Author's Note:

Thank you so much for your patience! Here's chapter two, finally. It's a long one so hopefully it's worth the wait. Enjoy!

Important Story Note:

I know covid-19 was acknowledged in the show, so it did happen in the Holby universe, making it canon in this story too. However, for the sake of this story, the pandemic has since passed and covid is no longer a major concern. Life has returned to normal in this fanfic.

"So, I've been thinking about what you said. About maybe leaving Holby," Kian said, placing two steaming mugs of coffee on the kitchen table. It was the next morning and he and Jac were about to have breakfast before going in for their shifts.

Jac raised the mug to her lips and took a careful sip before replying. "And?"

"I have a suggestion. We take a break. You and me, go on a leave of absence and just get away from Holby for a bit. Give us a chance to recharge, think. We could even go away somewhere." He took a sip of his own drink. "When we come back, if you still want to leave, we will."

Jac was silent for a moment, her gaze distant as she considered. "Okay," she said finally.

"Really?" he asked in surprise.

"Yeah. It's a good idea." She looked at him quizzically. "Why? Did you want me to say no?"

"No!" he hurried to assure her. "I just didn't expect you to agree so quickly." In truth, as much as he'd been hoping she'd agree, he'd been fairly certain she would shoot him down, or at least be resistant to the idea. He remembered how firmly she'd rejected the last vacation plans he'd made back when Clayton had arrived at Holby. "I had a whole speech prepared and everything."

The corners of her mouth turned up in amusement. "Sorry to disappoint you."

"Not at all." He took a bite of his toast and they continued their breakfast in silence. After a moment, Kian grumbled, "It was a really good speech though."

Jac laughed. "Save it for McGerry. You'll need it if you want to convince her to give us the time off. You did just come back from a two week leave."

"True, but we were just held at gunpoint in her hospital. No way she refuses. Anyway," he shrugged, "convincing her is your department. Scariest doctor in the nation, remember?" he said with a grin.

"Fair point."

Kian watched her eat for a moment, trying to decide if he should bring up this next topic.

Noticing him staring, Jac raised her eyebrows questioningly. "What?" she asked after swallowing another sip of coffee.

Kian took a breath. "Nothing, just… Once we tell McGerry, she'll realize we're together. And with us both taking leave, it won't be long before others start figuring it out too."

Jac nodded. "I know."

"And you're okay with that?"

"People were bound to put the pieces together soon with you moving in and us arriving together at work everyday. Honestly, I'm surprised they still haven't figured it out yet."

"Speaking of which, I'm impressed Nicky's managed to keep it a secret this long. I mean, Sacha, sure, but Nicky is the worst liar," he said with a grin.

"She really is," Jac agreed. "So, let's go see McGerry first thing. Word will get around soon enough and if they find out we're together, they find out."

Kian nodded. "Sounds good."

. . .

An hour later they were walking into the CEO's office, having just arrived for the start of their shifts.

Max McGerry looked up from her computer screen as they entered. "Ms. Naylor, Mr. Madani, what can I do for you?"

Jac took the lead, stating bluntly, "Madani and I are going on leave effective tomorrow."

The CEO raised her eyebrows. "Both of you?" She seemed to be suppressing a smirk as she said, "Why am I not surprised?"

Jac frowned but chose to ignore the comment. "Considering what's happened there shouldn't be any objections."

McGerry sighed. "In light of yesterday's events, Nurse Simpson has recommended that all staff directly involved be offered counselling and a mental health leave. I was just drafting an email to that effect when you came in."

"Probably a good idea," Kian commented. "Chloe might want some time too."

"That being said," she continued, "I had hoped at least one of you would stay. I doubt we'll find two locum consultants of your caliber."

"You're right. You won't." Jac said matter of factly. "But I'm sure Darwin will manage."

"So I take it you're both determined to go?" McGerry looked between them and they both nodded. "Then it will have to. As requested, your leave of absence will begin at the end of your shifts today."

The two surgeons left the office a minute later, heading for the lift to return to their ward.

"Well, that was easier than expected," Kian noted.

"Mm. Didn't even need your speech."

