Joseph's POV

After leaving Michael's office I feel awful about accusing him of being the father of Lisa's baby and him breaking down and crying only made me feel even worst, but I my defence Michael dodging my calls and going quiet everytime I tried to bring it up didn't help either and only made Lisa's lie even more convincing.

I'm sitting in my office and Kathrine comes storming in. "What's going on with Michael?" She frowns. "Nothing why?" I shake my head innocently. "Well I've just seen him and he looked really upset and Randy said you'd been waiting in his office all morning for him. What have you said to him?"

"Didn't Michael tell you?"

"He didn't say anything, because he was clearly to upset to even speak" she frowns. "What's going?"

"We just had a little disagreement is all. He'll be fine" I try to reassure her "and what was this 'disagreement' about exactly?" She asks and I sigh heavily and tell her about my visit with Lisa and what's been going on.

"And you believed her!? Over our own son!?" She snaps "He's with Leanne and has a baby on the way. He wouldn't do anything to ruin that and especially with Lisa! have you forgotten what that evil woman has done to him and to this family? Why would you even think Michael would go anywhere near her again?"

"Because.. she was really convincing and even named the baby after him and Michael even admitted to sleeping with her and..."

"Two years ago! Before he was with Leanne. You do know it only takes 9months to have a baby?" She cuts me off. "Of course I do, but you have to admit, him doing his best to try and avoid the topic was pretty suspicious and this morning when I told him to meet me here for the results he turns up 2 hours late because he was trying to avoid talking to me and..."

"But you said he told you he was at home with Leanne?" She cuts me off "that's what he said and..."

"So you went off on him for being at home with the mother of his child where he should be!? And as for avoiding you, I don't blame him. You accused him of cheating on his pregant girlfriend and forced him to do a test he didn't want to do"

"If he had nothing to hide then why didn't he want to do the test and why try and avoid me?"

"Michael goes quiet and avoids people when he's upset. You should know that by now!"

"If he didn't do anything then why would he get so upset when I asked him to prove it? The test showed he wasn't the father, so what's the problem?" I shrug. "Because he shouldn't have had to prove himself in the first place!" She snaps "I can't believe you believed that woman over your own son" she shakes her head and I don't say anything for a moment.

"I know I was wrong. And I'm sorry. I really am" I sigh heavily.
"You need to go and speak to him and sort this out"

"I've already told him I'm sorry. There's nothing else I can say to him"

"Then tell him your sorry again! Joesph, Micheal was really upset when I saw him and you need to go and put this right"

****
Leanne's POV

"How come Michael wants copies of this file? I thought my dad was working on these houses?" TJ asks confused handing me the copies. "He didn't say. He just told me to ask you for them" I shrug and am about to go back to Michael's office when I hear Joesph call my name as he and Katjrine are walking over to me.

"Have you seen where Michael went? I need to speak with him" Joesph asks "He's in his office"

"No he's not" he shakes his head. "Well he was a moment ago. He asked me to come and get these copies while he made a call before we go home" I explain and he takes the papers from me and looks at them confused. "I gave Tito this project. Why's Michael doing all the work" he frowns confused.

I try calling Michael, but his phone is switched off and we all start looking around the building for him when I see Dave one of the security men. "Hey. Have you seen Michael walking around here?"

"Yeah. He left about 5 minutes ago"

"He left?" I ask nervously and he nods. "Yeah, is there something wrong?" He asks and I shake my head. "I was just wondering is all" I fake a smile and walk away to try and call him again and again his phone is switched off.

"I can't find him anywhere" I hear Katherine say from behind me and turn and fake a smile at her. "He's gone home" I lie. "What do you mean he's gone home? He wouldn't just walk out and leave you here" she frowns confused. "Um... Me and him kind of had an argument and he just needed some space" I lie again and she frowns shaking her head. "So you've been getting at him aswel?"

"No we just had and argument is all, but he's fine. He just needs some time alone is all. I just spoke to him and..."

"What he needs is for everybody to stop picking on him! Jeez... first Joesph and now you! No wonder he stormed off crying" she frowns. "I'll go home and speak to him" I fake a smile and leave quickly before she can asks anymore questions.

