Hi, everyone :) I'm sorry I didn't update this story for almost two months, but I had crazy last months, many things was going on, and well I didn't have time to write anything. So sorry for that.

And of course Happy New Year Eve! ;)

The dreams come true

It was hard to describe the room he has been given to live in. The half of the small room was almost all in blue, while the other half was drowning in the pink color and occupied by 'girlish' things. Posters with football players and from the Brokeback Mountain movie were mixed with the posters with strange called music bands and grinning to the lens young lads, better known as the dream of every modern teens..but definitely not his. He'd never understand what's so hot about the guy who looks more like a girl than guy and looks like the slightest gust of wind would break him in half. You're getting old, that's why, Bridget would probably said and treat him with indulgent smile. Probably, she'd be right, but it wouldn't answer for all his questions.

He moved on the blue side of the room and was going to pick up one of the pictures standing on the desk, when someone violently pushed the door of the bedroom and unceremoniously came in. Instinctively he reached out for the coverlet and hide his body with it as he realized he was standing there only in boxers.

'Sorry, I forgot you're staying here.' The blonde with a big, pink bow on her head said when she stepped to the pink side of the room and began searched for something in the drawers of the pink commode. 'So, did you sleep well?' She glanced at him.

'It was okay.' He replied reluctantly, suddenly feeling exposed in front of her. 'Would you mind…?' He motioned toward the door with hope she'd get a hint, but she only cocked an eyebrow at him and got back to her previous seizure.

'Don't be so shy, Spike. It's not like I've never seen a naked guy before.' She sneakered.

'I'm not naked!' He protested.

'So, why are you hiding behind the coverlet? You don't have any idea how many times I had to watch my brothers going around the flat only in boxers.' She rolled her eyes. 'Or maybe you think you're fat and that's why you don't want me to see you?' She straightened up and crossed arms against her chest as she critically looked at him.

'Well, I don't think I look fat.' He replied after short pause, in hands still keeping the coverlet. 'I'm just not used to walk around the house only in boxers when there's so many people around…Only my boyfriends had a chance to see me in my whole glory.' He replied with a small grin.

'In your whole glory? Well, I already heard Niall said you're fit and has nice arse, and I believe he'd like to have it for himself.' Spike blushed slightly. 'So, do you like my brother?' She asked bluntly with a smirk.

'We're getting along.' He shrugged off. 'And I didn't mind to work with him.'

'Don't play a dumb!' She scowled. 'You know I was asking about Niall, not John Paul! I already know he doesn't has any taste when it comes about men, seeing with whom he's sleeping.'

'Craig is a good guy.'

'And pretty annoying idiot.' She rolled her eyes and unceremoniously sat down on his new bed, when she removed some rainbow t-shirt from the wardrobe. 'So, tell me. You have a thing to our Niall? Find him attractive? You know I don't mind to put in a good word about you to him and trust me you wouldn't have to wait long for the reaction from his side.' She added with a wry smile. 'So, come on. Spit it out!'

'Look, I'm not looking for a new relationship.' He sighed.

'It doesn't mean you can't find someone sexy!' She argued and looked at him heavily. 'If Niall waited so long, I'm sure he can wait more until you'd be ready.' He couldn't help but chuckle at her stubbornness.

'You really want your brother to have a boyfriend like me?' He cocked his eyebrow at her.

'Maybe I don't show it and mostly acting like I don't care…and well, usually I don't, but I want Niall to be happy. And I can see he's really into you and since you're single and never said him to get lost, I'm taking it as a good sign.' She explained. 'He's way too long alone. He needs someone to babysit.' It made him chuckle. 'You can laugh, but that's true!'

'You know he can do better than me.'

'Maybe he can, but he got this stupid sparks in eyes only when he looks at you and that silly grin on his face.' She pointed a finger at him. 'Forget about this moron with a child on its way. Even you can do better.'

'Let's say I took it to my awareness and maybe one day I'd think closer about what you said to me.' He said carefully.

'Well, do it quick. At least before Niall and you go retire and won't be able to remember each other names.' She said mockingly, small smirk played across her lips.

'You're one stubb…' He flinched when someone knocked on the door and wrapped the coverlet closer around his body.

