I always found Cassie Mahy a rather bitter character, she was one of the few that I truly disliked in the show, even before she lost Urban.

It was far too hot, the air heavy and listless with not even a hint of a breeze. Felicity leaned momentarily against one of heavy the solid stone pillars that ran along the front entranceway of Sous la Chaine, one hand resting on her bump. She had never dreamed that she could be so uncomfortable, she had thought she'd known what to expect, having been pregnant before, but she felt like a blimp. With Phil her bump had been small and neat, this time round it was much larger, she was about as big as she had been when she had been at her due date last time round. If she didn't know any better she would have thought she had her dates wrong, but she knew she couldn't possibly have.

Stepping forward, she shaded her eyes as she moved into the glaring sunlight, her gait heavy as she made her way towards her bicycle, straightening it up and thinking of the best way to get her ungainly body onto the damned thing. She would have to stop cycling soon, she had hoped to keep going for longer but she could barely manage the long journey as it was. But when she stopped it meant giving up her freedom, meant she would be stuck in that blasted house all day every day; not for the first time she lamented the loss of her car.

James would be furious of course when he found out she had declined Delphine's offer to fetch their groceries from town and went herself, but she needed out, she was so damned uncomfortable. She rubbed at her collarbone, not that a bike ride in this heat would really make things any better, but it was preferable to being cooped up.

"Mrs Dorr, are you planning to head into town?"

Looking up, Felicity saw Captain Muller smiling at her pleasantly, his head tipped to one side as he eyed her bike speculatively. Like her he was probably wondering if it was going to be a feasible task. She glanced behind him to see Wilf Jonas lounging against the door of the car, also looking sceptical about what she was trying to do. Fixing a smile in place she replied, "I am, I have a few things to pick up."

"Ah..." he glanced at the bike again. "As I have the services of Constable Jonas today and am heading that way anyway, perhaps you would consider accepting a lift?"

"Very kind of you, but I'll decline if it's all the same."

"I would feel much more comfortable if you would accept."

"Are you making it an order?"

"No, of course not," he tittered nervously.

"Good, now if you excuse me I have to be getting on."

His face creasing in a worried frown and lowering his voice to a pained whisper he told her, "I really do not think that the Baron would approve of your decision."

Felicity sucked in a breath. "And I really don't think that I care." She and Heinrich had barely said two words to one another in the last three months, not since their confrontation in the garden. He had yet to follow through on his threat to make the true paternity of her baby known and yet it hung over her head like a black cloud.

"Mrs Dorr," he protested in dismay. He looked over his shoulder and called out to Wilf, "Constable Jonas it would appear that Mrs Dorr is reluctant to accept my offer of a lift into town, perhaps you could persuade her to see sense."

Wilf straightened and looked between Felicity and the bike once again. "I can understand your reluctance, but I also think that it would be for the best."

"Your concern is very touching Constable Jonas but as I have already said my answer is no." Giving a slight huff of discomfort she swung herself up and round onto the seat, kicking her foot off the ground and cycling slowly away.

"How is the work progressing?" The Baron asked as he stared out of the window of his office in the George Hotel onto the street below, watching.

"The coastal wall is about a quarter finished, if we want to finish on time then we're going to have to bring in more men," Muller replied.

He gave a short nod. "Very well, but let us try and ensure that they are volunteers."

Muller drew in a breath through his teeth, he hated having to be the bearer of bad news. "I'm afraid that will not be possible this time around, we have already been allocated a group of men."

His spine stiffened. "Who?"

"A mixture of French and Russian prisoners."

He gave a troubled sigh. "We shall need new barracks built for them then. When do they arrive?"

"Two weeks."

"I shall see to it that the barracks are started immediately. They won't be the last but merely the first wave, a telegram arrived this morning, they wish us to begin work on an underground hospital next month. The plans shall arrive in the next few days, but it looks to be extensive."

"Have you informed the Senate of this yet?"

"I will, but let's face facts Muller, that it merely a courtesy, the Senate is not in charge here, I am."

Muller eyed him warily, his mood had been foul of late and it was a case of walking on eggshells around him. "Of course, I merely meant that we seem to garner more of the Island's acceptance when we have them on side."

He snorted, "They are never on our side."

"No...I suppose I meant when they are seen to co-operate with us."

