A/n - I've caught up with series 5. According to Billy it was August 1989 when he took Julie shopping in episode 1. In my AU Joey didn't owe the tax man, or have a number plate business. It just didn't seem to fit in with Joey or the earlier series. It's still original Joey and Aveline in my mind.

Chapter 6

"Shouldn't we wait for your six week check up?" Joey had taken on board the post-natal advice dished out by the clinic.

"Yeah I suppose, but I feel ready." Martina was dismissive.

"It's not that I don't want to, but I don't want to cause any damage."

"I'm pretty sure you won't Joey." Martina looked at him.

It hit Joey that she was worrying about whether or not he still wanted her. Whether he was there just because of Micky. And he wasn't, well not completely. He'd probably not be living there if it wasn't for his son, but he would want to be with her. He still hadn't completely sorted out his feelings, the last six weeks had been a haze of work, feeds, nappies, and all the usual things that came with a new baby plus in his case he had a needy family to support still. He tried to articulate some of his thoughts.

"Martina I do want you, and I do want to be with you, it's just that I don't want to do anything that might risk you not healing properly. I mean you did have to have stitches after all."

Martina smiled, "dissolved four weeks ago, the midwife told me. But," she shrugged, "I'm not gonna force you into anything," and turned away from him.

He made a grab for her, and pulled her against him.

"Martina I," he began to stammer out before deciding it was a situation that would be resolved better by deeds not words.

"Pregnant? How?" Joey was stunned.

"How? What do you mean, how? How do women usually get pregnant Joey?" Martina was tetchy as she glared at him.

"No, I don't mean how like that. But we've been so careful." He hastened to explain.

"Not entirely Joey. There was one occasion." Martina reminded him.

"Oh yeah." He grinned at the recollection. "Well, I wouldn't want an only child anyway."

"Is that all you can say? You're not gonna have a go at me?" Martina exhaled deeply.

"No sweetheart, why on earth would I?" He kissed her, no doubt about it, this time round he was definitely pleased.

"I did sort of push you that time before.." Martina was still apologetic.

He shrugged, kissed her again, and pulled her over him.

Martina was amazed at his reaction. She'd been expecting him to cut up about it, his calm acceptance, his moves to reassure her was the last response she thought she'd get.

As they lay back in a pleasant daze, breathing beginning to slow, Martina's head resting on Joey's shoulder, eyes closed, their thoughts were wildly divergent. Joey was delighted, he'd taken to fatherhood in a way he hadn't anticipated, all his ambivalence had disappeared the minute his son had looked up at him. And his instincts had been right, being with Martina had been sound. Having another child and making a little family of his own struck him as being about the best thing he could do.

Martina was gutted, one baby she could manage if she was left, but two in the space of a year, she didn't see how she could possibly cope. And despite Joey's reassurances she didn't feel he'd ever truly break away from Roxy. He'd told her she'd moved to Birmingham, and that was all to the good but the minute she beckoned, there was more than a good chance, that Joey would respond. And just where would that leave her? Up the proverbial creek without a paddle.

"That's the third bit of unexpected news I've had today. No more to come now. And it's a bloody sight better than the other two."

"Oh?" Martina was curious.

"Remember Shifty?"

"Vividly." Martina's eyes rolled.

Joey smiled and squeezed her. "Well him and Celia moved to Chester for a fresh start, and now she's slung him out on his ear. I don't know what's happened, last I heard they were getting married. He's wanting to come back to grandad's."

"That's not a problem is it?"

"Not really, I mean me mam will go on a bit, but me grandad loves having him around, and she won't deny him anything."

"What was the second?"

Joey sighed. "Our Jack."

"What's he done?"

"Turns out he'd got himself into a bit of bother, and that's one of the reasons why he took off, but things haven't gone well for him over there, and he wants to come back. Seems like he owes money and he can't show his face in Liverpool till it's paid."

"How much?"

"£20,000."

"Jesus, have you got that sort of money?" She sat up and looked at him.

