Episode
10/12 Dream a little dream

Review
Gordon dreams of the future for the royal with the new money that comes in, there is a development in the Omerod family. Paul Wilde's tribute to Samantha is revealed, Daniel's past comes to light and the new year is welcomed with a bang.

Cast list
Robert Daws, Amy Robbins, Paul Fox, Polly Maberly, Wendy Craig, Michael Starke, Andy Wear, Zoie Kennedy, Linda Armstrong, Michelle Hardwick, Dennis Lil, Daniel Feltham and Sophie Foster

"Come on kids, we're going to be late." Gordon called up the stairs, "Charlie, you are ok watching them aren't you. It's just for a week until the au-pair get's back. Lizzy's already told me she wants to help but she does have to work so you'll have to do it most of the time. You are ok with that right?"

"Gordon, you've asked me that like ten times already. Yes I'm cool with it." Charlie replied rolling her eyes, Jill smiled to herself, he was over-reacting, it was christmas time, their quietest period, no-one wanted to go and see the doctor at christmas enless they absolutely had to, so patient loads would be light. They could probably 'watch' as Gordon put it, Katy and Tom most of the time. Just then Katy and Tom appeared.

"Right let's go." Gordon said, heading out towards the cars, mentally reminding himself that first thing after christmas he'd go and see about getting a bigger one, at the moment if they wanted to go out as a family they had to take two cars which was ridiculous. Gordon got in his car with Katy and Tom, Charlie went in Jill's car and they all set off to the Royal, for another working day.

Meanwhile at The Royal, Daniel was looking for Paul Wilde, when he'd got in that morning Julian Caldwell had told him to talk to him but not why, which intrigued Daniel. So he went looking for Paul before morning surgery started, he found him sitting in the cab of his ambulance.

"Paul, Mr Caldwell told me to talk to you." Paul put down the magazine he'd been reading and jumped out of the cab.

"Yeah, Sister Bridget told him your good at finding money for worthy causes. I've got a worth cause that could do with a big injection of cash." Daniel frowned and nodded slowly.

"Ok, what cause is this?"

"My tribute to Sam, you know the nurse that died in the seige. Well I talked to Meryl, Staff Nurse Taylor and she told me about how a patient died because they couldn't be given medical treatment while in a helicopter that was transporting them to London. This patient left behind a daughter, her husband works on the oil rigs so her mother looks after the kid. This really upset Sam, her death you know so I figured that I'd make it didn't happen again. A helicopter ambulance, a helicopter that has enough room for the patient, all the medical equipment neccesary to keep them alive, a doctor and a nurse. This helicopter ambulance could also be used to get people up in the moors, you know where the roads don't go, it could save a lot of lives." Paul explained. "Mr Caldwell thinks it's a great idea, it's being kept secret though so the DHA can't interfere, you know what Harpers like, he'll have a blue fit at the amount of money it needs." Daniel nodded, leaning on the side of the ambulance, considering the proposal.

"How much money do you need?" Daniel asked, his eyes guarded, there was a limit to how much even his doner could give. Paul pulled a face.

"The whole project needs ten thousand to get off the ground." Daniel whistled.

"That's a lot of money, have you got any of yet?" Paul nodded.

"I've managed to raise a grand, Mr Caldwell said he's going to talk to Dr Omerod about possibly using some of the money that Mr Middleditch left the hospital. Even so I shouldn't think even a grand will come from there, that money's meant for things the hospital really needs."

"What about maintenance costs? How can you be sure that a doctor is going to be available, the hospital only has three, well four counting Lucy, Dr Klein?" Paul winced at hearing the words 'maintenance costs'

"A doctors always going to be available because Dr Alway is going to be taken on, just for this purpose. As he's retired and receiving a full pension he doesn't want to be paid, so that at least is one less cost to worry about. But maintenance costs are high, there's the price of a pilot to begin with, because I'm going to become the pilot and work for no the same wage I've got now, I've started training, we'll only need the pilot for a couple of months. There's also fuel, then there's the spare parts. It'll probably cost what'll average out to between fifty and a hundred pounds a month at first, closer to fifty when we don't have the pilot. Mr Caldwell is working on a proposal to put before the DHA which will hopefully mean they'll pay for it, because we want the helicopter to work not just for The Royal, but for Ashfordly General and other hospitals in this area. Mr Caldwell's hopeful that the proposal is going to be excepted, so that should be ok." Daniel frowned thinking hard, he could get the money but he'd have to come clean, there was no way his anonymous doner would want to stay anonymous for this, well somethings are bigger than ourselves.