'Did you sleep well, love?' Myra came in unceremoniously before he even had a chance to call her to come in, and frowned as her eyes firstly stopped at half naked Spike and then moved at her the youngest child sitting on the bed with innocent face. 'Michaela!' She yelled flustered. 'I'm so sorry, love, but she has to forgot you're sleeping in John Paul's bedroom now.'

'It's okay, sometimes it happens.' He shrugged off with sheepish smile. 'Especially when there's so many people living in one house.'

'Don't come out with any excuses for her.' She snapped and showed her the door. 'Now, Michaela. And you, love, came downstairs for a breakfast. Niall is already waiting for you and Carmel wants to know if you want something from the shop, because she's making a list now and would go shopping after she eats something. I hope you love scrambled eggs? If not I'd fix something else for you. Niall is making delicious pancakes with maple syrup and bananas. They give a lot of energy.' She said with cheerful tone and began cleaning around.

'Err, yea, I just put some clothes on.' He stuttered, overwhelmed with information.

'Of course, love. The bathroom is already empty.' She said when she picked up from the floor his dirty sneakers. 'I'd clean up a bit around. You don't have anything to wash?'

'No, everything's clean.' He shook his head and with coverlet still pressed to his body he passed by Myra trying to not collide with her in the narrow passage.

'Well, I'm not surprised, you barely have some clothes! I already asked Niall to take you to the centre and buy some new, proper clothes for you.'

'It's not…' He wanted to argue, but she didn't let him say even a word.

'Don't bother about money, love! We'd take care about everything until you feel better. And then we'd help you find some good job. I'm sure Malachy and Niall would find something suitable for you.' She kept talking and talking, making his head ache. 'Come on, love. The breakfast is already at the table!' She hurried him before she looked around the room and shook her head. 'What a mess! I'd tell Michaela to take her things out!' Didn't want to strain his luck further, he grabbed the first pair of pants, boxers and t-shirt lying on the chair and made his way out of the room, before Myra could fall into another idea.

'The beer is under counter.' Jake instructed when he put the heavy box with lemons and oranges on the empty table and wiped the sweat from his forehead with sleeve of his white shirt.

'I thought you said there won't be any stag-party for Darren.' John Paul noted drily, looking heavily at his boyfriend kept grinning like an idiot and rubbing his hands together as he walked around the counter to check what his older brother has bought. 'You promised that your mother.' He recalled him.

'Who said anything about stag-party?' Jake asked with innocent face as he leaned nonchalantly against the wall. 'It's just small, family party for our brother, to help him enjoy the last days of his freedom.' He explained, before turned his attention to Darren smiling wryly at them above the counter. 'By the way, Rhys would be late. He needs to pick up his mother from Chester, but he'd be as quick it'd be possible.'

'I thought you said it's family party.'

'Well, Rhys is almost our family, isn't he?' Jake cocked his eyebrow and him with cheeky grin. 'We all are like one big, sweet family.'

'I also asked Charlie and Fred to join us.' Craig chimed in. 'Thought it'd be nice if they come over as John Paul is with us and we don't want to upset them, right?' John Paul looked at him heavily, hurt with his statement. He wasn't here, because he's Darren's and Craig's colleague from work, but because he's Craig bloody boyfriend!

'You know Frankie would sniffs the party before we even start and would make a hell of our life the very next day?' Darren smirked, already hearing in mind her shrink voice.

'Don't worry I already asked Jack to take mum for a dinner in town, so there won't be any problem.' Jake replied and patted his shoulder.

'You think she's so stupid to believe in that?'

'At least she wouldn't sulk for all bloody night!' Jake snorted and rolled his eyes. 'Ah, and I don't know if you know, but Hannah's already, here. Thought you'd like to see with her today.'

'Yea, I'd pop around later.' Darren nodded his head, didn't look very enthusiastic.

'You can do that, now. Me, Jake and John Paul would handle everything.' Craig quickly offered. 'We're almost done.'

'To be honest I'd like to do small shopping. I need to buy few things for myself and would like to do that before I'd meet with Hannah.' John Paul glanced at him suspiciously, feeling he was hiding something.

'Yea, that's excellent time to take care about wedding bands since you still didn't do it.' Craig snorted. 'I'm not sure if you get them at time, Darren.'

'Give him a rest!' Jake rolled his eyes. 'He's an old boy and knows what to do.'

'I'm just giving him advices.' Craig scowled already annoyed. 'And you should do that, too.'

