A/N:

More Brady-Hay family for you, and the angst is definitely coming in!

*Whispers* Not to sound like a broken record or owt but thank you for all the lovely reviews! Really happy you're all still loving it! And welcome to our two new followers.

We've decided we're gonna keep the chapters about this length now – it seems impossible to make them any shorter! Hope that's OK…

Stu: we've tried to work it out but we're not sure - we'll keep thinking for you :)

Chapter Warning:

A dust of angst and a sprinkling of smut.

Chapter Eleven – Ste Hay.

I get to McDonald's with the kids and find some seats. We wait for Bren. Where the hell is he?! I proper don't get it. At his 'ouse it's like proper perfect. Feels like we belong there. Together. Today it felt like that too. One minute we're some kinda, like, little family or somthin' but then he don't want me touchin' him and acts all jealous when that elf spoke to me.

A couple of minutes later Bren finds us and sits down.

"Where you been?" I ask still proper annoyed.

"Nowhere, Steven. Just had to make a couple of phone calls and sort some business out."

I'm about to ask him about what but the kids start complaining they're hungry. Bren gets the food in. Happy Meals for the twins, big mac meal for me and four bacon double cheeseburger meals for himself. I watch as he shovels it in, crumbs getting everywhere. There's just something about the way he eats. Animalistic. I tell myself not to think it's sexy. But I smile kinda forgetting why I'm mad wiv him.

"You've got crumbs in your moustache," I say pointing at them.

"Crumbs? Where?" he asks as I wipe them off. "Did you get them?"

I nod and he smiles at me. And I can see the smile in his eyes like he knows what just 'appened. He let me touch him in front of everyone without flinchin'.

"Look, Steven. I'm sorry about before." He sorta sighs as if battling with his words.

"This," he gestures to me and the kids "is….different for me. I ain't used to being like this, yeah?"

"In public?"

"Not just in public, I'm not used to this anywhere. It's….i'm used to pushing this sort of stuff away."

I slowly reach my hand forward and place it on 'is. Testin' his reactions. I can feel his body tensing slightly and he looks down at our hands. He looks up and I try and give him a reassurin' smile. I can see his muscles relax .

"See? It's ok. Now get eatin' before it gets cold." I tell him.

We all eat then leave to go back to the car. The kids skip ahead with their Happy Meal toys and their presents from Santa.

"You can 'old me hand if you want," I tell him

"You think I don't want that, Steven?"

"Well, what's stopping ya then?" I can see he wants to and I can see the battle he's havin' with himself.

We stand there for a few seconds, he's lookin' between my face and my hand. I can see there's somethin' in his head tryin' to stop him. Tellin' him not to do it but he slowly reaches down and takes my hand in his. His strong fingers curl round mine and I can feel the spark running between us, just from this. I look into his eyes and see he feels it too. He takes a step forward, gently pullin' me with him.

"Time to go home, Steven."

***K&M***

Back at home the kids wanna go for a swim and we have a couple'a hours so we all put on our new cosies. I stand back in the pool and watch 'em all. My heads spinnin' a little - it feels like something's just shifted between us, me and Bren – for the better, like.

Bren held my hand all the way to the car, and when we got in the car he leant over to kiss my smile. I get it, what's going on in his head, I really do, sometimes I'm scared too. But then we're just perfect, and I know I don't have nothin' to be scared of no more. I know I'm safe with him and he will always protect me – we're in this together, forever.

Now, he's playing with Leah in the corner, by the Jacuzzi, all secretive probably discussing what he calls 'the art of dunking'…Lucas is doing the dive bombs Bren taught him in the deep end. See – family – together forever.

It's obvious Bren likes having us here – even if he don't really say that. He just looks proper happy. I can't wait till the boys get back – it would just make us proper complete.