"I'll get you the ten thousand, the one thousand you already have you can use for any of other costs or whatever. As for Mr Middledich's fund, you can leave that intact for this project." Paul beamed

"You mean it, you promise you can get it." Daniel nodded, smiling too.

"Absolutely, consider it done."

By ten-thirty all the patients that had come in had been seen. Gordon had seen them all, Jeff had done the aneasthetic duty for the one operation that had been scheduled, Daniel had operated because Mr Caldwell had told Dr Rose he could have until after the new year off, a fact Dr Rose had been delighted with. Jill had played with Tom and Katy, relieving Charlie of the burden of being responsible for them.

Once Gordon had seen his last patient, he considered going down to Jill's office, but decided instead to do some paperwork, but he couldn't concentrate. While he'd been on his honeymoon, the news had come through from the soliciter John Steinberg that Mr Middleditch's estate had been fully liquidated and all the paperwork taken care of, so they could start spending the money as soon as they liked. Gordon tried to do the paperwork, but he couldn't, he just kept dreaming of what that money could do for The Royal, the future the hospital now had, a future that could never be taken away now, no matter what the DHA tried. The first thing they could do was to give some of the money to Paul Wilde, for his helicopter ambulance, talk about immeadiate care Gordon thought, the next step will be to get doctors and nurses permenantly on ambulances. Just then a knock came at Gordon's door.

"Come in." Gordon called, Daniel walked in, he sat down in the chair opposite Gordon's, the one normally occupied by patients. "Daniel, what can I do for you?"

"I spoke to Paul Wilde this morning, he told me about his helicopter ambulance deal and about how much he needs to get it off the ground." Gordon grunted, he would give maybe half a grand, he didn't want to deplete the fund to much. "Well um, you might not have heard but um Sister Bridget needed . . ." Gordon laughed,

"I heard, you have the ear of a very rich man." Daniel nodded

"Yeah, I just spoke into that ear and he want's to give some money to the helicopter ambulance. Actually not some money, he's going to give the full ten grand." Gordon's eyes opened wide, and he sat forward.

"What?" Gordon exclaimed, not believeing what he was hearing.

"You heard me, the full ten grand. There are a couple of conditions though, he wants there to be a ceramony. You know the type of thing, with all the press, he wants to cut the ribbon opening it. Also he want's a plaque somewhere, saying that he paid for the thing. Nothing that takes the focus of the fact that it's a tribute, but he wants to be acknowledged." Gordon frowned,

"Sister Bridget said he prefered to stay anonymous?"

"Yeah . . . about that um, he likes nothing better than for his picture to be on the front page, he loves publicity, I don't. I managed to convince him that the convent didn't want the publicity and so of course for that remained anonymous, but this is going to get press anyway, the more the better and he wants a piece of it."

"The convent wouldn't have minded I'm sure, I know Sister Bridget wanted to thank him personally. You didn't want the publicity, but I don't understand what it's got to do with you?" Gordon looked at him, his eyes demanded answers, answers Daniel didn't want to give. He knew he'd find out eventually, but not now, he wanted to tell Meryl first.

"It's a long story, one I will tell you one day, just not now. Now when do you want the opening to be?"

That afternoon Paul, Julian Caldwell and Gordon met in the latters office, to discuss the helicopter ambulance, no sooner had they sat down a knock came at the door, Jill walked in instantly.

"I'm sorry I didn't realise." Jill stammered, she'd wanted to talk to Gordon, she needed to talk to him, it would have to wait, she just wished it didn't have to.

"What is it Jill?" Gordon asked frowning slightly, she looked thrown, she was shaking slightly.

"I just wanted to talk to you, it's nothing important, it can wait." Jill then turned and left, closing the door behind her, leaving Gordon more than a little concerned.

"Did she seem ok to you?" Gordon looked at Mr Caldwell and Paul, they exchanged glances.

"She's your wife Gordon." Paul replied, feeling distinctly uncomfortable, it was a feeling he'd had almost constantly since he'd put the idea of the helicopter ambulance forward, it felt so wrong for him to be talking to doctors and administrators as equals, yet that's what they encouraged him to do.

"To business." Mr Caldwell suggested, Paul nodded vigourously his approval, Gordon gave the door a last longing glance before he nodded reluctantly, and they got down to business.

