Linda Carter

Linda Carter  (born 1 July 1977) made her first appearance on the 19th December 2013 and she is the long term partner of Mick Carter and the mother of Lee, Nancy and Johnny Carter.

Storylines
In December 2013, Linda's sister in law, Tina Carter brings her sister Shirley Carter to a pub in Watford, which turns out to be Linda and Mick's. Linda is in the middle of a raffle and Linda and Shirley don't seem to be too pleased to see each other. Linda asks Shirley what she is doing here and Tina says it was her fault and they don't want any trouble. As Shirley turns to leave, Linda asks Shirley if she is going to ask how Mick is as it's been 15 years and whether she cares. Shirley asks if Mick is out the back, but Linda tells her he's out and won't be back till that night at the earliest. Tina persuades Shirley to stay for a drink and Shirley asks Linda how the kids are and Linda says they are great before asking Shirley how hers are. Tina changes the subject and tells Linda that she's staying with Shirley and Linda says there's always a bed at her place for Tina. Tina asks if they could come back in a couple days to see Mick, dropping the hint of possibly spending Christmas together, but Linda says it's one thing having having a drink with them and another spending Christmas with them. Linda then brings up the fire Shirley caused accidentally on Christmas and how they lost so much before telling Shirley she did her kids a favour by walking out on them and she asks Shirley if she has any idea how much she hurt Mick. As they leave, Linda reminds Tina that she is welcome and Shirley asks Linda to tell Mick that she misses him.

On Boxing Day 2013, Linda along with Mick, Johnny and Lady Di arrive in Walford after they bought The Queen Victoria. When Phil is kicking everyone out, Phil is confused to how Mick knows Shirley and Shirley reveals to Mick that Phil is her brother. The following morning, the day when Mick and Linda are suppose to open for the first time, Linda looks out of the window and sees Tina and Shirley at the door with their belongings and Mick tells her they're moving in and Linda has objections to Shirley moving in, but is fine with Tina. Mick explains to Linda that his sisters are important to him and Linda says the deal is that the minute things go wrong, he needs to step up. When Tracey turns up for work, Linda explains to Tracey that they won't be needing her at The Vic because they've always done it themselves and now they have Shirley and Tina. Mick and Linda encounter a problem when Mick realizes they haven't got any beer and Tina says they are almost out of snacks and spirits. Shirley informs them that Kat and Alfie Moon had a deal on, which was a £1 a drink and Mick and Linda wonder if Shirley can get stuff from the soup kitchen on tick, but Shirley packed in the job. Linda isn't pleased with Shirley and she tells Mick to step up. Whilst Mick and Shirley sort out the problem, Linda tries to get Wi-Fi to talk to her eldest son Lee in Afghanistan. As Sharon passes, Linda tells her what she's doing and after getting off on the wrong foot, Sharon tells Linda that she has Wi-Fi. After, Linda apologizes to Sharon for how she was as Shirley turned up and they have major history and she tells Sharon that she wouldn't believe the stuff Shirley's done in the past before advising her to stay well clear. Alfie helps the Carter's get hold of more stock in time for their opening after Mick and Shirley persuaded him and Kat.

When Johnny reveals to Mick he is gay, Linda overhears and is devastated by the news. The next morning, Linda gives Johnny toast with jam for breakfast, but Mick says Johnny doesn't eat jam and never has. Later, Mick tells Linda that they need to talk and Linda says it's about time and she heard him and Johnny, but she refuses to talk about it as she thinks she knows her children and Johnny isn't gay. In the bar, Shirley says that ignoring Johnny's sexuality isn't going to make it go away and it's permanent and Shirley tells Linda that she isn't surprised Johnny couldn't talk to her and he seemed desperate when she spoke to him and Linda tells Shirley that when it comes to her kids, she should back off. Later, Linda tells Mick that she wants Shirley out and she tells Shirley that she is sacked as she runs The Vic, so she decides who does and doesn't work as the pub is the family's, which is her, Mick and the kids. Shirley says that Linda is kicking off as she has just found out Johnny is gay, which the whole pub hears. Later, Mick tells Linda that it's a shock Johnny is gay, but Linda says she knew and she feels it's her fault as Johnny nearly died when he was a baby and she'd never let anything hurt him, but she's protected him his whole life and she feels men will just hurt him as he is sensitive and too accepting. Linda refuses to have a son who is gay and she doesn't have a son who is gay.

Johnny finds a dog tag whilst grinding meat in the meat grinder and he and Shirley believe it is dog meat instead of lamb. The next day when Linda catches Shirley throwing away the pies, Shirley says the pies are off and the meat is dodgy and Linda samples a pie. Later, Johnny reveals to Linda that the meat is dog and not lamb and they have a visit from the Environmental Health, who inform them that if the meat isn't suitable for human consumption, they could face a hefty fine and a possible custodial sentence. Later, Linda receives a phone call to tell them the meat was lamb and not dog.

