PART ONE

Jac Naylor opened her eyes, blearily blinking in the dark. She turned her head to the right and stared at the alarm clock sitting on her bedside table. 2:30am. Jac groaned and clambered gracelessly out of the bed. For a few moments everything was quiet again and then she heard it. The soft pitiless wail of a distressed child coming from the room next door. She looked back at the bed, watching as Jonny shifted suddenly and immediately fell back to sleep. Jac felt the muscles in her face twinge as she smiled.

The wailing continued as Jac opened the door and stepped out on to the landing. She fumbled in the dark for the light switch and upon finding it, Jac flicked the switch and bathed the hall in bright white light. She yawned and swayed unsteadily on the spot before closing her hand around the nursery door handle. As the door swung open, Jac felt a sudden blast of wailing ringing in her ears. She strode over to the cot and picked up the sobbing baby, cradling the newborn in her arms.

Jac rocked her child gently from side to side, whispering a lullaby to try to soothe her. The baby continued to cry. She brushed the faint ginger hair out of her eyes.

"It's all right, it's all right," Jac whispered staring into the baby's big green eyes. The baby made a small sniffling sound and looked up at her mother. In an instant, Jac could feel her heart melting. "Are you hungry?" Jac asked softly. "Is that what you want darling?" The baby raised a chubby little finger and pointed at Jac.

The next morning dawned bright and early. Jonny was already at the breakfast table, munching his way through a bowl of cornflakes with a mug of steaming coffee sat beside it. He glanced up from his bowl as the kitchen door opened and Jac walked inside, her mouth open as she yawned loudly.

"Our little terror keep you up all night then?" Jonny asked with a wink at Jac. Jac scowled.

"I don't know why you're so cocky Maconie, it's your turn tonight."

"Touché." Jac pulled up a chair and sat opposite Jonny. Jonny swallowed another mouthful of cornflakes before continuing. "How is she anyway?"

"Sleeping. For once."

"She's probably worn herself out," Jonny said.

"She's worn me out," Jac muttered. "Five hours I've been awake already this morning. Five, long hours." She reached over and picked up Jonny's coffee mug.

"Hey that's-" Jonny began but his voice trailed away as Jac took an enormous gulp of hot coffee. "No, it's okay, you have it."

"I wasn't asking," Jac said and took another gulp. She yawned again. "There really isn't enough caffeine in this." Jonny raised an eyebrow at her. "Are you on shift today?" Momentarily distracted, Jonny didn't reply so Jac reached over, picked up a cornflake and threw it at him. It bounced off his nose and fell to the floor.

"What? Oh. Yeah, yeah I am." Jonny finished off the last of the cornflakes and jumped to his feet. "And actually, I'm running late."

"Better get going then or Mo will have your testicles so tightly squeezed in that vice you'll be singing in falsetto."

"Mo's just a big kitten," Jonny countered. Jac snorted derisively as Jonny walked over to her and kissed her cheek. "Bye, I'll see you later?" Jac nodded. "Love you Naylor."

"I love you too," Jac replied in a soft understated voice.

Jac blinked suddenly, staring out the kitchen window in surprise. She thought she saw...but no, she couldn't have done. She hadn't seen that girl in years. But then why? Jac shook her head sharply. No. It was impossible. Just a strange hallucination. You're dreaming Jac. That's all.

Sacha clapped his hand on Jonny's back in his usual friendly manner.

"So, how is she?"

"How's who?"

"Your daughter of course!" Sacha exclaimed.

"Just kidding, I knew who you meant," Jonny joked. He bit his lip, trying desperately not to laugh.

"Oh you-" And Sacha laughed, his face broadening into a wide smile.

"Since you asked so nicely," Jonny began but he dissolved quickly into a snort of laughter. He cleared his throat. "I mean err, she's great. Really great!"

"Keeping you up all night I expect?"

"We take it in turns. I'm on duty tonight."

"Better stock up on caffeine then my friend," Sacha told him. "It's gonna be a long night for you."

"I would, but Jac keeps drinking all of it." The expression Jonny made was so comical that Sacha couldn't help but laugh again.

"Well that's Jac for you," he said with a grin. "Listen, I'll let you get on. Lots to do today!"

"Tell me about it," Jonny replied. "All right, have a good one mate."