"No course not. I could raise a few thousand, but nothing like that."

"What you gonna do?"

"Tell me dad."

"Your dad?" Martina couldn't imagine Freddie being much help.

"Yeah, he's not as hapless as he makes out. Anyway, whatever he's been like as a husband and father Jack's still his lad and he'd want to know."

"Suppose." She lay back down unconvinced.

"What about your mam?"

"I'm not going to say anything to her unless I have to. But I tell you what, she'll be made up at the thought of another baby."

"She's been brilliant with Micky. And she was so good to me when I was expecting."

Joey hugged her tight. "And she will be again, you know that. She thinks of you as one of her own, and she'd do anything for the family."

Thank God, thought Joey, that she did like Martina. She'd been the first and only so far of any of their partners that she had liked.

"I've been thinking."

"Go on."

"Are you still planning on going back to work?"

"I am."

"Well we don't need to sort out childcare, I'm around during the day, and on the odd times I'm not me mam'd be more than happy."

Martina considered, "yeah that sounds like a plan. But I'd want to run it by your mam, l want to make sure she's ok with it, I don't want her to think I'm taking advantage."

"Ok with it? She'll love it."

"It's a weight off me mind, I don't really want to leave him with strangers. And it'd mean I could get back a bit quicker."

"Hmm." Joey wasn't keen on Martina rushing back to work but he had the sense to keep his gob shut. He stroked her hair, and was just thinking about an encore when a gurgle in his ear pulled him up.

Martina smiled, "maybe later," and went to see to his feed.

Joey was cruising round the city centre looking for his dad's cart. He caught sight of him by St. George's Hall and pulled in.

"Dad. Can I have a word?"

"Hang on a second son." He finished up serving, put the covers over and got into the Jag.

"Alright then son?"

"I am dad, but it's our Jack." Joey handed Freddie a letter.

Freddie read it then looked up, raising his eyebrows.

Joey shook his head.

"No, me neither. Ar'ey what a stupid bloody thing to do. Not our Jack."

"I know dad, I know."

"Told your mam yet?"

"No, only Martina knows."

"It's a time for family, She's gonna need to know, she's as tough as a butcher's block Joey. She'll be alright. We'll sort it out."

"Maybe." Joey wasn't convinced. "Anyway better news, Martina's pregnant. We found out today."

"Bloody hell Joey that's a bit quick. What were you thinking of?"

"Wasn't thinking dad, just happened. I mean we neither of us fancied having an only child, it's a bit sooner than we'd have chosen, but I'm so pleased. I love having a kid, really love it."

"You gonna tell your mam? She'll be made up."

"Course, but dad I'm not telling the others yet, you know how it is with Aveline."

"Understood, I'll keep me gob shut. Anyroad, tell her about Jack first, then give her the good news. Changing the subject, I've got meself an allotment, round by Sefton Park. Me own little shed, me own little greenhouse, me own little wheelbarrow. It's what I've always wanted."

"Fantastic. Sounds perfect dad."

Freddie noticed a crowd making for his cart.

"Customers, must go. I'll talk to you later."

"Mam." Joey stopped the car outside the church. "In here mam."

"In here Joey? Why? Why can't we talk at home?"

"It needs to be somewhere you can't go spare mam."

Nellie's heart skipped several beats

"Is it Micky? Is it Martina?" Her lips tightened. "You've not got that Roxy pregnant have you?"

"No mam, of course I haven't." Joey was indignant and it showed in his voice. He waited till she'd settled down.

"It's our Jack mam."

"Oh luv, what's..." Nellie dropped to her knees.

"Steady on mam. He's fine, he wants to come back but it seems like he left a bit of unfinished business behind him when he went and it needs to be settled."

"What sort of unfinished business?" Nellie gazed up at Joey.

"A debt."

"Oh, is that all? Well we're all in debt. You didn't need to bring me to church to tell me that." She laughed with relief. "How much?"

Nellie's yell on receiving the answer could have been heard three streets away.

