To all those who have reviewed; Meggi, Callie, Baibe, MissGracieKathy, ficmouse, Megan W & MissRach989, thank you and I'm glad you enjoyed.
Now this chapter actually is starting to get somewhere in terms with the current plot circling my mind.
Oh, words in italics are flashbacks - and they make a brief return in this chapter.
The curtain swished open noisily before being closed behind someone, causing her to wake from her slumber, she expected it to be Lenny or maybe Zoe - she didn't expect to be face to face with Dylan, who calmly sat on the edge of the bed and began to speak: "So, not food poisoning then?" He gave her enough time to shake her head briefly before he continued: "Is everything alright? Lenny said you'd been sick."
"Fine." She whispered the word, guilt spreading through her body as she remembered the look of hurt which had crossed Dylan's face when he'd learned of her pregnancy. She closed her eyes trying to block out the memory.
She struggled to get herself into an upright position, and Dylan offered her a hand of assistance, so that they sat on opposite ends of the bed both at a loss at what to say. Eventually, Dylan opened his mouth but he promptly closed it again but within a few seconds he attempted words again: "So, you're having a baby?" She nodded her head, fighting the lump which was rapidly forming in her throat. "When?"
She hated that his question warranted an answer, one because she couldn't be certain he wouldn't work put two and two together and make four and secondly because she felt tears would accompany anything she tried to say: "September." She survived her short answer and decided to steer the conversation away from her, their, unborn child: "You and Zoe are getting on well?"
It was Dylan's turn to nod in response, barely looking at her as he did so. She remembered him telling an entire department full of people that they spent their marriage miserable, and it shouldn't really surprise her that he'd moved on - after all they'd been separated for long enough and perhaps it said more about her than it did him, in her failure to do so. "I'm glad you aren't miserable anymore." Maybe it was harsher than she intended but she was in a way - maybe she did just have to let him go.
He, seemingly, ignored her comment and asked a question of his own: "Do you want me to phone someone for you…" He trailed off, as he thought of how to word his question. "…this one's…" he paused to indicate her stomach. "… the father?" He closed his eyes and looked away briefly.
She shook her head, sadly, when he opened his eyes, before speaking: "No…" She paused briefly, when the curtain was pulled open to reveal Zoe who promptly closed it again, and the sound of her heels could be heard walking away. She dropped her gaze to her hands which were rested in her lap, and felt Dylan squeeze her hand before she continued: "No, I think he's moved on, it's just us now." She smiled weakly and he seemed to be at a loss about what to say. She remained silent as she felt his hand touch her stomach, too many emotions flooding through her body as he did so; this had been all she wanted, but it was far too late now, she could see that. They remained there for several minutes before he took his hand away, resting it on his knee, and she was sure that she had visibly shivered at the loss of contact.
It seemed like days had went by since either of them had spoken, in reality it couldn't have been more than ten or so minutes and it was nothing unusual they could speak a thousand words to each other without saying a single thing.
"Will you be okay?" His tone concerned, when he finally decided to speak. She, once again, could only nod. Her hand flew to her head as she was struck by a sharp pain to the left side, causing Dylan to look at her in alarm, a few steadying breaths later, she removed her hand. "Okay?" He blinked a few times and appeared to trying to get to the root of the problem.
He put his own hand on her forehead as she replied: "I don't know."
"You're boiling. Back in a minute." He shifted off the bed, and left the cubicle, giving her a moment to let her head fall back against the pillow.
Even with her eyes closed, she was aware of Dylan and Zoe in conversation, she cracked open her eyes slightly, and through the small space where Dylan hadn't closed the curtain fully, she could see them. His hand was reaching for something; but Zoe's stopped him, her other hand falling tenderly on his arm before she spoke: "I know, but you can't okay, Dylan, you can't. It's completely unethical."
"But…" He stopped, and she opened her eyes fully, moving herself to see them better, confused as to why Dylan could not come up with a valid argument. "She's my wife, Zoe, and she's on her own -"
As she glanced behind him she noticed that Lloyd, Scarlett and Linda all appeared to have stopped in their tracks to watch this exchange just as Zoe cut him off: "That is exactly why you can't!" He opened and closed his mouth few times, as they both stared at each other waiting on the other to back down.
Another sudden pain in her head stopped her looking at them, just as the curtain opened again and Lenny walked in speaking as he did as so: "They're out there arguing about who gets to treat you so -" He stopped talking as he looked at her properly for the first time, and crossed the cubicle in a quick stride, grabbing another card bowl as he did so, before continuing to speak: "Alright?" she shook her head and he pushed the bowl in front of her just as she was sick.
She let her head fall back onto the comfort of the pillow, as Lenny looked on in concern, she felt the coolness of his hand as it touched her forehead and she closed her eyes unable to keep them open any longer. "Sam?" Vaguely she heard her name, but she was enjoying drifting off to sleep so she made no attempt to open her eyes. Then Lenny's voice broke into her sleepy thoughts, in a more panicked tone: "No, Sam darling, keep your eyes open…" He trailed off, shaking her shoulder, forcing her to open her eyes. She tried to follow his gaze out of the cubicle but she couldn't see what he was looking at. "Zoe I need you in here!" She had no time to wonder why Lenny needed Zoe as she heard her heels hurrying closer.
"Okay, can you try to sit up?… Definitely a temperature… Can you get me a thermometer?… Was she sick again?" She was still struggling to sit up when Zoe continued with her list of requests, she became aware of Lenny leaving the cubicle and returning a few moments later with the thermometer and Linda, it would seen, she heard the nurse's strong accent: "What do you need?"
