Not going to lie, I did write the A/N of the last chapter this morning when I only had about 5 hours of sleep... I know I could have reworded it a bit... I think I've just got to a point where I can't keep lying to myself and think 'oh it will get better after this event' or 'I can do it when I have more time'. Next year isn't going to be as intense as last year in terms of exams but they are harder exams...

But here is the second chapter of today. Hopefully, I can give you the last two sooner rather than later. Enjoy.

TEN - A sparkling display of fireworks lighting up the winter night sky

Eddie grumbled to himself as he walked away from where everyone was to complete the task assigned to him. It wasn't his idea and if Alison had mentioned it to him earlier (rather than five minutes ago when she gave him the task), he would have told her that. Instead, it had all been arranged without his knowledge but he was the one expected to execute it.

Rachel had intervened before an argument broke out between Eddie, Alison and Dave (Alison's new boyfriend). Although from the sympathetic look that Rachel gave him, Eddie could tell that she was on his side over who was responsible for setting up and executing the idea.

"If the fireworks were Dave's idea, why am I the one setting them up and lighting them?" Eddie muttered to himself as he opened the box that had been pushed into his arms.

He tried to remind himself of who it was all for. After all, it wasn't lost on Eddie who it was for. Michael had adored the fireworks display that he had taken him to with Rachel. Even to the point where Michael was still talking about a month later.

It was when he finished setting up the first couple of fireworks that Eddie realised why this was all happening and why he was the one to set them up.

By the time that him and Rachel started dating, Michael had met Rachel several times, meaning that they had spent quite a bit of time getting to know each other beforehand. And Eddie knew that there was a mutual love between Rachel and Michael that made his heart warm every time he thought about it.

But Michael had yet to warm to Dave. And the reason they took Michael to the fireworks display was because Alison had a date with Dave that night. It was also the night that they all met Dave for the first time. And Michael had taken a slight dislike to him. Which wasn't due to anything that Dave had done. It definitely felt more like a 'I don't know you so I don't like you' type thing. Which Eddie didn't really see as a bad thing in the long run. At least they knew that Michael wasn't going to just trust anyone that was going to come into his life.

So Eddie was sure that Alison was telling Michael that it was all Dave's idea while he was the one doing all the hard work of making sure each firework was loaded and lit correctly before making sure that he was a comfortable distance away.

The box didn't last long but it gave a show nonetheless. And when Eddie found himself by Rachel's side once more, he could tell that it had made more than just Michael happy.

"Daddy, did you see the fireworks?" Michael asked as he jumped into Eddie's arms.

"Of course I did, mate. Did I put on a good show?"

The peace held while Michael was awake but the moment he had gone to bed and Eddie hadn't made an exit with Rachel, the argument erupted.

"It might have been your idea but I was the one to execute it," Eddie said, fully knowing the feathers it would ruffle but knowing that he was completely right.

It had been their idea.

But he had been the one to put a smile on his boy's face.

And Eddie would defend his right to do so.