Okay so I don't know about anyone else but I was absolutely broken by the Spring Trailer! Can't believe they are testing the Zollie relationship so early on, couldn't they have just let them be happy together for a while! Majorly gutted! :(
Anyway, I have already wrote a few chapters ahead with this story and I don't want to change it all. So in my little world Ollie and Zosia will remain happy; without random people showing up pregnant claiming the baby's Ollie's or Cara somehow getting involved!
I'm going to continue this as planned and overlook those heart breaking storylines that are coming up. Keep up the dosage of happy Zollie, because apparently it won't be like that in the show for the next few weeks at least, I just hope it all sorts itself out in the end!
Chapter Twenty Five- Whilst on a Journey
A further two months had now passed and things were looking very bright. Ollie's house was now very much 'their' house; she had lived there for six months already. Her things had long since found places around the home; including photos of her Mum on display. They sat happily alongside pictures of Penny and Tara. The couple were the happiest they had ever been.
Guy's appeal to return to working at the hospital had been dismissed. It was deemed too much of a risk and the press would have never let it go. The Neurosurgical Unit would be earning more airtime due to Mr Self's history rather than the merit of the unit. However it was stated that he could re-appeal further down the line, once the fuss had died down. Zosia still kept in contact with him, seeing him every couple of weeks and surprisingly, he was taking it all quite well. Accepting that losing his job was his true punishment for his dangerous actions, already half a year ago.
The couple had also continued gaining respect from the queen of the Darwin castle AKA Jac. Who had started to refer to them all as the 'Darwin Dream Team'.
They also must have earned her trust enough for her to feel comfortable sending the couple as representatives of Darwin to a conference in the centre of London.
"I don't know about you Ollie but I feel rather privileged to be doing this." Zosia says to Ollie as they are driving into central London.
"No I agree, it shows she trusts us I suppose. Especially when there is funding at stake and we both know how her claws normally come out for that. But I secretly think it's only because of Emma that she hasn't come herself, you know with it lasting over a week. But I think they will be quite interested in our development stories anyway. Because clearly, we're both very inspirational." He says.
Zosia laughed "Oh yeah definitely. And that has got to be a first. Jac Naylor not prioritising her career for a change!"
"Yes well having kids changes things doesn't it, no matter what kind of person you are. They have to become the priority, a little person there who is completely reliant on you, I think there is no greater responsibility than a child." Ollie explains.
"You have really thought about that haven't you? Are you feeling broody Oliver? It's meant to be the woman who feels like that! And I swear I remember when I once asked if you had ever hankered for patter of tiny feet; you started going on about the sleepless nights and a lifetime of worry and I think I'm quoting you correctly here 'It's the first 20 years that are the worst' oh and 'who would want to have a child in this world, the environments knackered.'" She did an impression of him.
"Well I was hardly going to say at that point, oh yes I definitely want to have some kids, do you fancy it, you and me?! That was when the majority of what we said to one another was insults or sarcasm and I was still denying that I loved you!" He replies and Zosia laughs.
"Insults and sarcasm still are the majority of what we say to each other." She mutters.
He then seems to spontaneously decide that they are coming off the motorway and stopping at the services.
Once they had pulled into the car park and stopped he grabbed her hand, squeezed it tight and continued "Right I am being completely genuine and serious now. Of course I would love to have kids at some point Zosh, but I don't want to rush you at all. Whenever feels right and only if you want to of course. Idiot Valentine! I didn't even ask if it was something you wanted."
Zosia nodded and smiled appreciating his willingness to wait. "Of course it is something I want, I just don't know when."
Ollie smiles "Not like it's a massive rush for me. What did you say to me that same day we were winding each other up about it? …It doesn't matter for you men, can still pop them out in your 80's or something along those lines." The smart comments have returned, so the serious conversation lasted all of about thirty seconds!
She shook her head laughing at him "Yeah, well I won't make you wait quite that long!"
"I do feel like I am at a point where I could be the father figure I'd want to be, and I feel that us together as parents would be brilliant. Stability wise, we have had nine great months together and we have had a few hurdles to get past but our relationship has never suffered at all has it." He says smiling at her.
"We are good for one another, we keep each other sane!" Zosia says.
"Remember I told you about Chrissie? I was so not ready, and that relationship was anything but stable, I didn't want it to be happening. I ran away from it and then felt so guilty when she lost the baby."
"The amount of trauma and loss you have suffered is literally unbelievable; it just proves what a wonderful strong person you are." She tightens her grip on his hand.
"You make me strong Zosh. You know how I was before I got close to you. I used to just wallow on my own all the time, in my little Oliver bubble."
"And I well and truly burst that!" She laughs.
"Oh yeah big time!" He replies.
She pondered for a second; she was planning her next sentence. If she said what she was about to, it would be very hard to go back on. She took a deep breath.
"Ollie."
"Zosia." He looks at her.
"How about I come off the pill in a few months maybe? So a bit after Mexico. And then if it happens, it happens. We'll have being together for over a year by then and lived together for quite a long time too. Which I think is a good amount of time to you know… to test you out for the role." She looked at him smiling, with a slight blush that she had said something quite committal.
A bit taken aback by her statement "Wow, well, if you are sure you are okay with that, that would be, that would be great. Wonderful in fact." He stumbled over his words.
She nods "I don't really see myself as the maternal type. But I know for sure that I don't want to be that Doctor who puts their family life on hold for too long because of their career, and then find they have left it too late. I don't want to miss the opportunity and I don't want to deny you it either."
"You are amazing you know, I think you would be a great mum. If Jac can do it, then you definitely can!" Ollie jokes.
"Just thinking, I could quite easily have a six or seven year old child by now already! Wow that's scary, yep definitely coming off the pill fairly soon, my career has already being time greedy."
Ollie laughs at Zosia having a little debate with herself, even if he was listening to her. His excitement building that they were both up for the commitment. "It doesn't mean it's the end of your career either though Zosh, we could do it. Again just look at Jac and she doesn't have the support of a solid relationship like ours."
"Very true, there are lots of ways to have both; a family and a career." Zosia smiles ear to ear.
"So we're up for this, really properly up for this? Is this us two, of all people, actually having a serious, life changing talk?" He asks her, grinning.
"Yes we are, really properly up for this Valentine, but in a few months remember. And it was maintaining the seriousness until you said that you idiot." She replies and reverts to her usual punch him in the arm action.
"That's more like it. Every conversation, including a very important, potentially life changing conversation like this still needs that little bit of Team OZ sarcasm and wit."
"Argh well this bit doesn't need it, serious now." She paused and her expression going quite blank.
She took a deep breath "I'll have a word with Mr T when we get back; you know because I might have to rethink my bipolar meds if I do get pregnant. We will have to see what is still safe to take, because I really don't want to harm the baby because of my problems. I warn you now Ollie, I might not be my usual self if I have to change medication and have hormones all over the place."
"Whatever we have to face, we will face it together Zosh, and you have my 100% love and support, always. I am not under any illusions love; I know it could be hard. But you never know you could be absolutely fine, think positive." He looks at her, deeply with his piercing blue eyes; she could stare at his eyes all day. A window to the real Oliver Valentine hiding beneath, and they tell her everything she needs to know.
He will be there throughout it all, right by her side.
"Aren't I lucky to have you Valentine?"
"Of course you are Marchie" he replies winking at her.