On Linda's birthday, Mick, dressed in Linda's dressing gown, brings Linda breakfast in bed and suggestively says she should open her birthday present and they start to kiss. Nancy, without realizing, puts her head round the door, but shuts it quickly and she turns the music up in the kitchen, telling Johnny it's not normal how much their parents see of each other and to think of their mental scars. Dean visits with a birthday card for Linda, but Johnny and Nancy explain the awkward situation by saying their mum is having a lie-in and Dean says he'll give her card to her later. When Linda's mum cancels their shopping trip, Mick bribes Nancy into going with money and on their way, Linda persuades Nancy to try on a dress for her and they bump into Dean, who gives Linda her birthday card for a free treatment at Blades. Dean says they've had a cancellation and both he and Nancy encourage her to go and at The Vic, Mick informs Linda that her birthday surprise has been delayed until the weekend. When Linda's birthday surprise arrives, Mick asks Nancy to keep Linda distracted but Linda notices what her birthday surprise is when she looks out of the window, which is Lee, who has returned from Afghanistan. Linda and Nancy decide to play Mick and Johnny at their own game by pretending Linda is ill, however, they soon realize that Linda knows and Linda is delighted to have Lee home. The Carter's hold a birthday do at The Vic with karaoke for Linda and Shirley also arrives back at The Vic with Heather Trott's son, George and she introduces George to Mick and Linda. Johnny tells his parents that he's invited Luca to Linda's birthday karaoke and Johnny later brings Luca to The Vic and he introduces Luca to the family.

At the end of the party, Mick tells Linda that with the kids cleaning up down in the bar, they have a good half an hour to themselves and he asks Linda if she enjoyed her night and whether he can do anything else. Linda reveals to Mick that she wants another baby. Mick is stunned by the revealation and assumes Linda is joking about it, but he realises she is serious and he apologises to Linda, telling her no. Mick asks where it is all coming from and Linda fears for when the kids leave and who she will be if she isn't their mother. Mick tells Linda that they have years ahead of them to focus on each other and if they did have another baby, they wouldn't have freedom until they were in their 50's and they'd have to look after a child for the next 18 years with nappies, teething, schools and puberty. Mick tells Linda that they don't need a baby as they have each other. Looking at their family photo in the kitchen, Linda thinks it would be wonderful to have another child and Mick realizes he won't get any peace until he agrees and they share a passionate kiss. In bed, Linda is concerned as Johnny should be back home after walking Luca to the station and Mick tells her to text him, knowing she won't stop worrying until she does. Linda gets out of bed to make sure Johnny has arrived home safely as Mick reminds her of the time Johnny was born and he was in an incubator whilst she had an infection. Linda snaps at Mick, feeling that he only brought it up to put her off the idea of having another baby. An upset Linda goes downstairs to the kitchen to get some food for Johnny when Mick starts singing their song, Pretty Flamingo and after, Mick and Linda kiss. Mick realizes the real reason for Linda wanting to have another baby as she thinks that once the kids leave home, Mick would stop loving her or have an affair and Mick says it's ridiculous as he will always love her. Mick then goes on to say that maybe she would stop worrying if they made it official and he asks Linda to marry him, but Linda says no. Mick reminds her that they were always going to make it proper one day and Linda questions whether he means if the last 25 years between them haven't been proper. Linda asks if he has a spare £20,000 because if she would have to tell the kids they aren't actually married, she'll have the wedding of all weddings, but she doesn't need it as her feelings towards him haven't changed since she was 12. They then reminicise about their wedding they had as kids in the back of her dad's pub and it meant as much to her as a big wedding would have done. Mick agrees that he feels the same and she asks him to stop proposing as she will start to doubt what they have together since they were kids. Mick tells Linda that he will find £20,000 and they will have a wedding everyone will talk about. As Mick heads off upstairs, Dean emerges and asks Linda if it's true that she and Mick aren't married and he agrees not to tell anyone.

Mick volunteers to swim to help Janet Mitchell's school raise money for a bus, but Mick cannot swim and Linda asks what he is going to do when they find out. Mick conquers his fears and swims and on his way home, Mick is arrested for kerb crawling and Linda discovers this after receiving a phone call from Mick's lawyer to say that Mick is in court the following day at 2pm. Mick initially doesn't tell Linda the reason why he is in court, but Linda demands to know the reason and Mick explains that he was arrested for soliciting with a prostitute, however it was a misunderstanding and he wasn't with the prostitute, but Ian Beale. Linda is horrified that Mick is going to take the blame for Ian. Cora persuades Linda to go along to the court and show Mick her support and at the court, Cora discovers the prostitute was her daughter, Rainie Cross. To get some space from Mick and the situation, Linda goes to her mum's in Watford, who has hurt her ankle. Linda returns to Walford to help with Sharon's wedding dress and she tells Mick she's just stopping by to see how they all are. Linda tells Sharon that she missed Mick when she was at her mum's, but seeing him again brought it all back and the fact he didn't think about what it would to do to them. Sharon tells Linda that she and Mick have the strongest marriage, but Linda drops the bombshell that she and Mick aren't even married. In The Vic, Mick asks Nancy if she'd go to her grandmother's to give Linda a break and whilst Mick arranges it with Elaine, Mick learns that Linda's mum is OK now. Back at Sharon's, Linda explains to Sharon how she and Mick had a pretend ceremony as kids and they were meant to do it properly one day. Mick turns up at Sharon's and he tells Linda that he spoke with her mum, who told him she'd been off crutches for a week and they should talk instead of avoiding it. Mick tells Linda he has apologized and doesn't know how to make things right and Mick says that sooner or later, she will have to make a decision unless she plans to marry someone else and the sight of seeing her in a wedding dress kills him as he didn't think the first time he would see her in one is when they split up. Mick pleads with Linda to come home, but Linda isn't sure and Mick tells her to let him know when she's made her decision. Linda later turns up at The Vic and she tells Mick that Sharon asked her what she wanted and Linda wants them to get back to being a happy family and Linda apologizes for running away and she and Mick reconcile.

