It feels like ages since I last updated this story and for that I am sorry :-( I have no good excuse, although I did have a temporary glitch with my FanFiction account where it would not allow me to log in and post an update. However that has all been sorted now so its on to the story writing.

So this chapter - I'm not very happy with it. I feel like it has too much speech in, its too short and isnt very interesting at all but I guess it's kind of a 'filler' chapter because I knew what I wanted to happen in the next chapter but I had to fill the space between the previous chapter and the next chapter somehow (if that makes sense?) So the next chapter will hopefully be a lot better! Anyway enjoy, Izzie xx

Disclaimer: Once again I do not own Noughts and Crosses or anything associated with them etc...

Sephy

Everything is silent. It's so dark, so very dark and cold. I lie still, unsure of where I am. I heave myself up onto my elbows and try to lean on them but its as if my arms have disappeared because almost instantly I collapse down again. Twisting to the sides I look around me. There are a lot of people in beds, and chairs beside each bed.
I rub my eyes, maybe its a trick of the light. Maybe I'm back in my own bed at home and none of the events I've been thinking about actually happened. A shadow moves at the end of the bed, getting bigger and closer towards me. I'm not at home, I realise, but in a hospital. I try to lie as still as possible and not attract attention to myself. The shadow moves away from me and I gradually relax. After a while my eyes start to tire from staring into the blackness of the ceiling. I'm awake now, I'm sure of it. But I'm afraid that if I let my eyes shut that I'll never be able to wake up again. But it's so hard, and I'm so tired...

A few hours later...

Sephy

"Yes, she's waking up now. She's going to be just fine." That voice, the one that's been talking to me for days, is the one I first heard when I woke up again.
"Wha-Where am I?" I ask sleepily, rubbing my eyes. A nurse hurries to my side and helps support me.
"You're in hospital Miss Hadley. Everyone's been very worried about you." I blink a few times, trying to adjust to the light.
"Where's Callum?" The nurse is rushing around me, propping up pillows behind me.
"What happened to me?"
"Why am I here?" the questions come pouring out of my mouth. The nurse hesitates for a second
"I'm not sure who you mean Miss Hadley. And you were in a coma so we've been looking after you. Helping you to get better." Why was she talking to me like I was a child? I sighed and leaned back into the pillows. The nurse smiled at me and turned to leave
"I'll just go and let your mother know that you've woken up."
"No!" I protested "Mother will be busy. Just get Callum for me. Callum McGregor." The nurse frowned at me but didn't say anything. I watched her leave the ward and pick up the phone.

Callum

The phone rang. I hesitated, I didn't want to speak to anyone. Besides it was probably mum or the police, and I wasn't too keen on either of them at the moment. I was glad when the phone rang off and I curled up on the sofa again. My peace and quiet didn't last long though. The phone's shrill rang out a minute later.
"Go away." I mumbled unhappily into the cushions. The noise carried on so sighing I dragged myself up and picked the phone up.
"What?" I snapped down the receiver. The voice at the other end wasn't Mum's or an officers. It was a young lady. A nurse. My heart started to beat furiously and I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks. I breathed in deeply. This couldn't be happening.
"Callum McGregor?" the voice asked.
"Yes?" my voice trembled as I replied. Had something happened to Sephy?
"I've been instructed to inform you that Miss Persephone Hadley has woken up. She said she wishes to see you." And just like that, one sentence, filled me with hope again. Sephy was okay, and she wanted to see me. Hurriedly I thanked the nurse and put the phone back.

Sephy

Everything was a great big blur now. It wasn't my silent fantasy anymore. This was all real. It had all happened. I waited patiently whilst everyone fussed around me.
"Sephy?" his voice flooded into my ears. I spun round and instantly a mixture of shock and relief ran through me.
"Callum," I breathed his name softly "You came." He nodded and sat beside me on my bed. I wanted to do something, say something but instead the silence echoed around us. I had to tell him, but I didn't know how.
"Callum,I-" I started to explain but my put a finger on my lips, silencing me.
"It's okay Sephy." He smiled at me "Everything's going to be alright." I so wanted to believe him, to believe that everything could just go back to the way it was. But I knew it couldn't
"But it won't Callum." My voice shook as I looked at him "I'm so sorry Cal." I choked out, tears forming in my eyes "This is all my fault – if I hadn't been so stupid then this might never have happened." The tears rolled down my cheeks but I didn't bother to wipe them away. Callum moved closer to me and hugged me to him. I breathed in his warm smell and instantly relaxed.
"It's not your fault Sephy." He whispered into my ear "We'll get through this." I leant into him and listened to his steady heartbeat. When he said it, it seemed so real and true. Like everything would be alright.
"I'm pregnant Callum." I said looking at my obvious stomach. Slowly Callum removed my head from his chest and placed his hand on my chin so that I was looking directly at him "I know Sephy. And I'm so sorry I've done this to you. Maybe they can..." he trailed off but I knew what he was going to say. And I knew the answer.
"It's too late. Jude wouldn't take me and now it's too late." I started to cry again.

Callum

I didn't know what to do. She was hurting so badly and I didn't know how to stop it. I'd give anything to make it stop but the doctor said he couldn't. She cried for a long time, the nurse said it was just the after effects of the kidnapping but I know Sephy. She bottles everything up inside until she can't stand it any longer. She's been through so much recently and now this. But she's strong and we can get through this. I know we can.