1.4 - A New Dawn

As the storm continues in Coronation Street, the word is quickly spreading of Mike's fate. The residents line the street, staring at the scene before them. Deirdre, Ken and a slumped Mike, huddled together, Ken shivering, his coat wrapped around Mike's lifeless body. A scene so damning to look at it brings a tear to many an eye.

The ambulance crews race to the scene and demand Ken and Deirdre give them space. A now vacant Ken lifts Mike up to free himself and lets him lie on the steps, helps Deirdre up and opens out his arms to her. The Rovers doors open continually, more people coming out to see what's going on... the search parties returning...

Danny emerges back at the foot of the road and sees the scenes before him... unable to believe the worst, he heads for the factory steps, ignoring everybody who tries to stop him. 'Mike? MIKE?' he cries, then he sees him. Mike's still, and one paramedic feels his pulse, before looking up to the other, shaking his head. 'DAD!' Danny yells, and now he's in tears.

Frankie and Jamie have emerged now, and they rush forward, their worst fears realised. 'No...' Jamie says in disbelief, his eyes wide. 'No!' And he turns and runs, despite Frankie's cries.

Danny's hysterical now, 'he's my Dad! Somebody do something!'

One of the paramedics comes to speak to Danny, while the others bring out a stretcher. 'I'm so sorry, sir. There's nothing we can do...'

Frankie puts her arms round Danny and they both begin to cry, as Claire and Matt rush outside. Claire looks weak as she holds her newborn tight, wrapped in a towel. Matt's expression is of disbelief as he and Claire watch from the shelter of the entrance, like everyone else, as Mike is lifted away on a stretcher. Thunder strikes.

Todd and Violet finally come out of the Rovers to see what is going on. 'Oh my god,' says Violet, 'they found Mike...'

And just as Todd is starting to cotton on, he feels the warm embrace of his mother's arms around him, and the glazed look disappears from his eyes. 'Oh, Todd!' Eileen cries. 'You're back!'

In the distance another ambulance siren can be heard now, and people are looking the direction of the sound. Before long, there's more blue lights on the Street... Claire and Matt rush out to the paramedics, who seize the baby and bring it inside instantly, before Claire is escorted also. 'Thank you,' she says, catching Matt's eye, and he can tell she means it.

He gives her a weak smile, and she enters the ambulance. Soon, it is being driven away and Matt can only stare, stand in the rain and watch it disappear. Sirens fire up again, ringing through the night and eventually fading out. Everyone's still standing outside, and for the moment nobody cares about the wind and the rain, but about the life that has been lost.

Elsewhere, Jamie is still running. Running from the guilt he knows he can't escape. He knows that if it wasn't for him, Mike wouldn't have left the house... and he can't take it. As he realises he can't run from the truth, he stops, backing up a wall and putting his head into his hands. Sliding down to a seated position, he sits in the rain, uncaring like those he had ran from. Nothing but his granddad on his mind...

Back in the Street, Eileen and Todd are still hugging. 'I didn't think you'd be back, oh, Todd!' Eileen cries, holding him at arms length, her lip quivering, eyes brimming with tears of joy. 'How are you? How was Uni? So many questions, oh, Todd!' she squeals, hugging him again.

Slightly embarrassed by his mother's ecstasy, Todd smiles sheepishly over her shoulder at Violet, who motions that she needs to get back to the bar, before disappearing back into the Rovers. Then, a cab pulls up in the Street and Jason and Charlie step out. Todd and Eileen break apart and stand together.

'What the bloody hell is going on?' Charlie shouts, noting the ambulance and crowd.

'I don't know - what could it be?' says Jason, but he's far too distracted as he spots Todd. He had forgotten all about seeing Todd and Sean earlier! He can remember his betrayal of his brother with Sarah and because of this finds he can't look him in the eye...

'I'm off to find Tracy,' says Charlie, disappearing.

'Todd...' whispers Jason, though he looks as though he is miming his words over the wind and the rain. 'What are you doing here?'

Todd steps forwards and hugs his brother, before breaking away. 'Hello, Jason.'

Mike's ambulance is disappearing now and people are starting to go inside. Before long, only Frankie and Danny remain in the Street. 'Dan,' Frankie calls, 'we should go inside... you're going to catch a cold!'

Danny shakes his head resiliently, though his face is expressionless.

'Danny?!'

'I'm okay Frank,' he chokes. 'Just leave me be...'

'I don't want to leave you - Dan...'

'Frankie, just go!'

Looking doubtful, Frankie does so, and enters the Baldwin house. Danny's alone in the Street now, and he turns, walks to the steps and sits down on them, rain battering his head, his back... staring up into the streetlamps.

In the hospital, Claire is being checked over by a nurse. 'Beautiful baby, you have, Mrs Peacock,' she says, smiling. 'You must be delighted!'

'Yes, yes I am,' says Claire. 'I just wish my husband was there when it happened...'

'I thought your partner delivered your child?' asked the nurse.

'Oh no,' says Claire, her spirits falling rapidly. 'That wasn't my partner...'

'Oh? I see, well would you like us to contact your husband?'

'Please,' she replies, a little quickly. 'I've got his number, do you want it?'

'Of course, here, write it down and I'll pass it on to reception,' says the Nurse, passing Claire a pen and some paper. 'I'll be back in five minutes, okay?'

'Okay,' says Claire, and the nurse disappears, pulling the curtain over.

Over at the Grimshaws, the family are sitting in the living area, and while Eileen talks to Todd, Jason looks agitated. 'Did you meet anyone then, at Uni?' asks Eileen.

