I DON'T OWE EMMERDALE OR THE CHARACTERS BLAR BLAR BLAR...IT'S ALL THE PROPERTY OF ITV.

Thanks for the reviews.

XXX

"Daaadddyyy!"

April ran to Marlon as he came down the path of Tall Trees cottage. Donna clutched April's school bag and handed it over to Marlon.

"She's all ready...and itching to get to school bless her"

Marlon took his daughter's hand and looked up at her, "The teachers say she's really settled in...I think that's a big plus don't you...can't of been easy to up route her from the one down in Essex when you moved up here"

Donna put on a brave smile, "April is an adapter...she just takes everything in her stride, she's a bit like me"

"Come on you two or I am going to be really late for school", April said looking up at them.

Donna came forward and gave Marlon a hug and a kiss on the cheek *as Ross drove by in a car and saw them*. The chef was taken aback.

"Blimey! What was that for?"

Donna laughed, "I can get a hug if I want to, can't I?"

"Course you can, anyway, best get this little one to school, see you later..."

As they were about to walk off, Donna turned pushing her hair behind her ear, "Oh Marlon...is it alright to pick April up earlier than I normally do...it's just that I want to cook her a special tea"

"Fine...if it's that special you can set a place for me", he joked and they were off. Donna's smile faded and she walked away in the opposite direction.

XXX

Ross parked the car up on the forecourt of the garage and slammed the door when he jumped out.

Debbie turned, she had made them both a brew.

"What's with the face"

Ross nodded back in the direction he had come from, "Donna and Marlon...all hugging and getting close they were...wouldn't surprise me if they have been seeing each other all along"

Debbie bit her lip and handed him his brew, "That makes sense...you know what I think? Marlon's always had a torch for Donna, he was well gutted when she walked out on him...maybe that's WHY she's back...you are well out of it"

"Can't believe she just used me"

"More than that...anyway, but all that behind you...you've got me now"

She laid a hand on his arm, he looked at her and tried a smile, "Pete had a go at me this morning...he thinks I've done what I've always done and stolen his bird"

Debbie laughed, "but you have, haven't you?"

Ross looked away, "I suppose I have...but I didn't mean to this time...I BET ya it's HIS"

Debbie frowned, "what's his...are you talking about Pete?"

Ross shook his head, "No...Marlon...I bet ya that it's HIS baby..."

Debbie shrugged, it wouldn't hurt to add to that, "...well...if they are getting closer than there must be a good reason..."

Ross looked like he was fuming, he went to the motor he was working on and started bashing about with the engine, Debbie raised her eyebrows and set back to work herself.

XXX

"Are you sure?"

Inspector Blake looked at the letter Donna had given to her, as they sat in her office at the police station.

"Yes...I am going to be leaving the area...I'm need a fresh start...and besides, I have family down in London, it's where I'm from"

"well, it's your decision of course, you haven't really been with us for that long, but in that time you were at the helm of catching one this towns biggest movers, Gary North...it'll be a great shame to see you go...but...I wish you luck in whatever you do next..."

XXX

Back at the village, Laurel walked into the pub for a lunchtime drink with some of the girls at the factory. Ross was standing up at the bar nursing his pint brooding.

He glanced over at her. His eyes firmly on her, only moments away from wanting to tell her what he knew about her precious Marlon and Donna.

She was all smiles as she shared a joke with Lisa and Kerry. Ross knocked the pint back and turned to Chas behind the bar, "another"

Chas took the glass and glared at him as she pulled him another pint, "a please wouldn't go amiss"

Ross screwed his face up at her, "whatever...I don't have to be nice to you, you know...just because you've shacked up with that poor sorry excuse of a father of mine, you think you get to talk to me like you know me...", he leaned in to her, eyes all dark, "...but you don't"

Laurel looked over and pulled a face his way because she heard a really bad joke off Kerry. Ross saw red and steamed in towards her, "WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT? YOU LAUGHING AT ME, ARE YAH?"

Laurel was at ones and twos to what to say or do, Lisa turned, "she wasn't laughing at you love, she was laughing at one of Kerry's silly jokes..."

Ross held Laurel's eye contact and nodded, "Ohhh I bet she was...she's got nothing to worry or fret over have you...laughing and joking like you haven't got a care...haha...if ONLY you knew what was going on under that nose of yours..."

Laurel dismissed him aside, "I don't have to waste my lunch talking to you..."

"OoooW! Spoil sport...and there was ME trying to save you from looking like the stupid dizzy looking drip you already are"

Laurel shot him a glare, "What's wrong with you...why are you having such a dig?"

Ross clicked his tongue and smirked at her, "Your Marlon...he's been a busy boy, hasn't he...I didn't know he had it in him"

"What are you on about?"

