DON'T OWN EMMERDALE OR IT'S CHARACTERS...ITV'S PROPERTY

Chapter 11/15

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Debbie came down the stairs and looked at Ross slumped on the sofa with an empty bottle of whiskey in his grasp. She huffed to herself and went over and took the bottle off him, Ross woke up at that instant.

"What time is it", he yawned and held his head.

"Late if you must know...look at the state of you, I thought you said you weren't drinking anymore"

Ross sat up, his head was banging, "helps me forget"

Debbie chucked the bottle into the recycling and heard it rattle with several other empty bottles, "She's not even dead yet and look at ya...Ross this has to stop"

Ross pulled himself off the sofa and looked at her painfully because of the hangover, "Have you got any paracetamol in that cupboard in the bathroom?"

"Ross...didn't you hear me"

Ross made a nagging expression with his hand, "You're all that! Just give it a rest, will ya..."

Debbie watched him disappear up the stairs, "Then at least tidy yourself up abit...you'll scare away the customers"

Ross laughed, "WHAT CUSTOMERS..."

Debbie sighed and leaned on the bannister post. This was getting worse. Ross was very slowly losing it.

XXX

Laurel was full of the morning joys when she saw Donna come down the stairs, "Morning!"

Donna went into the kitchen and got herself a glass of water to take her Meds, "Morning, she returned.

Laurel removed the laundry basket off the chair so Donna could sit down, "You look better today..."

Donna swallowed her tablets and smiled at her, "yeah...I think today's gonna be a good day...which is just as well because it's April's first day back at school"

Laurel started bundling the washing into the machine, "I tell you what, though...Marlon's been acting really oddly since yesterday...do you know if anyones upset him"

"Me? Why are you asking me for? Anyway, it's Marlon int it...he has his funny moments, doesn't he"

Laurel shrugged at her, "Yeah...I suppose"

Donna went to get April ready. Laurel knew that Donna was something to do with it but she couldn't go accusing her of anything. She sighed and slammed the washing machine hatch up...all she could do was try and sort out what was going off in that head of his.

XXX

"ROSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS"

April ran up the forecourt to where Ross was working on a car. Donna was following her. Ross turned and crouched down to the girl, "hiya there young April...you are looking all pretty this morning, aren't yah?"

Donna smiled at him, "It's her first day back..."

Ross looked back to April, "Well that explains it, doesn't it...I used to hate school me...I bet you love school, don't ya"

"I love my teacher...she's nice...but not as nice as Mummy...why did you hate school Ross"

"Well I'm a bit of a thicko me when it comes to all that reading and writing lark...bet you are really clever though"

April looked up to her mother, "Mummy says I am"

Ross stood up as Donna laughed, "I don't know who she gets it from"

Debbie was watching them over a clipboard inside, Donna notices, "Why is she watching you for?"

Ross dismissed her, "Oh she's on my case like always...thinks I'm a right Lazy git her...", he then slams the bonnet down on the car he was working on and peeled his gloves off, "Right...best get this motor back to it's owner"

Debbie was hurrying out and grabbed the keys off him, "No it's alright Ross...you can start on that one over there"

Donna frowned. Debbie was quick to take the keys off Ross, why was that?

"I best get April to school, meet up for lunch?"

Ross smiled back at her, "In the pub yeah? "

Marlon came out of the shop just in time to see Ross kiss Donna on the cheek and for him to say to April, "Ohhh I'm not leaving you out you can have a kiss off me too darling"

Marlon saw red. He was seething inside. How dare Donna let that creep scumbag kiss his little girl. Storming up the road, he was sure to have words with Donna later.

XXX

Marlon was festering all morning, and when it came to lunch-time he looked up to see Ross enter the pub and get himself served a pint at the bar.

"Oi you...I saw you earlier", cried Marlon looking like he was going to punch him one. Ross side glanced him and pulled a face, "saw me what?"

"Kiss April...YOU stay away from MY little girl!", hissed Marlon seething with anger.

Ross was taken aback by that statement and looked at him, "You what? Are YOU accusing me of being somekind of perv, because if you are...", his fists clenched.

"Just stay AWAY from her!"

Ross had his card all marked, he knew what Marlon was thinking, "I suppose you mean stay away from Donna in all...You're SICK you are. You are engaged to goodietwo shoes..YET..you are still chasing after your ex..."

Marlon raised his eyebrows, "You are just WITH HER to get at me, I know your game"

Ross seemed surprised by that, "is that what YOU think? ...I love her...SHE loves me..."

"THEN WHY DID SHE KISS ME!", hissed Marlon leaning right into Ross, the mechanic nearly choked on his pint.

"You what?"

Marlon was all smug, at last he had cleaned off that smile off his face, " You heard...ohhh dear Ross...touched a nerve, have I...?"