****
Lisa's POV

"Why are you blocking the door? And why do you have Mikey?" I frown confused. "Because I don't want us to be disturbed" Michael shrugs "and as for how I got YOUR baby. It wasn't that hard. According to the birth certificate and what you've been telling people. I'M his father so I can do whatever I want. I could easily walk out of the hospital with him right now if I wanted to and nobody would try and stop me"

"Please... I'm sorry for what I said to your dad. Please just give him to me" I say nervously and go to take him, but Michael backs away from me. "How is my name on his birth certificate? I didn't sign anything"

"You don't need to if um... If you show them your marriage certificate" I mumble that last part. "But we're divorced" he frowns confused. "I still had a copy of our old marriage certificate"

"Of course you did" he smiles at me through pursed lips and doesn't say anything for a moment and I can see in his eyes he's really pissed off with my answer.

"Why are you doing this to me?" He mumbles "Because I love you and I know deep down you love me too and.."

"No I don't. I love Leanne. I've told you this already... many times and me and her are gonna get married because I love her and I wanna spend the rest if my life with her. I don't know how many ways I can say this to you and.."

"But you don't mean it. Your just saying that because you feel guilty" I cut him and he looks at me confused. "What have I got to feel guilty about?" He shrugs. "Because of what you did with Leanne. Making her have sex with you when she didn't want to and was underage, for almost killing her, for getting her pregant, for..."

"I don't feel guilty for any of that and I have no reason to either" he cuts me off. "She told me she was 18 and wanted to be with me. I didn't force her or threaten her to do anything and the fire was your fault not mine"

"You lit the flame" I point out. "Yeah, to help you and to get you out of that place. Your the one that locked Leanne in one of the rooms. You know full well if I'd known she was in there I never would have started that fire. I had no idea she was in there. Your to blame for that not me. I ran back in to save her and almost died myself. What happened to Leanne wasn't my fault. she'll tell you that herself. She tells me all the time" he shrugs. "And as for getting her pregant. I don't feel even a little bit guilty about that. In fact, finding out I got her pregant was the proudest moment of my life. I'm finally gonna have my own family" he smiles and looks down at the baby and smiles at him slightly.

"And you can still have that. With us. Mikey can be the son you've always wanted and we can be a family" I say softly. And he shakes his head.

"But, I don't want to have a family with you... I did... For years i'd dreamed about this moment. Me, you and our first born and we would have been a real family.. but not anymore" he mumbles that last part. "Now I can't even stand to be around you"

"You don't mean that" I shake my head. "I know you still love me and I still love you. I understand you feeling guilty. Especially with Leanne being pregnant but..."

"I did love you... once" he cuts me off. "I loved you so much that after we got divorced I tried to kill myself. And I would have done it too if it wasn't for my family turning up" he mutters. "You tried to kill yourself over me?" I mutter and he nods. "That's how much I loved you. I would have rather  been dead than be without you. Because that's how you made me feel"

"I had no idea. If I'd have known then..."

"That's how much you messed with my head" he frowns, cutting me off. "You made me feel that shitty and that worthless that I didn't wanna live anymore. That's not love" he croaks and I don't say anything for a moment.

"I'm so sorry for what I've done to you in the past. I truly am, but I'm not that person anymore. I've changed and..."

"No you haven't" he shakes his head. "If you'd changed then you would have never came back and you never would have done the things you've done since you have. If you loved me then you would have seen I was happy and left. I was finally happy and you came back and have done nothing but try and destroy that"

"That's not why I came back. I came back because I love you and.."

"No! You came back because nobody wanted you and you needed money" he snaps which causes the baby to cry and little and Michael gives him a cuddle which quickly calms him down.

"Can you please give him to me?" I ask and he ignores me and continues talking "I finally met someone who I truly love and someone that makes me happy and who loves me for me and not just my money or what she could get out of me and you could have ruined all of that with all those lies you told Joesph and.."

"I'm sorry I lied to your dad about us, but Leanne doesn't love you and never has. You met the girl in a brothel. Your money was ALL she was interested in and..."

"THAT WASN'T HER FAULT!!" He yells and the baby starts crying again and Michael quickly manages to calm him again. "Michael, your scarying the baby. Will you please just give him to..."

"She didn't have a choice in what happened to her or what she had to do with those other men, but you did! I gave you everything you ever asked me for and would do anything for you, but it was never enough for you was it?" He sobs shakily. "Of course it was enough and..."

"If it was enough then you never would have cheated on me or lied to me. Because that all you ever did. Cheat and lie and then fuck with my head and make me think I loved you but I didn't it was all just a game to you!" he frowns. "I'm truly sorry about what I did to you in the past, but I really do love you" I say softly, trying to calm him down and he doesn't say anything for a moment.

"I don't love you. Not anymore" he mumbles then goes silent for a moment..

