Thanks to everyones for your support! Yay!

N.B; I have changed the ages of both sisters, Jack and Penny in this story, so all are a few years younger than they are in the show. But not too drastically, so I hope no one minds, if you do, let me know.

Manners and Small Talk

After looking in on Bradley and the rest of the family, Jack had decided to do what every Branning did at a wedding and make himself acquainted with the local pub, dragging along a reluctant Max. Once settled against the bar with pints in hand, the two brothers fell into their usual way of communicating; small talk and ridicule.

"How's Penny?"

It was noticeable to anyone who knew him or didn't, that his face lit up at the mere passing mention of his daughter. Because despite the bravado that suggested otherwise, Jack Branning was a family man at heart.

"She's great yeah. Loving school; something she definately didn't get from our side"

When Max only nodded and took a drink in response, Jack took full advantage of the chance to wind his brother up, giving him a sly smile and narrowing of the eyes.

"So Tanya's looking good"

The elder of the two offered only a glare in response.

"Pregnancy really agrees with her"

Noticing the deep frown that adorned his brothers face, then followed by a sudden burst of smugness, Jack readied himself for the jibe he knew was coming.

"She's happy; husband, two beautiful kids, one on the way, of course she looks good"

Taking another deep drink, he gave a sly smile.

"Tell me Jack, hows Selena?"

The younger of the two chuckled lightly, only too aware of his brother's gloating over his situation with his ex wife. However, his sharp response was cut off by the arrival of a certain blonde behind the bar. Catching her eye, he offered up a patented charm smile and nodded at her, unaffected by the fact that she showed no reaction except a slight pursing of the lips at the sight of him.

"Did you get round to ringing the council?"

Ronnie raised only an eyebrow in response, and staring straight at Jack, addressed his brother instead.

"I'd watch out Max, he might decide to throw that pint rather than drink it"

"You never were one for small talk eh?"

"And you were never one for manners"

Sensing his chance to escape from a reunion he'd rather not be a part of, Max clapped his brother on the shoulder, before giving a feeble excuse as to why he should leave, before actually doing so.

Jack nodded, before turning back towards Ronnie, and in doing so his eyes caught on the long silver chain that rested round her neck. Or more specifically the locket that hung from it.

He stared for a long moment, memories he'd rather not be reminded of, rising close to the surface. Handing a pint over to Garry, Ronnie turned just in time to see the pensive gaze of his eyes survey the jewellery adorning her neck. She glanced down before bringing her head up again quickly, only too aware of the significance that the silver locket and its contents held to both herself and him.

Bringing his gaze back up once again, his eyes caught with hers, and a heavy tension fell upon them. He couldn't bring himself to look away, the intensity of of both her stormy eyes and the moment too overwhelming. But luckily for both himself and Ronnie, a fellow drinker chose that moment to bump his shoulder slightly, not enough to warrant any spillage but enough to break the moment.

Both feeling particularly vulnerable all of a sudden, Jack scuffed his shoes slightly, as Ronnie's slim fingers came up of their own accord to play softly with the offending jewellery.

"So - "

"RONNIE!"

As was common with Roxy, they heard her before they actually saw her, and Jack's face broke into an amused grin.

"Should have guessed. Never could have one without the other"

"Ron, have you seen my - "

Coming through from the back meant Roxy had full view of the bar and those that propped it up and thus Jack. Leaning on the bar, she rolled the gum she was chewing to one side before letting out a burst of surprised laughter.

"Ferret features!"

"Well, well. Hasn't little Roxanne grown up"

"Oi! Less of the Roxanne!"

"I do apoligise. I must have been mistaken in thinking that was your name"

Now leaning both arms on the bar, the two fell into easy conversation, Jack being grateful for the distraction from the lingering tension between himself and the elder sister.

Ronnie watched the two, or more specifically; him. She let her eyes trace over the defined contours of his face, memories of it being smoother and younger coming back to her with an unbidden ease she was wary of. His hair was shorter and she was sure it was slightly darker than she remembered. He was different somehow and not just in the older, physical sense that her eyes could so easily see, but also on a deeper and more intimate level. How she was aware of this was quite the mystery to her; perhaps the result of a distant connection reawakened at the sight of him. While she could firmly assure herself of the most obvious - and less so - changes in him, there was one thing that remained the same, even after all these years.

His eyes.

And all the while her fingers played lightly with the locket, that she had refrained from opening for the past ten years.

Roxy leant against the doorframe, having spent the past few moments silently watching her sister. She knew that Ronnie was aware of her presence, but also knew her sister enough to know to hold back until she aknowledged it.

"I know you're there Rox"

Taking this as her que, she took a seat next to her sister on the sofa, tucking one leg under so as to her face her completely. Ronnie didn't turn, instead keeping her eyes focused on the locket she had removed and was now caressing in the palm of her hand.

"So he's why you were stalking around the place this morning"

Ronnie scoffed in response but didn't turn to her.

"I wasn't stalking"

It was Roxy's turn to scoff this time.

She watched her elder sister closely, heart aching involuntarily at the mere thought of the memories that must be haunting her sibling

"Why don't you open it"

She knew there was no point in suggesting it, but she clung to the frail hope that Ronnie might actually do so, and for a few fragile seconds her fingers hesitated as they brushed over the delicate clasp.

"I can't"

Her fingers stilled now, and she sufficed with just staring at it intently.

"It's hard enough seeing him. Seeing those........seeing those eyes"

And as a lone tear fell softly over her cheek, Roxy slipped an arm round her shoulders and pulled her elder sister into her, Ronnie's blonde head falling naturally into the small crook of her sisters neck. Roxy rocked her slightly before leaning the two of them back, settling into the cushions.

In sync both sisters kicked their shoes off and curled into one another, Roxy fingers playing soothingly with her sister's hair.