It was Halloween in Walford, and the whole square was getting into the spirit with the traditional party in the Vic that was held every year.
Abi was in her bedroom getting ready. It was 7 O'clock and she was due to meet Jamie in half an hour. The pair were going as a duo; Batman and Catwoman and Abi was fully kitted out with a black, skin-tight jumpsuit, knee-length boots and a burlesque mask. Her blonde locks were straightened and in a high ponytail that reached down to her bra. She finished the look with red lipstick.
She didn't need Jamie to tell her she looked good tonight, she already knew it.

Jay was spending longer than usual to get ready tonight. He knew that Abi loved celebrating Halloween and their was no doubt in his mind that she would be at the party tonight. Tonight was the night he was going to confess his feelings for her. He was sure if he got her to believe him she'd give up Jamie in an instant.
Jay was keeping it simple tonight, dressed as a Circus Lion Tamer. The red suit jacket and black brogues made him look dapper and he finished the look off with a fake whip. How would Abi resist?

Jamie got to Abi's dead on half past. He was never late, it was one of the attributes she liked about him. She took the steps two at a time and answered the front door.
"Hey."
"Wow, Abi...you look amazing."
She pecked him on the lips. "Thanks, you don't look to bad yourself."
Jamie leant in for another kiss but Abi stepped back.
"Do you know how long it took me to this makeup? I'm not having you messing up."

The door bell went in the Mitchell house but Jay didn't hurry to get it, knowing it would only by Lola.
"Alright?" he asked opening the door.
Lola was dressed as a fairy, complete with angel wings and a wand.
"Wow," Lola said. "You look smart."
"I'm trying to impress, aren't I?" Jay reminded her, closing the door behind him.
"Do you really think this is going to work, Jay?" Lola questioned. "I mean, Abi hasn't even spoken to me for two weeks, since we had that argument, so what makes you think she'll give the time to you?"
"I just know."

Abi had agreed to meet up with some of her old high school friends at the Vic so she could introduce them to Jamie. Now that her and Lola weren't talking, she needed all the friends she could get. When the couple arrived, Bernadette, Hannah and her boyfriend, Josh, were already sat down at a table.
"Abi," Bernadette stood up to give her friend a hug. "Long time no see. How are you?"

Jay noticed Abi as soon as he walked in. It was hard not to, she looked amazing.
"I've got to give it to her," Lola said. "The girl scrubs up well."
"She looks great," Jay agreed.
The pair made their way over to where Ben was sat with Paul. He was still keeping quiet to Phil about their relationship, but he hadn't given Paul up since Abi had put an end to things.
"Alright, Benjy?"
"You're in a good mood."
"Tonight's gonna be a good night, I can feel it."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that. Have you seen who Abi is with?"
Jay and Lola both turned to look at Abi, who was stood at the bar with her boyfriend. "What? Jamie?"
Jay had no doubt in his mind that Abi would be here with Jamie tonight. Getting her alone was going to be the only problem.
"No, their table," Ben explained. "She's brought her minions with her."
Jay realised who he meant then when he saw Bernadette, Hannah and Josh sitting at a table. Bernadette had never liked him, she thought he wasn't good enough for Abi but she was one to talk. The two of them used to have so many arguments Jay could never keep up whether they were friends or not. The task ahead just got more difficult.

Abi was at the bar ordering another drink. It was getting later, about eleven, and she'd lost count now of the amount of alcohol she had already consumed. Everybody knew Abi wasn't very good at handling her drinks and she was slightly, no, very tipsy.
She stumbled in her heels as she went to take her drink and somebody caught her by the elbow.
"Whoops, careful. You okay?"
Abi looked over at the speaker. Of course it was Jay. She looked back at Jamie to make sure he hadn't seen then walked away.

Great, Jay thought. She isn't even talking to me now. How was Jay supposed to get her on her own when she was constantly looking over her shoulder to see if her idiot boyfriend was coming? He needed a plan, and fast.

Abi turned to Jamie half an hour later. "I think I need some air."
The alcohol was undoubtedly taking it's effect now and Abi was feeling dizzy, and slightly sick.
Jamie stood up. "I'll come with you."
"No, it's okay. You stay here, enjoy yourself. I won't be long."
"You sure?"
Abi nodded and headed outside.

