Will It Be a Happily Ever After?

by AimeeDanielle97

So, Nick and Zoe are my favourite Characters and, seeing as they belong together, this is a story based on their relationship if they had stayed together. Nick never had the brain tumor, but Zoe couldn't have children, so they adopt. I know that there's a few like this, promise I'm not copying. I just love these stories. Causalty's characters plus my O/C. Copy rights to BBC. Enjoy

1. Chapter 1

It's 8:15, the bus was late and 1st year, Jody Louise Jordan, is late for school again.
"Morning Miss Wilson, I'm so sorry! Bus didn't come on time, Mum couldn't get away to help me. It won't happen again!" The teacher looked down at the girl. It was unavoidable that she be late sometimes, her father being clinical leading her mother trauma lead in Holby City ED.
"That's quite all right dear. Take a seat, I will take the register and then you all have 10 minutes before class starts." She announced. Jody went and took her usual seat. She was sweating a bit, but that was probably just from running.
"Jody, you don't look so good..." Whispered Anna. Anna was Jody's best friend, she sat across from her in registration. She was right, too. Jody's face was drained of all of its colour and she was shaking.
"Something's wrong." She said to Anna. "I have to call mum, something's wrong." She already had a pretty good idea what it was... She didn't like to believe it, she thought she'd better check just in case...
"Okay, but don't let Wilson catch you." Gingerly, Jody reached for her phone with her right hand, her left, clutching her chest in pain. She unlocked it with ease and speed dialled Zoe. Zoe had adopted Jody two years ago and was now her closest confidant
"Yeah, Jody, what's wrong?"
"I need to ask you something, and it's important."
"Okay."
"You know the medicine box that we keep at home?"
"Yeah..."
"Is there anything in it containing ephedrine?"
"Yes. Lots, all of the cold and flu tablets for a start. Why?"
"Mum, you have to come. You have to come quickly, and bring Dixie and Jeff!"
"Jody what is it?" She asked, sounding worried.
"I think I've taken ephedrine by mistake, I had a head ache, I was rushing, I needed paracetamol. Mum you have to come.. I think..." Jody was struggling to breath now. "I ...I'm having a heart attack." There was a crash at the other end of the line as Zoe dropped her mobile in shock. Zoe could barely breath now too. Despite this, she nervously bent and picked up her mobile.
"Symptoms?" She said, slowly and worriedly.
"My... Chest hurts... Shooting pains... Left arm... Out of breath... Help."
"Oh God! Dixie! Jeff!" Zoe shouts. Jody could hear bits of their conversation at the other end of the phone.
"She's at st. Michael's High... Allergy to ephedrine... Cardiac difficulties."
"Yeah, Zoe, come on." Dixie says. Zoe was struggling to cope, with her ability to breath properly so affected with worry, Dixie took the phone.
"Hey, Jody sweetheart, we're on our way. Stay calm. Give the phone to a friend, tell them to come out to the front of the school so that they can lead us to you."
"Okay... Tired... Dixie... I'm tired."
"Sweetie, don't close your eyes. Talk to your friends as much as you can for as long as you can dear, don't go to sleep!"
"Have to...Anna, take... the phone..." Anna took the phone from her friend and received clear instructions from Dixie to go wait for the ambulance. Miss Wilson noticed what was going on then.
"Anna Atkins, what are you doing!?"
"I'm sorry miss, it's the paramedics on the phone. Jody's having a heart attack!"
"She's what?!"
"Heart attack miss, help her, I have to go wait on the paramedics." Anna ran out of the class with the phone.
"Miss... Tired..." Jody closed her eyes and ceased all movement.
"Oh no, Jody? Jody!"

"Dixie, what if she doesn't make it! What if we don't get there in time!" Said Zoe, completely beside herself in the back of the ambulance.
"We will get there and she will be fine! She had the good sense to call you the minute she felt it coming on."
"I know, but-"
"Zoe, these thoughts are only going to make you more stressed than is necessary. You won't be any good to Jody if your having a panic attack when we get there, will you? Relax, this is the school now." The ambulance skidded to a halt outside of the school, and Dixie, Jeff and Zoe all jumped out.
"You'd better hurry, one of the other kids just came running out, crying that Jody wasn't waking up or breathing anymore!" Anna shouted, her voice strained with fear and worry.
"Okay, Jeff, get the de-fib!" Dixie shouts. "I'll get the stretcher." She said. Zoe was hyperventilating.
"Anna," she managed.
"Doctor Hanna, she's this way, come on." Anna cried. She began to run back into the school, closely followed by Zoe and the paramedics. They got to the class and ran in. Jody was lying on the floor, someone had had the good sense to put her into he recovery position and push all of the desks out of the way.
"Jody!" Zoe cried and rushed over to her daughter. "Dixie there's no pulse!" Zoe began to resuscitate Jody whilst Jeff set up the defibrillator and Dixie hooked her up to the monitor which began beeping loudly to signal an emergency.
"Dixie get a line in!" Shouted Zoe. As she unbuttoned Jody's shirt and put two orange, gel pads on it so she could be jump started.
"On it Zoe!"
"Okay, charging... All clear!" Jeff shouted. Dixie and Zoe sat back as he shocked Jody. Silence fell all bar the beeping. Zoe held her breath and waited, tears cascading down her cheeks. The beeping suddenly changed from its chaotic tones to a rhythmic pattern.
"Back in sinus rhythm." Announced Dixie.
"Oh thank God!" Zoe said, heaving a sigh of relief through her tears.
"Right Zoe, lets get her in." Dixie said and Jeff laid the stretcher down next to Jody.
"Okay everyone, on three. 1...2...3!" The three of them lifted Jody on to the stretcher and strapped her down, safely.
"Jody, I promise I'm going to fix this!" Cried a terrified Zoe, tears streaming down her cheeks as she took hold of Jody's hand. They picked up the stretcher and carried Jody back out to the ambulance.