In the distance a siren wailed, it was almost at the royal when Gordon woke, he'd had an exhausting meeting with Mr Caldwell and Paul, it had lasted three hours. He'd then fallen asleep considering the figures and information they'd left. Gordon looked at his watch, five past five, he'd only been asleep ten minutes. Rubbing sleep from his eyes Gordon made his way down to casualty.

"Anything I can do." Gordon yawned, Daniel shook his head.

"No thanks, I got it covered, besides you falling asleep in theatre might be counter productive. Go home and er." Daniel smiled winking. "Cut out those late nights huh."

"It's not like that." Gordon began trying to defend himself, "It's the kids, I don't know where they get the energy from, so excited because it was christmas."

"Yeah yeah, whatever, I believe you." Gordon gave up and went off to find Jill and the kids, so they could go home. Jill's appearence at his office that afternoon now completely forgotten.

The next day, Daniel walked into reception his arms full of boxes, Lizzy watched him as he past, he couldn't see over the stack.

"Wait Dr Travis." Lizzy called, Daniel started to turn round, when Jill came out of the staff kitchen, his pile of boxes hit her outstretched arm spilling her tea everywhere.

"What do you think you're doing?" Jill yelled angrily, Daniel with difficulty put the boxes down when seeing the mess he'd made he cringed.

"Sorry Jill." he apoligised. "Look I'll get a towel or something. Lizzy could you make another cup of tea please."

"Don't bother." Jill glowered, before walking off in the direction of her office. Daniel looked at Lizzy.

"Phew, what's up with her?" Lizzy shrugged handing Daniel the towel, quickly he mopped up the spilt tea. Then giving Lizzy two of the boxes he made it to his office without incident.

The next to suffer Jill's bad temper that morning was Alun, like Daniel he hadn't done anything major, all he'd done was dropped a surgical tool, he had another one already sterile spare, but Jill gave him a verbal lashing. By lunchtime the hospital staff were gossiping about it. Gordon went to her office to talk to her, he'd remembered now that she'd tried to talk to him yesterday, she'd also tried to talk to him last night, but what with the kids he hadn't had a chance, she'd gone to bed early after being distant and snappy, something was wrong. He knocked on the door, turning the handle at the same time.

"Jill." he called, looking around her office, she wasn't there, frowning he closed the door, where could she be?

That lunchtime Daniel and Meryl went to the seafront, it was Daniel's last day working today, Mr Caldwell had been going to keep him on until the new year, so his last day working at The Royal would have been new years day, but the DHA had intervened saying that it wasn't neccessary.

Daniel bought two sandwiches, handed one to Meryl, they walked along the seafront until they found an unoccupied bench. Neither of them started eating, they couldn't meet each others eyes either. Eventually Meryl decided that one of them had to say something, if Daniel wouldn't she would have to.

"I guess you're leaving now. You're finished here. Where are you moving on to next?" Meryl asked, Daniel looked at her laughed and shook his head.

"What ever gave you that idea?" Meryl frowned

"But you have to leave now, you don't have a job here anymore." she pointed out

"Meryl these last two weeks have been the best of my life. I will move heaven and earth to stay here with you." Meryl looked at Daniel, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. She'd been building herself up to this, trying to shut out the feelings of love she had for him and just think of it as a casual fling, the way she thought Daniel was treating it, did he feel the same way as she did.

"What are you saying?" Meryl asked, she needed clarification, Daniel took each of her hands in his own and looked deep into her eyes.

"I guess what I'm saying is, I've fallen in love with you. I tried not to, to treat it casually, but something like this doesn't come along very often. I believe we have something special." Meryl nodded, blinking tears away, not tears of sadness, tears of happiness, he loved her. They both leant in at the same moment and soon they were kissing passionately much to the amusement or disapproval of the other people on the seafront.

A little later Gordon picked up his patient notes for that afternoons surgery from Lizzy, there were only three but he'd drawn the short straw of seeing them. He was just about to head to his office when Jill walked past and out of the reception door. Gordon thrust his patient notes back at Lizzy and went after her.

"Jill, Jill wait up." he called. Jill stopped by her car, her head bowed. "Jill you haven't been yourself for a couple of days, what's the matter." Gordon asked her, wishing she'd turn to face him, he moved to stand in front of her and gentley with his hand moved her head up, he could instantly see she'd been crying. "Oh Jill what's the matter. I'm your husband, talk to me."