He let out an exaggerated sigh. "Yeah. It was a really good one too."

"So you've said."

They arrived at the lifts and quietly waited for one to arrive. After a minute one set of doors opened and they boarded the empty lift.

As they began the short ride up, Kian broke the silence. "I could always tell it to you later, you know, if you're interested."

Jac's lips quirked in amusement. "I'm good, actually. But I'm sure McKendrick would love to hear it, the way she clings to your every word."

"What can I say? She's got good taste."

Jac rolled her eyes.

The lift opened and they stepped onto Darwin.

"Right, I've got a CABG scheduled first thing so I need to go get prepped. I'll see you later."

Kian nodded, watching her walk away for a moment before going to find Nicky. Because although Jac was being sarcastic, she'd also been right. Nicky would appreciate his genius. Plus, he thought, it would be a good opportunity to let her know that he and Jac were going on leave. He'd disappeared without warning once before, and although it hadn't been his intention, he'd hurt not only Jac, but Nicky too. And he never wanted to make either of them feel like that again.

. . .

A few hours later, having just finished checking on a patient, Jac found Kian in their office, hunched over a stack of files, pen in hand.

"Filling out paperwork of your own free will? And without moaning about it, no less. Did my birthday come early?" She stepped inside and closed the door behind her.

Kian looked up. "Just trying to get this done before we leave tonight. Feel free to take over, by the way. Seeing as I'm no longer co-clinical lead, I really feel like paperwork is more your department."

"You see you're forgetting the most important part of the job."

"Yeah? And what's that?"

She smirked. "As clinical lead, what I say goes. And I say, you need the practice."

"Practice?"

"You may be good in theatre, Madani, but when was the last time you weren't behind on your paperwork?"

"I just don't want to rob you of the joys of doing it yourself," he said with a smug smile.

Jac shook her head in mock exasperation. Still, she was grateful for the effort he was putting in. Those reports needed to be done before they left so they'd be available for both the hospital administration and the locum consultants coming in, and she didn't fancy the idea of staying late the night before their leave. But that wasn't the reason she'd come here.

"Well as much as I hate to interrupt you when, for once, you're actually doing your job," she reached into her pocket and pulled out an empty urine sample container, placing it on the desk in front of him, "I need today's drug test."

Kian took a breath before nodding. "Sure."

Jac noticed his slight hesitation, though he stood and picked up the plastic container without comment.

"Problem?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"No, I just…" He fiddled with the container while he seemed to be planning his next words. "What are you going to do tomorrow? Or the next few weeks for that matter? Kinda hard to get a drug test when there's no lab right downstairs to test in."

She nodded, having already considered this earlier in the day. "I won't be testing you while we're on break, for obvious reasons. After that…" she paused.

Kian was watching her closely, and she thought of his words from the day before. "You've got to trust me. Without that we have nothing."

She sighed. "... we'll see."

He dropped his gaze. She could see that hadn't been the answer he'd been hoping for, but he merely nodded. "Okay."

He walked around his desk and toward the office door, heading for the locker room. She followed silently behind him.

She wanted to trust him. Wanted to believe that he wouldn't hurt her again. That he'd be honest with her. But he was an addict. And an only recently clean one at that. It still hurt, knowing that he'd hidden his relapse from her for the past year, but it was more than that. She hated the constant dread of another relapse. The fear of what this addiction could do to him and in turn, what it would do to her and Emma if something were to happen to him. How many people were rushed into the ED every week from an overdose? How many weren't found in time to even make it that far? And for Kian, a man with a history of self-harm and suicidal ideations, the risks were even greater. She knew the statistics. People who abuse drugs are more than 10 times more likely to die by suicide than those who don't. That knowledge was terrifying. It was the fear, even more than the hurt from his deceit, that kept her from fully trusting him. Given time, she hoped that would change. But she wasn't there yet, especially after yesterday's events with the shooting and his near relapse. She would have to trust him for the next few weeks, but once they had access to a lab again, she couldn't make any promises.

. . .

The remainder of their shift passed without incident, and they were able to get all the necessary paperwork finished on time. As Jac had expected, Kian's drug test had come back negative, though it was still a relief to see proof of his continued sobriety.

