A little bit of Auntie Jac and Ava starting from here. Hope you enjoy reading. Please feel free to leave a quick review to let me know your thoughts :-)

As Jonny Maconie finished towel drying his wife's hair for her she leaned back against him heavily. 'Are you ok?' He wrapped his arms around her as she nodded. 'It's just you've been a bit quiet. You did want to…I mean… that was ok wasn't it?' he spoke hesitantly, concern etched into his voice.

'It was perfect Jonny, I needed to feel love from you' she turned her head awkwardly, inviting him to kiss her over her shoulder. Jonny responded to her, determined to show her he was willing to love her in any way she wanted. 'It's just, now I'm bit tired' she admitted with a slight blush as their lips parted.

'Oh' Jonny chuckled kissing her cheek. 'Sorry about that.' He released the hold his arms had around her and picked up her hair brush. He had become an expert at washing Jac's hair after having to help her after the emergency caesarean that had brought forth their daughter into the world and unfortunately ended with Jac's hysterectomy. He carefully ran the brush through her long wet auburn hair brushing out the knots. 'I love you Jac but don't you dare fall asleep here' he warned her jokingly as he tied her wet tresses back into a pony tail knowing from her closed eyes she didn't have the energy left to withstand sitting up for him to blow dry it for her. 'Come on, we'd better get you back into bed.'

'Carry me' Jac mumbled sleepily.

'You what?' Jonny laughed at her.

'Please, I can't be bothered to walk.'

He lifted her easily into his arms and carried her the short distance from the ensuite bathroom back to the hospital bed. He laid her carefully down on the mattress and covered her lower body over with the sheets and blankets. 'Sweet dreams' he whispered as he kissed her cheek softly. He busied himself reconnecting the IV line back to the cannula in her left arm knowing Chantelle would only disturb her with a cherry chat if she was left to do it.

'You'll stay with me won't you Jonny?' she mumbled sleepily.

'I'm right here' he reassured her sitting down in the chair beside her bed. 'I promised I would stay with you remember?'

'You know I think this was the t-shirt you were wearing when you first said you loved me' all of Jac's nightwear consisted of plain cotton pyjama trousers and one of Jonny's old t-shirts. she lay her hand on her chest she spoke to indicate she meant the one she was currently wearing.

'Don't be daft Naylor' Jonny grinned 'how would you possibly remember something like that?'

'Just because' Jac shrugged, smiling at her husband sleepily.

'Oh I need to hear this explanation now' he teased her taking hold of her hand.

'I need to sleep, you wore me out with certain activities in the shower just now' she teased him back closing her eyes.

'Och, come on Naylor that's not fair' Jonny sulked shaking her hand lightly to stop her from slipping into sleep.

'Remember when we used to sneak off to hotels to spend nights and weekends alone together?' Jac responded to him dozily keeping her eyes closed.

'How could I forget?' Jonny laughed 'you'd always order champagne and strawberries from room service and we wouldn't leave the room until we had to check out.'

'You remember ever denying anything on one of those visits?' Jac questioned him, opening her eyes.

'I'm sticking to that; I didn't say it then.'

'I'm fairly sure you did, in the throes of passion I'm pretty sure I heard an exclamation involving the words 'I' and 'love' and 'you' and possibly even 'Naylor' escape your lips'.

'I remember your face looked terrified at the thought I had said it' Jonny huffed defensively. 'I believe the exact sentence you used was 'what the bloody hell did you just say?'. Not always something a guy wants to hear right after an earth shattering performance but whatever.'

'You're being awfully defensive about something you didn't say' Jac spoke in an amused tone.

'I didn't say it' Jonny huffed again.

'So what did you say?' Jac gave an amused smile. 'In the midst of making love to me in that hotel room on the day you were wearing this t-shirt, that I distinctly remember taking off your finely toned body, what did you cry out to me?'

Jonny didn't speak for a while knowing she had him backed into a corner now. He didn't know why he continued to lie about this with her after all these years and the numerous times he had said those words to her. There was something about their relationship in those early days that felt as though if either one had admitted it was more than just a fling it would disappear on them, leaving them both bereft and heartbroken.

'Well?' Jac queried, several minutes now having passed.

'I thought you'd fallen asleep' Jonny suddenly jerked himself back the present.

'No chance Maconie, I want to hear that I was right' Jac yawned.