"I tried, but you wouldn't listen." Jill replied, Gordon closed his briefly, she was right but he hadn't meant to not listen, he'd been to busy playing with the kids.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, come here." Gordon wrapped his arms round her, cursing his stupidity, it was obviously important he just hadn't realised that. "What's wrong?" Gordon asked again, Jill looked at him, tears running down her cheeks.

"I'm pregnant Gordon." Gordon smiled and frowned at the same time, looking completely at sea.

"But that's great news . . ."

"Is it." Jill cut him off

"Sure it's fantastic, why don't you think so?" Jill shook her head, Gordon wracked his brains for a reason, a place to start, Jill was always so practical. "Look if it's about the money, we can afford four kids easy, and more, I want you to . ."

"It's not about the money." Jill shouted, "You don't know anything." she pushed Gordon away from her crying, before getting in her car and driving off.

"Jill come back here." Gordon yelled angrily, before turning around and kicking the wheel of his car, which only made him madder because it hurt his foot. He slid down and put his head in his hands, she was hurting and he couldn't help her, she wasn't letting him. What ever happened to those wedding vows they'd said not even three weeks ago?

That evening Meryl went over to Daniels again, this time she cooked because she'd found out that he could cook anything else apart from pasta, which was what they'd had last time. For most of the meal they'd eaten in silence, each staring at the other when they thought they weren't looking, catching each others eye sometimes and smiling.

"Meryl, there's something I need to tell you." Daniel began, Meryl swallowed hard, that sounded serious. "You know my anonymous doner." Meryl nodded.

"Yeah, I am going to find out who that is you know."

"Well about that um, I'm going to save you the bother. He's funding the helicopter ambulance, all of it, so he won't be anonymous anymore. In fact he hates being anonymous, likes nother better than being on the front page. I had to pull a lot of strings so that he would stay anonymous, I wanted him too. I thought that would be the end of it and you know he'd never be mentioned again, but then I heard about the helicopter ambulance, it's a brilliant idea and it needed funding, one catch I'd have to come clean."

"I don't understand." Meryl frowned, "What are you saying?"

"The anonymous doner is none other than Richard Armstrong."

"I'm still not with you. What's this got to do with you? I know that he's not exactly the nicest man in the world but . ."

"Not the nicest." Daniel snorted, "I think that's the understatement of the century. He's a tycoon, all he cares about is money and good publicity. That's the only reason why he gives money away, it makes him look better and helps people forget the scandals and crimes he's committed and got away with." Daniel paused, he had to continue, he just didn't want to. "I've lied to you. My names not Daniel Travis, well it is now because i changed it, it was Daniel Armstrong, Richard Armstrongs my dad." Daniel looked at her, willing her to say something, anything, praying she didn't follow the celebrity news. Meryl after what seemed like an eternity looked up and met his eyes, he couldn't read her expression. Suddenly she reached forward and picked up her glass of wine, throwing the contents in his face.

"I don't believe you, so all the stuff you said about how you loved me, it's all lies!" Meryl shouted standing up, Daniel shook his head.

"No, I meant every word."

"Another lie, you're married." Meryl spat, reaching for her coat and bag.

"No, well yes but I'm in the process of suing for divorce. It's been over between me and Elaine for over a year now. Meryl, I know I should have told you." Daniel tried to explain, he wanted to explain, he needed to explain.

"I thought you were different." Meryl told him crying, she moved to leave.

"No Meryl wait." Daniel tried to stop her, she didn't understand. "Goodbye Daniel, I hope I never see you again." Meryl left, Daniel turned and looked at the romantic candlelight table for two, angrily he swept his arm across the table sending the whole lot crashing onto the floor.

Meanwhile at the Omerod house Jill still hadn't come home. Gordon was beyond worried, he was frantic. Katy and Tom were in bed, they hadn't noticed anything was wrong but Charlie had.

"Gordon, what's the matter? Yesterday Jill was all distant, today you are. Is it something I can help with?" Charlie asked, Gordon turned round shaking his head.

"No, no it's nothing you can help with. You um go do whatever, but remember be in bed by ten, yeah." Gordon attempted a weak smile.

"Oh no, you're not getting rid of me that easy. When I needed you, you were there. Now you need help, I'm here. Now have you and Jill had a fight?" Gordon sighed, Charlie was just a child, but a child who had seen more and had to put up with more than most adults.