They made idle talk as they drove home, Kian once again at the wheel of his prized vehicle. Despite the mercifully uneventful day on Darwin, Jac had felt increasingly ill at ease throughout the day, as if every hour that passed added an unseen pressure, closing in around her until she was nearly suffocating. Kian seemed to have noticed her distress because midafternoon, she'd come out of surgery to find a slightly disgruntled Nicky and Chloe bent over a stack of reports each. Apparently, he'd dumped some of their paperwork on the two younger surgeons, enthusiastically claiming it would be great practice for when they became consultants one day. With his newly lightened workload, he'd covered two of her electives before needing to return to his own scheduled operations. Though Nicky and Chloe hadn't seemed to appreciate the gesture, she'd been immensely grateful.

Kian's phone pinged. Keeping one hand on the wheel, he reached into his pocket and pulled it out, holding it out to Jac while watching the road. "Can you see who that is?"

She took the phone and glanced at the screen. "It's Marty. Telling you to 'Hurry up and call your mum' so she'll leave him alone. Speaking of which," she said, scrolling through the rest of the notifications, "you've got seven missed calls today. All from her."

"Yeah, I know," he said with a sigh. "I'm gonna call her, I just haven't had time. But if she's calling that many times she's probably heard about the shooting. I didn't tell her so she must have heard it through Marty which means she knows I wasn't hurt. I'm sure she's just checking up on me. You know she likes to worry too much."

"Given the circumstances I'd say it's with good reason. Especially since it almost drove you to use again."

Kian was quiet.

They drove through the dark streets in silence for a minute until Jac spoke again. "She doesn't know about your relapse last year, does she?"

He shook his head. "She knows I got addicted to morphine after Vanessa died. Found out when Marty got me into rehab. But that's all. You're the only one who knows about the relapse."

"She cares about you. Don't you think she has a right to know?" Jac could feel herself getting irritated, her tone getting harsher, though she wasn't sure why. But something about the situation irked her. Judging by the tightening of his jaw, Kian noticed it too.

"What good would it do? Telling her won't change anything. It'll only make her worry even more."

"What, so you're just gonna hide it from her? Pretend like you're perfectly fine and haven't been lying to her for the past year?"

Their voices steadily increased in volume as the atmosphere in the car became increasingly heated.

"Is that what this is about?" he demanded. "Us?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You're still upset with me for hiding my relapse from you so you're comparing our situation to this one. But they're not the same, Jac! You deserved to know because we're partners. Because you're choosing to be in this relationship and because I want to spend the rest of my life with you! And I know we won't work unless I'm honest with you. But this is different!"

There was that confession again. That was the second time in two days that he'd declared that he wanted to be with her for the rest of his life. But with her frustration still flaring, she couldn't process the weight of those words so she pushed them from her mind.

"If it's so different then why are you hiding it? She can't break up with you! She's your mother, and unlike mine, she's not going to abandon you. So why not just tell her?"

"Because I'm ashamed!"

The silence that followed was deafening.

Kian slumped in his seat and let his head fall back against the headrest, eyes closed and looking defeated. It was then that Jac realized they had arrived home and were parked in the driveway. She hadn't even noticed they'd stopped moving.

Finally Kian spoke, his voice quiet now. "They always say it can happen to anyone, but no one really believes that. After Vanessa died, I only wanted to numb the pain. I never thought I'd become an addict. And yet, eight months later there I was, unable to function, with or without the drugs, and being checked into a detox facility by my little cousin." He paused, staring vacantly out the window as if lost in the memory. When he spoke again, his tone was a little harder. "I was clean for almost three years. I thought I'd put it all behind me. And then last year I threw it all away. I hate myself for that. I hate that I hurt you. That's the last thing I ever would have wanted." He finally looked at her, his eyes a torrent of pain and guilt. "If my mom finds out, it won't change what I've done. And I don't need to make her another victim of my screw-ups."

