mouse | eastenders

→ annie gets taken away

Lucy had been having a great time celebrating with everyone before deciding she needed a break. She had joined the people dancing outside but was soon caught off guard when her mum and dad came rushing out of the Queen Vic, Zack following behind them.

"Mum, Dad, what's going on?" she questioned, running after them towards the direction of Sharon's house.

"Is something wrong with Annie? Zack?" Lucy asked worriedly.

"It's social services," Zack said as he paced behind Mick and Linda.

"What?" Lucy was confused as she followed them into the house, dressed in festival gear.

"Why are you here? What's happening?" Linda placed her bag down quickly as she spoke to the social workers.

"Mrs Carter, we received a report that Annie might be in danger," one of the ladies said.

Lucy raised an eyebrow, she had been safe in the house all day, who would have said she was in danger.

"Annie? What... she's been with Sharon all day," Linda almost laughed at the thought when she knew her baby girl was safe in the hands of one of her closest friends.

"She's fine, isn't she?"

"Yeah I've told them she's more than fine," Sharon seemed quite peeved off at the thought.

Lucy quickly scanned the surroundings and wondered what the reasoning was that her sister was going to be taken.

"Reports suggested you're drinking again," the other lady said.

She looked off to the side and saw Martin sat with a disappointed look in his eye, empty bottles in front of him. In that moment Lucy knew, she just knew there was no way her mum had gone back to drinking, she would have seen the signs.

"She's sober, I can vouch for that," Mick stood up for Linda. Although he was now with the witch Janine, Lucy was happy her parents would still support each other.

"Yeah we don't keep booze in the house no more," Zack agreed.

"She's been doing so well," Lucy said in defense of her mum.

"Well they found these underneath the sofa," Martin regretfully pointed in front of him.

Lucy looked for her mum's reaction, and saw nothing but shock, there was no guilt in her eyes or recognition. She completely trusted her.

"It's not mine," Linda stuttered, "I swear, I swear it's not mine. You know how well I've been doing!"

"We've also seen a bruise on Annie's arm, can you explain how she got that?"

Linda walked over to where Annie was still held in Sharon's arms, and tenderly took hold of her arm and saw the bruise.

"She's a child, they get bruises," Linda stated the obvious.

There was a pause and you could cut the tension in the room with a knife. It was almost as if Lucy could see her mum's world come crashing down from what she was being accused of.

"You think I did it?"

"We'd like to take her to the hospital, to get checked over more thoroughly."

"If there's nothing wrong, can confirm-"

"You can't take her!" Linda stormed up to the social workers. No way were they going to take her child away from her.

"Linda, we-"

"No you can't take my baby!"

"You've got nothing to hide, Linda," Mick reassured her. And as much as it was true, it still wasn't the outcome Linda needed in that moment.

"Are you the father?" the social worker questioned, noticing Mick standing up for Linda as a husband would do.

"No," he answered, looking down awkwardly.

And that was the end of the conversation for the social workers. They walked over and grabbed Annie from Sharon.

"No, please," Linda said, tears in her eyes.

Lucy put her hands over her mouth in shock it was actually happening.

"No, please, I haven't hurt her!" Linda suddenly shouted, running out for Annie as she squeezed through where Lucy and Zack were stood in the hallway.

"You can't do this please!" Lucy begged.

Lucy frowned as one of the ladies held her mum back. This wasn't right. There was something so off about this situation.

"We all want what's best for Annie."

Lucy rolled her eyes at that statement, shaking her head.

"What taking her away from her mum?"

"We're taking her to hospital, Walford General."

The social worker got in the car and didn't leave any room for Linda to beg to her any further.

"Annie, Annie?" Linda walked up to the windows of the car.

"Dad, this ain't right," Lucy said to Mick watching sadly.

"I know darling, I know."

"Annie, it's going to be ok, mummy loves you," Linda wanted to say a proper goodbye but that was ripped away from her as the car started moving.

"No! Please don't do this! Please!" Linda wailed, stepping in front of the car. But Mick pulled her away, she was unknowingly endangering herself at this point, but those were the lengths she'd go to for her daughter, for any of her children.

The car rounded the corner, en route to leaving Walford but Linda broke out of Mick's grip running after the car. Lucy began to run after her, not caring that everyone was staring.

"Annie, please, no!" Linda cried as she kept up with the tail of the car. She couldn't run no longer. The car had left and Linda felt like a part of her had been ripped away. Her youngest, gone, just like that.

Lucy caught her mum and went to give her a hug but her dad had caught her in his chest. She watched as Mick hugged Linda to him, trying to ease her cries.

Whoever has done this, whoever made the call, Lucy wanted to know. Her mum was on track, she was doing amazingly in ditching the booze, and it was something like this that she worried about. Something like this would push her over the edge. And Lucy didn't know if she would be able to cope with that.