Sorry this chapter's a bit short. But I've already finished writing the next so that will be up soon :) Don't own Lie to Me.

She heard voices talking in the background. She tried to focus on them, tried to call out that she needed help. When nothing came out, she tried focussing using one of her other senses. Bad idea. She felt a searing pain in her stomach again and tried to clutch at it. Still no movement. The voices around her seemed to be getting louder, more urgent. She heard someone say something about opening her eyes so she focussed all her strength on doing that. And finally she saw light. And blurred figures. And Alec. And... Cal? She could see him skulking in the corner. To anyone else it would have looked like he didn't care, didn't want to be there. But even in her condition she could see the pain in his face. The concern.

'Alec?'

Her throat felt like sandpaper and her voice sounded strangled.

'I'm here honey.'

She turned to face him.

'What...happened?'

It was still difficult to formulate words, let alone sentences.

And there it was, the look she had been dreading. He had tried to hide it. But he was an amateur when it came to lying. She knew that and he knew that. So he gripped her hand a little tighter. A comforting gesture. But that was the one thing she didn't want. Rolling over she tried to hide from the world. From Alec. Go away.

'Gill...'

She shut her eyes tighter.

'Ok, I'll be outside when you need me.'

I won't need you.

Time passed. Minutes turned into hours, turned into days. And she lay there. She was discharged after two days. And she continued to lie there, on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Watching the shadows dance on the roof.

Four days later she was back at work. Just like that. Like nothing had happened. Like she hadn't just lost the single most important thing in her life. The only thing she had ever desired, wanted. Ached to have. And then she got the call. As if it could get any worse. Then there was the doctor's visit. The confirmation that she was physically fine. That he had some bad news. That she could never have another child. So Alec did what he did best, placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. And she did what she did best, shrugged off his arm and walked out.

Work continued. She had cases, she did paperwork. She functioned.

Cal still hadn't spoken to her. But she had seen his looks. And she took comfort in them. They had gone from everything, to nothing, to something. She didn't know what it was but she knew it was the only thing getting her through.

It was on that day, four days from the worst news of her life that she decided it was time to speak again. She tentatively knocked on his door. He looked up, their eyes locked. One of those 'pivotal' moments they always talk about in the movies. She waited hoping he was going to make the decision she wanted him to. And when he looked away, she simply walked away.