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

Thanks for the reviews.

XXX

Continues from last chapter...

Hands on her hips, Laurel was frowning at them both, "What's going on? I know there is something by the way both are you are acting, so you just as well not hide it, and tell me"

Marlon was tight-lipped, so was Donna who looked to the floor.

April was smiling at Laurel clutching her small childs rucksack, "Mummy's baby's daddy is called Ross, she told me..."

Donna was opened mouthed at her, "APRIL! Our secret remember..."

April looked puzzled, "But it's only daddy and Laurel, we can tell them, can't we..?"

Donna didn't know where to look, she could sense Laurel turning it over and over in her brain.

"When you say Ross...do you mean...Ross...as in Ross Barton?"

Donna didn't make eye contact, she nodded yes.

Laurel was in a dither, "I don't believe this...out of all the men you could have had, you have to...with HIM!"

Marlon folded his arms at Donna, he looked quite trite, "See...see what your actions have done now"

Donna wasn't having this, she opened the door and wheeled the case to the car. April was tagging along behind her, so was Marlon and Laurel, "You are can't just GO...not after us finding out about this bombshell"

Donna was annoyed, she turned to both of them, "And HOW is this anything to do with you? This is MY baby, not yours or Laurel's...MINE...so how dare you both start having a dig at me"

Marlon was all flippant, "and does the lovely paternal Ross know about this little gem, does he? Haven't seen him around today...run a mile did he? That wouldn't surprise me...if YOU had any sense, you would have got rid!", he hissed.

Donna glared at him, so did Laurel by Donna's amazement, "Marlon! What a thing to say to her!"

"It's TRUE though...", Marlon said glaring at Laurel now, "...have you forgotten about what that nutter did to you last year? It shouldn't be allowed...men like that should be castrated!"

Donna stepped forward, "STOP IT! How can you stand there and say with me in front of you...with APRIL in front of you...how could you Marlon"

April looked up to Donna, "Mummy..what does castrated mean?"

"SEE! Now what you've gone and done! Come on April let's get you belted up in the back please..."

Laurel came forward, "Donna...I'm sorry...we shouldn't have kicked off like that in front of April..."

Donna shook her head, "No you shouldn't have! But it's too late now...look...I'm going...if my mind wasn't made up before, it certainly is now"

This grabbed Marlon's attention, "made up about what?"

Donna closed the back door of the car, "about staying...I'm going down to London and that's where I'm staying put...the further away from you the better...", Marlon looked quite panicked now as Donna went round to the driver's side, she looked across at him before she got in, "...and see...I didn't say that in front of April...some of us know HOW to be good parents..."

She jumped in and closed the door. Marlon looked at Laurel, who looked back at him, "Well don't just stand there Marlon, DO SOMETHING!"

XXX

Donna drove towards the village and indicated to go left towards the Connelton road. Ross was then ahead of her and stood in the middle of the road. She hit the brakes and stared out into his eyes because his were staring straight back at her.

He then hurried to the window, Donna turned, "do you want to get yourself run over or something..."

Ross stooped so his head was level to hers, "I had to stop you from going didn't I...at least to say that I meant what I said...about me trying to be a good dad, because I'll try to be..."

Donna sighed at him, "trying to be a good dad is not good enough Ross...it's better this way...you're not ready to be a dad, I can see that now...and it was so unfair of me to even expect that you could be..."

Ross swallowed, "you don't even know me"

"I do...and this is ALL too much for you...it's me and April...it always was before and it's going to be that again"

Ross was getting tearful, "What can I do to make you change your mind...why can't you see that I love you Donna...I'll look after you...I'll look after both of you"

Donna sadly smiled at him, "until you get bored, and you will, given time..."

"I won't do"

"can you promise me that, can you promise April that?"

Ross paused and looked at her, he looked to April in the back, his faced screwed up because he didn't know.

"It's okay...it is Ross...I know you love me and I love you...but sometimes that's just not enough, is it"

Ross was all emotional, "Who's gonna be there to look after you down there..."

"Me...I didn't do 7 years in the police force and not learn a thing or two about looking after myself..I'll be fine"

"You are dead set, aren't you girl"

She shook her head.

"I, can't be sure, and you runaway...how am I suppose to live with that Donna? This is killing me inside all of this...you are going to have my kid and I'm not even gonna know when it's even gonna be born"

Donna smiled, "I'll make it easy for you...You and stinky pooey nappies...being kept awake all night because of the crying...you being tired all the time and having to go to work...do you want me to go on"

Ross looked at her...rabbit in the headlights came to mind.

"Exactly...bye Ross...", and with that, she faced front and pulled away. Ross could see April waving in the window so he waved back at her, the tear running down his cheek.

XXX

Marlon and Laurel were inside Tall Trees cottage, "You better phone Donna when she gets back and try sort all of this out Marlon!", Laurel cried as she shoved the washing into the machine.

Marlon slowly sat on the sofa, "I can't believe that she even would...do that with him...HIM of all people"

Laurel was furious, "I DON'T CARE ABOUT ALL THAT MARLON! I'M TALKING ABOUT YOU AND APRIL...IF YOU UPSET DONNA ANYMORE, THEN SHE'LL STOP YOU FROM SEEING HER...I CAN SEE IT HAPPENING, NOW!"

Marlon reached for his mobile, scrolled down to Donna's name and pressed call.

XXX

Donna was singing along to a tune with April in the car, suddenly the phone rang on the passenger seat, she stopped the car in the verge and turned to answer it.

And didn't get chance...

... because from nowhere, an out of control tractor ploughed into her from the field next to the verge sending the car onto its roof into the cold river beyond the verge...and April was screaming...

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