And I'm baaaaaack! Thank you all so much for the reviews on the previous couple of chapters, I was so nervous about coming back after such a long break but you've been awesome! Hope this chapter isn't too boring, the next one is much better but it needs this as a set up so...review, review, REVIEW!

Even by the time lunch had rolled around at St Marks, Pete Dunham's mood had not yet lifted. His 'conversation' with Natalie had plagued his mind a little too much throughout the start of the morning to the point where some of the boys in his class had had to correct him on a few things.

Definitely not a good sign.

And to make matters worse, Benjamin had informed him that he wouldn't be here for lunch because he had a dentist appointment in town so hence Pete Dunham was sat in his classroom staring into space and hoping for a phone call from Allie.

Frowning at the silent and unmoving handset on his desk, he briefly wondered why she hadn't called him yet. Had her first day back really been that bad?

Deciding to put his mind at rest and simply call her, he flipped his phone open and was about to dial the number he knew better than his own when the door flew open.

"You look like shit," Allie told him as she closed the door behind her and then leant against it wearily.

"Right back at ya," Pete smirked, though his heart wasn't quite in it.

Standing up, he pushed himself away from the desk and over to his wife, shooting her a fleeting grateful smile when he noticed the Daisies bag in her hands. Daisies being the best sandwich shop in the area. Though looking at her up close, he could honestly say that food wasn't his concern at the moment.

"What's all this?" he murmured, reaching up and brushing his fingers over the faint smudges of make up under her eyes.

"Nothing," she shook her head.

"Allie…" Pete frowned as she took a deep breath and then leant forward, pressing her forehead against his chest, her arms locking around his waist.

"They've already got Lara's replacement in," she told him, her voice coming out muffled by his shirt.

"Shit," Pete breathed, pressing his lips to the top of her head. "Babe, I'm sorry…"

"Its fine," she pulled back and looked up at him, fresh tears gathering in her eyes as she spoke. "I knew it would happen but I just…" she laughed sadly. "It was never going to be nice, was it?"

"Is she decent?" Pete asked, trying to approach this sensitively. It was a difficult feat given that Dunham's didn't really 'do' sensitivity.

"He," Allie corrected. "It's uh…Nathan, remember the guy I worked with in New York?"

Pete stiffened slightly but smiled and nodded like he knew he was supposed to. Great, so now that was two blokes he had to worry about. Natalie's piece of shit boyfriend and now some yank in a poncy suit would be all over Allie five days a week.

Fucking perfect.

"At least it's someone you know though," he offered, trying to keep his voice even. "I mean, that must make it easier…"

"Oh yeah," Allie snorted, looking at him as if he was mad. "Having a guy I worked with for a month eight years ago replace my dead best friend just makes all the difference,"

Catching the look of embarrassment and pain on Pete's almost impossibly handsome face, Allie groaned and caught his chin between her fingers, pulling his face back up to hers and brushing her fingers over his lips.

"Any chance I can chalk that one up to PMS?" she smiled weakly at him and he smirked back knowingly. "Alright, fine, I'm just a bitch,"

Laughing, Pete picked her up effortlessly and carried her over to a desk, placing her on the edge of it and then perching next to her.

"You're actually quite fit when you're being a bitch," he smirked, happy that he made her laugh.

"You're warped," she shook her head, pulling a large BLT baguette out of the paper bag and handing it to him along with a packet of salt and vinegar crisps and a bottle of coke.

"You're a fucking Goddess," he shot back, tearing the cling film off of the sandwich and biting into it with gusto. "You never did answer my question though," he reminded her, fighting to swallow the huge bite he'd taken.

"Which was…?" she prompted, opening up her own sandwich.

"Well either you're going for an Alice Cooper look which given some of the shit in your magazine isn't that far fetched," he smirked when she glared at him. "Or someone upset you,"

"I had a fight with Nathan," she admitted, brushing some crumbs off of her jeans and stealing a sip of Pete's coke.

"What'd he do?" Pete growled, immediately going into overprotective mode.

"He just…" Allie shrugged and took a bite of her sandwich. "He basically told me to get over it,"

"Get over what?" Pete's eyes narrowed and his breath remained stoic in his chest.

"Lara," she snorted. "He said that no matter how much I cried she wasn't coming back so I just had to get on with it…I guess I just didn't take it as well as he thought I would."

