Okay, so this little one-shot is the result of my boredom on my commute to work this morning. I've had the idea for a while, but it kind of ended up doing its own thing. Anyway thanks to Anny for the title and reinspiring me to write it and thanks to Meggi for sharing her doggy knowledge with me!

Anyway, it is a little random but I hope you like it.

Disapproving Dervla

Zoe stood in the cold, leaning against the wall of the E.D. building and took one final long drag from her cigarette before stubbing it out on the ground. She had been more than ready to get out of work for the last few hours, the awkwardness of the situation she found herself in beginning to take its toll on her sanity. She couldn't help but consider it strange that the only two people who didn't seem to find the current circumstances incomprehensible were the estranged couple that she was now firmly ensconced between, in a metaphorical sense at any rate.

It was almost as if Dylan and Sam were oblivious to the tension that had been caused in the department upon it becoming apparent that Zoe was now in a fledgling relationship with Dr Keogh. She had been questioning herself a great deal over the past few days as to how wise it was to be so firmly committed to the idea of a romantic connection with her still married colleague, but he had assured her that far from being bitter about the turn of events Sam had actually given them her blessing and it was only the hospital gossips who might be stirring things, not his ex-wife.

That was partly the reason that Zoe actually came to be waiting for Dylan to arrive outside the department at the end of her shift. The two of them were spending a weekend away together, trying in her opinion to test out their new found closeness and establish if there was a connection worth pursuing between them without the distractions of work, Dr Nicholls or their colleagues prying eyes. Much to Dylan's consternation he had been unable to find a hotel she had approved of that would have accepted dogs at such short notice and it had only been her insistence that they urgently needed this time alone together that had led him to grumpily start looking into kennels. Luckily however she had been spared the trauma of his curt mood at this development by a surprisingly willing Sam, who on hearing Dylan's plight had stepped in and offered to dog-sit Dervla whilst they were away.

Zoe reflected that she doubted she would have been quite so accommodating under the difficult circumstances, but Sam's resolve had not failed to impress her to date. The younger doctor had been nothing if not their most ardent supporter and despite the disapproval Zoe had felt from the remainder of her colleagues, she had received nothing but a friendly warm welcome from the girl, a situation that was beyond ironic given it was her own husband Zoe was seeing.

"Is Sam ready?" Dylan's gruff voice spoke from beside her, startling her from her trail of thought. She shook her head and met his gaze with a smile, remembering instantly all of the reasons that this relationship should be worth it despite the upset it was causing elsewhere.

"I think she was just getting changed last time I saw her," Zoe responded.

"Right," Dylan answered shortly. "I'll go and chase her up. I don't want to be late."

Zoe watched him start to walk into the department and pondered how emotionally inappropriate it probably was for him to be hurrying his ex-wife up so that the two of them could get going on a romantic get away, especially given that they had no designated arrival time and Dylan was only worried about missing the heavy traffic.

"Dervla," Dylan said, stopping briefly to speak to the dog Zoe had failed to notice when he had arrived. "Stay with Zoe whilst I fetch Sam."

It always made her smile that he talked to the dog like it was a human being, but she guessed that given how difficult Dylan found it to relate to people that maybe it was easier for him to communicate with his canine companion than his colleagues. It was only when he had entered the department and left her alone with the mutt that she realised the daft thing was eyeing her with suspicion. Zoe had never been a particular fan of dogs, but given Dylan's attachment to this one she was well aware she would be required to make an effort for his sake if nothing else. However on every occasion they had been introduced so far Dervla had treated her with nothing but a scornful disdain and she had been forced to acknowledge that the dog appeared to be as socially ignorant as its master.

Zoe spotted that Dylan appeared to have left two bags beside her when he had entered the department, a small overnight bag that wouldn't have fitted her make up and hair products for this weekend, never mind her clothes, and a larger holdall that was bulging at the seams with dog food and other pet related accoutrements. The fact that Dylan appeared to have put a great deal more time and effort into packing for his dog than he had for himself was not lost on her and she knew he would be surprised to see the amount of luggage she was taking for just a couple of days. Of course she didn't know Sam well enough to be sure, but she got the distinct impression that the younger woman travelled as lightly as her ex-husband did and it briefly crossed her mind how alike the couple must have been when they were together.

Zoe looked back at the doggy bag again and wondered if she could win over the resentful looking animal with some kind of treat, so rummaged through the various tins, boxes and packets until she found something that appeared vaguely appropriate. She placed the item in the palm of her hand and stuck her arm out, allowing Dervla to see the enticing morsel of dried meat she had found for her, despite her own revulsion at even holding the foodstuff in the first place. As a doctor she was fairly unmoved by blood and guts, but there was something about dog food that almost made her heave.

"Here you go doggy," she said, trying to give her most welcoming tone and smile at the mutt who had stood meekly like a statue since Dylan's departure.