Suddenly I'm spluttering and my heads beneath the water and Leah's hands are on my head. I guess Bren must have helped her push me under. When I'm up again I can't help from laughin, I don't think I've ever seen Leah look so happy – finally getting one up on her big bro! I give her a big cuddle and see Bren smilin at us – that smile that's totally fuckin sexy. I don't know what it is but Brendan fucking Brady always looks incredible wet don' he? Like, his eyes get darker, and I like his hair like that – sort of messed 'bout his face. He gives Leah a high five, his muscles bulging, and God I need to be alone with him so bad.

"Why don't you go see what Lucas is up to?" I suggest to Leah - pointing to our little bro who's playin with a green float, going round and round.

She kisses my cheek as she swims away and I face Bren. The moment I look at him proper, I can see he knows exactly why I did that – I can see he knows I'm hot for him. So I look all over him, and he lets me, this silent talk we have just makes my heart thud.

"Alright?"

"Fine."

He leans like proper close, and I can smell him, I feel like I can taste him.

"You look fine Steven," he breathes proper low – and I know he means fine in that other way.

He stares at my mouth, stares right at it, and his tongue flicks out to lick his lips. Jeez. But then real sudden, he creates a load of space between us. And I can see his eyes like twinkle – bloody laughing at me! The jerk!

"I will get you later!" I mouth.

"Hope that's a promise," he laughs.

As I watch, Leah starts swimming after him, all hidden and quiet, and I know exactly what she's thinkin' – she's going to try and dunk her teacher. But Bren turns proper fast, grabs her ankle and hand and twirls her around in a circle until she's laughing.

My sis laughs so hard she gets tears in her eyes. Then as Bren stops, she wraps her arms around his neck and he hugs her back. I know it's proper ridiculous but I feel tears spark my own eyes. I'm not ever prepared for how perfect Bren is as a member of our clan. We're a proper family.

***K&M***

He stands in the kitchen and sort'a watches me all the time I cook, we don't really say much it's just like we just wanna be together. Every time I look at Bren it's like he's just about stopping himself from saying something though – he looks kinda worried. Thinkin' bout it I guess its cos we had our first proper argument today, so I keep smilin' at him – let him know it's OK. It's only him that's thinking about the elf innit?

I make the beef and the Yorkshires and some snacks before the starters cos I know how hungry Bren gets. The kids are pretty full from their McDonalds so I'll have to keep an eye on Lucas - check he don't eat too many of these crisps. He'll complain if he has too much of a tummy ache for pudding.

Bren insisted on Crème Brule for pud – his favourite or something. Never made it before though, so I'm proper nervous, me. I did all the prep last night so I just have to bake 'em but I can't stop watching 'em. I'm dead scared I'm gonna mess it all up. Bren insisted on putting a load of dead expensive shit in them and all, so I reckon he'll be proper angry if they burn. I'm down on the floor, checking through the glass oven door for like the tenth time in two minutes when he calls me up.

"Steven," He holds out a hand for me, and helps me to my feet. Runs a thumb along my lips steps closer for a kiss. I resist him - can't get distracted innit?

"Crème brule sounds simple but it's one of the hardest things to get right you know," I tell him.

"You don't have to be scared," he tells me. "You're an amazing cook – there is nothing you can't do," and he proper means it, and I feel my heart do that thing it does when he looks at me like that. So I let him kiss me, it's soft and light like we only did when I started living here – like we're a proper couple.

"And do you know the best thing about crème brule?" He asks, "you get to use a blowtorch at the end."

"That's awesome!" Lucas chimes from behind us – I don't think either of us knew he was there – uh oh!

***K&M***

All the preparation gets done, we let Lucas use the blow torch for a millisecond, mainly I just stand with an arm over him as we watch Bren do it. As Bren does it he looks all powerful and… sexy.

Now, we are just clearing up. Bren is washing and I'm drying, it feels proper domesticated. The kids are playing in the lounge. I can hear 'em chattering away and they seem so at 'ome here too.

I smile at Bren, "the kids are getting so used to you, you know."

"Ste! Ste! Lucas keeps taking my white princess bear! Said he's going to pull her crown off with a torch of fire!" Leah interrupts running in.

"Don't go anywhere," I say giving him my flirtiest smile.

"Uh huh," He nods getting back to his washing up.