The car was quiet as they sat in stillness, meeting each other's gaze. Kian seemed to be waiting for a response, but she didn't know what to say. Her rising irritation had largely dissipated at his shame-filled admission. She wanted to say something, to offer him reassurance, but couldn't. She felt at war with herself, one part hurting for him and aching to offer him comfort, the other feeling he should be ashamed for what he's done. Perhaps it was her residual resentment for the year he spent hiding his relapse, but the words wouldn't come. Finally, she looked away

From her right, there came a barely audible sigh, followed by the sound of a car door opening and closing. She looked up to see Kian walking up the driveway and into the house. Despite the pang of guilt in her chest, she didn't go after him. She needed some space to get her conflicting emotions sorted. The conversation had already gotten out of hand and she had the presence of mind to recognize that if it continued, she may well say something she'd regret.

She pulled out her phone and checked the time. Just after 7pm. Knowing Emma would still be up, she tapped Jonny's name on her contact list, asking to speak to their daughter when he answered. A smile spread across her face the moment she heard her little girl's voice. She talked to her for a few minutes before Emma had to go. As the call ended, a familiar ache filled her chest. She'd arranged with Jonny that she would take Emma for a week, starting two weekends from now, but that was twelve days away, and every day spent without her child filled her with a deeper longing. But as much as she regretted it, Jonny and Stacey still had sole custody of Emma, which meant she had to abide by their wishes and schedule for when she got to spend time with her. Still, it made her all the more grateful for the time they did get together. She never wanted to take a single moment with Emma for granted.

Jac slipped her phone into her pocket. Talking to her daughter had both lightened and dampened her mood. It seemed like every time she spoke to her over the phone, it only made her more anxious for the next visit. And she knew Kian was looking forward to it too.

Finally, Jac got out of the car. She still wanted some time to clear her head, but she wasn't about to wait out there just to avoid him. Closing the car door behind her, she headed inside.

. . .

As it turned out, Kian wasn't around when she went in. It seemed he also needed space and had retreated to some lesser used room in the house. Jac grabbed the book off her nightstand in the bedroom before heading to the living room. Curling up on the couch, she allowed herself to be pulled into the story, effectively taking her mind off of their disagreement. The next time she looked up, over an hour had passed. She found that she was in a much clearer headspace, and although her conflicted feelings had yet to be completely resolved, she had to admit that he'd been right about a few things. She also knew that the last couple days had been mentally draining for her, which had likely contributed to her irritability. However conflicted she felt about the topic of their argument, she recognized that she'd snapped at him unnecessarily.

Wanting to ease the tension between them, she went looking for Kian, quickly finding him in the garage-turned-home gym. Jac owned a few odd pieces of exercise equipment - a treadmill, some dumbbells, and a couple other common items, but they were nothing compared to Kian's collection. The first time she'd seen his gym setup, she'd remarked that it seemed like overkill. However, she'd quickly come to appreciate his rigorous workout routine given the tremendous shape he was in. Since he'd moved in on short notice only two weeks ago, they hadn't transferred everything over from his fairly sizable flat yet. There were still a couple of months left on the lease so there was no rush. But he had brought most of his exercise equipment, converting the garage, previously used mostly for storage, into an impressive home gym.

Kian was on a mat doing squats, his pace slow and steady. Across his shoulders he held a bar, weighed down on either end by iron weight plates. Despite the cool air, he'd removed his shirt, and a light sheen of sweat glistened across his skin. All thoughts of her planned apology momentarily flew from her head at the sight of his sculpted muscles flexing under the strain. She watched in silence as he did a few more reps.

"Enjoying the view?"

Jac snapped back to reality. She cleared her throat. "Just didn't want to interrupt you."

Kian only chuckled. Straightening from his final rep, he stepped back and carefully placed the bar on the rack before finally turning to face her. "Well, as devastatingly attractive as I am, I'm guessing you're not just here to ogle me."

"No. That just happened to be an added benefit."

Despite their playful tone, unsurprisingly, there was a guarded look in Kian's eyes. He grabbed the grey muscle shirt he'd slung over a weight rack and slipped it on.

"So, what's up?"

She took a moment to gather her thoughts before speaking. "I'm sorry about earlier. You were right. I was making it about us rather than you and your mum and it wasn't fair. Our situation is different."

