'PART ONE'

Joseph Byrne looked down at his son, his eyes glinting with overwhelming proudness. Harry was sleeping, his chest moving up and down like a perfect rhythm. Joseph felt a warm glow in his heart as he watched. He sighed and fell back into the armchair behind him. He felt droopy. Harry had kept him up for hours and Joseph desperately needed some sleep. Now that Harry had finally drifted off, Joseph felt his eyes close...Harry began to cry. Screaming as loud as his little lungs could, Harry was beside himself. Joseph dragged himself from the chair and bent down to scoop up Harry in his arms. He started to sing a quiet lullaby to sooth Harry into sleep. Harry continued to scream and cry. Joseph continued singing in a soft, exhausted voice. Finally, the song took its effect on Harry. The cries began to subside and moments later peace descended upon the Byrne household once more. Joseph replaced Harry into his cot, whispering words of good night in his ear. Tiredness overcame him. Joseph slumped back in the chair and slept. Only hours later, he was woken once more. Joseph drew back the curtains letting the warm sunshine wash over the room. Harry was crying. Joseph left the room and walked quickly to the kitchen. Searching the fridge he brought out Harry's bottle for the morning and returned to the nursery. Joseph placed Harry onto his lap and began to feed him. As if like magic, the cries eventually disappeared. Joseph laid Harry back down in his cot and walked back to the kitchen, holding the now empty bottle in his hand. He set the bottle down in the sink and turned on the taps. Reaching down into the cupboard under the sink, Joseph got out the dishcloth and began to scrub at the insides of the bottle. As ever meticulous, Joseph ensured that no section of the bottle retained any hint of grubbiness. He rinsed out the bottle. He scrubbed at it again. Rinse, scrub, rinse, scrub, rinse, scrub. Joseph was finally satisfied. He dried the bottle with the tea-towel and set it to stand on the side. He looked up at the calendar on the wall. Today was his first day back in the thick of things at Holby City. It had been several months since the terrible incident that had shook the hospital, claiming countless lives. Now finally fully rebuilt, Joseph had been persuaded by Jac Naylor to return to his old position on Darwin that he had given up around this time last year. Joseph smiled, he couldn't believe that Harry was over a year old. How the time flew when you loved someone. His mobile began to ring. Joseph answered it with a yawn.

"Hey Joseph?" It was Mandy Fletcher, the babysitter he always used to look after Harry when Joseph was at work for long periods of time.

"Mandy, hello," Joseph said, trying and failing to suppress another yawn.

"Sounds as if Harry's kept you up most of the night," Mandy said.

"With a vengeance," Joseph replied. "What seems to be the trouble?"

"I know this is such short notice and I feel awful for it, but something's come up. I can't look after little Harry today."

"I see," Joseph said flatly.

"It's just my mum's been taken ill, I need to be with her," Mandy continued.

"I quite understand, you have to be with your mother. Don't worry, I'm sure I can find someone else."

"I can personally recommend a friend of mine. Alice Thomas. Her number is..." Mandy gave Joseph Alice's number.

"Thank you. I'll give her a ring." Joseph hung up. He dialled the number into his mobile and pressed ring. Alice answered instantly.

"Hello, Alice Thomas here."

"Hello, it's Joseph Byrne here. I'm looking for a babysitter for today and I was recommended to you by Mandy Fletcher."

"Well you've come to the right person Mr. Byrne," Alice said brightly. "When do you need me?"

"As soon as ideally. I have to be at work by nine-thirty."

"Absolutely."

"Hold on, I'll just give you the address..."

"Does anyone know if Joseph's come in yet?" Jac asked interestedly. Greg Douglas looked up at her.

"He's due in, in ten minutes," Greg said. Jac nodded and started to walk away. "And thank you too Miss Naylor," Greg mumbled. Jac took no notice but instead busied herself with the nearest patient assigned to her.

"So Mr. Jacobs," Jac asked. Mr. Jacobs swallowed nervously.

"Please...call me Derek," he said, his arm twitching.

"Right, Derek. You were admitted with acute chest pains. We're going to run an ECG." Jac looked over to the nurse assisting her. The nurse, nodding, left to acquire the ECG.

"You...think I had a heart attack," Derek gulped.

"It's distinctly possible Derek but we'll know more after the ECG."

"Will I need an operation?"

"We'll see."

