Someone called me naive in the past and it really got to me. I was thinking about what Dom said and maybe it's one of Lofty's insecurities. Hence the story and though process below. I have drawn in some events and characters from Casualty too. I can see an awful lot of myself in Lofty's character too especially with regards to what he does for everyone.

Lofty's POV from a third person prospectve following the argument in 'Let's talk about Fredrick'. I am not always great with my use of tenses so I apologise if I go wrong anywhere. But I think the meaning of the story is well shown.

Lofty disappeared after his disagreement with Dom. He knew Dom was hurting, he remembered Dom's fear when he was watching the news, then when he had shown Dom the picture of Fredrick, and Dom's comment 'You have no idea about this situation at all.' Yes he'd been wrong in this instance, but he knew that if he allowed his mind to wander to the dark place of Dom being a target, he wouldn't have acted rationally at all, he wouldn't have been as calm as he was and wouldn't have been so intent on helping the patients. He would have worried about Dom. That wasn't nativity, that was self preservation. Lofty knew deep down that Dom lashed out when he was he was scared, or hurting or angry, It was Dom's best defence. It was why he often said he didn't do relationships as he made a mess of them, but it still hurt. It was too much like when Dom had told Lofty that 'it wouldn't work' after the wedding. Lofty didn't understand his feelings entirely but he knew love when he felt it, he knew attraction and he had wanted to see were it would have led. Dom had given him whiplash that day with changing his mind. Lofty had felt his heart break then, he didn't think anyone had hurt him like that. Maybe that was how Robyn felt when she spoke about having feelings for him? He had accidentally made her think he fancied her, he was interested by being a good friend, he'd inadvertently done it with Dom. OK so that wasn't a great example. That didn't make him naive, that just made him an overly affectionate friend.

Lofty knew he was overly kind at times, he always wanted to help out, he would do virtually anything to help someone whether it was a lost puppy or an F1. He had wanted to help that nurse years ago when he gave her a second chance, and he accidentally electrocuted her. That wasn't naive, that was opting to see how hard she was working. How she needed that chance, she needed to provide for her daughter. He'd been moved away from his work place once for going against the rules and letting his feelings overrule the doctors, but deep down he knew he'd done the right thing. He was more at peace with himself. That wasn't naive, he knew he could get into trouble but he didn't care, a patients happiness was his top priority especially with regards to palliative care. That's why he had wanted to train to be a councillor. When he left for Oz he had realised how hard that would be, how hard it would be to let that person go. He was too good a person, he got too attached to people. He knew that. Was that naive? He didn't believe in good and evil. He didn't believe in right and wrong. He knew there were lots of grey areas. Was that naive? He knew he was clumsy and always attempted to look on the positive side of everything. It was so much easier than dwelling on the bad things. He thought back and realised that even Dylan hadn't made him feel like that, and he wasn't know to be sensitive at all. The new F1 was struggling, Dom was giving her a hard time and he wanted to try and explain why Dom was like that, but then he'd messed up, again. He didn't like the idea of anyone disliking Dom. That would lead to resentment and then well it could esculate further. Was that naive? He really should stop trying to help, he tended to say or do the wrong thing but he couldn't help it. It was part of him like his dark curly hair. He knew Dom was still hurting and a scary part of him realised that he had come so close to losing Dom.. Was that naive? Naive, one of Lofty's greatest fear. Naive people weren't taken seriously. Naive people weren't given lots of opportunities. Naive people got walked over, and trampled. Had Dom been referring to himself with that comment, about his relationship with that doctor? That again puzzled Lofty, why would anyone want to hurt another person especially one they supposedly loved. So was he naive?

No he decided he wasn't. He just saw the good in people, he just wanted to help out, hope for the best even though he understood the reality of the situation. He knew realistically that Dom was scared, and seemed to know naivety was an insecurity. But then why would be be cruel and use it against him? Unless that was how Dom saw himself with that doctor. Was he naive to think that the comment had come from that insecurity? Dom was an amazing doctor, but Lofty saw through the bravada and maybe that was what Dom feared. Dom constantly had to prove himself. He had to be better. It was that edge that had got him so far in this field. The junior Doctor prize he had won on his own. Lofty thought he understood why Dom had been 'chipping away' at him all day, it was hard for Dom to see other people achieving things, not because he was greedy or selfish, but because he'd been brought up to believe he had to be the best. Lofty also knew fear when he saw it, he knew guilt from his own experiences, the act that Dom put on, almost like the shield that protected him. Lofty hated falling out with Dom. Dom needed a friend more than ever, and he was running out of allies at the moment, owing to everything that had been going on. He needed to find Dom. He needed to make things right. Everything was going to be alright. It would work out in the end. That wasn't naive right?