I'm glad people are still enjoying this story. Time for another update. I've borrowed some dialogue from series 3 episode 2 in this chapter

Monday morning arrived all too quickly, and during the trial, the little family established a little routine to ensure that work and home life went as smoothly as possible. Clive's help on the case was greatly appreciated by Martha and before she knew it, it was all over and David had been found not guilty. After a little celebration at chambers, Martha and Clive had a private one at home after Olivia had been put to bed. Martha was currently lying in Clive's arms- her new favourite place to be.

"We make a good team don't we Marth?" Asked Clive as he trailed a finger up and down her arm.

"Absolutely," Martha replied sounding very content.

"Even Billy thinks so," Clive revealed. "He had his chat with me the other day. He also took the opportunity to warn me about what he'll do if I ever resort to my previous ways!" He recounted to Martha although didn't go into the specifics of what that would involve. "So this is it then? You and me together, forever?" He asked tentatively and was relieved when he felt her nod her head. "I know this is rushing things Marth, but how about if I moved in permanently then? I've really enjoyed this last week,".

"Of course. I don't think Madam will have a problem with it. She's loved having you around these past few days too, as have I. I'm keen to move things on as well. I mean when you think about it, we've known each other for nearly twenty years, and have a three year old daughter...it doesn't sound so rushed to me! But I've been thinking. How about we find a new place? A house with a garden for Liv. Make this really official?".

"I'll start looking in the morning," Clive replied eagerly. "Suppose we should let chambers know about our change in status,".

"I think most of the clerks already know," Martha revealed. "Billy told me Liv blurted something out the other day about you sleeping over," Martha explained when Clive looked a little confused.

"Not very good at keeping things private is she," Clive chuckled. "We should probably let Alan and the others know though,".

"Wakey wakey," was Clive's and Martha's alarm call the following morning from outside the bedroom door. Olivia using the phrase Martha often used on her daughter. "Are you 'wake?" She continued as she opened the door. "I'm hung'y,". She saw both her parents starting to stir so she crawled onto the bed to join them. "Mornin'," she chirped as she approached the bed's occupants with puckered lips, indicating she wanted a morning kiss.

"Morning Liv," greeted Martha. She noted the time, it was quite late. "Have you just woken up?" She enquired.

"Nu uhh. Been playing with my toys in my room but got hung'y," she informed her parents. "Can we eat please?"

"Of course but can I just ask you something first?" Asked Martha wanting to tell her about the discussion she and Clive had had the previous night. Olivia nodded as she got under the quilt and sat between her parents. "You've enjoyed having Daddy here with you these past days haven't you?"

"Yes mummy,".

"Well so have I," she informed her daughter. "And so has Daddy. We were talking last night about making it permanent. How would you like it if he moved in with us full time and we can be a proper family?".

"You getting married like Ruby's mummy and daddy?" Olivia asked after thinking about what her mother had asked for a little while. She knew her parents didn't have the relationship her other friends parents had, as Clive and Martha had explained to her. But if they were going to live together maybe that was going to change. "Can I be bidesmaid?".

"I don't know about that," Martha answered quickly before Clive could. They had only been a couple for a very short time and definitely hadn't discussed marriage. She didn't want him getting cold feet about moving in, if he thought she wanted to get married. In all honesty, it had never been something that was all that important to her. "But it's ok if he moves in isn't it?".

"Uh huh,".

"We might need a bigger place though so how about if we moved?". Olivia looked a little alarmed. "Somewhere close by so you can still go to the same nursery and see your friends," she soothed. "Mummy and Daddy have to be close to work as well, but we were thinking about maybe getting a house with a garden," she explained.

"Does that mean I can get a welly?" She asked now excited by the thought of moving.

"No!" Replied Clive quickly. "But maybe we could get another pet. Not a giraffe," he quickly added before she asked about that,"but something smaller,".

"Like a kitty or a puppy?" Olivia continued on a roll now. "Ruby might be gettin' a puppy,".

"I was thinking more like a rabbit or a guinea pig," Clive offered.

Olivia screwed her nose up at those suggestions. "I think a kitty or a puppy would be better," she replied before a massive change of topic. "Can we eat now?" She continued as she jumped off the bed and headed to the kitchen.

"What just happened?" Clive asked.

