Eddie Lawson couldn't have been anymore comfier on the sofa, a can of lager in one hand and the remote control in the other. The football was on and nothing could beat his flat screen high definition TV. In all honesty he'd have been down the pub but tonight for some reason he felt like he should stay in.

A ping coming from the kitchen indicated the microwave had finished whirring. He put his beer on the coffee table, dropped the remote next to where he was lounging and got up slowly, grunting at the pain coming from his aching joints.

He headed into the kitchen and got his 'delicious' spaghetti and meatballs meal for one from the microwave. Ordering from the take away was getting expensive and he needed to watch his waist line, although this ready meal wasn't going to do him many favours.

He opened the draw to fetch himself a fork, debating whether to get another beer for when he finished the one he had on the go. He decided against it and used the fork to mix his food to assure it was all piping hot.

He headed back into the lounge and returned to his previous position, tucking into his food.

Eddie probably managed two mouthfuls, three at tops when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He just knew it was going to be Melissa. Both he and Melissa were not together but purely on civil terms for the sake of their daughter.

Hi Eddie, just checking you can still have Maria tomorrow evening? That would mean no beers on her watch. Mel x

Eddie just huffed. Maria was almost two now and more often than not Eddie would see her purely on Melissa's terms, something that they had never managed to sort. After Melissa returned with the bombshell that she was expecting, Eddie knew he had to stand by her. He barely had a relationship with his son Michael and wanted to do better at the next opportunity.

This meant sacrificing the love of his life, Rachel Mason. But given the circumstances, their relationship would have been more complicated than him sticking by Mel. Every day since he felt like a coward, not standing up for his relationship, just letting it go and watching Rachel move on.

Maria Anita Lawson was born in September 2009, Eddie pretty much almost missed the birth because Melissa purely hadn't told him she was in labour. He never got any input on the name, Melissa's favourite film was West Side Story and Eddie thought it was pretty ironic a film she adores features a lot of tragedy. But, was surprised she named her daughter after two of the characters. Eddie, in no real position to object, seeing Melissa registered the birth on her own, accepted the name and it actually grew on him over time.

The first three months he lived on Melissa's sofa, assisting with night feeds, babysitting whilst she went shopping or doing anything to take her away from her responsibilities as a mother. However this led to a lot of issues which ended up with Eddie blowing up at Melissa and walking away.

Melissa banned him from seeing Maria and he didn't see her for six months. This also made him feel guilty for seeing Michael seeing he couldn't see his new daughter. And anytime he saw Michael with Alison around, she ended up ripping into him about his situation.

The next time he saw his daughter was because Melissa suggested Maria taking her last name instead but Eddie was not happy about this idea, especially as Melissa had been unfair from the start. In the end she never went through with this but it was a blessing in disguise because Eddie could see his daughter again. Although they'd never made any custody arrangements legal, he would see her pretty much every other weekend, and a little bit more around special occasions.

Then the favours of here and there started, Eddie had been convinced she was seeing someone else but never had enough credible evidence. Who knows what Melissa was up to when she dumped Maria on Eddie? But Eddie took the opportunities to see his daughter when he could.

That's fine, you're still picking her up around 9ish right?

Eddie turned his phone on silent and continued to watch the football, eating his food in the process, taking sips of beer every few mouthfuls.

It was getting late and Eddie after the football had finished had started to doze off, he had work tomorrow and was not looking forward to it. He wasn't happy in this job and wanted something different, but to be fair nothing would top Waterloo Road.

His eyes snapped open as soon as he heard his neighbour's dog barking loudly. He stretched and looked at his watch. Maybe a fox or something had come into the dog's path. Whatever it was, it prompted Eddie to start thinking of going to bed, he turned the TV off, grabbed his empty can and dish and took them into the kitchen, throwing them away and chucking the fork in the sink.

The dog started barking again, that's strange he thought. The dog next door was never like this, always quiet, not disturbing anyone at this time. But then again no one could control something that was disturbing it. He didn't really think too much of it.

He made sure the back door was locked before turning on his heel to head out of the kitchen, he turned the light off and started to head upstairs.

He was almost at the top of the landing when there was what sounded like a bin being knocked over. Eddie stopped still, the wooden stair creaking underneath him.

Eddie then started to wonder maybe there was someone outside, probably someone heading home drunk from the pub after the football, he thought perhaps he should go and check but if it was what he thought it was, they'd get home fine, maybe just cause a bit of mess and noise in the process.

As Eddie went to place his foot on the top stair, there was what sounded like desperate banging on the door.

Eddie wasn't the type to be scared, but he couldn't think of why there would be an agitated dog, a bin falling over and then loud banging on his door. He turned and went slowly down the stairs; the knocking continuing.

"Eddie, are you in?!" A female voice came from outside the door.

Eddie stopped dead in his tracks and sighed. "Melissa… What on earth has she done now."

He continued down the stairs, unlocked the front door and the woman rushed into his arms, sobbing and shaking. "Thank god!"

He realised quickly it wasn't Melissa. The warmth in the hug, sobs he'd never forget in his lifetime. He walked backwards into the house so he could shut the door, and then looked at her, in shock. She had a cut lip and a swollen eye. "Rachel… is that you? What on earth's happened?" He couldn't quite believe he was face to face with her again, but more in shock as to why she looked like she'd been hit.

"Thank god you're here, I didn't know where else to go." She sobbed, trembling.