At Sharon and Phil's wedding reception, Shirley reveals to everyone that she and Phil slept together the previous Friday. Later, Shirley heads to Phil and Sharon's with a gun, which originally belonged to Ronnie Mitchell and Shirley accidentally shoots Phil. Dean tells Mick and Linda that it was Shirley and later, Dean is about to tell the police it was Shirley and he tells Mick that Shirley has gone. Mick brings Dean inside The Vic and he asks Linda to make sure Dean keeps quiet whilst he and Tina go and look for Shirley, who they presume to be at Aunt Babe's. Upstairs, Dean tells Linda how he can's trust women after Shirley abandoned him again and Lauren dumped him and how discovering Kevin Wicks wasn't his biological father sometimes makes him feel that he doesn't want to be around. Linda tries to cheer up Dean by saying that he is bright, good looking and his own business and after a tough time, he has come through it all. Dean then asks Linda to be honest with him and he asks her would she be kind to him if she wasnt Mick's nephew and Linda says she would, but Dean breaks down, saying he wants to know if he's not wanted and Linda tries to reassure Dean that he is wanted. When Linda goes to make Dean a hot chocolate, her and Mick's song starts to play and Dean follows her into the kitchen and he kisses Linda. Linda breaks away from him, firmly telling him to stop it. Dean ignores Linda and says that everyone is downstars and as Dean pushes Linda on to the table, Linda tells him no and pleads for him to stop, but he ignores what she says and rapes Linda. After the attack, Linda is shaken and in shock, she makes her way to the shower and covers a towel in bleach before applying it to herself.

The following morning, Linda is about to tell Mick about Dean raping her the night before, but Mick believes she is just hungover and Linda keeps it to herself. Later, when Linda is cleaning up the bar from the previous night, she panicks when she recieves a text from Dean, saying he won't say about last night. Babe then arrives with a Lasagne and she notices Linda looks done in, so she offers to open the bar whilst Linda rests. Whilst in bed, Johnny brings in the flowers from the kitchen, which were on the kitchen table the previous night and Linda throws them away, At lunch, Dean arrives, acting as nothing happened and Linda flees the pub. She notices Jay Brown and Dennis Rickman Jnr and she asks if Sharon is at home, but Jay says because of the shooting, they are staying with Ronnie and Roxy Mitchell and Linda says she will wait for Sharon there.

A few days later, Mick tells Nancy and Johnny that Linda is still unwell. Later, Linda is sat in the room with the TV on mute and Nancy brings her mum sausage rolls and tomato soup, which was Nancy's special sick meal, with the film Dirty Dancing to watch together. Linda and Nancy then discuss Nancy's upcoming 21st birthday, but Mick interrupts them as Nancy is needed in the bar and Linda is persuaded to go downstairs to help. Downstairs in the bar, Dean tells Linda that she may think the previous night was a mistake, but it wasn't to him and he appreciates Linda being there for him when he was so alone and he'll never forget it before thanking her. Linda then retrieves her bridesmaid dress and underwear from the wardrobe and disposes of them in the bin before crying. On Nancy's birthday, Linda says they are going to have a nice family tea and Nancy thought she was joking and Linda asks Mick to back her up on it. Linda later is busy making a variety of sandwichs and Mick tells Nancy that if they'll have a quiet family tea that night and then the following day, she can be landlady of The Vic and Nancy asks if she can do musical bingo. Linda notices the photo of her with Dean, Lauren and Whitney on the wall and she smashes the picture before rushing to the toilet and throws up. When Whitney, Tamwar and Dexter turn up for Nancy's party, Linda asks Nancy how many more people she has invited, but Nancy asks her to calm down as there isn't that many people and later, Linda screams at everyone to get out.