Kian looked troubled. "But it still bothers you, doesn't it." It was more of a statement than a question. "That I'm not telling her."

"Maybe," she admitted. "But it's your decision and I respect that. I'll have your back either way."

He nodded and smiled in thanks, the tension leaving his body.

Turning to go back in the house, she couldn't help but pause when she saw him pulling his shirt off again. She stared appreciatively at his toned body as he returned to the squat rack.

"You know," he said with a smirk, "you're welcome to join me., but you'll have to take that off." He indicated her sweater. "New gym policy. No shirts allowed."

"Hmm, well you know I would, but I'd hate to be a distraction."

"Oh, I wouldn't mind at all."

Their banter was interrupted by Jac's ringtone. She raised her eyebrows when she saw the caller ID. "Your mum's calling me now. I can't believe she saved my number. I've only spoken to her the one time and we weren't even together back then."

The year before, when Jac and Kian had just returned to work after the incident in the Black Mountains, Kian had collapsed due to an infection from his leg injury. After his surgery, Jac had called his mother and explained what had happened, adding that she would be sending him back to Canada when he was discharged. Though Kian had been resistant at first, Jac had insisted that, given recent events, it would be best for his mental health if he took time to grieve and heal, and he'd agreed.

"This is my mother we're talking about. She's a worrier, remember?"

"Fair point." She held the phone out. "You want to answer it? She's looking for you."

He nodded, taking the device from her outstretched hand and holding it up to his ear as he accepted the call. "Hey mom. It's me."

There was a short pause as his mother spoke, though Jac couldn't make out the words.

"I know, I'm sorry," he answered. "I meant to call, I've just, uh, been kind of busy."

Another pause.

"Yeah Jac's here. She gave me her phone when you called."

Something was said that made him roll his eyes. "Whoa, hang on," he said with a laugh. " She didn't make me answer. I was going to call on my own. Anyway, she's only my boss at the hospital, and even there she'd have a hard time making me do something I didn't want to."

Jac fixed him with her infamous 'Naylor death glare' which only made him grin smugly back at her. A moment later, he grew serious in response to something that was said.

"No I'm fine. We both are," he assured her. "It was the security guard but she'll make a full recovery." He sighed as she spoke again. "I didn't want to worry you."

Deciding to give them some privacy, Jac turned and went back in the house. She settled on the couch again and returned to her book. Fifteen minutes later, she heard the door to the garage open and close again. Looking up as he entered the living room, she absently noticed that donned his shirt again. He handed back her phone before joining her on the couch, his tattooed arm coming up to rest across the top of the couch back.

"Finished lecturing you, has she?" She teased.

He chuckled. "For now anyway."

"And how is she?"

He shrugged. "Alright. Lonely, I think. The anniversary of my dad's death is coming up so that makes it worse." His father had died 7 years ago from kidney cancer, leaving his mother a widower with no immediate family nearby. "And after the historically terrible year we had with covid and travel bans and social distancing, she's been more alone than ever."

Jac hummed sympathetically. "Can't be easy. Husband gone. Her only child on the other side of the ocean."

Kian nodded in agreement.

They were quiet for a moment. Jac was mulling over a suggestion in her head, trying to decide whether to voice it. Not because it was a bad idea, but because it was a good one, and he might agree to it. She set aside her book, which had been lying ignored in her lap, and turned back to the man beside her, the movement catching his attention. "You should go back to Canada. Visit your mum."

He cocked his head. "I should go? You trying to get rid of me, Naylor?" he joked.

"No! No, of course not." In truth, she didn't want him to leave. She'd grown far too used to his company. Since the day, a couple weeks before Christmas, she'd confessed to loving him, they'd been together nearly every day and night, especially after the next week when he'd professed to loving her in return. They had only spent a couple of nights apart since, and the thought of him going away for the extent of their leave left a pang in her chest. Still, she knew this would be good for Kian. And his mother. It would be selfish of her to keep him here. "But," she continued, "you haven't seen her in a long while, and now that covid isn't a problem, you can travel again. And you've got the time off -"

"We've got the time off," he corrected.

"It's a good opportunity for you."