I walk through to the lounge with Leah.

"Right Lucas give Leah back her Polar Bear, please."

He throws it at her.

"Oi, no. Listen right. Mr Brady is bein dead good letting us stay here so please play nicely. Do ya wanna watch a film?"

"Yeah!" Lucas jumps up. "Monsters Inc!"

"Urgh!" Leah groans, "that's for stinky boys. Let's watch Cinderella!"

"Alright, alright. How about a Christmas film then?" I ask hoping to keep the peace.

"Yeah!" they both shout.

***K&M***

I leave them settled watching the film and find Bren leant against the worktop. Legs crossed, arms folded. He smiles as I walk in.

"All ok?" he asks.

"Yeah they've finally stopped arguing. They're just well excited about Christmas and that. And coz they saw Santa and got a present. Found Santa Claus: The Movie on dvd so stuck it on for 'em. Don't think they've ever seen it though reckon I did once at Uncle Tony's. Think Santa makes friends with some homeless boy and them and an elf save Christmas or something."

He's grinning at me.

"I'm proper rambling aren't I?"

He looks at me and sweeps my fringe out of my eyes.

"You're amazing, Steven," he breathes.

I swallow and move forward to press my body against his, breathing deeply at the touch.

He presses back against me and just keeps lookin' at me... He looks all hungry, like. Like he sees no-one and nothing' else but me and wants to do nothin' 'cept have me right 'ere and now. It's so intense and makes me lose all my senses, like I aint aware of my surroundings no more. He just seems to consume me.

"Ste! Mr Brady! Are you coming to watch Santa with us?!" Leah shouts from the other room.

I gather my senses and smile apologetically.

"Come on, let's go watch Santa," he smiles and turns to walk away.

"Oh and Bren-"

"Yeah?" he turns back to me.

"Merry Christmas!" I say holding a piece of mistletoe I found amongst the decorations earlier.

"Seriously?"

I nod, grinning.

"Ok" He smiles, leaning in, placing his thumb and two fingers of his left hand on my jaw as he kisses me deeply.

***K&M***

When the film finishes, it's getting on a bit so Bren goes out to get some wine for the meal tonight. I best get the kids ready.

"Ok, you two, time for a bath."

"Now?! No, I don't want to have a bath now!" Lucas whinges.

"Look, Uncle Tony is coming round tonight, yeah, so we can dress up a bit in some of the new clothes Mr Brady bought us."

"Why?" Leah asks.

"Why, what?"

"Why is Uncle Tony coming here?"

"To see us, right. It's been ages since we seen him aint it? We're all gonna have some dinner an' that."

I run the kids a bath, put loadsa bubbles in for 'em. I find some bath toys in the cabinet so drop those in too. I sit on the edge of the bath watching them whilst they both play. Leah spells out her and Lucas' name on the tiles with wet n stick alphabet letters. She then spells out 'Ste' and 'Mr Bradee'.

"You guys like it 'ere don't ya?" I ask smiling at them.

"Yeah. Mr Brady is really nice. I like it when he reads books to us and he cuddles me and calls me princess. And he bought us new clothes and got me some princess shoes."

I look over to Lucas. He's busy winding up a boat. "What about you Lucas?"

"Yeah, he's cool. I like his big telly."

"And I like his big hairy caterpillar lip." Leah giggles and gets back to helpin' Lucas wind the boat up.

I smile down at them. My heart nearly bursts at how much I love 'em. At how 'appy they are. Just watchin' em play and smile and even argue. Coz it means they are still kids. Still innocent. And its' all down to Bren. For saving us. I can't believe we've been 'ere nearly a week already. In some ways it's gone proper quick. In other ways it feels like we've been 'ere forever. Me, Bren and the twins. Together in one house like some kinda family, right. And I've never felt more at home.

I wash the kids' hair then get 'em out the bath and dry 'em off, taking them to find some clothes to wear. Lucas picks out his new jeans and Monster Truck t-shirt. Leah chooses some purple leggings, a pink tutu and a 'Hello Kitty' t shirt. Oh and her princess shoes, of course. I sit on the bed behind her and start to gently comb her hair, makin' sure I don't hurt her when I'm getting the knots out.

