Hiya, I'm going to admit defeat here: I was hoping to get this fic finished before I went away, but it's not going to be possible in the four days I have left! So, with a promise that I shall be back in September to continue, thank you for reading and reviewing and please enjoy! Jessie xx

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Rob rolled over in an unfamiliar bed the following morning and frowned for a moment. Then he remembered where he was and the events of the previous evening and smiled. Turning to his side he watched as his fiancée moved peacefully between sleeping and waking.

"Morning," he murmured softly.

"Morning," she replied with a small yawn. She shifted onto her side to match him and greeted him with a kiss. As she gently caressed his cheek with the fingers of her right hand she caught sight of something glittering on the pillow between them. Her brow creased briefly as she glanced down before remembering the details of the night before. She smiled happily as the tiny topaz and sapphire stones twinkled under the rays of sunshine just breaking through the curtains.

He followed her line of sight and caught a sigh in his throat. The white gold band inset with little blue details had looked fantastic in the shop when the jeweller had delved into his special drawer and presented it to him; it had looked pretty darn good the presentation box; but now, on the ring finger of his fiancée's left hand, it looked perfect. It might not have been the most conventional choice; it wasn't either the cheapest or most expensive option; but it was definitely the right one. The swell of warmth and love that he'd felt as she'd accepted his proposal and clung to his embrace had reinforced all the promises that he had made to Brian and Gerry; he would provide for her, care for her, protect her and love her until his dying day.

"Coffee?" she broke the spell with her question.

"Mmm," he agreed, kissing the hand that was still on his cheek. "I'll make it."

"Alright," she smiled and pushed him playfully on the chest. "Go on!"

She laughed as he pulled a face and got out of bed. He pulled his boxers on and slipped last night's shirt over his torso, leant down to kiss her on the lips; then left the room. She waited a moment before throwing the covers off and swinging her legs out of the bed. The house was warm this morning; not like the last time she'd woken up there. Debating briefly if it was due to having set the heating to come on or because there was another presence to share it with, she opened her wardrobe and found that her dressing gown was at Rob's. She padded out of the room and called over the banister, "I'm just gonna jump in the shower."

By the time she'd showered and dressed in her old light blue jeans; teaming them with a white camisole and shirt; and gone downstairs she found him plating up two breakfasts of bacon and scrambled eggs. The radio was on, quietly giving them the morning news. He looked up as she walked over to him. He was sure he fell in love with her a little deeper every moment he was with her; he put the frying pan back down on the side and accepted her arms around him. It was a freedom they didn't often have; but that made it all the more special when they did.

"It's odd without Mia and Bella, isn't it?" she asked tenderly. "So quiet… kinda empty, like something's missing. Well, they are!"

He ran his hands along her sides as she laughed softly and nodded.

"It's never going to be quiet again, is it?" she looked into his eyes. Her life had been so quiet. Her home, empty. That was over now. Even if she'd wanted to, she couldn't reach the brakes, but that was ok, because she didn't want it to be quiet again.

He shook his head. "No, 'fraid not," he replied gently.

"Good," she smiled and leaned into him. "Good."

After breakfast, they left her house once again. It would be going on the market soon. Rob's flat they would keep on and rent out. Sandra had instantly turned down the idea of them moving into hers; it wasn't a family home and never would be for her. They would find somewhere with a garden where they could watch their child and their granddaughter play and grow; close enough to work and college but homely enough that it could be their haven. There would be a spare room for Rufus if he ever wanted to stay (though Rob sadly doubted it); and a space in the living room for the sofa from Rob's flat to move with them.

"Hiya love," Rob greeted his daughter as he held the door for Sandra before closing it and dropping his keys in their accustomed place. "You alright?"

"I am," Mia said, checking on Bella and putting her book to one side before kneeling on the sofa to see them better. "Are you? Did you have a nice evening?"

"Yes, thank you," Rob winked at Sandra as he put their overnight bag on the table and walked round to the centre of the living area, kneeling down to greet his granddaughter. "Hiya Bella, did you miss us last night?"

Bella promptly glanced at her mum, then back at her Grandpops and stuck her tongue out. Mia hid a smirk while Rob fussed over the baby.

"Nice meal?" Mia asked innocently.

Rob raised his eyebrows at Sandra behind his daughter's back as she held back laughter. "Yes, thank you Mia. I had mushrooms and curry, your dad had prawn cocktail and steak."

Mia momentarily wondered if she might burst from anticipation. She couldn't see the ring. Yet she knew, it had to be there. Her dad would have come back alone otherwise. And that, she couldn't very well have foreseen happening. She might have been wrong, of course, and he might not have done it last night. But she was fairly sure he'd been going to. "Any pudding?"

"No, no pudding," Rob relaxed against the base of the armchair as Sandra perched on the arm.

"But you had a nice time?" Mia persisted.

"Yes, lovely. Thank you," Sandra responded. "You haven't any work to do this afternoon have you? It's just your dad thought we could go out to lunch."

