Work, kids, work, kids. The only variety for Ste came from a night in with Amy (punctuated by the kids, naturally) which, though nice, was hardly living the high life.

Ste did really love the kids, and wouldn't give up their times together for anything, and working at the restaurant was so much more rewarding than Chez Chez ever was, (financially and spiritually). He couldn't really complain about any of his life right now.

Except it was all as boring as watching paint dry.

And any time he didn't fill was at risk of being dominated by thoughts of Brendan; pointless, useless longings would plague him, and sadness that was almost overwhelming. So he filled it. More stuff with the kids, more work, crap telly, exercise, and still his head would return to Brendan.

He hated days off the most. They were rarely weekends, which were the busiest times at the restaurant, so he didn't even get to spend them all with the kids, who would be at school or nursery. But he made sure to take his annual leave during the school holidays so he could at least spend it with the kids, so he could fill his time with stuff that mattered.

And so it was that, months after the last time he saw Brendan, Leah, Lucas and Ste went to the park to play football. Lucas was getting the hang of kicking in the direction he wanted to, and Leah, though completely faithful to her dancing and Princess costumes, dearly loved anything she could win at, something she couldn't fail to do when playing with her tiny brother and kind father.

Ste was helping her celebrate her first goal when Declan appeared at the edge of the park. Ste hadn't expected to see him, so hadn't done anything to avoid it, and was surprised to see the lad trudging across the grass, phone in hand and fiddling away. Declan, however, didn't look the least surprised to see him. Instead, he grinned and waved casually, as though Ste was an old friends, rather than his Dad's ex.

Leah was thrilled to see him.

"Declan! Look Daddy, Daddy, look, it's Declan!"

"Yes, babe, I can see that," Ste said, trying to push down the mix of apprehension and hope that fought its way up. He looked around for Brendan, not sure whether he hoped to see him or not.

"Alright Ste?" the teen called, "hey, Leah, you alright there Lucas?"

Lucas hid behind his father's legs, but Leah practically bounded over in excitement.

"I just scored a goal, Declan! Against Daddy!" she crowed

"Ah, that's pretty cool, Leah, well done!" Declan grinned at her and put his hand out, just high enough for her to reach, "put it there!"

"So, er," Ste interrupted, as his daughter high fived the boy, "what are ye doing here?"

"Oh, I got bored at home. Dad's at work and Paddy forgot half his stuff, so Cheryl's taking him shopping today."

"Oh," Ste replied. So both the Brady boys were here. How long would that last? He shivered at the thought of bumping into Paddy at the shops or something.

"So, I don't think two against one's all that fair, do you Leah?" Dec said cheekily, "do you mind if I play?"

"Yeeeeaaah!" Leah replied, stretching out the word, as though Declan joining in was the best idea anyone ever had.

"Er…" Ste started.

"Cool," Dec interrupted, "So am I on your side Leah?"

"Yeah!" Leah cried before Ste could think of an excuse "You can go in goal!"

Declan grinned at Ste's worried face, as Leah ran for the ball and Lucas chased after uselessly. Ste sighed, but didn't protest, after all, he'd always got on with Declan, and neither Brendan nor Paddy were anywhere in sight.

Declan was good with the kids. He managed to balance helping Leah while letting Lucas past him just enough to make the toddler happy. Ste couldn't help grinning, and at one stage really tried to score against him.

As time for lunch approached, the kids started getting hungry. Ste gave them a time warning so they wouldn't make a fuss when it was time to go, and hoped Declan would take the hint.

He didn't. "Oh, could I come back to yours? There's nothing in, and Dad forgot to leave me cash."

"Yeeeaaah!" said Leah, before Ste could suggest anything wrong with that idea.

"Er… won't your Dad be expecting you or something?" he tried, hoping it was true.

"Naaah, he won't even notice til after work," Dec replied, grinning casually.

"Oh, right…" said Ste.

"Hey, do you want a piggy back, Princess Leah?" Deccy cooed.

He was a sneaky one, that Declan. He knew how to make it impossible to say no, and getting Leah down off anyone's shoulders was a task only those immune to supersonic screams would try. If Ste tried to get her off the shoulders of some she liked there would be days of misery.

"Alright, you can have lunch, but then you're gone right? I don't want your Dad worrying where you are or owt!"

"Ah, thanks Ste!" the teen grinned again.

Cheeky bastard, Ste thought.

It took about fifteen minutes to walk home, most of which Dec spent texting. Bloody teenagers, Ste thought, can't even be polite once they'd invited themselves to tea. He swung a jealous looking Lucas up onto his own shoulders, and clung on carefully to the little boys legs.

There was some post on the doormat, so he sent all the kids in as he picked it up and checked it through, then deposited it in the kitchen, and started digging out food and cutlery. It seemed less than a minute before Leah came bouncing back to him.

"Daddy, Daddy!" she screeched as she ran at him, and tugged his hand.

"What is it sweetheart?" he asked, continuing to prepare food.

"I've left Barbie at the park!"

"What?" Ste demanded, instantly annoyed.

"I left her on the field be the lake."

"What?" Ste repeated, "I told you not to take her. We was only playing football."

Leah looked at Declan who had followed her in, who looked sheepishly at Ste. "I'd go, but I don't know what I'm looking for."

"It's a Barbie doll, how hard can it be?"

"I'll stay and look after the kids, yeah? You'll only be five minutes."

"Er…"

"I'll make sandwiches!" shouted Leah.

"Er…" said Ste again, liking this less and less.

"I think I'd have to help you with that, Princess Leah," said Declan, firmly, "Go on," he encouraged Ste, "we'll be fine."

Ste grumbled as he walked out the door, not completely certain what had just happened. He marched back to the park, still grumbling about sneaky teenagers bullying him out of his own house.

He got to the park and stared across the greenery. He could see a few lads playing football, a lad sat on a picnic blanket next to a couple of bags, a few girls dotted around on swings with Mums watching half heartedly while they chatted, and a tall figure striding ahead of him.

Trying to search quickly, Ste made his way to where their own game had been, where the lad was now sat on the blanket. While he looked for the doll, Ste noticed that the tall man was going the same way, but mostly he was peering around bushes and under benches and stuff, hoping for the tell tale sign of the pink dress he was sure Leah had dressed her Barbie in.

Then he turned to ask the lad on the picnic blanket. "Ere, have you seen…"

He froze at the sight of a sheepish looking Paddy and a bemused Brendan.