"I think we are moving and getting a cat or a dog as well," summarised Martha as she got out of bed to answer her daughters summons from the kitchen, leaving a bemused Clive alone.

Harriet got in the way of Clive looking for a house for his family. She had arranged for him to be prosecutor in Martha's next case, knowing it would be a big coup for Shoe Lane to have lots of celebrity footballers mixing with their barristers. Jordan Sinclair was the next big thing and the press would be all over this case as well.

Clive couldn't see the problem Harriet had created at first, instead relishing the opportunity to go against Martha. It would be the first time as QC's as well.

"I'm withdrawing my offer of help," Clive told Martha as he entered their office, eager to tell her the news.

"Ah, no, I didn't mean it about Chelsea. They're a lovely football club," replied Martha, thinking he was sulking after her earlier teasing that morning. "Who's your second favourite team?" She questioned, continuing the teasing, and giving him a chance to redeem himself.

"I'm prosecuting you," Clive stated, refusing to answer her question.

"Right," was all Martha replied, amused to see Clive acting all proud. She was looking forward to facing off against him as well. He was always good competition and made her work extra hard for a result. "Sinclair?" She asked, just to make sure they were talking about the same case.

"Yep!" Was his one word answer, again with a hint of pride.

"Right," she replied again, when a thought hit her. "Um, not that I'm not looking forward to our court date, but did you think this through fully, before accepting it?"

"Harriet accepted it for me," he revealed. "Said she was trying to make up for upsetting Olivia the other day,".

"Now it starts to make sense,".

"What's the problem, Marth? Scared?"

"No. It's just that we've told Olivia you'll be moving in and now you won't be. Can you imagine what the press will say if they find out the opposing barristers are living together?".

"Didn't think about that," exclaimed Clive, the wind having been taken out of his sails somewhat.

"Don't worry," consoled Martha. "It won't take me that long to beat you and then we'll be back on track!".

As it was, it looked like it wasn't going to take Clive all that long to beat Martha. That was until Jordan's revelation that there might be a witness to help them win. It just meant tricking Clive to get him on the stand. Hoping and praying that he would forgive her, she went ahead with her plan.

It was a bit of an understatement to say that Clive wasn't all that impressed when he realised what she had done. She felt so guilty, that she couldn't look at him, not that she wanted too when he was looking daggers across the courtroom at her. She couldn't blame him, she would be furious if he had done the same thing to her.

"Clive, I'm so sorry," she apologised in the robing room, when it was all over. She had won.

He didn't reply, just slammed his locker door shut before attempting to gather his things up and leave the room.

"Aren't you going to say anything?".

"I'm too angry at the moment, Marth," he replied, "and I don't think here is the right place for an argument. Instead, I'm going to pick Livvy up, and I'll see you back at yours," he snapped before leaving her alone.

"Mummy! Look what I drewed!" Exclaimed Olivia as she entered the flat, her father right behind her.

"Oh wow," enthused Martha as she admired her daughters new picture. After putting it up on the fridge along with a host of her other pictures, Olivia departed to her bedroom to take her coat off, leaving her parents alone for the first time since the verdict.

"Character witness?" Clive spat, obviously still quite annoyed at her betrayal.

"Yeah, well,"

"You tricked me. No actually, you lied to me," Clive argued, interrupting her, not really interested in her excuses.

"I thought we could leave court in court, you and me," Martha answered, getting riled up herself. He was the one who had gone on about professional detachment at the start of the case

"Exactly. Trials over. You'll never see Jordan Sinclair again. Nor will I. So now you can tell me what was going on with him. Wigs are off. Talk to me Marth," Clive demanded, wanting to know the reason why she would do this to him.

"I can't,"

"You know what? See you later," replied Clive angrily, having had enough and making to leave.

"I said I can't tell you Clive!" She shouted after him

"Your clients come first. Every time, they always have. But where are they Marth? Are they here with you now? Or are you on your own?" He shouted back over his shoulder.

Before she could reply, Olivia returned from her bedroom, obviously a little upset at her parents arguing. "No shoutin'!" She said loudly, looking like she was about to cry. Her parents suddenly became contrite, ashamed they had upset their daughter.

"Sorry Liv," apologised Martha, scooping her up and giving her a cuddle. "Mummy did something bad at work today, and Daddy's a little bit annoyed with her," she explained to the three year old.

