*24th April, 1989*

"Michael? Where's Ryder's BinkyBear? I haven't seen it for hours! It's his favourite!" I shout from the living room, cradling Ryder, now 3 days old, in my arms.

I didn't actually go to hospital after Ryder's birth, at least, not for long. Just a check up for me and Ryder, and off home they sent us. We're both fine.

"Ughn, he's three days old, how can he have a favourite?" Michael calls from the kitchen.

He walks into the living room, holding BinkyBear.

Oh, looks like he found it.

He hands me the bear and I hold it up in Ryder's face. His eyes are wide open, staring at the bright eyes of the teddy.

"Ryder doesn't answer to nobody. He's allowed a favourite if he wants a favourite, no matter how young he is," I chuckle.

Michael tries to remain serious, but he ends up smiling. He knows I'm right.

He sits down on the sofa by me, and places one arm around me, and his other hand strokes Ryder's head, which now has very small black hairs on it. Yep, he's gonna have Michael's hair by the looks of it.

"He's gorgeous, isn't he?" I ask softly, rocking Ryder gently.

Michael kisses Ryder's forehead, then my lips. "He's extremely perfect, I'll give you that."

"When are we gonna get married, Michael? We were meant to be married for three days now," I frown. Michael smiles.

"I got it all planned out," he says.

I look at him, a confused expression on my face.

"You have? But what's gonna happen?"

"Hmm.. me and you might be getting married next week..."

"We are? But how?!" My excitement kicks in, and I pester Michael for answers.

"I spoke to the vicar, and he has a space, on 30th April. That's 6 days time."

"Oh Michael!"

I kiss his lips and hug him tight. "I'm so excited for this! Have you re-invited everyone?"

"I sure have. I was gonna tell you about it sooner, but what with Ryder coming along three days ago, I had to act fast. I only found out about it myself this morning."

"Michael, we need to change my dress size! It'll be too big for me now, we thought I'd wear it before Ryder came along! But he's here.. and I've shrunk.."

Why am I feeling embarrassed by this?

Michael chuckles, and looks at me, almost lost in his own world.. yet fixated on me. It's a look I've never seen Michael give me before.

"Michael?" I call.

No answer.

"Miiiiiiicchhaaaeelll?" I repeat, louder.

Still no response from Michael.

"Michael!"

I click my finger in his face, and he blinks, shakes his head and looks at me normally.

"What? Did you say something?"

"What was that look for?"

No reply from Michael, he's off on the staring again.

"Michael..?"

He stays fixated on me, but he's listening to my words.

"Just looking at the most beautiful girl in the world, and finding it amazing how much she has evolved so much since she's been with me... and how we've evolved together, and... how far we've come since college almost 3 years ago... and how much everything has changed... I'm just thinking about a lot... how much my life has changed since we were in college.. that's all."

His tone of voice has a, sorta, relaxed nature, it sounds like he's daydreaming, it's very... unlike Michael.

It's sweet seeing him so happy. We're gonna be facing a lot of crap, with Janine and that lot soon. But hey, it's only April. The trial and all that won't be until, like, September.

Then, Janine's baby'll come... well, we found out she wasn't far along with her pregnancy towards the end of February, so.. October-November time, it'll come.

"So, you're happy Michael?" I ask.

He brings his eyes back into focus, and looks at me normally. "Of course I am, for now. Then, we'll be married in a few days, then... then.. things start to get serious."

I nod and stroke his arm gently. "But you'll get through it."

"I know I will, cos I have you and Ryder. You're all I need, for now. Once Janine's child comes, that child will mean a lot to me, too. Not because it's Janine's child, but because it's a parta me, y'know? So don't take it the wrong way, cos you know how I feel about all this. It's complicated, real complicated in my head, I wish you understood. It's great, real great, but crap at the same time. It's complicated," he explains.

"I know what you mean, Michael.. it's just gonna be weird, y'know, having a child here that isn't mine. I'm not saying I don't want it, I'm saying that it's gonna be.. different, ok? And my life's the same, great but crap, in a nutshell."

Ryder starts crying, and I look down at the floor to see BinkyBear lying there.

"Oh, Michael, please would you get BinkyBear for me..? I have Ryder here.."

Michael sighs, and bends down to pick the bear up.

He places the bear on top of my head. "You didn't specify where to put it!"

"Michael, isn't it fairly obvious that Ryder wants it, not me!" I chuckle, and take the bear from my head, and give it to Ryder.

He takes it in his tiny hands and shakes it, not having sense enough to play properly. Well, he is only three days old, to be fair..

"Alright, I'm sorry! I'm sure Ryder forgives me, don't you Ryder? Hey?" Michael coos, taking the teddy from Ryder and shaking it gently in his face, making Ryder, somehow, laugh.

"See, he loves BinkyBear," I say with a giggle.

Michael smirks and looks back my way. "And you can go change your dress whenever. How about tomorrow? I'm gonna go round and see the Jax boys tomorrow. You can go with Emma or Janet, or both, then. Ok?"

I nod my head. "Alright. I'll go ring Emma now."

I walk out the room, after handing Ryder over to Michael. I take out my phone, and dial Emma's number.

"Cozzy?"

"Emma, hey."

"How's Ryder? When can I come see him?"

"Well, tomorrow, if you come with me to get my wedding dress resized!"

