Hiya guys, hope you like the new story from me. Enjoy and remember how important reviews are to my writing speed.

I know they don't belong to me.

Hope you all like it,

Maura x-x

Lead me into forever

"Just go, you're annoying me now."

"Oh charming, I wont bring you chocolate pudding later either. Or move the coffee table closer, or cook tonight."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. But please, just go." I curl up again and find the warm dip he left when he stood up. He leans down and kisses the side of my head softly. It tickles my ear and I giggle.

"You gonna go back to sleep?" He says, pulling on his scrubs pants.

"We'll see. Now I'm awake, I may not be able to."

"Oh, you can't blame me for your inability to sleep." He chuckles, smoothes down his hair and pulls out a pair of socks. "I'm off now, I'll see you later." He kisses me and heads out the door. "Bye Alex."

"See ya later Luka." Alex yells back. I hear him trot down the hall and open my door. "Mom?"

"Morning. Have you…"

"Yes!" He smirks, cutting me off. Clambering into the bed he wriggles up next to me.

"Alex, you're feet are freezing."

"I get it from you. Don't moan." I wrap the cover over him and we doze off.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Beep-beep…beep-beep…beep-beep…beep-beep.

I snatch at my beeper and squint at it. This better not be…

Kerry! How did I guess?

"Kerry? You beeped me?"

"Hi Sam, we need you. We're down 3 nurses. I'm really sorry to call on a weekend, I know how hard it is for you with Alex and things but I wouldn't call you if I wasn't desperate."

I agree to work til 6, that's only 8 hours. I'm also reeling from the caring tone in Kerry's voice. I think Henry has really changed her.

"Hey Al, do you wanna go to Tommy's for the day?"

"He's at his dads."

"Mike?"

"His mom's."

"Zac?" I'm getting desperate, dredging my mind for names of my son's friends.

"He's moving house today. Why? Do you have work?"

I sigh and nod, burying my head in my hands.

"I could come with you!" He pipes up. I can tell without looking that he's grinning like an idiot and nodding. For some obscure reason he likes coming to work with me. Be it for the dead people, the sick people or the medical people, I don't care. He's happy, therefore I am happy.

"Fine, go get dressed. QUICK!" He runs off, laughing. I throw myself into a pair of scrubs and grab two bottles of juice, thanking god that Luka knows my exact way of living- lying in bed so I'm almost late and grabbing juice as I run out the door- so he stocked up on all manner of fruit juices.

What would I do without that man?

- - - - - - - - - - -

5 hours later

"Hey Sam, can you come and help me with the kid in curtain 4?" Abby peers round the locker door and smiles pleadingly. I yawn and stand up.

"Stay here Alex. Eat that, drink that, do that, read that but DON'T even dare to set foot out of this door!" I raise my eyebrows until he nods and then I follow Abby out.

"Hi Marli, what's the matter today?" I ask, recognising the little girl sitting on the bed. She holds out her arm which looks crooked.

"Did you fall again?" She nods. She's never been a big speaker, which was worrying the first time she came in with a broken arm. And the next week when she broke a rib. Then the next month when she broke 3 fingers. The evidence screams child abuse, we even reported her dad. Until we did some tests and realised that she had brittle bones.

"We'll cast it and this time I'll make sure you get the pink one." She grins. I retrieve the necessary equipment and Abby casts Marli's arm as I distract her by singing songs. She's only 3 and yet she knows the routine so well that she can tell us if we've forgotten something. Like the lollipop at the end.

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