Ross backed away and then, with a face like thunder, stormed out the pub in anger.

XXX

Debbie was hurrying up the street when she heard him kicking the shit out of one of the motors on the forecourt. The Mini was battered enough as it was without Ross adding to the damage.

"ROSS! ROSS WHAT ARE YOU DOING!"

She grabbed his arm, but he shook her off him, "GET OUT OF MY FACE!"

"Ross...Ross what is it?"

Ross screwed his face up like he was fighting the emotion that was boiling beneath the surface of the anger he was taking out on the car, " SHE kissed him...SHE kissed Marlon!"

Debbie swallowed down, feeling his pain, "What?"

Ross was looking to her for answers, "Why Debbie? WHY say she loves ME and then kisses HIM!"

Debbie didn't have any answers, well, not to the ones he was asking anyway, " Ross...you've got to get a grip...this whole thing is toxic"

Ross looked like a total mad man as he banged his own chest crying out, " I KILLED GARY NORTH! I KILLED HIM SO WE COULD BE TOGETHER!"

The news rocked her...she had believed till now that he had fell while Donna was chasing him.

"you...you killed him?"

Ross nodded his head as he became distant, "I killed him for her...and THIS is the thanks I get..."

He then walks off, Debbie feeling frustrated chased after him AGAIN.

"Ross wait up..."

XXX

At the pub, Bob came over to the bar where Donna was looking at her phone, "You alright, love?"

Donna shook her head as she turned away from the phone, "Oooo I think I've been stood up"

"Ohhh, I'm sorry to here that..."

"Are you? It was Ross"

Bob frowned and shook his head, "he was here earlier...I saw him...Marlon and him were having words shall we say"

Donna pulled a face at him, "Marlon?"

Bob shook his head as he leaned on the bar, "Yeah...that Ross didn't look too happy mind...he stormed off"

Donna instantly rounded the bar and pushed her way through to the pubs back kitchen, Bernice tried to stop her, "Hey you can't go through there missy!"

Donna ignored her and was accusing Marlon no sooner she set foot into the kitchen, "What have YOU said to him?"

Marlon looked sheepish, he turned around from prepping the carrots, "I told him about our kiss ...Oh Donna I didn't mean it to come out like that, but seeing him with April this morning made me so mad!"

"YOU IDIOT MARLON!"

XXX

At Debbies place, Ross was pacing up and down wired up in anger, " I'm gonna go round there and tell Miss goodietwo shoes the truth about her precious Marlon and what he did!"

Debbie was trying to calm his mood, "Ross don't do this...you'll only make things worse"

Ross stopped pacing and shot a nasty glare at her, " WHY! HE'S HURT ME...WHY CAN'T I DO THE SAME TO HIM, EH?"

"But you'll just be hurting Donna, is THAT what you want...is it?"

"SHE KISSED HIM!"

"YOU FUCKED ME!...So what's worse hey Ross...YOU tell me"

Ross looked up at her, and then to the floor...

XXX

Outside Donna was hurrying across the street from the pub. She was clutching her chest and wheezing. Ross opened up the front door to see Donna collapse behind the wall. He panicked and sprang to attention.

"DONNA! DONNA!"

Donna was trying to pick herself up, but Ross came and supported her.

"I'm okay...I've just got myself worked up Ross...Marlon told me what he said to you..."

Ross was looking into her eyes, he was so worried about her now, "It doesn't matter"

"but..."

"I love you...what does it matter...I've done a lot worse believe me..."

Donna leaned on the stone wall and her head fell onto Ross's shoulder, "I'm not even going to ask...I'm sooo tired"

Ross turned his head and closed his eyes, "Not yet"

"I think my times nearly up...I feel like I just don't want to go on"

Ross twisted around and lifted her up, Donna managed a laugh, "What's this? YOU carrying me over the threshold?"

He carried her up the street towards the pub, "I wish I could because if I'd marry anyone it'll be you..."

Donna looked up at him, "That's never going to happy though...but I did dream about it the other night...silly really, I'm usually just crying into my pillow"

They reached the bench and Ross put her down so she sat down.

"I'll just take my meds and I'll be fine...well...as well as can be expected"

Ross sat beside her and gently rubbed her back, "you and me till the end yeah?"

"Are you SURE you can handle this...Ross, sometimes I think all this is just TOO MUCH for you..."

Ross was getting upset, "I told Debbie that a small part of me hates you and I did...just for a bit...", he looked at her, "...but I wouldn't change it now...not you and me...the only ONE thing I'd change is to stop you from dying...and leaving me"

Donna pulled his head to her breast.

Would the pain ever go? Was she doing the right thing? She didn't know...she didn't have no answers..,

...only that...she just didn't want to die and leave everyone behind.

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