Mick is concerned for Linda and he is determined to find out what is troubling her. In the kitchen when Mick touches Linda, she flinches away from Mick and this prompts Mick to confront Linda on how she hasn't been herself, but Linda sticks with the excuse that she just has a migraine. Mick points out that she flinched when he touched her and Linda reassures Mick it's got nothing to do with him and Mick begs Linda for her to tell him whatever is bothering her. Linda pretends that it was the way Lee went off at Dexter at Nancy's party and it got her thinking whether Dexter is right for Nancy. Later, Linda and Nancy have a heart to heart and Linda notices Nancy's bulldog necklace, which was a birthday gift from Dean and Linda warns Dean to stay away from her family, but Dean tells her Nancy invited him to musical bingo and if she's feeling guilty about the other night, then she needs to get over it. Mick decides to call Linda's mum, Elaine and she arrives at The Vic and she tells Mick that she isn't going anywhere until she has got to the bottom of things. Elaine asks if things between her and Mick are alright as she was concerned when Linda last stayed with her and tells her that every marriage has problems. Linda says there is something and Elaine says she knew it the minute Mick rang and that she uses a migraine as a cover up and carries on and Linda says running the pub gets on top of her at times. Elaine and Mick try to convince Linda to get dressed and go down to the bar and Elaine makes a remark on how Linda was popular with the lads, but Linda takes it seriously and snaps, saying she doesn't lead men on and after persuasion, Linda decides to go down. Linda cheers up, but Dean and Stacey then arrive and when Dean goes to order a drink from Linda, Linda backs away and Elaine's suspicions are aroused. Upstairs, Linda spots Nancy and Dexter kissing and she hits Dexter and Mick asks what is going on with her. Elaine tells Linda she's worked out what the problem is, which is Dean, and she believes Linda is sleeping with him. Linda tells her mum that she has never looked at another man and she's never been with anyone but Mick and she says that Dean has just annoyed her, but Elaine doesn't believe her and Linda furiously tells her to believe what she wants and Mick shouldn't have called her. Elaine then confesses to Linda that she had an affair with another man when Linda was 6 or 7, which lasted about 3 months and she ended up telling Linda's dad and still thinking that Linda is in the same position, she advises Linda not to tell Mick, even if he forgives her. She tells Linda that it's natural to want something different, but Dean is too close to home and Linda tells her mum to stop talking about Dean. Nancy comes in and accuses Linda of being a racist as she got the impression that she hated both Wayne and Dexter. Elaine tries to get Linda to come clean and suggests they talk to Dean, but Linda snaps and says nothing is going on between her and Dean as she is not like her. Linda explains that she tells Mick everything because she always wanted a marriage like her parents and the worst thing is that she only confessed to the affair as she believed Linda was doing the same. Later in bed, Mick and Linda kiss and when Mick starts to touch Linda, Linda begs him to stop and she breaks down in tears, saying she can't do it.

When Nancy and Mick plan a fireworks party, Linda says she wished they'd asked and she could do without it. Mick promises Nancy that he's going to fix the problem with Linda once and for all and later in the kitchen, Mick asks Linda to sit down. Mick says she isn't herself nor a close version of her and he's worried for her. When Linda tells him it's nothing, Mick tells her not to say that as he isn't going to wear it and he's played it her way, but he isn't going to ignore it any longer. Mick tells Linda that she is not sleeping, he can't remember when he saw her smile and all he does is hear her cry. Linda palms Mick off with another lie, which is that she's been feeling upset about hitting Dexter, but Mick isn't convinced and he tells Linda that he is going to book her an appointment at the doctor's. When Nancy tells Linda she's going to Dexter's for dinner, Linda suggests Dexter comes to them and it will give her a chance to clear the air and she'll get Babe to help. When Nancy lays the kitchen table, Linda says they will eat in the lounge and later, when Linda is in the kitchen on her own, she causes the table to collapse and she, Mick, Linda and Dexter eat in the lounge. Mick runs Linda a bath, telling her he was proud of her and Mick then tells Linda that he has booked her a doctor's appointment and whatever the problem is, they will deal with it together. When Mick pours in Lavender bubble bath, the scent makes her physically throw up and as Mick helps her, he tells Linda that he's sussed out the problem, which is that she is pregnant.

Mick talks to Linda about the other week when they thought she was pregnant and it keeps nagging away at him and he reveals to Linda that they should have a baby. Linda tells Mick that when she wanted another baby, he didn't want to know and Mick tells they may have a girl who'd want to wear dresses, but when Mick makes a remark about having a boy who would be like his dad, Linda firmly says no as he can't change his mind on it and it's not fair. Mick apologizes for bringing up the subject of having a baby at the wrong time, but Linda says that she overreacted and it's fine. Mick also tells Linda that he's worried about her and them and he asks Linda if she can remember the last time they had sex and she keeps coming up with excuses, but he knows it's not all about sex yet he wants to feel close to her again. Mick feels that he is loosing Linda, but Linda reassures Mick that he isn't loosing her and to prove it, Linda kisses Mick and she lets Mick undress her and they have sex. The following morning, Linda is researching a clinic up on the internet for an abortion and whilst running a bath, Linda phones the clinic and arranges a telephone consultation for 7pm that night. Sharon invites Mick and Linda to The Albert for a couple free drinks later that day and meanwhile, they babysit Bert and Ernie Moon for Kat and Alfie. At The Albert, as it approaches 7pm for Linda's telephone consultation, she asks MIck if they can leave, using a headache as an excuse for them to leave and during the consultation, Linda says the reason she wants an abortion is because she loves Mick, however she is unsure if her baby is his and she can't give him a baby that might not be his.

