They did the traditional thing of brides mum walking back down the aisle with grooms dad. It was as James watched Nathan's dad, Nigel, sweep the mother of the bride into his hold that he felt insanely jealous.

Events more than 20 years ago had robbed him of his time. But why did they still have a stranglehold over him? Why should the freak timings of one day dictate the rest of his life. Life is hard then you die. You know what? on this one he'd stopped taking the plane and the boat and despite all the millions of protestations he'd given his young trainees about not letting events change the way they act this one had dug in deep, the very personal nature had clawed its way into his fears and he'd never tried to dislodge it.

Now with his daughter walking ahead of him so blissfully content, holding hands with the love of her life, having promised each other so much James Dempsey suddenly, and even irrationally, wanted the same. James' gaze dropped back from the bride and groom to the two parents meandering just two foot in front of him. With mother of the bride hooked through Nigel's arm Dempseys gaze was fixated and he paid too little attention to the mother of the groom. Not that Caroline noticed, she smiled and waved as the procession moved forward. Dempsey was all over the place, he'd not expected to 'feel' anything today apart from a bit of fatherly pride so the sucker punch of past regret that surged from within and hit him squarely in the gut had taken him by complete surprise. God dammit he'd denied himself the opportunity to exit a wedding ceremony walking arm in arm with his woman and so Caroline Roberts lightly tripping over his toes was fast becoming the biggest irony of his life. The end of the walkway between the two banks of chairs was fast approaching.

With no reasoned thought but with bundles of passion James made his move. He launched forward and wrenched the couple in front of him apart. It was no more elegant than being yanked back towards where the registrar was gathering his papers and by the time those few seconds had elapsed and Dempsey was standing back before the table the guests had turned their gaze from Olivia and Nathan and back towards the errant parents.

"Can we do it too?"

Jeremy Wood looked startled and confused "I'm sorry"

"Right now. Can we get married?"

Jeremy looked from James to the perplexed woman standing next to him but Dempsey ignored all his concerns "I want tell all these people that I love her. That I always will" he threw his shoulders and hands in a kind of desperation" for f*#ks sake we have always been totally committed to each other, totally in love" he was pleading his case to the registrar "she changed me, she captivated me, hooked me, reeled me in and I've never wanted to be anywhere other than right here by her side"

Jeremy Wood sought some sort of sign from the still shell shocked woman standing next him and finally James turned his attention to her as well. "I love your determination, your giggle, your sexy..." the polite cough reminded him where he was "I'd wanna marry you whatever but boy babe you're still pretty hot looking" Now Dempsey addressed the wider audience "She has majestic loyalty, love and support and isn't she just such an incredible mum"

Her horror was diffusing with each of James' declarations and her secret desires were being massaged. She had never complained about not getting married; always agreed that they knew they were committed to each other but Olivia had been nipping away at her settledness with constant and consistent suggestions that it wasn't too late for her parents to tie the knot.

She'd tried, unsuccessfully, to persuade Olivia that the knot had been tied many a time, what with two children and a country estate, a more than fulltime job each and they were still together. Still arguing over stupid things and still doing 'date nights' (and had been long before the term had been invented or become fashionable)

Olivia had just taken every reason put forward as a reason 'of no need do anything special' as the very reason they should! So much so that only last week on a mother of the bride hen night the four women had had a deep and meaningful – the content and resolution of which was lost in far too many lychee cocktails.

When Harry was finally woken Dempsey was unaware of the happenings. Aware of both the disaster of the first attempt and the unease that Dempseys presence still had on some of the ward Dr Flackery chose to wake his patient late evening. The neuro team happy with her ability to move any limb allowed her to wake more and were relieved to hear her talk. Harry remembered her own name and her designation. With a wry smile Dr Flackery asked for her to be sedated again for the rest of the night and for the bull to be contacted 1st thing and told she would be awake and ready for him by midday.

Petros Flackery met Dempsey as approached the ITU with a fresh bunch of flowers. Dempsey stopped in his tracks his optimistic bounce grinding into the floor like a stone. The doctor noted the panic flare across the bulls eyes and spoke to reassure

"it's going well"

"but?"

"it's not a but. I just want to make sure you don't expect too much."

Dempseys guarded look spoke volumes

She will be tired, she won't remember everything...

But me and...

