"Jacob, can we talk?" Asked Connie nervously.

"Oh..YOU! want to talk now." Snapped Jacob. "Is it about work?"

"No." Said Connie with a sigh shaking her head.

"Then no!" Stated Jacob flatly.

"Jacob..." Tried Connie desperately.

"No! When I wanted to talk last week you walked away so that's what I'm doing now!" Jacob said his words full of spite.

"Jacob...please..." Connie's brows knitted together, all she could do was watch helplessly as he walked away.

Grace had witnessed the whole encounter, seeing her mum walk heartbroken back to her office she decided to follower her.

Opening the door that just seconds before Connie had slammed shut, Grace let herself in and was surprised to find her mum with her head in heads crying quietly to herself.

Grace frowned with worry. "Mum? What's wrong?"

Connie looked up smoothing her hand across her cheeks to wipe away her tears. "Nothing sweetheart...I'm...I'll be fine." She said with a weak smile.

"I saw you and Jacob just now...why was he being so mean?" Asked Grace confused.

"Because he hates me...and I don't blame him!" Murmured Connie as she felt herself well up again.

"I don't understand...why does it bother you what some guy thinks?" Grace asked with a shrug.

Connie was shocked, she looked at Grace in disbelief. "Some guy! Is that what you think he was to me?"

Grace just starred at the mum, not really knowing what to say.

Connie continued. "You've no idea do you?" Asked Connie with the sudden urge to make Grace understand what she was feeling. "No idea at all what you've asked me to do! Why would you think he was just some guy?" Quizzed Connie trying to remain calm with her daughter.

"It was something dad." Mumbled Grace.

"Your dad! And what exactly does he know about me and Jacob?" Connie's calm exterior was diminishing quickly at the mention of her ex.

"Nothing...what he said wasn't about Jacob personally." Corrected Grace beginning to wish she was anywhere else.

Connie frowned. "Grace what exactly has your dad been telling you about me?" She asked surprising herself at how neutral her voice sounded especially with the rage she felt inside.

"He didn't say it to me...I over heard him talking to Em...it was a while ago." Said Grace.

"What did he say Grace...I promise I won't be mad...I'm just trying to make sense of why you would say what you did about Jacob." Connie tried to reassure her.

Grace looked down at the floor. "He said you don't do relationships, that your not capable of letting people in." She said trying to remember his exact words. "..that you use men."

Connie's eyes opened wide as she hissed. "He said what!"

"You said you wouldn't get angry." Reminded Grace with fear in her voice.

Connie took a breath and shuck her head. "I'm sorry Grace...I'm not angry...just...I'm...it hurts that that's what you've been thinking about me!" Explained Connie feeling her tears threatening to fall down her face. She sighed, she needed to start being honest with her daughter because hiding from her wasn't going to work, not anymore. "You know what... it's true, I did use people...I was very ruthless and cold...that's why your dad hates me so much...because I used him...I used his feelings for me to get what I wanted...I wanted a child...I wanted you...but didn't want him." Said Connie hanging her head in shame. When she looked up she saw Grace crying. "I'm sorry sweetheart...I shouldn't have said that...I'm so sorry...but I'm not like that anymore."

Grace sniffled. "Dad said you don't need anyone."

"I thought that was true once..." confessed Connie. "...but I do...I do need people! And I didn't realize it till it was to late...when you went to live with your dad it broke me Grace, I've never known pain like it and I can't lose you again...that's the only reason I broke up with Jacob...because I can't go through that again...I'm trying to change sweetheart...I want to change..." Connie reached for Grace.

Taking hold of her mum's hand Grace sat down on the sofa in silence as she tried to comprehend what she was hearing. "I can't be without you...your everything to me...but that doesn't mean I'm not hurting over Jacob either."

Grace looked up at her mum. "But he's being mean to you, I heard how he was talking to you."

"Grace he's hurting as well." Said Connie. "People say things they don't mean when they hurt, they lash out..." She explained.

"Do you love Jacob?" Grace asked in a small voice.

Connie took a second to think about what Grace had asked her. "Yes..." She sighed. "Yes I do." She admitted, not only to Grace but to herself as well.

Grace's face crumbled. "More than me?"

"NO! Never." Insisted Connie holding Grace close. "Your my daughter, a part of me...you grew inside me Grace...that's a bond that can't be broken...my love for you is unconditional!" Connie was desperate for her to realize was she meant to her.

"What does that mean?" Asked Grace.

