Hello one and all! I feel like I say this every chapter, but sorry that this was not up sooner, although I expected it not to be. Between school, family stuff, illness and a broken laptop I have either not had much time or capabilities allowing me to write and update. The worst part is that I needed a new hobby to unwind from school without my laptop, which occurred at a stupid time when all of these new TV programs were starting. I had not intention to watch anything other than my regular shows and The Mole, but suddenly I've found myself a Big Brother, Please Marry My Boy, Formal Wars, Slide Show and Wonderland addict... Brilliant.

Enjoy this chapter! After a strangely productive day of a class, managing to write like a quarter of chapter 28 in an hour despite Braden's distractions and talking, oddly easy driving lesson, working and party shopping, I was in the mood for an update! Note: reviews make my day just that bit better! ;)

Chapter 26 – Taking The Lead

Will's POV

"Yeah?" "Mmm, yeah." "Oh really?" … "Yeah."

My date could be summarized in those four words. The most diversity that had occurred over the hour that had already passed was that of greeting words such as "hi" and "how've you been?" All in all, I was getting really close to pulling my own teeth out just for the sake of doing something.

"So really, the client had been implying that they wanted the designs to be printed out on stainless steel, but turns out that it was just the colour scheme that she had been wanting. It was a massive mess. Plus, it put me out of pocket a bit, so hopefully I can claim it on tax."

"Yeah, that's a shame. Hopefully." We'd been discussing her clients and different problems she had experienced at work for the last six months in what could be described as one of the most boring dates imaginable, when finally in a twist of fate I had a windfall of luck. "Hold that story for a second, Amy" I said, interrupting her as she went on to further discuss the marginal tax rate bracket that they could claim with work, while I was busy pulling out my mobile phone that I had felt sensations of feeling from within my pocket.

"Hey Rikki" I answered with a tone accidentally chirpier than any other that I had spoken in passed the "hello's" and greeting of our date, having realized that perhaps Rikki was the easy out that I needed.

"Hi. What are you doing at the moment? Are you busy?" Rikki asked quickly, equaling around the same length as what my "Hey Rikki" had lasted.

I looked over to Amy, who was watching me intently as I spoke on the handheld device, as I realized that I couldn't just blurt out that I wasn't busy at all and that I wished for her to save me. "Uh… It depends. What's up?" I answered as vaguely as I could come up with on the spot and under the pressure of my girlfriend.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry. I completely forgot that Bella asked me to let you and Zane know that she needs to talk to the three of us this afternoon. Zane was already home, but she's here with Allie now if you can make it? I sense that it's either something pretty urgent or quite important."

As if one of those sentences wasn't enough to free any plans that I had, the combination of the three ensured that the deal of getting home was signed, sealed and delivered.

"Alright Rikki. I'll be there in a few minutes." Out of the corner of my eye I had noticed Amy's head prick up at my last sentence before I proceeded to end the call. I felt marginally guilty that I had been so eager for the date to dissolve as soon as it possibly could, but it was somewhat ironic given that the date had been a total fizzer in the first place.

"Sorry Amy" I said, kissing her cheek as a partial substitute for my disappearing act and lack of presence, dumping her on our date. "Something's come up at home. From what Rikki said, it sounds like it's pretty urgent."

She nodded, placing a hand on my arm along with her offers. "Everything okay? Is there anything I can do to help? Want me to come with?"

"Nah. Don't worry about it. Anyway, I've got to run. See you around."

As I hurried inside with the sense of fast paced rushing, I was slightly set back to see the polar scene in the lounge room of the house I shared. Rikki and Bella were sitting next to each other, sharing a lounge and intently in conversation with two steaming hot drinks sitting in front of them on the coffee table indicating that they mustn't have been like that for very long. Allie was contently seated on Bella's lap watching whatever brightly coloured, heavily animated children's program was on ABC2 and playing softly in the background. Meanwhile on the lounge closest to the TV, Zane appeared to be about as mesmerized and interested in the show as the one-year-old child was.

"Hey…" I said softly with a slight hesitance at breaking the girls from their conversation and the 'kids' from the TV show.

"Hi Will," was the only reply that I received from my ex-girlfriend, considering that Rikki obviously dismissed herself from greeting me due to our housemate-conditions and the living proximity which she felt that excused her from common greetings, while Zane's attention didn't break away from the television.

"Sit down," Rikki snapped sharply, speaking in a tone anything other than the friendly greeting that I delivered to her and the others. "This one" she added with a gesture to Bella, "said she wouldn't talk about why she's here until all of us were here."

I made my way next to Zane, sharing the lounge where he was absorbed by the TV that led to an uncomfortable silence. Rikki looked at Bella, Bella looked at Rikki and I had no idea where to look, so my gaze naturally fell on watching the little girl. Something that was eventually noticed by her mother…

"Do you want a hold?" Bella proposed, gesturing to our little girl sitting on her lap contently.