'Okay, guys, I'm off. We'd see later.' Darren sighed heavily and didn't wait for his brothers reactions he walked off the pub.

'Do you need my hand?' Craig called after him, ready to leave everything and join him in a minute.

'Maybe he just needs to be alone for awhile?' John Paul suggested, looking at his boyfriend heavily. 'Let him go, Craig, or I'd find something for you.' He warned him.

'Fine, Mr. Friendly.' Craig scowled and marched at the back to bring more ice.

She barely felt her legs and ass as for the fifth time that night she was walking along the Bakery street in her scanty clothes, wondering if she'd has to do the same for the next two weeks before she'd get some interesting information. She tried to pull her skirt down a bit, but almost immediately she heard Fred's raised voice in her earphone telling her to not even think about that. She gritted her teeth annoyed and decided to do the last round along the street before she gives up and asks boys to pick her up.

'You need a client.' Fred said annoyed, when another car passed by her as she send the interesting in her guy off.

'And I'd get extra money for that?' She asked with a snort and looked warily at the group of women watching her intently.

'They're getting suspicious, so I thought I again could send to you one of us.'

'Fine, but ask whoever you send here, to take me to hotel. I have enough of standing here and I want to get back to home.' She muttered and pretended she was searching for something in her small purse didn't want anyone to see she's talking to herself and get suspicious.

'Well, I already sent Willy to you, but things get complicated a bit, so don't even think about turn into corner. Just stay where are you and wait for one of us.' Came the strange order.

'Willy? She looks like seventeen.' She rolled her eyes. 'You could use Charlie…Anyway, what's going on there?' She straightened up and noticed one of the girl making her way toward her.

'Nothing serious…I'd sent Moore for you in five minutes. Don't worry, Charlie is already taking care about situation…I see you have company. Don't let her kick you out of your street!' Fred chuckled at the other side.

'Aren't ya a bit picky?' The young woman with a heavy make-up and in very short dress commented as she approached her.

'I just know my prize.' Bridget replied cockily, knowing the woman was hitting on her the last client she has been dismissed. 'And I'm not into some stuffs.'

'I can see that.' She said amused. 'What's your name, sweetie? You're a new one, aren't ya? I saw you a couple of times here.'

'From month.' Bridget nodded her head, for once saying the truth. 'I'm Jenny, and you?'

'Marie.' She replied shortly, watching her intently. 'Now, I can understand why you were looking so scared sometimes. When you're a new one, you don't know what to expect.'

'Especially after watching the news.' Bridget kept along, as Marie looked at her puzzled. 'I'm sure you heard about the dead call-girl?'

'And who doesn't, eh? Her face is all over the town.' She rolled her eyes.

'You knew her?'

'She wasn't from out district.' Marie replied reluctantly. 'Here, things like that doesn't happen. But you should keep an eye at your purse. Recently we have a lot of problems with this young bandito who's stealing our things.'

'A thief?' She cocked her eyebrow quizzically.

'Young, Latino boy. Little rat.' She spat. 'If I get him in my own hands…'

'Latino boy?' Something in her mind clicked.

'That's how we call him. But I'm not sure from where he came from. He might be also an Asian or someone like that.' She shrugged off. 'Anyway, be aware of young guy with a dark skin and hair. And he's always wearing orange shawl.'

'I'd be careful then…I see I have a new client.' Bridget winked at the woman as she noticed the familiar gray van at the street. 'See you next time.'

'Watch your back, Jenny.' She quickly jumped into the car and fastened bells when Moore departed the car.

'You heard her?'

'It sounds like our missing Spaniard.' Moore stated and parked the car two streets away. 'We need to wait here for Charlie and William.' He added, catching her surprise look.

'Willy has some problems with one of the pimp, I guess.' Fred said from the back of the van where he and another police officer have their base. 'But Charlie is already there and taking care about him.'

'Are you sure they don't need our help?' Bridget asked worried as she removed the earphone.

'Nah, they're fine. We'd wait for them here.' Fred stated with a sigh. 'And good job, Bridget. It looks like we've got confirmation that Spaniard exist and he might be our suspect.'

'That's always something.' She shrugged off and worried look into side mirror. 'We should call Craig and inform him about our discovery.'

