Warning: this chapter does include mentions of experiments having been done on animals. It is based on current Huntington's research - it's not just something I made up - but that doesn't mean I approve of it.

Bonnie Sveen Fan, thank you for your review. None of this is Matilda's fault, but I don't think she agrees with us! That's an interesting point that Alicia might not be satisfied with Lily's answer - although they're friends now, they're still very different.

X-Sammii-X, I was hoping Dylan might care for David in the show - he was quite supportive to begin with - but later, he lost patience a bit. I wasn't expecting Lily to be pregnant either - it just popped into my head! Thank you for your review.

Applealice10, thank you for your review. I'm afraid this chapter is serious too - I'll try for some humour next time! I think Dylan is a strong girl, but she still needs support sometimes - and it might be harder to get support if no-one expects you to need it.

westlife4ever, yes, I think we know exactly what Lily's been doing! And very soon, you'll know who she's been doing it with. Thank you for your review.

EDSidekick, you haven't lost track - Lily slept with Ash last night. I'm still upset Ethan has Huntington's, but it did give him a good reason for declining the job! I was really stuck for a reason till that happened! I didn't plan for Dylan K to hold everything together - he's just the only one left! - but I like writing about him being pulled in so many different directions! Thank you for your review.

Tanith Panic, is 'you've got him well-trained' offensive to women? I thought it would be more offensive to men - implying that women have the intelligence to work it out, but men always need help. I'm glad you can understand Matilda's unhappiness when she's finally got a lovely family. Thank you for your review - I think Casualty is a big, glorious soap opera, only much better-written!

ETWentHome, thank you for your review. I found Dylan K so difficult to write at first, so it's really good to know I'm getting him right now. Ethan does deserve to know Lily is pregnant, but he might see it as yet another thing that's gone wrong.


Dylan wasn't paying attention to where she was going, but it seemed like fate – not that she usually believed in it – when she found herself in the park.

The park where it had happened.

She had been here since, of course. It had been impossible to avoid it. Chloe had brought her here as a child. When she was older, she'd come here with her friends. Dylan had dealt with it calmly because the alternative meant she'd have to explain.

But finding it now when she felt so low, not so very long after confessing what had happened for the first time…

Dylan's legs were shaking. She sat down on a bench and got out her phone. Ariana and Matilda had problems of their own, so she called Lottie.

The phone rang a few times, then it stopped.

Lottie had rejected her call.

Dylan stared at the phone in shock, then she tried Matilda.

Matilda's phone didn't even ring. It was already switched off.

So that left Ariana. A shudder of guilt went through Dylan. Ariana had been admitted overnight following a suicide attempt, but although Dylan had been at the hospital for much of the morning, she hadn't visited her.

Dylan should phone to apologise if nothing else.

"Hey, Dylan," said Ariana.

"Ariana, I'm so sorry-"

But Ariana had continued speaking. "I'm really sorry, but I can't talk now. I'm a bit busy with something. I'll call you later."

"Oh… yeah, sure," said Dylan. "I hope everything's okay."

But as Dylan dropped the phone into her lap, she believed nothing was okay.


Connor smiled at Ariana. "Yes, you are looking better. I think we can send you home now, if you feel ready to go – you'll be in good hands with your parents. Your dad rescued me from a bin once and your mum saved my life, so they know what they're doing!"

"Hey!" said Max jokingly. "I saved your life too, you know. I did the important stuff. Zoe just came in at the end!"

Zoe shook her head, laughing. "It would probably be disloyal to point out you did all the important stuff under my instructions – but I'm not sure I could have done it better."

Max, who had tensed slightly at her opening words, felt himself relax slightly. "I was very well-instructed."

Zoe smiled in acknowledgement of his words, then turned to her daughter. "What do you think, Ari? Would you like to come home with us?"

Ariana's eyes met Max's, then slanted away. "Please don't be angry."

Max gave her a hug. "Of course we won't be angry. If you want to stay, you can stay. I always used to enjoy hanging out with Dr Christie."

"I'd like to go home with you, Dad," said Ariana. "But I think… I think Mum might like to stay here."


"I'll be in my room if you need anything," said Olivia. She gave Matilda a hug, then left her alone.

Matilda sank down onto the bed.

Jess and Olivia were so lovely and she already knew Dixie was lovely too. She'd been lucky. She could have ended up somewhere much worse.

But the more Matilda tried to convince herself of this, the more upset she felt.

She missed Cal. She wanted to be with him so much. To receive his comfort – and comfort him in her turn.

He loved her. He saw her as his daughter and now she'd been taken away from him.

Because of her, Cal was under suspicion at a time when he was already devastated about Ethan.

It's my fault, thought Matilda, as her tears began to fall. He wanted to take me to the police before. If only I hadn't been too caught up in my own problems to realise I was creating problems for him too...


Lily felt faint. "I can't be!" She was trembling. "It's too soon. It can't possibly be detected yet. It's only been a few hours!"

"Oh, no, I don't mean it's Ash's!" said Alicia. Her face swam into focus. She looked confused now. "Lily, I'm sorry. I should have told you this first. But you and Ash did not have sex – at least, not last night."

"Or any other night either!" retorted Lily. "Do you really think I would do that to Ethan?"