"Do you think Uncle Tony will bring us presents?" She asks. "Because it's Christmas."

"I don't know, sweetheart. Maybe. But it don't matter if he doesn't, right, because that's not why we asked him over. It's because it would be nice to see 'im and for 'im to meet Mr Brady."

"He got us presents last Christmas. He got me that roller skating Barbie and Lucas that digger truck."

"And he made us Christmas dinner coz mam and dad had to go to bed because they were poorly," Lucas remembers.

Mam and Terry had scored some gear from the junkie upstairs and got so outta their faces they had to sleep it off so Tony 'elped out and cooked dinner.

I think about how it's gonna be so different this Christmas. Bren and his boys and Cheryl. Me and the twins. No-one getting' smashed. Just all of us here together, happy. I can feel meself smiling thinking about it.

"What are you smiling at, Ste?" Leah questions.

"Oh not much darlin'. I'm just 'appy that's all," and I gather her and Lucas up in my arms and hold them tight.

As I let Leah go she looks down at the floor and asks, "Do you and Mr Brady fight, Ste?"

I feel dead bad I thought we hid our fight in the mall.

"Nah," I tell her, kiss her head. "We just had a few words today that's all, we're all made up now."

"But we heard you last night as well as this morning!" She insists, she looks proper worried.

What is she talking about?

"And the night before," Lucas pipes up.

"Eh?"

"Yeah, sometimes you scream pretty loud Ste, I don't think you should do that, Mr Brady's really nice to us, we're having a good adventure!"

Screaming? When do I…Oh….Oh God! I proper blush – before this week he proper liked me being loud I guess I forgot to tune it down! Leah's lookin' at me all expectant like – how do I even start this one?

"Ah that's nowt to worry about, sis, just..."

I hear Bren's chuckle behind us – he must have got back already! I turn around to stare at him evilly, askin' for help like, but he just makes me giggle too – Leah starts to frown.

"That's just play fighting, princess," he says stepping into the bedroom, into our little clan, he belongs with us.

"Play fighting?" Lucas looks all excited – he proper loves pillow fights, play wrestling, anything which means he gets one up on Leah cos 'e's a boy...

He looks suspiciously between me and Bren for a moment, "but who wins?"

"Me, obviously," Bren answers giving him a wink, and Lucas stands up on the bed, mimmicing Bren's Mr Muscle pose – kissing his upper arms.

Me and Leah roll about on the bed, proper laughing.

***K&M***

We leave the kids playing and go to Bren's bedroom to get ready ourselves – well it's our bedroom I guess like most of my bits are in here now and all.

We laugh all the way, I love it when Bren's eyes sparkle like that. I collapse against his door when I get there.

"Oi Mr! That better not have been you implying I'm scrawny, like!"

"I don't think I implied anythin' – you have your little brother to thank for that!"

I started this with teasing him but then I remembered what Terry said a lot, about me like, and I get proper defensive.

"Don't think I'm scrawny right?" I know it's a proper daft thing to be upset about like cos it started as a joke. But Bren catches me eye and I know that he gets it – he just gets everythin' these days. It's like he can see every little bit of me that hurts.

He walks towards me slowly, and it's like I can feel the room get smaller just with the way he's looking at me. Like I'm dead sexy and he just wants me all. From the first time we met he looked at me like I fascinated 'im, but now it's more – it's like even if he wanted to he couldn't look away. My heart proper buzzes.

He cocks his head as he gets real close, places his hand on my hips, runs up into the jumper of his I'm wearin'.

"I don't think you're scrawny Steven," he breathes proper low. His fingers stroke over the skin of my stomach and I watch his tongue as it wets his lips, "in fact I think the opposite – I think you're perfect."

His fingers get really insistent, like he wants to feel all of me. I stroke a thumb over that ridge forming in his jeans. He gasps so I can hear it. He never used to be this responsive but now he shows me exactly what I do to him. Things are different now innit?

