So, I'm back. I've had a really awful flu (not that one!) and have been bed ridden for the past two weeks. I really want to continue with this story but I also have a fault of sorts of pieces that didn't make it into Intervals, either because it would have meant missing up the timeline or I just changed my mind at the last minute and was wondering if anyone would be remotely interested in them? They follow the OG timeline of What Could Have Been. So let me know. It might have been a decade give or take, but I just don't think I'm ready to say goodbye to these characters. Reviews make it all worth while so if you have the time, I'd be eternally grateful.

Love always, El x

"We've got a problem,"

Terry looked up from where he was sat reading the newspaper, happily in his own world as the regular Saturday night ruckus that enveloped the Abbey took place around him. Raising an eyebrow, he watched as Steve Dunham slid into the stood across from him, his blue eyes darting uncharacteristically nervously around the pub.

"If you've left your wallet at home and need free beers, you're shit outta luck," he smirked. "It's my night off."

"I fuckin' wish, mate," Steve snorted, reaching across the table and downing a good chunk of his friend's pint. "Think bigger,"

Terry frowned and folded the newspaper, chucking it onto the bench next to him and leaning his elbows on the table as he lowered his voice.

"What's got your Jacob's in a knot?" he shook his head.

"This shit with Millwall," Steve let out a long breath. "It's deeper than any of us knew. I mean, this goes way back, mate."

"Just how messy are we talkin'?" Terry frowned.

"How long 'ave you got?" Steve snorted. "My old man…he's a problem, one we've gotta fix and I mean sharpish."

"Steve, he's a fuckin' pariah in these parts. Short of sending out a letter asking the whole of Barking to take Michael Dunham off of their Christmas card list, what exactly is it you think we can do?"

Steve set his best friend with a hard stare, not saying a word but noting the way his eyes suddenly widened, his mouth hanging open slightly.

"You can't be fuckin' serious," Terry half laughed, his voice hoarse. "You can't mean..-"

"He's dangerous, Terry," Steve spoke quietly, his voice eerily calm. "We can't talk about it here, fuck knows where he's got eyes and ears,"

Terry glanced around the pub, noting the usual Saturday night patrons were there and nothing was out of place. Taking in a deep breath, he opened his mouth to ask Steve what the fuck he was talking about when suddenly two pint glasses were slammed down between them, breaking the young men from their morbid reverie.

"He ain't wrong." Pat Dunham glanced between the two of them.

"About which part?" Terry whispered harshly.

"All of it," Pat jerked his chin towards the exit. "Finish your beers and call your brother," he nodded to Steve. "We finish this tonight." His eyes hardened and he squared his shoulders against the chill that ran through his body even before he uttered the words.

"Once and for all."

Pete Dunham woke with a start, his eyes adjusting to the warm light in the room. He blinked into it, trying to get his bearings as he frowned at the midnight blue walls, the expanse of the room and the feather duvet that was ruched up around his waist.

Turning, he felt his stomach clench and his breath hitch in his throat as he drank her in. Allie Harding, sleeping peacefully next to him, her hair mused up, the blankets barely covering her. Fuck, it was a far cry from waking up to Steve blasting Stone Roses and gassing him with body spray.

"You're staring."

Her voice was soft and full of sleep, her eyes not opening but the hint of a smile on her lips as she snuggled deeper into her pillow.

"Yeah, well, I don't think I got a good enough look earlier," Pete smirked as she giggled, one eye opening and zoning in on him.

"Why don't I believe that?" Allie turned so she was laying on her side, facing him. God, he was gorgeous. His blue eyes sparkled playfully in the faint, warm light of the room and she felt a blush climb up her next as she recalled the events of the past few hours. The way his body felt on top of her, his lips claiming every inch of her body, the way he had felt inside of her, the flash of pain melting away into pure ecstasy as he whispered his love for her against her lips, holding her like she was made of glass.

She caught the way his bright blue eyes turned dark and knew he was remembering the same thing, his hand coming up to trace the expanse of her naked back as he moved like lightening, leaning over her and smiling down at her warmly.

"Alright," he smirked as she giggled.

"Hi." She answered, feeling oddly bashful in that moment given how they'd spent their evening. Pete caught the blush on her cheeks and the way she bit her lip nervously and swore to God he fell in love with her all over again.

Leaning down, he nuzzled the side of her neck and let his lips roam over the petal soft skin, groaning inwardly when she immediately parted her legs, allowing him to lay between them. He lifted his head when she tugged gently on his short hair and guided his lips to hers.

"Mmmm," Allie sighed happily as Pete's mouth slipped across her cheek, back down to her neck, his hands diving beneath the blankets to skim her legs. "Pete…oh my God…oh my God….OH MY GOD!"

He practically jumped back from her, worried he'd hurt her some how or that he was rushing her. She leapt from the bed and shoved her hands through her hair, manically glancing around her.

"Harding." He quirked an eyebrow. "Granted we're new to this but that wasn't exactly the reaction I was going for,"

She rolled her eyes, fighting the urge to giggle as she reached for her phone and held it up in front of his face.

"We've been gone three hours," she cried. "Do you have any idea what my parents are going to do to you…to me…to both of us?" she turned in a quick circle, desperately trying to locate her underwear.

