What Means The World.

'Joseph?' Hanssen called.

'Can I help you, Mr Hanssen?' Joseph, in his usual manner acted politely, but he had something on his mind, and maybe now he had Hanssen's attention he could get it off his chest. 'Actually, I wanted to ask you something.'

'Well, I have some good news, Mr Byrne. I want to offer you a promotion.' Hanssen smiled as Joseph's expression changed from a stressed persona to a confused state.

'Promotion… No, Mr Hanssen, I need to cut my hours.' Joseph's words shocked the 'Swedish Slasher.'

'Well, Mr Byrne… The promotion I want to offer you means that you will have more hours, If you can't do that then I'm afraid the promotion will not be yours.'

Joseph's brain processed many calculations using money, time and his son, his heart was saying no, his head was saying yes but curiosity got the better of him. 'If I took the promotion… what would I be doing?'

'You would be my right hand man, amigo, the second rider on my tandem bike. It's Director Of Surgery Joseph.' Hanssen smiled once again.

'I have no idea what to say.' Joseph let a nervous giggle escape 'Director Of Surgery? Really?'

'Yes. Absolutely, I think it only seems fit that the position should be yours, I mean after all, this hospital is more to you than a job.'

'Yes. Yes it is.' Once again Joseph had some major thinking to do. 'Can I think about this for a while?'

'Of course, say, half an hour, in my… or possibly our, office.'

'Okay… Thank you, Mr Hanssen.'

'Don't mention it.'

As Joseph walked away from Hendrick, he pulled out his phone and dialled the number of the only person he wanted to talk to right now.

'Joseph. Hi.' Jac's voice automatically put Joseph's mind at some form of calm.

'Hi, Jac. Are you busy?'

'No, I'm on a break, what's wrong?'

'I need to speak to you, as soon as possible.'

'Okay, well I'm in the locker room on Keller. Meet me here?'

'That sounds great, see you soon.'

Joseph made his way to Keller and knocked on the Locker Room door. Jac let him in with a warm embrace and a kiss. Joseph wanted to stay there for the rest of his life, but he needed to talk. He pulled away.

'What's wrong, Joseph?'

'Nothing… It's just, Hanssen offered me DoS…'

'Oh My God! Joseph that's incredible!' Jac screamed.

'I know, but Jac, I need to spend more time with Harry. I came in today to cut my hours, not gain more… but now, This hospital is my life, but now I have you and Harry. I don't want to take the seat if it means I have less time with you and Harry.'

'Right… Joseph do not, not take it on my account, but I understand what you mean about Harry, you have to put him first…' Jac's thoughts pondered. 'What if I cut my hours, so instead of keeping Harry in day care. I can look after him.'

'No. Jac… He's my son, I can't burden you with that.' Joseph's mind once again wandered. Then it clicked. 'I have to go…'

'Go? What do you mean go?' Jac started to get hysterical.

'I mean leave.' He looked deep into Jac's eyes. 'Holby used to be my life. But It's not anymore. I don't need it. I need you, and I need Harry and I need to be with you. And I can't if I'm here all the time.'

'But, Joseph. This is gonna sound awful coming from me… But the Byrne name is what Holby is built upon. You're the only Byrne left who cares about Holby.' Jac's eyes began to sting.

'I know, but this isn't the Holby we built. This is a hospital now based around targets and profits. That's not what I want anymore, Jac. I want you. And I want my son to have a father who is always there.'

The tears manifesting in Jac's eyes began to fall. 'If you feel that's what you have to do, then I'll stick by you.'

'Jac, don't get upset. I can be twice the person I am to you now. I'll have more time for you and Harry, and we can be a proper family. I can sustain us… You know I can.'

Jac held herself to Joseph's chest as he put his arms around her. 'I love you.' She looked up at him. 'Never forget who you are though, Joe. You're a Byrne, and Holby is yours.'

Joseph smiled. 'That's it then Jac. I'm gonna leave and be the best Dad in the world.'

'So what happens now?' Jac asked.

'I go and tell Hanssen, and then I'll come find you, I'll pick Harry up and go home!' Joseph's smile stayed put as he kissed Jac then went to find Hanssen.

'Ahh, Mr Byrne. Have you come to a decision?' Hanssen gave Joseph a smile.

'Yes, yes I have, and I know it's the right one for me.' Joseph stood firmly.

'So you've decided to take it?' Hanssen quizzed?

'No. Mr Hanssen. I thank you for the opportunity, but I have decided to leave Holby, and concentrate on being the perfect father to my son'

'Right. Okay then. Joseph I must say I never expected this, I thought surgery was what kept you going.'

'It was. But I don't need it anymore. I have my son and Jac. I have everything I need and more. And to be frank. You've ruined Holby. This used to be a hospital where the patients came first, where trust and honesty were priority instead of targets and redundancies. Connie's left because of it, and say goodbye to your second consultant leaving. Those of us who stand for honesty and trust will always turn away from you. Just you wait and see Hanssen. There will be more.'

Joseph turned and walked straight out of Hanssen's office, left Darwin with only the smallest of second glances and went to find Jac, who was in the café. They walked to the crèche and picked Harry up. Joseph put him into his car seat and turned to Jac. 'You're just what this hospital needs, Jac. You can turn it around. Get people on your side, Michael, Sacha, Chrissie anybody who believes what we do. You will make Holby great again!'

Joseph got into his car and kissed Jac through the window. She began to cry as Joseph Byrne drove out of Holby City General Hospital for the last time.