Joey sat it out waiting for his mam to stutter into silence. With a heartfelt sigh she managed, "we'll pull together. Grandad has some money. Well talk about it tonight when everyone's there."

She got off her knees and sat back heavily in the pew.

"Oh, and mam. One other thing."

"What Joey, what now?" Nellie wasn't sure she could take anything else today.

"Martina's pregnant. Due in April, we've just found out."

"Oh Joey, that's wonderful. Thank God here's some light in the darkness." Nellie crossed herself.

"Mam, I wasn't gonna say anything to the others yet, you know Aveline."

"I understand Joey, but she'll be more upset if she's not told."

"Well, let's wait until a few more weeks eh? I mean it's very early days, anything could go wrong yet."

"Oh, alright then. I won't talk about it to anyone else." A thought struck her and she clutched at his arm. "Joey, that'll be two children born out of wedlock. Don't you thing you should make it all legal?"

Joey laughed despite the knot in his stomach about Jack.

"It's not illegal mam." He kissed her. "Come on, let's be away home."

Nellie took a deep breath and announced at the table, "as you all know the family endeavours to help each other, no matter how big or small the problem is. Well today is a testing day. Listen I've something to say about our Jack. It seems he owes," she swallowed, "twenty thousand and he can't come back till it's paid. Joey's tried various ways to get help but nothing doing so we'll all have to rally round."

"Ar'ey what a daft thing to do. Why should we have to suffer?"

"Can I believe my ears Billy Boswell? He's family that's why." Nellie was outraged.

"Mam, what we gonna do? Me and Oswald don't have anything much ourselves."

"You've got a huge house and a car."

"They belong to the church Billy, not us." Aveline snapped.

"Well, we'll have to sell one of the houses. Now Aveline's married, Shifty's with Celia and Joey's at Martina's we can put grandad in my room and I'll go in Aveline's."

"No need Nellie Boswell, but you'll have to make room for me. I've done a cash deal on me flat. That'll take care of things." Freddie had walked in and sat down next to Joey. "Get it sorted Joey, the money'll be in the bank in a couple of weeks and then our Jack can be back."

"Great dad, but are you sure?"

"Course son, you've got enough to worry about, and at the end of the day he's my lad. I may have strayed from the fold once or twice but I'm still his dad." He ignored Nellie's raised eyebrows and tutting at the once or twice. "Any tea for me then Nellie Boswell?" He gave her a winning smile.

Nellie served him a plate, po faced.

"You'll have to live here permanently dad, now you've sold your flat," squealed Aveline.

"To us," said Joey raising his glass, "the family."

"Course what I want to know is, where are you going to go when it doesn't suit you here, if you've sold your flat." Nellie couldn't contain herself.

"Well, I've got me shed."

"I knew it, no wonder you've got it done up like a gin palace. It's for her isn't it?"

"She's in Ireland mam." Joey tried to pacify her.

"Woman like her are never in Ireland, they're always round the corner." Nellie was working herself into a state.

"Why don't we forget about it eh?" Joey had another go at calming things down.

"Look I'm here aren't I? And I'll be here for as long as you'll let me." Freddie spoke up.

"Let's drink to that then." Joey was getting impatient to get back to Martina and sanity.

They tried again but Aveline's, "I'm not pregnant yet," caused them all to put their glasses back down.

Joey, Nellie and Freddie all looked at each other. Joey shook his head.

"I'll die if I don't get pregnant." Aveline was going off on one. It was only since Joey had been staying at Martina's that he'd come to realise just how manic his family could be.

"Let's just drink to us, the family," stated Joey firmly.

"Oh mam, about Shifty. It seems he and Celia have split and he wants to come back." Joey thought he might as well get this out now as never.

Nellie raised her eyebrows, but before she could say anything Adrian broke in.

"That's nice, it means grandad'll have company. You know how much he misses having Shifty around."

Nellie sighed. "I suppose so."

She caught sight of Joey sitting next to her, and her face softened, thinking of the other bit of news that had come her way.