The Ambulance took off at top speed. Moments later, it came to a halt in front of the E.D. Dixie opened the door, Nick Jordan and Charlie Fairhead were already there, ready and waiting.
"Nick, she's allergic to ephedrine. We keep getting her back but she just arrests again!" Zoe shouted at him.
"Okay, Dixie, paed's resus! Someone get doctor Kent." One of the nurses ran off to find him. Zoe felt dizzy and quite nauseous. She grabbed onto the wall on route into the E.D. in attempt to steady herself quickly before continuing on after Jody.
"You all right Zoe?" Asked a worried Sam.
"No, I think I'm gonna be sick!" Sam handed her one of the many card board bed pans just in time for Zoe to throw up in it.
"You need to go sit down." Sam said.
"No, I need to go see my daughter." She walked off briskly and flung open the doors to paed's resus. Jody was lying still. The monitor signalled that her pulse was there, but going far too fast. Her sats were low, and her heart rate abnormal. She had been ventilated and Zoe felt more distress at seeing her like that. She grabbed another sick pan and threw up again.
"Zoe, you okay?" Tom asked her.
"Yeah, I'm fine." She said quickly and took hold of Jody's hand whilst the other doctors fussed about her.
"What's happening?"
"We've administered steroids that should counter-act the effect of the ephedrine in her systems. She's stable, but she's not out of the woods yet."
"I know... I..." Zoe closed her eyes and hit the floor not a second later.
"Oh no!" Charlie shouted. "Nick!" Nick looked up and realised what had happened.
"Oh God, can we get her on a bed please and asses her!" They put Zoe on the bed next to Jody and hooked her up to the monitor there. The weird thing about Zoe's situation was that everything was normal, BP, pulse... everything.
"Nick, I'm gonna do a blood test for Zoe, something isn't adding up."
"Okay, I'm just gonna give Jody some more adrenaline and move her up to ICU."
"Okay." Charlie proceeded with the blood test and then, personally, carried them out to be tested. Tess stopped him in the hall way.
"What's that?" She asked.
"I've just taken some bloods for Zoe." He said.
"Something wrong?" Tess was worried.
"She just passed out. But her BP, heart rate, sats, everything, was normal."
"You don't think? Do you think...?"
"That's what I'm going to find out."
"I'll come with you, I'm on break any way." She said and smiled. The two of them walked down the corridor and into the supplies room. Charlie took out a small object and carefully placed a few drops of Zoe's blood onto it. Tess held her breath.
"I always thought this was impossible."
"What do you mean?" Charlie asked.
"Don't you know? Zoe was told a few years ago, she can't have children. That was when she was brought in, remember, when she fell in the night club?"
"And there was me just thinking she'd gone out and gotten smashed." He said, sarcastically.
"Well, she was drunk, but it was because she'd just found out."
"Well, somebody, somewhere has made a massive stuff up." He announced.
"Why, is it positive?" Tess asked, excited for Zoe.
"Yes."
"Oh! Well we'd better tell her!"
"Yes, lets go." They walked back to resus together.
"Ash, where's Zoe?"
"Cubicles now, they moved her about two minutes ago."
"Okay, thanks." Charlie said and he and Tess exited again, heading for cubicles.
"Zoe!" Tess exclaimed. "How are you?" She asked.
"Still a bit groggy from fainting, I'll be fine but. Wish I knew what caused it. I'm never like that!"
"Well, that's what we've come to talk to you about." Charlie said.
"Yes, when you were out, Charlie did a blood test." Tess began.
"Oh, what's up?" Zoe asked. She sounded worried.
"Now, don't you get stressed, it's not good for your baby." Tess said, a cheeky smile on her lips.
"My what?" Zoe whispered, the wind taken out of her by the shock of what Tess had just said.
"Your baby! You're pregnant! Congratulations Zoe!" She hugged her. Zoe was crying again.
"We want to know if you'd like an ultrasound, see what's going on?" Charlie asked.
"Yes please." Zoe said. Tess left to go and get the machine.
"Charlie, how's Jody, tell me she's okay?" Zoe asked, worriedly.
"She's stable, they've moved her up to ICU. Nick's with her now. Would you like me to page him?"
"No, not until after the scan." Tess came back in with the machine, then, and set it up next to Zoe.
"Okay, the gel will be cold Zoe."
"That's okay." She squeezed some on to Zoe's stomach and it tensed in reaction to the icy temperature.
"Okay, lets have a look." Zoe turned to face the screen as Tess placed the probe on her stomach and moved it around. Zoe's eyes filled with tears as her baby came into view.
"Well, from the look of this, you're ten weeks gone!" Tess said.
"I never thought it was possible, they told me it wasn't possible." Zoe cried.
"Well, somebody owes you because it obviously was. Would you like pictures?"
"Yes please Tess." Zoe said and Tess printed three copies before turning off the machine and taking it out of the cubicle.
"Thanks for everything you two, I have to go to ICU now."
"Would you like me to have Big Mac bring a wheel chair?"
"No thanks Charlie, I'm fine." Zoe said. She got in the elevator and slowly walked to ICU. As soon as she got there, Nick realised she had been crying and was by her side in an instant.
"Zoe, what's wrong?" He asked, worried.
"Well, apart from Jody, nothing's wrong. I have a surprise for you."
"Okay..." She lifted his hand and placed it on her abdomen.
"Are you trying to tell me...?" He asked, shocked. Zoe just nodded and handed him the photos from the scan. "You mean, it's true! You're actually pregnant?!"
"Yes."
"Oh Zoe!" He bent his head and kissed her passionately. Tracing the edge of her mouth with his tongue and she opened it, willingly allowing him to put his tongue in and kiss her more. He put his arms around her waist and held the small of her back, pulling her closer to him as they deepened the kiss. They stayed like this for a while and then broke apart.
"What's going on with Jody?" Zoe asked, sounding worried again.
"Well, she's getting there, the ephedrine should be out of her system soon. She's not out of the woods yet, but she's getting there." He said, looking at the floor.
"So when can we extubate?" Zoe asked.
"Tonight, if we're lucky. Tomorrow, if we're not." Zoe hung her head.
"I didn't even know she was allergic." She said. Nick took her in his arms again, she happily welcomed the embrace and lay her head on his chest, more tears running down her cheeks now.
"Zoe, this wasn't your fault." Nick said.
"But it is, allergies are one of the first things we should have checked. If I'd known about this allergy, I would not have had ephedrine in the house, this would never have happened!" She cried into Nicks chest. He rubbed her back reassuringly.
"That doesn't make this your fault, sweetheart. It doesn't. Don't let me think for a minute that you're blaming yourself for this. I love you Zoe Hanna."
"I love you too Nick." She said. They broke apart, Zoe sat on her daughters bed and stroked her hair affectionately.
"She looks asleep, but she's not." Zoe said and cried harder. Her shoulders shook with sobs. Nick sat down, put an arm around her and tried to console her.
"She'll be fine, she'll wake up soon." He crooned, reassuringly.
"You don't know that, do you Nick? You don't know that." Zoe cried onto his shoulder. He shook his head slowly but continued to try and persuade Zoe that it would all end up being okay.

Zoe turned quickly as she heard a cough behind her.
"Jody!" Jody had woken and was panicking. "Jody, lie still! Calm down! Lie still! I need to get the tubes out! You need to stay still sweetheart!" Jody was petrified, but she listened to her mum and froze. "Good girl, I'm almost done." Zoe whispered as she pulled the last of the tubes out of Jody's mouth. As soon as she could, Jody spoke.
"I'm so sorry mum!" She cried and hugged Zoe.
"It's okay sweetheart." Zoe said and hugged her daughter back. Jody had begun to cry and it was all that Zoe could do to keep her calm. She sat, rubbing her back and whispering that everything would be okay, that Jody wasn't to worry and that it was fine. After a while, they broke apart. Zoe looked down at Jody and placed a kiss on her tear-stained cheek. Jody smiled.
"I love you mum." She said.
"I love you too Jody." Zoe smiled. "I have a surprise for you too. Only Nick, Charlie and Tess know about it, and we've all agreed to tell no one else, okay?"
"Okay, what is it?"
"I'm pregnant sweetheart." Zoe said and smiled again.
"Really! You mean, you're having a baby?!" Exclaimed Jody, her face lighting up.
"Yes! I'm having a baby. I'm so glad your happy about it!" She said. Jody sat up further in her bed.
"Happy? Mum, I'm ecstatic!" She laughed and hugged Zoe again.
"I'd better let Nick know that you're awake, he's been going nuts with worry."
"Okay, but you'll come back, right?"
"Of course." She got up and went to the door. "Back in a minute." She said and left the room. She walked back down to the ED to find Nick.
"Tess, have you seen Nick?" Zoe asked a flustered looking Tess in reception.
"Last I saw him, he was in resus. How's Jody?" Tess asked.
"She's awake. I let her in on our secret and she's ecstatic. Agreed not to tell too."
"Well that's good. Good to hear she's happy about it too!" Tess said, smiling.
"Thanks Tess. Better go get Nick, see you."
"See you." Zoe walked off in the direction of resus. She found Nick was still there, though he wasn't treating, just supervising one of the F2's.
"Adam?" Zoe said.
"Yeah?"
"Can you take over for Nick? Nick, she's awake."
"Sure thing Zoe." Adam said.
"Is she, really? Is she okay?" Nick asked.
"Yes she's fine, come on." Nick followed Zoe out of resus and back up to ICU. They walked in the door together and Jody's face lit up again.
"Hello darling." Nick said, affectionately. He had grown to adore Jody over the past two years and was extremely protective of her. Jody and Zoe were the centre of his world and he refused to allow anything to happen to them.
"Hi dad." She said.
"How are you feeling?" He asked.
"Okay, I have a bit of a headache but it's oka-, dad?" He had stormed back out of the room. Zoe rolled her eyes and Jody giggled. Nick stopped one of the nurses in the corridor.
"Can you explain to me why my daughter has a head ache and hasn't been given any pain relief!" He asked, angrily.
"Sorry Mr. Jordan. I'll get her something just now." She said and scuttled off. Nick came back in.
"The nurse has gone to get some painkillers for you darling. She shouldn't be long." He smiled and hugged her.
"You didn't have to petrify the poor woman, she'd have gone for the stuff eventually." Jody said, smiling widely at Nick.
"Well, she should have already gone, then I wouldn't have had to shout at her." Jody laughed as she watched her mum roll her eyes again.
"How are you mum?" Jody asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine thanks sweetie."
"Well, congratulations."
"Thank you." Zoe said.
"I'm going to find out when you can be discharged." Nick announced.
"So soon after she's woken up?" Zoe said, shocked.
"Yes, look, her pulse is normal, GCS, normal, she's not suffering any lasting effects."
"Other than the head ache." Zoe said, sarcastically, but Nick ignored her.
"She's actually made a full recovery. The only reason that they would have kept her in would be to keep her under obs. We can do that perfectly well, so, I'm going to see if they will discharge her." He said, matter-of-factly.
"Good point. Jody sweetheart, do you feel well?" Zoe asked.
"Yes, mum, I feel fine, I do want out of here though.
"Okay darling, right Nick, be fast." She said and, Nick left the room. A short while later, he returned with the nurse, some nurofen and a discharge form.
"Here Jody, take this, it will help your head ache and then we can all go home."
"Thanks dad, thank you nurse." She smiled warmly at the nurse, partly out of gratitude, partly out of a need to let her know she was sorry for Nick's behaviour, he was just worried about his little girl.
"Dad, how far away is the car?" Jody asked, warily.
"Just outside the E.D, but that's a little way away. Do you feel all right, do you need me to carry you?"
"I don't think you can carry me!" Jody, said laughing. Zoe laughed too.
"Jody, you're 12, not 20, I'll manage."
"Okay." She said, still smiling but feeling quite sick. Nick propped her up on his hip and she rested her head on his shoulder. Zoe lent in and kissed her daughters forehead.
"You all right sweetie?" Zoe asked, she didn't like Jody's sluggish behaviour or her colour.
"I'm fine, just tired. That stuff really takes a lot out of you." She said. She then shut her eyes and was out for the count, fast asleep on Nicks shoulder. Nick carried her back downstairs and out to his and Zoe's car. He put her down, gently, in the back seat, then closed her door and drove his wife and daughter home. Once they arrived, he got out and carried Jody up to her bed. After Jody was tucked in, Nick headed back downstairs, crossed to the kitchen where Zoe was doing the dishes and hugged her from behind.
"Hey you, is Jody all right?" She said.
"Yes, she's fine, snoring happily. What about you?" He asked.
"Yes, I'm fine too."
"Sit down, I'll finish these." He said taking the plates off of her.
"All right, who are you and what have you done with Nick Jordan?" She asked, sarcastically.
"I'm his twin, he told me to tell you, he doesn't want his pregnant wife to do the dishes."
"Nick! I'm ten weeks, not twenty." She said laughing.
"I don't care!" He said, wrapping his free arm around her and pulling her in for a kiss. He pulled away, put down the plate and dried his hands before taking Zoe's and pulling her through to the living room.
"What's all this?" She said, sounding surprised but giggling.
"I don't know, Dr. Hanna, you tell me." He said, putting his hands on her hips and kissing her again, this time with much more passion.
"Well, well, well. Mr. Jordan!" Zoe said, sarcastically. He began un-tucking her shirt from her skirt and unbuttoning it, still kissing her. Once he had undone it, she put her arms back and they let it fall to the floor. Zoe undid Nick's tie and unbuttoned his shirt too before pulling his shirt off with his jacket. She then unbuckled his belt and undid his trousers which fell to the floor for him to step out of. Then it was Zoe's turn again, Nick unzipped her pencil skirt which fell to the floor, she stepped out of it and pushed it to the side with her foot before kicking her heels off with it. She sat down on the couch then and Nick took off his shoes and joined her, slipping off his boxers en route. He then pulled off Zoe's thong and the two of them made love on the sofa. After a while, they gathered their clothes, headed up to their bedroom and finished the night there.

