"Mark...I swear if you are going to ask for my daughter's hand in marriage than I shall issue a warrant for your arrest" Flack couldn't contain his anticipation and he needed to get that idea out of his head and Mark's if necessary. Mark turned red and spluttered a little bit as he looked at Don and simply shook his head;

"No...Mr Flack...that's not it...I mean I value mine and Hannah's relationship a lot...but that is too early...we're both in college and don't want that...yet...that is...we might one day...but not at the moment. No." Mark managed to stammer and all that Flack could do was stand there and take a deep breath in relief.

"That's okay then Mark...I just worried...she's too young and the way you were fidgeting made me wonder...I thought wrong and I apologise" Don raised his hands up in surrender and the young man just nodded

"It's okay Mr Flack...but I do have a question and I wanted to ask with you to make sure it was alright before I ask Hannah"

"Fire away" Don told him

"Well my parents were wondering if Hannah would want to come away with us for a few weeks after Christmas to England...we have family out there...and it's during the winter break...but I wanted to check she would be allowed to go before getting her hopes up" Mark shrugged and Don thought about it for a moment.

"She's an eighteen year old girl Mark...she can make her own choices..." Don said and suddenly a woman laughed and she opened the kitchen door and walked into the room and wiped away her tears;

"Don...I love you baby...but we both know Hannah doesn't do anything without asking your permission" Jess suddenly said

"You've been listening into the conversation?" Don asked and she shrugged, taking a seat on the bar stool she had just left and she looked at Mark;

"I wanted to make sure you wasn't after his permission to marry Hannah...who knows what he would have done?" Jess said and Mark just gulped. If that day came then he would begin to worry about asking Don.

"So maybe I am a little protective over her...but she's my little girl...I have a right to be" Don shrugged and began to dry some pots

"Ah...key word there would be 'little'. Don, Hannah is a young woman...she's not that little anymore" Jess pointed out

"As long as she lives in my house and with me she is my little girl" Don responded, changing his tune from earlier on. He knew Hannah was growing up and she could make her own choices. But it didn't mean he had to agree with them. He was her father; it was his right to be hypocritical when dealing with her.

"Anyway" Mark suddenly interrupted "that was all I wanted to know"

"I'll need dates Mark...I want to know who you're flying with, where you'll be staying, contact numbers and you had best look after her" Don pointed a knife he was drying at Mark who's eyes went wide but he did nod in agreement;

"Of course Mr Flack" he said "I can get them no problem and I promise to look after her"

"Hmm...well...I foresee no problem them..." he said and Mark smiled once at nodded at Don;

"Thank you Mr Flack...well I had better be off...homework to do and all that...I'll see you later Mr Flack...Jess..." he said. Jess had made him call her by her first name, saying she didn't want him to address her like he did Don. But that was only because he was scared of Don and wanted to show him respect so that he didn't get into trouble with his girlfriend's father.

"And you thought he was going to ask if he could marry her?" Jess rolled her eyes

"Don't tell me you didn't think that too?" Don raised a brow and Jess shrugged;

"It had crossed my mind...it was the only explanation..." she said

"Hence why you were eavesdropping" Don concluded

"Hey!" she replied "I wanted to make sure the kid was safe if he did ask...Hannah wouldn't have been very happy to have learned you had killed her boyfriend"

"I wouldn't have killed him" Don muttered

"Yeah, you would" she responded "what would you have done? Apart from arrest him?"

"I would have told him it was too early for him to think of asking her to marry him and I wouldn't have given him my permission...I know I was young when I married Emily...but we both had jobs and was settled...Hannah isn't yet" Don explained

"And when she is?"

"When she is then I will tell him he has permission...as much as I begrudge it" Don grumbled

"So how did you get on asking my dad?" Jess wondered and Don turned red slightly at the memory of him being a stammering idiot.

"Alright" he lied

"Hmm" Jess wasn't convinced "anyway...I bet marriage is fun...and she'd probably love it"

"Who would love to get married?" Hannah suddenly asked as she walked into the kitchen and dumped down her college books.

"Not you...not until your thirty anyway" Don piped up and Jess just chuckled

"Okay then" Hannah nodded "how was the scan?"

"Here" Jess handed her the photo and Hannah examined it

"Oh you can see the head...and the stomach...legs...arms..." Hannah pointed out and Jess watched her

"How can you tell? It all looks like a blur" she stated

"No...we did about it in Biology...it's quite simple to be honest" Hannah shrugged "but I can see why many people think of it as a blur"

"I don't mind...they say it is a healthy baby and should do well...that is all I can ask for" Jess smiled and Don noticed the glimmer of joy in her eye and he couldn't help but share it with her.