Sara sat gently rubbing her belly, and eventually drifted off into a light sleep. Some time later Eloise woke her up.

'Hey sleepy head...I just need to check a few things...'

Sara smiled, a little embarrassed at having fallen asleep where she was, but mumbled an ok.

'how are you feeling now?'

'ok I guess, I'm not shaking as much, slept a little... I had the energy and motivation to dance earlier... my mind is still scattered...but...my body doesn't feel to bad...'

Eloise nodded, checking Sara's vitals. 'are you eating?'

Sara looked down, unsure how to answer.

'Sara?' she asked again. 'no...not really...I try, but I can't keep much down, and I don't know if it's the baby or the lack of booze...'

Eloise just smiled knowingly 'what have you managed?'

'watermelon!' Sara exclaimed excitedly 'It's what I crave, I can't get enough, even if sometimes I get sick afterwards. '

With this, Eloise frowned, but bit her tongue on the matter, for now at least.

'any other cravings?' she asked, jotting something down in her file. Sara knew exactly what she meant by this, and started to fidget with her top. 'no...Yes ..sometimes... It's...It's like to finding your legs been chopped off, but you've forgotten, and try to walk anyway...'

'I'm not sure I follow...'

'sometimes, often, I would drink without really thinking about. I drank like people drink tea or coffee...I would watch t.v or listen to the scanner, or read, whatever, and I would think nothing of drinking a beer at the same time...' she confessed in a quiet voice, hands fiddling with her top still.

'what about the rest of the drinking?' Eloise asked.

Sara just shook her head, shutting down, she didn't want to speak about it anymore 'I'm tired...' she whispered with an edge to her voice trying to change the subject.

'you have to talk to someone, at some point...'

Sara just ignored her, knowing she would only get worked up if she carried on the conversation.

Eloise sighed, and walked out the room, she had had enough of sulking difficult patients in her time, and knew when it was best to walk away. Sara could stew on her on for a while.

Xxx

Catherine paced up and down her kitchen, deciding between phoning the hospital again, or just showing up. The last time she had checked, Sara had shown a bit more motivation, but it was still rather up and down like a yo-yo. The ward nurse had told her that Sara hadn't been to difficult or rude, but she had been withdrawn and quiet, but that was something Catherine understood all to well from her time of going through detox. Back then she'd had her sisters help, right now Sara had no one, so mind made up, Catherine grabbed her keys and headed to the car.

Xxx

Tuesday lunchtime approached, and Eloise came once more to check on Sara, who was currently stood looking out the window 'How are you feeling now?'

'better, much better, I'm sorry about earlier... It's just hard to talk about..I've kept to myself for so long... I'm going to see the counsellor this afternoon...' she said, but still hadn't turned around.

'That's great, really great. Dylan says your eating a little better, and getting enough fluids, we can take the I.v out, and you can go for a walk... escape these 4 walls for a bit...'

Sara smiled, and turned around to face the dr 'when can I leave the building?'

Eloise grinned, she had been expecting this, and was surprised the question hadn't come sooner 'from a medical point of view... tomorrow evening .. from an emotional and mental point of view, I'm afraid that's up to the counsellor, and where exactly you'll be going too... for now, come sit down so I can take then I.v line out and give you a once over...'

Sara just nodded, and walked quietly to the bed.

'there, all done' Eloise announced with a smile removing her gloves.

'Thanks...Thanks for looking after me...'

'anytime...' a knock came at the door, and Dylan walked in 'I bring a special delivery...' he said with a grin on his face, hands behind his back 'what is it? Sara asked, curiosity spiked. Dylan pulled a jar of peanut butter out, and Sara grinned 'you are my hero...'

Eloise looked a little puzzled, before cottoning on 'cravings...' Sara nodded happily taking the lid off the jar. Just then another knock came at the door, and someone stepped in

'I hear it's nice with Apple...'

'CATHERINE!' Sara screamed in delight, placing the jar down so she could jump up and pull the woman into a hug. It was clearly a good day as far as Sara's hormones and mood were concerned.

Eloise and Dylan slipped quietly out of the room both with smiles of their own, It was the most upbeat they had seen Sara yet.

Sara dragged Catherine over to the window 'look at the view...see there...' she pointed 'see the stratosphere...It's so pretty the way it lights up at night...and over there... that bridge is pretty when the light hits it just right...' Sara's enthusiasm was catching, and Catherine couldn't help but giggle a little, her nerves from coming to see Sara almost vanishing. Catherine found her arms wrapping around Sara, and she kissed the top of her head before pulling away and moving to the chair to sit down.

'good day?' Catherine asked still grinning

Sara just nodded, and then crawled back on to the bed and lay down on her side, her hand reaching out for Catherine's

'yeah... yeah, it's been ok... like you said...minute at a time..I've been sober for... nearly 6 days now... and baby is well, I saw the picture, it looks like a blob, but it's a healthy blob..and I'm seeing a counsellor this afternoon, and..and I've seen ecklie, and I love watermelons, and I can go home soon, oh, and I'm taking antidepressants, and some other drug to stop me drinking...It's been nearly 6 days now...and...what else... Thank you, I love you, I'm sorry for all I put you through, and...It's been 6 days...and I saw ecklie... ummm...' Sara spoke with such enthusiasm and speed Catherine almost couldn't keep up, so she just smiled, running her hand across Sara's arm.

Something in Sara's speech made her pause for a moment, but with Sara speaking so quickly she couldn't dwell on the words 'I love you ' for too long.

'Sara sweetie...slow down, one thing at a time...why did ecklie come?'

Sara frowned a little 'you haven't heard?'

'no... I've been off work the past few days, spending time with Lindsey, like you requested...' Catherine said with a smile, tucking some hair behind Sara's ear, the want for some kind of physical contact great.

Sara smiled for a moment, and then dropped her gaze away, and started to tell her about ecklies ultimatum.

'how do I put a price on that?' she asked, meaning the offer of compensation.

'I don't know Sara...' Catherine said pulling her hand away and walking over to the window.

'cat...' Sara whispered 'cat...Please...I didn't mean to upset you...I didn't think...I never do...That's how I got into this mess...'

Catherine wiped a tear from her eye, watching Sara in the reflection.

'if it wasn't for me, you'd already have your baby...'

'maybe..maybe not.. I wasn't even sure if I wanted to carry to term, to keep it, but I know I would have been alone...now I know I won't be alone, I've got the team, hell I've even got ecklie in some weird way, but more importantly Cat, that's all in the past, and better yet, I have you, and I love you.''

Xxx

A/n – hope this reads well, I typed it on my phone, so formatting might be a little off.

Hope you're enjoying. Thanks for the reviews so far, more are always appreciated.

Emz