"Have you taken against cooking or something, Dad?" she asked brightly.

"I just thought it would be nice. As a celebratory sort of thing…" Rob questioned Sandra with a subtle glance and read her reply in an instant. "Mia, Bella, there's something we need to talk to you about."

Mia's eyes widened unpleasantly at the tone her dad's voice had taken. He sounded serious. Perhaps they were breaking up after all. Maybe she'd gotten it all wrong. Had Sandra said no? Was there some other reason? She knew their relationship had been going well, and quickly. Perhaps it had been a mid-life crisis all along. She watched as her dad picked up Bella and steadied the baby on his thigh, so that he could address both of them.

"We were talking last night, and we thought maybe it was time that we all looked for a new house together? Somewhere bigger, with a garden maybe?"

I'm on the same page as you, kid, Mia thought as she observed her daughter blinking at the words, not understanding their meanings or intentions, yet. "Yeah?" she responded uncertainly.

"Bella can have her own room then," Rob continued. "And you can have yours. They'd be one for Rufs if he comes to visit. One for me and your Nana," he tickled Bella's chin. "And a nursery too."

"Dad, I think it's a great idea," Mia said frowning. "But why sound so serious about it? Hang on, did you just say a nursery? As in, a nursery? As in…" she looked between her father and Sandra. "As in…"

Sandra bit her lip and nodded.

"As in…" Mia practically whispered.

"Sandra's pregnant," Rob filled in for the benefit of the inarticulatory bug that seemed to have bitten all his girls. Well, perhaps Bella could be excused for the time being. He felt the tears welling in his eyes as he watched Mia practically bound off the sofa and hug Sandra. "You're going to be a niece," he told Bella softly, hugging the baby gently.

Sandra smiled as Mia drew away. "There's something else, too," she said quietly wondering if she would be able to complete her sentence without bursting into tears that two months ago she would never have known. "Your dad asked me to marry him. And I said yes." She was prepared for the reaction this time, and as the young girl happily threw her arms around her once more, she let the tears that she could see mirrored in her fiancée's eyes escape.

"I can't believe you actually said yes!" Gerry expounded watching Steve and Nick turn away from the bar and choose a direction opposite to their table. "Where are they off?" he inquired of Brian as the oldest member of the team returned to the table.

It was Monday night again, Boys Night, as Sandra had promised them it would stay for the foreseeable future. She'd told them about the engagement at lunchtime; she had regretted it slightly as Gerry hadn't exactly shut up about it since then. She'd promptly sent him back out of the office with Nick while Brian had spent the afternoon bringing Steve up to speed with the spreadsheets and systems that he'd put in place several years ago for doing the yearly audit. She hadn't told them about the baby yet. They'd agreed that while Mia and Bella could know; no-one else would be told until the traditional three-month veil had lifted. Added to which, she had been decidedly apprehensive about introducing one life-changing piece of news to them, two didn't bear thinking about.

"Pool," Brian told Gerry, taking a sip of his drink. It was his last Monday. His last 'Boy's Night'. He tried not to think about it like that though. Tomorrow would be his last Tuesday.

"You knew, though," Sandra said curiously. "You knew he was going to ask me, didn't you?"

Gerry squirmed in his seat before reluctantly admitting to what she already knew. "Yeah, yeah, he asked us."

She'd heard the story from Rob; he'd not told her exactly what was said, only that he'd been to see her two friends. Because, as he'd put it, it was the right thing to do. It felt almost taboo to be asking them now, as if gently prising at the lid of a new tin of biscuits before finishing the last. But it was the most curious thing in the world, what he'd asked of them, what they'd said.

"He came down to the office, when you were out on Friday," Brian added, looking to Gerry to make sure that he was sworn too to the sacred trust of the conversation they'd had with her fiancée.

"Yeah, came and asked us like we were your dads or something," Gerry scoffed into his pint.

She smiled. She knew they weren't going to tell her. And she realised, she didn't need to know. It was enough that the conversation had happened. That, however it had come about, they had given their blessing. "More like my big brothers," she corrected gently. "No, I mean it. You always look out for me; even when I don't want you to. You always stick up for me; even though I don't need you to. And none of us are that good at saying what it means to have each other."

She smiled shyly. Gerry was the rash, impetuous brother who'd thump first and ask questions later. He'd throw advice that she hadn't asked for at her. But he'd always be there. Brian, the thinker. The one who'd quietly try to put things right without alerting the temper of their brother. He was the oldest now. Slowly fading into the background, but always there. "I wanted to ask," she began timidly. "At the wedding. Brian, Gerry. Will you give me away?"

A moment of silence passed where neither man could master his emotions quite well enough to do more than nod in response to her request. After a time, Brian raised his glass. He cleared his throat as he looked between his two friends; his brother, impulsive and devote; his sister, vulnerable and caring. "To family," he toasted delicately. "Brothers and sister."