Post-Christmas

"You look a little rough, buddy." Daryl, one of the police officers said to Theo who was leaning over the front reception desk with his head resting on a folder, "One too many beverages last night?" He asked, patting Theo's back.

"Don't touch me." Theo grumbled as Daryl chuckled, "Remind me never to volunteer to work the shift after Christmas ever again. Do you realise how painful it was waking up this morning and looking at Cassie all… happy in bed, fast asleep?" He lifted his head.

"Nobody likes going to work when their household is all asleep." Daryl nodded.

"You have a good Christmas?" Theo asked him.

"Yeah, it was good. What about you guys?" Daryl asked.

"Yeah, all good." Theo nodded, "Chase was ecstatic about the bike. He's still got the stabilisers on them but… I give it a couple weeks and he'll be doing fine without them." He said, "Lena was more interested in the wrapping paper." He shrugged.

"Yeah, that's babies." Daryl nodded, "And the misses liked all her gifts?"

"Loved them." Theo said, "She screamed and woke Lena up from her nap when she opened up the Maggie Rogers tickets."

"So, you did well." Daryl concluded.

"I got some thanks later on, yeah." Theo nodded deviously, "Is Sean in yet? I didn't notice his car out there."

"I haven't seen him. I've not long clocked in." Daryl said, "I'm doing the coffee run. You want anything?"

"I'd love some coffee." Theo nodded, "Just a flat white."

"I'll add it to my list. There's a lot of people in desperate need for coffee this morning." Daryl chuckled.

"Run like the wind." Theo pushed him over as Daryl chuckled, heading out of the police station whilst Theo willed himself to stand up straight and head further into the police station.

He made his way to Sean's office, to hopefully take solace in another person being as hungover as he was, but when he reached the office he could see it was empty, which he found strange.

"I should go. The girls will start asking him questions and… I need to talk to him. Hopefully he's calmed down a little." Jude nodded, putting her coat on at the bottom of the stairs in Miles' house.

She'd spent the night at his place but nothing had happened beyond a kiss. She had slept in the spare bedroom and woken up with a headache from all the alcohol and yelling that had happened yesterday.

"Yeah, he'll be calmer." Miles nodded.

"I mean… I don't expect him to be thrilled about it all but… I won't be yelled at." Jude shook her head.

"You're being honest with him. You're… You're doing the right thing. I'm not just saying that because it benefits me but… you deserve to pick your own happiness. Doesn't mean you don't love him or don't want anything to do with him. You guys have kids. You're always gonna be in each other's lives." Miles said, "But you should listen to your feelings. Let them guide you and don't be afraid where they take you."

"I'm not." Jude smiled, "Not anymore." She nodded as he smiled.

"If you need anything…" Miles placed his hand at the side of her neck.

"I know." Jude nodded, leaning into his hand, "But I have to sort this out with Sean. And my girls come first. They always will. They need a mom and dad who can still work together at raising them. And I want to make sure that happens."

"And you should." Miles nodded, "Just know I'm here if you need anything. A text or a call. Or if you need the spare bedroom again." He said, "I'm here."

"Thank you." Jude smiled.

"Oh, mommy needs coffee." Cassie groaned, balancing Lena on her hip in the kitchen as she grabbed a mug out and began prepping the coffee machine.

"You always need coffee." Chase observed, sitting at the kitchen table waiting on his breakfast.

"Because it makes me feel better." Cassie said, "What do you want for breakfast?"

"Daddy's pancakes." Chase nodded.

"Well… daddy isn't here. Mommy's pancakes?" She turned to him.

"No, thanks." Chase shook his head, "I'll have cereal."

"Oh, suit yourself." Cassie stuck her tongue out at him as he giggled, "Ok, sweet girl, you have a little seat in your chair." She sat Lena down on her high chair at the table, clipping her in securely, "And mama will get your breakfast."

"What is she having?" Chase asked, shaking Lena's rattle in front of her as the baby girl's eyes stared at it intently.

"She's having pureed peaches. Which I have premade, because I'm a smart mama." Cassie smiled to herself, thanking herself for prepping Lena's breakfast.

"Why does she only eat mushy food?" Chase asked, walking over to the cereal cupboard and pulling out a box, showing Cassie who nodded.

"Because she's a little baby and she only has a couple of tiny teeth." Cassie explained.

"Do I have all my teeth?" Chase asked.

"Yes." Cassie nodded, "But they'll fall out when you get a little older, and then you'll have your adult teeth."

"Why can't there just been one set of teeth?" Chase rolled his eyes as Cassie chuckled, fixing both their breakfasts whilst her coffee brewed.

"I have no idea, baby." Cassie said honestly.

"Where's daddy?" Chase asked.

"He's at work. God bless him." Cassie shook her head, not envying her husband working when she knew his hangover no doubt matched her own.

"But then he can't play with us and all my games I got." Chase frowned unhappily.

"He'll be home later and you can play with him." Cassie assured him, "Ok, cereal for my best boy." She smiled, sitting down the bowl of cereal to Chase, "And some mush for my best girl." She cooed in a funny voice, stroking Lena's cheek.

Just as she sat down with her coffee beside her and Lena's breakfast to spoonfeed her, there was a knock at their front door.

She got up from the table, making her way through the house to the front door, opening it up to see Thea standing at the door.

"Morning." Thea smiled brightly as Cassie groaned.

"Why are you knocking? Just walk in." Cassie grumbled.

"That's rude, Cassie." Thea insisted, "Sore head this morning?"

"Oh, a little." Cassie said, making her way back to the kitchen as Thea followed.

"I've been up since 8am. We all went for a walk in the park. Got some really good coffee." Thea said.

"Don't rub it in." Cassie said, sitting back down at the kitchen table.

"Hey babies." Thea smiled upon her nephew and niece.