"Uh, sure" I said and I could tell that I would have sounded nervous. My voice obviously did not translate to how I really felt about her question. Honestly, I was excited at the idea of spending time, getting to know my daughter. The delivery of my excitement, however, turned out to be a very different story.

As Allie was placed on my lap, the program she was watching was long forgotten and she observed me, emotionless. The only thing I could sense was that the jury was out on me and the next few seconds would be the deal breaker of what the critiquing child's opinion of me was. A one-year-old would have wanted to be impressed or entertained, but the problem was that on the spot, I had no idea how to do that.

Stories of my childhood consisted of Sophie entertaining toddler-me, which had been told through our parents where the games were: 'when Sophie tried to stuff as many tissues as she could fit in her baby brothers mouth' or 'when Sophie pushed Will off the swing and left him outside until we realized he was missing'. I didn't have much to go off of when it came to child-entertaining.

Fortunately, before I knew it Allie had burst out giggling and I smiled with relief, until I realized that it was all thanks to Zane who had come next to me peek-a-booing her, rather than a sudden surge of interest and excitement at me.

The other three of us watched as Zane easily entertained the toddler on my lap with both as oblivious to my presence as the other. I attempted to join in with the two's fun, bouncing Allie on my lap, accentuating Zane's peek-a-boos, all without the bat of an eyelid in my direction from her. Obviously Zane was the flavor of the month for Allie.

Instead of trying again with Allie and Zane, I looked over to the girl's with the hope of a higher success and acknowledgment rate. "So what's up Bella? Why have you rounded us all up here?"

"Uh" Bella started, before hesitating to finish what she was saying, looking down to the floor intently instead. It was obviously something that was difficult for her to come right out with and say. "Um, a few things have happened and it's been getting a bit worse, so I've, um, made the decision to leave Daniel."

I was completely surprised, ecstatic, but surprised before the silence which followed the announcement allowing us all to process the thought was broken by Rikki as she wrapped her friend in a hug. "Are you kidding? That's fantastic! I'm glad you're finally seeing some sense girlie!"

However, instead of sharing Rikki's initial excitement, there were a few other big questions that formed within my mind and overwrote the initial reaction of happiness.

"What changed your mind? Has he done something else? Are you okay?" I checked quickly, with Bella reacting far more noticeably to Rikki by adding to their hugging embrace than me, compared to a mere twitch in response to my question.

Rikki's excitement at the revelation faded upon listening to and understanding my question that I posed to Bella who had still failed to provide an answer, a matter which Rikki took into her own hands.

"Bella? Come on… You can tell us…" Rikki whispered gently in encouragement as Bella bit her lip, looking away.

We both kept an intense and unwavering eye on Bella who eventually looked over to us, wearing little emotion on her face... Something I knew meant that she was trying to keep to herself, for whatever reason.

"Don't worry. What happens between us is beside the point; it doesn't change the fact that I'm breaking up with him, and that's what I need you guys help for. So we're going out for dinner tonight and when we get back, I'll go out saying that I'm leaving to pick up Allie, but I just won't come back. I'll get an AVO against him after we leave and stuff, but he can't know that I'm coming back. I'm not strong enough to stand up against him like that if he's knows what's going on, otherwise he'll somehow persuade me to stay or I won't be able to bring myself to leave him."

There was no point in fighting with her, only seizing the moment and taking full advantage of the fact that she was still asking for our help and still planning to escape her toxic relationship.

"Alright. What's the plan? What do you need us to help you with?"

Rikki and I watched closely as Bella took a deep breath, rubbing her hands on the top of her legs as you would to warm up. "Okay… There are a few things that are going to complicate it, but he won't be around until dinner, so I have a chance to get some of our things packed and out. I've made a few smaller withdrawals from the bank account incase he freezes my access to it up and-" Bella said explaining her plans before I interrupted her.

"Where are you going to go?" I questioned, concerned that the girls would not be a hundred percent safe away from Daniel. "Your parents?"

She shook her head at my question before elaborating on her response. "No. I considered that, but I didn't really want to pull them into the mess if Daniel tries to find us. He knows where they live, so it's not really the best option."

"What is the best option then? If you think you'd be safer here, I'm sure you two would be more than welcome to stay here, Bella. There'll basically always be someone else home to make sure he doesn't try anything to get you back."

Again, Bella shook her head as a simple response. "Thanks, but again, he knows the place and I don't really want to drag you guys into this anymore than I have to. I was just going to get a hotel room somewhere. There's hundreds around the Gold Coast so he wouldn't even know where to start and I'm pretty sure that I'd have enough money to cover it until things settle down." Bella's idea wasn't a bad one and seemed legitimate and secure, but I realized that I might have had one up on hers.