When Linda has arranged an appointment for an abortion, she uses going shopping for Mick's Christmas present as a cover up. Linda also learns that Lee battered Ben Mitchell from Nancy and Nancy tells Linda that Lee had a weird look in his eyes and that she'd never seen him like that before. Linda rearranges her appointment and finds Lee in the park and Lee explains how they had sparring matches back at camp and he went for someone once and it took 4 people to get him off. Lee admits that he is scared that one day no one will be there to stop him and Linda feels it's the army that have caused Lee to be how he is, but Lee says it's due to anger building up inside and wanting to tell someone and being scared that they won't understand, so he keeps it buried. Linda reminds Lee that he's not on his own and he has her, Mick and Whitney and if he needs proper help, then they'll sort that and the next time he gets angry, he is to come and find her. Linda returns to The Vic and speaks to the clinic on the phone and Mick wonders who it was, thinking it's his Christmas surprise and whilst Linda goes to the kitchen, Mick rings the number on Linda's phone and he confronts Linda to why she is ringing the clinic. Linda lies to Mick, saying it's a beauty clinic her mum's friend put her onto it, but Mick knows when Linda is lying and he asks why she rang the clinic and why she never told him as he thought they were best friends and told each other everything. Mick asks how many weeks pregnant she is and Linda admits to being around 7 weeks and Mick learns that Linda was planning to have an abortion. In the kitchen, Mick begins to explain how he asked her if she was pregnant and she lied to him and that kills him more than anything. He points out to Linda that she was the one who initially wanted a baby, but Linda says he didn't and he said they were too old and they have a life and Mick says he came round to the idea. Linda says the reason she didn't tell him is because once he knew, she'd be having the baby whether she wanted it or not and Mick angrily asks Linda when he has ever made her do something she didn't want to do. Later on, Linda tells Mick that they should keep the baby when he says he doesn't recognize her anymore and when Mick asks what is going on with her, Linda says she just panicked and she wanted what was best for them and thought a baby might ruin them. When Mick asks what changed, Linda says that it's knowing that he wants the baby too and she's starting to see things differently.

Mick tells Shirley that Linda is pregnant and Dean isn't happy with Mick after phoning the police on Buster Briggs, who turned out to be his real father, to inform them where Buster was. Shirley tells Dean that Mick has a lot on and she informs Dean that Linda is pregnant. Dean congratulates Linda and Linda asks him who told him, but Dean says the matter is whether it's his or not, but Linda says it isn't. Dean then asks how many weeks Linda is again, but she again tells him that the baby isn't his. Linda and Mick are both delighted with Johnny when he has averaged a first in his grades and Mick gives him money to treat himself but they aren't happy when Johnny shows them a moped he bought. When Linda notices Denise cleaning in the bar, Linda learns that Mick has taken on Denise for a trial period and Mick tells Johnny and Linda that Denise stays and Johnny gets rid of the moped. Johnny refuses to get rid of the bike as he is old enough to make his own decision and Linda snaps at Dean and tells him to stay away from her family and she can't stand him being around all the time. Mick pulls Linda to the side and says the trouble is with Johnny, not Dean and they should let Johnny spread his wings a bit, plus they'll have a baby to worry about soon. Upstairs, Linda admits to Mick that she can't have the baby.

Mick talks to Linda about her decision and booking the clinic, but Linda has already booked the clinic and she doesn't want it and Mick asks if he has a choice in it. Mick believed Linda was alright with having the baby, but Linda says she did it for Mick after everything that happened with Shirley and Buster and she wanted Mick to be happy, however she has been living with it and she doesn't want it. Meanwhile, Johnny falls off his moped and injures his arm and Linda helps him clean it up. Later, Mick tells Linda he will get Johnny to get rid of the moped and changes the subject onto the baby and he offers to listen whilst Linda talks. Linda says that they haven't got the money and their children are running wild plus she wants to be there for them. When Mick asks if Linda would want to have another child running around and to hold their baby again, Linda says no as she doesn't need a baby if he is never going to leave her as he is enough.

Linda goes to the clinic on her own after telling Mick to look after Tina and watch out for Shirley after Tosh beat up Tina after misreading the signals between Tina and Sonia's friendship. Whilst signing the forms, the consultant asks Linda if she is sure about her decision and Linda says having an abortion is one thing she never thought she would be doing as a baby was all she wanted a few months ago. She also adds that her and Mick wanted 4 children, however something happened and she shouldn't be pregnant. Mick later arrives at the clinic and tells Linda that she is his wife and she is not letting her go through it on her own. When Linda is called into the room, she leaves and tells Mick to take her home. At The Vic, Linda tells Mick that they shouldn't say anything until she has seen the GP and had the scan and Mick believes it was the right decision and he tells Linda the next 18 years are going to be brilliant.

Linda and Mick go for the scan, where they are informed that the baby has a strong heartbeat and around 11 weeks size and both Linda and Mick are overjoyed. When they arrive back home, Linda has just told her mum and Mick asks if she is OK with it before heading inside to tell the rest of the family. Unable to get hold of Lee, Nancy asks if they can just guess and Johnny sarcastically guesses that Linda is pregnant and everyone is shocked yet happy when it turns out to be the case. Johnny susses out that's the reason why Linda has been eating apples and Lee says he's glad he isn't the only one who's a mistake, but Linda says they prefer the term surprise and Nancy can't believe she will have a brother or sister 21 years younger than her. When Stan announces to the family that he and Cora are back together, he feels that Christmas is shaping up nicely with a baby on the way and Dean with Stacey and Shirley suggests to Mick that they invite Dean and Stacey over for Christmas. When Linda spots Mick asking Dean, she tells Nancy she's going to get fish and chips and she heads to Stacey's flat. Linda hovers around outside and Stacey sees her and asks if she's alright and they both head to the chip shop together. Stacey tells Linda that she's spending Christmas with Dean and she realizes that Linda doesn't like Dean very much and Linda tells Stacey that she doesn't know Dean like her. Linda quickly flees the chip shop soon after and Stacey goes after her, asking what she meant and she can't just leave it. Stacey asks if something happened between her and Dean and as Linda is about to explain, Dean arrives and Linda heads back home.

