As Ronnie walked down a hospital corridor Max came running after her.

"RONNIE!" he shouted.

Ronnie stopped dead in her tracks, sighing at the fact that no one seemed to be leaving her alone today.

"WHAT?" Ronnie said, wishing that people would give her some peace and quiet.

"We're having a get together at my house today ya know, after everything that's gone on, think the family could do with cheerin' up. Why don't you come?" Max asked

"Thanks but I am not exactly family besides Carol wouldn't appreciate my presence." She replied as she carried on walking.

"Carol's bark is worse than her bite, once she gets something out of her system she's fine. Ya just have to ignore her 'till she gets bored" Max assured her.

"I highly doubt that, she seems to have some sort of grudge against me."

"Please Ron." He said grabbing her arm lightly, "I could really do with someone to talk to – you've, well ya know, and I know you have feelings for Jack."

Ronnie sighed, she felt for Max she really did, she knew exactly what it was like to lose a child. She could see the sorrow in his pleading eyes. "OK fine." She said, annoyed that once again she had given in to someone else's demands.

"Thanks. Come about fivish eh? Ya never know, you might have fun." He said as he flicked his hand up giving her a quick wave and began to walk back towards the waiting room.

"I highly doubt it." She muttered under her breath.

It was just after five and Ronnie was walking through the square with a bottle or wine in her hand. She walked up the steps to Max's house and rang the doorbell. Max answered the door and greeted her with a smile and a quick hug.

"Come in." He said as he took of her coat. She looked around to find that no one else was there yet.

"Where is everyone?" She asked slightly confused.

"Oh the gathering was delayed till 6 but stay, please. Help me set up?"

"Sure... ermmm here this is for you. It's nothing special I am afraid." she said as she handed Max a bottle of wine.

"You shouldn't have." He said with a small smile.

Ronnie sat down with Max in the kitchen. "Where's Carol?" Ronnie asked.

"Popped out to get some bits – left the shopping to her."

"I'm still not sure about me being here Max, I don't want to be where I'm not welcome."

"Last time I checked this was my house, not Carol's!" Max assured her.

As they were talking Abi came in.

"Alright darlin'?" he asked.

"Ronnie... would you mind curling my hair? It's just Lauren is in a mard and I'm not very good at it and your hair always looks nice."

Ronnie was surprised that Abi would ask her to do such a thing – she ummed and erred for a minute before agreeing.

"That alright Dad?" Abi asked

"Yeh, you girls go do your girl business."

Ronnie followed Abi upstairs and into her room where she sat down at her desk with her curlers already heated. Ronnie grabbed a stool and sat behind her, running her long fingers through the young girl's hair thinking to herself that this should have been the kind of thing she did wither her daughter, but didn't. She looked into the mirror that was in front of them and gave a Abi a weak smile as she parted her hair ready to curl it.

As Ronnie curled Abi's hair Max came upstairs and stood in the doorway for a moment, watching as she did his daughter's hair. Ronnie and Abi both acknowledged his presence at the same time and turned round.

"Girls only dad!" Abi said. Max held his hands up in front of him, gave his daughter a loving smile and moved away.

"Do you think my dad will be okay? What with Bradley and Uncle Jack?" Abi asked concerned.

"Perhaps I am not the best person to be asking about this, I'm an outsider." Ronnie replied, still curling her hair.

"Well then who do I talk to? Lauren's too busy with Lucy and Ben is off with me."

"Well listen, your dad will be fine I promise you. Look how many people he has around him and he has you and Lauren. I'm not saying it won't be easy you just have to be there when you're needed and back of when you're not." Ronnie said reassuringly.

Later that night everyone was gathered at the Branning household including, Bianca, Dot, Liam, Tiffany, Rickey, Ronnie, Whitney, Billie, Max, Abi, Lauren and Ronnie.

The children were sat playing twister whilst the adults drank and chatted – there was a sense of relief in the room as Jack's health was looking up although he wasn't completely out of the woods yet.

"Alright Ron?" Max asked as he saw her sat on the sofa with a drink in hand and not talking to anyone.

"Ermmm yeh... just feel out of place." Ronnie explained.

"Nonsense, you're a big part of Jack's life and I know you mean a lot to him."

"I highly doubt that."

"Right I think I better go and get back to Jim." Dot declared as she gathered her things and said her goodbyes to people.

It wasn't long before everyone had gone and it was just Max, Carol and Ronnie.

Carol began clearing up, "Leave that I will do it in the morning." Max told her.

"Very well, you not going Ronnie. Thought I told you to stay away from my family?"

"Ermmm yeh." She said as she started to get up but she was pulled back by Max.

"Just a quick night cap?" Max asked as Carol went to bed and Billie had already gone.

"Go on then." Ronnie said as she watched Max stand up and poor two drinks.

"Ronnie..." He said as he sat down, "does it get any easier?"

"Does what get any easier?"

"Losing a kid."

Ronnie looked down at her feat hoping that somehow she would find the right answer there but there was only one answer. "no, no it doesn't. I mean, eventually you learn to live with it but the pain, it's always there somewhere behind everything you do."

Tears came down Max's face, he hadn't cried up till now. Ronnie felt his pain as she gently pulled him towards her and hugged him tight. "Don't make the same mistake that I did, I let my grief take over and people around me ended up hurting and in the end my grief turned to madness and I ended up losing the only person I ever loved."

They stayed hugging for a while but Ronnie pulled away but placed her hand on his cheek, "I know it's hard but you need to be strong for your kids and now for Jack. You're his big brother and despite everything you have been through together, there will always be a part of him that looks up to you."

Max turned away, put his head in his hands for a moment and composed himself. "Why don't you put the TV on and I'll get some leftovers from earlier for us to snack on." He suggested. "Better go and check on Abi and Lauren too.

"Yeh, okay." Ronnie said with a weak smile.

It was now just after midnight and by the time Max had been to see if his two daughters were alright Ronnie had fallen asleep on the couch. As he saw her fast of he laughed slightly before putting a blanket over her and heading up to bed himself.