At this point, Zane started to tune into the conversation again, having lost the attention of the little girl in my lap as she once again became absorbed in the programs playing on the television.

"I've got another idea for you, Bella. Sophie still owns the boat shed; she bought my half off me a while ago when I moved in with Zane, but I still have keys and she only uses it maybe once or twice a year."

A few seats away from myself, Bella cringed at the idea. "It's like Goldilocks… Where is she then, if she's not living there? I can't imagine she'd be very excited coming home and finding me of all people there."

"She's got herself a pretty good job but flits between Sydney and Melbourne mostly" I shrugged, understanding Bella's point, especially given the fact that Sophie and Bella had never really managed to balance out their likability of one another even while we had been together. "Sophie basically just keeps the place in case she needs a getaway from work or a little holiday to see me."

"I don't know, Will... A hotel is probably the easier option."

Before I had an opportunity to reply with insistence on her accepting my offer, Zane contributed to the conversation for the first time today. "I agree with Will's idea. It's pretty isolated and low-key. Perfect for hiding away… I've lived here for my whole life and know the Gold Coast like the back of my hand, but before Will lived there, I had no idea the place even existed."

Bella nodded slowly, looking over in my direction, but with her gaze only settling on who was on my lap. "Alright. If you think it's safe and undetectable and that Sophie won't drop in, I guess it couldn't hurt to give it a shot there. Thank you, Will."

"No problems - It's the least I can do to help out. But anyway, what did you need us three for in the first place?"

With a deep breath, Bella began to explain what she informed us of as being the first big complication, looking mostly back and forth between Rikki and myself. "Well, I've arranged to have dinner with him at Surfer's and figured I'd be able to get away when we got home, after I tell him I've gone to get Allie. Dan thinks my parents are looking after her tonight, but I was wondering whether you two would be able to look after her somewhere else. Just in case something goes wrong tonight, I just want her to be safe and someplace he has no clue of... I was thinking the hotel room, but I guess the boat house is fine too if Allie and I stay there."

"Of course we can do that… It's the least that we can do to help out tonight." Rikki replied first, enthusiastically and evidently bearing no doubt or uncertainty as she fulfilled Bella's request, before I too added to the confirmation. "Yeah, it'll be no trouble."

I identified a momentary look of relief flooding over Bella's face before she thanked us. "Thank you so much guys. That is such a weight off, knowing that she'll be safe and in good company. I can drop her off an hour or so before the dinner, if you want. That way, she'll only be up and need looking after for an hour or so before her bedtime, so hopefully it won't put you two out too much."

"Are you kidding? An hour or so? That's nothing Bella! We can look after her from now if you want, if you have other things you need to get done before tonight."

I watched Bella as Rikki spoke, but noticed the obvious fact that she appeared hesitant and nowhere near as relieved by this proposition than as she was by knowing that we didn't mind looking after her. "Um, okay, I guess… Are you sure that won't impose on you and your plans for today too much, Rikki? And you don't think that that might be a bit long for you to look after Allie, Will?"

"What plans, Bella? Stop worrying so much and just accept our help!" Once again, Rikki was the fast one and the first to respond to Bella's visible uncertainty of the new suggestion. I could see her point, and see why she'd be a bit hesitant… She knew I had as much experience with children as a 16-year-old carrying fresh leaner L-plates out of the Motor Registry Office had with driving. Just as I would be thrown in the deep end with babysitting, it would be as though the same inexperienced 16-year-old would be pushed into driving the Bruce Highway from Brisbane to Cairns. All of the potential of a recipe for disaster…

"I agree with Rikki. Lets us help you… How hard can looking after her be? Besides, I'll have Rikki's help and experience, too. We'll be fine." I didn't add the fact that we'd also have Zane –the secret baby whisperer- to our advantage too.

Bella's initial uncertainty began to noticeably shift a little as a smile showed slightly more assurance and confidence in the plans for today's events. "There's just one more thing I'm going to need help with… Zane?"

The distracted brunette had gone back to entertaining Allie by playing 'round and round the garden' on her teeny hands, partway through our conversation again until his head pricked up in recognition of his name. "Yeah?"

"There are a few favours I'm going to need your help with. Something needs to be done about the photos of us girls that Dan has which will compromise our secret. He clears his photos on his phone pretty regularly to keep the speed of it up, so I know that they would only be on his computer and external hard-drive. If I give you the house key while we're out, could you please go inside and either find them on the computer and clear them completely, or just take the whole thing if you can't?"

Zane nodded from where the two people involved in the current topic were conversing from opposite ends of the room. "Sure, that's easy, but what about the hard-drive?"

