A/N: Hi. So I stumbled onto this GORGEOUS little TV series few weeks ago and now I'm officially obsessed. This is just a little toe in the water kind of deal, adding a few bits where I thoughts bits could be added. Some are close to the episodes and some are continuations, but I'm sure you'll all work that out when you get there!

Many thanks to my ever wonderful beta. She knows who she is and she's the best! I'm keeping her forever! :D

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The clock chimed midnight as Caroline struggled to find the words to break the awkward silence that had fallen between her and William, who suddenly seemed able to read her so completely.

"Happy Birthday."

Caroline reached out to her oldest son, almost overcome with emotions she couldn't deal with.

"I love you, William," she whispered, pulling him into her arms.

It had been so long since they sat like this, but William was her baby - her first baby - and so different to her rough and ready Lawrence.

"Are you two doing anything for your birthday?" he asked as he lay cocooned in her arms.

"No," she said, looking down at him. "No, I'm spending my birthday with you boys."

"You can," he whispered. "Invite her over, its fine."

"But I, you, Lawrence -" She wasn't sure what she was trying to say, but William seemed to get the gist of it.

"Dad's not going to be there, is he?"

"No, I have no idea where your father will be," she said, shaking her head. She didn't blame William for how he felt about John, but she couldn't help but feel that it was partly her fault for not protecting him more. Lawrence was so young, he didn't perhaps understand it, but William was so clever, so sensitive.

"I don't think he should be there."

"William, he's your father -"

"You should invite Miss McKenzie, Kate."

Caroline kissed his hair, taking a moment to make sure she could speak without squeaking.

"I, I might like that," she said quietly, taking a moment to imagine a night with her boys and Kate. Like it should be.

"Invite her," William said with finality, before sitting and pressing a kiss on her cheek. He got up and went to leave the room before she could say anything more.

"William?" she called, rushing after him and catching him before he could escape upstairs. "Thank you. You're, I -"

"I know Mum, I love you too."

He went to bed, leaving Caroline sitting on the bottom step and contemplating how surprising her night had turned out. Aside from John's ridiculous outburst earlier, something she now regretted engaging in, it had been a most enjoyable evening. She was shattered after everything that had happened last night and then the meeting with Gavin, but the few hours she'd managed to spend with Kate this afternoon had done her the world of good. The stirring in her heart and belly in the wake of those memories reminded her of something she'd discovered while Kate dozed and she lay watching her, leaning on her hand and looking at her lover. She'd not felt like this for months, years even; she felt free, weightless almost and a part of her was waiting for it all to come crashing down on her, but for that moment when she ran her fingers along Kate's naked back and watched the goosebumps follow, she felt something else, something she hadn't quantified until now.

Something she hadn't felt since her years at Oxford.

She really had to tell Lawrence and her mother. She would do that tomorrow, after they all celebrated her birthday and enjoyed the evening together. Perhaps Kate could even stay. Yes, tomorrow would be even better than today.