Thank you guys so much for reading chapter 1 and continuing to support me on this it genuinely means so much to me. And to all those people who took the time to review, I really appreciate it as it gives me ideas of what you guys would like to see written into the story. So onto chapter 2, I have re written this a thousand times now and believe this to be the best version. Can I just mention at this point that I may have re written Dylan's back story somewhat, but it just kind of fitted. Enjoy :)
It had reached the end of a long day on Darwin and all the staff were preparing to go for a drink.
"You coming Jac" Shouted Ollie from down the end of the hallway.
"Not tonight I'm busy" Replied Jac who was staring so hard at her phone she could have burnt a hole straight through the screen.
"Suit yourself" he said before swiftly turning back round and whispering to Tara. "I think Miss Naylor may have plans for Johnny again"
Jac sat at the desk in the middle of Darwin. She clutched her phone with both hands looking at the picture of the baby who was now only two floors above her. Freya was the real reason that Jac did not want to go to the pub tonight. She had far more important things to do and Freya needed her. It's not that Jac didn't want anyone to know what she was doing, well she did have her ice queen image to protect, but she didn't see the need for any of the staff to be meddling in her private life as it should be exactly that. Private. As soon as she was sure that Tara, Ollie, Elliot and Mo had left the building she got into the empty life and made her way up to the children's ward. To her surprise she walked up to Freya's crib to find that strange doctor sitting beside Lucy in an armchair.
"Surprised to see you here"
"Just checking up on a patient" He insisted.
"You look like you've been here a long time to be 'visiting' a patient"
"Yes well. Did you want something or have you just come over here to infuriate me"
Jac mused for a second before deciding she wanted to find out more about the illusive Dr. Keogh.
"So why did you get a divorce then?"
Dylan felt bombarded by her sudden questioning. How did she know about the divorce? Instead of ignoring her question however he decided not to show his shock and instead answer in the simplest way possible. A small part of him thought that by airing his feelings he would somehow be getting back at Sam for what she had done to him.
"She just handed me the divorce papers and left, never mentioned anything to me. First thing I hear was from her legal team. Now she has got it into her head that she wants to go back to the army. She comes here to Holby to ruin my life and then just sods off again. Never a care for anyone else." Looking at Jac's face revealed to Dylan that he had had quite the outburst. But instead of apologising to the younger doctor…
"Not that it has anything to do with you"
"Look, you are not the only one to loose someone you love"
"Is that so Miss Naylor?" He sneered
"Yes, my fiancé moved to Penrith with his son. Joseph and Harry were the only real family I ever had" Jac now had tears in her eyes but tried desperately not to show her weak side. She went over to Freya who was now stood up in her crib. She cuddled little Freya close to her and gently kissed her head. She knew she was lying, after all Joseph had never actually asked Jac to marry him officially. But as far as she was concerned if he had stayed they would have been married and lived happily together with Harry.
"Should have gone with him then" Dylan retaliated spitefully while lifting Lucy from her crib but in a much less loving way than Jac had done with Freya.
"It was better for him to go without me. I would have hated him for making me leave a job that I love and that I have worked so hard for my whole life. I didn't want to feel that way towards him. I'm sure that's how you feel about your wife too"
"Ex-wife" Dylan corrected. "Her name is Samantha"
"Well in that case you know how it must be to feel lonely. Right now Lucy needs you, you may not like it but you are all she has"
Dylan could have simply retaliated at this point but deep down he knew that Jac Naylor was right. He smiled at her and she smiled back at him. It was a grateful smile almost a thank you, which for Dylan said more than words ever could. He had never been good at expressing his feelings and this had been one of things that had strained his relationship with Sam.
"Come on, let's go grab a coffee. Both Freya and Lucy are allowed out for a while now and I could do with a break"
"I suppose I don't see the harm in it"
With two small girls in tow it was decided that the lift was certainly the easiest and most appealing option available to them. So after Jac signed out both girls they headed down to the café on the ground floor. Once the found a table they sat the two girls in high chairs and for once Dylan was the first to break the silence.
"So where is Freya going when she is discharged?"
"I'm not sure yet"
"But she is due to be discharged tomorrow you must have some idea"
"Well her mother wanted me to take her home but I'm just not sure I can handle it. What about Lucy?"
"She will be going into the foster system" Dylan paused a second before realising that despite his best efforts to keep himself distant from her case he really didn't want to see her go back there. He knew what the system could be like he had been there himself. "Although I would prefer it if she didn't have to go. Being in the system is not nice and I would know"
"You were a foster child?"
"Yes, my parents left me and my sister there when we were four. I don't really remember them much as I grew up with a variety of different foster families until I went to med school"
"I was in the system too"
All of a sudden it was like a big weight had been lifted from both of Jac and Dylan's shoulders. For the first time that either of them could remember they had found someone who had been in the same position as them and it felt easier to open up to someone who knew what you had gone through.
"I've never met anyone else in the foster system before who has made it to be a doctor. We must be one of a kind. Well two I suppose" Jac continued.
Dylan nodded in agreement. "I don't want Lucy to go into the system but I don't think I have a choice. You know how bad the hours are here. It would be different if I was still married then we would be able to handle this together. She always wanted a baby but I could never provide that for her."
"Loads of people are single parents nowadays"
"But I would be no good as a dad without Sam. She was always so good with children, I just did not know where to start with them"
Suddenly Lucy begins to cry and Dylan lifts her out of her chair. He quickly realises why she is crying.
"I'm going to have to change her. I will be back in a minute" Jac watched on just smiling at him as he walked off. He had no confidence in his ability to be a parent but as she had just seen before her very eyes he was clearly more than capable of looking after Lucy he just needed reassurance. She decided in this moment that it would be her job to make sure that he knew how good he was with the baby so that he could make an informed decision about her future. Jac glanced back round at Freya who was sitting smiling to herself. It suddenly dawned on her what Freya had been through the past few months. She was certainly a little fighter. It would be hypocritical of Jac to tell Dylan he was capable of providing for Lucy but she couldn't help Freya. She had lightened up her life for months now and she really couldn't face losing her again.
As Dylan returned with a much happier looking Lucy, Jac ceased her moment to tell him how she felt.
"You are really good with her you know"
"It's only a nappy"
"No it's not. You knew what was making her upset and that is part of being a good parent. I think you could do this."
"Do what?" Dylan genuinely was confused, he may have been able to read Lucy by now but Jac was a completely different story altogether.
"Be a proper dad to her"
"You are joking"
"No, I think you could do this. I think WE could do this. I don't want Freya to have to grow up experiencing the same things that we did. What do you say?"
"I'm not sure. Babies are not really my thing"
Jac knew from the moment she met Dylan that it would be difficult to ever get him round to her way of thinking, but she never imagined it would be like this.
"You have to believe in yourself Dr. Keogh. Nobody is ever really prepared for a first baby you have to learn along the way and I'd say you are already part way there and I will be here to support you every step of the way as Freya will already have met the milestones that Lucy is going through"
"You really think we could do this?"
"I wouldn't suggest it if I didn't. They mean too much to us now. Not even you can deny that"
And Jas was right. Dylan really did, despite his best efforts, want to help Lucy in any way he could and if they meant sacrificing his solitary life with Dervla to make the little baby happy then this is what he would have to do.
"So we are in this together then?"
"All the way. We have to be. For their sake"
Thank you so much for reading and please review as i love to hear what you guys think. Becky xx