"You should say you're sorry, Mummy," advised Olivia, repeating what her parents asked her to do when she had done something bad. She looked at her mother, waiting for her to do as she had told her.

"I really am sorry, Clive" repeated Martha to Clive.

"Say you're sorry too, Daddy," Olivia then instructed to her father.

"I'm sorry," he apologised.

"Now you can kiss and make up," she told them both.

Clive gave Martha a quick peck on the lips. Martha could tell it was just for show, and that she hadn't been fully forgiven, but they were at a slightly better place than a few minutes earlier. She would try again after Olivia had gone to bed.

Having not seen her father during the trial, Olivia was keen for Clive to stay whilst she had dinner. Martha made the food, whilst Clive played with her until it was time to eat. He helped Martha bathe her, and he was the chosen person to read her her bedtime story.

"I'll be off," he said, once they had kissed her good night and settled her down.

"You're not staying?" Martha asked alarmed.

"Probably best,".

"Have I totally fucked this up?" Martha wanted to know, preparing herself for the worst.

Clive could see how distressed she was at this thought, so tried to reassure her a little. "No. To be honest, I'm more upset with Harriet. You just unwittingly helped her make me look like a complete idiot to the whole of the legal profession," he explained. He went on to tell Martha all about the leaked press report.

"I'm so sorry," consoled Martha as she gave him a hug, knowing that they would be ok after this little hiccup. "Please stay," she begged, taking a leaf out of her daughter's book, and giving him a look she knew he found hard to resist.

"Don't do that," warned Clive.

"What?"

"I think it's called sexy puppy dog eyes or something," Clive remembered. "Well it is when you do it. Not when Liv does,".

"But I really want to make it up to you," she wheedled.

"It's going to take a lot," warned Clive. "I mean you did a really bad thing," was all he could say before Martha started kissing him.

It turned into quite a passionate session. This was their first make up sex after all. Both were unaware how much noise they were making until their daughter appeared in Martha's bedroom.

"What you doin'?" She asked her parents, who suddenly froze, unsure how to explain what they were doing to their daughter. Clive quickly but carefully, disentangled himself, whilst Martha made sure that the bedclothes were covering their modesty. Pretending that everything was normal, she turned her attention to her daughter, trying not to act embarrassed.

"Did you have a bad dream?" She asked, noting how sleepy her child looked as she was rubbing her eyes.

"No. You woke me up wiv all the bouncin' on the bed," she explained. Both Clive and Martha were relieved she was still too young to fully understand what she had just interrupted. "How come you can do it, but you tell me off when I jump on my bed?" She wanted to know.

"Come on. Let's get you back to bed, and Mummy and Daddy will be a lot more quiet," Martha said as she managed to locate Clive's shirt and discreetly put it on before hopping out of bed and guiding her back to her own room. Helping her back to bed, it didn't take long for Olivia to fall back to sleep and Martha quietly left.

Peeling off the shirt, Martha quickly joined Clive back in bed. Glancing at each other, they burst into giggles, not quite believing what had just happened. When they had subsided, the mood quickly returned, and Martha and Clive were able to resume their interrupted activity, although this time they were careful to keep the noise down.

The next morning, Clive announced he would get breakfast on the go whilst Martha got Olivia ready for the day ahead. Entering the kitchen he flicked the radio on whilst getting everything ready. The main headline caught his attention. It had been announced late last night that Jordan Sinclair was to retire from football with immediate effect. He had also taken the opportunity to reveal that he was gay.

Clive stopped what he was doing. It appeared Jordan would be the one to reveal to Clive the reason for Martha's deceit.

"Mornin', Daddy," greeted Olivia as Martha appeared in the kitchen with their daughter on her hip.

"Good morning, Sweetheart," he greeted her with a kiss. "I must say you both are looking extremely gorgeous this morning," he complimented them both. Whilst Martha was in a normal work suit, Olivia had been dressed in a pair of denim dungarees with a white top underneath, and Martha had put her hair into two plaits. "This morning's headlines might interest you," he mentioned to Martha as she set her daughter down on her chair and started getting her breakfast for her.

"Really. And why's that?" She asked as she buttered some toast and put some Nutella on it- Olivia's favourite.

"Jordan Sinclair is all over them. Let's just say I know why you did what you did. And you are totally forgiven...especially after last night".