"I believe you when you say you love me, but that doesn't change how I feel about you. And if you you truly love somebody then you'd do whatever you could to make them happy"

"And I will. I'd do any.."

"If I were to take you back, raise your baby as my own and be a family with you and gave you exactly what you want would that really make you happy?" He frowns "Would you be happy Knowing that every second I was with you I was wishing I was with somebody else? And would it make you happy knowing that everytime I'd look at you I'd hate you more and more each time? I'd even end up hating him" he says looking at the baby. "He's done nothing wrong, but I'd end up hating him just as much as I was hating You because you were both the reason I wasn't happy and you'd both be the ones stopping me from being where I wanna be. Is that really want you want? You want me to be so full of hate and heartache? That's what you want?"

"Of course not" I shake my head. "Then what DO you want!? Because I've told you over and over I don't love you, but it's like you don't care. As long as you get your way. I don't love you and I don't wanna be with you.. clearly you don't care about my feelings do you?" He frowns

"Of course I care. Michael I love you and.. "

"Then why are you still here?" He cuts me off. "Because as much as it breaks my heart to even think this. If things were the other way around and Leanne was in love with somebody else and was happier with them, then I wouldn't do anything to stop her leaving. Because that's what true love is. It's wanting to see that person happy and loved, even if you can't be the person to give them that. You wouldn't do anything to get in the way if their happiness. I believe you when you say you love me, but what you have is selfish love" he frowns then looks back down at the baby. "You even have selfish love for him" he mumbles.

"No I don't" I shake my head. "He my son and I love him. Now will you please give him to..."

"Then why lie to him and to everybody else and even name him after me? I get you not wanting to admit his real father is Officer Charles, but do you really need to destroy my life and lie to your son because of it?" he cuts me off and I look at him confused.  "How did you know officer Charles is.."

"I'd recognise that face and those eyes anywhere" he mumbles, staring at Mikey, whilst still cradling him in his arms

"When I called the police after Leanne told me the truth about what was going on. He was the one that went to the brothel that night. He was supposed to help her, but he didn't. He just forced her to..." He pauses and tears start rolling down his face.

"Michael, please give me my son" I ask shakily, getting more and more nervous the way he's looking at him. "I thought you said I could have him as my own son? So there's another lie you told me" he shrugs "I meant with me and..."

"Why? He'd be way better off with me and Leanne. At least I know she'll be a good mother to him and..."

"You keep that murder away from my son!" I snap. "Because that's what she is! She murdered Mary and.."

"Yeah I know" he says calmly and I look at him confused. "Y-you know!? I you you haven't said anything to he police?"

"Of course I know. I was there...  and I was the one who put her body in the basement" he says calmly. "I even helped set up Mia" he shrugs "Personally I would have been happy to leave you in there, but Leanne didn't want you to have your baby taken away and didn't think it was right for a mother to be separated from her baby"

"You helped her!?" I widen my eyes and he nods. "I'm not gonna have another one on my conscience" he mumbles under  his breath. "Another one?" I frown confused. "Leanne didn't do what she did because she wanted to. She did it help you and to help so many others"

"How is murdering someone and framing and innocent woman helping anybody other than helping herself!?" I frown. "Because Mary can't hurt anybody anymore and neither can Mia. Mia was just as responsible for what happened to you all as Mary was"

"What are you talking about? She didn't do what Mary did"

"Yes she did. She just pretended to befriend you all so she could groom you. Mary forced you all in there, but Mia made sure you were all too scared to leave"

"Why would she do that?" I mutter under my breath. "Because she got alot of money for it, which helped pay for her drug addiction, but now she's in jail she can't do any of that and gets the help she needs. You have it in your head that Leanne is this psycho who ruined your life but she's not. She helped you. Dispite everything you put her through she still forgave you both and still helped you and didn't want so much as a thank you. All she wanted was for you to have a second chance and move on with your life"

"Your saying she did that for me?" I ask confused and he nods. "She did it for everybody" he mumbles and I don't say anything.

"Leanne's forgiven you for what you did, but I haven't and I'm not sure if I ever can and..."

"But you can try. If she can then..."

"I just wanna move on with my life and you not apart of that anymore" He cuts me off. "But..."

"I also don't want you anywhere near me or my family anymore" he cuts me off again and takes two letters from his pocket and hands it to me. "What's this?" I look at them confused "I got a restraining oder taken out. Not just for Me, but for Leanne and the rest if my family. I don't want you anywhere near any of us anymore" he says and I don't say anything and start reading it.