Alicia looked slightly awkward. "You thought you'd had sex with Ash last night."

"Yes, because I have no memory of last night and I woke up in his bed!" snapped Lily. "But that has never happened before!" She swung her legs from the bed and tried to stand up, but dizziness assailed her again.

"Lily, are you okay?" Alicia hurried to her side.

Lily pushed her away. "No, I am not okay! I am upset and confused and I don't know what to think anymore!" She was breathing hard. "Are you absolutely certain I did not have sex with Ash?"

"Well… it's not impossible," said Alicia. "The new tests are very good, but mistakes can always be made…" She tentatively touched Lily's shoulder. "Lily, I really am sorry for my unprofessionalism just now. As your friend, I was hurt you hadn't told me you were pregnant, but I should have considered that you might not know – and even if you did know, I have no right to expect you to tell me."

"I promise you, Alicia," said Lily, her voice shaking, "I had no idea I was pregnant and I know the baby must be Ethan's. But we always take precautions. We have to."

Alicia sat beside her and put a sympathetic arm around her shoulders. "Even now, no precautions are 100%. But you know, just because it's Ethan's baby, it doesn't mean your baby has the gene. Even if it does, we can scan the foetus before the baby is born. And if you decide to have the baby, he or she can take the same treatment as Ethan."

"Ethan's treatment is experimental!" burst out Lily. "All they know is that it works on mice, but that proves nothing. Mice have a much shorter lifespan than humans and Huntington's in mice is artificially-produced. It's not the same."

"It's also immoral," said Alicia, as she always did.

"I know. But they have stopped it now," said Lily.

"Yes. I know." Alicia returned to the original subject. "It is likely that the treatment will be more advanced by the time your baby starts to show symptoms."

"That's not good enough!" snapped Lily. "I will not bring a child with Huntington's into the world." Her eyes filled with tears. "But can I really let it die? In the test tube, it is different, but this baby is already inside me. It's already a part of me. Alicia, what am I going to do?"


Rita almost dragged Iain into the house and hugged him tightly.

"Hey, steady on! I thought you said we were going to talk to Alfie!" said Iain. "Any more of this and we'll have another kid to worry about!"

"At our age?" said Rita, and kissed him. "I've just been really worried, Iain. I've never seen Alfie like this."

"Has he forgotten to do his hair or something?" said Iain.

"It's a mess," said Rita bluntly.

Iain's face sobered. Alfie not doing his hair was serious stuff. "What's he said, exactly?"

"He doesn't want to call the police."

"Have you asked him why?"

Rita sighed. "Of course I have. He won't tell me."

Iain saw the frustration in her face and wished he could replace it with another kind of frustration – but now wasn't the time. "Why do you think he doesn't want us calling the police?"

"He won't say," said Rita. "And that worries me, Iain. What if he knows who's behind this? What if he knows and he's covering up for them?"


Dylan K stared down at the text. That was the trouble with getting close to people. He was already worried about Luke and Dylan. His feelings for Cal, Lily, Ethan and Ella might be stretching in that direction too.

And now, Lofty. He'd just sent a text. Still not feeling great. No sign of Robyn. She's not answering her phone. Getting worried now.

Dylan K was worried too. Robyn wouldn't have been expecting Lofty home until the evening and there was no reason why she shouldn't spontaneously decide to take the kids out for the day, but if Lofty was worried, then Robyn's behaviour was probably sufficiently out of character to warrant his concern.

And then there was Luke. Dylan K promised Hazel he'd look after him. And what had he done? He'd driven him out of the boat. He'd promised to help him find Hazel and then backed out at the last minute.

The computer was in front of him; tempting him. Dylan K typed in Hazel's name again. There was no reason why he shouldn't know where she was. Hazel should know that he wouldn't do anything that involved communicating with Brian.

Dylan K clicked on Hazel's name and opened up her file.


Cal pushed open Matilda's bedroom door. The bed had been carefully-made, but it was unquestionably Matilda's room. The book she was reading, a teenage novel which Lily had – wrongly, in Cal's opinion – confiscated from Daisy sat on her bedside table. Taylor was tucked up beneath the covers, her head on Matilda's pillow.

Taylor…

Cal rushed forward and picked up the toy, hugging it to his chest as he sank down onto the bed. Matilda had left Taylor. She was out there somewhere, God only knew where, and without the friendship even of her favourite toy.

Tears were brimming in Cal's eyes as he stumbled down the stairs. He half-remembered that he'd actually gone up to fetch something for Ethan, but it didn't seem to matter now. Ethan could get it himself if it was important. Matilda had no way of getting Taylor back.

He looked into the living room. "Ethan, I have to go out."

Ethan was curled up on the sofa, his glasses off and his eyes red. "Where?" he asked, a tremor in his voice.

"I have to take Taylor to Matilda."

"What are you talking about?" said Ethan. "We have no idea where Taylor is."

Cal held up the toy, before realising Ethan's sight would be too poor for him to see. "Matilda's lamb."

Alarm crossed Ethan's face. "Cal, you can't. You don't know where she is. I'm sure Matilda will be fine: she's managed without it for fifteen years."

"No, I've got to do this." said Cal, running towards the door.