'Not really,' says Todd, avoiding the subject. 'I'm glad to be back though.'

'How long are you staying?' Eileen asks, her eyes wide. Her son, her Todd - back for good?

Todd looks troubled. 'Not sure, Mum... but a while, anyway...'

'Well I'll go make up your bed then, then I'll make you some tea,' she says, stepping up, and making for the door. She stops in the door-frame. 'Oh, and Todd?'

'Yes, Mum?'

'It's good to have you back.'

Todd smiles at his mother and she disappears. Sean is observing the scene before him from the kitchen door. He bites his lip, knowing how awkward it must be for Todd and Jason to face eachother after all this time.

'So how've you been?' asks Jason.

'Fine,' says Todd, and while he can easily look his brother in the eye, Jason can't. He breaks away under his brother's gaze.

'Look Todd... about what happened... before you left...'

'Forget it,' Todd says, almost cutting over him. 'Things happen. People move on.'

'I know, but I broke your heart, and I'm well sorry about it,' Jason says. 'I'll make it up to you, Todd, I promise.'

'Yeah, okay...'

There is a knock at the door. 'I'll get it,' says Todd, getting up and making for the door. Jason knows who it might be, but before he can stop it, Todd's opened the door and his worst fears are confirmed. Sarah Platt... in the doorway...

Sarah's eyes flash in the dim light, and an expression of hurt passes over her face. She can't believe Todd stands before her... she can't take it, she can't face him... tears in her eyes, she goes to run away, and Todd stands gormlessly in the doorway. Jason darts to the door and says, 'I'll deal with this,' before heading out into the storm after Sarah. Todd shuts the door and leans against it, he himself in shock. He had forgotten how much hurt he caused.

'Todd?'

'Coming, Sean,' says Todd, snapping himself together, returning to the living room and slumping on the sofa.

'Cuppa?' says Sean, holding up two freshly made teas. Todd smiles weakly, and the pair get ready to talk.

Meanwhile, Ashley arrives at the hospital, holding Josh by the hand. 'Ashley Peacock, here to see Claire Peacock... I'm her husband...'

'It's that way, cubicle six,' says the receptionist moodily, pointing in the general direction of a corridor.

'Thank you!' says Ashley, heading off. Even though he has neglected his wife for so long, he can not hide his excitement - or his guilt. Realising he has let his wife down by not being there for the birth of their child, neglected her when she needed him most, and treated her badly with no reasons, he realises he has to make it up to her.

'It's a new start for us, you know,' Ashley says with a smile to Josh, as they open the curtain...

... to reveal Claire, their new born child, and Matt Ramsden...

Matt Ramsden, holding Ashley's son in his arms.

Todd is finishing his tea. 'And I met this girl, and I fell for her, you know? I was confused, because I thought I'd settled... I know I fancy guys, but more and more I was liking women too, so I don't know what's going on...'

'You're bisexual,' pronounces Sean. 'It's obvious...'

'That's what I thought, then Karl found me...'

'Karl?' Sean shouts, alarmed. 'I thought you lost contact with him!'

'He found me, and I was with this new - Jenny - he told her I was gay and she asked me if it was true... I didn't know what to say, and he was angry with me for messing him around, so I had to get out of there... I tried to apologise but Jenny was furious, she kicked me out and Karl tried to talk to me but I just blew him out because I was ashamed, I felt like I let them both down, and-'

'Todd, shh!' says Sean, trying to stop Todd, who has started talking at almost twice his normal speed. 'You've got to sort yourself out, I thought you'd stopped being confused.'

'So did I... but I still am. Am I gay, straight, bi? I love Karl, but I really liked Jenny. And I loved Sarah, and I hurt her too... why is this happening to me?'

'You've just been unlucky,' says Sean. 'You have to try and right the wrongs, sort things out...'

'I don't know how to,' he replies, and he's tearful. 'Help me, Sean!'

'Okay, okay, I'll help you, Todd!' says Sean, holding his friend close and trying to comfort him....

... While a tearful Eileen stands in the doorway, staring down at her son, watching him empty his soul to Sean, and wondering just why he couldn't confide in her like he used to.

Out on the Street, an upset and tired Jamie reappears and spots Danny on the factory steps. 'Danny...'

He looks up to face Jamie, whose face bears an ashamed expression. 'I'm sorry...' Jamie says, and Danny stands.

'I'm sorry too,' he says, and they're both choked. 'For everything...'

'You've nothing to be sorry for,' says Jamie, 'now come on, let's go inside...' And they walk, side by side, back to the house.

Steve McDonald sits in his flat, half-asleep, bored in front of the television, next to Ronnie. They have been watching for almost an hour, so when the buzzer for the door sounds, Steve almost doesn't hear it.

'That was the buzzer, Steve,' says Ronnie, and he snaps out of his trance.

'Mphnr?'

'The buzzer!'

'Oh,' he says, scrambling up and pressing the button. 'Hello?'

'Delivery,' says a husky, all too familiar, female voice.

'Of what?' he asks, but no one responds. 'Back in a tick,' he shouts to Ronnie, before grabbing his jacket and heading outside. He opens the front door and looks around. To his horror he finds a baby, who looks around one year old, in a pushchair. 'HELLO?' he calls. 'WHO'S DONE THIS?' Realising there's no one there, he takes the baby inside, alarmed and shocked to the core...

He misses the woman in the red dress turn the corner. She continues on, and reaches the Barlow house, knocking on the door. After a moment, there is movement. The door opens and Tracy answers. Her originally blank expression disappears and transforms to one of absolute shock. Her eyes widen, and suddenly, she's terrified.

'Karen...' she gasps.