"I also had a DNA test done and will making sure to get my name of your son's birth certificate" he adds "How did you get a test done? I didn't agree to any test" I frown confused. "Like I said before. Right now he's legally my son and I can do whatever I want until I show them a copy of that test and get my name off the certificate. Which I will be doing along with showing them the divorce papers and restraining order"

"When did you do all this?" I croak, trying not to cry. "Does it matter? The fact is me and you are over and you need to move on with your life and be a good mother to your son"

"Your not going to take Mikey from me?" I ask and he shakes his. "His name isn't Mikey anymore. I changed it"

"You what!? You had no right to do that" I frown. "No. You had no right to lie to him and name him after me. I'm not his father and I never will be" he frowns shaking his head and I don't say anything for a moment.

"What did you change it to?" I ask and he looks down at him and smiles slightly. "His names Anthony. Anthony, Presley"

"Anthony? That's a beautiful name" I say softly and he nods. "Is that what you wanted to name your son?" I ask and he shakes his head. "I already have a name picked out for my son"

"Leanne's having a boy?"

"Maybe" he shrugs "You don't know yet?"

"I do. but it doesn't matter to you whether we have a boy or a girl because that's our family... and he's yours" he smiles slightly and finally hands my son back to me.

"I don't wanna fight with you anymore Lisa. I'm just too tierd"

"I don't wanna fight with either. I just.."

"Then don't" he says softly. "I don't hate you. I want you to be happy I really do and I hope you find someone that will love you and your son and you get to have the happy family you want, but you won't find that with me" he says softly and goes over towards the door and start moving the table away and unlocking it.

"Michael, please don't go" I croak and he turns back to face me. There's nothing more for us to say. I'm going back to my family where I belong and where I wanna be" he says and I start crying as he turns and walks out of the door and walks straight into Leanne's arms.

****
Michael's POV

I open the door and Leanne is standing on the other side and I wrap my arms around her. "How did you know I was here?"

"I kinda figured it out when you disappeard. Are you ok?" She asks softly and I nod. "Were you listening to all that?" I ask and she nods.

"I'm so sorry I lied to you" croak  and she pulls me in tighter. "It's ok. I'm not mad at you" she says softly. "Why didn't you come in. If you knew where I was?" I ask breaking away. "Same reason you didn't tell me you were coming here and the same reason you put something in front of the door" she says softly wiping my tears "You needed to do this alone"

"You were here the whole time?" I mumble and she nods
"I'm so sorry" I croak and start sobbing again. "Sorry for What?" She looks at me confused and I don't say anything for a moment

"I've been hiding something from you and I..."

"Michael, it's fine really. You don't have to apologise for wanting to do this alone. You needed to do this" she says softly. "It's not that"

"Then What?" She asks confused and I don't say anything for a moment.

"The only reason I kept this from you was because I love you and I didn't want you to be hurt anymore than you have been but..."

"Michael!!" I hear Joesph yell my name and turn and see him and mother storming down the hall. "What the hell are you doing here!? I thought I told you two to stay away from Lisa! What was the point of getting that restraining order if.. "

"Which he's given her a copy of" Leanne cuts him off. "For What!? The lawyers will be sending her one in the mail" he frowns. "Why are you crying?" Mother asks concerned. "It's nothing. I'm fine" I sniffle. "Has Lisa said something to you!? What is it with all of you picking on him today!?" She turns to Joesph and Leanne and I look at her confused.

"Maybe it's best if we all just go home now" Leanne says and mother nods. "Good. You two need to forget about Lisa and all that crap from the past and move on" Joesph says sternly and turns and walks ahead with mother.

"What were you about to tell me?" Leanne asks when their a little further ahead. "I... um " I mumble "You said you needed to tell me something before your parents came"

I don't say anything and look at her for a moment and she looks back at me confused and I take a deep breath and I sigh.

"Just that I love you and I'm sorry for keeping this from you" I mumble. "I love you too" she smiles slightly and kisses me softly and I kiss her back the same way then take her and and we go and catch up with my parents.

I was really close to telling Leanne the truth about Carley and her parents and when I came out of the room with Lisa it felt like the right thing to do and if Joesph hadn't cut me off when he did then I would have told her everything.

Apart of me was frustrated that he cut me off when he did, but when I had the chance to tell her again I'm glad he did. When Leanne asked me what I was about to tell her apart of me wanted to say it, but when I looked into her eyes I could see how much what I was about to say was going to break her heart. I hate lying to her, but I hate the thought of breaking her heart even more.

Like Joesph said. We need to forget about the past and move on with our lives.