"Can you get bloods done, Linda? I want everything checked, tell the lab I want the results as soon as possible." She wasn't aware of the blonde nurse responding but she did feel Linda, moving her arm to take blood, too weak to do anything else she left them to poke and prod at her.
She felt Zoe shake her slight getting her to turn to face her "Sam, have you noticed a rash?" She shook her head mutely, fear beginning to course through her veins as she tried to take in the events of the past twenty or so minutes. Zoe seemed to accepted her answer, though she bit her lip briefly before turning back to her: "Do you mind if I check?" Once again, she shook her head, reaching up to wipe her eyes as she felt tears threatening to fall, as she felt Zoe rolling up the bottom of her top and trousers of her scrubs.
Once, they had all apparently satisfied themselves, she felt Zoe sit down on the side of her bed, taking one of her hands. Which prompted her to open her eyes and look at the consultant, who began to speak: "Not feeling too well, are you?" She shook her head weakly, wondering why she was asking as she felt that it was perfectly obvious. "I'm going to get you Dylan, to sit with you until we get results back, do you need anything?" She shook her head and attempted to smile as Zoe left her alone.
"How're you feeling?" She was staring at the side of the cubicle when Dylan slipped himself in, so when he spoke she was brought crashing down to reality.
"Am I losing the baby?" She asked Dylan, because she hadn't been able to find the words to ask Zoe, she lay staring at him waiting on an answer, feeling her eyes tear up when he failed to give her one. He reached across the bed and brushed at the tear which had fallen down her cheek, before taking her hand in his.
"Zoe thinks it's some sort of infection… we'll know more later, Sam, just try to stay calm." She squeezed his hand, and pulled it up to her own cheek, letting her head roll to the side forcing him to moved further up the bed, to let her remain there, with both hands wrapped around his one, obviously providing her with some sort of comfort he didn't understand, in silence.
She recalled the time they were last even close to this position, bitterly, realising that mentioning it now, would provoke all sorts of thoughts, and those would lead to Dylan trying to do the right thing; and however much she wanted him back, she wasn't prepared to let him be miserable again, just to make her happy. She settled for her memories.
She felt a tear roll down her cheek before it made contact with his chest, as she lay with her head on his chest his arms around her thin frame, and he was shocked from his silence of staring at the wall to return his attention to the sleepy Sam in his arms, he spoke quietly: "There wasn't anything else you could've done." As she took in his words all she could do was nod softly against his chest and then felt him tighten his grip around her as he pulled the quilt further around them.
"And how are we in here?" Zoe pulled back the curtain as she entered the cubicle, she barely flinched at their position, talking calmly, reading from the paper in front of her as she did so: "Bloods are inconclusive Sam, so we're going to focus on bringing your temperature down; while they run some other tests. Dylan could you give me a minute?" She looked up at the mention of her name, biting her lip slightly, as Dylan moved his hand away from her and made to stand up. She considered reaching her hand out to him and telling him he was allowed to stay; but that was much too like he should be involved.
"Do you want me to phone the baby's dad?" Zoe whispered the question to her, as though afraid Dylan might hear.
She shook her head in reply, but then expanded on her answer: "No. It's just me and this one now." She didn't miss the sympathetic look which Zoe had shot her way before, the older woman seemed to realise what she'd done and quickly looked back down at the chart which hung from the bed frame and picked it up in order to busy herself with reading from it.
"Okay? Feeling sick?" Zoe returned her attention from Sam's chart to the woman herself, when she glanced up to see her looking particularly dazed. She lifted the bowl which sat on the table at the foot of the bed, handing it to Sam, as she moved up the bed to sit next to her - pulling her now loose long hair from her face as the younger medic was sick. "There we go…" She took the bowl from her hands, and in return handed her a plastic cup of water and a tissue. Before she resumed in her earlier actions, lifted the thermometer placing it in her ear and noting the reading: "Your temperature is coming down, that's a good sign." She smiled at her as she left the cubicle again, thus allowing Dylan to return.
She wasn't sure how long she had waited with Dylan until Zoe had returned and once again sent Dylan away while she had delivered further results - the diagnosis: Parvovirus B19, had frightened her - only because of her pregnancy - fearful of the harm that it may cause her child. Zoe had been quick to reassure that the risk was small, and they would monitor her baby to remain on the safe side until they were sure that no harm had come to them.
Shortly after this, the older medic had helped her manoeuvre herself into a more comfortable position, taken her temperature a final time and encouraged her to try and get some sleep. She hadn't quite realised just how tired she was until that moment, her worrying obviously destroying any remaining energy she had and she was certain that she'd been asleep before Zoe had even left the cubicle.
She felt a surprising warmth when she had woken to find Dylan by her bedside, his hand was holding hers, she turned her head silently to look at him unable to take her hand away from his. Then she noticed he was looking at his watch. "Meant to be somewhere?"
He physically jumped at her words, realising she was awake: "I was meant to be meeting Zoe for a drink."
"Go." Her voice was timid, half wondering whether she really was strong enough to let him go, he looked at her sceptically, before she reinforced her point: "Seriously, go, I'll be fine." Using the hand which he held in his she pushed at him, in order to motivate him into standing up.
"You sure?" He turned as he reached the curtain, pausing with this hand on it, watching her worriedly but she merely nodded before closing her eyes again. She wasn't even sure how she had managed to contain the tears until he left the cubicle, but she sobbed herself back into an unease sleep hugging a pillow to her chest.
So, I do hope you enjoyed and I'll be back in a week.
p.s. it probably should be noted that I relied on trusty google for any symptoms, so there may be small mistakes in there..
Anny x