"It means that no matter what you do or what you say I will always love you...it means there's is nothing in this world you could do that would every change that...you will aways be my little girl." Cried Connie.

"I love you too mum." Sobbed Grace as she clung onto Connie.

As they began to calm Grace asked. "Would it help if I said sorry to Jacob?"

"Im not sure it will, no." Said Connie sadly. "Whenever he looked at me I could see hope in his eyes."

"Hope?" Queried Grace.

"Hope that I'd change my mind...but the way he looked at me just now... it's gone...I think he's given up..he's given up on me when I need him the most!" Connie glazed over with a resigned look.

"What do you mean?" Frowned Grace.

"Grace I have something to tell you...and im scared you'll want to leave me."

"I won't leave you...I promise."

Connie stood and went to her handbag, she pulled out an envelope handed it to Grace.

"What's this?" Asked Grace.

Connie watched as Grace opened the envelope. "It's an ultrasound." She stated trying to hold herself together.

Grace pulled out contents and examined the piece of paper. "Your having a baby?" Grace turned her shocked expression to her mum.

"Yes sweetheart...I just found out today." Connie told her as she sat back down next to Grace.

"But you didn't use Jacob like you did dad to get me?" Asked Grace.

"No." Connie said simply as she took the picture from Grace, rubbing thumb over grainy image. "This wasn't planned." She said looking lost and deflated.

Trying to cheer her mum up Grace let out a little giggle. "It's ugly." She smiled at her mum and was pleased when Connie smiled back.

"Will you love us both the same?" Asked Grace with genuine concern.

"Of cause...exactly the same!" Connie assured her.

"How long till it gets here?" Grace wondered.

"About six or seven months..." Connie frowned at Grace. "Your not angry with me?"

"No...and I'm sorry I messed things up with you and Jacob." Grace told her honestly.

Connie pulled Grace in for another hug.

"It'll be ok...everything will work out for the best." Said Connie as much for her sake as Grace's.

Jacob continued avoiding Connie, he'd swapped shifts and volunteered to worked nights just so they wouldn't have to work together.

Connie sighed, it had been a week since she'd found out she was pregnant, seeing Jacob for the first time since that day she tried again.

"Jacob...please we need to talk...it's important." She kept her voice calm but assertive.

"I'm busy." He mumbled and walked away not even looking at her. Connie stood there and watched as he snapped at nurse that got in his way.

Connie took the opportunity with both hands. "STAFF NURSE MASTERS!" She bellowed. "My office now!"

Jacob followed, shoulders slumped and a scowl on his face. Connie held open her office door and when he was far enough inside, she slammed it shut and locked it!

"What do you think your doing?" Asked Jacob in surprise.

Connie looked him square in the eye. "Jacob! We NEED to talk." She told him. "Please...sit down."

"I thought you called me in here for a dressing down." Bit Jacob frowning.

"No...I just need to..." said Connie weakly before being interrupted by Jacob.

"Mrs Beauchamp, I'd like to leave open the door!" He told her dismissing her pleas.

Connie blocked his exit. "NO!" She said finding some strength.

Jacob shoulders dropped even further. "Connie please." He begged. "I can't do this...you told me to walk away and now that I have...now you want to talk...your not being fair."

"I know and I'm sorry...but you need to hear this!...Please...it really is important!" She pleaded.

"I'm done playing your games Connie..." shaking his head. "Let me out..." said Jacob calmly.

Looking down at the floor Connie took a deep breath and said quietly. "I'm pregnant."

"What?" Frowned Jacob.

Looking up Connie gave him a sad smile. "I'm pregnant." She repeated, this time with confidence.

"Your?..." The news wasn't registering, so Connie reached into her pocket pulling out the same white envelope she'd shown Grace last week. Passing it to Jacob she moved away from the door to sit on the sofa and watched as a series of emotions washed over Jacob's face. "Its not a very good image." She told him. "I did it my self when I suspected that I could be..." Connie stopped it was clear that Jacob wasn't listening.

"Is it mine?" Jacob regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth.

"You know what!" Bit Connie. "For your sake I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that!...Of cause it's yours!"

"I wasn't thinking...I'm sorry...I...I don't know what to say." Murmured Jacob but eventually he spoke up. "How far along?"

"I'd guess two to three months." Answered Connie resting her elbows on her knees.

"You don't know?" Asked Jacob a little surprised she didn't give him a more accurate number.