At about one o'clock, Nick and Zoe both woke abruptly to a loud scream. They jumped out of bed, firing pyjamas on as they went and ran into Jody's room.
"Mum! I'm... S-sorry... Nightmare!'' Jody cried, helplessly. Zoe rushed to her side, closely followed by Nick.
"Sh, sweetie it's okay." Zoe said, wiping a tear from her daughters face. Jody's entire body was shuddering, Zoe cradled her close to her chest and desperately tried to calm her down.
"Jody, it's okay, baby come on, you're safe. We're here, sh, it's okay." She whispered, her daughter was terrified and the sight was making Zoe want to burst into tears as well. Nick was upset by it too, he sat, reassuringly rubbing Jody's hands.
"But... You left! You... J-just drove me there... And l-left! I s-screamed m-mum... But you d-didn't come back!" She wailed into her mothers shoulder. Zoe looked worriedly up at Nick.
"Baby I'm here, I'm not going anywhere, I'm right here okay? I promise, I'm right here!" Zoe said, a single tear ran down her cheek but she wiped it away quickly before Jody could see it.
"I'm going to go make you some tea, okay sweetheart." Nick said and left the room. Jody remained there, shuddering still from crying, gripping helplessly onto Zoe, not prepared to let her go.
"Sweetheart, tell me what happened? Tell me so I can help you." Zoe crooned.
"You had a b-baby, you d-didn't... Didn't want me any m-more... had a b-baby!" Jody wailed and cried harder.
"Jody sweetheart, that isn't going to happen! I love you, more than anything in he world! I wouldn't let you go if it was the last thing in the world! You know that! Sweetie I'm here, I'm not going anywhere and I'm not sending you anywhere. Look, sweetie it's okay." She kept saying, worried that Jody wasn't calming down any. Nick came back in with some milk-white tea for Jody and a strong cup of coffee for Zoe. He placed them on the bedside table. Zoe looked up at him, her cheeks tear stained. Nick felt terrible.
"Nick, you go back to bed, you start at 5 tomorrow, I'm going to stay here tonight, okay?" He nodded, bent and kissed her. He then wiped her tears and carefully traced her face with his fingers.
"I love you Mrs. Jordan." He said.
"I love you too." She replied and he left the room. "Come on now Jody, lie back down and lets try to get back to sleep." Zoe got in to the bed beside her, Jody snuggled down, lay further down than Zoe so she could lie, hugging her mum with her head resting on her chest, Zoe's arm around her. Zoe lay calming her for ages and, after about an hour, the two of them fell back to sleep.

The next morning, Nick woke up for work. It was 4am and the temperature had dropped below zero. He quietly stuck his head around Jody's door to find his wife and daughter fast asleep, one of Zoe's arms wrapped around Jody, the other lying beside her, hand resting on her abdomen, just where the baby would be. He smiled to himself before finishing getting ready and heading out the door for work