"Are you seriously just going to lie there?" she raised her eyebrows at him as though he were mad.

"It's a high possibility, yeah," Pete smirked and pushed himself up onto his elbows. "It's a fuckin' amazing view,"

Allie bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing and fought the urge to cover her body with her hands. Ok, so three hours ago she had been a virgin and now here she was after an evening of doing things she was certain would put her parents into an early grave if they knew, standing in front of her boyfriend. Naked and panicking.

"Well," she stepped towards the bed and crawled towards him, trying not to let herself focus on the fact that he licked his lips as she did so. "If you want to live long enough to see this view again any time soon, we need to get the hell out of here and back to that party like we've been there the whole time."

Pete raised an eyebrow at her, daring her to look away and not in the least bit surprised when she didn't Allie Harding had never been one to back down. He rubbed his jaw thoughtfully and then smirked, moving at lightning speed to flip her beneath him, laughing as she squealed loudly.

"So I'm supposed to get up," he leaned down to kiss her throat. "Put my suit back on and leave this bed to spend the rest of my night watching Swill dance to Girls Aloud?"

Allie let out a giggle which quickly turned into a moan when his mouth moved lower, over her breasts and down to her stomach. If he wasn't so damn good at this, her argument would have more footing, she was sure.

"Do you not remember the night my mother found you in my room and threatened to castrate you?" she bit her lip and hissed as he kissed and then scraped his teeth along her hip bone. "That was just when we were making out, do you have any idea what they'll do to you if they find out you deflowered their one and only daughter?"

"Whatever it is, it'll be worth it," he growled, pushing himself up her body and claiming her mouth with his. Her arms linked behind his neck as she sighed happily, her tongue dancing playfully with his.

"Uh-uh," Allie shook her head, pushing his shoulders back with strength she didn't know she had in her. "if you keep kissing me like that, we don't have a hope in hell of getting out of this bed for another 24 hours and I don't know about you, but I'd like to live."

Chuckling, Pete kissed her once more, softly this time and then rolled off of her, keeping one of her hands locked in his as they both stared up at the ceiling.

"One of us has to move," Pete whispered to her, turning his head to look at her and feeling his chest tighten. Christ, his girl was perfect.

"Rock, paper, scissors?" Allie raised an eyebrow as he laughed at her before pushing himself up and bringing her with him.

"Just so you know…" he lowered his head to kiss her shoulder gently, grinning when he spotted the faint red mark there. "This night…I mean…all of it, I, uh…"

He shook his head as he met her eyes, brushing a strand of hair out of her face and tucking it behind her ear. He was useless at this stuff. He had it all in his head, he knew what he wanted to say to her but eloquence and Pete Dunham didn't exactly go together.

"For the first time…life feels good, y'know," he shrugged bashfully. "I feel like I have a life, like I can be someone. And that's all down to you."

Allie bit her lip, feeling herself melt at his words.

"Ditto, Dunham," she smiled, kissing him softly. They looked at each other in quiet reverie for a while, neither wanting the moment to end, for the outside world to seep back into the bubble they'd created. But it had to happen sometime.

"So," Pete grinned at her. "I reckon with both get dressed and we do it sharpish because if you take your time, there ain't no hope of you getting out of this room."

"Done," Allie giggled, kissing him once more and then letting out a long, sad sigh as she released him, turning to look at the mess of clothes thrown haphazardly about the room.

"Y'know, I'm all for passion," she pursed her lips. "But next time you want to rip a £150 bra off of my body…maybe take the time to fold it."

"Fuck off," Pete laughed, yanking on his boxers. "You weren't exactly gentle when you sent my delicates flying,"

"By delicates I'm assuming you mean one of the three pairs of underwear you own that doesn't have a West Ham crest on the crotch?" she smiled as he threw his head back and laughed.

"Y'know something, Harding." Pete shook his head. "You can be a right pain in the ar-…"

A sudden shrill sound broke through his words and he frowned, his blue eyes scanning the floor quickly before spotting his phone half way under the bed. Crouching down to get it, he cocked his head in confusion.

"You ok?" Allie asked quietly.

"It's Steve," Pete nodded, squinting at the screen and realising that the call coming through now was the latest of ten before it. "Shit," he hissed, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he answered it.

"Alright?" he laughed into the phone. "Let me guess, you're down the Abbey and you left your wallet at home?"

The smirk faded off of his face almost instantly as he listened, his body going cold and rigid as the horror of whatever fray was going on on the other end of the call invaded his brain.

"Pete." Steve practically screamed. "Tell me you're not at home?"

"What the fuck are you talking about?" he answered quickly. "I'm with Allie…mate, what's happening?"

"He lost it," Steve shouted, his voice breaking. "Oh fuck, what 'ave we done? Terry! Mate…get out of 'ere, now!"

"Steve!" Pete shouted, his voice firm as it boomed through the room and caused Allie to jump. "What's happening?"

"It's Dad,"

Pete felt his blood turn to ice in his veins, a burning cold that paralysed him and caused bile to rise in his throat as all he could do was listen.

"He's in the house with Pat and Nancy…he set it on fire, Pete. And I can't get them out."

...