"He made you cry?" Pete growled again and Allie placed a hand on his leg, shaking her head.

"It's not a big deal," she explained, licking a glob of mayonnaise off of her finger.

"What?" he snorted. "Allie…"

"It's been a month, Pete," she breathed. "I have to be able to go into work…to go into her room at home without having a meltdown. It's not fair on me or the guys at work…or you."

"Babe…" Pete put his lunch down and turned to face her.

"No," she met his eyes and smiled weakly. "This is it, ok? A new, happy Allie. No more crying, no more getting depressed…if he got one thing right this morning its when he said that Lara would have beaten the shit out of me if she knew I was being like this,"

"You don't have to do it all overnight," Pete reminded her. "No one's expecting that of you,"

"I know," she nodded. "Maybe that's the problem though,"

Before Pete could ask her what she meant, she nudged his knee with her own and picked up his sandwich, handing it back to him.

"So what's your excuse?" she asked.

"For what?" he raised his eyebrows, happily leaning back against the wall and pulling her with him so she was lying against his chest.

"Looking like shit,"

"Oh," Pete smirked. "My make up hasn't run as well, has it?"

"Piss off," Allie laughed as he dipped a napkin into her bottle of water and began wiping gently at the black smudges under her eyes. "You know what I meant,"

"I 'ad a fight with Nat," he told her, seeing no point in lying to her about it.

"Bad?" Allie asked, not liking the way he was concentrating on removing her make up instead of looking at her. "Oh shit…that bad?"

"She brought a bloke back to the house last night," he muttered, bracing himself for the onslaught of rage driven shrieks.

"What?" Allie laughed, reaching up to grab his hand, ceasing its movements on her face. "Natalie had a guy back to the house?"

"You think this is funny?" Pete snapped.

"Well…I mean, sure I guess it's a bit weird but…" Catching the look in her husband's eyes, Allie grinned. "Pete, I know you still look at Natalie and see a little girl but she's 24, alright?"

"And?" he snapped. "That doesn't mean that…"

"Ok, cast your mind back four years to when we were her age," she challenged him. "We did things that sometimes make me wonder how you can actually look my father in the eye,"

Against his will, Pete smirked, licking his lips as though trying to get rid of it.

"Yeah, keep smirking, pretty boy, you know I'm right," Allie laughed, sitting up straighter so she wasn't leaning on him so much.

"He's trouble," Pete told her, his voice once again edged with seriousness.

"So were you," Allie giggled, shaking her head. "Come on, Pete. At least get her side of the story…I mean did you even ask her about the guy?"

A guilty look passed over his handsome features and he got a little too busy fiddling with the lid of his bottle of coke.

"Oh shit, what'd you say to her?" Allie's eyes widened.

"Nothing!" he burst out. "For fuck sake, with everything we've been through with that kid, is it so shocking that I got a little paranoid?"

"That still doesn't tell me what you said to her," she narrowed her eyes.

"I asked her…" Pete sighed. "I asked her if he was into…anything...he looked like the kind of kid she used to hang out with." He paused and gulped. "Before,"

"You brought up drugs?" Allie gasped, staring at him in horror.

"Oi," he snapped, turning to look at her. "As if you weren't fucking thinking it!"

"Yeah, sure it would have crossed my mind but I never would have said it to her," Allie frowned. "I trust her, Pete. She's not the same girl she was, alright?"

"Then why is she lying to us?" he challenged her.

"Probably the same reason I used to lie to my dad about staying around yours so bloody much!" she shouted, exasperated. "She's a girl…a girl who probably doesn't want her cousin, let's face it her big brother to know she's having s-…"

She squeaked when Pete grabbed her and cupped his hand over her mouth, his eyes narrowed.

"If you love me you won't finish that sentence," he closed his eyes and looked almost sick.

"Alright," Allie laughed, pushing his hand away from her lips but keeping it in her own. "But just…don't do anything too drastic, ok? I know it goes against the Dunham gene but do you think you could handle an apology?"

"But she…" Pete shouted.

"This is Natalie," Allie held up her hands as though that was meant to mean something.

"And?" Pete scoffed.

"And so you know what she's like, she won't apologise unless you go first," she smiled knowingly. "And even then, she's going to need time,"

"So I'm supposed to say sorry to her because she's been fucking around under our roof?" he clarified, snorting at Allie when she nodded.

