fore…'

'Oh, cut this off. I want eat not play with my food.' He rolled his eyes, coming into Craig's word. 'I'd take something to help me deal with them.' And just like he said, he stood up from the table and walked toward the kitchen area.

'That's insane.' Craig mumbled and shook his head. 'I don't know what's wrong about prawns. They're delicious.' John Paul only smiled politely, with his all heart agreeing with Jake and Darren. His dinner was not designed for eat.

'I just hope you'd behave better around your sister.' Frankie scowled. 'She doesn't need to listen to your complains all the time.'

'She'd think she got in the wrong house.' Darren snickered and finally Frankie smiled ghostly.

'Jake, son, what are you…' Jack didn't finish only with widen eyes watched the eldest man sitting back at his old place and with one, precise blow of the hammer in his hand, he split the prawn in two, letting the remains of shell and meat land over the table.

'Oh, for God's Sake, Jake!' Frankie yelled when the whole table shook. 'You'd break my porcelain!' Now, definitely everyone were laughing like a crazy, while Frankie watched with horror the whole scene and Jake with a big grin on his face tasted the prawn.

'Now, I can eat it.' He said happily and nudged Darren in the ribs. 'Well, they're even good.' He added after few bites.

'Sometimes you're such a Neanderthal.' Frankie shook head at him. 'I don't believe you can act like that when we have guest around for a dinner.' She scowled and began collecting her porcelain, before he decides to use the hammer once again.

'But still they're not good enough to fill my empty stomach. What would you say for a pizza or something else?' Jake suggested and reached for his mobile phone. 'Strong guys like me, Craig's friend and Darren need to eat something meaningful.'

'Prawns are very healthy.' Frankie argued.

'Well, and you can say how health Craig is.' He said mockingly, pointing at him. 'I've never before seen such a skinny copper.'

'It has nothing to do with prawns!' Craig scowled, making John Paul chuckle. 'I like to eat fast foods.'

'Then, it's done. I'd order a pizza, or maybe you wish something different?' He looked over the table as he stood up.

'Let me look at the menu from the Fever bar. I'd like to eat something spicy today.' Darren said and quickly jumped toward the commode. 'They have a crab sticks, Craig.' He grinned.

'Fuck off, Darren.' He showed him a tongue, before broke into small chuckle.

'You can pass the folder to me, too.' John Paul said, happy with the events.

'What about you, Frankie?' Darren asked amused.

'Fish and chips.' She sighed heavily, capitulated, and again looked over the table. 'And I spent all day in preparing everything.'

'I'm sure fish and chips would improve your mood, love.' Jack smiled warmly and kissed her on the cheek. 'And prawns were delicious.'

'Thank you, love.' She smiled and entwined her fingers with Jack's. 'Jake, take the hammer back to the kitchen, before I use it on you.' She said with a slight smile.

'Uuu…Someone gets very bold, here.' Darren mocked with a chuckle and jumped aside before the flying napkin could land on his head. John Paul watched them all with a big grin on his face, didn't feel strange anymore. He just understood that under the façade, there was hiding the same mad family as his own and right now he just felt like he was the official member of the Dean-Osborne clan.