'We'd do it tomorrow. There's no need to wake him up and besides I'd see with him tomorrow at Darren's stag-party.' Fred stated and frowned as few raised voices spoke up in his earphone. 'What the fuck they're doing?'

His stomach rumbled at the smell of the breakfast floating around the house. He noticed a glimpse of flowery pinafore in the kitchen and soft sound of music playing from the small radio standing at the windowsill. He sat down at the table at the same time as little Christian left the kitchen with white towel hanging loosely on his right forearm, and with a big, yellow plate in hand.

'It's Mr. Spike's order!' He announced to no one in particular since Myra was still upstairs and there was only Mercy sitting at his right and was busy sawing her nails to bother to look at him, but it made Spike chuckle a bit. 'It's a special meal from uncle Niall.' He added as he put the plate in front of him with a big grin on his tanned, round face.

'Ah, how lovely.' Mercedes said mockingly when she glanced lazily at Spike's breakfast. His cheeks blushed slightly as he looked down at his pancake in the shape of heart. 'As they say, through the stomach to the heart…Or something like that.' She sneakered.

'Well, thank you, it looks nice.' He stuttered, couldn't manage to say something more articulate. He heard the rush in the kitchen an moment later Niall's smiling face appeared in the room, before he made his way toward the table with a sauceboat in hand.

'I think you forgot about syrup.' Niall said.

'Didn't know it take ya so badly.' Mercy commented with a wry smile, forgetting about her nails. Niall looked at her quizzically. 'Such a big, soppy romantic of ya.'

'What?' He gasped and looked down at Spike's plate. 'I didn't…' He stuttered as his eyes met with Spike's.' Chris!'

'What? I just wanted do the right thing. When I asked mum why Mr. Spike is staying, here, she said it's because he's uncle Niall's boyfriend and grandma Myra said the same.' Chris said confused. 'So I thought you'd like to give Mr. Spike a special breakfast.' He looked at him with petulant face.

'I guess it's only matter of time before you two would have wedding bands on your fingers.' Mercy chuckled and returned to her nails.

'I'm sorry, mate. I guess mum thought it'd be easier for Chris to understand what are you doing here, as my boyfriend than say the whole truth.' Niall sighed heavily and looked at him apologetically. 'Anyway, I'd talk with her about that.'

'Nah, it's fine.' Spike said as he poured the syrup over his pancake. 'I understand why Myra said that.'

'You can make one for me, too. But it doesn't has to be in the shape of heart.' Mercy said with a wry smile. Niall felt a big urge to hit her on the head with Chris towel, but he gave up on the thought, didn't want to scare Spike.

'I'd make another one for you.' Niall announced and grabbed his nephew for the neck to lead him to the kitchen before he makes more problems.

'He was trying to steal my client!' Fiery brunette yelled and pointed her red nail at him, like he committed the biggest crime ever. 'Little rat!'

'I did not!' He protested, hurt to the bone. 'I was only searching for someone.'

'Yea, for my client!' She yelled flustered and two other girls joined her, almost hissing at him like angry cats.

'You're a new one boy, here.' The brunette's pimp drawled, smiling ugly at him. 'So I can forgive you that small misunderstanding. 'But if it's to become your habit, I'm afraid you'd be force to share your money with me. If you don't know, it's my street.'

'I'm not a hustler!' He scowled and wrinkled his eyebrows, offended. 'I'm here only by accident and would go away long time ago, if she didn't make a fuss about me trying to stole her imaginary client.' Probably it wasn't the best option to protect himself, but he didn't has better ideas right now, and was angry as hell.

'You're wasting your talent, then.' The pimp stated and showed his yellow teeth in grin. 'You have a pretty face and nice body. 'You could earn a lot of money, boy.'

'I'm not interested.' He spat and took a step back, when the man tried to touch his face. 'And back off!' He yelled at the tip of his voice, ready to punch him if he moves too close to him.

'Ah, we're pretending we're big guy, huh?' The pimp tilted his head amused. 'I like feisty kids like you.' He wanted to say something back, when drunk manly voice interrupted them and moment later familiar, red haired man swayed toward him, wrapping arm around his waist.

'How much, sunshine?' He asked with a slur and waved the bottle of whiskey he was keeping in hand, almost pouring the whole content of it on the pimp.

'I'm not…' He wanted to protest, but he became quiet as he got the knowing look from him.