Connie shuck her head. "No...I've never been..." she struggled to find the right words. "...regular...it's the stress of the job I've been told..." looking up at Jacob she added. "I started feeling queasy, dizzy, run down...thats when I- " "You were...the collapse...in the basement...you were pregnant then..." Interrupted Jacob trying to piece together all the information.

"Well, yes...but I didn't know...I had no idea..." Connie assured him.

"When did u find out?" Asked Jacob in a dazed.

"Last week...I tried to talk to you..." Explained Connie.

Jacob's head shot up. "I'm sorry...I...I've...I should have listened to you!" He said with guilt written all over his face.

"It's ok." Said Connie understanding why he wouldn't give her the time. "You have every right to be angry at me." She added feeling drained.

"Its no excuse...I'm sorry...umm...your...your keeping it?...I'm presuming your not...you know...with us having this conversation..." Struggled Jacob nervously.

"I've no intention of aborting this baby, Jacob...it never crossed my mind...I could never do that." She told him confidently before she broke down letting the tears she had been holding back fall.

Jacob rushed to her side. "I feel like a complete idiot...the way I've treated...spoke to you this last week." He said rubbing soothing circles on her back. "Does Grace know?"

Connie gave him a small nod. "Yes, she knows...It was a very difficult conversation...I thought I was going to lose her again...it was...emotional...I told her a lot more honest truths than I probably should have and there was a lot of crying from both of us."

Connie smiled looking over to Jacob who seemed mesmerized by the piece of paper in his hand. "Your not saying a lot...I can't decide if your happy or not." She said.

"I'm...this is the last thing I expected when I walked in here...I..." Jacob said taking a shaky breath. "I'm going to be a... dad?"

"Yes..." confirmed Connie. "You don't look very happy...listen if it's not want you want...if you don't...I don't expect anything other than what your willing to give Jacob..."

Connie saw a tear splash on to the ultrasound image, dropping to her knees she knelt between Jacob's legs as she lifted his head with both her hands. Looking into his eyes seeing them brimming with tears she pulled him into a hug.

"I'm so happy Connie...how could I not be happy?...I'm having a child with the woman I love." Confessed Jacob returning the embrace.

Holding onto him tighter Connie let her tears fall freely. "I love you too Jacob...I have for a while now."

Hearing Connie's words Jacob pulled back to look at her. "You do?"

"So much." She smiled.

Jacob pulled Connie back to him and kissed her desperately, as if he could erase all the hurt they'd caused each other over the last few weeks by willpower alone. By this one simple act.

The need for air became to great and they eased away and rested their foreheads together. "We're having a baby!" Stated Jacob grinning from ear to ear.

"Yes we are." Agreed Connie wiping away any trace of her tears.

Jacob helped Connie up from her position on the floor, with her abdomen at his eye level he gently placed a hand over where their child was growing. Looking up at Connie he asked. "Does this change anything between us? I need to be with you Connie...I know it's Grace that's keeping us apart...let me talk to her...let me reassure -" "Jacob!" Said Connie calling a halt to his desperate plea. "She'll be here after school...the two of you can talk then." She told him with a smile holding him to her as he rested his head against her middle.

Connie eased away from him when she heard a knock on the door, opening it she instantly changed from the woman he just held in his arms to Mrs Beauchamp clinical lead. This always astounded Jacob, it was like she could just flick a switch.

"Nurse Freeman...what can I do for you?" Connie asked with a blank expression.

"The results you wanted me to chase up..." Said Rita passing over a folder.

Connie took the paperwork flicking through it quickly. "Thanks." She muttered closing the door again and moved over to her desk.

"How do you do that?" Asked Jacob amused.

"Do what?" Frowned Connie sitting down reading the results.

"That..." said Jacob pointing at the door. "Going from being...well...emotional.." Jacob smirked at the glare Connie sent his way. "...to professionally distant with Rita just now."

"Practice." Connie smirked back at him. "Here..." She said holding out a letter to him.

Pushing himself up Jacob stepped up to the desk. "What's this?" He asked reading it.

"The time for the dating scan tomorrow...I'm presuming you'd want to be there." Smiled Connie.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." Said Jacob happily.

"Right...well duty calls." Said Connie scooping up her work. "I'll come find you later when Grace gets here." Pressing a kiss to Jacob's lips she moved to the door but stopped short of walking out. "Oh...and Jacob...wipe that smile off your face before you leave this office, I want to have the scan done tomorrow before anyone else finds out!" She told him playfully causing Jacob's smile to widen.

"Yes boss."