Now was his chance.
Abi had just gone outside. Jay guessed it was because she had had too much to drink and wasn't feeling too great. He knew her well.
He looked over to her table first to make sure Jamie didn't see him and snuck out of he opposite door Abi had used.
When he got outside he found her outside on Arthur's bench, her elbows on her knees.
"Hey," he began, sitting next to her.
"Jay," she sighed. "I don't want any trouble tonight."
"That's alright then, because I'm not here to give you any."
"If Jamie-"
"He didn't see me, I made sure of it." He paused but she didn't say anything else. "How are you feeling?"
"Shitty," she answered.
Jay snickered. Abi rarely swore and it always made him laugh when she did.
"You should know by now, you and alcohol don't mix well together."
"Yeah," she agreed. "You would have thought I'd learnt my lesson when I ran over my dog."
"Actually, there's something I wanted to talk to you about."
Abi sat up straight. "What is it?"
Jay stared at her. It was hard to concentrate on forming the right words when she looked as good as she did.
"Stop looking at me like that," she told him.
"I can't help it. You look beautiful tonight."
"Jay, please."
"Abs, you know I still like you."
She sighed and went to stand up but her drunken state didn't get her very far.
"I'm still in love with you, Abs."
Abi paused. "No, no you're not."
"I thought our night together would have proved that to you but it obviously didn't so I'm going to put everything on the table now...Abs, I want to be with you, okay? I love you more than anything and this has nothing to do with sex, I promise you. I'd go without out it if that meant you would get back with me. I just want to be with you, Abi."
"How can you say that?" Abi spun around to face him. "After everything that happened, how can you say that?"
"Because it's the truth."
"How can it be when you broke up with me because you didn't love me anymore?"
"Abs, how many times do I have to tell you that I made a mistake? I should have never have broken up with you."
"But you did," she shrugged. "You said you didn't love me."
"Look, I was just confused. Ben was back, and I just found out Phil had been sleeping with Shirley behind Sharon's back-"
"That has nothing to do with your feelings for me."
"Things between us were strained, okay? I admit it, and then you brought Lola into it and I thought that maybe you were right. That maybe I did like her, but I wasn't in love with her. I was never in love with her. I love you, Abi."
"No, I'm just a tool. You know, I never understood it, why the week before the wedding you were willing to move to Boston with me, leave your family behind and then the next thing I know we weren't together anymore but it's starting to make sense now."
"What is?"
"You chose your family, over me. That's why you wanted to stay, and breaking up with me got you out of having to come. Now that you were all clear with the police you didn't need to come with me anymore."
"Abi, that isn't how it was. I promise you."
"Jay, I am so fed up of all your promises. You kept so much from me when we were together. How can you call that a relationship?"
"I loved you. That was all that ever mattered."
"But it wasn't enough. I wasn't enough."
"Abs, you know that isn't true."
"Kitty."
That one word made all of those memories from that summer come flooding back to Jay's head. He never understood why he'd done that to her.
"Abi, we've been through this."
"I loved you more than you ever loved me. That was always our problem. I never even thought about looking at another guy but you cheated on me and yet you claim you loved me. You broke up with me and you claim you loved me."
"Loved? Abi, I still do love you. What do I have to do to prove it to you?"
"This is getting us nowhere," Abi turned to go. ""Jamie will be wondering where I am."
Jay took her arm and spun her around.

They were so close now she could feel to coldness of his breath on her cheek. She had to get out of here. She couldn't do this.
"Please, Abi," Jay whispered now that they were closer. "Please, just give me one chance to prove you wrong, and if I don't I'll leave you alone. You'll never have to see me again."
"You know I can't do that."
"Why not?"
"I can't put myself through it again, Jay. I just can't do it."
"You won't have to. I'll never hurt you again."
"You can't promise me that."
"You're right, I can't. But I can promise that I will never leave you again, I can promise you that I'll stay with you no matter what happens. Abi, please. Just give me one last shot."
A tear rolled down Abi's cheek as she shook her head no.
Why wouldn't he give up? Couldn't he see what he was doing to her?
Jay put a hand to her cheek to wipe away her tears and despite the cold weather his hand was warm. Her eyes fluttered close out of habit and then she could feel him kissing her. She didn't want to kiss him back but she couldn't resist.

After all those years they'd spent together, all those kisses they'd shared, nothing had ever felt as passionate as this. Maybe it was because Jay wanted her so bad, he didn't know, but he knew that he couldn't be without her any longer.
Jay's hands slipped down to Abi's waist and he leaned into her , deepening their kiss further. He felt her shift so that her arms were round his neck. He didn't want it to end.
But then she pulled back.
"Abs," he whispered.
"Jay, I'm sorry. I love you so so much but I can't do this."
"Abi, please."
"I'm sorry," she called over her shoulders as she walked away.