'Oh, come on, I'm sure I have enough money.' He said and fished for his wallet. 'So, how much, sunshine? Sorry, but I don't have too much time…' He hiccupped and swayed on his legs.

'Why don't you take a look at one of my girls?' The pimp asked and pointed at the group of girls already showing up her bodies in their provocative positions.

'Sorry, ladies, but prefer boys.' He smiled stupidly and winked at the guy. 'So, how much?' He puffed the air at the young man's face as he leaned closer.

'You have to forgive my boy, but he's a new one here, and needs to learn a lot of things, yet. Like how to respect your client.' The pimp smiled ugly, shooting an angry look at the young man. 'I'm sure we can have a deal.' He suggested and motioned to the drunk guy to follow him aside.

'Great!' The young man smoothed his hair and leaned against the wall, trying to ignore women's dead glares, as he waited for his potential client.

'Have a good fun.' The pimp croaked when they came back and the drunk guy wrapped his arm back over his boy waist and turned him around so they could walk in the different direction, hearing cat calls behind themselves.

'So that was the great plan you had?' He arched eyebrow at him when they turned in the right alley. 'In that case you could leave me on my own and I'm sure I'd think about something better.' He stated annoyed.

'We just wanted you to come back in one piece, Willy boy.' He replied with a shrug and took a gulp of his whiskey. 'And you should be thankful I picked up my arse to save you.'

'Okay, thanks, Charlie. Are you happy now? And could you pull away? There's no reason for you to keep me in embrace anymore.' He said as he noticed Charlie was still having an arm around him.

'Yea, right.' He cocked his eyebrow when his colleague jumped from him like something burned him and with horror on his face, before he wiped his hands on his trousers and moved ahead.

'Oh, thanks a lot. I'm not dirty, you know?' He scowled behind him. 'I just hate when people don't take me serious. I'm twenty eight, but they think I'm more like eighteen.'

'You have very young face, maybe that's why.' Charlie said casually, didn't want him to think he was checking him over or something like that. 'Don't know.'

'Maybe.' He shrugged off and shoved hands to the pocket of his thin jacket when he noticed familiar van parked at the pavement.

'Anyway, you're still owning me twenty pounds.' He said with a sly smile. 'I'd be nice and don't add to your account the bottle of whiskey.'

'You paid for me twenty pounds?' Willy repeated, not sure if he hears right.

'That was the plan, so? It's not a lot of money, so I thought…'

'Exactly!' Willy yelled offended. 'I'm sure I'm worth more than twenty, bloody pounds!' He scowled, irate. 'What a bastard!' Charlie chuckled and shook a head at him.

'Well, I gave you a chance to say your prize, didn't I?' He smirked at his sulking colleague and pulled the door of the van opened before he slipped inside with a big grin on his face, ready to tell about tonight's action whoever he meets on his way.

Craig rested his legs at the opposite legs and opened the bottle of cold beer, while he kept watching John Paul sweeping with the broom the last fragment of the floor. Jake was already off, seeing with his kids, and there was only them in the empty pub, finish cleaning.

'You could help me, instead of sitting there.' John Paul said annoyed as he lifted his head to might look at his sprawled at the tables boyfriend.

'I already did my part.' He replied shortly, his fingers player with the neck of the bottle. 'Everything's shining after my job.' He added teasingly, somehow missing John Paul's sulking tone of voice.

'Because you only can't see your reflection in the counter, it doesn't mean it's dirty and you've done your job wrong.' John Paul said firmly, watching him with basilisk eyes, knowing that Craig was hitting on him and thinking he doesn't know how to clean.

'Course it isn't.' Craig said without interest, this time trying to rip the label off.

'Not everyone is a Robocop and total freak when it comes about tidiness.' He fired back and put the groom away as he finally finished his job and was able to take a break.

'You're just angry at me, because I said the truth.' He said in singing voice, small smirk crept on his face.

'Yea, Craig's truth.' He snorted and tilted over the counter to get his own bottle of beer before he walked toward his boyfriend and nudged him on the ribs. 'Move.'

'Like you couldn't take the other table.' Craig rolled his eyes and reluctantly moved aside, so John Paul could join him.

'Thought this one would be the clearest seeing whose sitting on it.' He replied with crooked smile and took a swig of his beer. 'I just don't want to soil my trousers, that's all.'

