A/N: This story seems to be taking on a life of it's own- first i wrote this chapter intending it to be a one-shot, then I decided to write a second chapter which ended up being 4000 words long. So, I've decided to turn it into a fic of it's own.

Sorry if my updates seem to be dominating the board, but I'm deep into procrastination with an exam tomorrow!

It was late when Kate left. Too late to go to Caroline's because she'd wake everyone up, Kate reasoned with herself. But somehow she still managed to drive there instead of her own home. There were no lights on, they were all probably in bed long since, considering it was a Sunday night. But Kate still sat in the car looking up at the building. She was just considering using the key Caroline had given her once when the front door opened, a slightly dishevelled Caroline peeking out. When she saw Kate's car, she opened the door a little wider and pulled her dressing gown a little closer before walking out into the cold night.

"Kate?" She frowned as she approached.

Kate continued to stare out the front windscreen at the house, hands gripping the steering wheel.

Concerned now, Caroline reached out and pulled open the door, making Kate jump. "Kate? Are you okay?"

Kate's eyes rose to stop tears falling from them as she shook her head.

Releasing her grip on her dressing gown, Caroline reached into the car to unclip Kate's seatbelt. "Come inside."

"I can't." Kate shook her head again, voice thick with emotion.

"Yes, you can. Come on." Gently, Caroline unclasped Kate's hands from the wheel and then helped her from the car, carrying almost all her weight as she led her back into the house.

Inside was warm and Kate suddenly felt overheated, pulling away from Caroline to pull off her jacket and scarf. "I'm hot. It's too hot in here."

"Come through and I'll get you a glass of water?" Caroline offered, relieved when Kate followed her.

She took big gulps of the ice-cold water, but it did nothing to cool her down and she was soon taking off her jumper as well, then sat on the couch to take off her boots. "I'm too hot." She repeated.

Still looking concerned, Caroline walked to open the back door, allowing a frosty breeze in. "Better?"

Kate nodded, though Caroline noticed she shivered.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Caroline asked a few minutes later, sleep still making her voice a little hoarse.

"I don't know?" Kate looked to Caroline as though she might have the answer.

"…It might make you feel better?"

"…I went on a date." Kate's eyes lifted to Caroline's face nervously.

Caroline's mind took a few seconds to register this information, but somehow she managed to keep her voice neutral as she asked, "Did the person hurt you?"

"No." Kate shook her head. She felt suddenly cold now and hugged herself. Caroline stood to shut the door and allowed herself to draw in a few deep breaths of air before she sat down again. Only last week had she gone to Kate's house and asked if they could try again. Kate had said there was no one else.

"I thought…I wanted to…to see if…" Kate attempted, a tear finally falling silently down her cheek.

"To see-" Caroline prompted.

"She said she didn't care that I was pregnant. She was a paediatric nurse. Well, she still is. We met at the clinic I go to for check-ups, and she held my hand when I had my first scan because I was scared of-" Kate stopped there. She was wringing her hands and Caroline ached to reach out and touch her. She didn't, though. It wasn't her place to anymore. "But then she started talking about baby names, and I got upset because that's not her place. That's what me and you-"

Caroline looked down at her hands as Kate paused to draw in a shaking breath before taking another gulp of water.

"I tried to call my mum, but she wasn't answering, so…I went to see my dad. I don't know what to do anymore, I don't know what the best thing to do for everyone is. He usually knows of 'Kate' and will ask about her, but when I got there, he didn't know her anymore. He didn't know me anymore."

Caroline finally reached out a hand, and Kate grasped it tightly between her own, trying to take every ounce of comfort from it she could.

When it seemed like Kate's story was at an end, though Caroline still wasn't quite sure why she had come, she asked gently, "Would you like me to run you a bath?"

Kate's eyes filled with tears again, but this time she nodded.

Nodding back, Caroline squeezed Kate's hand and then rose to her feet. Kate followed her a step behind to the master bedroom, sitting silently on the bed as Caroline ran the bath. She didn't even acknowledge William's presence when he walked in, awoken by the noise.

"…Kate?"

Hearing a voice, Caroline retreated to the bedroom, giving her son an apologetic smile before leading him from the room.

"Is Kate okay?"

"She's fine. She's just had a bit of an upset, so I'm running her a bath."

"..It's not the baby, is it?" He whispered back.

"No. No. Well, I don't think so. Sorry for waking you."

"Does this mean you're getting back together?" He asked as they reached his bedroom doorway.

"I..no. I don't know. Get some sleep, you've got an exam in the morning." Caroline ushered him back into his room, shutting the door before returning to her own.

The water had stopped now, and a naked Kate stood in the doorway of the en-suite, her back to Caroline. When she remained motionless, Caroline asked softly, "Kate?" When Kate turned back to her, Caroline saw her small baby bump for the first time and couldn't seem to take her eyes off it.

"I'm sorry. I don't…I'm sorry." Kate finally offered, her voice tearful.

Unsure what she was apologising her, Caroline still dismissed it and stepped forward to help Kate to the bath. As soon as she lay back, warm water easing the ache in her muscles, Kate began to cry softly. "I'm scared."

"Of what?" Caroline forced herself to ask, sitting on the edge of the bathtub.

"I don't want to do this by myself, Caroline. I'm scared that I will do it all wrong. And I'm scared that getting back with you will complicate things even more, but I'm scared of not getting back with you as well, because I love you and it hasn't gone away, and I've tried so hard to push it away."

Caroline swallowed, pushing down the bubbles of hope that began to alight. Instead, she offered, "Just take a deep breath and relax, Kate. You're upset, and you're tired. Just let the warm water relax you, and then you can sleep."

"Okay." Kate sniffed, nodding her head as though she trusted Caroline completely.

It was an hour later when Kate finally fell asleep. She was dressed snuggly in some flannel pyjamas, having suddenly complained of the cold, and she lay with her face buried in the pillow, breathing even.

Sighing, Caroline lay down beside her on top of the covers and stared at the ceiling.

..

"Kate's here?"

"Yes. Do you want toast or cereal?" Caroline put a bowl in front of her youngest son. "Where's William?"

"He's cramming upstairs. He is worried he's forgotten everything. Can I have ice-cream?" Lawrence asked hopefully.

"No." Caroline poured cereal into the bowl for him and then pushed the milk his way. "I'm going to go and bring William down, but you're not to upset him."

"What about Kate?"

"What about her?"

"Will she be coming down for breakfast? Are you back together with her again? Even though she's pregnant with someone else's baby."

"…Eat your breakfast and then go and pack your bag, we need to leave soon." Was all Caroline offered as she left the room.

It was Kate and not William she met on the stairs. They stared silently at one another for a long time before Kate gave a shy smile.

"I'm sorry about last night."

"It's fine. You were upset."

Kate nodded, finally pulling her eyes away from Caroline to look at Lawrence who stood in the kitchen doorway watching them with interest. "I should go home and get changed. I'll see you at school."

Nodding, Caroline stepped to the side to allow her to pass.

Disappointed, Lawrence rolled his eyes and returned to his breakfast.

"Kate." Caroline called as the brunette reached for the doorhandle.

Kate turned back towards her.

Celia had recited Kate's list of baby names to her once. It felt like years ago, now. "I like Grace."

Kate smiled. No. She beamed. "Me too."

"..I'll see you at school."

Kate nodded, smiling again, before she slipped out the front door.

Perhaps this was Caroline being offered her second chance, and she was determined to make the most of it.