'Well you were wrong because what I actually said was' he leaned forward so he could whisper in her ear 'my God Naylor, what have you done to me, I love you.' He kissed her quickly on the lips to stop her from gloating. 'It was completely involuntary and also completely and utterly devastatingly true' he confessed with a laugh as their lips parted.

'I probably should have told you then that I was falling in love with you too' Jac confessed with a sad smile 'it might have uncomplicated things a bit.'

'I love complicated' Jonny kissed her sadness away 'it's the frill of the chase that first drew me to you, remember?' he kissed her again 'now go to sleep, you need to be well rested for Ava tomorrow. She's really missing you.'

'Auntie Jac?' Ava's quiet voice spoke cautiously to her sleeping Aunt. It was past ten in the morning on the third day of Jac's hospital stay. Ava watched as Jac slowly opened her eyes. 'Uncle Jonny said I could wake you up.'

'Hi Pumpkin' Jac smiled warmly as she registered it was her niece waking her up. 'Sorry I was so sleepy yesterday you couldn't see me.'

'That's ok' Ava shrugged as though it hadn't upset her as much as it did. 'You're sick, you can't help it.'

'What have you been up to?' Jac asked her as reached out a hand to smooth the child's lose auburn hair.

'Just hanging around here' Ava shrugged again as though it didn't matter.

'Not much of an end to your summer holidays huh?' Jac gave Ava a sympathetic look.

'It's not your fault' Ava gave her aunt a small smile 'these things happen.'

'I'll make it up to you on half term, I promise' Jac smiled back.

'You don't have to; Mo and Sacha are being really nice. Mo even said I can be chief bridesmaid although I'm not sure what Adele will make of that.'

'Mo probably wants you save her from Adele's colour scheme choice's' Jac laughed softly. 'I'm going to be Sacha's best woman, did he tell you that?'

Ava grinned as she shook her head 'I thought you had to be a best man?'

'Mo was Jonny's best woman and Sacha was my man of honour, but you probably don't remember that' Jac smiled sadly 'you were still only a toddler then.'

'I remember the rose petals' Ava leaned against the bed having become comfortable in the presence of her sick aunt at last 'and Reverend Alice letting me have the icing off her portion of wedding cake.'

'Oh that explains why you were still hyper until late into the evening' Jac laughed as she remembered. 'Uncle Jonny had to bribe you to get you into your pyjama's. You were so cute back then.'

'And then I grew up' Ava giggled.

'Yeah you did' Jac smiled softly 'into this amazing young girl.'

'Will you be out of here in time for when I start back at school?' Ava asked nervously, fiddling with the hospital bracelet around Jac's bony wrist.

'I don't think so sweetheart, sorry' Jac answered her sadly 'I think I've still got another few days to go.'

'Oh' Ava didn't look her aunt in the eye as she tried to hide her disappointment and anxiety.

'You're not nervous about starting your new term are you Pumpkin?' Jac asked her having correctly guessed Ava's inner thoughts.

'Who's going to get me ready?' Ava mumbled, embarrassed to admit the thought of returning to St Catharine's unprepared was making her feel edgy.

'I'm way ahead of you on that one' Jac took hold of Ava's hand a squeezed it tightly 'I've emailed instructions to Mo, she's going to check you have everything, make sure it fits and is ironed and take you shoe shopping with Evelyn tomorrow.'

'Oh ok' Ava couldn't help the look of relief that broke across her face 'because uncle Jonny really can't…'

'Iron, I know' Jac interrupted her niece 'and I'm pretty sure he'd be rubbish at finding you shoes too' Jac gave a mock sigh 'these faults of his are just crosses we'll have to bare I'm afarid.'

Ava giggled as Mo Effanga suddenly popped her head around the door 'Jac, I think you've left something off this list' she spoke mockingly 'it seems St Catharine's don't have a boater.'

'Don't be silly Mo' Ava rolled her eyes at her godmother 'we have berets for autumn and winter terms.'

'Oh' Mo's giddy smile dropped a fraction as she studied the email from Jac on her phone once more. 'You know I don't know what's more sad; the fact I can't tell you off for cheeking me or the fact I have to actually measure the length of your skirt.' She poked her tongue out at the child before sitting down on the end of Jac's bed. 'This is a serious amount of kit' she muttered 'no wonder Jonny Mac needed a promotion.'

'Ha ha' Jac responded dryly, smiling to herself as she watched Mo taking repeated sneaky glances at the diamond ring on her finger 'my pay more than covers Ava's needs thank you very much.'

'You know I could use Granddad's money to pay for my school fees now' Ava suddenly suggested brightly.

