Thanks for reviewing everyone. Thanks to everyone who submitted a ship too. As the majority was Cath/Sara that is what the ship will be. Right now it is more of a friendship but it may end up romance. So here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy.

Once Sara had hung up the phone on Catherine, she regretted not asking her to come out here to the hospital to stay with her. She felt like she was going to fall apart and she desperately needed someone to be here with her.

Sara felt like her world was about to end. She knew the look that the doctor had given her, she had given it to many families who came to identify a body. That look was sympathy. It represented death of a loved one. The doctor paused in front of Sara for a few seconds. He took in her appearance, her eyes were puffy from crying, hair messily smoothed down on her head and her nails- once neat and manicured were now messily chewed apart from being so nervous.

In his hand Doctor Benzene held the form the nurse made this young woman fill in when she first arrived. Apparently Jessica had a cold for the last few days, which only added to the diagnosis. The infant had only been with Miss Sidle for a few months, that was also written on the form.

'Miss Sidle?' Sara nodded slowly to the doctor's question. His voice was cold and regretful. 'I'm afraid I have some good news and some bad news.'

'Please tell me she isn't dead,' Sara's pained voice broke the silent room.

'No, that's the good news, but I'm afraid I can't promise you she will not be by this time tomorrow. You see, we have run some tests and discovered Jessica has a very aggressive form of meningitis. It's called amoebic meningitis.' From the blank look on Sara's face Doctor Benzene concluded she hadn't heard of it before. 'It is a very rare form of meningitis and only occurs in around 20 people per year in America.'

Sara had tears running down her face again. Jessica might die, that was all she could think about. 'So where did she get it from?'

'I was hoping that's what you could tell me. It is picked up from pools of fresh, still water of about 30c.' He could tell from her face, Sara was racking her brains thinking. 'This would of happened about 4 days ago, judging by how serious her condition is now.'

4 days, Sara thought. That was Saturday. What happened on Saturday? They went to the store, they picked up some food for a picnic and they went to the park. The park.

'Jessica fell into the pond at the park. I got her out straightaway; she was only under the water for a few seconds.'

Doctor Benzene nodded his head slowly. 'That's all it took. The amoeba was picked up through her nose and then moved to her brain causing it to swell and press against the spinal cord. In most cases this causes instant death, but so far Jessica has been extremely lucky. We have started her on a course of very strong antibiotics which we are hoping will help.'

Sara nodded slowly.

'I want you to be prepared for the worst. The survival rate is very low, and her immune system is so weak because she is young so her chances are slimmer.'

Sara sighed slowly. 'Can I see her?'

Doctor Benzene nodded. 'We had to put her on a ventilator and also anti-inflammatory drugs to try and reduce the pressure on her brain. We won't be sure of any lasting damage until she wakes up, but that won't be for a while because the antibiotics will be keeping her asleep.'

With a small voice Sara responded 'Okay.'

Doctor Benzene led Sara up two flights of stairs to the children's intensive care unit. Sara felt it was the longest 3 minutes of her life. All the time she kept screaming at her heart Jessica would be okay, but her head was screaming back that the chances are against her.

Sara watched as the doctor paused outside a room on a long hallway with many other rooms on it.

'Please don't be alarmed about the amount of wires and tubes all around her. Most of them are simply there just in case. A doctor will regularly be coming in to check on her and if anything is wrong just press the nurse call button beside her bed and a nurse will come and see you. I will keep you updated.' The doctor turned around and walked back down the stairs they came up and slowly Sara walked in the room.

No words could have prepared her for what she saw. Jessica, looking very pale and asleep, was lying in a small bed/cot. Two tubes went into her nose, one into her bladder, an IV into her hand and about 3 others that Sara didn't know what were for. The amount of machines that were there 'just in case' did anything but reassure her. A lonely chair sat in the corner of the all white room and a plain porcelain sink sat in another corner. The small table beside the bed had nothing but a jug of water and a cup and Sara made a metal note to get some pretty balloons and flowers to greet her for when she woke up, whenever that would be.

She took the chair from the corner and dragged it over to the side of the bed and took hold of Jessica's hand. It was more a comfort for her than for Jessica but it helped anyway. She looked into the face of the toddler for what felt like a lifetime. It was only when two hours later a knock at the door brought her out of her trance.

'Catherine? What are you doing here?'

'I came to see how you were. You sounded really upset on the phone a while ago I thought you needed someone. I got out here as soon as I could. I left Kate and Lennie with my mother, she has Lindsay anyway.'

'Thanks for coming Cath. I really needed someone.' Sara couldn't help stop the tears that were now falling down her face.

'Hey shh. It will be okay.' Catherine took Sara in her arms trying to comfort her but Sara pulled away.

Shaking her head. 'The doctor said she has amoeba meningitis. It's got a really high mortality rate. I've to prepare for the worst.'

'Aww Sara. Just hope for the best. I'll be here for you.'

It was just then a monitor from the bed started beeping furiously and a doctor and two nurses rushed inwhile Sara and Cath were rushed out.

So that was chapter 8. Review please.