A/N: Talk about a terrifying response, almost emigrated after those reviews. Shows you care though!

'Hi, darling. How are you?'

Abi looked up from her tiny daughter in her arms. 'You've been gone hours. Did you go home or something?'

Trying to focus on the present company, Sam shook her head. 'I found an all-night café round the corner, got a bite to eat.'

'Oh, right.' Abi frowned. 'Have you been crying?'

'No, of course not. Now, how's little Belinda doing?'

'She's done nothing but sleep.'

'That's amazing. You screamed night and day for the first month.'

'I was probably screaming at you.'

'Thanks,' Sam answered with as much of a smile as she could muster.

Her daughter slowly raised the sleeping bundle. 'Do you want to hold her?'

Nodding, she received her tiny granddaughter. 'Abi, she's beautiful.'

'I know.'

'Have you slept at all?' Inspector Gold questioned when Sheelagh reported to her office as soon as she came into work.

'I'm fine, Ma'am. Honestly.'

'Did you track down Samantha?'

'Yes, I did. I'd rather not talk about it, if it's all the same.'

'Right,' Gina nodded though her eyes still showed her intrigue. 'Well, you're on restricted duties as of now. Basically, that means plenty of paperwork and rest. I'm not being held responsible for anything happening to that kid, okay?'

Sheelagh smiled slightly. 'You assume I'm keeping the baby.'

'Well, you are, aren't you?'

'Yes, of course.'

'Right, then.' The Inspector looked a little baffled, understandably so since she was talking like a lunatic. 'Well, that'll be all.'

'Thank you, Ma'am.' She started to leave then looked back. 'Oh, Abigail had a little girl, Belinda Niamh. Mother and daughter fit and healthy.'

Gina nodded. 'I appreciate you telling me.'

'No problem.'

After Abi had settled down for a well-deserved sleep, Sam slipped out of the hospital to check her phone messages. She wasn't quite sure what she was expecting or even wanting. A message from Sheelagh perhaps but she was lost on what she'd want it to say. That her former lover was having an abortion after all? Since it obviously wasn't what Sheelagh wanted Sam knew she wouldn't be happy with that result. Her hours of deliberation in the all-night café had come up with one thing- Sheelagh had to be happy enough to live with her choices and Sam knew her well enough to realise that having the baby was the only option for PC Murphy.

Acknowledging that before the catastrophic confrontation wouldn't have helped. As far as she was concerned a child of Gabriel Kent's would be the evil youngster of a monster. There was no way around that in her eyes. Perhaps Sheelagh could see past it- the mother could- but Sam only envisioned seeing an image of the father. There was no way she could comfortably live with that. It seemed terrible to think it but she'd meant what she'd said, Sheelagh was so much stronger a person than her. She wouldn't be able to handle it.

As it happened, there was a voice message on her phone. Not Sheelagh though; Gina sounding irate and commanding a phone call. Immediately, she complied. 'Gina, hi.'

'Congratulations are in order, so I hear. A little girl.'

'You've been talking to Sheelagh,' she realised. 'How is she?'

'Extremely professional, which doesn't fool me for a minute. She told you about the baby I take it?'

'Gina, with all due respect, you've got no idea what's going on.'

'Oh, I think I can hazard a guess. You've abandoned her, haven't you?'

'I don't have to listen to this,' Sam warned. 'You don't know what you're talking about.'

'Well, maybe I don't but I'll tell you something. You've been happier this last month than I've ever seen you, Sheelagh too. And you're throwing it away because of your stubbornness. I thought you were better than that.'

'I'm trying to do what's best for everyone . Sheelagh knows that.'

'I hope you realise what you've given up, Samantha.'

'Believe me, I do.'

Knowing what Samantha was like, Sheelagh could be fairly certain they weren't going to meet at the hospital. Sam immersed herself in work whenever anything was cutting into her, it was the Nixon method of escapism. So as she made her way through the hospital corridors searching for Abigail, Sheelagh could relax.

Finding her in a busy maternity ward she gazed from a distance for a moment. Abi was obviously going to be a fantastic mother, the way she was looking at her daughter all but confirmed that. It would be difficult- at that age it was bound to be- but she had great support. Samantha was going to be a brilliant grandmother, just so long as that term wasn't used in her company. It was a pity being a step-mother wasn't on her agenda, no doubt she'd have been good at that too.

Pushing that away, Sheelagh made her way across to Abigail and little Belinda. 'Hiya!'

'Sheelagh! You didn't have to come.'

'Of course I did,' she answered, taking a peek at the small face. 'How are you both?'

'Fine. Well, tired, but it was worth it.'

'I believe you,' Sheelagh said softly. 'Has your mum been in?'

'Yeah,' Abi answered. 'This morning for a bit. She was strange though, it was like she'd been crying.'

At least that meant she was finding it difficult too. 'She was probably happy about this one.'

Abi certainly had her mother's inquisitive streak. 'No, it wasn't like that. Has something happened between you two?'

'Why would you think that?'

'Because you're the only person who could hurt her like this.'

'I'm not sure I know what you mean,' Sheelagh replied slowly.

'I know you're together. I'm not stupid. You haven't exactly been secretive have you?'

She hadn't equipped herself to deal with this. Telling Abi everything now seemed pointless though so did keeping it from her. Then again, the young girl was as headstrong as her mother, she'd get the whole truth somehow. 'Your mum and I were a couple. We're not anymore.'

'What happened?'

'Well, I'm pregnant, Abi. It changes things.'

'You're pregnant?' she repeated. 'From the rape?'

Sheelagh nodded. 'I'm two months gone.'

'So what's the problem?' Aren't you happy about it or something?'

'No, I'm happy.' She looked down as she waited for the young mother to comprehend the statement. It didn't take long.

'What did she say?' Abi's voice was shaking and Belinda was starting to stir. 'She wants you to have an abortion?'

'She wouldn't ask me to do that, Abi. She just doesn't think she'd love the child, she thinks she can't.'

'But that's rubbish!'

'Abi!' Sheelagh gestured to a grizzling Belinda. 'Here, let me take her.'

Once her daughter had settled, this time in Sheelagh's arms, Abi continued, 'She's being stupid. It was you he raped, if you can love his child she should be able to. Hugh's Belinda's father but I don't see that when I look at her. She's just my daughter.'

'I think your mum's problem is she's too sensitive.' As Abi snorted, Sheelagh pressed ahead. 'No, she is. The trouble is she's kept everything professional for so long that when something like this happens- falling in love, I mean- she begins to take everything to heart. I can actually understand where she's coming from, she feels too much for me to let Gabriel win and she thinks that's what'll be happening.'

'I can't believe how ridiculous she's being.'

'Listen, Abi. I don't want you to argue with your mum over this, you need each other right now.'

'And what about you?' Abigail questioned. 'Who have you got?'

'My baby,' Sheelagh answered. 'I'll be fine.'