"Hi Aunt Thea." Chase waved.

"Where's the man of the house?" Thea asked.

"Right there." Cassie pointed to Chase who grinned at Thea.

"The other man." Thea smiled.

"Working. Poor guy." Cassie shook her head, feeding Lena some of the peaches as Thea watched with a smile.

"Oh, I miss having a baby." Thea folded her arms, "They're just so adorable. And she is extra adorable." She watched Lena.

"Because she's mine." Cassie smiled, "Isn't that right, baby girl?" She scooped some peaches from Lena's chin.

"So…" Thea said, sitting down next to Chase, "Do you think Jude talked to Sean?"

"I hope she did. Otherwise she'll just keep talking herself out of it." Cassie said.

"I'm still really shocked, honestly." Thea admitted, "Hearing her talk about another guy… a guy we don't even know, and she's in love with him? It's just so… not Jude." She shook her head.

"Sean cheating clearly made an impact on their relationship. Obviously it did." Cassie concluded, "Whether they kissed and made up, it'll always be there between them. Maybe it was just gonna take the right guy for her to seek comfort in."

"I don't know. I don't like it." Thea shook her head.

"Babe, you don't have to like it but it's Jude's life. She was scared of leaving Sean because she felt he was the only one who really knew her. Now she's gained the confidence to choose her happiness over her fears. I think we should be supporting her in every way." Cassie nodded.

"I think we should support her too. Of course I do." Thea nodded, "I just don't want to see her get hurt."

"She's a big girl." Cassie nodded, "I just hope it doesn't get ugly with her and Sean."

"Yeah, me neither." Thea agreed, "I wonder what this other guy is like. I just can't imagine anyone other than Sean with Jude."

"If she trusts him enough to tell him about everything. Her attack especially. I think he's probably a good guy." Cassie nodded.

"A good guy hitting on a married woman." Thea said suspiciously as Cassie raised a brow, "Don't you bring up my past. This has nothing to do with me and I'm a changed woman." She nodded.

"Mhm." Cassie said.

"I just hope she's ok. She must feel all over the place." Thea said.

"She'll be fine, Thea. If there's one thing that Jude doesn't mess around with, it's her feelings. She'll protect them, and she'll do what she needs to do."

Jude got home after leaving Miles' house, making her way through the living room as she heard the girls in the kitchen, no doubt having their breakfast with Sean.

"Mommy!" Leela noticed Jude excitedly, "Mommy, we're having breakfast." She announced.

"I see that." Jude smiled, "What's this? Pancakes? And bacon?" Jude asked.

"My favourite." Mirren nodded.

"It looks amazing. Did you guys save me some?" Jude smiled, kissing them both on the cheek, glancing over at Sean who was in the kitchen clearing up the dishes.

"Uh… we didn't, but maybe daddy did." Leela nodded.

"Oh, I hope he did." Jude smiled, looking over at Sean, bracing herself as she made her way over to him, "Morning." Jude said quietly as Sean nodded to her, "I'd like it if we could speak." She nodded.

Sean glanced over at the girls who were chatting together whilst eating their breakfast. He nodded to Jude and headed through to the living room without saying anything. She followed after, taking her coat off and sitting it on the sofa.

"I'm not sure what it is we're supposed to talk about." Sean said.

"I think there's lots for us to talk about, Sean." Jude sighed, "I understand that you're probably upset, but that doesn't give you the right to yell at me like you did last night. And accuse me of things that I haven't even done yet." She said, "I would never take the girls from you. Why on earth would you think I would do that?" She questioned. It was all she could think about all night. The fact he could think she would do such a thing.

"I was upset." Sean said, "I know you wouldn't." He nodded.

"I'm sorry that this is hurting you. It's hurting me too." Jude nodded, "Do you think when I first saw you, at the police station… when we went on our first date… when we said our vows or when we had the girls… do you think that I thought this would become of us?" She questioned as Sean looked at her.

"It just feels pretty out of the blue, Jude." Sean nodded, "I mean… I'm worried some guy is just… preying on you. Preying on your vulnerability."

"I'm not vulnerable, Sean. I'm not some delicate little thing that only you can protect." She shook her head, "It's not out of the blue. You know things just haven't been the same since…" She said, not bothering to state the obvious, "Maybe we worked through some stuff and we were doing good but you know it just never felt the same."

"And I'm too blame for that." Sean nodded.

"I'm not saying that." Jude shook her head, "But… knowing I have feelings for someone else tells me everything I need to know."

"And what's that?" Sean looked at her.

"We're not working anymore." Jude said, "And that doesn't mean that I don't love you or care about you. I need you in my life, Sean. I always will." She nodded, "But… I just…"

"Would rather fuck someone else?" Sean nodded.

"Stop." Jude shook her head, "It's not even about that."

"Then what is it about?" Sean shook his head.

"The fact that no matter what I do, I can't forget that you gave yourself to another woman, willingly, whilst I was at home with our children. That is in my head forever. No amount of grovelling can make me forget and it just… it won't work anymore for me." She shook her head, "And I love someone else."

"Who you've known for how many months?" Sean questioned.

"I knew I loved you after our first date so… what does it matter?" Jude shook her head, "I don't want us to talk about him. I want us to talk about us. About how we can make this work for the girls."

"Isn't there something more concrete you want to say to me?" Sean asked, "I mean… what about this house we've bought?"

"Well that's what we should talk about." Jude nodded.

"I promised the girls I would take them to buy Lego. My mom gave them some vouchers for Christmas." Sean said.

"Weren't you supposed to be working today?" Jude asked.

"I called in." Sean said.

"Can we talk after?" Jude asked as Sean just nodded, dismissing her and walking away back into the kitchen as Jude stood in the silent living room, sighing to herself and rubbing her forehead.