Later on, Zoe woke up as Jody began to move.
"Morning sweetheart." Zoe said.
"Morning mum." She replied, looking straight into Zoe's eyes. Then, before Zoe even had a chance to move, Jody flung her arms back around her mum and hugged her, tight.
"I love you so much!" Jody said, a few tears escaping her eyes.
"I love you too baby girl, are you all right?" Zoe asked, still worried about her daughter after what had happened the previous night.
"Yes mum, I am. I just thought, now that you're having a baby of your own, you wouldn't want me to stand in any more and I'd end up back in the orphanage. I didn't want that to happen mum because I really do love you and dad. Then I had that nightmare and I was just gutted because it felt real!" Lots more tears were now cascading down Jody's cheeks. Zoe was shedding some herself.
"Baby you know that isn't going to happen! You are my daughter okay! I love you more than anything! You know that! Sweetheart, please don't cry! And please, don't think things like that. Your dad and I love you all the way to the moon and back one hundred, million times and more!" Jody smiled and hugged Zoe even tighter before sitting up and allowing her mum to breath. Right, you're not going to school today so put on something comfy to lounge around in the staff room in, okay sweetheart?"
"Yes mum." They got up, dressed, ate their breakfasts and went to the hospital. Zoe had brought a few blankets for Jody in case she wanted to have a sleep. She set up camp in the staff room for her daughter then headed up to see Nick. He sprung up from his chair the minute she entered the office.
"Zoe!" He exclaimed and hugged her. Zoe burrowed her face on his chest and burst out into tears. "Hey, what is it, what's the matter?" He asked, extremely worriedly.
"She thought that we would send her back to the orphanage! She thought that we had our own family now and that we wouldn't want her anymore." Zoe sobbed.
"Oh Zoe!" He hugged her until she had composed herself. "That's obviously not going to happen! She just loves us, doesn't want to lose us that's all! This just shows how much she loves us, Zo." He crooned. She wiped her face and looked up at him.
"I love you!" She exclaimed and kissed him passionately.
"I love you too."
"I need to go, I'll see you later okay." She kissed him once more and left the office. A few moments later, Nick decided to go as well. He headed down to the ED and went straight to the staff room. Jody sat up, excited to see him.
"Dad!" She exclaimed. She was wrapped in her blankets, watching tv on the couch when he'd come in.
"Hey sweetheart! How are you? How is your head?" He asked.
"It's all fine, promise."
"Okay. Now, your mum tells me you thought we were going to get rid of you? I've just had her in my office, quite hurt about your thinking that? Is that really what you thought we'd do?" He asked concerned. Jody let her head hang and stared at the floor.
"After I woke up, and mum told me, she went to get you. Then it sort of hit me, you have your own baby now, I thought you wouldn't need me anymore, then I had that dream. I'm sorry dad! I didn't mean to hurt mum! I just... I got such a fright last night! It was awful!" She burst into tears again and ran to hug her dad.
"Jody, that is never going to happen. You have completely changed our lives and we love you, so much! We would never do that to you! Ever! Okay?" Jody nodded and hugged him tighter.
"Where's mum, I want to say sorry for hurting her, I really didn't mean it."
"She's in cubicles with Linda. You can go see her, but don't get in the patients' way and come straight back, okay?"
"I promise dad." She gave him one last hug before heading for cubicles. She stood for a while and watched her mum put someone's knee back in. It looked awful and the patient screamed, obviously the gas doesn't help much. Her mum was great at her job, and Jody knew it. It was cool to see her doing it. Zoe looked up then and caught Jody standing watching her.
"Linda, I'll just leave you for a minute, will you find Mr. Wilson some pain relief please? Okay, won't be a moment." Linda nodded, Zoe left the cubicle and pulled the curtain shut.
"Hi mum." Jody said.
"Jody! What are you doing out here?" She asked.
"Dad said I could come for two minutes, I asked him."
"Why, what's up?" Jody just threw herself at her mum, giving her a massive cuddle.
"I'm so sorry for everything, I didn't mean to upset you! It's just, I love you and dad so much and the thought of losing you was unbearable! I'm so sorry mum, please, please forgive me for making you sad?" Jody begged,
"Of course I do, sweetheart! It's okay! I know you didn't mean it, and I fully understand your reasoning, okay sweetheart? Right, why don't you run along back to the staff room, I'll see you later." Zoe kissed her daughters head, gave her one last squeeze and then watched her walk back to the staff room. Linda came up behind Zoe then.
"What was all that about?" Linda asked.
"She had a bad dream, thought Nick and I were going to send her back to the orphanage now that we're pr-" Zoe remembered and shut up.
"Now that you're what Zoe?" Linda asked, smirking.
"Now that we're pr...obably going to... Go on our first holiday." Linda smiled.
"Your first holiday, hmm, I'm sure that would make her think you would send her back." Said Linda, very sarcastically, staring at Zoe's stomach. "You know Zoe, you've become a little rounder around the stomach area? Can this be explained with your first holiday also?" She continued, laughing and smirking. Zoe just smiled, grabbed her arm and headed for an empty cubicle.
"Okay, I'm ten weeks gone Linda!"
"Oh! Congratulations Zoe!" She said, hugging her friend.
"But only you, Tess, Charlie, Nick and Jody know about it. No one else, 'kay?"
"Promise. Oh Zoe, I'm so happy for you!"
"Thanks Linda. Okay, I'm going to go get a quick drink and some paracetamol. My head is pounding. Plus, I need to talk to Nick. Can you get Mr. Wilson discharged?"
"Sure can."
"Thanks Linda." Zoe headed back up to see Nick.
"Hey, you feeling okay?" He asked as she entered his office.
"Yeah, okay. My head is pounding. Do you have any paracetamol?" She asked.
"Sure, but you'll be swallowing it down with Fanta." He said, as this was all he had to drink.
"No problem. She put the paracetamol in her mouth and lifted the drink. As soon as the smell of burnt orange hit her nostrils, she dropped it, grabbed Nick's paper bin and threw up in it.
"Zoe!" Nick exclaimed and ran to her side. Shakily, she put the bin down onto the floor and wiped her mouth with a tissue.
"Are you all right?" Nick enquired.
"I'm fine, the Fanta, I just didn't like the smell of it I guess."
"You sure?" Nick asked, still quite worried.
"Yep, just the hormones. Promise. It's probably a good thing, baby just letting us know it doesn't like Fanta. Like I said, good." She said, laughing.
"Yes. Speaking of the baby, my friend in obstetrics says he can fit you in at 1:00pm today."
"Really? Isn't it a bit early for a scan Nick?"
"No. Well, they say 3 months, you're nearly there but. So no, not too early at all." He smiled.
"Cool. Right, I better get back down there, have any tooth paste lying around?"
"Yes, I do actually." He handed her a tube of collgate. She took some out, swished it around her mouth to get rid of the taste of sick and then swallowed.
"Much better, see you." She blew him a kiss. "I'll get Big Mac to come and fix that bin for you." Nick nodded.
"Okay, love you."
"Love you too." She headed back downstairs and decided to check on Jody. Upon entering the staff room, she found out, Jody wasn't there. Zoe began to panic and went to check cubicles.
"Linda, have you seen Jody?"
"No, wasn't she in the staff room?"
"No, she wasn't. I told her to stay there, she wouldn't of disobeyed me, I know her too well, this is not like her!" Zoe said, panicking, especially after last nights happenings.
"Zoe, calm down, we'll ask around. Try resus?"
"Yeah, thanks." Zoe headed for resus, but Jody wasn't there either. She was really panicking now.
"Noel, have you seen Jody?" She asked at reception.
"No Zoe, 'fraid I haven't."
"Okay." She grabbed hold of one of the phones and dialled Nick's office.
"Nick Jordan." Nick said in his professional 'boss voice' as Zoe called it
"Yeah, Nick. Is Jody with you?" Asked a, now, very worried Zoe.
"No she isn't. Isn't she in the staff room?"
"No. She isn't."
"Not like her, you did tell her to stay there, she wouldn't have gone out after you told her." He said.
"I know. She's not in Resus or cubicles. She can't have gone outside, Noel hasn't seen her. Nick, what if something's happened?" Zoe said, getting increasingly more worried.
"It won't have, don't worry. I'm coming down. Stay where you are." Nick said and hung up. Moments later, Nick was by Zoe's side.
"Okay, here's what we're gonna do. Noel's going to put a call over the PA. If she doesn't show up within five minutes, we get a search party together, sweep this floor, the basement and the floors above until we find her. If all else fails, we alert security. If she still isn't found, I'll call Yvonne." Zoe was beside herself.
"Okay." Was all she could manage. Noel picked up the phone and dialled the number for the PA system.
"Good afternoon Staff, patients and family. Could Jody Louise Jordan please make her way to the reception area. That's Jody Louise Jordan to the reception area, thank you." He put the phone down and they waited. Five minutes came and went, Jody never showed.
"Okay, start paging. I want all of my staff in the staff room immediately." Within moments, the staff were gathered, confused in the staff room. Nick and his very distraught Zoe entered. She sat down and put her face in her hands as Nick spoke.
"Has anyone seen Jody?" No one made a sound. "Okay. I need some of you to assist Dr. Hanna and myself. Our twelve year old is missing. Seeing as she is so unwell, it is imperative that we find her, and soon." Big Mac, two nurses, Tom and Sam stepped forward.
"We're all on break Mr. Jordan. We'll help."
"Excellent. The rest of you, return to work please." They all left.
"Right, Zoe and I will sweep the basement, two of you turn this floor over, two of you take the next floor and so on and so forth. Meet back here in half an hour, then, if we don't have her, I will alert security."
"Yes Mr. Jordan." Sam put a hand on Zoe's shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll find her." She said, reassuringly. They headed off.
"Come on Zoe, lets go." She and Nick headed downstairs to the basement. "Okay, I'll go left, you go right. Page me or yell out if you find her." Nick said.
"Okay." Zoe had a few tears rolling down her cheeks which she wiped away and headed right, looking for her daughter. For about ten minutes, she wandered the long corridor, opening doors, storage cupboards toilets and empty, useless rooms. She was beginning to really panic. She pushed open the next door and nearly died of a heart attack as she was instantly grabbed, a hand placed over her mouth as her hands and feet were bound together by three men in black hoodies and black masks.
"Well, well, well boys, what have we here?" One of them said, laughing sarcastically as another tied Zoe's mouth. In her peripheral vision, she could see Jody lying on the floor at the other end of the room. She cried harder at the sight. Jody was lying in a pool of her own blood, face down. Zoe couldn't see if she was alive or dead.
"Shut it Bitch." One of them said to the now sobbing Zoe.
"Put her down over there until I figure out what to do with them both." The other one said. The two holding Zoe fired her down next to Jody. Zoe got up on her knees and bent her head down near Jody's to check if she was breathing. She heaved a massive sigh of relief to find out that she was, however, it was slowed, a lot.
"How are we going to get out of here with a doctor and a kid?"
"Yeah, that ones gonna need the morgue soon, but she's fine!" He pointed at Zoe. "So how do we get out?" Zoe let out a painful howl but it was muffled by the restraint on her mouth.
"Shut it!" The tallest one hissed. "I'd say we'd leave them now, but not until we give this one what it deserves!" He jerked his head at Zoe, laughing maliciously. It was all Zoe could do to remain relatively calm. She kept praying that Nick would burst through the door any minute. Her pager went off then.
"Is that a phone! Get it!" One of them came over, roughly, grabbed her pager and threw it to the one on the other side of the room.
"Jordan. Hmm. Looks like we caught ourselves another Jordan!" They hauled Zoe into the middle of the room. They kicked her and beat her and, after a while, she lost consciousness. Down the other end, before Zoe had passed out, Nick thought he had heard something. He was running towards the noise when the three criminals cleared the room and bolted in the other direction, thinking they had left them for dead. As Zoe was unconscious, her screams had subsided long before Nick got to her, but he began searching behind every door, as well, until he found them and screamed in shock. He quickly took out his pager and paged the others before kneeling down next to Zoe and beginning to check her over and untie her. He wasn't able to thoroughly look though as Jody was clearly the priority. She had lost over a litre of blood from a stab wound in her side. Minutes passed but to Nick, it seemed like hours. The rest of the search party entered the basement then and began to call Nick and Zoe's names. Nick ran back into the corridor and screamed at them.
"WE'RE DOWN HERE! QUICK, SHE'S BLEEDING OUT!" One of the nurses ran back upstairs with Big Mac for a trolly and a medical pack. Tom, Sam and Linda ran down towards Nick and each almost fainted at the sight of their colleague and her daughter when they entered the room. They instantly began checking them over, Tom helped Jody, Sam helped Zoe. Linda had to console Nick as he was now having a panic attack in the corner. Big Mac and the nurse came back. Sam spoke up.
"Mac, take Jody up. Nick, go with them. She's priority. I'll use that pack and begin treating Zoe whilst you do that. As soon as you're done, bring down another trolly for Zoe." He carried out his orders. Within the space of ten minutes, both Jody and Zoe were in resus, both receiving a litre of saline.
"Can we cross match two units of O neg for Jody please!" Tom shouted at one of the nurses.
"Can I get an ultrasound and a Doppler over hear please!" Nick shouted as he stood at the end of Zoe's bed, watching Sam treat him.
"Why, Zoe doesn't need those?"
"Sam just do it."
"Is she...?"
"Yes, ten weeks! Just do what I ask!"
"Oh God! I hope that baby's okay! Linda, will you get the ultrasound and Doppler please!" Sam shouted.