Stacey visits Linda the following morning and Linda asks if it was about what she said last night and she shouldn't have said anything. Stacey says that she was going to tell her something and Linda says that Dean is young, good looking and a bit of a player and she's a bit over protective. At the Christmas raffle, Mick announces that he and Linda are expecting another baby and when Linda gives out the first prize to Stacey, a bottle of Whiskey and Dean enters The Vic and shocks Linda, which Stacey picks up on. Upstairs, Stacey explains how Linda must be feeling, such as scared, ashamed and that she must have led him on before telling Linda that she was raped. Stacey then explains her encounter of being raped and then she tells Linda she knows how it feels because Dean raped her and Linda nods her head.

In the park, Stacey says she chucked Dean out and Linda asks Stacey how long it will take before things get better and Stacey says that it will get easier, but she is unsure to whether things will get back to being completely the same. Stacey tells Linda that she never dealt with it in the right way and she should have told her family and her husband, Bradley Branning. Linda wonders what will happen if Mick can't look at her or if he thinks she caused it, but Stacey reassures Linda that none of it was her fault and Linda fears Mick will probably kill him. Linda says that Mick is excited about the baby and Stacey asks if she is worried if the baby is Dean's, but Linda doesn't know and she can't be sure plus Dean is Mick's nephew, so they're all in each others lives. Linda is adamant that Mick shouldn't know any of it and he doesn't deserve it and she can cope by eventually putting it behind her with no one else getting hurt. Stacey says that she said exactly the same thing to herself, but the truth has a way of getting out and she ended up killing Archie Mitchell and Linda says Mick would do the same to Dean. Linda says that things between her and Mick use to be amazing, but ever since the attack, she tries and pretends, but Mick knows something is up and he puts it down to the pregnancy affecting her. When Linda arrives back at The Vic, Johnny announces to his family that he is taking a gap year from University to go travelling with Luca. Nancy, Lee and Tina overhear Johnny explaining to Linda that with the baby on the way, it seems like the right time and he can't be her baby forever. Seeing Linda upset, Johnny offers to go after Christmas, but Linda says he should go and have an adventure, grabbing the opportunity to have fun whilst he can and they'll be many more Christmases. Nancy bursts in and can't believe Linda is letting Johnny go after he fell off his bike, but Linda says Johnny is his own man and it's up to him to choose his own life. Johnny says an emotional goodbye to his family and as Johnny gets on his bike, Linda goes after him with a Christmas present, which is a scarf and she puts it around his neck. Johnny tells Linda that she's strong and holds the family together and the baby is lucky. Stacey notices an upset Linda and asks what's happened, Linda says nothings and thanks Stacey for listening and she's going to tell Mick and Dean notices Linda and Stacey talking. Upstairs when Linda is in the kitchen, Dean enters and tells Linda she is sick and asks if she was jealous as he and Stacey were genuinely happy and Linda felt she had to protect Stacey. Dean says he gets that Linda feels bad, but she needs to stop playing the victim as they both did it and Linda tells him that he knows what he did. When Lee comes in, Dean says that Linda has been lying to him and the others and Linda thinks he will reveal the attack, making it out to be an affair and pleads with him not to, but he reveals that Linda and Mick are not married.

Dean arrives at The Vic the following day to apologize and he says sorry to Nancy and Lee as he had no right to say it, but Nancy says it's not them he needs to apologize to and Nancy says that Linda is in the barrel store. Dean tells Linda that he was out of order and he needs her to talk to Stacey to say what she said was a mistake. Dean, still convincing himself that Linda cheated on Mick with him, says it doesn't give her the right to ruin things for him and Linda orders him to get out. Dean tells Linda if she wants him to fight dirty, then he will and he threatens to tell Mick that the baby might actually be his and Linda gives in, saying she will talk to Stacey on the condition that he stays away from the pub on Christmas and every other day as well as staying away from her and her family. Linda visits Stacey and Linda hasn't told Mick and Stacey urges her too as she can't let Dean get away with it, but Linda fears Dean will hurt her family and Stacey susses out that Dean has been threatening her, which is more reason to tell Mick but Linda doesn't want to as Mick would kill Dean. Linda tells Stacey that she knows what she is doing and everyone carries on as if nothing happened, but Stacey is unsure whether she can and Linda says it happened to her, not Stacey, so it makes it her problem. Linda makes Stacey promise to let her deal with it in her own way as it is no longer about Dean, but her family.

