Jac spotted the panic in Tara, and moved across the ward to take her place. "what have we got here?" she asked Oliver

"Looks like a compound fracture of the Femur in both legs.."

"ahh I see" said Jac, she was very rarely speechless when it came to medicine but this took her a while to get used to, the patients knees were almost to his waist as the bones in his thighs had come through his flesh.

Oliver could see the worry in Jac's eyes and it radiated to him, he nervously began giving the nurses orders for various tests and scans. "Where do we even start?" he murmured quietly to Jac.

She looked him straight in the eye from across the trolley. "We scan him, and we page Mr Hanssen, we're going to need his input. I can't do this by myself" she said slowly.

Oliver nodded. He knew this was a serious case, but his concern shifted when he noticed Tara leaning on the nurses' station desk. Jac noticed his distraction. "Oli, I need you there with me on this" said Jac. Oliver turned back to face her, "Of course… of course I'm focused" he was clearly lying and Jac knew it.

The porters arrived to take their patient down to X-ray, Oliver sneaked away – his concern for Tara was becoming too great, he could tell something wasn't right. As he reached her she was sitting on one of the chairs behind the nurses' station, with her head in her hands, leaning on the desk. He walked up behind her very quietly and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Hey, what's got to you?"

Tara remained in the same position on her black chair. "I'm fine, honestly, I think that patient just got to me a bit that's all"

"Hmm yeah I know what you mean, it is a bit graphic.. To tell you the truth I'm quite excited to see it in theatre. Especially as Mr Hanssen is going to be assisting Miss Naylor, I'm sure it's going to be a few hours though. I might have to bail on lunch though, do you mind?"

Tara didn't answer; she just shook her head slightly. Oliver wasn't satisfied that that was all that was wrong. He slowly spun her chair around so she was facing him. He crouched down so he was nearly at eye level with Tara. Her eyes were closed. "Hey, come on, you'll be fine" he said softly, as he brushed a stray piece of hair back behind her ear. Tara shook her head again, was this the right moment for her to tell him? The words were about to fall from her mouth as Oliver stood up "I'm going to make you a strong cup of tea, I think you're in shock" he said as he disappeared.

As Tara remained seated with her head in her hands, Mr Hanssen appeared on to the ward in his vampire like demeanour. "Dr Lowe are you quite alright?" he asked

She stood up immediately, as if she had just been woken up, "yes of course!" as she did so, her balance elapsed and she stumbled, to be caught by a stunned Oliver who dropped the plastic cup filled with the tea he had just made her. "Tara, there's something wrong here isn't there" he said as he stood her up without letting her go.

"No there isn't, it was that patient, it made me feel a bit queasy that's all". He looked in her eyes clearly still unconvinced. He turned to Hanssen, who was coldly staring at Tara.

"Dr Lowe, I think it's time we had a little chat don't you, maybe Dr Valentine should join us?" he said quietly, with a disappointed look on his face.

Oliver's heart sank, he had known something wasn't right for a while, but he refused to let it get in the way of his and Tara's relationship. "Chat about what?" he asked quietly.

Tara's eyes wandered to the floor.

"I think it would be best if we used Miss Naylors Office" said Hanssen as he motioned them towards the door. Oliver still had hold of Tara, his concern becoming visible to Hanssen as they entered Jac's office.

"Now then take a seat Dr Valentine" said Henrik once he had carefully guided Tara to her chair.

Oliver moved a single waiting room type chair alongside Tara. She glanced at him, pleased he was there to support her, but she knew what he was about to hear was going to crush him, he would be devastated once again, the same pain he felt when he lost Penny, but this time it was her fault, she was going to be the one to hurt him.

She knew that her Tumour was changing and growing, deep down she knew it was not good. She wanted to enjoy the time she had left with Oli, where she felt happiest.

"Now Dr Valentine, for the past 3 months Dr Lowe has been receiving scans to check the activity of her low grade Astrocytoma of the temporal lobe, which I believe is now becoming active and the reason why you are now experiencing excruciating headaches and light headedness.

Tara nodded. "It is" she said in a quiet voice. She looked at Oliver who sat beside her, with his eyes wide open. "I…. I knew it was going to be something bad, but this?" "are you sure?" asked Oliver, who knew it was a stupid question the moment it left his lips.

"Yes I am sure Dr Valentine" replied Hanssen.

"So when do you operate?" asked Oliver.

"Unfortunately in Dr Lowes case it would be impossible to operate, as the tumour is too deep".

Oliver shook his head, as his palms met his face. "This isn't happening" he said to himself.

An abnormal feeling hit him, this shouldn't be happening, he should be on the other side of the table giving this news to a couple of relative strangers.

Tara began to weep; she knew this was the end of the road. She had hoped to finish her training before having to leave but it was obvious that was very unlikely.

Mr Hanssen rose from his chair. "I will leave you two alone, I'm sure you have things you wish to discuss. Take as much time as you need".

Oliver and Tara remained fixed to their chairs, neither of them knowing who would speak first.

Oliver lifted his head to face Tara, as tears fell down his cheeks he did his best to compose himself.

"I just don't know what to say" said Tara through a waterfall of tears. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you…it was so hard… "

Oliver got out of his chair and grasped Tara's head "It doesn't matter now.. I know.. and we can concentrate on getting you better" he said, his tear flow matching hers.

She shook her head. "Oli you heard Hanssen, there's no way they will or even can operate. Besides I don't want them too, my prognosis really isn't good, and I don't want my final days to be in a hospital bed. I want to be outside enjoying life… with you if you can stay with me"

He didn't have to answer; he hugged her tightly, as she gripped him tightly back. "Thank you" she said. "I love you Tara" said Oliver still crying. "I love you to Oli, I just wish we had more time" replied Tara.

"I don't want to know this answer really, but do you know how long you have got?" Oliver asked with a heavy heart.

"Well Hanssen said if it had stayed inactive I could have lived the rest of my life normally, but if it became active, it could be a matter of weeks"

Oli took a sharp intake of breath and hugged her harder.

"I'm not going to be able to stay here in work, Hanssen took a risk on having me here anyway"

Oliver nodded in agreement. I'm going to take some leave. "The time we have left, we can't let it go."

"Promise me you will stay with me until the end?" Tara asked reluctantly.

"Of course, but you can't think like that. There could still be a chance".

"No Oli, don't think like that, we have to face this, I'm not going to get better, we need to be prepared".

They stayed in each other's embrace, until Jac walked in to her office.

"Sorry but what the hell is going on in here?! We've got patients out there who need treating… you know what you are PAID for." She exacted.

"Miss Naylor I…."

"NO I don't want to hear it, you know I've had it with you two. If you are going to remain an item I'm going to have one of you transferred" Shouted Jac staring at Tara. It was then she notices that she had clearly been crying.

"Oh go what is it now? Did you lose your pen again?" exclaimed Jac. She turned to face Oliver, who she could see had also been crying. Jac slowly realised she may have just over stepped the mark.

"Okay, is somebody going to tell me what's going on?"

Tara left the office. Her fear of Jac had now disappeared, given what she was facing, and felt no impulsion to stay to explain.

Jac stood behind her desk open mouthed as Tara left. "What is it Oli?".. he remained in silence, he couldn't find the words to say it because he was still trying to understand it all himself.

"Okay let me guess….. Your cheating on her…. No… she's cheating on you… no that's not right… she's pregnant?...my god that would be an annoying child..."

"SHES DYING JAC" Oliver shouted.