Naylor had essentially lost the man she loved so dearly. Creeping up on her in the operating theatre, where the red-head sat alone, Joseph had asked her to go with him and set up a new life together. 'You want me to give up my life, my career, my whole identity for a man who will always put me second' she had questioned, a wavering sense of opportunity cut her tone. For a split second Byrne had thought the woman he truly loved may have given into temptation and packed her existent life up. After all not long beforehand the female had gloated the words he had longed to hear for so long- 'Well five years and you just managed it...to be a man and sweep me off my feet.' Instead though Jac watched from inside the hospital as Joseph entered his car and drove off; although being the man he is she'd laughed to herself as he wiped a speck of dirt off the door first.

The hardened woman had welled up knowing she was letting Joseph Byrne go, but somehow she felt it was better this way. This way she could set him free with Harry and let him live the life he longed for. Little did the intellectual female know; it was the life he wanted least. A life without the woman he cherished was worthless.

A knock broke the welcomed silence of the Darwin office.

'Come in!' grumbled the tired man to which the door opened and a familiar figure entered. 'Joseph! I wasn't expecting to see you. I thought you would be well on your way Penrith' looking at his watch he paused briefly before continuing 'In fact I would of expected you to have arrived by now'

'Do you have a minute Professor Hope?' questioned the delicate man as he took a seat opposite Elliot 'I got half way there...when it struck me that a life in Penrith is no life for Harry or I'

'Joseph, life is what you make it'

'I know- I know. But I realised that a life without certain people in it is pointless. To tear myself away from everything I've worked towards...from people that love my son so dearly'

'Certain people?' asked the professor carefully 'By certain people I presume you mean Ms Naylor?'

'I didn't realise it before- I didn't realise it until I saw her with Harry... I, better than anyone, know the Jac away from her professional title. How can I let the woman I have always loved slip away?'

'I can't answer that Joseph, but I know that you understand each other better than anyone ever could' slipping his watch back on Hope looked at Joseph 'I do know though that when I married Gina I was uncertain if I was making the right choice'

'You mean, you didn't love her?'

'No-no, I wasn't sure if I wanted to commit the rest of my life to such a beautiful woman. But I wouldn't swap a moment I had with her for a life time with anyone else. We as people have to make decisions that will impact our lives Joseph- you of all people know that'

'My mother gave me a ring when I qualified as a doctor that her mother once possessed. She stated I had to give it to the woman of my dreams...the woman who stole my heart. By that very definition I should have placed it on someone's finger years ago' Byrne took the small black box out of his inside jacket pocket and played with it. 'Even after marrying Faye I never gave it to her. I married a woman whom I knew I never truly loved. What sort of man does that make me Elliot?'

'It makes you a father' a response which didn't entirely make sense but wasn't queered.

'But I know now who I have to give this to. And I know that I don't want to move to Penrith, I want to bring Harry up at Holby... with Jac'

'Is that what she wants?'

'I don't know' he stated, standing up and straightening out his jacket, placing the box back 'But there's only one way to find out' he headed for the door, before pausing and looking at his dear friend 'Elliot, you're a very dear friend and you alone have taught me an unbelievable amount over the years. If my son could grow up with you as his grandfather, Harry would have such a positive influence in his life'

Elliot sat there speechless for a few moments, bowled over by such a request 'I would like nothing more than to watch that small boy flourish into a fine young man in your care' Mr Byrne nodded his head and gritted his teeth before leaving.

Taking a punt and making the familiar drive from the hospital to Jac's apartment, he smiled briefly as he watched his son sleep in his car-seat after collecting him from the hospital nursery. Parking in a spare bay, he looked up to see Naylor's lights in her third floor flat, he climbed out of his silver car and unclipped his son's carseat. 'Here goes Harry...' he whispered, dashing towards the apartment entrance as another owner left- the last thing he wanted was to have to ring the bell to be let in.

Instead of climbing the three flights of stars as he always had done he opted for the lift in an attempt to disturb the tiny infant as little as possible. The hall way was very much like that of a hotel. Stepping out of the lift it was clear the carpet had been newly laid. The residents of such apartments were clearly well paid; he knew Jac certainly was. Knocking on the over familiar oak door he took a step back and waited, he palms starting to sweat a little. Once again he pulled his shirt down a little to rid it of a small barely noticeable crease, his heart racing and he heard the light footsteps approaching the other side of the door.

The door was opened but no words were uttered, Naylor for once speechless at the figure she saw stood in front of her. Unusually Joseph pushed the woman inside gently and shut the door ' I know what you're going to say but I just want you to hear me out. I don't want you to say a thing until I've said what I need to say' the perfectionist slipped his shoes off and left them near the door before walking into the living room and placing Harry down carefully. He then placed himself on one seat whilst Jac sat on another, still taken aback. 'I was driving to Penrith when I realised I couldn't go...not without you Jac, and I get that I can't make you give up everything you've worked for. We have something special, you can't possibly deny that. The realisation of knowing I may never see you again hurt me more than anything ever has' Jac went to open her mouth but Joseph continued speaking 'Working together isn't going to work... I can see that now but I propose to get a job on the other side of town as a Gp, far more child friendly. On one condition though, that you agree to-'

'To join you and Harry and live the idyllic lifestyle as a family?'

'Not quite how I would have put it but yes, something like that'

'How do you know it's going to work Joseph?'

'I don't-I never do but I saw the way you looked at Harry earlier on today. I know how I feel about you Jac; in fact I've felt the same way since I met you all those years ago'

'Okay, we'll do it'

'Pardon?'

I said, we'll do it. We can give this whole family thing a go, on MY one condition- you can do the night feeds!'

'I think I can manage that' smiled the male surgeon walking over to the female and placing a kiss on her lips, before wrapping the skinny woman in his arms. He took the black box out of his pocket and took the ring out of its holder 'It's not a proposal, not yet anyway but my mother said I had to give this to the woman who stole my heart and that's you Jac' he explained slipping the silver ring onto her third finger. Surprisingly it fitted quite well.