For a few moments he said nothing. Gillian was a little worried.

"Cal? Cal, what's going on?" Gillian opened her car and sat into it, waiting for him to respond.

"Can you, can you pick up Emily for me? I'm a bit tied up this afternoon and I won't get there before she's finished." Gillian frowned. Something was very wrong.

"Of course I can but what's going on Cal? You can tell me."

"It's my dad. He's been taken into hospital. Respiratory problems. It doesn't look too good, Gill." Gillian bit her lip. She knew this would grate on him, especially given the conversation from the other night.

"Where are you Cal?"

OXOXOXOXO

Gillian pulled into a free space in the hospital's underground car park and made her way toward the lift. Emily didn't need to be collected for another hour so she had decided to come and make sure that Cal had eaten and done all the things a normal human being would need to do in such situations.

When the lift stopped at the fifth floor she stepped out and followed the directions he had given her. That was another thing that significantly increased her worry. He'd accepted help. She rounded the corner and found the room door, number 54, open. Cal sat in the chair next to the bed; Thomas Lightman was asleep next to him. She walked in and smiled meekly.

"Hi" she said, placing the bag containing a sandwich and some fruit down on the table next to him. He stood up.

"Thanks for that luv." She nodded and gave him a hug, letting him squeeze her tightly. When they broke he offered her the chair he had been sitting in.

"How is he?" Cal shrugged.

"Breathing's stable now but only when he's on this thing." He sighed as he hunched down next to her. "His lungs are shutting down Gill. It's cancer but at his age, there's really nothing they can do except…make him comfortable." Gillian bowed her head, reaching her hand across to squeeze his shoulder. She looked at him.

"Can he speak?" Cal shook his head.

"No. Not while the tube is in. But he can listen and soon as he's awake I'm going to take the opportunity to talk to him with interruptions." Gillian bit her lip. There was a hint of bitterness in his voice but she knew from his face that it was more shock than anything.

"Zoe's on her way back from New York" he said suddenly. "They had great time for one another." Gillian nodded. She remembered Cal mentioning that before.

"Do you want me to bring Emily here after I pick her up?" she asked. Cal shrugged again.

"I don't know. First time meeting her granddad and it's to say goodbye to him. Not really fair, is it?" Gillian shook her head. It wasn't fair. Cal suddenly nodded his head.

"Yeah, bring her here. But don't tell her alright? Just tell her, I don't know, make something up." Gillian nodded and stole a glance at Cal's father. He was sleeping in what seemed a peaceful manner if you could remove the wheezing sounds coming from his chest. She turned back to his son.

"I'm really sorry Cal." He just nodded.

OXOXOXOXOXO

Emily Lightman spotted Gillian's car from across the road and carefully made her way across to the passenger seat.

"I take it my dad's off doing something stupid and dangerous and he sent you to come get me, right?" she said, closing the door and buckling her seatbelt. Gillian smiled. She was her father's daughter in every way, she realised.

"Something like that yeah." She started the car and pulled out into the right lane of traffic. Emily frowned.

"Are we going a different way to the office?" Gillian shook her head.

"Your father's at the hospital. He wanted me to bring you over." Emily's face fell as she stared out the front window. Gillian gulped. Maybe the direct approach wasn't the best idea. Just as she was about to clarify, Emily looked at her.

"Just how dangerous and stupid was the thing he did?" Gillian stifled a laugh as she turned to her right.

"He's fine Emily. But I don't know anymore than that." She hoped Emily wouldn't spot her lie. If she did, she didn't say anything.

OXOXOXOXOXO

"Has something happened to Mom?" Emily asked as they made their way to the elevator. Gillian shook her head.

"I don't know Emily." At this Emily stopped.

"You do know Gill. Please just tell me what's going on." Gillian faltered slightly.

"Emily, it's really not my place to say anything. Your dad's upstairs, he'll tell you everything but I'm not going to betray his trust." Emily nodded, seeming to accept this explanation just as the lift doors opened. They stepped inside and Gillian pressed the button for the fifth floor. As the doors closed, Emily spoke again.

"So what's going on between you and Dad?"

"Emily!"

Ok so there's a new chapter explaining what's going on. Hopefully people are still following. R+R!