Vanishing?

Alesha silently cursed. She had guessed Ronnie would try to contact Natalie. He worked on logic and instinct. There's no way he wouldn't have worked out Natalie was hiding something.

"I should get Cameron home. Matt's going to be wondering where we got to." She crouched by the toddler before lifting him into her arms. Ronnie made to help her as she shook her head.

"Is either ov you gonna answer me?"

"I'll leave that up to Natalie." She paused, suddenly noticing the dog curled up by Ronnie' feet. Dappy yawned before settling to sleep. She turned back to her friend. "I'll call you, yeah?"

"Ok luv."

Alesha and Cameron left quietly as the dog saw his opportunity to jump on the sofa. Ronnie stepped closer to Natalie.

"Nat?"

"I." Her voice faltered.

"Is this it?"

"What?"

"Well, I eard Alesha say that you can't just vanish. Are you leaving me?" His voice faltered on the words. "Are you?"

"Ron."

"Be honest wiv me. Because if nothing else we've always had that." He watched her face for a moment as she tried to stop herself from crying.

"I don't want to. But I don't see another way. I really don't."

"Right. Er, ok." Ronnie felt like his world was about to collapse. "Why?"

Tears filled her eyes as she looked anywhere but at him. "Guv? Natalie, if I've messed up big time I deserve to know what I've done because to be honest I'm lost ere."

"It's not you."

"Oh don't give me that." Ronnie paused as he heard her gasp. She closed her eyes. "Natalie?"

"Can't let you watch me die." She tried to turn away but he caught her shoulders, stopping her from doing so. His heart felt like it was going to smash in his chest.

"Nat?"

"I." Her eyes filled with tears once more as he watched her.

"What is it?"

"Cancer. Ovarian. Bit shit really."

Ronnie closed his eyes, remembering his mother's death from breast cancer when he was a teenager. He pulled her into his arms as she wrapped her arms around his waist, holding on for dear life.

"Yeah." He kissed her hair. "Bit shit, but you don't get to do this alone. This won't beat you. Us. It won't." He whispered as he held her. "I ain't going nowhere. Get used to it."

Xxxxxx

Joe made his tea before heading into the living room. His tiny flat was silent, apart from his footsteps on the hardwood floor. He picked up the remote control before turning the television on. Sighing heavily he tried to put all thoughts of idiot DIs, teenage murder victims and work out of his mind. He sipped his tea as he watched Doc Brown rap about the correct tea making method on the screen in front of him. He smiled; something was gnawing at the back of his mind. He just didn't know what.

Xxxxxx

"Lesh?" Matt walked into the flat minutes after she had. Lucky ate his kitekat as Alesha shrugged her coat off. "Are you ok?" He watched as she shook her head. He had no idea what had upset her but knew from past experience pregnancy made her weepy.

"I. I just."

Matt nodded, hugging her to him as she buried her face in his neck. Breathing him in she seemed to calm. Matt kissed her cheek gently.

"It's ok."

"Sorry." She felt his hands still from the soothing circles he had been drawing on her back. He waited for her to continue; knowing she would. "Hormones."

"It's ok." He smiled slightly. She pulled back, gently cupping his chin in one hand she brushed the stubble that had grown since that morning with her thumb.

"I love you Matthew Devlin." She whispered, looking into his eyes. "You know that? Yeah?"

"Never hurts to be reminded." He kissed her lips, gently at first but passion began to build as her hands skimmed across his top. He broke for air as he rested his forehead against hers. "Love you too." He kissed her forehead as Alesha sighed happily. She took his hand in her own, tugging gently she led him to their bedroom.

Cxxxxxx

Angie stared unseeing at the screen, flag Justine was in bed she began to piece the evidence together in her mind. A dead teenage boy, terrified sister, father that was a violent waste of space, drugs? gangs? She shook her head, remembering the murder from years earlier that murder squad had never solved.

"Same killer. Alice and Liam. The same killer." She grabbed her phone, praying she wasn't too late.

Xxxx