Dervla peered at the treat, came close enough to sniff it and then promptly turned her back on Zoe, sitting down with her rear end pointing in Zoe's direction; a gesture the woman knew could only be taken as a disapproving snub.

"You really don't like me, do you?" she questioned exasperatedly as she threw the treat into the bin, realising that now she too had taken to talking to the canine as if it could comprehend what she was saying. However as she realised that she was almost waiting for the animal to respond, Sam appeared out of the E.D. and caught both of their attentions.

"Hello you," Sam said warmly, dropping to her knees to intercept the dog that had jumped up and bounded over to her as soon as she appeared into view. Zoe watched as Sam ruffled Dervla's coat and allowed the dog to snuggle its face into her, the canine's tail wagging furiously at the contact with the young doctor.

"You alright?" Sam questioned, looking up at her from her position on the ground.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Did Dylan find you?" she responded, realising that Dr Keogh had yet to reappear from the department.

"No, I've not seen him," Sam answered, before gesturing to the ground next to Zoe and continuing, "Could you pass me that bag please?"

She grabbed the still open holdall and gave it over to Sam, who smiled in thanks before immediately seeking out the exact same box of treats that Zoe herself had used only moments before. As Sam pulled one out of the packet Zoe briefly deliberated saying that it appeared Dervla wasn't that keen on those ones, but before this thought had finished forming in her mind she saw the dog greedily take the meaty treat from Sam's fingers, before almost sticking her nose into the box to get another one.

"You greedy little thing," Sam chastised Dervla good humouredly, before handing her one more treat and standing up, grabbing the bag and putting away the box at the same time. "She always did love those," Sam added and Zoe felt herself forcing a smile in return.

"There you are," Dylan said, finally reappearing from the E.D. and joining the three of them.

"Are you ready to go?" Zoe questioned, looking at him expectantly and pulling her car keys from her pocket in anticipation at their imminent departure.

However despite Dr Keogh having been indicating since his arrival that he was eager to leave, she could see that he now appeared in no hurry to make tracks and had instead busied himself in a fairly animated conversation with Sam about the different requirements of a dog it was apparent she knew just as well as he did. Zoe listened to their banter back and forth about lengths of walks and feeding times with very little interest, but noticed that to an outsider they very much appeared to be proud parents discussing the latest milestones of their darling child, not an estranged married couple conversing over a pet dog.

Zoe knew that her and Dylan had a lot of barriers to overcome if they were going to make a go of things as a couple, their colleagues disapproval and Sam's presence in their day to day lives, regardless of her acceptance of events, being the two key ones that she had previously identified were causing her most concern. However as she watched Dylan and Sam absentmindedly take it in turns to ruffle Dervla's coat and without effort seamlessly respond to her interruptions into their conversation, she realised that the one thing she hadn't factored in before now was the strength of connection Dylan shared with his ex-wife and their dog, a connection Zoe was well aware that she neither fully understood or could ever be a part of.

"Ready?" Dylan said tersely, jolting her from her thoughts and she saw with embarrassment that both her colleagues were staring at her, waiting for her to respond.

"Yes, of course," she replied and watched as Dylan stroked Dervla one last time, before picking up his own small bag in readiness of their journey.

"Take care of her Sam." Dylan stated simply.

"Always," came the young doctor's reply, as Zoe saw their gaze meet. The look she saw the couple share was filled with a deeper emotion and intensity than she had ever felt from Dylan when they were alone together, but almost as quickly as she saw it appear the look dissipated.

"Come on you daft dog," Sam said cheerfully to Dervla and the two of them made off across the car park. As they walked away Sam turned round briefly and shouted back, "See you on Monday. Have a good time," before continuing her path out of the hospital grounds with a canine shadow at her heel.

Dylan started off towards Zoe's car without so much as a second glance or a word in her direction and she reluctantly trudged after him, suddenly ill at ease about their upcoming weekend together as she couldn't help but think that this might be the end of something that wasn't going anywhere rather than the beginning of something with potential. It was obvious to her that both Dylan and Sam loved that dog equally and if nothing else, through her they would always share an incredibly strong connection. Zoe had just about accepted he would always put his dog first, but in truth she was unsure if she would be able to live with being second, if not even third, best in Dylan's affections.

The fact that the dog hated her was only going to add to the complications from that, because she knew that Dylan would never be able to side with her over his beloved canine companion. He was a country cottage, long walks with the dog kind of person whereas this weekend away catered for her own wish to be pampered and live the high life.

It hadn't really occurred to her before now, but in her heart Zoe knew that the dog was going to put an end to her relationship, especially as both she and the daft mutt both knew there was a woman much better suited to Dylan already in his life. Her own relationship with Dylan was finite, but his connection to Sam was eternal and she couldn't help but think disapproving Dervla might be quite pleased by that.

So yeah, a bit random. But hey, it kept me amused today!

Callie x