He studied her for a moment. "You're right. It's a good opportunity." A sly grin crossed his face. "For us." Jac opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off. "C'mon Jac! We took this time together. You really think I'm gonna just hop across the ocean and leave you behind?"

"I can't just leave the continent for so long. I've got Emma."

"So we don't go for long," he reasoned. "Look, you get Emma in just under two weeks, right? If we leave in the next few days we can stay for a week and still be back in plenty of time."

Jac hesitated. He was right. They could make it work so long as they could book the appropriate flights. And it was nice to know he still desired her company as much as she did his, even after so much time at each other's sides. But there was one more concern she needed to address. "I don't want to be in the way," she said seriously. When he gave her a questioning look, she explained, "This is supposed to be a chance to visit your mum. She doesn't even know me, beyond one phone call."

"Well, and what I've told her about you," Kian interjected.

"I shudder to think," she joked.

He let out a snort of laughter.

"The point is," she said, steering them back on topic, "I'm sure she cares much more about seeing you than me."

"Are you kidding?" he scoffed. "She would like nothing more than to meet the woman who saved my life," he said, referring to the incident in the Black Mountains the year before. "You know she asks about you every time we talk? You ask me, I think she's far more interested in hearing about you than she is about me." He suddenly raised a finger, as if an idea had just occurred to him. "Come to think of it, maybe you should go alone. She might prefer that."

Jac rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a smile. "Alright. We'll go together. But only if you're sure I won't be interfering."

"You won't," he assured her.

. . .

The next morning, the couple set about making plans for their upcoming trip. They sat in the study, browsing through the various possible flights displayed on Jac's computer. Or, more accurately, Jac browsed through the flights. Kian, meanwhile, was preoccupied with the plate of food in his hands, despite having eaten breakfast less than an hour ago.

"This one could work." Jac indicated one of the flights with the cursor. "Leaves Friday morning. Considering the five hour time difference, we'd still have most of the day when we arrive. And when you pair that with the return flight we found earlier, that gives us almost eight days."

Kian nodded in consideration while he chewed. "It's a good time. Plus it gives us today and tomorrow to get ready." He swallowed his mouthful before asking, "What's the seating and class availability look like?"

She clicked through to the 'Seating Availability' page. "There's business and economy free for both."

"Business." He pointed his finger in emphasis.

"Of course you would pick that, Mr. Maserati."

"Hey, it's an eight hour flight," he pointed out with a shrug. "Overnight on the way back. You want to be crammed into a two foot by two foot space for that long? And try to sleep?"

"Fair point." She turned back to the screen and double checked the dates and times of their selected flights. "So we're good to go ahead and book this?"

He nodded. "Giddyup."

While Jac booked their flights, Kian took his now empty plate to the kitchen. Just as he was turning to head back to the study, the doorbell rang. Whoever it was would be looking for Jac, not him, he knew. After all, only his mother, and now Sacha, knew he was living here. And at the moment, his official address was still listed as his apartment. Even his mail was still delivered there and he and Jac had to make regular trips over there to retrieve it until he got it changed. Still, she was busy booking their flights and he was a lot closer to the door.

"I got it!" he called. It was probably just a salesperson anyway, he reasoned. So when he swung the door open, he was surprised to see a familiar figure waiting on the porch. "Fletch!"

"Kian! I thought that was your car out front. I mean, either that or Jac's had a midlife crisis."

"Not yet, I'm afraid. Though I think she might be more of a Lamborghini person."

Fletch snorted. "I'd like to see that."

"So, uh, I guess you're here to see Jac?"

"Yeah. Just wanted to see if she's okay. I heard she's taking some time off after that whole thing yesterday. Oh, speaking of, apparently you are too? I was gonna call you later, actually."

"Well isn't it perfect that you've got both of us here then!"

"Yeah, sorry about that mate. I didn't know you'd be here. I could come back if I'm interrupting -"

"No, no, no, don't worry about it. Come on in!" He stepped back out of the way and gestured for the Director of Nursing to enter.

"You sure?" he asked, hesitating on the doorstep. "Not sure she'll tolerate being smothered by multiple concerned friends at once."

