FREDDIE'S POV:

"How am I gonna look any of them in the eye now, Jack? They're all gonna hate me, especially Joe and Lindsey" Frankie sighed as I arrived at the bar that afternoon

"Why would my brother and his fiancée hate you?" I questioned

"Freddie" Frankie gasped as she turned to face me

"I asked you a question" I stated "why will they hate you?"

"There's been an accident, Freddie" Jack informed me "Lindsey's in hospital"

Without either of them saying anymore, I hurried out of the pub...

LINDSEY'S POV:

"Come on, Joe. Pick up, pick up, pick up" I begged, beginning to get frustrated as I continued to phone him. He needed to be here…

"Any luck, Lindsey, love?" the nurse who was looking after me asked

I sighed and shook my head, signalling no, dialling his number again…

JOE'S POV:

Sitting in the garage, I tried to digest everything that I'd just been told. Mum was Darren's Mum too, and he was my brother. Picking my phone up off the desk as I downed the last of the whisky in my glass, I rejected Lindsey's call for the tenth time…

FREDDIE'S POV:

I entered the hospital reception twenty minutes later, making my way to the desk…

"Lindsey Butterfield, she was in a car accident. Can I see her?" I questioned the receptionist

"Are you a relative?" the receptionist asked, raising an eyebrow at me

Before I could answer her, my phone began to ring. Pulling it from my pocket, I saw it was Lindsey calling… "Linds, hi"

"Thank God you're picking up" she sighed "do you have any idea where your brother is?"

"No, he's been out most of the morning. Something about finding out what Mum's up to" I replied

"And whereabouts are you?" she inquired

"In the hospital, I've just got here. Whereabouts are you?" I asked

"How did you know?" she questioned, shocked

"I heard Frankie and Jack talking. Whereabouts are you, Linds?" I inquired

"A cubicle in A&E, I'm scared, Freddie" she admitted, her voice breaking

"There's nothing to be scared of, Linds" I replied "I'll be there in a minute, yeah?"

"Thanks, Freddie" she sighed, relief lacing her voice as we both hung up the phone

LINDSEY'S POV:

"I'm looking for Lindsey Butterfield?" I heard Freddie ask one of the nurses

A couple of moments later he pulled the curtain back and smiled at me… "I was thinking all sorts on the way over here. Are you okay? What happened?"

"Don't worry, I'm fine. Frankie knocked me with her car. I've got a broken wrist, a bit of concussion and a couple of cuts and bruises" I explained

"What about the baby?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow at me

"They've just done a scan. We're awaiting the results" I informed him

"I was so worried about you, Linds" he admitted, sighing heavily as he watched me closely

"Freddie, I'm fine" I assured him "could do with a hug though"

Smiling at me weakly, he engulfed me in his arms, my arms wrapping around his neck, gripping onto his leather jacket as I tried to not let the tears get the better of me… "Joe's been rejecting my calls. You don't think he's with someone else, do you?"

"I don't know, Linds" he replied "but I do know if he is with someone else, I'll kill him"

"My hero" I chuckled

"Lindsey Butterfield?" a doctor questioned, the room going deadly silent as mine and Freddie's attention went to her

"That's me" I informed her "is everything okay? Is my baby okay?"

Shutting the curtain on the cubicle, she turned back to me and shook her head, signalling no… "I'm afraid the severity of the fall when you were hit by the car has resulted in you losing the baby"

Freddie's hand grasped mine tightly as I was given the news…

"I'm very sorry for your loss" she continued "and Miss. Butterfield; I do hope you understand what will have to happen next?"

I shook my head, signalling no…

"You're past the 20-week mark which means the baby's started to form. I'm afraid you're going to have to give birth to your child" she explained

"To my child? To my dead child?" I asked

"It's the only way, I'm afraid" she replied

I felt the tears begin to wrack my body as everything hit me at once and once again, Freddie's arms engulfed me as the flood gates opened…

"I'll leave you for a while" she informed us and as Freddie successfully soothed and calmed me down, I was vaguely aware of the doctor leaving the cubicle

FREDDIE'S POV:

Four hours later, Lindsey was discharged from the hospital under the instruction that she had plenty of rest and was looked after. She assured the doctor that she would be and as I made my way back into the cubicle to help her put on her shoes, she was a shadow of the person she had been this morning. Her body was weak, lifeless and numb. This morning she'd been bright, happy and full of the joys. It was scary how so much could change in a matter of hours…

"I'm scared, Freddie" she admitted as we left the hospital, making our way to my car

"What of, Linds?" I questioned, stopping her from walking any further

"Joe finding out" she informed me "he'll hate me. He'll blame it all on me"

"But none of it is your fault" I replied "you have nothing to be scared of, Linds, I promise"

"Will you look after me, Fred?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at me

"That's Joe's job" I sighed, wrapping my arm around her shoulder as we began to walk again

"Is it? Where is he now then? You're the one that's here. You're the one that's been here all day. You're the one that's been there for me when I've needed you. I wouldn't have got through any of this today if it hadn't of been for you" she informed me

I smiled at her warmly as we arrived at my car. Unlocking it, I opened the door for her and let her slide in the passenger seat, handing her the seatbelt to fasten around her body. Placing her handbag in the back of the car, I arrived at the driver's side, inhaling and exhaling a breath before climbing in, driving us both home…

LINDSEY'S POV:

"There's my gorgeous baby Mumma" Joe proclaimed as Freddie and I walked into the house

"Don't" I whispered, pushing him off of me as he wrapped his arms around my waist

"Why don't we go upstairs then?" he suggested, raising an eyebrow at me

"I'm not in the mood, Joe" I admitted "but I think we should go to bed. It's been a busy day for both of us"

"Busy? You call finding out Darren's my brother busy?" he asked

"You what?" Freddie questioned as I stared at him dumbfounded, not knowing what to say

"Why didn't you call me and let me know?" I inquired, raising an eyebrow at him

"I needed to be on my own" he admitted "I wanted to answer your calls though. How come you phoned so much?"

I glanced at Freddie and swallowed nervously, him nodding his head… "I was in a car accident, Joe. The baby, it's gone. I'm so sorry"

"What?" he questioned, glancing at Freddie and then back to me

"I'm not pregnant anymore" I whispered

Not saying another word, he engulfed me into his arms and held me to him tightly, the tears beginning to fall yet again…

"Why don't you go upstairs and I'll be there in a sec?" he suggested as I finally calmed myself down

I nodded my head in agreement, tiredness washing over me… "Thank you, Freddie"

"You're welcome" he replied, smiling at me as I made my way up the stairs

FREDDIE'S POV:

"You okay, bro?" I asked, placing a supportive hand on his shoulder

"In shock" he admitted, running his hands over his face "why did no one from the hospital contact me?"

"Lindsey told them not to bother, seeing as though you weren't answering your mobile" I informed him

"Thank you for being there for her. I'm glad she had you there" he replied, smiling at me warmly

"She means a lot to me" I admitted "I honestly thought you'd be there"

"I wish I had been" he sighed "I'm gonna get up there. Thanks again, Fred"

Nodding at him and making my way to the fridge for a beer, I smiled at him as he left the kitchen and made his way upstairs…