AN: Sorry for the wait darlings! University has been madness. Literal Bedlam. Ashley, our bromance is a thing of legend now. Same goes for you. If you ever find yourself in the UK up Newcastle way, give me a shout :) Gosh, this loveaholic event is ending my life! I'm trying to get Nicos premium end then I can get Alyn and Sids sweet endings but I need so much charm :s At least there's a lucky time coming up, I'll be working my ass off trying to get as much charm as humanly possible. Oh my god, loveaholic part two in November is going to have Byron and Louis, my body is ready!

Wounds

They both sat on the couch, looking adoringly at Regina cradled in Stephens arms. The buzzer went for the front door downstairs and they both looked at each other. Stephen spoke, a little bit of confusion lacing his voice. "Odd. Doesn't everyone we know know the code for the door?"

"Yeah," Rory replied just as confused. "You stay with Gina. I'll get the door."

He nodded to her gently as she left the living room. She walked out of the flat, down the stairs and to the front door. She opened it with no clue as to who she'd see. Who she did see surprised her.

"Oh...good afternoon, Mrs Dene."

Diana Dene stood at the front door, unsure of what to do next. She smiled shyly at Rory. "Thank you...Mrs Dene." She chuckled softly at that.

"Well," Rory said, trying to ignore the previous hatred she had felt for this woman. "It's going to get a bit confusing if we both refer to each other as Mrs Dene. I'm Rory." If Stephen could try to build a bridge, then so could she. She held out her hand.

The other woman shook it, firm and yet uncertainly. "Diana."

Rory licked her lips and bit the inside of her cheek. "Would you...care to come in?"

Diana nodded shyly. "If-if that's ok."

"Please." Rory opened the door wider and stepped aside.

Diana came in carefully, unsure if she would really be welcome or not. "Thank you."

Rory closed the front door, exhaling quietly, trying to calm the beating of her heart. Diana stood wringing her hands together just as nervously. Rory forced a smile and stepped onto the stairs. "It's just up here."

Diana nodded and smiled politely and climbed the stairs behind Rory. Rory opened the flat door. She could hear Stephen in the living room, talking to Regina in a high pitched baby voice. Diana inhaled deeply when she heard her sons voice. Rory continued and walked towards the living room slowly. The door was partially ajar. Rory pushed the door open fully and looked at Stephen. His back was to the door and he had lain Regina down on one side of the couch. He kept placing his hands over his eyes and then taking them away again. "Peek a boo, I see you!" He covered his eyes again and gave a playful surprised gasp when he uncovered them again. "Huh! Peek a boo, I see you!" Regina was giggling. "Who's beautiful? Who's beautiful? That's right. You are. You're beautiful. Like your mummy. And daddy loves you very, very much. Yes he does." She giggled again and his normal voice returned as he picked her up and praised her lovingly. "Aww Gina, you're so cute when you giggle."

Diana smiled softly. Rory smiled at him warmly. She took a deep breath.

"Stephen?"

"Yeah?" He was still smiling at Regina.

"We have a visitor."

He gave Regina a kiss on the forehead and looked to Rory with a smile. His breath hitched when he saw the woman next to her. "Mother?"

She nodded to him quickly. "Hello Stephen."

He nodded to her in return and managed a small smile. "Hello."

She spoke hesitantly and fiddled with her handbag. "You, er, said I could visit?"

"Yes, of course. Please." He motioned to the other couch with the same small, uncertain smile. "Welcome to our home. You've met my wife?"

Diana smiled between her son and daughter-in-law as she walked over to the opposite couch. "Yes, I have. You've done well for yourself."

"Thank you," he whispered.

She smiled again and sat. She placed her handbag down on the floor and sat with her hands on her knees. Her hands were scrunching up the bottom of her skirt. Rory knew nerves when she saw them and both of the Denes in front of her were displaying them. Neither one of them knew how this was going to play out. An awkward silence fell on the room, broken only when Regina whimpered in Stephens arms. He reacted immediately, his attention turning to his daughter. He rocked her gently. "Shhh, it's ok. It's ok."

Rory exhaled quietly. "I'll put the kettle on." She looked to Diana. "How do you take your tea?"

"Oh, milk and two sugars, thank you." They both smiled at each other politely before Rory looked to Stephen. "Tea?"

He looked up from Regina and nodded. "Thank you, sweetheart."

Rory left the room leaving Stephen alone with his mother and daughter. They sat across from each other silently, occasionally glancing at each other, smiling nervously when they caught each other's eye. Diana opened her mouth to speak but closed it again almost as quickly. She licked her lips and tried again. "Rory seems lovely."

Stephen smiled and nodded. "She is. She's incredible. I don't know what I'd do without her."

"You both seem very much in love."

He chuckled shyly. "Of course. We're married." He thought he saw his mothers eyes flicker sadly at that. He briefly wondered if all was ok between her and his father. He continued. "Without her, I'd be a long time dead. We're very, very close. And yes, madly in love."

"That's good." She smiled again.

