A/N: As you've all guessed by now, conflict is my specialty and I promise there'll be plenty of it in upcoming chapters. For now, we have inner conflict...

'Samantha, have you finished the report for the Henesy assault yet?'

Obviously, he knew she was almost out of the door but when she turned back she made sure she pasted on a smile- after two months she was still on a kind of probation with him. 'Guv, I've got the afternoon off.'

'I appreciate that but Henesy's brief's kicking up a fuss, wants to know what he's trying to get him off of this time.'

She shrugged. 'Can't do it now. We've had this appointment booked for ages. I'll have it for you first thing tomorrow.'

'Right.' As she made to move again he came closer, lowering his voice. 'This is the scan, is it?'

'Yeah, twenty weeks.'

'Well, I hope everything goes okay.'

Once he'd disappeared back around the corner to his office Sam smiled to herself. Perhaps he wasn't all bad. After all, he'd let her return to work without a blemish on her record and nothing had been said, accidentally or otherwise, about the baby or her relationship with Sheelagh. The only people who knew they were together were Gina, Ramani, Phil and Neil, amazingly it looked like it might stay that way. Not that Sam was ashamed at all, but Sheelagh was still working light duties which meant she was tied to the station. Gossip could be troublesome in Sun Hill when there was no escape.

Having arranged to meet Sheelagh outside five minutes earlier she was irritated when she was yet again halted as she walked down the stairs. This time it was Gina.

'Sam, I need you for a minute.'

'Sorry. I'm late already.'

'You're not the only one. Sheelagh's in my office, think you better come.'

'Why, what is it?'

Gina shook her head. 'Come on.'

Following the Inspector down the stairwell and towards her office Sam felt a sense of worry overtake her. Sheelagh had been as normal as ever at breakfast, slightly concerned about the impending scan but nothing out of the ordinary. Any parent was bound to be nervous at that stage of the pregnancy. Had she missed some vital sign or other?

'Oi.' Gina touched her arm as she made to open the door. 'Go steady.'

'Of course.'

Pushing open the door she found Sheelagh staring into space, that was all it took for the realisation to set in. After flicking the corridor blinds down she moved over to her girlfriend, putting an arm round her neck as she sat down. Patiently, she waited for Sheelagh to break the silence.

It didn't take long. 'I'm ridiculous, I know.'

'You're not. Finding out the sex of the baby's a big step, considering the circumstances you're bound to be nervous.'

'I wasn't worried, honestly. Then I was transcribing an interview... The boy turned out just like his father.'

Sam nodded. 'I suppose the mother said this?'

'I'm being stupid.'

'No. Listen, I know we've discussed it before but we don't have to find out today, we could wait until the birth.'

'That's backing out, Sam. I can't do that.'

'You're being too hard on yourself.'

'And you never do that?'

'Touche.' Pulling them both to their feet, Sam looked her partner straight in the eye. 'Okay, we're doing this apparently. You're stubborn as hell, Sheelagh, hope you know that.'

'Wonder where I picked that up.'

'Come on. Before I hit you.'

Over twenty years earlier during her first pregnancy a scan had felt like such a big deal. As a nurse she'd seen dozens of prospective parents, the reactions as an indecipherable blob appeared on the screen, labelled as their child. In reality it could've easily been a foal inside a horse but it hadn't seemed to matter. Until it had been her own turn Sheelagh hadn't understood that.

Then Patrick had pointed towards the screen, tears in his eyes, and she'd looked... The first glimpse of her little Siobhan, an image she could still conjure to mind whenever she felt the need.

Of course, with each child the scans seemed of less importance, merely check-ups with Declan and Connor, then Niamh's scans had been occasions for a mixture of emotions given the father situation. Looking back at that though she was eternally grateful she'd been persuaded to take the scan photos with her when she'd been reluctant to. They formed the basis for what little she had left of her daughter so in that sense the scan had been massively important.

This one took the biscuit though. Boys were like their fathers, she knew it. Not just because of the people she saw pass through the station on an average day, but from experience- Declan and Connor were so like Patrick it was amazing sometimes. Apart from the slight matter of him being gay Connor was practically a carbon copy of his father, what did that indicate for this child if it turned out to be male?

Deep down she knew she really was being ridiculous. After all, hadn't she forced Sam to accept everything about the child before committing to spend their lives together? Here she was, back-tracking on her own words and because of what? A little fear, irrational fear.

Glancing over to Sam in the driving seat she remembered what they were- a family. This child, whether it was male or female, was part of that family. Suddenly, Sheelagh realised that whatever had to be would be, hadn't that been what she'd preached for a good period of her life?

Sheelagh had slowly perked up during the journey Sam noted with a certain degree with relief as they walked through the sterile corridors of the hospital towards the maternity unit. Yes, she was still pale but the fear in her eyes had been replaced with something else, something Sam couldn't put her finger on but she knew it was positive.

After a short stint in the waiting room they were called, Sam taking hold of Sheelagh's hand, just to let her know it was fine to be nervous. Her own insides were somersaulting, not that she could let her girlfriend know this.

'Mrs Murphy,' the doctor greeted them. Luckily, it was the same woman who had treated them before, she knew the situation and therefore wouldn't put her foot in it. 'Ms Nixon, isn't it?'

Sam shook her hand as Sheelagh hopped onto the table. 'Yep. Nice to see you again.'

'Yes, you too.' She looked back to Sheelagh briefly. 'Now, as you know, it's possible to tell the sex of the baby from the twenty week scan. Of course, some parents don't wish to know but...'

'We do,' Sheelagh supplied quickly. 'If that's okay.'

'Yes, that's fine. Let's get on with it shall we?'