Ah, Cbear it's a pleasure to finally be able to thank you for your reviews, so I thank you, glad you enjoy!

Also thank you to Meggi, Megan, Anxious Owl, Callie, MissGracieKathy, & Gemma.


"We could be a separated couple, who are friends?" He spoke as he pulled into the hospital car park, Sam in the passenger seat, he didn't once turn to face her - though from the corner of his eye, he seen her pale complexion, the look of complete devastation in her eyes - a look that remained for days each time a test come back negative.

"We are friends, well as much as anyone is your friend." She mumbled the words; trying to prevent her lip quivering, sighing deeply as she rubbed her hand over her face.

"I meant about why we're together, this morning, before work." He spoke meaningfully, authoritively without taking his eyes from the road;

"I know." She brushed at a stray tear as she thought back to earlier that morning, to last night. She was certain he had seen, but chose to say nothing.

As he parked the car and unbuckled his seat belt; she sat next to him, eyes closed, head tilted upwards breathing heavily as she fought against another round of tears which were threatening to overcome her. She felt him reach across the handbrake to take her hand and squeeze it comfortingly, before he got out the car. He was opening the passengers side door before she even opened her eyes. Unclipping her seatbelt she got out the car, closing the door and being pulled into Dylan's arms for the second time that morning.

As she stood in the hospital car park, wondering what on earth was allowing Dylan to show this much affection, she felt fresh tears run down her cheeks and opted to push herself away from his embrace and made some attempt at regaining composure.


Dylan walked a lot faster than her, especially in the morning, so it wasn't surprising that Dylan reached the hospital and consequently the staff room much quicker than he did. So if she trailed behind him just a little more then no one would even think that they had arrived together. So as she walked through the doors of the ED, her glance into the staffroom showed that Dylan was preparing to leave again. Pushing her hands into the pockets of her coat, she walked towards the door, passing him in the door way - holding back tears as he walked by her without any indication that she was even standing there. It wasn't unusual but it was just too much, especially today.

"Feeling okay Sam?" She blinked when she realised Tess was standing right in front of her, before nodding her head slowly.

"Yeah, yeah, why?" Her voice was whispered, hoarse as she tried to prove she was alright to Tess, who seemed less than convinced.

"You're just looking a bit pale." She touched her arms lightly when she spoke, smiling softly, caringly.

"Oh." she wasn't sure if Tess even heard because she still stood watching her as if she might just drop down at any moment, which granted she felt she maybe could, plastering a small smile on her face she continued: "No, I'm fine." With that Tess was gone, leaving her standing alone on the verge of completely breaking down.

Finally alone she made her way across the room, stopping at the sink, letting silent tears slip down her cheeks - knowing now was better than waiting on the first thing to even slightly wrong and breaking down later. She jumped as the door opened, and wiped roughly at her eyes, trying to remove any damage the tears may have done.

"Hey, didn't mean to startle you." It was Zoe who spoke before she turned round to see who had entered the room. She let herself lean against the worktop, as Zoe stepped closer to her. "Are you okay?" She stepped to her side as she made to get into her locker, concern written all over her face.

Looking away, rubbing at her eyes before looking back and replying: "Why do people keep asking me that?"

"Have you been crying?" The question was direct, but then again, so was Zoe. Flustered she rubbed her cheeks trying, once again, to remove the traces of her tears.

Speaking, her voice weak, she did the only thing she felt she could - lie: "No."

"Right…" It was possible that Zoe looked even less convinced than Tess, but at least she continued speaking: "Do you want to talk about it?"

She actually laughed when she asked that and inwardly she felt that maybe it was to stop herself from breaking down and telling Zoe everything. "I really don't, no." She responded with a shake of her head.

"Will you be alright?" The older medic was standing up and preparing to leave the room, when she asked, and all she had the energy to do was nod.


"Morning." Dylan looked up glancing at Zoe, normally she was much cheerier than this. She must want something. Dropping her voice further before she spoke again: "Sam's been crying…" She trailed off looking at him expectantly, and he wasn't entirely sure what exactly she wanted him to do about it.

Then he made his first mistake: "I know." She blinked at him a few times, and then he covered his eyes with his hand realising his mistake; because he shouldn't have known that, they had even seen each other that morning.

He couldn't work out what Zoe was thinking, as he watched her choose her next question very carefully: "Have you had some sort of argument?"

"No." Because they hadn't. It wasn't a lie, and she never even replied just walked away, retreating back to the staffroom to a blonde figure he recognised as Sam.


Zoe slipped quietly back into the staffroom, after passing a concerned Tess who had been watching Sam from the window. The blonde doctor had pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her head on them, as a round of fresh tears made their way down her face, leaving a faint grey line as she washed more of her make up off of her face. Slowly, she sat down next to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Listen are you going to be okay today? I know he can be blunt, but…" She started sympathetically but was quickly cut off, as Sam finally removed her head from her knees to look at her.

"I'm aware. I'll be fine." Her voice was harsh, not that she meant it to be it was just these people had no idea abut her life, her marriage and they were suddenly here wanting to consol her.

"Of course you are." Zoe spoke as if everything made sense, prompting her to finally looking up and meet her eyes.

"Sorry." She rubbed at her eyes and cheeks, sighing as she explained why she was apologising: "I shouldn't have snapped."

The dark haired doctor moved her hair from her face, and settled herself down into the sofa, and rubbed her young colleagues arm affectionately, before she lucked up the courage to speak: "Nick said you got yourself in a state, when we were trapped…" She stopped speaking when the younger woman turned to face her, making her realise that she was treading on dangerous territory, and resumed rubbing at her upper arm - unsure of what she was hoping to achieve.

"I was." It was a whisper. "I was so frightened. I just don't know what I'd do if anything happened to him." She stopped speaking and looked away from Zoe, who just seemed stunned.

"I asked him if you were his daughter." There she'd said it, she failed to mention the rest of that conversation - her reasoning for getting to that decision - but she was stunned when the younger woman laughed.

"I'm not." Her amusement was still evident in her tone when she spoke.

"Obviously." She smile standing up and offering Sam her hand as she did so, squeezing it gently, before reaching to wipe the only remaining trail of mascara from her cheek. "Go on, get yourself ready again."


The plan is to get another chapter up within the week, but I'll see how that goes..

however, until next time,

Anny.

P.S. I can't get the spaces to work right, it's very annoying.