"I guess, it was weird. Like she said she's been not herself for a couple of days, I noticed it I just didn't do anything about it. She tried to talk to me and I wasn't there, today we talked a little. She told me she was pregnant, but she was all upset about it, I don't understand it. I tried to get her to tell me what was wrong but she just got in her car and drove off, I haven't seen her since, as you can see she's not here now." Charlie nodded, she didn't understand it either, but first things first.

"We have to find her. Once we've found her you can talk and sort everything out, you're good at that. Now is there any place she likes to go, you know to think or whatever?" Gordon thought hard, he couldn't think of anywhere.

"I don't know." he replied.

"Ok, well you were looking for me where did you try?"

"Near the school, near home, the area in between, the seafront, the church . ." Gordon looked at Charlie.

"The church." they said together.

A minute later they were outside the church, the one right next to their house. They were going to have got married here but then they'd moved it forward and the church hadn't had an opening. Gordon pushed open the creaky door, he didn't know why he was so certain she was here, Jill wasn't very religous, but then Charlie was a complete heaven and they'd tried here. Inside Jill stiffened when she heard the door open, Gordon stepped in Charlie behind him, he could see her at the front of the church, he nodded to Charlie and Charlie smiling encouragement left to go back indoors. If she hadn't been here, they would have called a sitter but as Gordon and Jill were only next door, Charlie could watch Katy and Tom, they were asleep anyway.

"Jill." Gordon called, "Jill, you have to tell me what's the matter, so I can help you." Gordon sat down next to her, hearing his words Jill knew he was right, it was just something she'd never told anybody before. Jill turned round and hugged Gordon, he held her close while she cried.

"Gordon, I'm so sorry." Jill sobbed.

"Don't be, you haven't done anything wrong. Just tell me what's the matter." Jill closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I was a student at medical school when I fell in love or more accurately thought I was in love with a man in the final year. I fell pregnant, I didn't know what to do, I knew I couldn't get rid of it but how could I have it. My problem was solved for me, I miscarried, the father never found out. Gordon I'm just terrified it's going to happen again, I don't know if I can go through that again." Gordon swallowed hard, and held her tighter.

"It's ok, sometimes these things happen and people go on to have many children. There are many reasons for it happening, stress is one of them, you must have been under a lot of stress then. I promise you that no matter what I'm here for you, and whatever happens we'll get through it together." Jill looked at Gordon asking herself for the hundredth time what she'd done to deserve a man like him. "I love you Jill, just promise me one thing."

"Anything." Jill replied, smiling now and wiping the tears away.

"Promise me, you'll never keep something like this from me again."

"Promise."

A few days later it was new years eve, Ken had been plotting behind everybodys back and he'd organised a new years eve party with Alun's help and Mr Caldwell's approval of course, it was being held in the conference room. Before the party started Mr Caldwell and Matron had a few announcements they wanted to make. They went up where the DJ (Alun) was going to be, Mr Caldwell tapped the mike to get everybodys attention.

"Good evening, before I let Alun start the music there's a few announcements I want to make. First of all Paul Wilde our new ambulance driver had an idea about a month ago for a helicopter ambulance, now when he first brought it to me I thought it was impossible, but I'm pleased to be able to tell you all, that in a couple of weeks it will be fully operational. This is mainly down to Paul's perseverence but also to Dr Travis's contacts, Dr Travis doesn't appear to be here tonight but if it wasn't for him this idea would have never got off the ground. Now this isn't just an idea, it's a tribute, a tribute to Samantha Beaumont, a popular and promising student nurse, who you all know passed away a couple of months ago, she inspired the idea and I know that she would be proud that we're the hospital that brought it to the nation."

"Amen." Dr Rose muttered in the corner, drinking from his hip flask.

"Now Matron has the other announcement. Matron." Mr Caldwell stepped away allowing her to come to the mike.

"Yes, it's another tribute really. I know that the childrens ward which is called Conway ward is never called that, it's called Cheriton ward. Now I know that we should have renamed it a year ago, but for one reason or another we didn't. So the unofficial tribute you gave Dr Cheriton, is going to be made official." Matron had to pause then because the applause was to loud, a silent tear ran down Meryl's cheek.

"Amen." she whispered to herself.