"What's the alternative?" she shrugged. "You don't talk to her, she stays stubborn, moves out to prove a point, ends up pregnant…"

"Alright," Pete groaned. "You've proved your point, so shut up,"

"Make me," Allie shot back.

"You really shouldn't 'ave said that," Pete smirked at her, leaning down and pressing his lips against hers.

Instantly her arms were around his neck, tugging him closer, getting lost in the feel of him, the taste of him. It was something she could never possibly get enough of.

"You want me to kick his arse?" he murmured against her lips, running his hand up her leg to rest on her thigh.

"Hmmm?" she mumbled, more concerned about pulling his mouth back to hers than anything else at that moment.

"This Nathan bloke," Pete reminded her. "Say the word and I'll beat the shit out of him,"

Allie giggled, shaking her head and leaning further into him so her chest was pressing against his.

"I can handle him," she whispered. "Don't worry about it,"

Pete kissed her back, slightly more passionately than before and not wanting to think too much about the fact that –for whatever reason- he found himself slightly worried about the guy he hadn't even met.

Natalie Dunham refused to acknowledge the fact her eyes were stinging as she hurled yet more clothes into her modest suitcase.

Pete's words from earlier wouldn't get out of her head no matter how loud she played her music or slammed her door. He didn't care about her…he didn't want her in his house…he didn't trust her.

"Fuck it," she whispered, pressing the heels of her palms against her watering eyes and frowning when smudges of make up appeared on them.

The sooner she got out of here the better as far as she was concerned; catching the photo Allie had taken of Natalie and Lara playing with Alex and Poppy on Christmas day, she felt her heart sink slightly but shook it off quickly.

She'd gotten this far in life without them, what difference would it make now?

Her door creaked behind her and she stopped what she was doing, her mood sharpening instantly as she prepared to turn and scald Sinead, Pete and Allie's nanny who had obviously thought it was alright to disturb her.

"Not now," she snapped without bothering to look over her shoulder. "I'm busy,"

"I can see that," Allie's voice carried into the room.

Natalie stopped completely, wheeling around still clutching a crumpled T-shirt as she stared at the blonde, debating what her next move should be.

"Yeah, well then sod off so I can carry on," she snorted, staring down at her boots thoughtfully.

"Running away without talking to him won't make you feel any better," Allie told her simply.

"Oh so you're aware you married an arsehole then?" Natalie snapped. "Of course he'd tell you, let me guess you're here to coax an apology out of me and tell me that I'm an idiot?"

"Pete was wrong,"

That had to be the first time Natalie had ever heard Allie Dunham use those words seriously. Looking at her as though she was mad, she raised an eyebrow and folded her arms.

"We haven't played this game before," Natalie told her.

"It's not a game, Nat," Allie sighed, walking further into the room and perching down on the bed next to the half packed suitcase. "Contrary to what Pete might think I'm more than aware that you're not a little girl anymore. And ok, yeah I wish you'd asked if you could have some guy back here but I'm not going to have a go at you because you did. I trust you,"

"Fuck me," Natalie laughed a little too loudly. "Seriously, Allie what's this about?"

"Nothing," Allie shook her head. "Look, I just…I don't want you to think that you're alone the whole time."

"He scrutinizes every fucking thing I do!" the brunette exploded, flinging a pair of pyjamas into the case violently. "He doesn't realise that I actually have a brain,"

"He's worried about you," Allie told her gently.

"Yeah and how many people were 'worried' about you when you first started dating Pete?" she challenged.

"A fair few," Allie told her honestly. "My father and brothers included,"

She picked a teddy bear up off of Natalie's bed and hugged it, a smirk suddenly appearing on her lips.

"Lara thought he was going to kill me,"

"See!" Natalie pointed at her, ripping the toy out of her arms and placing it next to the socks in her case. "And did you listen to them?"

"No," Allie grinned. "Because I was young and I was in love and all I wanted was for Lara and my dad and my brothers to be able to see the man that I saw when I looked at Pete,"

Natalie sighed, flopping down on the mattress next to her and staring at the door.

"Nat, if you love this guy," Allie nudged her gently. "If you feel even an eight of what I felt for your cousin the first time I met him and believe me –if you do then you'll know- then I'm happy for you. But don't punish Pete for being protective of you. Yes, he was a dick but his heart was in the right place,"

"But-…"

Natalie was interrupted when a shrill and all too familiar sound broke through the hallway and Sinead appeared at the door, edging it open with her elbow as she held a very unhappy looking Alex in her arms.