The silence returned for a few seconds before Stephen spoke. "Does father know you're here?"

"Yes. He wasn't pleased."

"But you came anyway?"

She nodded gently. Her eyes fell to the baby. She cleared her throat as she reached down for her handbag. She pulled it up onto her lap. "I, er, have some things for Regina."

Stephen watched her curiously as she searched through her handbag. She pulled out a small teddy bear. It was old and one of its eyes was missing. This was followed quickly by a small, pink baby dress. "I think the dress will still be a bit big for her and the teddy bear isn't new but I thought she should have them. After all, they...they did belong to the aunt she was named for."

She placed the teddy on the dress and put both on the table in front of her. Stephen looked at them, his lips slightly parted. He thought that everything that had belonged to Gina was long gone save for the books he had salvaged. He never imagined that his mother would keep things like what was in front of him. He expertly held Regina with one arm while his other hand went to pick up the teddy bear. He held it close to her. His voice wavered as he spoke. "Here you go Gina. This is from your grandma. It belonged to your aunty. And now it's yours." Regina giggled at the bear and Stephen looked back to his mother. "Thank you."

The living room door opened and Rory came in with a tray of mugs. She placed it down on the table, avoiding the dress. "What a beautiful dress that is."

"Yeah," Stephen agreed. "It belonged to my sister. Mother brought it for Gina." Rory looked across to the other woman. "It's lovely. Thank you."

Diana smiled as Rory set her mug on the table in front of her. When she had put the mugs down, she went over to Stephen. "Do you want me to take her?"

Stephen looked up and smiled. "Please." He handed Regina to Rory as he picked up his mug and took a sip of the tea. He set it back down with a gentle tap.

Diana looked to Stephen and then to Rory. Her eyes turned to the baby again. Her voice shook and she was sure her request would be denied. And she would deserve it if it was. She held out her arms hesitantly. "May I?"

Rory looked at her, then to Stephen. Stephens attention was fixed solely on his mother. His eyes were wide and his mouth was slightly parted. Rory looked back to her and nodded. "Of course." She approached Diana carefully and placed Regina in her arms.

She cradled her gently and memories of her own Regina at this age flooded her mind. Where had she gone wrong? At what point did she stop caring for her daughter? How could she have done that? She had noticed Regina becoming more and more destructive to herself. Why didn't she do anything when she had the chance? And yet, she already knew the answers. She was too self involved. All she wanted to think about was the next holiday or Stephen getting into Eton. But even Stephen didn't get her full attention. She wasn't a mother to either one of them. And then Regina had died and she wouldn't let Stephen grieve properly, wouldn't let him mention her without a reprimand. Then he had tried to kill himself. She had almost lost him too and yet she still didn't do anything. She didn't visit him in the psychiatric hospital, she hadn't supported his dream of being a police officer, she had never let him be who he was. She hadn't cared until it was too late to care.

Diana looked down at Regina and her chest started to heave as she considered her own failings as a parent. At least Stephen hadn't learnt from them. She and her husband weren't good parents and he clearly was. She had only seen him with Regina briefly but it was evident that he knew how to be a loving father. It came natural to him. She wished it had come natural to her too. "I'm sorry," she whispered to the baby, although it was directed to the daughter who could no longer hear her and the son she was sure she had lost long ago. Stephens lip quivered and he bit it as he watched her while Rory looked between them sadly. "I'm sorry," Diana said again, but louder. She looked up to Rory and held Regina out to her. Rory took her daughter and stepped back. Diana looked across to Stephen as tears fell. "I'm sorry," she said a third time, but this time her voice gave way into sobs. She covered her face with her hands and wept unashamedly. Stephen watched her in shock for a moment before standing and walking over to the couch she sat on. A single tear slipped down his cheek as he sat down beside her. He gingerly placed on hand on her shoulder. "Mother?"

Diana looked up to him slowly. Her breath was ragged from crying. Stephen tried to smile but his lip quivered too much. He sobbed a couple of times before he managed to get the words out. "It's ok." He bit his lip and sniffed. He nodded to her, trying to reassure her. "It's ok." And then he wept as heavily as she had done. For the first time he could remember, he felt his mothers arms around him and he cuddled into her as they cried against each other gently.

A tear slipped down Rory's cheek and she smiled as she watched her husband and her mother-in-law attempt to heal a long open wound. She looked down to her daughter who had fallen asleep against her. She rocked her gently and, with one final look to the crying pair on the couch, she left the room. She walked up the stairs to the bedrooms softly, and opened the door to the nursery. She placed a small kiss on Regina's forehead and placed her in the cot.

She sat down on the rocking chair next to the cot and looked down at the sleeping baby. She smiled brightly as she thought about the pair downstairs. It had taken her granddaughter to make Diana Dene realise that she loved her children. She could never repair her relationship with Regina. That chance had been taken away from her. And she'd never know that the chance to repair things with Stephen had very nearly been taken away from her too. Several times.

But she was trying now and it was better late than never.