It was the end of Kelsey's last day. Everyone was waiting in the staff room for her to come in for her surprise goodbye party. Everyone was nervously waiting for her to arrive with Big Mac. The door opened.

"Surprise!" Everyone shouted.

Everyone cheered and clapped when she came in. Kelsey put her hands to her mouth and started to cry. All day she had seemed really upset with everyone because she thought that they didn't care that it was her last day.

"Do you really think we would forget about something like this?" Charlie said as he hugged her.

Everyone laughed.

"Now let's have a bit of hush please." Charlie called out.

"Right we've all chipped in to get our favourite nurse a little something." Luke said.

Alice handed a book over to Kelsey. Kelsey opened it up and inside were photos and messages from everyone wishing her good luck. She looked through everyone's messages. Luke and Alice had wrote one together. She looked at both of them.

"We meant every word of it." Alice told her.

Kelsey smiled back at the both of them.

"And me too." Tess said. "If you leave nursing for every I will hunt you down and kill you."

"Yeah and she actually will as well." Jay laughed.

She turned to Jay's message.

"Oh those are the three rules of life according to Jay." He said.

"I can read that." Kelsey joked.

"But he spelt breakfast wrong." A voice said.

"Its not the only…"

Kelsey turned around to see Maggie was there was to say goodbye to her. Kelsey smiled and hugged her.

"I had to come and say goodbye to the cheekiest nurse that I ever met." Maggie said.

"Its good to see you Maggie." Kelsey replied. "How did you?"

Maggie pointed at Big Mac.

"If there is a bad photo of you in there I will kill you." Maggie told Jay.

"Not a chance of that. Your reputation precedes you." He joked.

Kelsey turned the page.

"I didn't have time to finish." Mac told her.

"Its ok." She smiled at him.

"To Kelsey, one of the best nurses we've ever had." Tess said raising a glass.

"To the best friend a girl could ever want." Alice raised her glass.

"And the best girl any of use could hope to meet." Maggie joined in.

"To Kelsey!" Everyone else shouted.

"I just wanted to say…" Kelsey started but she couldn't finish.

"And that's the first time she's been lost for words." Luke said.

Everyone laughed and started to clap and cheer Kelsey's name.

Eventually the party wrapped up and everyone began to go home. Luke and Alice got in the car and drove home. They walked in the front door and slumped down on the sofa.

"What a day." Luke said.

"I know right." She replied snuggling into Luke on the sofa.

Just then the doorbell rang.

"I'll go." Luke said standing up.

Luke opened the door to see his mum standing there holding Lilia in her arms.

"Mum?" He said.

"Hi. Can I come in?" She asked.

Luke let his mum in and they both went into the living room. Alice and Lara acknowledged each other.

"Mum, where have you been? We haven't seen you in ages. I've been worried."

"I took some holiday back to Australia."

"I know that but you due back at work weeks ago. Then dumping Lilia on me like that, I know she's my sister but I wasn't even here, it's a good job I was on an earlies and not nights."

"I know and I'm sorry about that." She said. "I just needed some time to think."

"Time to think. You can't just abandon the hospital like that. We need you in order to make that place." Luke told her.

"He is right. Its' been a struggle some days without you." Alice backed Luke.

"Look…I just needed some time out."

"Mum, I don't think you get it."

"I do Luke." Lara shouted.

Alice stood up and picked up Lilia.

"I think you need two need to talk about this by yourselves." Alice said as she left the room.

"She's got a point." Luke said.

"Luke, it's been hard since I moved to England again."

"Then why did you do it?" He asked.

"Because I thought I needed to leave Australia."

"Mum, is something going on?" Luke began to think she was hiding a secret from him.

"No, I swear its nothing. I just think it might not have been the best idea coming back here and going back to work at the hospital."

"How can you say that? Do you regret ever finding me again because it really is beginning to sound like that?"

"No I don't….it's just…." Lara struggled to talk.

"You do don't you. You regret meeting me and coming back into my life." Luke shouted.

Luke stormed out the living room. Alice popped her head out the kitchen when she heard the door slam. Luke picked up his keys and walked out the house. He started walking down the road. He felt someone following him, he turned around to see that it was Alice.

"Luke, stop!" She called out at him.

He carried on walking for a few seconds then Luke stopped dead in his path. It was Alice he was upset with he knew that he shouldn't be taking it on her.

"Luke?"

"She regrets coming back, regrets working at the hospital and I'm beginning to think she regrets meeting me." Luke whispered to Alice.

"Oh Luke."

Alice hugged Luke and Luke hugged her back tightly.

"Just when I thought she wanted to know me."

Alice kissed him.

"Its ok."

"Is it though? Everything that I thought for months about my mum wanting to be a part of my life again and all that might have been a lie."

"Luke, I could never know how that feels. But you will get through it. You've got me and Maisie who love you so much. Everyone at the hospital thinks the world of you. Lilia, her face lights up when she sees you." Alice said as she stroked his cheek.

"God, Lilia. That whole relationship we have."

Luke rubbed his face.

"What am I going to do?" He asked.

"What you always do. Be amazing." She smiled at him.

Luke kissed Alice.

"Come on. Let's go home."