On Christmas Day, Nancy and Lee give Linda an original, signed programme for 'Gypsy'. Later whilst cleaning the rubbish away, Linda gives Mick a present on his own, which is a Westham United babygro and Mick asks Nancy to cover for him whilst he picks up a special delivery before revealing that he is going to propose to Linda. Later, Mick searches through some boxes with Dean, saying that 3 years ago, he managed to get a ring exactly like her Lady Di ring, except the sapphire is real before he decorates the bedroom with fairy lights and petals. When Linda learns that Dean is upstairs with Mick, she leaves the table and Nancy tells the family that Mick is going to propose to Linda. Linda sits at the kitchen table and her and Mick's song starts to play and Mick takes Linda from the kitchen to the bedroom. He reminisces about the first time he saw Linda during football and the thing he loves most about her is her kind and honest heart, which she gave to him when they were kids and he's looked after it ever since. Mick then asks Linda if she will marry him, but she tearfully admits she can't as it's Dean and she confesses that he raped her. Mick is in a state of shock and Linda pleads with him to say he believes her and Mick assures her that he does believe her. Mick knew that the way she was acting wasn't just because she was pregnant and he realises that she wanted an abortion because the baby is Dean's, but Linda isn't sure, however it could be their baby and she is praying and hoping. Mick demands to know what Dean did to her, but Linda doesn't want to and Mick threatens to get Dean to before ironing him out. In the living room, Linda explains to Mick what happened to her and Mick feels as if it was his fault after he told her to look after Dean and Mick feels guilty for not noticing what happened to Linda, but Linda says the reason he didn't notice is because she didn't want him to know and she didn't want him to think of her with Dean. Mick tells Linda that nothing will make him stop wanting her as she is his girl and he'll always want her. When Lee calls up to his parents, Mick feels that he can't go downstairs as if nothing has happened, however Linda is determined to protect the kids and the family and she promises Mick that after Christmas, she will go to the police. As they enter downstairs, they are congratulated by the family and Nancy asks to see the ring and Mick passes it to Linda. Nancy points out that it's identical to her mum's current ring, but Mick says the sapphire in the ring is real and during dinner, Linda gets a call from her mum and Linda is unable to hold back her tears. Mick stops Shirley from phoning Dean and in the kitchen, he reveals to Shirley that Dean raped Linda and Shirley goes to find Dean to ask him what happened. Shirley arrives back at The Vic with Dean and she demands to speak with Mick whilst Dean tells Linda that she has to tell them what happened. Mick gets hold of Dean and he pushes him into the table, causing it to collapse and he starts punching Dean whilst Linda pleads for Mick to stop. Shirley screams that Dean is Mick's brother in desperation.

Shirley explains that she was only 14 when she had Mick and she told him then because all she could see is one of her boys trying to kill the other, but Mick tells her that he isn't her boy and Dean isn't his brother and it changes nothing before storming out of the pub. Linda then goes to Shirley and sympathises with her, saying it must have been hard, however, Shirley blames Linda for what happened and believes none of it would have happened if Linda had been straight with Mick. A seething Linda orders Shirley to collect her things and to be gone before she gets back. Linda then goes to Stacey's to see if Mick had gone round to hers to look for Dean as Mick knows what Dean did to her. Linda thinks Dean believes what happened was consensual and Stacey explains to Linda about her time in prison and Dean knows his guilty, but he just can't admit it. Linda finds Mick by the war memorial and he tells Linda that the only thing he is worried about at the moment is what Dean did to her, but Linda says she can live with what Dean did to her, however she could never live with everyone knowing and if he is unable to control his temper, then their children will find out. Linda gets Mick to promise to keep his temper under control and Mick reassures her that she doesn't have to worry. Upstairs, Stan and Shirkey try to explain things to Mick, but Mick refuses to listen. When Stan says that Mick now has a brother, Mick rages tells him Dean is nothing to him as Linda comes up the stairs. Tina asks what Dean has done and Shirley defends Dean, claiming Linda is lying. Mick rages that Dean raped Linda, which is overheard by a distraught Linda and she goes to the bedroom. When Mick heads upstairs to the bedroom, where he finds Linda gone and her engagement ring on the dressing table. On George Street, Linda heads for the tube.

Linda returns the following day with Elaine. Inside, they see the state of The Vic and are stunned that Mick did it. She leaves and heads to Sharon's, much to Phil's annoyance and Mick and Elaine head over to Sharon's when Sharon texts Mick. Mick apologises to Linda for blurting out what happened, but he was just so angry for her and Linda explains that she thought she could get by without telling anyone and get back to being herself. She tells Mick that they have to make sure that it doesn't change them as that is the one thing she wanted more than anything and no one touches or breaks them or do anything to them to stop them being them. Elaine and Sharon enter and see that Linda and Mick have reconciled and Elaine wonders what everything has been about. Linda and Mick initially don't let their guard down, but Elaine knows it's to do with Dean and she was wrong to think that it was an affair. Linda finally tells her mum the truth that Dean raped her. Elaine is shocked and upset what Dean has done and Sharon tells Linda she must go to the police to get Dean arrested. Shirley arrives at Phil's and notices 4 mugs and bursts into the living room to find Linda, Mick and Elaine and she demands to know from Linda why she is still lying about Dean and Sharon and Elaine tell Phil to get her out. Later when Linda and Mick head to The Vic, Linda tells Mick that she can't be here and she asks Mick to take her away. Mick leads Linda to the car, telling her they can go wherever she wants and they go to Elaine's in Watford.