Joseph took the lift to Darwin, his mood significantly elated by the prospect of his first day working with Jac in a long, long while. He didn't care what was presented to him today, nothing could spoil his mood. The lift shuddered to a halt and with the monotonous cry of,

"Doors Opening," the doors opened. Joseph stepped through onto the ward.

"You made it at last Mr. Byrne," Elliot said, grinning. He gave Joseph a welcome back hug.

"It's good to see you Mr. Hope," Joseph smiled.

"How's little Harry?"

"Oh you know, demanding," Joseph said with a wink.

"Just you wait, Joseph. You've got the joys of teenage to come." Joseph laughed.

"There's a while to go before that."

"It'll hit you sooner than you think. One minute James and Martha were still kids, the next..." Elliot sighed.

"Have you seen Jac at all?"

"Yes, I believe she's on a break at the moment. Try the staff room," Elliot told him. Joseph nodded and left in the direction of the staff room.

Alice rung her hands through her hair and cried out. The struggle of looking after Harry was becoming impossible. Alice was young, inexperienced, she tried everything she could. But it was never enough. The stress of her job was getting to her. She was a wreck. She placed Harry on the kitchen table and turned away from him. Harry pounded the table with his fists. Alice ignored him, her head throbbing. Harry began to scream. Alice felt her fists clenching. Her heart thumped. If only he would stop this incessant crying! He didn't. Alice turned to face him. She picked him up and tried to rock him to sleep. Harry would not obey, he just cried and cried.

"What do you want?" Alice yelled at him. "I've fed you, I've changed you, I've done everything!" Alice laid Harry down on the edge of the table. She turned away again, shaking. Harry was crying his eyes out. Alice covered her face with her hands and groaned. Why did she still pretend she could look after other people's children? It was too much for her. Far too much. Alice was deep in thought. She didn't notice the silence that now hung over the room. She didn't notice until it was too late. Alice turned around. Harry wasn't on the table. Her heart beat fast. She looked down. Harry lay unmoving on the tiled floor. He wasn't breathing. Alice could see blood. She felt numb all over. Her mind raced. Her heart beat faster and faster. Louder and louder. Her hands shook. She was frozen to the spot.

Joseph took a sip of coffee. Jac smiled at him. Joseph caught her eye, absentmindedly spilling part of his coffee over the table. Jac sniggered. Joseph lifted up the mug and wiped the table with a wet cloth.

"Ever the cleaner," Jac told him dryly.

"It would be remiss of me to leave it like that." Joseph said quietly.

"How've you been?" Jac asked.

"Good, thank you. What about you?"

"Never better," Jac said, looking at her feet.

"You sure?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?"

"You seem a little distracted."

"It's been a stressful week okay?"

"Tell me about it," Joseph said thoughtfully.

"Maybe next time, I'm due back on the ward," Jac was doing her best to avoid the issue. Before Joseph could protest, however, Jac's pager beeped. She finished her coffee and left. Joseph took another sip.

Elliot approached Jac. He looked grim. His face ashen. Jac surveyed him with a cautious look.

"Jeez, who did you kill?"

"Now is not the time for jokes Miss Naylor," Elliot said softly.

"Sorry, couldn't help myself. What's the matter?"

"It's Harry..." Elliot stopped suddenly. Jac's eyes narrowed.

"What about him?" Elliot said nothing. "Elliot, has something happened to Harry?" The continued silence was deafening. "Tell me!" Jac shouted.

"Tell her what?" Jac turned her head. Joseph was standing there. "What about Harry?" Joseph pressed, his voice cracking. "What has happened to my son?"

"Joseph," Elliot said quietly. He was looking straight past Joseph. "We don't know."

"Where is he?"

"ITU...Joseph, you have to keep calm. Don't do anything stupid!" Joseph ignored him. He turned away and ran. "Go after him," Elliot told Jac.

Joseph was running. So fast. Never-stopping. Corridor, after corridor, never-stopping. Where was he? Where was his son? He skidded into ITU, his heart fell. Harry was strapped into so many tubes, the heart monitor beeping regularly. Jac came up behind him. She placed her hand on his back. Joseph turned to face her. His eyes were hollow.

"What's happened Jac?" he asked slowly. "What's happened to my son?"

"I don't know..."

"Save him, please." Joseph took hold of Jac's hand and squeezed it sadly. Jac said nothing.

TO BE CONTINUED