Alice laced her fingers around Luke's and they walked back home. When they got home they saw that Lara's car was no longer on the drive.

"No. She doesn't get to do this." Luke said under his breath.

Luke ran to the front door and went into the living room. Sat on the table was a note. Luke picked it up and read it. On top of the note was a key as well as picture of Luke, Lilia and his mum. Alice came into the living room, carrying Lilia.

Dearest Luke,

The decision that I have made hasn't been an easy one. I have enjoyed every moment that I have spent with you over the past year. In fact, they have been some of the best of my life. Luke I'm leaving to get back to Australia. It has nothing to do with you, I don't want you to think I regret finding you again because I don't.

There is some I need to tell you that, I couldn't pull myself to do in person. For the past year I have been hiding a secret from you. Its' not been easy but I have cancer, for a while I was in remission, but It returned shortly before I came back to England, I fact it was part of the reason that I came back. But shortly before I went away, I had an appointment with my oncologist and I he told me this time its terminal. I don't need to explain to you what that means, but it means that I'm dying, and cancer is going to be the thing that kills me.

Then we came became incredibly close again and I never imaged that to happen, when I got the diagnosis that I was dying I made this decision. I want you to remember as the mum you've know for the past year not the person that abandoned you as a child or the sick person that I am going to become over the next weeks and months. I want you to remember me healthy and well, not sick and frail. I saw your grandmother, when she was ill like this and it wasn't pleasant, so I don't want that for you. I'm going back to Australia, to be with my friends and to die in the country that I loved.

That's why I haven't been at work the past weeks since I returned from my holiday, I went to Australia to make arrangements and then I returned I made arrangements with social services and everyone else so that you and Alice can still work at the hospital and not have to sacrifice your jobs to look after her. She deserves to be with her family and not some random family. She needs to be with people that make her happy. You, Alice and Maisie can do that. With you three she is always so happy. On top of the letter you would have found a key. It's a key to a storage locker. I've put all the things that I think Lilia is going to need whilst she is living with you. I've also left you a picture so you can remember a time that we were altogether and happy because those are the memories I want to leave you with.

Luke, I need you to understand I'm doing the kindest thing but not telling you were in Australia I'll be going because I don't want you to see me like this. I'm really sorry for that but I don't think I could handle you seeing me frail and weak when all you've been is strong for me. You will be contacted when I am gone so you can be at my funeral because I would want you to be there for that.

I just want you to know that I am the proudest mother in the world. I'm so proud of what you have achieved in medicine and that the hospital where my career took off. You'll do our family name proud. I'm so proud of the family that you have and the family that you are yet to have with Alice, she is a truly wonderful woman. Raise Maisie and Lilia to be strong beautiful women that I would be proud of.

I love you so much, Luke. I never wanted it to end like this, but I feel it is the only way that will allow for you and your sister have the best memories of me. Best of luck my wonderful son. I will always love you. I always have. You and your sister will be in my heart right up until the very last moment. I will always look over you when I go. I will always be with you son.

Your loving mother,

Lara xxx

Luke sat down on the sofa and reread the letter to try and process it. Alice sat down next to him.

"Luke?" She asked quietly.

Luke dropped the letter and took Lilia off of Alice, she young and innocent and unaware of what was going on. For a while he just stared at her then began to hug her tightly. Alice picked up the letter and began to read herself. She then joined in hugging Luke and Lilia. Luke began to cry.

"What am I going to do now?" Luke said. "I have to try and find her."

"Of course."

Luke stood up and wiped his eyes. He went out into the hallway picked up his car keys. He got in his car and drove to his mum's house. When he got there, he banged on the door.

"Mum! Mum!" He shouted.

Just then his mum's neighbour, Anne, came out. Probably due to all the noise he was making.

"Hello love." Anne said.

"Hello Anne. Have you seen my mum?" Luke asked.

"As a matter of fact I have. She got into her car with some suitcases about twenty minutes ago. Off on holiday again?" She laughed.

Anne was so clearly unaware.

"Work conference, this time. I was hoping to catch her before she left. Needed to ask her about a patient. I'll just have to call her. Thanks for the help though Anne." Luke said trying to disguise how he really felt.

"Anytime lovey." She smiled.

Luke got into his car and waved Anne goodbye. He drove to the hospital hoping to catch his mum. When in to check in area of the airport knowing this was the only place that would be able to find her. He looked around; he saw lots of people that looked like his mum but they weren't her.

Just as he was about to give up hope, he saw her. He went running over.

"Mum!" He called out.

"Luke?"

Luke ran at her and hugged her.

"Don't go." He told her.

"I have to Luke."

"I can look after you."

"I know you could, but I don't want you to have to do that." She had tears in her eyes.

"But mum…"

"I'm sorry Luke, I have to do this."

Luke hugged his mum again even tighter.

"I'm sorry for shouting." He whispered.

"Its ok." She whispered back.

Luke let go of his mum. They said goodbye to each other trying to make anymore of a scene than they already had.

"I love you mum."

"I love you too Luke."

Luke and stood and watched his mum went through security. Knew full well that this might by the last time he sees her.

"Goodbye mum." He whispered to himself as he wiped a tear away.