"You too," Sacha said as he headed off in the direction of AAU.

Jonny stood outside the lift, waiting patiently for the doors to slide open with the familiar and comforting: Doors opening airing from them. The hairs on the back his neck prickled suddenly and he looked behind, his left eyebrow arched. There was nothing out of the ordinary there, just people going about their lives. As normal. Yet Jonny could sense that something wasn't right. He felt like there was someone watching him from afar; not close enough to see but close enough that it made him feel unnerved. You're being stupid Maconie. No one is watching you. Even so, Jonny couldn't help but be worried. His instincts didn't often let him down.

Doors opening. The sound brought Jonny crashing back down to earth and he turned to face the now open lift. Jonny stepped inside and pressed the button for Darwin, shooting a last look out across the entrance room as the lift whirred into life. Doors closing. For a moment Jonny thought...He shook his head. He sighed in relief as the lift began to glide gently upwards.

"It's just you and me again today," Jac said as she sat in an armchair cradling her baby in her arms. "Daddy's working." The baby made a snuffling sound as she opened her eyes and gazed into Jac's. There was something about her that just managed to dissolve all of Jac's worries and fears with a single innocent look. She took hold of her tiny hand and her eyes lit up as the baby squeezed it gently. She gurgled and began to dribble out of the corner of her mouth. Jac giggled. She never used to be so easily won over by babies before. They were noisy, ugly, untrained creatures that denied you any form of social life. But as Jac stared into the eyes of her child, her own baby, she knew that no, that wasn't true. Not in the slightest. In reality they were beautiful, sweet, adorable. They relied on you completely, utterly for their lives. Jac was responsible for another life and it honestly felt good. She was ready for the challenge.

She stumbled through the hustle and bustle of the entrance, her eyes wide, searching desperately. It had been a mistake to go there this morning, she knew that now, but she had to see. She had to check. She took hold of her arm and found that she was trembling. It had been so close. She had nearly been seen. It wasn't time. She wasn't ready. Not yet.

She lost her balance, crashing to the floor as someone pushed past her at a fast paced sprint. Someone else grabbed her hand and helped her up; the world was spinning in her eyes, she couldn't focus.

Jonny's phone vibrated loudly in his top pocket. He picked it up and stared at the screen as it flashed 1 new message Jac Naylor at him. His lips curled into a cheeky smile.

"Patient, Maconie!" Mo called loudly, pulling him out of his happy trance.

"Just a minute!" Jonny opened the message and began to read.

"Surely your sex life can wait?" Mo shouted deliberately as several patients' heads turned to look at Jonny quizzically. Jonny sighed.

"It might be important, please Mo." The look on Jonny's face was so pitiful and pleading that Mo had to give in.

"Okay, you can have five minutes, no more!" Jonny kissed her forehead.

"You're an angel Mo!" Mo snorted.

"Just get on with it!"

"I'm going, I'm going!" Jonny walked away, holding his phone in his outstretched hand and reading the message carefully.

Get some nappies after your shift. We're running low already. Jac xxx. Jonny made an expression that was halfway between a smile and joking exasperation as he made to reply.

Gotcha. Jonny xxx. He locked his phone and placed it back in his top pocket.

"Are you okay?" She heard the voice speak but she couldn't fathom the words, it all seemed so alien. "Do you want me to get someone for you?"

She opened her mouth and spoke with a quiet, feeble whisper. "I'm fine, I'll be fine." She let go of the strangers hand, staggering as she made a valiant attempt to regain her balance.

"Where are you headed?"

"Darwin, I need to get Darwin," she said, her expression determined.

"Take the lift over there-" The stranger pointed over his shoulder. "And choose the sixth floor." The girl nodded, thanking the stranger. She turned to leave. "Hey," the stranger began. She looked back at him, her eyes wide in surprise. "I'm Nick. I was wondering if...perhaps I could have your number?" She thought about this and nodded with a smile. No one had ever asked for her number before. She took a pen out of her handbag and scribbled the number on the open palm of his right hand. Nick sighed with relief. The girl turned to leave again but Nick's voice broke through the air once more. "You didn't tell me your name?"

"Oh it's Jasmine, Jasmine Burrows."

TO BE CONTINUED