"Oh, ok! And, congratulations on Ryder, Becky. I can't believe my best friend is a mother! That's incredible!' I'm so happy for you, Becky.."

"Aww, stop Emma, you'll make me cry. I don't wanna cry!"

"So, what time do you want me round tomorrow?"

"Hmm.. come at.. about 10am. Oh, I can't wait to see the look on that dress shop manageress' face when she sees I've shrunk! The way she looked at me last time, she musta thought I was an elephant or somethin'!"

"Ahh, no Cozzy! You were beautiful, pregnant or not!"

"Thanks, so.. you'll come tomorrow?"

"Sure! I'll tell Mark as soon as I get off the phone, but I think he's gonna be with the Jax boys tomorrow anyway, something like that."

"Have you heard from Cam or Tati about Janine?"

"Uh.. no, not since New Year's Day, I don't think, why?"

"You know about what Janine did to the Jax boys, right? And Michael?"

"I might do.. the thing the police are involved with?"

"Yes, the sexual assault charges. But there's something else, too.."

"What?"

"After me and Michael had come from the police station, not long ago, in like February or March time, Janine followed me and Michael, and while Michael was out, Janine found me in the car on the side of the road... not only did she tell me her life story, but when Michael came back, she.."

"She what?"

"She told us she was pregnant... with Michael's baby.."

"What?! Pregnant?!"

"And guess what?"

"What?"

"Me and Michael are adopting the child once it's born, as it's Michael's blood relative, it's legal anyway.. it'll be so strange, won't it?"

"At least it'll be in a safe home, with you and Michael."

"That's my logic, too. But the trial and all that crap's in like September time."

"I'll be there with you, Becky. I always have been, I always will be, I promise."

"Thanks Emma... but look, I'll talk more tomorrow, ok? I've gotta get back to Michael and Ryder."

"Alright, see you tomorrow!"

"See you tomorrow, bye!"

"Bye!"

I hang up and put my phone back in my pocket, and walk back into the room, where Michael and Ryder are. Ryder's asleep, and Michael doesn't look too far off that himself.

"Hey, Michael, it's getting late, maybe we should go to bed. You look tired," I say softly.

Michael looks up at me, Ryder in his arms. God, he looks so cute holding our child.

"Nah, I'm wide awake, really, honest. I'll be fine," Michael argues with a smile.

I sit by him, and he places his arm around me. I look up to him, and he kisses my lips.

"Are you sure you'll stay awake?" I ask.

Michael nods. "Sure. I can stay awake longer."

"Alright, as long as you're sure," I reply.

"I really love you, y'know," Michael says.

"And I love you.. more," I say wittily.

"No, I love you more. In German, that's "ich liebe dich mehr," that's my fact of the day for you," Michael says.

I chuckle and nuzzle his shoulder. "You sound so cute speaking German."

"Why thank you, y'know it's just a gift sounding so good speaking other languages. I'm just full of wonderfull..ness."

"You're just full of yourself," I retort playfully.

Michael smiles, and looks down at Ryder.

"Looks like Ryder's out of it for the night... and probably for the next 24 hours after, too.." he says.

"Yeah.. he's gorgeous, both my boys are. My beautiful handsome men," I say.

"But Prince Ryder and Queen Becky are the most beautiful people on the planet, right?"

"Replace me with you, and you're right," I reply.

Michael rolls his eyes. "One day you'll realise how beautiful you really are, then you'll thank me for pointing it out early for you."

"The only time I'll ever feel beautiful is on our wedding day, Michael. Trying my dress on in the shop felt magical, a whole new thing... I loved it, so much. I wanna feel that way forever, but I know I won't.."

Michael places hand uner my chin and lifts my head to look him in the eye.

"Hey, listen you. You're always gonna be beautiful and perfect to me, so stop worrying about that," he says, with such seriousness in his voice that I nod in agreement.

"Thanks, Michael.." I whisper.

Michael smiles and nods in satisfaction. "That's settled then. So.."

"I will always love you," I say with a smile.

Michael nuzzles my cheek and smiles.

"I will always love you forever, that's longer," he says.

"How is it longer? It's the same, you silly!"

I tap his nose playfully, and he tries to deflect it.

"Alright, alright! Hey, remember I have a sleeping child here!" he squeals.

I stop tickling him and look at his sleepy-looking face.

"You look tired, Michael. Are you sure you don't wanna go to bed?" I ask. Michael shakes his head.

"No, I could stay awake all night. I'm not tired yet," he says, like a child in a war with his mother over bedtimes.

I kiss his lips and stand myself up. "Alright, if you say so."

I walk out of the room to get a drink. Orange juice.

I pour it into a glass and walk back into the living room, where..

Michael is asleep, with Ryder in his arms. Oh gosh, this is the most adorable thing I've ever seen..

Michael has his head leant forward, touching Ryder's head gently, and they're both completely out of it.

"Yeah, 'I could stay awake all night, I'm not tired yet,' ok Michael," I mock his previous words, and tut, chuckling softly to myself.

I take a blanket from the cupboard and sit down next to them, and lean my head on Michael's shoulder, before spreading the blanket out over us all.

Might as well sleep here tonight, we're all here on the sofa anyway.

"Goodnight, my handsome, gorgeous boys," I whisper, before kissing both their heads and closing my eyes myself.

"Goodnight my Prince, and my King."