Kian waved away his concerns. "Nah, it'll be fine. Trust me." He didn't bother to explain yet, but Fletch merely shrugged and stepped inside.

"If you insist."

As they walked through to the living room, Jac came out from the study. She didn't seem surprised by Fletch's presence, so Kian assumed she must have overheard them as they came into the house.

"You look awful," she said, looking Fletch up and down.

"Oh well, thank you very much. Hello to you too. I've just come off a double shift. Weren't enough nurses for last night so…"

"So of course you volunteered to stay on, as usual," she finished for him. She sat down on the couch and Kian took the spot next to her.

Fletch gave a tired shrug before sinking into the armchair. "Somebody's gotta do it."

"And yet, despite having no sleep for the past 30 hours, you came here."

"Trust me, as soon as I leave I'm going straight to bed. I just wanted to check in on you. I know you're going on leave."

"I'm fine, Fletch. really." She reassured him. "I just need a break and time to sort some things out."

"And you're not just saying that to make me leave, are ya?" Jac's expression turned to one of annoyance so he explained, "I only want to make sure you're okay. After yesterday, anyone would be rattled. It's okay if you're having a hard time. So if you need help…" he trailed off, letting the unspoken implication hang in the air.

"I guarantee you, I'm in no danger of going back to the nuthouse. No need to have me sectioned again."

He held his hands up defensively. "Okay, okay. I wasn't suggesting that. I was worried about you after what happened, is all. Can't blame a friend for being concerned."

She offered him a small smile of thanks. "I suppose not."

"And looks like I wasn't the only one," he said, nodding towards the man beside her.

"Who, Kian?" She questioned, eyebrows raised.

"I swear, we weren't trying to double team ya. If I'd known he was already stopping by, I would've come another time."

Jac and Kian shared a look. They were finally arriving at this point in the conversation, Kian thought. He'd wondered how long it would take for this to come up. "Yeah, about that…" he began.

"It's fine. It really wouldn't have made a difference when you came. I can't seem to get rid of this one." She gently elbowed him in the arm.

"Trying to get rid of me already, Naylor? I only just finished hanging my clothes up in the closet."

She raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Really? Last I checked, half of them were still littered across the floor."

He laughed, not bothering to deny it.

"Whoa, hang on," Fletch jumped in. He looked at Kian in shock. "You moved in?"

"Last I checked," he said nonchalantly. "Though I'm starting to sense some hostility on her end." He dramatically rubbed his arm where she'd elbowed him. She rolled her eyes and he pointed accusingly. "See?"

Still trying to process this revelation, Fletch brushed past their theatrics and focused on the matter at hand. "How long has this been going on?"

Kian shrugged. "Couple of weeks."

"A couple of weeks?" he asked incredulously. "Bloody hell, you two move fast."

Sensing there had been some miscommunication, Kian frowned. He took a breath, preparing to clear it up when Jac interjected.

"For goodness' sake, we didn't start seeing each other two weeks ago," she clarified. "Do you really think I would move in together with someone after so short a time? If I ever do, please, as my friend, have me sectioned again."

Kian chuckled, though a small part of him couldn't help but be troubled by the idea of Jac moving in with another man.

"Duly noted," Fletch replied. He leaned forward, eager for details. "So? When did this start?"

"Uh…" Kian hesitated, glancing at Jac with uncertainty. For such a seemingly innocuous question, it had quite the complicated answer. "Officially or unofficially?" Then as an afterthought, he added, "Or semi-officially?"

Fletch looked between the two of them in confusion. "I get the feeling there's a story here."

"It's complicated." Jac said.

Fletch huffed. "And you're not going to explain it, are ya?"

"Let's just say, we were sort of unofficially 'got together' for a short time before Kian..." she hesitated, and Kian stiffened slightly, knowing what happened next. "...went back to Canada for awhile." He relaxed, relieved she hadn't gone into the particulars of that event. Especially now that she knew the full reason behind his sudden disappearance. "After he came back and went on sick leave -"

"When Bea's son nearly killed him?" Fletch cut in.

"We started seeing each officially while he was recovering." She finished.

Fletch sat back in his chair, looking stunned. "Blimey, you've been together all this time? How come I didn't know about this?"