An hour later, it had been confirmed that Jody had suffered no lasting damage as the knife hadn't punctured any vital organs. Also, by some miracle, Zoe's baby was completely free of harm. They had both been moved to a ward in ICU. Nick was sitting between their beds crying. Jody had had a successful transfusion and surgery, she would supposedly be fine. Zoe too would be okay, just some very sore bruises, one fractured risk and a migraine to look forward to. She was the first of the two to wake. Her eyes fluttered a little and then she managed to peel them open. The room looked fuzzy for a moment but soon returned to normal.
"N...nick?" She said. He looked up, tears cascading down his cheeks.
"Zoe!" He exclaimed.
"Jody... Is... Jody, she okay?"
"She's going to be fine. The baby's fine too. Don't worry." He said. Zoe's hand automatically found its way to her abdomen.
"You sure?"
"Absolutely positive. Confirmed with an ultrasound and Doppler." He said. Zoe relaxed a little. "You scared the living day lights out of me Zoe." He whispered, gently tracing her face with his fingers.
"I know, I...I'm sorry N-Nick."
"Sh, sh, don't be, it's not your fault. It's okay." He whispered to her. Zoe began to cry again.
"I couldn't help her! She was unconscious! I couldn't do anything. They k-kept hitting me! I thought you weren't coming!" Zoe cried.
"Hey! Of course I was coming! I will always be there Zo! I'll always come and save you when you need it! You know that!"
"I'm s-sorry!" She wailed and Nick hugged her, not letting her go for some time.
"Do you know who did this to you?"
"No, I'm sorry, but no." She said.
"That's okay. I've alerted security, but I'm going to give Yvonne a ring. Okay?" Zoe, who would usually protest when Nick mentioned Yvonne, nodded her head. Nick took out his phone and punched in the number.
"Superintendent Rippon." She answered.
"Yvonne it's me, Nick. No! Don't hang up. Zoe and Jody have just been badly hurt. Three men took Jody from the staff room and hurt her in the basement. Then they did much the same to Zoe when she found them."
"Okay, calm down. I will come with a couple of officers. Where are you?"
"ICU."
"Okay. I'll be there soon. Bye." With that, she hung up.
"Is she coming?" Zoe asked, quietly.
"Yes she's coming, it'll be fine, I promise." At that moment, Jody began to open her eyes. She moaned a little from the pain in her side.
"Jody!" Nick shouted and jumped to her side. "Darling, I'm here! Are you okay?"
"Mmm, w-why, why did they do this?" She asked, the tears racing down her cheeks.
"Jody sweetheart, I don't know. I'm so sorry." Nick said, the sobs starting again. Zoe spoke up then.
"Hey baby girl, you okay?"
"Mum! Mum? Where are you?" She shouted, panicking.
"I'm over here sweetheart." Jody turned her head, slowly, it still hurt terribly. She was immediately horror struck when she saw her mum, lying in a hospital bed, strapped to, who knew what machines.
"What! What happened!"
"Don't worry, sweetheart, I'm fine. Those lads got us both. I'm fine though. Don't worry."
"You don't look fine!" Shouted Jody, crying harder.
"I am but! I promise baby!" There was a knock on the door then. Everyone looked up to see superintendent Rippon and two officers enter the room. Nick stood up and shook their hands.
"Okay, where do you guys want to begin?" Yvonne asked, politely.
"Jody, sweetheart, you well enough to tell Yvonne what happened?"
"Yeah, what I remember of it."
"That's good for now." Yvonne said, nodding.
"Well, after I talked to mum in cubicles, I was heading back for the staff room, but I needed the toilet. So I went, but three men grabbed me before I could get there and they pulled me down to that room. I know that they hit me, a lot. They kept saying something about revenge, but I don't understand why. I didn't do anything to them... I know I didn't... Either way. They stabbed me, I didn't know why. Then, I think one of them kicked my head or something because I don't remember anything after that."
"Okay. Thanks sweetie. Okay, Zoe, what happened to you?" Yvonne asked.
"I was in the basement, looking for Jody. I went into the room they were in and they grabbed me immediately. Tied me up and did to me what they did to Jody."
"Okay, do either of you know what they looked like?' Yvonne asked, hopefully.
"No, sorry, they were hooded." Zoe said.
"No, but one of them accidentally let his sleeve ride up a bit when they were hurting me, he had a tattoo which he obviously didn't want me to see because he caught me looking and forced his sleeve down again. It was red and blue. I think it said R.F.C. On it and some numbers. I don't know which ones but, it's all fuzzy in my mind!" She said.
"No! That's perfect! Well done for remembering sweetie!" Yvonne said. Nick smiled with pride.
"Okay, well, we'll take these notes down to the station and keep you updated after that, okay. See you."
"Wait!" Jody shouted. Yvonne stopped. "One other thing! He knew who I was. He kept calling me 'Jordan'. If that helps."
"Yes, thanks. Bye."
"Bye." Yvonne and the other officers went out then.
"Well done Jody! I'd never have remembered that!" Zoe said.
"It's okay. Mum...?"
"Yes sweetie?"
"How's the baby?" She asked.
"It's fine sweetie. We've checked everything. It's all fine." Zoe smiled.
"Good. I'd never have forgiven myself if something had happened to that baby. I won't ever forgive myself anyway. But it would have been worse if your baby had been hurt."
"Jody, this was not your fault." She said.
"Yes. It was. If I hadn't been down there, you wouldn't have come looking for me and you wouldn't be in a bed in ICU."
"I know. But sweetie, you couldn't have changed what happened. Those guys would have done it no matter what you did. It's not your fault."
"I'm sorry mum!" She cried.
"I'm sorry too." Zoe said, she had tears running down her cheeks too.
"What happens now?" Jody asked. Nick answered her this time.
"Well, I'm afraid you're here for the night for obs." He said.
"Great. There's no way on earth we'll be sleeping tonight then." Jody said, sarcastically.
"My sentiments exactly." Said Zoe, equally sarcastically.

*
It had been a long night for them. Jody and Zoe had hardly had more than an hours sleep and were both still quite sore from the previous days incident. Nick was off getting a tea for Jody and a coffee for Zoe. He wouldn't let Jody drink coffee but he knew what she was like in the morning without a tea and Zoe just couldn't function without a coffee.
"Mum, when do we go home?" Jody asked.
"Well, if we get the all clear some time soon, we could be home in about an hour."
"Okay. How are you?" She asked.
"Yeah, I'm getting there darling. You?"
"I'm fine. Just tired. Can we crash on the couch with a movie and a duvet when we go home?" She asked, wanting nothing more than to cuddle up to her mum and feel safe.
"Of course we can sweetie." Zoe was quite happy Jody had wanted to do this, all she wanted was to wrap her arms around her and let her know that she could relax, that they were both fine and that she loved her. That nightmare Jody had had, scared Zoe, made her feel like she hadn't done enough to let Jody know how much she was loved. If she had known, then that idea wouldn't ever have occurred to her. It didn't matter what Nick said about it, Zoe knew something was wrong, Jody shouldn't have felt like that if they had done their jobs properly. She made a promise to herself there and then to double her efforts with Jody. Nick came back in then and handed them their drinks.
"Well, I've spoken to the doctor. He's coming in in about five minutes and, if you get the all clear, we can all go home after that. So drink up."
"Thank God for that! I was beginning to go insane lying here!" Jody exclaimed.
"Yes, so was I!" Zoe put in, laughing.
"Well you won't have to suffer it much longer." Nick said, laughing at them. He couldn't wait to get them home. He'd make sure they were comfy on the sofa and then tend to their every need. He vowed that they wouldn't be allowed to move to do anything, he'd do it for them if it was the last thing he did. They sat in silence for a while, allowing the girls to finish their drinks, then the doctor of their ward came in.
"Hello, how are you both feeling?"
"Fine." Jody said.
"Yeah, great, just anxious to get home." Zoe added.
"Good. Well, I'll just make sure everything's okay and then you're free to go home as you wish." They nodded. The doctor checked everything thoroughly, heart rates, BP's, Jody's stab wound, the stitches, took a final look at Zoe and then announced it was fine. Two nurses came in and detached them from the machines, Nick gathered their things and then they were free to leave. Outside the ward, Nick stopped and put a hand on Zoe's shoulder.
"What's up?" She said.
"I've left my brief case in the ED. Can we swing down there en route to the car and pick it up?" He asked. Zoe smiled and nodded.
"Yeah. That's fine. Come on then." She took hold of Jody's hand and the two of them headed for the ED. Nick forgot to warn Zoe about everyone knowing, though, so the second she stepped out of the elevator, she was bombarded with congratulations'.
"Hey! Zoe, glad you guys are okay! Congrats on the baby by the way!" Sam shouted.
"Congrats Zoe!" Noel added. Big Mac gave her a quick hug.
"Good to see you up and about." He said. "Oh, and, congratulations!" He added in his funny, welsh accent.
"Thanks everybody!" Zoe said, happily. She threw a glance at Nick which said 'what on earth!' And he winked at her.
"Right, I'll go get my brief case, I'll be two seconds, then we can leave." Nick went off then. Jody watched as Noel was shouted at by a very angry patient. Mad because no one had seen him yet. He was holding a hand up to his bleeding face and Jody happened to see a familiar streak of red and blue.
"Mum!" She hissed.
"What is it, sweetie?" Zoe replied.
"Call security! That's him. He's the one with the tattoo. It's one of them. We better hide, otherwise he'll see us and run for it!"
"Okay, come on!" They quickly headed for the staff room as Zoe whipped out her phone.
"Nick. It's me. Call Yvonne, Jody's just noticed one of them at reception. It's the same tattoo. And tell her to be careful, he's mad. I have to go. I'll warn Noel and security. Just get Yvonne down here now." She said.
"Okay. Be careful!" Nick managed before she hung up. She then dialled the front desk.
"This is Noel, Holby City E-"
"Yeah, Noel, it's Zoe. That patient who was yelling at you, injured face. You know the one?"
"Yeah, what about him?"
"He's one of Jody and I's attackers. Phone security. Nicks on to the police now. Just get him to a cubicle before he gets a chance to run, and make sure you have security on stand by."
"Okay. Will do Zoe, don't worry." He put the phone down. Tess was walking by then.
"Oh, Tess!" He shouted.
"Yeah, Noel. What's up?"
"That patient over their. Bleeding face. I know he isn't priority, but could you get him to a cubicle and make sure he doesn't move from there? He's one of Jody and Zoe's attackers. I'll get security on stand by. The police are on their way. Can you just see to him as normal so he can't run please? Make sure he suspects nothing. He can't know that we know."
"Okay, sure thing. What's the name."
"John Peters."
"Thanks Noel." She walked over to the waiting area. "John Peters." She called. As he stood she smiled. "I'll just take you through to cubicles and get you seen to, okay?" She said warmly.
"Wha'ever." He replied, sarcastically. Back in the staff room, Jody was starting to worry. Zoe was pacing, waiting on word from Nick and Jody was going through lots of possible, worst-case scenarios in her head. This was just making her panic more though. Zoe heard her breathing quicken and turned round in time to witness Jody start having a panic attack.
"Jody! Sweetheart it's okay, breathe. Try and slow down sweetie. It's okay. Don't cry, everything is going to be fine. The police are on their way, it's going to be fine. I promise." Zoe kept saying this over and over in a desperate attempt to calm Jody down. After a few minutes, it worked and her breathing returned to normal. She didn't stop crying though. Zoe pulled her onto her lap and hugged her. She felt safe there with her mum and, eventually, did stop crying. Nick burst into the staff room then. The first thing he saw was Jody's newly tear-stained cheeks. Zoe watched his expression change from rage to worry.
"She's fine, just a minor panic attack. She's fine." She said, knowing Nick would want an explanation.
"Yvonne's about two minutes off. They're going to take him into custody and question him there. Noel has security on stand by. Tess is currently treating him, so far, he thinks we're all completely oblivious." Zoe nodded.
"That's good. Hear that Jody, it's fine." She smiled. Nicks phone rang.
"Hello?" He answered.
"Yeah, Nick, it's Yvonne. I'm outside. Which cubicle am I after?"
"Cubicle one. Let me know when it's safe to take Jody and Zoe home."
"Will do. Thanks."
"You're welcome. Bye." She hung up.