"Steven," he rolls my name, in that way I know he loves. "Do we have time?"

"If we're quick," I nod.

"Oh I can do quick," he promises, I can hear how hungry he is for me. "I can do very quick."

Our hands strip us together so we're naked together. His skin pressed into mine, I love the way he looks on me, like the way we look together. He's pale, strong, tall and hairy and I'm – me. We're like dead opposites. It makes me feel so sexy.

He wraps his arms around me and literally forces me up into him, takes me clean of the ground. He has so much power, I'm already so hot for him.

"You're fucking perfect Steven," he tells me again.

I almost feel like I can't breathe. His mouth pause over mine, I can feel his breath over my lips so it's like if I could breathe it would only be him. Neither of us angle for the kiss, we're just looking for now, feeling the pattern of our hearts beat against each other's naked chests. He carries me to the bedside table, and leans me back against the mirror. The glass is cold against my back, but his eyes like drink me in and I feel like I'm on fire. We've not kissed and he's not even proper touched me but I'm still so bloody turned on.

He trails a finger against my lips and I know exactly what he wants – we've learned each other now. I pull him between my teeth, making his finger all wet so he can relax me.

He strokes a hand over my face, pushing at my hair line, in that way he does - all gentle. He keeps doing it even when his spit slick fingers scissor me open. I trust him so completely now. I relax so easily that it feels fucking incredible even without lube – feels almost better without it cos he tingles through me. We're dead quiet, even when he brushes up against my prostate, I bite my lip to stop a moan and he just raises an eyebrow to tell me he knows it's good. I nod when I'm ready for him, hooking my ankles together around his neck. There are no words, partly cos we're worried about the twins and also cos there's just no need. He knows me and I know him – it's like our bodies fit perfectly.

He looks at me the entire time, even when his pleasures too great and he takes a moment, he just blinks slowly and then his deep blue eyes are staring right back into mine. We reach our rhythm flawlessly, a high paced, arching rhythm and it feels like he's fucking every cell of me. I feel dead sexy when he looks at me, keeps looking at me even as I come. And when he comes into me he's still watching me, so I can see his blue eyes twinkle and pupils burst.

He rests his forehead against mine and just stares at me - like he's trying to commit me to memory or something. Like he knows this was the first time of forever innit?

When it's over he looks kinda sad, and I get that – I do, cos it's all that stuff he was saying in McDonalds it's new and it's scary but we're…we're meant innit?

"Jesus Steven," he speaks through his aftershocks, "there's never gonna be anyone like you, every day till I'm in my grave you're always gonna be in my head," he promises – he knows it too.

And then he kisses me real deep, like he's trying to taste all of me. Our foreheads touch as his cock withdraws from me. He leaves my body proper slowly. When he's gone it's odd but I kinda miss him - I feel like it's gonna be an age before he's next inside me. Which is weird cos it will be tonight won't it? When Tony's gone we'll do that and a lot more – won't we? But I guess I miss him cos it's not been like that before – cos that was like making love I guess. I know sounds proper corny but it was proper different - like it was nothing but just us needing to be a part of each other. And it's over now.

"That was proper different weren't it?" I ask, as he rolls the condom off and chucks it in the bin.

He takes my hand, like he needs to keep touching me.

"You know?" He asks.

"Course I do," I tell him.

I wrap my free hand around his waist pulling him closer to me, and raise our hands to his heart – show him how the rhythms different now. Then move it to mine show him how my beat echoes his.

We're part of each other now and nothing will ever finish this.

"And you're OK?" He breathes.

I feel a little scared when he asks that – I wouldn't ever tell him cos I know his doubts about us, but sometimes I think I'm not good enough or old enough for this. But the moment he looks at me that all goes. I know he loves me, even if he's never told me, and I know he's gonna take care of me forever, we're his family now.

"Yeah." I tell him perfectly sure, "we're gonna be OK." I promise him.

He kisses me again then, his hands on my face like he's worried I'm disappearing from him, I kiss him back strong I'm never gonna go anywhere.