"Ah, don't feel bad, Fletch! No one else knew either." Kian said cheerfully. "Well, except Sacha. And Nicky. But Nicky found out on her own."

"Don't forget your mum," Jac added. "And Emma."

"True. Oh, and Emma told Jonny and Stacey."

"McGerry seemed to have figured it out too."

"Great!" Fletch interrupted. "Good to know I was the only one left out."

"Look on the bright side," Kian said. "A lot of them figured it out on their own. You're one of the first people we've officially told."

"Perfect, so I guess I'm just slow then?"

Kian pursed his lips and looked to Jac.

She shrugged and made no attempt to hide her smirk. "If you say so."

"Oh, real encouragement you are, Jac." Still, he gave them a genuine smile. "But seriously, I'm thrilled for the both of you."

Kian nodded in thanks.

"Well listen, I'm glad you're both okay after yesterday. I'll get out of your hair."

"You sure?" Kian asked. "I could make you a coffee or…"

But Fletch was already shaking his head. "Thanks, mate, but honestly, I'm exhausted. I'm just gonna go home and fall straight into bed." He stood up and couldn't help quietly chuckling as he said, almost to himself, "Jac Naylor in love. With Kian Madani of all people."

Kian frowned.

"Oh, no mate, not like that! I just meant, well, when you first arrived at Holby, you drove each other mental."

"Oh trust me." Jac gave Kian a sidelong look. "That still happens on occasion."

Fletch snorted. "I believe that. Still, I have to say, you two getting along - as friends or a couple - is so much nicer than the constant bickering I used to have to endure."

Kian certainly couldn't blame him for saying that. Looking back, he could recall countless incidents where Fletch had either been present for, or caught in the middle of their squabbling.

"Speaking of which," he continued, "don't suppose I'll ever find out what happened between you two?"

"Meaning?" Jac asked.

"Well, you two couldn't stand each other, right? Then, on the day you got out of Merrywell, you steal my car and run off to the mountains after Kian. Next thing I know you turn up in an air ambulance, Kian's got a hole through his leg, you're both national heroes on the telly, and suddenly you've worked out your differences. Care to explain what happened up there?"

Kiann tensed and met Jac's gaze, fixing her with a look. He didn't know what Fletch suspected based on what he had pieced together from the available evidence. The nurse knew about Bea's death, but not Vanessa. He also knew that Jac went to the Black Mountains out of worry for him, though not the finer details as to why. But regardless of what Fletch guessed, there were certain parts to the story that Kian didn't want shared.

Fortunately, Jac seemed to be of the same mindset, once again saying only, "It's complicated."

Seeming to understand that neither of them cared to elaborate, Fletch didn't pursue the matter. "Thought as much," he said.

WIth the subject dropped, Kian relaxed. Jac reached for his hand which was hidden from the other man's view by their bodies and gave a reassuring squeeze.

"Well, I'd best be off. Don't want to fall asleep while driving." The couple stood up to walk him to the door. "Enjoy your time off. But, you know, not too much," he joked. "Don't need you getting any ideas about not coming back."

As Fletch stepped outside, neither of them mentioned that not returning to Holby was, in fact, a distinct possibility, and that one of the reasons for their leave of absence was to give them the space to decide that very thing.

Once he was gone, Kian turned to Jac. "Thanks for not saying anything about what happened in the mountains last year."

"It wasn't any of his business," she said matter of factly. "Well, except the part where I made off with his car and wallet, but he got them back in the end… minus a hundred pounds."

He gave her a questioning look.

"I needed a coat," she said with a shrug.

"Remind me to never leave my wallet lying around."

"What'd be the fun in that?"

He smirked. "So," he said, changing the topic, "we're all booked?"

She nodded. "Flying out Friday, 10am."

Seeing a perfect opportunity, he took a breath, opening his mouth to speak.

"No," Jac cut in. "Don't say it. Once a day is more than enough."

He raised his hands in appeasement and closed his mouth. She continued to keep her eye on him for a moment, as if expecting him to change his mind at any moment. When she finally moved to turn away, a wide grin lit up his face.

"Giddyup!"

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