Yvonne went searching for cubicle one, two of her officers behind her. She entered the cubicle, head held high, fully able to deal with all possible outcomes. She held out her badge quickly.
"Superintendent Yvonne Rippon. You are under arrest as a suspect for the attack on Zoe Jordan and her daughter. You have the right to remain silent but it may harm your defence later on in court." The two officers grabbed the struggling, trying to escape, quite obviously guilty man.
"What! Leave me alone! Gerroff me!" He shouted, but they already had him in hand cuffs and were walking him out to their vehicle. Ten minutes later, Yvonne rung Nick again.
"Okay, we've got him. You're all safe to go home."
"Thanks Yvonne. Bye."
"Bye." She hung up. Nick turned to Zoe.
"They've got him. Lets leave."
"Thank god. Listen, well done Jody! Excellent work recognising that tattoo! I'm so proud of you." Jody threw her arms around Zoe again.
"Thanks mum. I just hope they can use him to get the other two. Seeing as they knew my name, I have a feeling it was no accident that it was us they attacked. And that makes me think they might try it again..." She looked worried.
"Don't worry. The police will sort it. Thanks to your wonderful eyesight, they've got a major clue. Okay, don't you worry." She stood up and took hold of Jody's hand.
"Right, you can lead the way Nick." Zoe said.
"Absolutely." He agreed and he walked out of the office, closely followed by Zoe and Jody.

The drive home was short. It hardly took more than ten minutes. Jody had fallen asleep against Zoe in the car, but woke up again as it bumped up on to the drive way.
"Finally." She said, yawning.
"I know. Feels like we've been away forever." Zoe agreed. They got up and went into the house.
"Right." Zoe said. "As promised, you go choose a movie, I'll grab the duvet. We are going to seriously chill out." Zoe said, smiling at Jody.
"Okay. I'll be right back." She headed up to her room, scanned the pile of movies there, settled on 'the parent trap' and then went back downstairs to Zoe.
"Good choice." Zoe said.
"Here, I'll put it on for you." Nick said, taking the movie. Jody went and cuddled up next to Zoe and pulled the duvet round them both. Zoe, seizing the opportunity, wrapped her arms around Jody and whispered,
"I love you." In her ear.
"I love you too mum." She said and smiled. Nick smiled to himself as he put the movie on. He was deliriously happy knowing Zoe and Jody were happy.
"Okay, what do you two want for breakfast?" Nick asked.
"I don't know, Jody? Anything you fancy?"
"Well, maybe. Could we have French toast?"
"Yeah, good idea. Sounds great. I'll go sort that for you." Nick said. He walked away, still smiling. About ten minutes later, he returned with three plates. Each held three slices of French toast. Jody went to pause the movie and get up, knowing full well that they didn't like anyone to eat in the sofa, but Nick put a hand on her arm.
"No, stay where you are." He said smiling.
"Thanks dad."
"That's okay." They each took a plate and devoured the contents. Nick went and did the washing up, Jody put her arms back round her mum and tried to watch the movie, however, the previous night's lack of sleep caught up with her and she fell asleep with Zoe stroking her hair.

"Come on Jody, I'm going to be late for work!" Zoe shouted.
"I'm coming!" She grabbed her shoes and bounced down the stairs, two at a time.
"Watch it! If your dad saw you doing that he'd have a blue fit!" Zoe said. "Right, we better get a move on, I'm seriously going to be late!"
"It's not like your boss is going to shout at you!" Jody said, smirking.
"No, but Tess might." Zoe replied, laughing. They ran out of the house, Zoe locked the door and then the two of them got into the car. It had been a week since the incident and Jody was finally being allowed to go back to school. Zoe dropped her off before driving away in the direction of the ED. The bell went just as this was happening so Jody sped off to registration.
"Hi Anna!" She cried, rushing over to hug her friend.
"Hey! How are you?" Anna asked.
"Yeah I'm fine, stitches are holding up, it's starting to heal. Gonna have a cracking scar one day!" She said, smiling. They sat down for registration and listened as their names were called.

Meanwhile, Zoe had arrived at the ED, twenty minutes late. She walked past Nick, he opened his mouth to speak.
"Don't say anything Nick!" She shouted as she punched in the code for the door to the staff room.
"I was only going to say hello..." He said. Zoe smiled, rubbing her tired eyes. "You okay?" He asked.
"Yeah fine, up a bit last night..." He raised his eyebrows at her. "Okay, up a lot last night. But I'm fine. You?"
"Yeah great. If you need it, you can lie down on the couch in my office today, okay?"
"Yeah, I will if I need to. Thanks." She headed out.