She has been doing some tests and answering our questions and now we've let her sleep. Flackery smiled he felt confident that his patient would now do well "be gentle and she'll be fine and so will you" he stood back leaving the route to Harrys bed open to James.

James was just relieved that when Harry opened her eyes she murmured his name. Such a simple thing that actually brought a tear to his eye. He held her hand in a tight clasp as she looked around the room

It seemed she was only awake for such a short time before Harry mentioned being tired and dozed again.

The staff seemed pleased with her progress. Harry remembered things from earlier in the day, wasn't surprised to see James when she woke the third or fourth time and even managed a little soup.

The next morning James bounced into the ITU

"wow" he said "you're looking gorgeous princess"

One of the nurses washed my hair and I even had a bath"

Hey sounds like you're doing good babe, you'll soon get outta here.

The big false smile Harry had manufactured was gone and her whole face crumpled

Dempsey was across and cradling her face in his hands

Hey don't cry sweet heart it'll be ok but Harry just clung to James and he felt her tears

Harry I'm here, I'll always be here sweetheart

Yes but that's not how it was meant to be

James held her tight and stroked her hair "we will always be together wedding or no wedding"

That's not what I meant" Harry whispered and then became violently angry "they wont talk to me, they think I'm a fool, they throw niceties at my face- you're doing well Harry, good girl Harry, good grief I'm not 6 and they" she pointed towards the nursing staff "are not my mother"

Dempsey waited, confused he was unsure what to say. After more silence he prompted Harry "You wanna try and explain?"

"Our baby" she started to sob "I'm not pregnant anymore and you know that"

Dempsey pushed her back from himself. The full horror on Harry's behalf wouldn't hit James til later but right now he just grinned like a monkey and slipped his hand inside his jacket retrieving wallet and photo. That was one thing the GOSH team were good at - making sure parents had an up to date Polaroid of their baby. "Harry" he began "they had to deliver her but look" he wave the picture "our little Tinkerbell is doing just fine"

Harry took the picture into her hand and traced her finger lightly over the tiny bundle temporarily free from her incubator

Dempsey cradled Harry feeling progressively guilty that he hadn't talked about their daughter yesterday "let me tell you I think she has inherited everything from her mom 'cos she's one beauty"

He held his hand over Harrys as they both in effect held their daughter. With his other hand he stroked Harrys hair "she sleeps a lot, kinda like her mom at the moment but I'm telling you babe I can sit lookin' at her all mornin' and you all afternoon." Harry felt warm and secure in response to Dempseys big squeeze "I've kinda got a pattern going and the doc says she's doing fine" Harry turned the photo as if she was searching for more "Her name?" Harry asked "we never decided on names. Please tell me you didn't..."

Dempsey laughed "I didn't anything. She's got a nickname - Tinkerbell we can decide on a real name when you meet"

The shock had tired Harry and she lay back closing her eyes "Tell me about her. Were you there when she was born? God I don't even know how much my own baby weighed. Is she ok?"

Dempsey started to fill in all the gaps. Half way through, when he heard Harry's breathing lighten as she slept he stopped and left the room. He came back grinning.

The specialist nurse and Sophia Dempsey hung back. They had dressed the baby in the outfit bought by Angela and wrapped in a huge shawl. It was now merely two hours since James had made his phone call and now he carried their daughter in and placed her in Harry's arms.

Baby Dempsey slept, totally unaware of being in her mother's arms

"Didn't I tell you she was just beautiful?"

"I feel like I've missed out, I don't know her and she doesn't know me. She doesn't know I'm holding her"

"Sure she does, she don't like it when the docs come round and hold her, see she senses her mom" James reassured her.

"Look at you, my two girls together - alive n kickin'"

Harry was looking down at her daughter, peeling back the shawl, noting the frilly dress but wondering at the tiny fingers now clasping her own little finger. The tiny mouth started to suck at fresh air, her tiny tongue poking between her lips and her tiny head turned towards the hand touching her cheek and she took the knuckle offered her.

"Does she have a bottle?" Harry asked finally looking back up to James

He nodded, swallowed but still remained speechless as he used his sleeve to stem the floods that had already swept over his cheeks down his neck and swamped the collar of his shirt

Sophia and the nursery nurse had got through a packet of Kleenex as they spied sideways through the window trying to keep out of view.

Harry took it all in "life is hard, then you die" she reiterated quite coolly and with measured self control

"Right now Harry life is a peach and I ain't ready to die"