Gillian's heart pounded. Hard. Hard enough for her to worry about it jumping out of her chest. 'It's only a blood test,' she told herself trying to calm down and failing miserably at it. She wouldn't get the results immediately. She was still going to have to wait. She had a fleeting thought for Cal. He had wanted to be there with her but she had shrugged him off. It wasn't a big deal. It was just a blood test. And he was busy working. This was going to take five minutes and she would be back at work anyway. But then having him there probably would have served her well. He had been quite the rock in the last month. All the hormone shots, the nights she spent crying over the stupidest things, the needle sticks, the egg harvesting procedure, implantation. The waiting. He was so good with the waiting. Having him there with her now would go a long way to settling her nerves.

Not only was he being her rock, he was hope personified as well. Something had definitely changed for him. He was happy, his face expressive, the mask gone (at least for her it was gone). He was talking to her about things, expressing his hopes and dreams, trying so hard to be there for her. He was the best mix of support and optimism. It was almost like a new Cal had walked in one day in place of the old one. Gillian didn't know whether to complain or not, or if it would last or not, or if she could completely trust it or not. But through the whole emotional rollercoaster that was in-vitro fertilisation, she had to admit, she was insanely glad for the new Cal.

"Ok," a phlebotomist entered the little booth where Gillian waited. He consulted the patient notes, checking to see how much blood he needed to take. He wrapped a tourniquet around her right upper arm, asked her to make a fist. His hands were pleasantly warm and his smile easy. Then he turned his back to pick out the correct vials. He labelled them with her name and the date while the tourniquet dug into Gillian's skin and she could feel her own blood pulsing through her veins.

"How's your day been so far?" He asked while donning white latex gloves.

Gillian thought back to her morning. She had bickered with Cal about the blood test. Then got irritated with Eli for not completing a case file properly. She had tried to review the accounts for a meeting when she got back to the office but had found it too hard to focus. She had been cut off by a red Dodge flat bed truck on her way over. She was feeling a little tense.

"Fine thank you," she answered politely, giving him an utterly un-genuine smile. At least she got the same level of pretence in return. The phlebotomist approached with a fresh needle and took her arm gently. He guided the needle in to the exploding blue vein in the crook of her arm expertly. Gillian's toes curled at the sharp pain. He engaged the first capsule and released the tourniquet almost simultaneously.

Gillian watched the deep red blood flow quickly into the vial. A second was filled. Then the needle was slipped out of her skin again and she had to hold a small ball of cotton wool against the hole left behind. The phlebotomist made sure her blood samples were taken care of before coming to check the bleeding in her arm had stopped. He taped a band aid over the fresh wound and asked if she felt all right.

"I feel fine," she replied. The truth. She had never been queasy over the sight of blood. Not even hers.

"Well go when you're ready," her blood sucker informed her. He left the room before she did. Gillian slipped out of her seat and reached for her jacket. Her right arm felt overly sensitive so she moved slowly, taking her time. At least her heart rate had come down. As she was settling in her car to head back to the office she heard her phone chime from her purse on the passenger seat. It was a text message. From Cal.

HOWD IT GO? U ALRITE?

Gillian hit the reply command and typed out a quick response. FINE. IT WS JST A BLOOD TEST

Gillian put the phone down on the passenger seat and turned the key in the ignition. She put the car into reverse and pulled from the park and onto the street. She heard the chime of her phone again and ignored it until she was at a light. Making sure her foot was firmly on the break she reached for her phone again and quickly opened the message.

INDEED. BLOODY IMPRTNT 1 THO

PJ

"Why do I have to go to a readin'?"

"Because you have to."

"I could always suddenly come down with a cold or somethin'." Cal attempted a fake cough. At least it brought a smile to his wife's lips.

Gillian smirked. "Not an option Cal." She finished with his tie, folded down his collar and stepped away from him.

"We could play hooky."

Gillian smiled again. "No."

"You're a spoil sport," Cal teased. It was good to see her smile. She was too tense these days.

"Well, if you're really good I'll tell you what I'm wearing or not wearing under this dress."

Cal's jaw dropped open slightly. "Bloody hell. I'm not gonna be able to concentrate all evenin' now thinkin' about it."

"Well the information depends on it," Gillian fixed him with a stern expression. She crossed the room to retrieve her purse. "So you better try."

"Don't know how I'm supposed to concentrate at all with you wearin' that," Cal eyed her appreciatively.