"Jody, are you okay?" Anna asked.
"Yeah, fine." She said. Anna wasn't convinced. Neither was Jody. Quite suddenly, she leapt out of her chair, ran to the sink at the back of the room and was violently sick in it.
"Jody?" The teacher said.
"Miss, I need to go to the office." She whispered, shakily, as she turned on the tap to wash it away.
"Yes dear, on you go." Knowing what troubles Jody had gone through the previous week, the teacher decided to escort her personally. "I'll go with you, class, behave. I'll ask Miss Johnston to keep an eye on you whilst I take Jody to the office." She said, putting an arm around Jody's shoulders and leading her out of the room. She stopped en route to ask the other teacher to watch her class and then accompanied Jody to see Mrs. Longmuir, the office lady.
"Ah, Margaret, can you give the ED a ring, Jody's been sick. Ask specifically for Dr. Jordan or Dr. Hanna." The woman nodded and dialled the number.
"Hi, this is Noel, Holby city emergency department." Noel answered.
"Hi there, this is Margaret Longmuir. I'm calling from St. Michael's high. Is either Dr. Hanna or Dr. Jordan available?"
"Sure. Won't be a moment." He pulled the phone away from his ear, covering the receiver with one hand.
"Zoe!" He called.
"Yeah, Noel. What's up?" She asked.
"It's the school. They want to talk to you."
"Oh? Let me see." She took the phone.
"Hello, this is Dr. Zoe Hanna speaking."
"Hello Dr. Hanna. This is Margaret Longmuir I've got Jody here. She's just been quite sick in the classroom. We were wondering if you or your husband could come and collect her. We would normally just keep her in sick bay, however, after what she has been through, we deemed it best to ring you."
"No, you did the right thing. Yes, thanks. Either Nick or myself will be there soon." She hung up.
"Who was that?" Asked a voice behind her. She turned to find Nick heading in her direction.
"The school."
"Oh, what's wrong?" He asked, worried.
"Jody's thrown up in the class. They want one of us to go fetch her, will you go? I'm with a patient..." She asked.
"Yes. I'll be back in ten minutes." He said and kissed her.
"See you then." She said and he strolled off. In the car park, he unlocked their Mercedes and got in. Driving off in the direction of the school. He parked outside the office and headed in.
"Hi, Nick Jordan. I believe you've got my daughter here?" He said to the receptionist. Yes, she's in sick bay waiting on you. I'm afraid she was sick again after I got off the phone with your wife." She said as she led him down the corridor to sick bay. They turned into the room and Jody looked up.
"I'm sorry dad, I don't know what's causing it." She said.
"Sh, don't worry and don't be sorry, it's not your fault." He said. His doctors instinct was taking over as he checked her pulse and felt her forehead for a temperature.
"You're a little hot. Do you still feel nauseous?"
"A little. If it helps any, my side hurts."
"Where he stabbed you?"
"Yes." She said, nodding.
"Okay, lets get in and get you looked at." He said, taking her hand. She stood up slowly as she still felt quite sick. Nick turned to the receptionist. "Thanks for everything. Bye." He said, leaving with Jody.
"Bye. Feel better soon Jody." She called, smiling. Nick supported Jody out to the car and then helped her into the front seat.
"Dad, I think I might have an idea about this..." She said, slowly, not meeting Nick's eyes.
"Yes?" He said, sternly to get an answer from her.
"Well, I didn't say anything because I wanted to go to school... And I didn't think it was serious... Plus you and mum would just worry..."
"Jody, what happened."
"Well, I had a bit of a restless night last night..."
"Mhmm."
"I sort of fell out of the bed... I didn't think It was bad... I mean, I bumped my head a bit but the lump must've died down a lot because it wasn't there in the morning when I woke up..."
"Right. So this is concussion. Excellent. Why wouldn't you tell us?" He asked.
"You would have worried and... I caused enough hassle last week, I didn't want to cause more." She said, sleepily, as they pulled up outside the ED. Nick got out, crossed to Jody's door and helped her out. He held her hand as they walked in.
"Nick, fill me in." Zoe said as she walked towards them.
"She has concussion." He said, Jody hung her head.
"What? She couldn't."
"Yes, tell her what happened Jody." He said.
"I fell out of bed last night, I didn't fall that hard though..." She said.
"It was hard enough for her to smack her head on the bedside table and end up concussed." Nick said.
"What? Why didn't you tell us?" Zoe said, pulling Jody into a hug.
"I thought you'd worry..."
"Oh Jody, you're such a goose!" Zoe said, affectionately. "Come on, you can lie down in Nick's office." Jody nodded and followed her mum upstairs to Nick's office. They went in, Zoe arranged the cushions on the couch for her and Jody lay down. She fell asleep within seconds. Zoe went to the cupboard behind Nick's desk and pulled out the blanket they kept there for emergencies. She through it over Jody then put a towel down next to her with a bucket on top of it, just in case Jody needed to throw up again. After checking her over and feeling her pulse one more time, Zoe went back to work. Nick saw her coming back down.
"She okay?" He asked.
"Yeah, she fell asleep almost immediately."
"Poor thing. I'll go and check on her in ten minutes." He said.
"Yeah." At that moment, Dixie burst through the doors. Zoe streamed over to her.
"Right, what've we got Dix?" She said.
"This is Samuel Peters. Passenger in an RTC. GCS 5 at the scene and has dropped to 4 since. BP 110 over 60, sats at 81% systolic. He's been given 5 of morphine and oxygen throughout."
"Thanks Dixie. Bed two in Resus please!" They wheeled him through. "Okay, can we get him over please!" Zoe shouted. They pulled him over. "Okay I want A, B, C's, U's F's and E's! Linda can you get a line in please!" Zoe felt his chest, it was hard. "Okay, we need a chest drain. Can we give him some Lorazepam please!" After he'd had some lorazepam, Zoe made an incision in his chest and fitted the drain.

"Linda, can you have Mac come and move Mr. Peters to ICU please?"
"Sure thing Zoe." She headed off to find Big Mac while Zoe headed up to the office. Jody opened her eyes just as Zoe walked in the door. Nick was already there, taking her temperature.
"Fetch some wet cloths will you? Her temperature is still up." Zoe nodded and went out to get them. She came back in and handed them to Nick who put them on her forehead, wrists and ankles.
"Hi mum." She said.
"Hey, how are you?" Zoe replied.
"Better now that I've had a sleep but I still feel a bit sick and really tired."
"Well, yeah, concussion'll do that to you." Zoe said.
"Well I'm sick of it. I'm sick of feeling like crap."
"I know sweetie, it'll be over soon. Try and go back to sleep." Zoe said, Jody nodded and shut her eyes. Yet again, she was asleep in seconds.
"Well, hopefully she'll sleep the rest of the day. She'll feel tonnes better if she does." Nick said, Zoe nodded in agreement. They left her in the office and headed back down the corridor. Just before they could get into the lift, Zoe stopped.
"...Nick?" She said, quietly.
"Yes?" He answered.
"Peters. Wasn't that the name of the guy we caught in reception. He'd been beaten up, someone was angry. I got another 'Peters' in today. RTC. Police at the scene thought it had been deliberate. What if they're related. And I don't just mean by blood..." She said, shakily.
"You think he could me another one of those idiots? He could be. The incidents could be because someone's angry at them for... Failing? Maybe? I'll call Yvonne, she might know something.
"Hello?" Came Yvonne's voice, chirpily, in his hear.
"Hi Yvonne, it's me. That guy you caught the other day, John peters. Is he in anyway related to Samuel peters?"
"Why, what's up?"
"Another patient, RTC, police at the scene said it hadn't been an accident. Zoe clocked that, she thought the two patients may have related injuries."
"Yes, that would seem right. I'll look in to it. Thanks Nick."
"You're welcome. Bye." She hung up.
"She's going to investigate." He said, after reading Zoe's face and knowing exactly what she wanted to hear.
"That's great. Right. Lets get back to the land of the Crazy." She said.
"Yes. I'll see you on the other side." He replied, kissing her cheek.
"See you." With that, they headed back to the ED.