The Baron made a dismissive sound in his throat, his eyes narrowing as he spotted Felicity cycling up to the grocers and sliding off her bike with great difficulty. "Why is she on that thing?"

Muller didn't need to move to see who he was talking about, or indeed ask. "She insisted," he replied unthinkingly.

The Baron turned. "You knew?" He asked, his voice low, dangerous.

"I offered her a lift earlier on today, she declined, in all honesty I'm surprised she got into town at all."

"Stubborn woman! What on earth is the Senator thinking, letting her indulge in such foolish behaviour."

"She has no other way of travelling around the Island," Muller pointed out.

"You offered to drive her, she did have a choice."

He gave a shrug. "Perhaps, but there is nothing we can do to make her accept."

"No, there is not," he admitted grudgingly. It grated on him, he held all the power on this island and yet he had no control in the situation he currently found himself in.

As the shop door swung shut behind Felicity, Cassie gave a titter. "I don't know who she thinks she is fooling."

Margaret looked up from her scales. "Whatever do you mean?" She asked with a frown.

"Well, her swanning around claiming that baby is her husband's, she's the size of a house and claiming that she's not due until October."

"She is normally very slight, she might just show more."

The other woman gave a cynical laugh. "He was in prison for months and she was in that house with all those men and only weeks after he gets home she's got one in the oven."

"It's not unheard of and he had been away for a while." Margaret flushed. "I suppose they'd be very happy to see one another."

Cassie rolled her eyes, she had hated how close Urban had been to that woman, and even though she had always known there was nothing to it, she had resented their easy friendship, especially now he was gone, no doubt their last words hadn't been ones of terrible anger, and she couldn't forget, "Well I think it will be a suspiciously large baby when it no doubt arrives early."

"Mummy!" Angelique protested from the corner where she had been neatening up some stock. "You can't say these things."

"Of course I can, after all half the island is thinking it."

"Half this island is fraternising with them themselves in some form or another, working for them with them, warming their beds," she finished, staring at her mother meaningfully. "It is not our place to destroy lives with petty gossip."

"Yes, well I'm sure that time will prove me right," she continued mulishly.

Margaret stared warily between mother and daughter. "I think I'll check the stock round the back," she muttered, well aware that neither one was really listening to her as she scuttled away.

Angelique shook her head at her mother. "I can't believe you," she whispered harshly. "You of all people."

Cassie gave a bitter smile. "I am not cuckolding anyone."

"You don't know that she is either, and you know what they say, those in glass houses shouldn't throw stones." Angelique shook her head in disappointment, her blonde curls bouncing. "I'll see you later," she murmured. "I need to get back to the Senate."

As she walked out of the shop, she passed Sheldon, who all but skipped into the shop with a cheery grin on his face. He tapped Cassie's hand, gaining her attention before letting his fingers trail lightly onto her wrist, "I come bearing gifts," he told her mischievously.

"I should hope so, one should never show up empty handed after all."

"What are you doing here?" James asked, getting to his feet as he watched his wife walk into his office. "And more to the point how did you get here?"

"How I normally get into town, on my bike," she replied teasingly as she stepped forward, kissing his cheek in greeting.

He frowned down at her. "I thought we spoke about that, it's too much for you."

"I needed out of the house James."

"In this heat it's the best place for you to be, or if you need air then rest in the garden."

"Yes, in the garden in which German soldiers march about as though it were their own." She lowered herself awkwardly onto his chez lounge. "I just wanted some time away from the house, and we needed groceries anyway." She smiled up at him, "And I thought it would be nice to surprise my husband."

"You mean you needed a place to rest after that ridiculous bike ride, and my office fit the bill," he teased in reply.

Felicity's smile widened, in the last few months James had reverted back to how he had been when Phil was young, despite the stresses and strains of his work he made time for her, and his sense of humour had reappeared. "Exactly." She rubbed at her bump as she reclined backwards.

His smile flickered slightly. "Are you really feeling alright?"

"Yes, I promise, just tired and the baby is wide awake right about now."

James dropped down to his knees in front of her and pressed a hand against her stomach, feeling a hard tap against his hands. "Yes, definitely awake."

"And don't I know it." She covered his hand with hers, feeling his free hand press against her cheek, guiding her face to his, kissing her lightly.

The door creaked open and Angelique stopped short, a blush rising up her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Sir. I did knock."