Ross approached her, his eyes full of satisfaction of what he was about to tell her, "You must've had your eyes off the ball, love...because your precious Marlon and Donna have been at it like rabbits I shouldn't wonder"

Laurel's mouth was agape, she shook her head, "What are YOU on about? I don't have to listen to this...", she made for the door, but Ross called after her, "...Donna's pregnant...and for 100 points, guess who the daddy is...?"

Laurel was quivering, she had been abit mistrustful of Marlon and Donna for weeks...could Ross be right...he hated her, so telling her wouldn't matter an inch to him if it hurt her.

Once she was out the door, Ross smiled to himself and leaned on the bar, James was staring right at him, "So how do you know this, exactly..."

XXX

Donna was at Smithy cottage. She packed up her suitcase and bags and headed down the stairs where Rhona and Paddy were waiting for her.

"Donna this is so sudden...why do you have to go now...", asked a shocked Rhona.

Donna smiled at her, "I have to...I have to move away, it was a big mistake coming here in the first place..."

Paddy was annoyed, "Do YOU KNOW what this is going to do to Marlon, you walk out on him all those years ago and now you are doing the very same thing all over again"

Donna sighed, she really didn't have the energy for all this, "look...there is a reason I'm doing this, REALLY there is..."

Rhona stepped forward, "You are pregnant, aren't you?"

Donna had to chuckle to herself, Rhona had worked it out a while ago and she knew that, "yes...I am, and that's why I have to go"

"But why?"

Paddy shook his head, "it's Marlon's isn't it...you two have been close since you came back...but Donna, please...you can't do this to him again, I'm begging you"

Donna looked sad as she clutched up her bags, "It's NOT Marlon's, and I'm still not sure if I'm going to keep it...but..."

She was interrupted by the heavy and loud knocking on the front door. Paddy quickly answered it and Laurel came steaming in and pointing a finger at Donna.

"Is it true? Are you pregnant...?"

Donna was rocked. How did Laurel find out, she held her forehead and nodded, "yes I am, but how did you find out..."

"Ross told me!"

Donna sighed out in frustration.

"...and he's saying that it's Marlon's, but we both know it's not...WHY would he say that...HIM of all people Donna...", she noticed the suitcase, the bags in her grasp, "...where are you going? Oh no...was YOU going to flit again, was you? How could you!"

"There's nothing for me here Laurel...you and Marlon are happy and I'm really happy for him...but I should NEVER have come back..."

Laurel was chasing her out the door, "Donna you can't just leave...what about April?"

Donna loaded her car up and turned to her, "she's coming with me of course..."

Laurel put her hands to her cheeks, "but he's going to be devastated, Donna...you can't DO this to him!"

Donna closed up the boot, "I'm not taking her away from him...I'll be in touch...look, I need to see Bob before I go..."

Bob was disappointed when she told him her plans.

"I really can't believe you are doing this again, Donna..."

"Bob, please...it is easier this way"

"but you can't keep Marlon away from his little girl..."

"I'm not...April will ALWAYS have her daddy in her life...I promise you that"

She and Bob had a hug outside the cafe, then Donna made her way to her car. April was in the back. Marlon had a face like thunder but he didn't react, why she didn't know...she was expecting him to kick up a fight, but he never, she could only guess it was Laurel's doing.

Donna jumped in and turned to Marlon at the window, "I will call you when I get down there...I know this is all way over your heads, but I know what I'm doing...when I'm settled you and Laurel must come down to see April...I PROMISE MARLON, I'm not just doing this like last time"

Marlon was tight lipped, but shook his head, staring at April in the back. She upped the window and started the engine. She then pulled away, April waving from the back window.

Ross looked up as he came out of the pub, she saw him and stopped the car. He came over and stood a metre away, "Off somewhere are we?"

"I hate you...I hate you for what you said...are you so twisted that you had to tell Laurel that the baby was Marlon's...I'm so GLAD I can finally see what you are really like..."

Ross gritted his teeth and hissed, "do you really think I could give a stuff about you and that brat you are carrying...LISTEN...I DON'T CARE IF THAT THING INSIDE YOU IS MINE...understand me now, do you?"

Donna couldn't stop the tears from falling, she fumbled with the window and then put her foot down and was gone. Ross watched her go, he slowly closed his eyes, the pain he was feeling inside hurt him like nothing before.

Broken hearts were a bugger to fix it seemed.

But this was right.

This was how it had to all end.

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I THINK I MIGHT JUST LEAVE IT THERE NOW, DUE TO THE LACK OF INTEREST.

I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS WHO HAVE READ, AND HOPED YOU ENJOYED MY STORYS.

MARKAB. X