'No pumpkin, I'm paying for your secondary education, you should save that money for your future.' Jac responded firmly but kindly to the child.

'Could I buy a pony instead then?' Ava requested

'No!' both Mo and Jac answered her looking at each other in horror. They had so far managed to avoid Ava becoming the stereotypical spoilt rich kid she could so easily become.

'Julia' Ava pulled a disgusted face as she spoke the girls name 'has two ponies, she's always bragging about them' she implored her Aunt.

'Where do you think you're going to keep a pony to?' Mo asked her goddaughter 'in the garage next to Auntie Jac's motorbike?'

'Well obviously I'd have to pay for it to be stabled' Ava rolled her eyes at Mo.

'Sorry pumpkin' Jac shook her head firmly 'you'll just have to content yourself with Saturday afternoon riding lessons.'

'Which reminds me, I can't do that tomorrow' Mo spoke

'Oh but…' Ava started to pout but then stopped herself remembering she had be grown up and good whilst Auntie Jac was in hospital.

'See if Spence can do it' Jac suggested 'he's the one who got her into it in the first place.'

'You sure Jonny won't mind?' Mo checked before she started typing out an email to Ava's godfather.

'This is me not caring if Jonny minds or not' Jac answered her.

'What happened between Michael and Uncle Jonny?' Ava asked curiously.

'Nothing at all really which is what is so irritating' Jac answered her 'it's not anything for you to worry about, it'll soon blow over.'

'What about Ric? Are you and Uncle Jonny still cross with him?'

'Whoa would you look at time, come on Ava we promised Serena we'd only be ten minutes' Mo suddenly leapt to her feet and attempted to usher Ava from the room so Jac wouldn't have answer the question.

'What did Ric do that was so bad?' Ava persisted in her questioning despite Mo's frim hand on her shoulder

'He gave Granddad some information I didn't want him to have' to both Mo and Ava's surprise Jac answered her niece 'so at the moment I'm still cross with him.'

'Ok' Ava nodded her head to show she understood that would be the only explanation she would be getting.

'Could you go and see if someone could make some toast?' Jac sought to distract the child now 'I think I might be able to manage a slice.'

'Ok' Ava skipped happily out of room pleased her aunt was looking better. Before the door swung shut on Ava Jac could hear Chantelle Lane singing to herself as she was walking towards Jac's room to do her obs.

'Quick Mo, start doing my ob's so little miss cheery pants won't have to' Jac spoke urgently to her friend.

'What's it worth?' Mo questioned crossing her arms.

'Anything, I can't take her cheerfulness anymore' Jac hissed just as the door to her room opened once more.

'Ava said you fancied some toast' Chantelle positivity beamed as she entered the room 'I think that's brilliant, you're finally getting your appetite back!'

'Er, don't bother with Jac's obs Chantelle, I'll do them' Mo stepped in having seen the look of pure loathing on Jac's face. 'I can have a bit more time to go through Ava's uniform list without Ms Campbell getting agitated that I'm wearing her out.'

'Oh that's ok Mr Spence wanted bloods doing as well' Chantelle cheerily rebuffed the woman's offered help, setting a kidney dish down on the end of the bed 'you won't want to bothering yourself with that Ms Effanga. Congratulations by the way' Chantelle grinned 'I thought Mr Levy had forgotten all about his plans to propose to you.'

'Thank you' Mo shyly looked down at her ring again. 'He didn't really have plans for a treasure hunt involving the entire hospital did he?'

'He did' Chantelle giggled 'didn't he Ms Naylor?'

'Hmm' Jac answered with a nod of her head, not trusting herself to keep her words civil but unable to hide the clear scowl that crept across her face.

'I really don't mind seeing to Jac' Mo insisted a bit more firmly this time sensing the tone from Jac's reply.

'If you're sure' Chantelle spoke hesitantly, unsure if she should be following orders from a CT registrar or if it would be wiser to ignore them and do the job herself as planned.

'I'm really, really sure' Mo forced a smile seeing Jac was looking just about ready to explode with revulsion.

'Ok then, I'll see to that toast.' Chantelle smiled as she bounced out of the room.

'Oh thank God' Jac let out a sigh of relief. 'Surely there has to be a normal nurse in this hospital who is just as competent and doesn't gossip?'

'Evidently not.' Mo grinned evilly as she picked up the kidney dish containing all the equipment necessary to draw Jac's blood 'you'll so owe me for this one Naylor, turning me into a bloody nurse!'