"I've already grabbed that but the laptop goes with him to work and basically never his side long enough for me to do anything about it. Also, it's probably better if we take one car to the apartment or you park away from it, in case Dan gets a bit suspicious…" Zane nodded at the clarification, leading to a silence among every person in the room.

"Anyway, I guess I better head off and get some of the finer details cleared up… So I'll leave you guys to it" Bella's words were like a cue of a production as all four of us stood up from our seats in synchronization; slowly walking towards the entrance of my shared home before we all stopped within meters of the door.

"Thanks again for all of your help guys – I promise that I will make it up to you all, when I can, however I can…"

Not for the first time this afternoon, Rikki was the first to reply to her friend. Mind you, with a reply that undoubtedly represented all three of our opinions. "Just get out of there safely and get rid of the bastard. That's all the repayment we will need."

"Thank you" Bella whispered with a grateful smile as the girls opened their arms to each other for a close hug.

After the girls pulled away from each other, I was 'next in line', so as to speak. As Rikki stepped away, reducing the gap between Bella and myself, there was a moment of idle awkwardness while Bella and I stood in front of each other, both of us as sure as each other as to what action we were going to make next; wave, hug, handshake… At least we were on a level playing field, being as clueless as the other as to what our new boundaries with each other were.

I noticed her hands fumble as she made an uncomfortable half-hearted attempt to slip her fingertips into her pants pocket. Abnormally for myself, I bit the bullet in an attempt to reduce at least some of the awkwardness, making a bold move and hoping to assist with the uncomfortable process of marking out the rules of whatever we were. Friends? … Or just acquaintances that share a child?

"Come here" I said, informing the other party as I took a step closer to her, clearly opening my arms to show the universal gesture of signaling a hug. The hug wasn't long, but it was long enough for me to whisper: "I'm proud of you. You're braver than you think you are by standing up against Daniel." She didn't reply, but as the hug ended and our bodies separated, I noted the small smile that lingered on her lips.

Zane was the final person to move closer towards her as I backed away and the two confirmed the plans for going to the apartment and what not tonight, as he held my daughter after being designated as Allie's holder, due to her blatantly obvious insistence in the matter after having crawled her way over to his lap from mine on the lounge. The two wrapped up their conversation of details and I heard Bella asking to say goodbye to Allie before she went.

Zane handed Allie back to the Bella, who upon reaching her mother's arms let out a little squeal of "mum" – without the vowel, excitedly pointing back to Zane. I smiled at the little act before attempting to give it my own translation. "It's like she's saying 'Hey mum, here's my new friend!'"

Holding our little girl close with a small laugh, she looked over to me. "Well done. I'm surprised that you can understand the one-word-sentences and get the toddler lingo down already."

Yet another silence fell on the room, unusually, considering the close friendships of smaller combinations of the people in the room. Rikki leant against the wall comfortably and contently, waiting to see her guest out, Zane appeared bored and as though he might leave the room at any moment and I noticed the increasing glassiness of Bella's eyes as she held Allie closer and closer in her arms. Bella saw me watching her and quickly gave Allie another cuddle, kissing her hair that featured a single decorative butterfly clip before holding her out towards me.

"Sorry, I won't hold you guys up anymore. Here, you can take her… Look after her. If you guys have any problems, call me. Hopefully I'll see you later."

Bella gave Allie one more kiss on her lightly coloured locks as she reluctantly let her go from my grasp, giving the rest of us a brief wave as she walked out quickly, without another word.

And another chapter bites the dust! Hope you all enjoyed reading it and as per-usual, I would love opinions, thoughts and views on anything in the chapter.

Right from as soon as Allie was revealed as being Will's, a lot of people had started reviewing about and requesting that they wanted to see Will getting to know and forming a bond with Allie. Now that's sort of being set in the early stages of progressing so I hope that you're enjoying that. However, it's not going to be smooth sailing as many picked up on last chapter. Not everyone is natural with kids which is something I'm trying to draw out from this, but I hope it's coming across okay since I'm the total opposite.

Finally, a lot have reviewed saying how they want Daniel seriously hurt/dead in revenge for abusing Bella. I completely respect THAT opinion, but I personally don't believe it works that way, and that two bouts of violence will not right each other, unless out of self-defense. While I have fortunately enough never been in a physically abusive relationship, I have had the unpleasant and manipulative experience of a toxic relationship. Not the same, no, but that personal experience is where I have been drawing of Bella's decisions and uncertainty prior to now. However, that DOES NOT mean that Dan's going to walk away scot-free. Justice will be dealt and I honestly believe that someone like Daniel suffers more with mental/emotional pain, than how any violence would hurt him. Daniel's story is not over yet.

Next chapter: Lewis and Cleo both struggle with the emotional and physical damage of Lewis' GBS. With Cleo being pushed closer and closer to the edge of giving up, will she when Lewis needs her?