Linda and Mick return to Walford a few weeks later to find Shirley behind the bar and Dean in the pub and Mick declares the party is over. On Mick's birthday, Mick asks Linda if she is sure about putting it off until the following day and Linda is determined to have one more normal day before everything changes. Linda and Mick gather Lee, Nancy, Stan and Tina into the kitchen and Mick explains to Lee and Nancy that Dean tried it on with Linda by kissing her and Lee learns that Nancy knew about the kiss. Mick also says that Dean has been bad mouthing Linda to people and he wouldn't let it go, which resulted in Mick loosing things and Linda promises the whole thing is in Dean's head. Later, when the family eat Mick's birthday cake, Nancy tells her parents that she can't pretend everything is OK when it isn't and she tells Linda that she points out that the mum she knows wouldn't have let Dean run his mouth off and she would've told him something about himself. Shirley visits with a birthday present for Mick and she asks Linda if she can give it to Mick, but then Shirley decides to stay around and in the kitchen, Shirley says she will come around everyday until Mick listens and she will not have Linda's lies coming between her and Mick. Linda asks Shirley if she really thinks so little of her that she would make up such a thing and Shirley asks Linda why she can't just end it all before things spiral out of control and to confess that she made a mistake and she cheated on Mick because the lies and guilt will come out. Linda says she isn't lying and Dean raped her in the kitchen whilst her children were downstairs and despite telling Dean to stop, he didn't. Linda says Shirley is too scared to admit who Dean really is, but Shirley claims she knows her son and Linda asks if she does. Linda sits in the bar with her coat and bag and when Mick arrives back with Nancy and Lee, she tells him that she wants to go now as she can't put it off another day and Mick gives her the car keys. Mick and Linda arrive at Walford Police Station and they make their way inside together.

Inside at the front desk, Linda and Mick tell PC Julian Walsh that they would like to report a crime that happened a while ago, a rape. PC Walsh conducts the preliminary interview with Linda, asking her the date of when Dean raped her, where it happened and who she told. PC Walsh then leaves and returns with a colleague, PC Vanessa Jenkins and tells Linda and Mick that she's an officer attached to the Sapphire office at the station, trained to deal with serious sexual assault. PC Jenkins then tells Linda the next stage is to take a statement, which can either be handwritten or a video statement that could be used further down the line if the case goes to court so she wouldn't have to stand in a witness box and Linda opts to do a video statement. PC Jenkins tells Mick that because he is a material witness, he will have to give a separate statement and Mick says he'll do it later as he needs to be by Linda's side. PC Jenkins says it's not an option for Mick to be in the room as they don't allow anyone in the room as it can influence the person's statement without realizing and Linda tells Mick she will do it by herself. When it's time for Linda to make her statemet, Mick says he won't leave the station and will be there for her if she needs him. PC Jenkins leads Linda to the interview room and introduces her to DC Stephan Franklin, the detective in charge of her case and he'll be listening to her interview in the room next door. Linda begins to give a statement, starting with how she knows Dean and her hands shake with nerves as she pours herself a glass of water and Linda says Dean turned up on the square last year and he soon settled down to become part of the family and that's when things started. Linda tells PC Jenkins about the photoshoot she agreed to take part in for Dean's salon with Lauren and Whitney and that was the first time Dean touched her inappropriately and she didn't say anything at the time as she didn't want to cause a scene. Linda also says that Dean could be sweet and he was there when she went through a bad time with Mick, but she swears never sought him out or lead him on and PC Jenkins reassures Linda she believes her. Linda tells PC Jenkins that Dean was drunk and tried to kiss her, but she pushed him away before slapping him. Linda then begins to explain about Sharon's wedding and she was pleased when Dean started dating Lauren, hoping he'd moved on and later that day, Dean was in a state after Shirley had disappeared and Mick had asked her to calm him down and noto for him to do anything stupid. Linda says she told Dean that she cared about him, but in a maternal way as he isn't much older than her kids and he was talking about suicide and she tried to comfort him. Linda also says that she went downstairs to see her kids and when she returned, the mood seemed different and she decided to make some hot chocolate to break the atmosphere before explaining that Dean followed her in and he put his arms round her and started to kiss her. Linda says she told him no before trying to push him off and she told him to stop, but he didn't listen and he grabbed her and pushed her face down onto the table and all she could see were a vase of Lavender flowers and she use to love the smell. Linda becomes emotional as she says she always thought she would fight back, but she froze and all she could think of in her head were the lyrics to Pretty Flamingo, her's and Mick's song, which was playing downstairs. Unable to continue with her statement, Linda says she needs to see Mick and she rushes out to the waiting room, but Mick isn't there and she finds him in tears leaning against a wall outside. Mick apologises to Linda, feeling as if he has let her down, but Linda reassures that he hasn't. Linda tells him that they have to be honest with each other about what the situation is doing to them and that she can't get back to what she was or they can't get back what they had in time, but they won't if they keep pretending to be strong for one another. Linda says that neither of them wanted to talk about it and that it's OK to admit he is scared because things don't seem so bad. Linda tells him that they will get through this as the alternative is not an option. Linda returns inside to continue her statement and she talks to PC Jenkins about the rape itself. Linda also says that she is 16 weeks pregnant and she and Mick are unsure of who the father is and PC Jenkins asks when she next saw Dean and Linda says Dean sent her a text the following day, saying that no one needs to know. PC Jenkins asks if Linda still has the message and her phone will be needed to be used as evidence and Linda feels as if it will be her word against Dean's and PC Jenkins explain that in a case with no witnesses, it comes down to the issue of consent. Linda asks if Dean will be arrested and PC Jenkins says in due course after Stacey has given a statement. Linda then signs the DVD and hands over her mobile before returning to Mick. A relieved Linda kisses Mick and she tells him she's done it.