"Also Dr Cheriton was all for modernizing the hospital, he believed strongly in immeadiate care. Now the helicoptor ambulance brings immeadiate care to those on the moors or those who need to be transferred, because it has all the emergancy medical equipment already on it, plus a doctor that is assigned to it permenantly. But what of those which an ordinairy ambulance will take care of, the ambulance drivers don't have medical training so even if they did have all the emergancy equipment in the ambulance a doctor would still have to be found. This is where another idea comes in, Dr Travis thought of it, having what really amounts to male nurses driving the ambulances. He called them paramedics, apparently this is a plan that's already been put into action in London and a couple of other cities. It hasn't really caught on though, but we're going to be one of the first there. The Royal is making history." Mr Caldwell took the mike back.

"That's all we've got to say except for roll on the new year, it's going to be our year. Alun the music." Alun needed no second bidding and was up to the record player in no time putting on a record. Everybody started dancing, Jill and Gordon, Katy and Tom, Mr Caldwell and Matron, everybody had a partner except Meryl.

"Dance with me." a voice behind her asked, Meryl turned around, it was Daniel.

"I don't want to talk to you." Meryl told him, moving to leave but finding her way blocked by dancing couples.

"Fine, just dance with me." Daniel tried again, taking hold of her hands and pulling her further into the dance floor. Meryl gave in, it was just dancing. Daniel twirled her round the dance floor, he was a good dancer, a minute later they were at the exit. "Come with me." Daniel smiled, Meryl gave in, he took her to his office. "Look I've got something to show you, it came this morning." Daniel handed her an envelope, Meryl pulled the letter out and scanned the first few lines.

"Ok so you were getting divorced and now you are divorced." Daniel nodded. "That doesn't change the fact you lied."

"I know that, I should have told you the truth from the start. It's just I hadn't been Daniel Armstrong for so long. When I went to medical school my dad disowned me, he wanted me to take over the family business. When I graduated we talked some, he gave me the car, trying to win me over. I got a job at a hospital, he made a phone call and it fell through, same thing with every hospital or practice I tried, so I became I locum, he couldn't stop it then." Daniel paused, he probably wasn't explaining it very well.

"Go on." Meryl urged, everything he'd told her so far rang true, it was also easy to check.

"My dad had set up a trust fund which I got when I was twenty-one, I very decent amount of money. I met Elaine at a party, I was young, nieve and she was gorgeous. I never considered that she just wanted me for my money. Pretty much as soon as we were married she dropped me, spent half the trust fund. Now as that letter will tell you, she got the rest of it anyway, bled me dry, I'm broke." Daniel finished, he just had one more thing to say. "Look whatever I lied about to do with my past, I never lied about us. When I came here the last thing I was expecting was to fall in love, I love you and like I told you the other day, I'll move heaven and earth to stay with you, that is if you want me to stay?" Meryl looked at him, her mind was telling her that even if he wasn't lying now, he had and that she should just walk away. Her heart was telling her what it had been telling her what it had been from almost she'd first set eyes on him, she loved him for all his faults. Meryl offered her hand.

"Staff Nurse Meryl Taylor, pleased to meet you." Daniel laughed.

"Dr Daniel Travis, though the name I was born with was Armstrong, pleased to meet you too."

"It's good to be honest from the beginning isn't it." Meryl smiled.

"Absolutely, honesty is always the best policy." They both leant in at the same moment and starting kissing passionately. Still kissing Daniel took her hand and led her towards the door.

"Yours?" Meryl asked grinning mischeivously

"Actually I don't live there anymore." Daniel gestured towards the boxes. "Told you I was broke."

"So this is yours then." Meryl raised her eyebrows, reaching behind him and locking the door.

Back in the conference room it was nearly midnight, Jeff and Lucy were slow dancing together despite it being a fast song. Suddenly Ken went up to the platform where Alun was and stopped the record.

"Everybody outside." he smiled, "I have a big surprise." Frowning everybody followed him, they went out to the front of the hospital by the tree.

"What's the surprise Ken?" Jeff asked.

"Ah wait and see, it's almost time." Ken walked along, he'd errected at some point that evening a barrier, he was making sure nobdy had crossed it. He reached the end and checked his watch. "Ten, nine." he started the count down, laughing everybody joined in.

"Eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. Happy new year." everybody shouted, the clock struck midnight, just then from behind the tree something shot up into the sky exploding, lighting up the whole area, then another and another. Ken had got fireworks. With the beautiful scene of fireworks behind them, the Royal couples kissed. Jeff and Lucy, Jill and Gordon, inside Daniel and Meryl. This new year was going to be their year.

The End. In next weeks episode . . .

11/12 Take a chance on me

Elsinby is hit by a tidal wave!