The last few hours of Nick and Zoe's shifts hade been stressful, to say the very least. A factory worker, down at the building site two blocks away, decided to throw the butt of his cigarette away without stubbing it out. It rolled into a nearby pool of petrol. Needless to say, there was a massive explosion resulting in a wide range of severities in injuries throughout the numerous casualties. At the end, they met in the staff room and walked, hand-in-hand, up to the office to wake Jody. They entered Nicks office and found she was already awake.
"Hey." Zoe said, softly. "Feeling any better?"
"Yes, loads. My head ache's gone and I haven't thrown up in a while." Jody replied.
"Well that's good." Zoe said, placing a hand on Jody's forehead to check her temperature. Nick looked at her expectantly as she did so.
"Temperature's back to normal." She confirmed and Nick let out a short sigh of relief.
"Well then, can we go home mum?" Jody asked, hopefully.
"Yes we can. Come on." She took a hold of her daughters hand and the three of them headed out to their car. Nick drove them home, hardly taking half an hour to do so. When he pulled up on the drive way, he turned to Zoe and said,
"You and Jody head on in. I'll go pick up something for the dinner."
"Okay. Love you." Zoe said.
"Love you too, he responded."
"Bye dad." Jody said.
"Bye darling." Zoe and Jody exited the car and watched Nick drive off.
"Right you, lets get inside. I'll run you a bath, I don't want you to stand in the shower, not tonight." Zoe said.
"Okay mum." They unlocked the door and Zoe went to start the bath. Jody headed for the kitchen. She wanted to make her and Zoe some tea. She put the kettle on to boil, emptied the tea pot, disposed of the old tea bags, replaced them with new ones and then went and sat down. She enjoyed the calm, the house was silent apart from the kettle boiling and the distant, muffled noise of the bath being filled. She was able to sit and enjoy the peace for a few minutes until the kettle whistled, announcing it had finished boiling and snapping Jody out of a trance. She headed over and poured the, now boiling, water into the tea pot, closed the lid and allowed it to brew whilst she took two mugs out of the cupboard. She sat back down in the peace and quiet again, knowing full well that it would take Zoe quite some time to fill the bath. She was right, at least ten minutes had passed when Zoe finally came into the kitchen.
"Hey you, you okay?" Zoe asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine. There's tea in the pot."
"Oh, thanks sweetie." Zoe headed over and filled the two mugs, added the milk and then carried them over, handed one to Jody and then sat down with her own.
"When you've finished that, the bath is ready."
"Thanks mum."
"That's okay." They drank their tea in silence, once they had finished, Jody headed upstairs and got into the bath. After about half an hour, she went back downstairs, now dressed in her pyjamas.
"Feel better?" Zoe asked her.
"Much." Jody replied, before heading over to the couch and lying down, hugging Zoe. Zoe hugged her back, this made her feel incredibly safe. She always felt safe with Zoe. She was closer to Zoe than anyone else in the world and loved nothing better than to just hang out with her. Her biological parents hadn't loved her. Not once did they ever hug her, tell her they loved her or even acknowledge her presence. They hadn't died, Jody wasn't orphaned by accident. They went on holiday for the weekend, one time, and never came back. Jody had stayed in the house by herself, waiting, for over a fortnight before she walked to the local police station and reported it. Due to her young age, she hadn't eaten anything for all of that time and required urgent medical care. She was rushed into Holby ED and was met face to face with Nick and Zoe. Zoe had felt some responsibility to help her and worked to find out what had happened. Understandably, Jody had had some trust issues at the time and it had meant the world to Zoe when she opened up to her. Hence they were now a family. Jody has never been as happy and, every time she thinks about it, she still gets emotional.
They both sat up suddenly, having heard the door open.
"Zoe?" Nick called from the hall way.
"Living room." She shouted back. Nick came through, carrying two bags of Chinese. He placed them down on the coffee table and looked up.
"You were right, earlier. Yvonne called me. They did a DNA test, they are blood relations. She has two officers stationed in ICU, she's going to question him when he wakes. It's all a waiting game." He said.
"I don't care! That's great news! I hope she ends up getting them all!"
"I know. That would be brilliant." He said. Jody looked confused but decided she was too tired and hungry to be bothered questioning her parents.
"Right, dinner." Nick announced. They all sat and ate and then decided to go to bed. It had been a long day for everyone and they were incredibly tired as a result.
"Zoe, Jody? Sorry but I have to head to bed. I start at a ridiculous hour tomorrow."
"That's fine." Zoe said. She got up and kissed him. Nick then came over to Jody, kissed her forehead and hugged her.
"Night dad."
"Night precious." He replied and headed upstairs. Zoe and Jody retired to the sofa. They watched TV for about half an hour when Jody suddenly turned it off.
"Jody sweetheart, what're you doing?" Asked a confused Zoe.
"I need... I need to talk to you about... something really quite important..." She stuttered, staring at the floor the whole time. Zoe sat up, watching her daughter's body language and knowing that whatever she was trying to tell her was not easy for her.
"Yes, baby what is it?" She asked.
"In... In the basement..." Jody began. "I didn't just get hit... I should've told you earlier, but I didn't want to go through all of the stuff they would've done..."
"Jody what happened?" Zoe said, concerned.
"Well... Use your imagination... What d'you think three men would do with an unconscious 12 year old girl?" She uttered and burst out into tears. Zoe caught on very quickly.
"Oh baby! No! Please tell me they didn't!" Zoe begged, now crying as hard as Jody was.
"Well they did. I don't... Don't want a fuss... I just... I had to tell you..." She stammered. Zoe nodded, understanding.
"Can we just try and forget it? Please mum? I'd rather that than have to accept and deal with it?" Jody begged, now sobbing.
"Yes sweetie, whatever works for you." Zoe said. "Come here baby girl." Zoe opened her arms and Jody ran into them, allowing her mum to fold her in an embrace. They stayed like this for ages, Jody continuously sobbing into Zoe's shoulder.
"Besides," Jody said. "I b-barely remember... I was o-only c-conscious for them t-to start... Th-then I w-was out..."
"Sh, sh darling its okay. Yvonne's going to catch those bastards and lock them up for ever anyway. It's okay, I promise. Now, if you ever need to talk, baby you know I'm here, right? I'll always be right here."
"I know, I love you mum."
"I love you too sweetie." Zoe crooned.
"There's just one more thing I need from you mum." Jody said.
"What's that, baby girl?" Zoe replied, slightly worried again.
"I don't want you tell anyone. Not even dad. I don't want anyone to know about it."
"Okay, but Nick will need to know..."
"No mum. Not at all, not ever. Promise me. Promise me mum." She begged, starting to cry harder again.
"Okay, I promise." They cuddled up to one another for a little while longer before heading up to bed.

The next morning, Jody came downstairs in her school uniform.
"You really want to go to school?" Zoe asked.
"Why not, I'm not concussed this time, so I'll survive." She said.
"Okay. Eat your breakfast and I'll take you, I don't start until one."
"Okay, thanks mum." They sat and ate. Once they were finished, Zoe drove Jody to school, as promised, before heading home again to clean up. Jody watched her mum drive off, as soon as she was out of sight, she ran to the park. In her school bag, she had brought some clothes to wear, so she wouldn't get caught dogging school. She changed in one of the bushes and then left the park. She walked to the bus stop and then caught the first bus into Holby central. It wasn't a long ride, people had been eyeing her curiously but no one had questioned her. She got off at her stop and continued walking until she reached the hospital. Instead of just waltzing in, she took out her phone and rung Tess.
"Hello, Tess Bateman."
"Hi, Tess, it's Jody. I need a favour. I'm outside the ED, I need to get in somehow to see you, but I don't want dad to spot me. It's a private thing and I don't want him to know about it. Mum knows the basics, she thinks I'm at school but, this has to be kept between us. Would you be able to help me?"
"Yes, of course. I'll come out and get you with a wheeled chair and some blankets to hopefully get you in unnoticed. Hold on darling." Tess said. Jody heard the phone click, informing her that Tess had hung up. Moments later, Tess appeared, as promised, with a wheeled chair and some blankets. Jody sat down, wrapped the blankets around her, fired on some large sunglasses (a trick she had learned from Zoe whenever she went to work with a hang over) and then spread her hair over her face.
"Okay?" Jody asked Tess.
"You're unrecognisable, don't worry." She said, smiling and wheeled Jody to her office. Tess locked the door and shut all of the blinds.
"Okay, you're safe. Now what's up?" Tess asked and Jody burst into tears at the thought of telling her.
"Hey? What's the matter sweetheart, it's okay!" Tess said, reassuringly. Jody tried to compose herself before talking.
"I need a blood test." She stammered.
"Why...?" Tess asked, confused.
"U-unprotected... sex." She whispered. Barely able to think the word let alone say it out loud to Tess. Tess just gasped.
"Okay. I know it sounds bad, but I didn't do it on purpose!" She wailed.
"You mean to tell me you've been raped?" Tess asked, bewildered.
"Yes." Jody whispered, staring at the floor.
"Okay. I'll go and get my things." Tess said.
"Thanks. Oh, and Tess?"
"Yes?"
"Not a word about this to anyone. I mean it." Tess nodded.
"I won't sweetheart." She lied. She took out her phone the minute she left the office and speed dialled Zoe.
"Hello?" Came Zoe's chirpy voice down the phone.
"Zoe, it's Tess. I've got a very worried Jody with me. Apparently, she's dogged school, turned up here out of the blue and is now begging for a blood test. I promised her I wouldn't tell anyone, not even you, but I obviously had to."
"Yes, thanks Tess. I'll be in in two minutes. Don't tell her though."
"Okay Zoe, thanks. See you when you get here."
"See you." They hung up. Tess finished gathering things and took them back to her office.
"All right sweetheart, you know the drill." Jody nodded and pulled her sleeve up.
"That's my girl." Tess did the test and left, promising the results when she returned. All that was left for Jody to do was just wait. Suddenly, the door of Tess' office burst open to reveal a soaking wet and panting Zoe.
"Mum!" Jody exclaimed. "What're you doing here, and, why are you wet?"
"I just ran from the shops, it's raining. I took a taxi in. Didn't have time to wait on another one. As for what am I doing here, I'd like to ask you the same question little missy." She said.
"Well... Like I said... I don't want a fuss... But we don't know those men from a whole in the wall... So... I got Tess to do a blood test." Jody explained, blushing and staring at the floor. Tears were beginning to make their way down her cheeks again, talking about it was hard.
"Please don't be angry!" She begged.
"Jody, I'm not angry. I agree with you. I just wish you'd have told me. You don't have to do this on your own. You really don't. I'd have come with you. You didn't have to pretend to be at school. Poor Tess was worried sick! And before you ask, yes, she did phone, no, you are not allowed to get angry at her. One, she did the right thing and, two, she only did it out of worry for you." Zoe said, matter-of-factly.
"I know. I'm not angry at her. Not in the least. I completely understand... Not that I like it but... anyway..." She sighed, wiping the tears from her cheeks as Tess re-entered the office. "So," Jody said. "What's the verdict?" Tess chuckled a little at her.
"You are so much like your mother it's not even funny. She's certainly rubbed off some of her habits on you since she's had you!" Tess said, smiling warmly. Jody smiled at this too and looked adoringly at Zoe, an action that did not go unnoticed by Zoe. "Well sweetheart, I won't keep you in suspense. It's all clear. Nothing to worry about at all." Zoe and Jody simultaneously heaved a sigh of relief.
"Well thank god for that." Zoe said, smiling warmly at Jody. "Thanks Tess." She added, as an after thought.
"You're welcome." Replied Tess, smiling. "I'll leave you two to it." She said, leaving the office.