"Sorry to barge in," she laughed in her usual Irish lilt. "But ah, mister miser here isn't quite as clueless as he looks and I think he knows that mummy's home,"

Laughing, Allie stood up and took the baby from her arms, rubbing his belly and smiling when he opened his huge blue eyes and quietened down immediately upon seeing her.

"Thanks," she smiled at Sinead. "Listen, why don't you take off? Go home and relax, it's a Friday night so you might even be able to reclaim some of the social life I stole from you five years ago."

"I should bloody hope so," Sinead smirked, stroking Alex's arm. "This chunky monkey is the closest thing I have to a man in my life right now,"

"Jesus," Allie laughed. "In that case sod off and don't you dare come back on Monday unless you've got gossip,"

"I'll do my best," the red head grinned, kissing Allie's cheek and waving goodbye to Natalie.

"Alright grumpy, what's with you, huh?" Allie picked Alex up and held him in front of her. "You look alright to me,"

He gurgled excitedly, kicking his legs in the air and looking up at the glow in the dark stickers Natalie had placed there, instantly becoming fascinated.

"It worked out fine for you," Natalie told her bitterly. "Look at you, nice house, happily married, two kids…you're almost sickening,"

"I know," Allie grinned at her, sitting down and placing Alex in her knee. "But when I basically flipped everybody the finger and told them I wanted to be with Pete no matter what they thought, I was risking a lot. I only did it because I was so sure of him, so sure of us that I never had a doubt in my head. Even when everyone else did,"

Natalie stared at the baby facing her and fought back a smile when he dribbled a little bit and then thrust his entire fist into his mouth.

Could she ever feel that way about Daniel? When she thought about her future was he seriously in it?

She suddenly felt a little queasy and cleared her throat, turning her gaze back to her suitcase and sighing loudly.

"So are you staying?" Allie asked her slowly. "Or should I teach you how to fold your shirts because that is an abomination,"

Following Allie's pointed finger to the scrunched up balls of clothing buried at the bottom of the case, she rolled her eyes catching the hopeful smile on the blonde's face.

"Oh for fuck sake, you know I'm not going anywhere," she sighed.

"Ahhh!" Allie laughed, clapping Alex's chubby little hands together and making him giggle. "You hear that? Auntie Natalie's staying! Our guilt trip worked!"

"You're still just as annoying as when we first met," Natalie frowned at her. "I don't think I tell you that enough,"

"Say what you want, I know you love me," Allie winked at her, standing up and wrinkling her nose at the clothes strewn about the bedroom. "So you'll talk to Pete when he gets in?"

"Do I have a choice?" she muttered.

"Not really," the blonde smiled. "And you know he only does this because he loves you, right?"

"He loves you more than anyone," Natalie glared at her. "Why don't you get harassed over stuff?"

"Because I don't give him things to worry about," Allie laughed.

A sudden blast of noise made them both jump and Natalie squinted down at Allie's phone on the bed obviously having fallen out of her jeans pocket.

"Oh really?" she smirked, holding it up. "Who's Nathan then?"

"Oh for fuck sake," Allie rolled her eyes. "He can't actually be phoning again,"

"So you've got strange guys calling you and Pete's worried about me?" Natalie scoffed. "How the hell does that work?"

"He's not strange, he's from work," she frowned, shutting off her phone.

"Is he fit?"

"I'm married," Allie cocked her head to one side.

"SO?" Natalie laughed. "That doesn't change whether he's good looking or not,"

"Don't change the subject," Allie scolded her, though if Natalie wasn't mistaking there was a faint blush covering the blonde's cheeks. "Just talk to Pete when he comes in? Please?"

"Fine, whatever," Natalie huffed. "How long do I have to put on my Pete's-an-arse- T-shirt?"

The distinct sound of the front door opening floated upstairs and Allie smirked at her, adjusting Alex in her arms as he had already begun to fidget, knowing that his dad was home.

"Roughly sixteen seconds," Allie winked at her. "Good luck, kid,"

"Shit," Natalie sighed, flopping back on the bed as the door closed. "I think I'm going to need it,"

So there it is...I've held up my part of the deal so now how's about a review?! Go on, you know you want to! :D