The first thing Florence did when she left Oakwood was to call Natalie, profusely apologise and explain her situation.

The next thing was harder to do, she called up Cooper.

She had known something was wrong between them, but she'd ignored the feeling, she had thought her entire life was consumed by her past, and by Cole.

But now she realised that it was really strange for Cooper not to have called her, or even shown any signs of being alive for two weeks, why hadn't she checked up on her sooner?

Cooper picked up on the third ring.

"Florence, Hi"

If people could sound like corpses, Cooper sounded like one, her voice was dry and it sounded like she had given up on everything.

"Hey Cooper, listen we need to talk"

"Do we?"

"Yes, we do right now actually, I don't know whats going on with you and I need you to tell me right now"

She heard Cooper begin to cry.

"I'll tell you Flo, just not like this, I'm home right now can you please just come, like now?"

"I'm coming Cooper, whatever it is we'll work it out, okay?"

She was on edge now, Cooper didn't over react like this, it must be something really bad for her to practically be begging for Florence to come over.

Florence saw what the problem was the moment Cooper opened the door, her friend didn't even have to open her mouth, it wasn't really something that needed to be explained.

An unmistakable if small bump was protruding from her stomach.

"Oh My God..." 

Florence couldn't help herself.

"Your Coops... Your"

Cooper burst into tears again.

"Hey, don't cry!"

Florence reached forwards and wrapped her up in a hug.

"It's just a shock that's all, and not exactly a bad one... just a shock there's no reason to cry, I'm here and I'm not going anywhere"

"I didn't want to tell you" Cooper sobbed.

"I don't want to tell anyone, I feel like if I tell them it all becomes real, that I can't pretend this isn't all happening, Mum and Dad know obviously and there not thrilled about it, but they're family, they support me whatever happens, but other people they don't have to be nice to me because I'm their daughter, look at me Flo, I'm nineteen years old and still living in my parents house... I'm too young to be a Mother!"

"Oh God Cooper, if you start to care about what other busybodies have to say about your life, you'll never stop! It's your opinion that matters, and its great that your parents are supporting you, but so am I, always"

She didn't ask the question she really wanted to, because that was insensitive, her friend was upset and scared and needed comforting not prying questions about who exactly the father of this unborn baby was.

"I'll make us both a coffee Coops, you sit down and just breathe in and out, I'm here and it's fine, your fine and we'll figure this all out, but don't push me away like you've been doing, that doesn't help you or me"

Cooper nodded and sat down on the chair looking slightly less terrified.

Florence's hands shook as she boiled the kettle and poured the steaming water into two mugs, of everything she had been expecting on her drive here, this had never crossed her mind, as Cooper had said she was nineteen years old, way to young to be thinking about things as serious as being a Mother.

Would she keep the baby?

"Here you go, get some caffeine into your system, you'll feel much better"

"Thanks Florence, for coming over here, for trying to calm me down, I don't know what I'd do without you, I honestly don't all I've done is worry and regret"

"Have you spoken to your parents about what your going to do?" Florence asked gently, not wanting to push her but still needing to know.

"I'm going to keep it, whatever happens, whether I give it up for adoption when it's born is a whole new question"

Florence inwardly breathed a sigh of relief, this was Cooper's decision ultimately but the thought of a living thing that had come from her best friend being erased had been unbearable.

"I think you should take it easy, don't over-think too much, you have time to think and process everything, no one's going to pressure you to do anything you don't want to"

Cooper nodded.

"Can I ask you the question I've been wanting to ask since I came to the door now?"

It was a risk and she knew it, Cooper might just clam up, go back to being cold and unapproachable once more.

"Is the dad.. the dad of the baby not in the picture anymore?"

Her friend shook her head emphatically.

"I don't want to say anything Florence, I'll tell you everything just not today, today isn't the day for that"

"Okay, thats fine, thats absolutely fine, I'm just happy to have my friend back right now"

"So am I"

This really was a turning point, in their friendship, in their lives, for once Cooper was going to go through something that she had no experience of, it both shocked her and made her feel glad, happy to be alive.

"How are you feeling? Have you been to the doctor's yet?"

"I'm actually feeling okay, people always talk about horrendous morning sickness but I haven't experienced much yet, maybe because it's the early stages of the pregnancy, but I just feel really tired and really emotional all the time, like my hormones are spiralling out of control, and yes I've been to the doctors, Mum practically dragged me there, they said according to their signs all was good and both me and the baby are healthy"

"I meant how are you feeling, as in mentally, this must have been a massive shock to you, how do you feel about the baby Coops"

A different kind of look crossed over her face.

"I never thought it, I never imagined it but I feel at peace Flo, when I'm not worried about what everyone else will think, when I'm not stressed sometimes I just lie down with my hands on my stomach and feel completely and utterly relaxed, I could never dream of giving this baby away, its become a part of me in the space of two weeks and to be honest that scares me, the love I feel for someone I've never met scares me"

Florence felt tears coming to her eyes, something about the way Cooper's eyes had gone all soft and misty made her feel emotional, it was just so beautiful witnessing something like this happening to someone she cared so much about.

Her phone rang, slightly ruining the moment.

She picked it up and saw the caller ID read Charlie.

Fingers trembling she answered the call.

"Charlie..."

A knot of uneasiness.

"Flo!"

Charlie sounded like she was trying to breathe.

Bad news... it must be bad news.

"He's awake Flo, Cole, he just woke up..."