This chapter is dedicated to amourcodi. She is such a great person honestly. And you know what else if great? She is writing a book and it has firefighters! Who doesn't want to read a story about firefighters? Her book is called Trust Me so give it a read because it's actually really good ☺️ Thank you so much for your support!

Frankie glanced around the room. She lifted the cushions off the sofa and sighed. Where was the phone? She straightened up when she heard the doorbell.

"That's probably Luke!" yelled Mason from the kitchen. Once she opened the door, Luke came rushing in, dropping his school bag on the floor. His lanyard around his neck jingled from his keys.

"Where's Dad?"

"Luke!" Luke turned around to face his dad. He froze for a second, seeing him pushing his way towards him. But then ran to him, pulling him into a hug. "Missed you so much!" Mason said as he kissed his cheek. "Look at you, all grown up."

"I love you Dad," he whispered.

"I love you too." His eyes closed tight as he felt his son pull him against him. Luke buried his head into his father's neck, releasing his tears. Mason kissed his temple, his own tears forming in the corner of his eyes. "Lukey...Son, it's okay. I'm here now. I'm not leaving again."

"I missed you," Luke said through his tears. "Promise me you won't go, Dad."

"I promise," he whispered. "I got you, Son. I'm not leaving you guys anymore. I'm here for you. Dad's here."

After a minute, Luke pulled away. Mason wiped his tears away and chuckled softly. Frankie stood with a hand on her heart whilst Nathan stood at the kitchen doorway with a smile.

"Listen to me, Son," Mason said with a smile, "I promise I'm not going anywhere." Luke nodded his head with a laugh. "Now tell me, did you look after your mum? Have you been making sure she's eating? She's lost a lot of weight since-"

"That is not my fault!" he said as he raised his hands in surrender. "Ever since you went, she's been crazy to loose the baby weight and she's been on his crazy diet." He heard his father laugh and smiled. He was used to him leaving for long periods of time but he really needed him for the last two years. He had so many questions he wanted to ask him. He always heard his friends talking about how their father had taught them how to fix an engine or taught them how to play football. But he didn't have that. "I took care of everyone like I promised. I became the man of the house just like you told me to. I would never let you down."

Mason smiled up at him son. "Give me a kiss!"

"Gross Dad!" Mason chuckled as he brought his head down and kissed his head. "Dad!"

"I have you know you used to love it when I kissed your head. You used to beg me. 'Daddy I cleaned my toys away, do I get a kiss?' I give you a kiss because I'm proud of you. My dad still does it to me."

"But I'm-"

"No is old enough to not get a kiss from their parents. It's the Latino side, my boy." He heard Luke mumble something under his breath before focussing on Frankie. "Have you found her phone?"

"No. But we know it's here. How about I go to the cafe? She didn't take the car so I'm guessing she'll be carrying all that food by herself. I can drive up to her."

Nathan straightened up, slapping Luke on the back as he walked to the front door. "Don't worry, I called the cafe, told them to keep Andy there while I go and pick her up. You guys help yourself to the kitchen. If you want anything, ask Luke because he is always finishing our food."

"I do not!"

"Sure."

Nathan waved at the twins in the sitting room before leaving the house. He quickly pulled out of the driveway and drove towards the cafe. It was still light outside but he knew within the next ten minutes, there would be no sunlight. Andy was meant to return around four but it had now passed six and she was just packing away.

He carefully pulled up into the empty car park, wincing at the sound of the gravel beneath him. He then got out the car and made his entrance through the back. As expected, he saw Andy rushing around in the kitchen, her hair pulled up high and her apron stained. He cleared his throat and she jumped. Normally he would have chuckled.

"Dammit, Nathan! How many times do I have to tell you not to scare me like that?" For a moment she thought everything was okay. But then she saw the frown on his face she cleared her throat. Putting the last container away in the bag, she glanced up at him. This was the time she would have turned around and asked him to undo her apron but she walked back to the till and asked Ralph.

"Off already?" She nodded her head with a genuine smile. "Alright sweetheart, be careful out there. You haven't been paying attention today, burning almost all your fingers off, make sure you're careful out there."

"Thank you, Ralph. But it's okay, I'm just a little clumsy. You can get off now, Ralph, if you want. Go and see your little girl. Nadia is already in to take over."

"Thank you."

Andy walked back to the kitchen to find Nathan gone, along with the bag. She took out the fresh tray of lasagne and potato wedges, placing them on a hot mat and taking it to the car. It wasn't that hot as she cooked it before knowing the rush hour would last longer than usual.

She placed the trays in the boot whilst Nathan sat at the front, the engine already running. Knowing he was already annoyed, she rushed to the front and took her seat.

"Enjoyed the time with-"

"Please don't talk to me," he said with no emotion. "I've had enough of you talking."

Andy leaned back in her seat, resting her head against the seatbelt. The roads blurred past her, not because he was driving too fast but because of the tears in her eyes. She usually loved the night, staring at all the lights. The ride was silent. Nathan expected her to say something else like she usually did when they had an argument, but she didn't make a sound. If it wasn't for the occasional glance at her, he never would have noticed she was in the car. With a sigh, he pulled up in the driveway and got out straight away. Andy stayed a few seconds longer, waiting for him to walk to the door but when he took too long, she got out and walked to the boot.