"I got you something I want you to wear tonight," he tells me.

And then he brings this black polythene long bag out from the cupboard. I saw Daniel, his chauffer bring it to him earlier – I assumed it was for the boys. He unzips it and it's this black suit – white shirt, black bowtie, proper James Bond get up.

"You bought me a suit?" I ask.

"I rented you a suit," he corrects me, taking the dress shirt and helping me into it. "Tonight only."

***K&M***

It's nearly six and I'm ready, the twins are ready and Bren is ready. I've had a clean up and the house is lookin' all nice and tidy, like. For some reason I'm proper nervous, I keep pullin at my new threads. Bren keeps tellin' me to stop fidgeting. It's just, like, I've never had anyone meet me..erm..boyfriend before and I wanna make sure it's all perfect, right.

Just gone six, the doorbell rings and I jump up and go to answer it. Tony is standin' there wearin' his usual jeans, white t shirt and navy jacket that reminds me of the blazers we had to wear at school.

"Er, hi Ste. How are you?"

"I'm good thanks, Uncle Tony. Come in." I move to the side letting him walk past.

It feels a bit weird, seein' him – it's been ages. I try to think back to the last time I saw him. Was a few weeks before I left home wiv the twins. I shudder and shake me head, don't want to think about that anymore, right. That's all over now innit? Things are proper good now.

"Thanks." He looks around the hallway as he enters. "Nice house your…er…friend has here."

Friend? Bren aint just my friend. But I don't correct him. He knows.

"Brendan. Yeah, he's done well for 'imself. Bit of a business man like you, eh?"

"Yeah." Tony agrees as his eyes dart from me to around the hallway.

We kind of stand there in silence for a moment, neither of us really knowing what to say. It's an odd situation for both of us. Usually our conversations are in me Mam and Terry's flat based on what they have messed up on lately and how the twins are.

To break through the awkwardness I take him through to where Bren is stood ready to greet 'im. The twins run up to 'im and wrap their arms round 'im.

"Uncle Tony!" Lucas shouts.

"Hey munchkins. How are you both?" He says lookin' at 'em wiv a genuine smile on his face.

"We are good. We've been having an adventure with Ste! It's been fun but I like this second bit best of all - staying here at Mr Brady's house it's nice and warm and there's a lot of food McDonalds and everything," Leah replies.

Tony looks up at Bren and holds out his hand.

"Brendan, I'm Tony. Ste's Uncle," he says, straightening himself up.

"I've heard a lot about ye," Bren replies shakin' his hand.

"Er, right. Er, thanks for inviting me over, we were all so worried about Ste and the twins. We didn't know where they were stayin'."

"They've been safe, here with me."

"Right, Yes. That's good."

Bren is lookin' at him intently, like he tends to do when he meets new people. It's as though he's tryin' to figure 'em out. Work out if he can trust em or not. It seems to make Uncle Tony a bit uncomfortable. He starts lookin' around the room. Anywhere but at Bren.

"Right, who wants some nibbles, eh?" I say interrupting the awkwardness.

"Good idea, Steven." Bren says not takin' his eyes off Tony.

"Er, yes, that sounds lovely Ste. Thank you." Tony looks at me gratefully.

I go to the kitchen and let outta breath I didn't realise I was holdin'. Bren can seem pretty intimidatin' when you first meet him. But it was his idea to invite Tony over so he's gonna play nice. Don't wanna leave 'em too long though, right.

"Here, we go." I say placin' some bits I made on the coffee table.

Bren is sat with Leah and Lucas either side of him whilst Tony is on the other couch. I sit next to him.

"So, Tony," Bren leans forward slightly, "Steven said you've been away."

"Er, yes I went on holiday for a couple of weeks. That's why I didn't know Ste had left with Leah and Lucas. I only found out when I got back and went round to see them."

I sit and listen while Bren and Tony chat. Tony seems to have relaxed a little and Bren is bein' the welcomin' host. The convo seems to be flowin' ok. The kids are 'appy to see 'im. But they don't know him. Not really. Not like I do.