'Oh Patrick I've missed you so much.' She sobbed openly into his shoulder some considerable minutes later. He gathered her further into his lap, now completely encompassing her in his embrace.

'I've missed you too. Every second I spent with Estelle I wished I was with you. But the thought of you and the potential joyful outcome of it all was enough to keep me going in the worst moments. I had to make you happy.'

'Was it so bad? Going out to dinner is hardly a horrible experience even if you do seem to miss your mouth with every other forkful and therefore get food all down your clothes.'

'You've never dined with Estelle McNamara. And that was only some of what she made me do. Shelagh she made me clip her toenails!' He looked so pathetic that it was all she could do not to burst out laughing. Instead she forced a sympathetic look onto her face.

'But you hate feet! You make us wear slippers even when the house is toasty warm.' She exclaimed. 'Poor baby.'

'I know! And I had to walk her horror of a dog as well. I mean I'm a dog lover, you know that, but that dog should be put down. It bit my leg! It drew blood!'

'Oh honey let me see!' She paled and his hand flew to her face to stroke away the worry that was furrowed in her brow. 'What if it had been diseased? What if it had gotten infected? Why didn't you tell me? You could have mentioned it without bringing up Estelle. I'm your wife-it's my job to patch you up. Heck knows I've been patching your clothes long enough. And you're so darn clumsy sometimes it's a wonder you've never needed a patch job in the last year.'

'It's okay now, I am a doctor you know Mrs Turner. And if I'd have shown up at home with blood pouring down my leg you would have wanted an answer and forced it all out of me. In hindsight it would have been a good thing as we never would have gone through today. It's alright though, my leg. I had a slight limp for a week or so but I hid it as well as I could so don't you start worrying about not noticing. I went straight to the surgery and sorted myself out. Left Petal tied up outside of course.'

'Petal? You were bitten by a dog called Petal?' She giggled involuntarily.

'Don't let the name fool you. That dog is Satan himself. Oh, sorry love.' He winced at his words.

'Big scary Petal?' Shelagh teased as she waved away the apology.

'I'll show you the scar once we get home. My war wound as it were...oh, not so funny any more war wounds. I will tell you Shelagh. I'll tell you about my time in Italy, about what happened to me, about my internment at Northfield. I know I have to. I want to. Just give me a little more time.' He promised her. To his relief she nodded through the thin sheen of tears that had reappeared and the reminder of what had started this whole sorry mess. Her heart shattered just a little bit more thinking of what could have happened to break the strongest man she knew.

'I give you every day of the rest of our lives. Because we won't be parted. I don't know if I would have been able to go through on my threat to leave. Leaving Timothy would have been too hard. Leaving you would have been too hard.' She admitted sighing.

'Thank you my love. I promise I will never again give you the chance to think upon it again.'

'Good.'

'I don't suppose you want to go home and admire my scar? It's very manly.' He grinned, wiggling his eyebrows in an achingly familiar action. Barely a week into their engagement he had had been amused and delighted to find out that his beloved Scot could not resist kissing him at the action.

'Sorry I already have plans for once we get home. Though thinking about it both plans do require you taking your trousers off so I'm sure we can find a happy compromise.'

'I love you so much Shelagh Turner. You are all I want. Timothy will grow up and move out someday and find his own life to live but you are mine, my life. Even though I was too ashamed to look at you whilst you were awake your face as you slept brought such joy. You're so beautiful Shelagh. I know that you'll never accept it but you are. I don't know how I was ever lucky enough that you fell in love with me but I am so glad you did. I will never take that for granted or jeopardise us again. I love you, I can't stress that enough.'

'I love you too you buffoon. We need to talk about all of this and your Plan A resurgence soon. Whilst I appreciate the thought, and it may be worth looking into, and I appreciate everything you've done to help get that goal, the fact still remains that I nearly left you Patrick. Our marriage nearly ended. That's big. I'm not going to sugar coat this-we have big problems Patrick, those aren't going to go away overnight. I'm still half tempted to slap you for the way you've treated me this past month. You made me feel more miserable than I can ever remember. Even when I was struggling with my feelings for you I never felt that bad. But that's not a conversation for now. Right now there is only one thing I want to concentrate on. Please take me home Patrick. I need you to make love with me.'

'Hmmm with you? Not make love not to you?'

'Honey I've been fantasizing about making love to you for a month now. You're mine tonight.'

Next chapter will either be Shelagh vs. Estelle (a month after this chapter) or Trixie and Sister Julienne's POV of the last two chapters. They'll both be posted anyway but I'm in two minds about which order to post them in.

Reviews very greatly appreciated xx