Nathan was cursing under his breath as he fumbled around in the boot. All the containers had come out the bag but she was thankful none of lids had opened. Luke opened the door and stepped out.

"Dad says I have to help." Luke rolled his eyes as he walked over to them. "Aunt Andy! Mum was trying to call you to get some extra food for me and-" Nathan.

"I got more than enough, Luke." Nathan grunted as he walked past them. He took everything in one go, so Andy closed the boot. "Have you caught up with you dad?"

"Yes! I came from college as soon as I could. He showed me the prosthetic leg he's getting. Not gonna lie, it's so sick."

Andy laughed as she shut the door behind her. She walked into the kitchen to find the kids awake. They jumped up and ran to her, each having a race with each other. Andy giggled as she knelt down and pulled them into a tight hug.

"Can we help you cook, Aunt Andy?"

"Ah, most things are done already but you can help me make the salad and then we'll make some cheesecake for everyone okay?" They all eagerly nodded their heads. Andy got up from the floor, washed her hands and then sorted out the food.

* * *

Nathan watched Luke push Mason around in the grass, chasing after the twins. Andy was sitting down, holding the baby in her hands. He leaned back in his seat, raising the iced tea in his hand. No matter how hard he tried to look away, his sight settled on her.

Since the ride home, she hadn't spoken to him once. She hadn't even spared him a glance. He wanted to be able to look in her eyes, see what she was feeling.

She was standing up now. She walked over to Frankie and handed the baby back. He watched  her carefully as she wobbled on her feet, holding a hand out to the tree to steady herself. With a frown, he put the glass down and watched her walk past him and into the house.

"When was the last time you ate?" She froze and turned around, still not meeting his eyes. He walked up to her. "You didn't eat breakfast with us, you didn't eat lunch with us." She didn't answer. Nathan pulled her from the sitting room and into the kitchen. He pulled out a chair and sat her down. "Can't fucking believe you. You're not a kid, Andy. You know what happens when you don't eat."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. Nathan felt his heart ache. He knew that sorry meant a lot more. Standing his ground, he put some pasta onto the plate and then into the microwave. He stayed facing the counter, knowing that if he turned around, he would be facing his wife who would be pretending he wasn't there.

He cleared his throat. "Salad is finished, so you're gonna have to eat it like that. I can make some for you if you want," he offered.

"It's okay," she whispered. She took the plate off him, hissing in pain when the hot part burnt her skin. Nathan glanced down at her hands and frowned.

"What happened to your hands?" She put the plate down and lifted the fork from the centre of the table. "Andy."

"I just burnt them. I was clumsy."

"You're never clumsy."

"My head wasn't in the right place."

"You never enter the kitchen when your head isn't right."

"I was just tired."

"Andy," he said softly knowing she was lying.

"Nothing."

"Andy." She bit her lip. When she didn't answer, be sighed. "Andy, just answer the fucking question." Andy felt her head spin as she thought back to their fight, him ignoring her, pretending she want even in room. "Andy." She shook her head, pressing her thumb against the top of her eyes. "Andy."

"Well I had to do something to forget about you!" she yelled. "I couldn't stay in the same house, just waiting for you to look at me once. Just once, Nathan! And when you did, god the hate in your eyes. I didn't want to see that so I went to work."

Nathan sighed as he took a seat beside her. "You told me to get over it, De. All those-"

"I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry! I just wanted you to relax and just stop stressing about everything." He ran a hand through his hair, feeling the guilt take over. "I simply meant for you to take a break and let the lawyers take handle of this."

"Andy..."

"It's okay. I'm not hungry-"

"I'm so sorry. I didn't even stay to hear you out. I'm so sorry." Andy sat still for a few seconds before wrapping her arms around him. "I'm sorry," he whispered in her ear.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said it like that."

"Shh, it's my fault. I should have listened to your properly." 

* * *

"Nathan!" Andy screamed as she stepped through the door. She tossed her keys into the bowl as she kicked off her shoes.

"In the kitchen!"

Andy walked into the kitchen to see Nathan sitting at the table with papers around him. She leaned down to kiss his cheek. "How long you been at it?"

"Just ten minutes. I was waiting for you."

"Alright. Well I'll make some coffee and then we'll get started okay?"

Andy's eyes caught a glimpse of the autopsy report. She reached for it put didn't open it. "It's not pretty," Nathan said from beside her. "I can spare you the photos and tell you what happened?" She nodded her head and dropped the report down on the table. He reached out his hand to her, noticing the light film of sweat. "The babies...they were set on fire before the fire started." Andy felt sick. "They knew by the amount of burns and then the blankets weren't burnt that bad as their bodies were because the fire had just started in the loft. The babies who weren't burnt...they were left there, died of smoke inhalation. And the kids were beaten severely before the fire, most ending in head injuries and smoke inhalation again." Andy inhaled sharply. She felt the room go round and round as she listened to the cruel things the people did to the children. "The other kids in the first floor- all dead before we got to them. Beaten to death. No smoke in their lungs."

"I..." Andy inhaled sharply again but it was like as every second went by, the more out of breath she felt. Nathan put his hands on her cheeks.

"Hey, Andy, breath in slow for me. Nice and slowly okay? No, a little bit slower- there we go. Keep doing that pumpkin."

Once she got her breathing back to normal, she was pulled into a hug. "We have to make sure they go down, Nathe."

"We will pumpkin."