A/N: My major spanner is about to get thrown in. Hope you enjoy this.

The next month passed by in a haste of happiness for Sam.

She couldn't remember a time in her life when she'd felt more content. Work was going fine, Manson seemed to have retracted his claws for a time while the rest of the station still treated her as some kind of hero over David Kent's arrest. Phil was proving a valuable ally out on the streets, they worked well as a team, especially since the romance aspect had been pushed out of the picture. Back home, Abi's due date was chugging nearer, her daughter was starting to get the slightest bit nervous but Sam was doing her best to support her, along with some precious assistance from Sheelagh.

Hmm, Sheelagh. Connor had long since moved out, she'd been remarkably blase about it all, so much so that even he probably thought she didn't care. Of course, she did, but she was being a brilliant mother. Something Sam wasn't sure she'd be able to achieve herself. Sheelagh Murphy was something special though. Kent hadn't even been mentioned, it was as though he had been truly forgotten and there wasn't anything in the path of the relationship. Which itself was going perfectly. It had survived everything, including Sheelagh's return to work and the interesting scenarios that had thrown up. When they passed in the corridors they were merely DS Nixon and PC Murphy, the boundaries were clear, it was just sticking to them that was the difficult aspect.

That evening, a Tuesday, they were going out for a meal to a classy restaurant, Sheelagh's choice. Sam was more than willing to foot the bill since they normally stayed in (something she wasn't complaining about), occasionally, she just wanted to treat her girlfriend. Because of the plans she was surprised to have her mobile ringing at eight, soon after she'd got into work, flashing 'Sheelagh'. 'Is everything alright?'

'I've taken the day off.'

'What? Are you okay?'

'Calm down,' Sheelagh instructed. 'I need to talk to you at some point. It's important.'

That sounded too ominous. 'What's going on?'

'Can you just come round when you can please?'

'Sheelagh, please!'

'Just say you will, Sam.'

'Of course I will.'

Without answering, Sheelagh hung up, leaving Sam staring at her phone. Something was badly wrong, you'd have to be a complete dolt not to work that out, but for the life of her she couldn't think what. Everything was going well, it had been anyway, what could've happened to make Sheelagh sound so worried?

'Samantha, where are you going?'

She'd nearly been out the door as well. Turning back to Manson, she put on her best professional smile. 'Just popping out, Guv.'

'Not now you're not,' he answered. 'Got a GBH suspect downstairs, need you to assist with interview.'

'I have to be somewhere.'

'Do it in your own time. Zain needs you downstairs.'

He walked off, obviously not giving her a choice in the matter. She checked her watch, finding it was just past eleven. All morning she'd been trying to slip out to see Sheelagh but to no avail- efforts had been thwarted, so to speak. Instead of boiling over as she felt like doing she took the professional track, heading downstairs to do her duty with DC Nadir.

Having got completely caught up in Zain's GBH investigation, it was mid-afternoon before Sam had the chance to contemplate Sheelagh again. It seemed a good time to pay a home-visit, that is, DI Manson was out of the office. Grabbing her jacket, she jogged down the stairs into reception stopping short as Gina signalled her from behind the desk. 'Sorry, I was just an my way out.'

The Inspector moved away from the prying ears of JT. 'Have you spoken to Sheelagh today?'

'Briefly.' Sam examined her friend's face. 'Wait a second, do you know why she's off work?'

'I'm her superior, I had to okay it.'

'Right. What's going on?'

'You really need to speak to her. I shouldn't have said anything.'

Sam reached quickly for her arm. 'You did though.'

Gina was saved the answering by Smithy running in from the main body of the station. 'Sam, you're needed.'

'What?'

'It's Abigail. She went into labour a couple of hours ago, she's in St.Hughes.'

Sheelagh sighed as she checked her watch for the fifth time in as many minutes. It was already bad enough preparing to tell Samantha what she had to without this long delay. The sooner she got it over with the sooner they could decide what the future was going to hold for them.

As the phone rang she jumped, despite her craving for such a noise it startled her. It didn't stop her answering it immediately though. 'Sam?'

'No,' Gina said. 'It's me.'

'I thought she'd have called by now.'

'Well, she got a little sidetracked. Abi's gone into labour.'

'What? Is she okay?'

'As far as we know. Sam's on her way there now. I thought since...'

'Since I'll be there anyway I could catch up with her?' Sheelagh finished. 'Okay, thanks for letting me know.'

The corridors of the hospitals were usually so crowded in her experience. The again, she'd mostly been in these places to investigate incidents and most of those conversations took place in busy wards where screeching was the only way to make yourself heard. No, the maternity ward was much quieter, despite what should have been the screaming-baby factor. Sam found it calming and, after spending four hours in a room with Abi knowing the worst was still to come, she needed some calming.

Surprisingly, a lone figure waited in a chair. 'Sheelagh, what are you doing here?'

'Gina phoned. How's Abigail?'

'She's doing alright. Better than I did, I think.'

Sheelagh nodded. 'And how are you coping?'

'Never mind me. I didn't get round to see you, what's going on?'

'Well, I...'

'Ms Nixon!' A nurse broke out of the room Sam recognised as Abi's. 'Your daughter's asking for you.'

Sam looked anxiously at Sheelagh. 'I should...'

'Go. It'll keep.'

'Sheelagh! Sheelagh, wake up!'

She was being shaken and opening her eyes, she realised the only lights within the corridor were artificial. 'What time is it?'

'Just after four. Listen, it's a girl! Mother and daughter both doing fine!'

She struggled into a comfortable position, gave it up and stood. Sam was glowing with pride, the happiest Sheelagh had seen her. 'That's great news. Has she named her yet?'

'Yeah,' Sam smiled. 'Belinda Niamh Nixon.'

Remembering a recent conversation with Abi about her own child, she nodded. 'That's nice.'

Slowly, the inane grin on DS Nixon's face faded. 'I thought you'd be pleased.'

'I'm sorry, I've been trying to tell you this for days.'

'Sheelagh, what is it?'

'I'm pregnant.'