Lara was smoking her cigarette like they were going out of fashion. Dillon, coming back off his break, felt he ought to say something. She got in first though.

"Don't ask," she said angrily, stubbing one cigarette out and immediately lighting another.

"Bad day?" he asked.

"You could say," Lara agreed. She fell silent momentarily before saying, "What is it about Lucy Hart? What does she have that I don't?"

Dillon was taken aback. "Lucy? Nothing… I mean, I don't know, what do you mean?"

"Then why every time I turn around do I find Patrick chasing after her?" Lara asked. "You'd think the bastard would at least have the grace to conduct his flings elsewhere. I mean, Rachel was a bit close to home, Lucy…"

"Hold on, you think Patrick and Lucy…" Dillon frowned.

"You don't?" Lara asked pointedly. "After the other night in the car? After seeing the way they are every time they see each other?"

Dillon shrugged. "They're just feeling awkward cause of the rumours that are flying around. I'm sure nothing happened, I'm sure nothing's happening. Patrick wouldn't…"

"Wouldn't he? Lara looked at Dillon pointedly. "Because he's never dated two women at once before, has he?" She shook her head angrily, stubbing another cigarette out. "I should never have trusted him, I should have gone with my gut instinct."

"Wait, what are you going to do?" Dillon asked as the SHO turned to go back into the hospital.

Lara shrugged. "I don't know," she said, her hard exterior suddenly cracking slightly. "I never meant to fall for him, Dillon. Now I don't know what to do."


"What's going on with you and Lucy?" Dillon demanded, catching Patrick in the staffroom alone.

Patrick looked at him, attempting to fake ignorance and failing. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Bullshit, Patrick! The whole hospital knows what I'm talking about!" Dillon glared at him. "Look, I've stood by while you've messed girls about before, but this time I'm not going to. Lara's a friend, a good friend, and I can't let you break her heart."

"Lara?" Patrick suddenly looked concerned. What the hell had any of this got to do with Lara? "What about her?"

"If you're cheating on her, she has a right to know," Dillon insisted. "She's not stupid, Patrick, she can see as well as anyone that you and Lucy are…"

"Are what?" Patrick demanded to know. "Sleeping together? Having a fling? Doing anything that constitutes more than being just good mates?"

"Oh come off it, Patrick, since when have you ever been able to just be friends with a woman? And Lucy Hart of all people? Why would you be any sort of friend with her?"

Patrick still wasn't sure of that himself. "I just am," he shrugged. "Look, I don't know what you're getting at here, but you've got absolutely no proof…"

"I know she came to see you when you were in hospital," Dillon played his trump card. "Why would she do that?"

Patrick looked taken aback at this. He'd been so sure that Lucy had come to see him on the quiet and that no one else knew. Now he found out Dillon knew; maybe she had come on a spying mission. Maybe she wasn't the quiet reclusive thing he'd thought she was.

"You haven't got a comeback for that, have you?" Dillon said triumphantly, though he wished Patrick would prove him wrong. He didn't want Lara to be right, he had been so sure himself that her and Patrick were perfect for each other. And he didn't want Lucy to turn into some sort of play thing, the scarlet woman, the reason the love story of the century would end.

Patrick shook his head slowly. "Lucy came to see me that day off her own back. I never asked her to. There's nothing between us like that, there never has been. We're…" He shrugged. "I don't what we are. But Lucy is… she's not Lara, where's Lara?"

"She's with a patient," Dillon said. "You've got a lot of explaining to do to her. If that's the best you can do, you need some practice."


"Lucy, I know what challenge three is." Patrick finally caught up Lucy as she was remaking one of the cubicle beds. Absent-mindedly he helped her pull the sheet tight, but let go at a crucial second, leaving Lucy to redo it herself.

"Really?" Can you not give me some time for challenge two to settle down first?"

"No, this one's vital," Patrick insisted. "It needs to be done asap."

"Okay, hit me," Lucy nodded wearily.

"Tell everyone about Jamie."

Lucy stared at him speechlessly for a second. "Are you out of your mind?" she asked finally.

"Lucy, please," Patrick found that he wouldn't be averse to begging for her to do this. "You have to do this. Today."

"No way!" Lucy shook her head violently. "Patrick until five days ago, no one knew. Now you want me to tell the whole department? I can't. I won't."

"You can, you've told me, you've told Charlie," Patrick reminded her. "What's the big deal?"

"The big deal? What do you think is the big deal?" Lucy exclaimed. "Christ, Patrick, what is your…?"

"Okay, okay, stupid question," Patrick agreed. "But it needs to be done, it's important."

"How can this be challenge three?" Lucy asked. "Challenge two was about me getting up on time! Buy me another alarm clock, I'd rather that than this! You can't be serious!"

Patrick had to agree, this would have been about challenge eight or nine in the ideal world, but this was serious; Lara had to know the truth. "I am. Today, Lucy."

"How is this going to help me?" Lucy demanded to know. "Tell me that."

"Things will be… out in the open." Patrick hoped he sounded more convincing than he felt.

But I'm not ready for that," Lucy pointed out. "Why are you asking me to do this?"

Patrick hesitated then sighed. "Lara's going to leave me if you don't. She thinks me and you are having an affair. I don't know how else to sort this out."

Lucy stared at him. After a long pause, she spoke. "You continue to amaze me, Patrick Spiller. Just when I thought you couldn't get anymore selfish you go and do this kind of thing." She shook her head. "And I thought you genuinely cared about me. But yet again it's all just some stupid game to you, isn't it? You thought you could use me to get yourself out of a tight space."

"You put me in the tight space!" Patrick reminded her crossly.

"I never asked you to invent this charade!" Lucy retorted. "That's the last time you involve me in anything, Patrick, ever! I hope Lara does finish with you, I'll be there cheering her on all the bloody way!" She ripped the cubicle curtain back to reveal Lara standing on the other side, looking completely shell-shocked. Lucy looked between her and Patrick warily, before leaving them to it.

"Lara, don't," Patrick made a grab for her hand.

"Drop dead!" Lara stormed away from him.

"Patrick! My office, now!" Max fixed the registrar with a furious gaze.