The next thing Harry knew was the sunlight streaming through the windows next to where he lay where he hadn't closed the curtains before laying down on the bed. He winced as he opened his eyes to the blinding light and looked next to him expecting to see Nikki but everything from the day before came flooding back to him like a nightmare. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and picked up his phone from where it had fallen out of his pocket. He had one message from Leo and his heart dropped, dreading what it would say. He opened it and sighed in relief, it was Leo telling him that he had been practically thrown out of the hospital last night and he apologised to Harry for leaving Nikki, he also said that the coroner had granted Harry compassionate leave to be with Nikki. He replied quickly to Leo saying that it was okay and not to worry before he got dressed and made his way to the kitchen. The house was terribly quiet, he was used to the radio being on and Nikki humming along to it while she waited for the coffee machine to finish or Nikki and himself having one of their usual banters while they got dressed for work. Now there was nothing but silence. He walked past the radio, not even bothering to put it on as instead of working the coffee machine he poured water into the kettle and made just one mug of coffee before realising it wasn't as good as Nikki's and throwing it down the sink. He then went back to the bedroom to pick up his discarded coat ready to head to the hospital when he saw that one of Nikki's drawers in the cabinet next to her side of the bed was open slightly. He walked over and went to close it when something in there caught his eye, he opened the drawer further and his stomach plummeted when he saw what was there.

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When Harry got to the hospital he was surprised to find Leo already there. He questioned this and Leo just shook his head.

"The decontamination process is a long one" Leo told him "They are sending all cases to various other labs and the staff of our lab have been given paid leave for at least the weekend while things are sorted out. They have to check the air vents, things like that, that's what's taking so long" he looked at Harry when the younger man only made a noise to show he had been listening "Listen Harry I don't have to be here if you want time alone with Nikki I just…"

"No Leo please stay" Harry interrupted quickly "She is as much your family as she is mine, she would want you here"

"She wouldn't want us fussing though" Leo reminded Harry "When she wakes up we're going to get a right ear full from her"

"When she wakes up?" Harry repeated "You're very hopeful aren't you?"

"Why aren't you?" Leo shot back "You above all others know how stubborn Nikki is, she isn't going to let a small thing like a statistic tie her down is she?"

Harry didn't reply to this and Leo could tell something else was bothering him.

"What else is wrong Harry?" he asked softly as they got to Nikki's room and entered it quietly. Harry didn't reply straight away as he walked over to Nikki and pressed a kiss onto her lips and her forehead before he walked over to the window that was facing London and gripped hold of the ledge and took a deep breath.

"I found.." he paused for a second then continued "I found three pregnancy tests in Nikki's bedside drawer this morning, un-used" he started and Leo shot a glance at Nikki before taking a seat in the corner of the room "I don't know why she would buy them unless she suspected she was…" he couldn't finish his sentence as it would make it all too real for him "I wish I hadn't have found them Leo" he whispered "I wish that I don't wonder if she is pregnant and I'm going to lose my wife and…baby" he choked out the last word but kept his emotions in check as he took a deep breath.

"The doctor's have done blood tests on Nikki" Leo reminded Harry quietly and the younger man nodded "It will show up on the results, they test for everything"

"I don't want to know" Harry replied quietly "I just want to deal with losing my wife..not a baby as well, if she even is pregnant, it could just be a false alarm"

"It could be" Leo said simply

"Why her Leo?" Harry asked suddenly and turned, leaning his back on the windowsill he had been leaning on "Why not me or..someone else. Why my Nikki?"

Leo didn't know how to reply to this so he didn't, he just sat in his seat staring at the machines surrounding Nikki in the bed. There was a knock on the door and Harry called out for them to enter, Dr Winters walked into the room carrying a clipboard.

"Good morning" he greeted both men. Leo returned the greeting however Harry didn't, not thinking that the morning was wonderful at this moment in time. "I have the blood results on your wife Dr Cunningham"

Harry sent a stricken look towards Leo who stood up from his chair and walked over to the doctor.

"Would you be able to show me the results before Harry?" he asked quietly "There are…things he doesn't want to know"

"If I have Dr Cunningham's permission then yes" Dr Winters nodded and both men looked towards Harry who nodded at Leo.

"You have my permission" he stated and turned to Leo "Don't tell me"

Leo just nodded

"Okay"

Dr Winters turned back to Leo.

"Maybe we should go into my office then"

Leo nodded and sent Harry a look before following the doctor out of the room and down the corridor to his office.

"Now Dr Dalton?"

"Professor" Leo replied and sat in a chair opposite Dr Winters' desk

"Oh I'm sorry" Dr Winters apologised and Leo waved it off as the younger doctor looked down at the test results on the desk in front of him "The blood tests show that it is indeed anthrax that Mrs Cunningham has contracted, not that we have any doubt of that. The anthrax has reached the fulfilment stage and you and I know what that means, there is only a three percent chance that she will survive"

Leo gave Dr Winters a slight smile.

"You don't know Nikki, she is the most stubborn person I have ever know, she wont let ninety seven mortality rate get in her way"

"I do hope so" Dr Winters nodded and paused "There is one more thing, when we do a blood test we check for every possibility. In a woman's case that means pregnancy as well.." hearing this Leo sat up straighter in his chair.

"That is what Harry didn't want to know" he told Dr Winters "He found three unused pregnancy tests this morning and he doesn't want to know if Nikki is pregnant or not...that's why I'm here, not him"

"Well Professor Dalton, Nikki is indeed pregnant. Only about three weeks to a month though so she may have had only a small inkling that she may have been pregnant. But there is every chance that she could lose the baby between now and…" he stopped and looked at Leo

"When she dies" Leo continued dryly as he sighed loudly and brought his hands to his face before running one hand through his hair and nodding at Dr Winters.

"Why Nikki?" he muttered quietly to himself "Can you please not tell Harry" he told the doctor in front of him "It will devastate him to know. It doesn't make him a bad man, not wanting to know whether his wife is pregnant or not.."

"I know" Dr Winters interrupted "He just doesn't want the pain of losing two people"

Leo just nodded and stood up wondering if Dr Winters had personal experience of what Harry was going through but he didn't like to ask.

"I'll get back to Harry now"

Dr Winters just nodded and let Leo exit the room by himself and make his way back to his friend.


I'll try and get more chapters uploaded before I leave on tuesday.

xxx