Gillian gave him a self-satisfied smile from across the room. She turned to the closet for a shrug. Cal checked himself in the mirror. He looked about the same. Gillian looked stunning.

"I could always just have a look what's unda your dress," Cal said to her reflection.

Gillian turned around sharply. "Don't you dare!"

"All right fine. I'm gonna wait in the car," Cal grumped and left the room.

"I won't be long," came Gillian's voice down the hallway.

Cal cut through the garage and climbed into the driver's seat of his car. He put the key in the ignition and his cell in the little space underneath the stereo controls on the dash column. He shifted to get comfortable and waited. They were going to a reading for his book. His publisher had picked out the passage he was supposed to read. It would be about ten minutes. He was told to read slowly and enunciate! Then he would sign books for as long as people wanted to buy them. After that he had to schoomze. How he hated to schoomze. At least Gillian was going to be there with him. It sucked more to do these kinds of things alone. He used to drag Emily along as much as possible but she was in Boston now. Cal realised he missed his daughter. He thought about calling her when Gillian came down the steps. The split on that dress was entirely too high but Cal loved it. He loved it when she felt bold enough to wear something like that. As sexy as she dressed normally, it always erred on the side of professional conservatism. It was worth going out tonight just so she would wear something far sexier.

Cal waited for her to climb into the car next to him. He watched how the hem of her dress rode up, the split going even higher. He thought again about insisting they just stay at home. But he had signed a contract and Gillian was the good girl; she would make him follow the rules. He watched her pull her seatbelt over her shoulder and when she clicked it into the clasp and finally looked up to find him studying her, he spoke. "So are you wearin' undawear?"

Gillian's hand immediately shot up to cover his eyes. "No cheating Cal!"

"Oh come on!" Cal complained moving back further in his seat. She didn't let go of his face though. "Just a hint!"

"No. You place nicely and I'll just show you later."

"Oh god," Cal groaned, images rushing through his brain. "Keep talkin' like that and I'm gonna have to go take a cold showa."

"You're teasing yourself," Gillian told him. She took her hand away. "Drive."

Cal thought about pushing his luck. Thought better of it. She was right. He was just winding himself up. Didn't mean he wasn't going to think about it all night until they got home again. He turned the ignition, opened the garage door and set the car in to drive. He tried to remember if he had been in the room when she got dressed. He didn't think so.

At least this was the last commitment he had for the book. It had been a few busy weeks of signings, functions, the book launch and readings. This was the penultimate one. Black tie. Champagne. Canapés. Photo opportunities. Cal didn't like the attention. He just wanted his work to speak for himself. He got all the attention he could handle from Gillian. That was enough for him now.

Gillian looked over at her husband while he drove. She liked the pensive expression. She found it sexy. Before, it usually held a crease of worry, now it was just thoughtful. She wondered if he really was thinking about what was under her dress. She liked that idea, but she also wanted him to up hold his commitments. It wasn't just his reputation on show this evening but their company's, hers as well. Half way there Cal reached for her hand. Gillian gave it a squeeze in return.

When Cal really tried, he could make his accent seem sexy as hell. Gillian had to admit she had to curb her own thoughts as she listened to him read aloud. Cal also made a special effort to pronounce his words properly and he was patient with the question and answer section. He was pleasant throughout the signing. When he was finally finished and could move around the room to talk to other people, Gillian approached with a glass of champagne.

"Not gonna join me luv?"

Gillian shook her head. "You never know." She gave him a coy smile. Cal gave a slight smile, watching her for a moment, the enormity of her simple statement not escaping him.

He bounced a little on his toes. "So you gonna tell me about your undawear now or not?"

"Not yet," Gillian answered simply. She leaned in to his ear. "Just be a good boy a little longer."

Cal gave her his best 'good boy' grin when she pulled away. Gillian laughed. "Come say hello to people," she changed the subject completely.

Cal was definitely on his best behaviour for the rest of the evening. So when they got home and Cal reached to close the garage Gillian leaned over. She pressed her lips against his temple, then whispered in his ear, "I'm not wearing underwear."

Cal just about choked. Satisfied with his response Gillian slipped out of the car. Cal caught up to her in the hallway. She had already removed her shrug and kicked off her shoes. He almost knocked her off her feet with the force of his kiss.

"You're a very sexy lady," Cal murmured against her ear as his hand slid under the skirt of her dress, checking to see if it was true. Gillian giggled in her throat. Yep, Cal was definitely good at this. And she was loving the new Cal.