'Fuck off.' Craig murmured and chuckled a bit when their eyes met and they couldn't help but laugh. 'You love getting under my skin, don't you?'

'I believe it works in both ways.' John Paul smiled and stole a small kiss from his boyfriend. 'Tired?' He asked softly.

'No, just thinking.' He shrugged and looked down at his bottle.

'About what? Don't tell me it's about the work…'

'No, it isn't!' He sighed heavily with a roll of his eyes. 'I'm just thinking about Darren, his wedding, and Jake and his kids.'

'And you think you were wrong when it comes about Darren?' John Paul prompted softly.

'What? No! I was right and still insist that Darren should marry Hannah. It's something else I was thinking about.' He disagreed, clearly annoyed.

'Then what is it?' He asked curious, feeling that something was bothering his partner.

'I think I'm kind of jealous of Darren.' He suddenly announced, baffling John Paul for moment.

'As a brother? Or did you feel..err, kind of some attraction…' John Paul stuttered, not quiet understood what was sitting in his boyfriend's head. His announcement surprised him and he wasn't sure how to move on the new ground.

'Did you lost your fucking mind?' Craig asked sharply as he turned his head toward him and gave him a dead glare. 'I'm not jealous of Darren, as a Darren in person. I'm jealous about what he has.' He explained slowly, like John Paul was retarded or talking in different language and could not understand him.

'Oh, well, that kind of calm me down.' John Paul said with relief and tried to laugh, but Craig's cold eyes put him into place. 'So, what's so interesting about Darren's life you want it so badly?'

'I don't want it badly, it just made me think.' He corrected him irate. 'About things I might didn't think closely earlier.'

'Like what?' He frowned, not quite knew in what direction the whole conversation would go.

'Like having family, for example.' He snapped and again rolled his eyes, couldn't believe his boyfriend can be so thick sometimes. 'I'm getting old each year.'

'Like everyone.' John Paul said in playful tone.

'And it'd be nice to have one day a small Dean running through the garden.' Craig finished and looked expectantly at his boyfriend, waiting for his reaction.

'But you don't have a garden, Craig.'

'Oh for God's Sake, John Paul! It's not about fucking garden or other shit, but family! Would you for once be serious and behave like mature guy I thought you are?' He snapped, losing his all patience. 'I want to have kids, okay? Have family, you know?'

'Yes, I understood.' John Paul replied quietly and stared down at his hands.

'So what's funny in that? You think that I'd be a bad father?' John Paul didn't say a word, only stubbornly watched his bottle. 'I think everyone dreams about having family, and I'm not different. I'd like to have such a small family as Darren has.'

'I've never said you'd be a bad father. I think you'd be a good one.' John Paul said quietly, hurt by his words. If Craig was planning to have kids and dreaming about family Darren would soon create, there was no place for him in his life, wasn't it? He knew there was no promises between them and they were just wanting to see how things would go, but still he thought it'd be something serious, not only some short episode. He loves Craig and he was sure Craig feels the same way, but now, he had a mess in his head. Was Craig only having a fun with him? But then why he'd like to take him here, to meet his family? But still didn't he do the same when he was with Spike?

'I hope so...But still, there's one problem.' He sighed and scratched his head, didn't notice the change in his lover. 'You think they'd let us?' He glanced at him sadly, but John Paul didn't notice it at first, too busy with his own thoughts. 'John Paul?'

'Yea, what?' He asked confused and reluctantly looked at him.

'I asked, do you think they'd let us?' He said, staring back at him deadpanned.

'They'd let us what?' He wrinkled his eyebrows, didn't understand in what game Craig was playing with him. Couldn't he just say straight what he wants?

'Let us to be the second Fred and Ginger.' Craig snorted and rolled his eyes. 'Adopt kids, you moron, what you think?' He snapped.

'You want us to have kids?' John Paul repeated stupidly, couldn't believe his own ears.

'Well, with whom else I'd have them, eh?' He cocked his eyebrow at him. 'You'd bite my ass off if I break up with you, wouldn't you? Anyway, back to the subject. I was already thinking about it, and well, I know we firstly need to get married, right?' John Paul nodded his head absently. 'But still do we have a chance to adopt a kid? I mean, we're both coppers, working in homicide, yea? So we're risking our lives every day, and I guess, it kind of might disqualified us as adoptive parents.' He said worried at one breath.