James got to his feet with a mild groan as his knees protested the move. "I'm sure you did, Angelique, I just wasn't paying much attention." He gave a slightly embarrassed smile.

"That's ok," she replied. "I didn't get a chance to speak to you in the shop, Mrs Dorr, are you well?"

"As well as I can be in this weather," she replied.

Looking slightly disgruntled, James remarked, "I really wish that there was another way you could get home, that bike is not appropriate."

"Yes, well with this vehicle ban in place it's the only choice."

"Which is why I felt you would have been better back at the house," he replied mildly.

"It is a rather long journey," Angelique chimed in.

"Fine," Felicity held her hands up, "After today I won't cycle into town."

"Good," James declared with a smile, although he knew that his wife's concession had nothing to do with his request and everything to do with the fact that she was beginning to find the ride intolerable. He reached for his black senate robes, shrugging them on. "I take it we're ready to go in?" He asked Angelique, glancing at her over his shoulder.

"Not quite, Sir, but the Bailiff would like a few words before the meeting starts, he asked if you could meet him in his office." Angelique frowned slightly, "He looked rather harassed."

"Most people do at the moment," he muttered. "Very well though." He looked over at Felicity. "Will you be alright waiting here?"

"Of course, I'll just rest for ten minutes or so before I head home."

James smiled again and leaned forward, kissing her cheek. "As long as you're careful."

Felicity gave a nod, squeezing his hand briefly as way of reassurance, watching as both James and Angelique sweeped out of the room. She gave a stretch, and letting her head fall against the high backed side of the chair closed her eyes for a moment.

The door creaked open after a few minutes and without opening her eyes she said, "Before you ask, I'm fine and what did you forget?"

"I haven't forgotten anything, I was looking for the Senator," she heard the Baron's voice reply. Her eyes flew open and she jerked upright as he continued, "Although I am much relieved to hear that you are well."

"My husband has already left for the senate meeting, although if it is urgent then I believe you may still catch him in the Bailiff's office," Felicity replied. The room felt smaller with him in it and she felt her skin prickle with awareness as he stared at her.

"It was simply a courtesy call," he informed her. He didn't move though, simply looked at her. She looked well, a thought he had had many times before when he saw her in passing. He watched as her chin jutted out, her jaw tensing in that stubborn way of hers.

"Well as he isn't here then you can leave," she told him.

He didn't move. "I saw you on your bicycle earlier."

"Not you as well," she grumbled.

"I also heard from Captain Muller that you declined his offer a lift into town today."

"You heard correctly."

"That was foolish of you."

"I want nothing more to do with any of you," Felicity retorted. "And if you do decide to carry through with your threat then my having been seen accepting rides with your men will not help my defence, will it?"

A flicker of unease ran across his face. "I should not have said that," he conceded. "I was angry, very angry." He let out a sigh. "I may not like it, but I will not put my child through such a stigma. You were right, parenthood is about sacrifice."

Felicity swallowed heavily at the look of pain in his eyes. She hauled herself inelegantly to her feet and walked slightly closer to him. "I cannot imagine having to do what you're doing," she admitted. "I sometimes forget how much of a sacrifice you are making." Taking hold of his hand she pressed it against her stomach so that he could feel their baby move.

For the first time in the last three months she saw him smile. "They are worth all the sacrifices I have to make." Keeping his hand where it was, he brought the other up and touched her cheek gently. "You are happy."

It wasn't a question but she answered anyway. "Yes. I will never forget what we had and what I have with James is different but I am happy."

"Good." His thumb stroked against her skin. "I am very glad of that." He was, he realised with a start, it hurt to see her with the Senator, to see him fuss over her, acting every inch the loving husband and proud father to be, the role he wanted fulfil, but he wanted her happiness. "You will accept a ride back to the house of course."

She bit down on her bottom lip. "You know I can't."

"Both Muller and I shall be at the Senate meeting, I shall have Muller instruct Constable Jonas to take you home, I will see to it that your bicycle arrives safely home later tonight." He watched as she opened her mouth to protest and cut across her, "It would make me feel better."

"Very well then," she finally conceded. After all he had given up so much, had already lost one son and was having to watch another child grow up from afar, he really wasn't asking too much.

"I am very pleased by your answer." Reluctantly he stepped away from her. "I must be getting on."

"Of course. If you would like to wait a few moments, I will speak to Muller."

"Thank you." She watched him go, unsure of what else she could do.