'I'm sure we'd be able to handle everything, Craig. Nothing is lose, yet.' John Paul smiled widely and unexpectedly wrapped his arms around Craig's shoulders before he fiercely began kissing him all over his face.

'What's got into you, today?' Craig asked surprised and chuckled slightly.

'I think my dreams just come true.' He replied quietly and looked at him longingly with eyes full of love.

They didn't have his favorite, strong mint toothpaste, so he has to chose the lemon with mint one, and bought another pack of chewing gums if the very next day he doesn't want to smell like brewery and be confronted with very piss off Frankie. The pack landed just next to the two packs of aspirin as he had a feeling he'd wake up with a great hangover, and three small bottles of water, in case if he wouldn't be able leave his bed.

He was heading to the shampoos section, when his shopping cart collided with another one, when someone suddenly pulled into his alley. He swore quietly under his nose and moved it back, ready to walk away, when the person who bumped into him spoke up.

'Darren, isn't it?' He stopped at the track and looked above his shoulder at the smiling sweetly blonde in a pink t-shirt. Her face was familiar to him, but it took him a moment to recall where he saw her and who she is.

'You're Michaela, right?' He smiled softly and turned around to face John Paul's sister.

'No, it's Carmel.' She corrected him with unvarnished smile. 'Hi.'

'Oh, sorry.' He smiled sheepishly back and scratched his head. 'So, how are you Carmel? Everything's fine?'

'Yea, I'm good, thanks. And you? I heard you're getting married this week.' She said in excited tone. 'I'm sure you're pretty nervous before your big day.'

'You can say that.' He replied casually. 'So, what are you doing, here? It's quite far away from your house.' He noted.

'I need to make a bigger shopping today, and it's the only market in the neighborhood where I can buy everything I need.' She said and looked at the shelf covered with dozens, colored shampoos. 'Could you pass me the shampoo, Darren? You're taller than me.' She asked softly as she looked at her shopping list and then pointed at the bottle standing at the highest shelf.

'Sure.' Without problems he reached out for the bottle and carelessly glanced at the label on it. He was going to pass it to Carmel, when something clicked in his mind. He opened the bottle and sniffed the liquid. Orange. He remembered that smell.

'Everything's fine?' Carmel asked softly as she looked at him worried.

'Yea, sure.' He nodded reluctantly and handed the bottle to her, as his mind began occupied by memories. 'Nice smell. I think I used that one, once.'

'I don't know, it's not for me.' She shrugged off with apologetically smile and put the bottle into her shopping cart.

'Then for whom?' He knew he was dramatizing and everyone could use that shampoo, but he wouldn't commite crime if he makes sure it's nothing.

'I think it's for Mercedes.' She replied with a small smile, but Darren already noted she hesitated for a short moment. 'Well, it was nice to meet you, Darren. I wish you luck on your new way of life.' Darren immediately grabbed for her shopping cart and without ask, checking every item. 'What are you doing?' She squalled.

'Since when you need the aftershave?' He asked with a smirk as he picked up the bottle and waved it in front of her eyes. 'And deodorant for men?'

'It's for Malachy. Mercedes asked me to buy it for him.' She replied firmly, but her widen in horrified eyes, betrayed her.

'Don't you find that a bit strange?' He asked, feeling as the heart began pounding like a crazy in his chest. 'I know you're close family, but come on!'

'Just leave it, Darren.' She said with pleading. 'You're getting married in few days!'

'Spike is staying at Myra's house, doesn't he?' He smiled with gloat. 'He doesn't has where to go, but…How do you know he's out? Even John Paul and Craig didn't know it.'

'I need to go.' She almost threw down the all shampoos as she violently pulled her shopping cart, wanting to run away as quick she could.

'Please, Carmel, I need to see him.' He begged her and grabbed for her arm. 'Just for five minutes, let me see him.'

'Just leave him. He doesn't need that, right now.' She said with pleading. 'Don't try to meet with him again.'

'Just tell me if he's alright! Please!' He was able to fall onto knees and beg her.

'He's okay. Just don't contact with him and let him sort his life out.' She replied quietly and before he could say anything more she quickly pulled her shopping cart and disappeared in other alley between shelves. Darren couldn't help but grin widely, feeling like just wake up from very long sleep.